Tag Archives: Florida

Economy, Florida, Media, Organized Labor, Pensacola, Politics, Whiners

Rally? What Rally?

There was supposed to be a ‘raise the minimum wage’ rally downtown last evening. Organized by a local labor union.

I couldn’t be there. Had to work. But I wanted to see a fat protester holding up a sign whining about having to work for a ‘starving wage.’ (found a pic on google)

So it was with eager anticipation to check the local newspaper this morning to see what happened. Nothing there. Zip, zero, nada. Nothing in the local alternative media either. Feeling a mild case of Schadenfreude here.

UPDATE: 11/11/2015 Thanks to one of the participant’s feedback, the “rally” wasn’t really a rally. I was mistaken. Instead of a rally, it was a “forum” held somewhere in town. Probably a union hall somewhere. Regardless, there was no rally. And no news coverage of the forum either. I mean really, who thinks labor unions would want the folks to know why they are supporting raising the minimum wage, for non-union workers?

Related Link: Labor Union Self Interest: Facts Behind Organized Labor’s Push to Raise the Federal Minimum Wage

 

Florida, Politics

More Choices For Women’s Health

In our tri-state area of Alabama, Florida, and Georgia, there are 1144 (abortion free) clinics that provide comprehensive women’s healthcare to  low-income, medically under-served populations.  By comparison, there are 29 Planned Parenthood clinics in the same tri-state area.

The next time you hear a politician scoff at the idea of stopping  federal dollars (500,000,000 of them) from going to 700 Planned Parenthood sites, the nation’s largest abortion provider (327,653 in 2013), remind him or her that there are 13,540 other federally qualified health centers (FQHCs) and rural health clinics (RHCs) nationwide that do everything Planned Parenthood does, and more, but do not perform abortions and sell the remains. Something taxpayers should not be forced to support.

Critics of Planned Parenthood are not against women’s health. On the contrary. And if proponents of Planned Parenthood were for women’s health, they too would be calling to send that half-billion dollars to the thousands of other locations women go. Because there are 20 comprehensive health care clinics for every Planned Parenthood.

alabama women centers v planned parenthood

 

 

florida womens centers v planned parenthood

 

 

georgia womens centers v planned parenthood

 

Florida, Media, Pensacola, Politics

Papantonio, Trial Lawyer Hall Of Fame

Trial and mass tort lawyer Mike Papantonio of the Levin-Papantonion law firm in Pensacola, FL was inducted into the Trial Lawyer Hall of Fame in Las Vegas last week. The Trial Lawyer Hall of Fame is hosted by Temple University School of Law in Philadelphia, PA.

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Ed Shultz (L) Mike Papantonio (R)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Next on his plate must be to replace Rush Limbaugh as the most listened to talk-radio show in the country, and winner of the 2014 National Association of Broadcasters Marconi Award.

2014 Election, Economy, Florida, Pensacola, Politics, Race Relations

2014 Mid-Term Analysis

The people who voted yesterday sent a clear message to Washington. STOP! Turn this ship around. Republicans did not win because they ran on a platform of issues, because they didn’t. Republicans won last night, big time, because Americans (from all parties) don’t like (66% of all Americans) the consequences of liberalism and the transformation Barack Obama is committed to. Still, the day after, committed to. They don’t like the flagrant violation of the Constitution. The Republican victory last night was to stop Obama. It was a rejection of Democrat incumbents. It was, to stop Democrats.

Pardon me while I gloat.

Other notable victories last night . . .

  • Mike Hill, a true conservative Republican who happens to be Black, is the first Black elected to the Florida House of Representatives since reconstruction, was President and founder of the local Tea Party in Pensacola, and won by a 2 to 1 margin.
  • The first Black senator from the South was elected last night. A Tea Party-supported conservative republican. Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC)
  • Utah elected the first Black woman to the House of Representative, Rep. Mia Love (R-UT)
  • Gov. Scott Walker, Wisconsin, wins third election in four years. Successfully fought Big Labor, turned a deficit into a surplus, and lowered taxes.
  • Illinois elected the first republican governor in over 30 years. Cook County, (Chicago) went Republican by a 2 to 1 margin.
  • Anthony Brown, Obama’s Mini-Me and Democrat Governor in Maryland got beat by 10 points by Republican Larry Hogan.
  • Republicans also unseated Democrat governors in Massachusetts, and Arkansas.
  • All of the federal representatives from Arkansas are now Republican. Home of the Clinton Library and Massage Parlor.
  • Texas AG Greg Abbott (R) beat Wendy Davis (D) of abortion and war on women fame, by 21 points.
  • Perdue (R) beat Nunn (D) (Sam Nunns daughter) by 8 points overall in the Georgia Senate race, and by 31 points in Fulton County (Atlanta).
  • Deal (R) beat Carter (Jimmy Carter’s grandson) by 8 points overall for Georgia Governor, and by 29 points in Fulton County.

The mandate is clear, should the Republicans decide to accept it. Turn this ship around. Do what the people elected you to do. The stakes could not be any higher. The question is not what part of Obama’s agenda you will accept. The election wasn’t about walking across the aisle to Obama’s side. It was 180 degrees from that. The question is what part of your agenda the loser will accept. And keep in mind, there’s nothing wrong with gridlock if that’s what it takes to keep the country from going over the cliff. Use your power of the purse to do what you can. It’s a tool, and responsibility, that the Constitution gave you. Use it.

Economy, Florida, Pensacola, Politics

Raise My Taxes, Please!

One of life’s truisms is, we’re all going to die. Another one is, there is no such thing as a temporary tax. Escambia County residents today voted for a 1.5% tax increase. Only they don’t call it that. They call it a half-cent and a one-cent tax. With that kind of deception, I’ll make a deal. I’ll go to the tax collector’s office and give them a nickel. Then don’t ask for another cent. People of Escambia County, learn how to live with what you have.

Link: Election returns for Escambia, Santa Rosa counties

Economy, Florida, Obamacare, Politics

Obamacare Premiums Increasing In Florida 13.2% Average

We already know that the Obama administration has illegally delayed the open enrollment period until two weeks after the mid-term elections. And, with the exemptions, delays, low new enrollment, dependent-heavy enrollment, and elimination of major funding streams for Obamacare, we now know that premiums will be going up. Not down as promised. What we in Florida didn’t know is by how much.

Here’s how much, over and above the outrageous increase an individual got last year. The surprise for businesses will come next year, after the government stops bailing out the insurance companies for their losses.

From my congressman Jeff Miller (R-FL1) . . .

In August, the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation reported that premiums for insurance plans available in Florida are set to rise by an average of 13.2 percent next year, based on rate proposals filed by Florida’s health insurance providers. Yet, many Floridians will have to wait another month to see just how much their premiums will change thanks to a decision by the Administration to delay enrollment for 2015 Obamacare plans until November 15, nearly two weeks after the midterm elections.

Economy, Florida, Pensacola, Politics, Race Relations

Kids Shooting Kids In Pensacola

Here is a case where youth violence, youth gun violence specifically, has been a growing concern in the Pensacola area. One way to reach the kids, it was thought, was to give them something to do and try to teach them to behave responsibly.

An altercation early Sunday morning that led to a 16-year-old being shot and a 15-year-old being knocked unconscious occurred right after a Stop the Violence concert, according to an event organizer. A co-organizer of the concert, Bill Marshall, said the concert had been a free event where local music artists performed and spoke to the youths about ending violence in their communities.

So much for that idea. The Pensacola News Journal reporter does not say, but from the address of the place where the free concert was, it seems to be in a predominately Black neighborhood. I could be wrong in assuming that the youths involved were Black, but I doubt it. The reporter could clear this doubt up with just a little more information.

You can’t fix the out-of-control youth issue when you don’t know what the problem is. The problem is that Black youth unemployment is 33.4 percent nationally. That’s almost criminal to have a figure that high. I don’t know if it is better or worse in Pensacola. It is almost twice that of White youth unemployment at 18.9 percent. Which is still way too high. Either way, for all races, youth unemployment is unacceptably high. This makes for trouble the likes of which occurred over the weekend.

The answer obviously is not free concerts. And it isn’t a higher minimum wage. The answer is in a growing economy. Not a contracting economy like we have now. Contrary to what President Obama thinks (and economist he is not), raising the minimum wage (which is where youths always start) will create less opportunities for them. Not more.

Link: Pensacola American Legion shooting occurred after concert.

Florida, Politics

Thomas Lynch, M.R.I.O.T.D. Award Winner

Dr. Thomas Lynch, United States Department of Veterans Affairs Assistant Deputy USH for Clinical Operations and Management, says the VA “is a good system.” For this statement, Dr. Lynch wins the M.R.I.O.T.D. Award. That would be the Most Ridiculous Item Of The Day Award.

Weekly update from Congressman Jeff Miller (R-FL1) and Chairman House Veteran’s Affairs Committee.

Florida, Pensacola, Politics

Ray Guillory Endorses Medical Marijuana

2 Comments

Received this press release from Raymond Guillory, candidate for Escambia County Commissioner District 2.raymond_guillory

Today Ray Guillory, Candidate for Escambia County Commissioner in District 2, becomes the first declared candidate to openly endorse the Medical Marijuana initiative on this Novembers ballot. 
Use of Marijuana for Certain Medical Conditions
Allows the medical use of marijuana for individuals with debilitating diseases as determined by a licensed Florida physician. Allows caregivers to assist patients’ medical use of marijuana. The Department of Health shall register and regulate centers that produce and distribute marijuana for medical purposes and shall issue identification cards to patients and caregivers. Applies only to Florida law. Does not authorize violations of federal law or any non-medical use, possession or production of marijuana.
Ray Guillory fully supports making medical marijuana available for the treatment of chronic debilitating disease.
With the recent ruling of the V.A. accepting marijuana as treatment for PTSD , Traumatic Brain Injuries and other problems that plaque our veterans, it is unconscionable that we would withhold beneficial treatments.
As a member of a family that has been hit hard by cancer,I wants anyone who suffers from this disease to have any medication that eases their sufferings and works against the debilitating side effects of both the disease and the cures.
On the county level we must set the standards for which this industry will be regulated. We must insure that this law doesn’t make it easier for this drug to get in the hands of minors. We should also ensure that any economic windfall has lasting benefits for Escambia County. With the passage of this amendment we should set up a tax structure to directly benefit drug prevention and policing programs.
                 Ray Guillory, Democratic candidate for Escambia County Commissioner Dist.2

A sign of the times? Yes. Backed by medical research? Yes. Implications of things to come? Probably so. Like the decriminalization of pot altogether for people over 21.

Kudo’s to Ray for taking a stand on this controversial subject. This is an issue that, I think, spans political party. An issue for which, the time has come.

Link: Raymond Guillory’s campaign website