Tag Archives: Florida

Florida, Pensacola, Politics

Florida House District 2, Sample Ballot

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According to Supervisor of Elections David Stafford, election day for the Special General Election for State House District 2 is Tuesday June 11, 2013. Early voting is from Saturday June 1 through Saturday June 8.

There are three locations for early voting:

  • Supervisor of Elections main office, 213 Palafox Place, 2nd Floor
  • Tryon Branch Library, 1200 Langley Avenue
  • Southwest Branch Library, 12248 Gulf Beach Highway

There are two versions of the ballot. One for City residents, and one for Dist 2 residents outside of the city of Pensacola. The only difference between them is that the City ballot has a referendum in it to choose whether to downsize the City Council from 9 to 7 members by the elimination of 2 At-Large seats.

Sample Ballot for Florida District 2 residents, within City of Pensacola.

Sample Ballot for Florida District 2 residents, not in the City of Pensacola

The Lunch Counter endorses Mike Hill. What I know about Mike is 1) he’s not a politician, 2) he believes in First Principles, including the Constitution, 3) he’s no quitter, and 4) you can trust him to stay that way.

Lend your support to Mike HERE.

Vote to downsize the City Council. 7 is too many, but at least it is going in the right direction. The fewer the better.

Florida, Pensacola, Uncategorized

Gregg Allman Coming To Pensacola

You can’t have grown up in the 60’s and not also have grown with the Allman Bros. Band. I could be wrong, but I doubt it.

It is the band that started the genre known as Southern Rock. 50 years later, I always look forward to seeing them, or in this case, Gregg and his band. He’s coming to Pensacola July 12, 2013.

To say that the Allman Brothers Band has had an effect on my life would be an understatement. I remember vividly in 1969, or was it 1970? (grin) Standing on the floor, in the Spectrum in Philly, about 20 feet from the stage and a tower of loudspeakers. I think the ticket price was about $6 back then. It is the reason my hearing in my left ear now is pretty much shot. Not complaining. I have to say even now, it was still worth it.

Gregg is touring with Hank Williams Jr. Tickets

Florida, Politics

Rubio Explains ‘NO’ On Water Resources Development Act of 2013

So who could possibly vote against a bill that tugs at your heart strings like a bill named Water Resources Development Act? Senator Rubio (R-FL) could, and did. But for good reason. The Democrat majority Senate pulled out all that would have helped solved Florida’s water problems. Sen. Nelson (D-FL) voted for it because it did help the Everglades. Admirable, but, other of Florida’s water priorities that were originally in the bill had been pulled out.

Rubio explains his vote . . .

Continue reading Rubio Explains ‘NO’ On Water Resources Development Act of 2013 →

Florida, Pensacola, Politics

Tea Party President Wins Florida House D-2 Primary

mike_hill
Mike Hill (R), small business owner, founder, NWF Tea Party

Mike Hill (R), president and founder of the Northwest Florida Tea Party and a 2010 Republican Primary candidate for the Florida Senate, won the Republican primary for the House seat left vacant after the death of Rep. Clay Ford (R),  in a primary election Tuesday. The general election will be held June 11 for the vacant seat.

According to the Miami Herald, “If Hill wins the seat, he would become the only African-American Republican currently serving in the Legislature.”

Mr. Hill won by nearly 2 to 1 over the second place candidate.

Congratulations to Mike Hill for winning his first election to public office. And many more!

Unofficial results HERE.

endofstory

ALL RESULTS ARE UNOFFICIAL UNTIL CERTIFIED
Initial unofficial results include all early votes and absentee votes.
“Precincts Reporting” will be updated as election day returns are processed.
43 of 43 Precincts Reporting

STATE REPRESENTATIVE DISTRICT 2 (REP)

Candidate Votes Percentage
Mike Hill 3,140 46.50 %
Ed Gray III 1,811 26.82 %
Mark Taylor 700 10.37 %
Jack Nobles 644 9.54 %
Scott Miller 360 5.33 %
David Radcliffe 97 1.44 %

Link: Hill Wins Republican Primary

Florida, Gun Control, Pensacola

Pizza Delivery Driver, Robbed At Gunpoint

A Pizza Hut delivery driver was ambushed and robbed by three armed black men Wednesday night, 5/1/2013. The incident occurred in the pizza-hut-logo(1)7800 block of Graves Road around 10 pm. Graves Road runs from Olive Road, two blocks East of Davis Highway in Pensacola.

The thugs took the pizza, about $40 cash and the driver’s wallet. Fortunately, he was not physically hurt and notified the Sheriff’s Department. His wife and child are no doubt grateful that Daddy is home and safe.

Since the robbers are as yet unidentified, armed and dangerous, the police would like a tip that would help take these thugs off the street. If you happen to see a delivery driver making a delivery somewhere, keep an eye out for him or her. You might have a chance to really make a difference, for them and for our community.

As an aside, any bets as to whether the thugs obtained their guns legally, and, are allowed by law to posses them? Do you believe that stricter gun control laws will prevent crimes like this?

Florida, Gun Control, Media, Politics

Scarborough’s Straw Man Argument For Gun Control

According to former Congressman Joe Scarborough (R-FL1), those House members (R’s and D’s) who voted against the gun control joe_scarborough1bill last week are “against background checks for criminals and terrorists” and “occupy the most extreme corner of American politics.”

I don’t know anyone who is against background checks for purchasing firearms, including the NRA. Background checks have been law for decades now. But that’s not the case from wherever Joe sits.

Only in the mind of the far Left is the 2nd Amendment in the “extreme corner of American politics.” Basically, it has nothing to do with politics. It is part of the Constitution that lawmakers are charged with protecting and defending. Second Amendment be dammed, Joe has made using 20 dead school children his cause for infringing upon the 2nd Amendment. Tugging on ones heartstrings is what Liberals do, and that’s what Joe is doing in this article. Creating his straw man argument for more gun control laws.

Could it be that Joe (Morning Joe) Scarborough isn’t aware that criminals and terrorists are already not permitted to buy or posses firearms?

Could it possibly be that Joe isn’t aware that the provisions in the bill that was defeated last week would have done nothing to stop the kind of violence that has brought “gun control” to the front page again, including the Sandy Hook Elementary school massacre and including the Boston terrorist bombers?

And could it be that Joe, like the President, wants an issue to use for political advantage (presumably for Democrats) than to insist on enforcing current laws before infringing on the rights of law-abiding citizens by calling for more laws that criminals and terrorists won’t obey anyway?

Jeri MacDonald on Joe’s facebook page said “Joe, i wish you’d come over to the left side!” Judging from his article in Politico, that is a redundant statement.

Florida, Gun Control, Politics

House Advances Cyber Security, Protecting Liberties

The House, in a bi-partisan fashion, passed H.R. 624, the Cyber Intelligence Sharing and Protection Act.  H.R. 624 seeks to establish voluntary information-sharing links between the private sector and the government.  Rather than seeking to intrude on the private sector by mandating the sharing of information, this bill encourages companies to share cyber threat information by limiting the government’s use of the information and protecting the companies from liability.

The bill includes safeguards to our personal liberty which Democrats who voted against the bill (98 NO, 92 YES) thought we don’t need or deserve. Specifically, that the federal government may not make use of any records with personal identifiable information—such as firearms sales records, tax return records, and medical records—shared under the legislation. And, nothing in the bill authorizes the Department of Defense, National Security Agency or other Intelligence Community element to target an American citizen for surveillance. And that nothing in the bill authorizes companies receiving cyber threat information to sell the personal information of a consumer for marketing purposes.

Contrary to the Big Brother mentality that pervades Washington, the bill is constrained to limiting and combating cyber security threats only. Next step is for the Senate to do something with it. Or not.

Link: Congressman Jeff Miller’s (FL-1) Newsletter, 4/21/13

Florida, Pensacola

Respect For Law Day, A Bust?

Pensacolans missed a chance to show a little respect. I’m afraid our public servants and first responders may have felt a little like Rodney respect_for_law_day_promoDangerfield. Billed as “Respect for Law Day” by the Optimist Club, an event held by Optimist Clubs everywhere, Pensacola missed a chance to get tips on public safety, check out a fire engine, and see some beautiful horses. And they missed a chance to show some respect to our first responders. They are respected and appreciated here at The Lunch Counter.

I hope the rest of the event was better attended than it was when it began at 10AM. I took a few pictures and found this video. There was no mention in the News Journal about the 4-hour event. At the start there was no one there but willing and helpful volunteers and club members anticipating some folks. Hot dogs and refreshments were there. Everything was there except the public.

The Pensacola Police department, Fire department, and Sheriffs department’s Posse were all represented. Gulf Power had a representative and a display showing hazards and giving safety tips for electrical emergencies that occur during storms.

[flagallery gid=20 name=Gallery]

Organizer Chuck McCants posted some videos on YouTube at the event. Below is one of them.

Economy, Florida, Immigration, Obamacare, Organized Labor, Pensacola, Politics

What’s Next For Big Labor?

Labor unions today have unknowingly fulfilled a self-fulfilling prophesy. By leveraging unfair practices upon workers to build union Labor-Unionsmembership, they did such a good job that they have lost their only reason to recruit.  Now they are left with ancient history, the mid twentieth century, to fall back on. And for the most part, no longer have a reason to exist.

BIG LABOR advocates say “Without America’s labor unions, we wouldn’t have many of the protections and benefits that we have today.” That’s a true statement. It was true 30 years ago too! Thanks to the ‘wake-up call’ delivered to employers by organized labor decades ago, which was “treat your people right or lose,” the labor movement has successfully put itself out of business so to speak. Their usefulness has diminished due to their earlier success as shown by their decreasing member rolls.

  • Total percentage private sector and public sector labor union workers: 2002 13.3%, 2012 11.3%
  • Percent of private sector labor union workers: 2002 8.6%, 2012 6.6%
  • Percent of public sector, government, labor union workers: 2002 37.3%, 2012 35.9%
  • Total number of union workers, public and private sector: 2002 16,145,000, 2012 14,366,000

Continue reading What’s Next For Big Labor? →