FL GOP Legislature: Rich Men Who Cheat Will Be Protected

Because if there is ever an oppressed class, its unfaithful wealthy men...

This is also an example of how bad gerrymandering has gotten in this state. Even during the large red wave of conservative activism last year, a constitutional amendment to end the practice was passed with a supermajority of voters. (Although the FL legislature is spending millions to overturn it.)

They are angry that idiot legislators like Ritch Workman (R-Melbourne) are very, very safe and win big.

SO safe, he can pitch DWARF-TOSSING as a jobs bill.

So safe, that this SOB is now putting forth a horrible bill with the sole purpose of protecting rich men who cheat on their wives.


The bill would:

-Forbid judges from considering adultery when they determine alimony.

-Put a cap on the amount and the length of time its paid.

-Allow any and all PREVIOUS divorce agreements to be reopened and renegotiated.



I'm sure this is completely unrelated... but Rich Workman just finalized his own divorce 8 DAYS after filing this travesty of a bill. Any guesses the reason for that divorce? Anyone?

Don't think for a second this doesn't stand a chance of passage. We have a super majority Republican legislature that backs this stupidity... with many of them from the "moral values" crowd who are either currently divorced or even going through the process right now.

Divorce lawyers stand to make a fortune in reopening claims--and there is a niche industry in Central Florida that cater to wealthy men who don't want to support their wives or children. (If you live here, you've seen the bill boards). And then, of course, you need to understand the powerful lobby groups, such as Fathers and Family, Florida Alimony Reform, etc., who represent rich, divorced fathers. (I hear Newt is a fan.)

Last year's session of the FL legislature served only to make the vast majority of us suffer. Forced ultrasounds, schools cut to the bone, and voting rights destroyed just to name a few.

Unfortunately, this awful bill, which even Workman admits he didn't think through, will likely be one of many torture sessions we must endure before election next November.

A Tale of One Session: No More Business Oversight, No More Growth Management, Massive Cuts to Education

When the state legislative session finally ended, I realized something. I don't know exactly what we have here in Florida, but it is definitely not a Democracy. Floridians were shocked by the wacky laws that passed which stripped our rights and protections... each one worse than the previous. The right-wing, conservative republicans who represent a VERY small minority of teabaggers call all the shots. The few Democrats in the legislature could do nothing, not even debate!

The super-majority Florida rethuglicans, in their cozy, custom-drawn districts, were busy marginalizing the judiciary, ignoring amendments they don't like in our Constitution, and stripping power away from the citizens. The uneducated morons even outlawed sex. (No, sadly, I am not kidding.) The people are outraged, but helpless. I thought that this is what it must feel like to be in a dictatorship.

But then I thought I was giving into hyperbole. Of course we don't have a dictatorship--that would be an improvement. We get none of the advantages. (More efficiency? Less corruption? Florida? riiight). Cripes, we don't even get the damn charismatic overlord. Just a sickly-looking buffoon.

With absolute power, our republican legislators showed everyone what they are REALLY about. The middle-class, unemployed, homeless, veterans, mentally ill, seniors and disabled children all got punched in the gut with massive cuts totaling hundreds of millions of dollars. Big corporations of course got a hefty tax break, which was stupid and pointless since the rethughlicans also left all the corporate tax loopholes in anyway. (Less than 2% of corporations bother to pay any taxes in Florida. So suck on that.) Tax breaks for things only the wealthy can enjoy, such as yachts and skyboxes, stayed put. So did the sweet, sweet government-run healthcare all republican lawmakers enjoy in Tallahassee. (At $2 a week for a few weeks "work", its the most generous in the nation.)

The bastards gutted education by over $1.1 billion. They cut almost all business oversight regulations: Movers can now change their prices mid-move, mechanics don't have to give written estimates, dozens of professions (like mold inspectors) no longer need a license, and the protections in place against our longtime problem with shady timeshare companies have vanished. I suppose we are so desperate for jobs we are begging all the shady and even criminal enterprises who fled the state to come back and set up shop so they can hire again. (Yeah, much better than those tens of thousands of jobs we would have gotten for high-speed rail, I guess.) There is also no more growth managment in this state. Developers can now build with impunity and no longer worry about building schools or roads to handle their new sprawl.

There was also time to add amendments to ensure teabag conservative turnout for the national election. There are many pointless, partisan amendments such as one overturning abortion, one loosening the separation between church and state, and another overturning the new health care law in Florida. (What health-care crisis? Don't you know it only costs two bucks a week?)

Simultaneously, the sickening voter suppression law returns Jim Crow to Florida by blatantly suppressing minorities, college students,and women from voting. It passed on a party-line vote. They also criminalized 3rd party voter registration. The League of Women Voters announced they will leave the state if Gov. Rich Snott signs it into law. Teabag Lawmaker Mike Bennett sees nothing wrong with making people "fight" to vote or even walk 200 miles to vote. (Republicans, however, can still vote absentee.)


Again. This was just. one. session.

Even worse, the supporters of the few bad laws that did fail have vowed to bring them up again next session. Look for the return of court packing, another try at the AZ anti-brown people law, and the promised new try of turning our parks into golf courses.

I am up to already up to #26 in my series.

I'm sick and tired of complaining. I cannot handle 3 1/2 more years of this crap. Do me a favor:

1. Register to vote. Stop what you are doing. Do it now. Make sure everything is squared away before the next election.

2. Get involved. Talk to people. Write your paper and your legislators. Volunteer-anywhere (candidate, party, outside group, etc.) Contribute. Risk criminal prosecution and register peeps to vote anyway (screw 'em!).

3. Vote. In the name of all that is holy, VOTE. Don't stay home to "make a point". Real people suffer. Besides, the dems here and in DC would just interpret your apathy as the result of not compromising enough. (Our party really is that lame.)

If you have a moment, take a moment right now:

1. Contact the DOJ. Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act requires states with a history of voting discrimination, such as Florida, to submit any changes to voting laws to the DOJ for review. Florida is blatantly suppressing voting rights. Our Senator has asked them for this... take a moment and ask them as well. (What the hell is it you do anyway, Holder?)

2. Fight for fair districts. The rethuglicans are actually using taxpayer money to fight this. Fair elections are our best chance to end their complete and utter domination.

3. Support citizen-led intiatives. Sign the petitions. Ask your friends to sign them. Vote for them. Citizen-led initiatives have been made difficult with shorter timelines and a supermajority. Yet they remain our only check and balance left in this state... and the people have finally awoken. Support amendments allowing recall of our elected officials. Support the amendment initiative that gaurantees funding of our independent courts. Support the amendment initiative to repeal the voter suppression law... if all else fails.

It sux right now, folks. But it is not hopeless. Not by any means. Democrats CAN win in this state... hell, Alan Grayson is as liberal as they come and won in a GOP-drawn district. The red wave election last year STILL somehow garnered a super-majority for fair districts. Movements like Awake the State have spread and put the teabaggers to shame. Fight as hard as you can... and enjoy the spectacle while it lasts.

Florida GOP Legalizes Voter Suppression, Including a Return to Jim Crow

The GOP completely dominates Florida government. Through a sick combination of financial corruption, massive gerrymandering, a very lame state Dem party, and (until very recently) a low information voter epidemic.

They not only have a right-wing felon in the governor's mansion, but hold every statewide office sans one Senate seat.

They completely dominate the state legislature: an 80-39 seat advantage in the House and 28-12 advantage in the Senate. (Gerrymandering is so bad that NO ONE lost their seat in the 2006/2008 blue waves.)

The teabag legislation this session has ranged from funny to frightening. And they don't want anyone to stop their good times.

The ONLY thing that can stand in their way are two factors:

1. The independent court system
2. A very angry, recently awakened electorate.

This week, the GOP teabag lawmakers went after BOTH of them with guns blazing. Priority one is jobs holding on to power.

This was originally going to be a diary on both of those efforts, but I had to split them up or this would be one big hairy diary. Today you will see the Voter Suppression bill, which is poised to pass. Next I will look at their strategy for dismantling the courts.

VOTER SUPPRESSION:

I have been a poll watcher ever since the 2000 election. One thing I fought hard against were republican poll workers who tried to always give provisional ballots out when they weren't warranted. Why?

MOST PROVISIONAL BALLOTS ARE NOT COUNTED!!!!

According to the Advancement Project, in 2008, 51% of provisional ballots in Florida were not counted.

Naturally, the GOP is determined to give likely Dem voters provisional ballots. Lessee.. women, minorities, and college students.

Here is what the 100+ page Voter Suppression bill does to you:

• Women. Name change? No vote for you! Since the civil rights era, if you changed your marital status you could update your information at the polls and vote a regular ballot that is guaranteed to be counted. No more. Tens of thousands of newly married women voters in 2012 will be forced to use the shifty provisional ballots.



• College students. The largest population that requires address changes are college students. If they failed to notify the elections supervisor of their new address long before the election, they too will no longer get a regular ballot. Again, for 40 years you could update your address at the polls. For 40 years there has never been a problem with this.. .until now.



• Dark skin? Democrat? Gotta love this one:
  

  There are many other new regulations, several depriving voters of their chance to work out problems at the polls. For instance, if voters are challenged for any reason, they would be required to cast a provisional ballot. And they could not receive legal help while in line, as before.

  
  
  The Florida GOP is wasting no time with this one. They are already staging vote caging operations for 2012. Thanks!

Horrified? Thought you would be. But it gets even better:

• Voter-registration groups would have to register all their volunteers and paid staff with the state’s Division of Supervisors of Elections, which would then create a database. What's the purpose of the database? NO ONE KNOWS. But in a state where they don't want to make a pill-mill database because it violates the privacy of drug dealers have no trouble with a database that records information of people who just want to help others vote.
  
  
  
• Restrict the ability of news media and bloggers to take video or audio of voters at polling places. Nice. This is a little gift to those vote-cagers we talked about.



• Volunteers have to turn in registration forms within 48 hours, are face fines and possible criminal penalties. UP TO 1,000 bucks if you turn one in late!!!!!
  
  Why this? The legislature has tried unsuccessfully in the past to outlaw 3rd party registration groups... so they are trying to eliminate them indirectly. Case in point, the League of Women Voters in Florida said they may have to cease voter registration if this passes.
  



• Now non-partisan, elected, county supervisors of elections willl be put under the control of the politically appointed Secretary of State. The Secretary would have the ability to issue orders to these county officials or remove those who do not comply!



• Cut early voting in half (most early voting is done by Democrats)



• Cut time for citizen-led initiatives to gain the required 600.000 signatures from four years to just 20 months.
  
  As a side note, any meaningful reform has come from these citizen initiatives--like Fair Districts (which is under attack). This is just the first step in the eventual elimination of these intiatives.

The GOP was asked by a few in the media why they are so hell-bent on disenfranching voters. They claim it is all an effort to "stamp out fraud".

Interesting, since even our Sec of State had to admit he could find no cases of voter fraud. The former GOP chairman told the media to talk with the election supervisors about all the fraud... except none of them, NOT EVEN THE GOP ONES, claim there has been any.

What can we do?

Contact your legislator. Yes. If GOP it may fall on deaf ears but we've had success restoring funding to disabled kids, stopping the destruction of our parks, and halting the AZ anti-brown people law. They sense the backlash and some may want to pick their battles. If Dem, tell them to fight this in court after they vote against it or contact the DOJ.

In fact, you contact the DOJ. Poll taxes, literacy tests, and other forms of suppression are why the federal govenrnment got involved and review changes in our voting laws under the Voting Rights Act. I strongly feel these attacks warrant intervention.

Start a Citizen Led Initiative to REPEAL this awful soon-to-be-law. Floridians will support it and it will easily make the 60% threshold.

The governor has already made it so people who have paid their debt to society cannot vote for 5-7 years after release, with the sole intention of taking 1 million minorities out of the equation for upcoming elections. The ACLU, noting that this was the original law put in place for retaliaion of the 15th amendment, is taking up that cause after our attorney general said that this somehow didn't apply to the Voting Rights Act.

I can't stop the Voter Suppression bill from becoming law, but I'll be damned if I let this go quietly.

PS... picked up by Racheal Maddow:

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

UPDATE: The bill was signed into law by Gov. Voldemort

Make. It. Stop. FL Teabag Legislators LEGALIZE payoffs

I don't know if you realize this, but our state government has a reputation for corruption. (And all of this was before we elected a criminal to lead us.)

Well, our new Teabag overlords in the state legislature have finally figured out a way to end the illegal practice of taking payoffs under the table for favorable legislation.

They made it legal.

Just a few days ago, the GOP leadership overwhelmingly fast-tracked a law to bring back slush funds that will be, get this, directly managed by our legislative leadership.

The ignorant massess are none too happy. Here's columnist Howard Troxler from the St. Pete Times:

The Florida Legislature proved this past week, once and for all, that it is the utter Whore of Babylon.

It is now legal in our state to pay off the Legislature directly. Who says so? The Legislature.

This is not a joke.

This is not satire.

This is Florida — where the laws of our democracy are now openly, officially For Sale.

First time our legistlature has been called a whore, won't be the last.

The teabag lawmakers who even bothered to try to justify it (and really, why bother?) actually said it would be better to take direct payoffs because it is more "transparent". And besides, they are just sick of trying to hide it.

Former gov. Charlie Crist vetoed this last year, saying these funds were a "vestige" of Florida's corrupt political past and pointed out that the MASSIVELY scandal-ridden Florida GOP shouldn't be fighting so hard to bring them back. (A Democratic-controlled legislature banned these slush funds over 20 years ago.)

These funds will be HUGE special-interest fundraising machines for the GOP. Now, our legislative "leaders" are allowed to steer these unlimited amounts of campaign cash directly into separate accounts they control.

The worst thing about this isn't the fact that they will be taking bribes, even though this legislation streamlines the process. The worst thing I foresee is that our corrupt legislators will be able to "shake down" certain groups or businesses for contributions for exemptions to some of the draconian laws they are poised to pass. (So, eh, MickeY, right? Enjoying your little gun exemption? Ya know, some of the boys think it time we allow MAC-10s to be openly carried in the park. I might be persuaded to call it off, but I could use a little more "encouragement"...)

Everytime I think they can't go any lower, they pull out a stick of dynamite.

Poor, sweet, naive Karen Thurman

I met her several times. She is a tough, smart lady. Here is what she sent out:

I'm angry.

Earlier this week I was hopeful that the thousands of emails we sent to the Republicans in control would wake them up out of their special interest stupor.

Unfortunately, Republicans like Jeff Atwater proved once again that they just don't care about the people of Florida. It was business-as-usual for them.

They should be ashamed of themselves - but they're not. So we have got to throw the bums out.

Write a letter to the editor of your local newspaper NOW to let people know about the Republicans' tax hikes, special interest giveaways, cuts to health care and gutting of education.

In the middle of the recession they created, Republicans chose special interests over the people of Florida. They raised property taxes and hiked every fee imaginable. They're sending pink slips to teachers across the state, and shuttering health facilities for the disabled.

But Atwater, who thinks he's going to be the next Senate President, has still got his $7000-a-month intern. And a major Republican developer got a $7.5-million connector road that will be a huge boon to their business. Sen. Mike Haridopolos still hasn't finished the book the state paid him more than $100,000 to write, and he's taking another $75,000 for a part-time lecturing job.

These Republicans don't see what's coming at them. Florida is boiling over and we won't forget the pain they've caused this November.

Also, the St. Pete Times:

Barring a Tallahassee miracle, when the Legislature adjourns Friday it will have failed in every respect to responsibly address the state's most pressing issues. It is hard to imagine re-election campaigns based on a record of imposing painful spending cuts, protecting special interest tax breaks, forcing universities to cap enrollments and raising local property taxes to keep public education limping along. But incumbents will try to paper over the sins of the spring with misleading campaign ads in the fall, and voters should not let them get away with it.
- St. Petersburg Times Editorial, 4/28/08

Florida IS boiling over mad. In today's Orlando Sentinel, the headline is how our state legislature threw away federal dollars for us to have a REAL rail system we desperately need here in Central Florida, along with it would have come money to WIDEN I-4. Logical, yes. Did it pass? NOPE.

Two weeks ago, front page Orlando Sentinel, GOP legislative leader Marc Rubio talked about gutting medical care for the needy because Florida citizens needed to "tighten their belts". Of course, that didn't mean his. The wealthy FL legislators receive free health care, and were insulted that they were asked to cut that benefit.

HOWEVER, I have lived here long enough to know this: FL won't throw the bums out. They will keep electing them just like a kid who can't resist touching an electric fence to see if he gets shocked.

The GOP is betting on voter's apathy and stupidity to keep them in office--even after this fiasco. Karen Thurman and the state Democrats are betting on their active participation and sensibility.

Sorry to say, I am with the Republicans on this one.