Florida

A Truly Divided Nation With No Sign Of Compromise!

Ronald 61 Comments

As America votes in off year elections in just a few states, the recognition is that America is a truly divided nation with no sign of compromise, as we move toward the commemoration of the 250th anniversary of the American Republic, with every indication of Fascist authoritarianism being dominant under Donald Trump!

At present, there are 25 Trump states and 19 Anti Trump states, with only six states really competitive, both in support or opposition to Trump, and in percentages of seats in the House of Representatives.

In the 25 Trump states, 22 of them have Republican governors, and all of the state legislatures and Senate seats, as well.

Only six states really remain “competitive”—Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, and Nevada, a total of 77 Electoral College votes.

In Electoral Votes, the Democrats have 226 from the 19 Anti Trump states and the District of Columbia. The 25 Trump states have 235 electoral votes.

Also, Nebraska and Maine have divided electoral votes, with the Second District of Nebraska often having one electoral vote going to Democrats and the Second District of Maine often having one electoral vote going to Republicans, so they balance each other.

The states that have strongly gone Republican, while formerly competitive, are Texas, Florida, Ohio, and North Carolina.

With Texas and Florida still gaining population growth, the likelihood is that both states will have more electoral votes after reapportionment in 2032, which makes the Democrats facing a massive challenge in future elections.

And California, Illinois, and New York are likely to lose Electoral votes, necessitating the need for Democrats to win the six “swing states” that have been in play, but won recently by Republicans, as in 2024!

Horrible Potential Republican Governors In 2026 Midterm Elections!

Ronald 1 Comment

With the midterm 2026 State Gubernatorial Elections just a bit more than a year away, there is the potential for a group of horrible individuals running for the Governorship in Republican states winning executive control of their state governments.

These would include the following:

Alabama Senator Tommy Tuberville

Arizona Congressman Andy Biggs

Florida Congressman Byron Donalds

Michigan Congressman John James

New York Congresswoman Elise Stefanik

Ohio entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy

South Carolina Congresswoman Nancy Mace

Tennessee Senator Marsha Blackburn

All eight of these individuals are highly controversial, overtly loyal to Donald Trump, and would promote the MAGA concept of the Republican Party in state government.

The odds at this moment, more than a year ahead of the elections, is that Tuberville, Donalds, Ramaswamy, Mace, and Blackburn would be odds on favorites to become their states’ governors, while Biggs, James, and Stefanik have a tougher battle ahead, with their states presently having Democratic Governors.

PBS Being Eliminated By Trump, Replaced By “Prager University”, Which Is Despicable Alternative!

Ronald 4 Comments

PBS (Public Broadcasting Service) and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, existent since 1969, is disappearing as a publicly supported entity, due to Donald Trump’s cutting of nearly a billion dollars of public funding for that agency which has been so positive and constructive over 56 years.

PBS will survive due to public support, but many rural stations will be unable to sustain themselves sadly.

Right wing influence is attempting to have a so called “university” which is not such, “Prager University”, propagandize and distort education in schools in many states, with ten states adopting their curriculums to promote their agenda, far from what PBS did.

Its videos, designed solely to promote propaganda and make profits, distort the truth of slavery; deny the reality of climate change and global warming; advocate racism, nativism, misogyny, and homophobia, rather than promote tolerance and acceptance. It also distorts the reality of fascism and advocates creationism, rather than the truth of science.

Its creator, Dennis Prager, undermines the traditional Jewish open mindedness of his faith, in a selfish desire to gain excessive wealth in league with evangelical religious extremists, proving the profit motive more important than basic ethics, morality, compassion, decency, and empathy.

It is important to realize that “Prager University” is NOT a university and does not confer degrees, and is not accredited by any recognized educational body.

Among those involved in video presentation are Candace Owens, Tucker Carlson, Ben Shapiro, and Michelle Malkin, which says a lot in itself.

The website promotes against the minimum wage and gun control, and for unbridled, unregulated capitalism.

The states of Florida, Oklahoma, New Hampshire, Montana, Arizona, and Louisiana were the first states to allow “Prager University” to be an official vendor of so called educational material.

And now, Oklahoma has adopted an “ideology test” in league with “Prager University” to screen and withhold teaching certificates in the state from educators applying from “Blue” states to teach in the state, since they are considered “woke”, as if that is a sin.

It should be pointed out that it is hard to imagine any educator outside of Oklahoma lusting to move there, with the narrowminded nature of the Oklahoma Superintendant of Public Instruction, Ryan Walters, and the fact of the very low pay nationally of teachers in that state.

Future Hopes For Democrats: James Talarico, Maxwell Frost, David Hogg

Ronald 1 Comment

In the midst of horrendous times under Donald Trump and the Republican Party majority in both houses of Congress, there are encouraging signs of future hope for Democrats in the younger generation.

Three such examples are Texas State Legislator James Talarico; Florida Congressman Maxwell Alejandro Frost; and Youth activist David Hogg, a survivor of the Parkland, Florida, Marjorie Stoneman Douglas Massacre in 2018.

Talarico is considering a run for US Senate in Texas at age 36, while Frost at age 28 has made a name for himself in the House of Representatives.

Hogg at age 25 is trying to promote younger people running for public office, and has, in the process, alienated older establishment Democrats, and was pushed out as a Vice President of the Democratic National Committee.

While it may not happen, it would be ideal if Talarico could be elected to the Senate, and for Frost to decide to run for the Senate in 2026, and for Hogg to have the opportunity to run for the House of Representatives.

Even if not occurring immediately in 2026, these three young men are positive signs for the future of the Democratic Party.

Global Warming/Climate Change Ignored By Republican Party And Donald Trump!

admin 6 Comments

A series of recent events, most notably Hurricane Helene and Hurricane Milton, but also many other warnings of the escalating Global Warming/Climate Change crisis, is making the environment a growing political controversy!

The Republican Party en masse has long ignored the issue, favoring the oil and gas industries, and working against any efforts to combat the problem.

Donald Trump ridicules the concept of Global Warming/Climate Change, and if he is elected, the nation will be in ever greater crisis.

But even Republican members of Congress, and Republican governors, most notably Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, have chosen to ignore the problem, and in Florida, DeSantis has followed former Governor and now Senator Rick Scott, in removing any mention or actions in state law to deal with Global Warming/Climate Change.

A long term disaster seems certain, and clearly there is no concern about the effect it will have against poor people, who always end up affected more by actions taken to benefit the powerful and wealthy corporate interests.

Abortion Crucial Issue In Determining Future Of American Politics

admin Leave a comment

Ever since Roe V Wade was overturned by the Supreme Court in the Dobbs V Jackson Women’s Health Organization decision in June 2022, it has become the crucial issue to millions of American women and the men who support their right to reproductive freedom.

So far, since then, seven states have protected Abortion Rights, including Kansas, Kentucky, Montana, Michigan, California and Vermont in 2022, and Ohio in 2023.

Ten states have abortion ballot measures that will be facing voters in November 2024–including Arizona, Maryland, Missouri, Montana (expansion beyond 2022 vote), Nebraska, Nevada, New York, and South Dakota, all of whom have a 50 percent threshold; and Colorado with a 55 percent threshold, and Florida with a 60 percent threshold.

The Florida ballot question will be the most difficult to accomplish, but both that state and Arizona, along with Maryland and Nevada, will be tied to Senate races that will be crucial for Democrats, who, hopefully, will keep control of the US Senate.

Eight To Eleven States To Vote On Abortion Rights In November Election

admin Leave a comment

Donald Trump has made the claim that abortion rights will not be a major issue in the Presidential Election of 2024.

The reality is otherwise, as already, since the Dobbs V. Women’s Health Organization Supreme Court decision of June 2022 reversed Roe V Wade, six states have insured abortion rights–California, Michigan, Ohio, Vermont, Kentucky, and Kansas.

And now, eight states will have the issue of abortion rights on the ballot in November, including Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Maryland, Missouri, Nevada, New York, and South Dakota.

Additionally three other states are in process of trying to put it on the ballot—Arkansas, Montana and Nebraska.

So it could be that 11 states will join the 6 earlier that have moved to allow abortion rights, negating the Dobbs decision.

The first 6 states were evenly divided politically, with California, Michigan, and Vermont being Democratic, and Ohio, Kentucky, and Kansas being Republican states.

The eight states that have definite votes in November are 5 Democratic leaning states—Arizona, Colorado, Maryland, Nevada, and New York—and 3 leaning Republican—Florida, Missouri, and South Dakota.

And the other three states in process all tend to be Republican—Arkansas, Montana, and Nebraska.

So if one adds up these 17 states, there are 8 Democratic leaning states and 9 Republican leaning states.

This is all a very interesting situation in the battle for reproductive rights for women!

Three Senate Republican Targets Whose Defeats Would Be Blessings!

admin 1 Comment

The battle for control of the US Senate in 2025 is a very difficult struggle for Democrats, who have a one vote margin in the present Senate, but seem highly likely to lose that slight edge in the upcoming Senate elections.

Besides having to defend incumbents in Montana, Nevada, Ohio, Wisconsin, and Pennsylvania, open seats in Maryland and Arizona will be difficult battles, and with West Virginia assured of a switch to Republicans with Joe Manchin’s retirement.

There are only three Republican targets that are possible switches to the Democrats, but all three will be very difficult to defeat.

In Florida, Rick Scott is opposed by Debbie Mucarsel-Powell; in Missouri, Josh Hawley is opposed by Lucas Kunce; and in Texas, Ted Cruz is opposed by Colin Allred.

All three Republican Senators are horrendous in their comments, votes, and basic personalities, the kind that are regularly demonstrating their lack of concern for their constituents, and motivated solely by ambition and desire to be controversial.

Loss Of A True Statesman: Florida Governor And Senator Bob Graham!

admin 4 Comments

The state of Florida and the nation has lost a true statesman, former Governor and Senator Bob Graham, who passed away at the age of 87.

Graham was a class act as Florida Governor from 1979-1987, and as a US Senator from 1987-2005.

A leader who was of Presidential stature, he was on the short list for Vice President for Bill Clinton in 1992 and Al Gore in 2000, and briefly sought the Presidency himself in 2004.

He was a very effective governor of the Sunshine state, a true star when compared to recent Republican governors Rick Scott and Ron DeSantis. His emphasis was on promotion of the environment and advancement of education.

Graham was Chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee from 2001-2003, and worked to oppose the Iraq War under George W. Bush as based on faulty intelligence.

A half brother with the same last name, Phil Graham, came to own the Washington Post.

Florida has not been the same politically since Democrats such as Bob Graham left office, and as Republicans took over state government and domination of Congressional seats.

“Battleground” States Should Be Expanded By Democrats!

admin 5 Comments

With an expected very close race for the Presidency between Joe Biden and Donald Trump, and with three independent or third party challengers being an additional threat to take away votes from the major party candidates, it is urgent that the list of “battleground” states be expanded by Democrats!

The usual belief is that the following states are the “battlegrounds”:

Pennsylvania (19)
Michigan (15)
Wisconsin (10)
Georgia (16)
Arizona (11)
Nevada (6)

Total 77 Electoral Votes

But in addition, the following states need to be considered potentials for extra attention financially and through campaign appearances by Joe Biden, Kamala Harris, and numerous Democratic supporters in public office:

New Hampshire (4)
Virginia (13)
North Carolina (16)
Florida (30)
Minnesota (10)
New Mexico (5)

Total 78 Electoral Votes

Additionally, the Second District of Maine which has gone Republican in the past (2016 and 2020) should be focused on, as well as retaining the Second District of Nebraska, which has gone Democratic two times in the past (2008 and 2020), with both states allowing divided electoral votes for President.

So a total of 12 states and one Congressional District in Nebraska and Maine should be focused on to insure a Democratic victory in November!

So out of 538 Electoral Votes total, 157 are in play!