Florida

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

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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

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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

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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!

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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!

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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!

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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!

Donald Trump Bragging About Ending Abortion Rights Will Cause His And Republicans’ Downfall!

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Donald Trump undermined his own candidacy when he went on Fox News Channel at the same time that his rivals, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and former South Carolina Governor and United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley, were debating on CNN.

Trump bragged about ending Roe V Wade, abortion rights, which had existed for a half century, and that reality has already hurt Republicans in seven states—Ohio, California, Kentucky, Michigan, Montana, Vermont, and Kansas, with all but California and Vermont being Republican or contestable states in the Presidential Election of 2024.

The following states are having battles over putting abortion access on the ballot, with abortion rights advocates hoping they will have enough signatures to insure it is on the ballot with the Presidential and Congressional Elections coming up in November 2024.

Arizona
Colorado
Florida
Iowa
Maryland
Missouri
Nebraska
Nevada
New York
Pennsylvania
South Dakota
Washington

Some of the above states already still allow abortion access, but want to put it on the ballot to insure the future right.

The majority of women, racial minorities, educated people, and young voters will have success in restoring the rights of women over their own bodies, as there is no concern about the lives of prengant women who are endangered by their medical conditions while pregnant.

This is causing the deaths of women, and some surviving, but no longer able to have children due to dictatorial state governments interfering with the right to choose their reproductive lives!

60th Anniversary Of March On Washington: Need For Renewal Of That Effort!

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Today, 60 years after the famous March on Washington in 1963, and the legendary speech by the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther, King Jr. calling for justice and basic civil rights for African Americans and other discriminated groups, we are having a commitment to restore the civil rights that are under attack in recent years by the US Supreme Court, the Republican Party, and extreme right wing forces.

It is expected that about 100,000 people will participate in today’s commemoration in Washington, DC, as compared to the 250,000 who did so on August 28, 1963.

The struggle against forces that have taken away the right to vote requires a new national commitment to restoring the weakened Voting Rights Act of 1965.

And the open racism and nativism and misogyny promoted by Donald Trump and his minions must be fought tooth and nail through lawsuits, marches, and demonstrations against state governments that are limiting basic human rights, with Florida, Texas, Tennessee, and Alabama in the leadership of setting American rights and freedoms in the wrong direction!

The Decline And Fall Of Florida Governor Ron DeSantis: The New Scott Walker!

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Florida Governor Ron DeSantis won a massive victory for reelection in Florida in November 2022, and was seen as a major challenger to Donald Trump for the Republican Presidential nomination in 2024.

But his campaign has slumped horribly, and it is now clear that he is the new Scott Walker, the Wisconsin Governor thought to be the likely Republican choice for President in 2016, but ending up as a total flop!

DeSantis has fumbled badly, and is not showing up well in Iowa, where he is spending most of his time.

DeSantis is seen more than ever as an unpleasant, arrogant, nasty, mean spirited, non charismatic individual, and even his own state’s representatives in Congress are not backing him.

His horrendous policies on a multitude of issues, including race, gender, sexuality, health care and education may have won him support in Florida, but Florida is clearly NOT America.

One can only wait for 2026, when Ron DeSantis will finish his second term as governor of the Sunshine state, sadly leaving wreckage in his midst, but with inability to have a third consecutive term, as the Florida Constitution prevents that.

Gerrrymandered State Legislatures–Tennessee, North Carolina, Florida, Texas And Other Republican States!

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Gerrymandering of many state legislatures, particularly in “Red” states, has led to the movement to take away democracy.

This is particularly noted in Tennessee, North Carolina, Florida, and Texas, as those state legislatures take unprecedented action to strip voting rights, abortion rights, gay rights, and to reject any regulation of guns, despite consistent, every day, occurrences of gun massacres!

The “red” states are the centers of greater carnage than in “blue” states, which are totally the opposite of the “red” states on the major issues of civil rights.

Many state legislatures have become the center of autocratic leadership, such as Ron DeSantis in Florida and Greg Abbott in Texas, but also including many other states!