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Statewide Rallies Make The Case For True Election Reform

On the same day the Florida House voted on a bill to undo some of the changes made in election laws that caused the voting mess last year, which critics say won't do enough, Awake The State held "Free The Vote" rallies all across Florida to call attention to the need for real election reform.

The rallies were held to to "fight back against laws that left many Floridians waiting hours in line to exercise their right to vote," according to Awake The State:

"The point is to send a clear message to the Legislature that we want to see meaningful election reform during the legislative session," said Damien Filer, of Progress Florida, organizers of Awake the State. 

"The sad thing is that what we're really asking for here with most of these provisions is just to go back to the things were," he said. "We're not asking for anything new. We're just asking them to undo the damage they did in 2011."

Three key points, organizers said are 1) Expanding the number of early voting days back to 14 and allowing 12 hours per day while giving election supervisors more flexibility in opening new polling locations. 2) Reinstitute the 75-word cap on constitutional amendments proposed by the legislature, just as citizen-led initiatives are capped. 3) Voters should be able to update their voter registration address on Election Day if they move from one county to another, just as they could prior to 2011.

The bill  (HB 7013) approved yesterday with a vote of 118-1 doesn't go far enough, however:

It allows early-voting polling places at more kinds of sites, like fairgrounds, civic centers and convention centers. And it sets a 75-word limit on proposed initial ballot summaries to constitutional amendments.

The bill also restores the possibility of early voting on the Sunday before Election Day, when blacks often vote after church in a tradition known as "souls to the polls."]

[House Democrats said they wanted more in the measure, citing online voter registration, automatic voter registration upon renewal of driver's licenses and a path to restoring felons' right to vote.

But the bill as passed is "a good first step," said Janet Cruz of Tampa, the top Democrat on the House Ethics and Elections Subcommittee.

Rep. Dwayne Taylor, a Daytona Beach Democrat, did complain that the bill contains no money to allow local supervisors of elections to get better equipment and hire more staff for longer early voting at more places.

"We've got to allocate those dollars because they're going to need them," he said.

A companion bill (SB 600) is now in the Senate and covers many of the same provisions as the House bill.

At the Free The Vote rally at the Capitol, Senators spoke out against the election problems as well as Rick Scott's handling of them:

Senate Ethics and Elections committee member Sen. Jeff Clemens, D-Lake Worth, voiced his frustrations at the embarrassment of the 2012 elections at the Awake the State rally.

“What we are doing is not working and it didn’t work in 2012 when we had six, seven hour lines for people to be able to vote in the state of Florida,” Clemens said. “That is nothing less than criminal and frankly it disgusts me to see people walking around saying it wasn’t that much of a problem as we’ve heard from certain members of the House and certain members of the Senate.”

Rallies were also held in Palm Beach County, Fort Myers, Vero Beach, Jacksonville, Tampa, and other locations.

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Statewide "Free The Vote" Rallies In Florida Tomorrow: Find One Near You

Tomorrow, as the Florida Legislative Session begins, Awake The State "Free The Vote" rallies will be taking place all over Florida to call attention to the election laws that made us a laughingstock, and made voting extremely difficult, if not impossible for many last November. 

In spite of Gov. Scott, and election officials claims to want to "reform" the laws that they created that caused the mess in the first place, their proposals so far don't go nearly far enough to correct the damage they've already done.

From Awake The State:

We're rallying in communities throughout Florida on March 5th, the opening day of the 2013 legislative session, to fight back against laws that left many Floridians waiting hours in line to exercise their right to vote. Together, we'll begin an effort to free our elections and ensure our middle class priorities are heard.

Click on this link to find the rally closest to you.

They've Only Just Begun: Rick Scott And Republicans Are Killing Florida

If you live in Florida, you already know much of the story published in this month's Mother Jones: What's It Like to Wake Up From a Tea Party Binge? Just Ask Florida!

The horrors of reality for just a few of the many in Florida who don't have health insurance in graphic detail are just one part of the story, and it will likely only get worse as Florida has just been given the go ahead for privatizing Medicaid, provided that it's done with "transparency." If it weren't such a serious undertaking with potentially deadly consequences, the talk of such "transparency" would be a sick joke, given the state's more recent track record, but in Rick Scott's Florida, Inc., there's nothing funny about it. Truth may be stranger than fiction, but in this case it's dark enough to be the plot of a Stephen King novel. Given that King is a part-time Florida resident himself, I would imagine he might agree:

Take a man who ran a company that was dealt the largest fine in history for Medicare fraud, and who made a career out of preventing people from obtaining affordable health care, elect him as governor of a state chock-full of retirees, not to mention Republican and Tea Party lawmakers, give him free reign to run the state "like a business" and oh, while you're at it, put him in charge of privatizing Medicaid after he spent most of his time in office saying no to the same until he he was able to control it. So yes, truth is worse than fiction. After all, while he fights against your ability to get good health care without going bankrupt to do so, he pays less than $400 a year for his own. 

Nice benefits, if you can get them. But you can't. You aren't Rick Scott, or one of his puppets in the legislature. Membership has its privileges.

Of course, the Mother Jones piece is only the beginning of the story, and many chapters are yet to be written. We're almost two years out from the next election and the chance to be rid of Scott and those Republicans. The only problem is, at the rate they're going, we may not be afforded that opportunity. If you take a look at some of what they tried to do in last year's legislative session, but failed, look at this year's agenda and you'll soon discover they haven't given up hope. 

They botched the 2012 election in spite of rewriting the election laws, but now with promises of "reform" they probably won't make that mistake again if we let them. Anyone who pays attention to the Republican-Tea Party "business model" knows that "reform" has an entirely different meaning for them than it does for the rest of the world. (They're already taking "field trips" to voting equipment centers.) But there's lots to come between now and that election. Here's just a few of the things they've put on the table this year:

Giving Scott more power to pick judges. Today the House will take up a measure that gives the governor more control over judicial nominating commissions. Last year a similar measure passed in the House, but failed in the Senate. 

"Is our children learning yet?" Much like "reform," the phrase "parental choice" isn't what it sounds like when it comes to schools. Last year, the controversial "parent trigger" bill failed after a tough fight. Unfortunately it's back this year, and Democrats say this time they can't stop it. As if he hadn't done enough damage to education here already, the Jeb Bush charter school privatization model will take root with Republican's help. Any hope of students learning how to do something other than take tests is now merely a dream for previously hopeful parents. Ka-ching.

Ethics? Again, not what you think it means. Delay the time frame to step out of elected office and immediately into a private lobbying firm? The Senate is all for it.......no, just kidding! And again, Ka-ching.

Domestic partnership rights? Sorry, you'll likely have to find a state that has moved on from the stone age. But those in Florida who speak out against it "pray for you." So there's that....

Court orders are nothing to sneeze at....unless you're in Orange County. In that case, they are ignored, especially if they involve a bill giving workers paid sick time. Spoiler alert, it's not exactly the "happiest place on earth" to work.

A wage you can live on? No, Orange County also says "no" to a living wage for the trouble of working while sick. (But bless you!)

The low cost of doing business. Tax giveaways to those "job creators" whether they create them or not, and if so, whether they pay a living wage if you're sick or not? You can probably bank on it, in spite of Rick Scott's track record.

Like clean water? Too bad, you're out of luck again this year, and for years to come unless things change. Take it from former Governor Bob Graham. 

State Parks? Ditto.

Scott's goodie bag: The "Families First" budget. Yes, he's up to his old tricks what with his fuzzy math and education shell games, and Democrats are crying foul. 

But then it's what we've come to expect from Rick Scott: Very little.

Of course it goes without saying, this year we'll probably see plenty of bills that allow abortions for no one, but guns for everybody, because that's just how the Republican-Tea Party rolls these days.

Those are just a scant few of the items up for this year. I've barely scratched the surface.

Now about that "election law reform......"

On March 5th, find an Awake The State "Free The Vote Rally" near you, here. 

Awake The State Rallies Planned For Opening Of 2012 Legislative Session

Awake The State will be holding rallies across Florida tomorrow timed with the opening of the 2012 Florida Legislative session.The rallies are protests aimed at Florida Governor Rick Scott and his attack on the middle class:

We're rallying in cities and towns throughout Florida on the opening day of the 2012 legislative session. If you've had enough of Gov. Scott and the Legislature's extreme attacks on our middle class, our public schools, health care, our land and water, voting rights, and our civil rights, it's time to Awake The State!

To find a rally near you, a list of events across the state are up on the Awake The State website here.

Stephen King: "Maybe My Next Horror Novel Will Star Rick Scott."

Stephen King speaks in Sarasota at an "Awake The State" rally:

Supreme Court Overreach: Are Scott, Legislators "Personalizing" The Courts?

On the eve of what could become one of the most controversial legislative sessions in Florida history, we have a brand new power struggle taking shape on the horizon. When the session begins tomorrow, there will also be protests taking place all over the state in reaction to the slash and burn budget that Gov. Rick Scott unveiled recently, as well as opposition to the Florida Legislature, which has been accused more than a few times of overreaching its boundaries of power. Tomorrow those voters will have a whole new reason to protest.

Behold, the mother of all overreaches.

Say that voters wanted what you would call "fair elections" in a state that has been predominantly controlled by one party for years and years. Then say that those voters wanted fair elections so badly that they managed to get enough signatures to get two Amendments on the ballot that would ensure just that. Problem solved, right?

Sure, in a perfect world, but this is Florida, the land of the hanging chad and the Brooks Brothers riots, and, well, the 2000 Presidential Election. The place where many voters were so confused that they actually voted for Pat Buchanan. Nothing about an election is ever simple in Florida, and this is no different.

Amendments 5 and 6 got on the ballot last year, but the Republicans couldn't sit back and allow fairness to prevail, so they introduced another one, Amendment 7. I suppose you could actually call it the "Buchanan Amendment" in that Amendment 7 was designed to mislead and confuse the voter. It was so confusing, in fact, that it took three days for a judge to figure it out before he threw it out in court for that very reason:

[Judge] Shelfer said it took him three days to understand the meaning of Amendment 7 and that he couldn’t foresee how an average voter would grasp its description during a few minutes in the voting booth.

Not only was it misleading, but the Legislature made sure that the Amendment would become "number 7" specifically in that order:

Amendment 7 says that it will be the part of the Constitution that is supreme, “without subordination to any other provision.”

Including Amendments 5 and 6.

So just like that, an unfair election once again favoring the Republicans was thwarted. Or so it seemed. That was last year.

Just when you think the Republicans in the Florida Legislature couldn't possibly make a bolder grab for power, they do. What does one do when a judge rules against you in such manner? Well, for starters, Senate President Mike Haridopolos issued a statement that day declaring that it was the judge that was confused! However, since foot-stomping and declarations like that one bear little meaning in a court of law, legislators needed to find another way.

Now, apparently they have. Just change the way the court works!

On the eve of Florida’s sixty-day legislative session, House Speaker Dean Cannon has unveiled a proposal to split the State Supreme Court in two, add three justices, and curtail some of the court’s authority.

“Currently there are seven justices on the Florida Supreme Court,” Cannon said. “The proposed legislation provides that there would be five justices sitting on the Supreme Court of criminal appeals, and five justices on the Supreme Court of civil appeals.”

He wants to split the Florida Supreme Court into two courts, changing how judges are retained, and in a yet-to-be-discussed plan, he wants to add language to let lawmakers avoid court review of their amendments.

Going after the court is a big deal, so we asked the Speaker if this was retribution for their refusal to let amendment seven stay on the ballot.

“…because it’s not,” Cannon said. “It basically addresses the proposals, the things that they have identified. The court said we have crowded dockets”

Whatever that's supposed to mean.

No, I'm sure it has absolutely nothing to do with retribution. Never mind that he wants to add judges when Florida needs so badly to "tighten its belt" with all these severe budget cuts. Why, the courts are so underfunded they have to cut services!

Maybe Mike Haridopolos will be the voice of reason and fiscal restraint and point out that adding judges isn't a good idea when things like education are being slashed, and they want to privatize, say prisons?

“I’m all ears on it. This is something that’s important to him. If it’s important to him, it’s important to me,” Haridopolos said.

Hmm. No foot stomping over new judges? Hey, it's all good!

What about Rick The Dictator Scott?

Scott could appoint at least three more Supreme Court justices under House Speaker Dean Cannon's plan to overhaul the state's highest court.

Asked about that this morning during his visit to the Department of Transportation, Scott chose to focus on another aspect: "I heard about that this morning. I understand that the real value of that is we could accelerate some of the cases and things like that. So I'm going to look at it."

Cannon's proposal would be a constitutional amendment that would not need Scott's approval.

If Scott's view is that he would get to appoint the judges, well, I'll just bet "he's going to look at it." If the three of them assume they have the power to just build their own brand new Supreme Court, that's quite a gig they've got there. Could be mighty convenient too one might say.

If Scott just "heard about that this morning," you might even wonder if it was really early this morning. Or last night during a private meeting with Haridopolos, but with no press? One that Scott didn't put on his public schedule because it was just a "social meeting?" 

When asked today about those Awake The State rallies, Haridopolos said this:

“This is America. People have every right to protest, positively or negatively. I think it’s exciting that people are taking such an interest in their government and they want to be vocal about where they stand,” the Merritt Island Republican, running for U.S. Senate, said. “If there are protests on either side, welcome to America.”

However:

The rallies won’t slow down the Senate’s ambitious agenda during opening week that include floor votes on teacher merit pay, two controversial constitutional amendments and tort reform, Haridopolos said.

Sure. "Welcome to America."

Or "Good Luck With That?"

Floridians Pushing Back In Opposition To Rick Scott

The first health care company he ran became famous for Medicare fraud. He had to leave that company, and while he was never charged with anything, he claimed he didn't know what was going on. Then he went on to start another one. He's also famous for taking the fifth 75 times in a civil suit involving his company. 

Now Rick Scott has moved on to what he sees as his next project.  He spent millions to buy his way into office in an attempt to govern the state of Florida. Long before he became governor many shared the view that he was either incompetent or worse. Either way, that's bad news for Florida, and we're only just beginning to see the consequences of his actions. 

You could say his draconian budget are similar to a death by a thousand cuts. Like his national GOP counterparts, he proposes spreading around tax breaks and goodies like deregulation for big businesses, then claims he has to cut anything and everything that would benefit workers and families. He wants to gut education, privatize prisons and build casinos. He's also a big fan of Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, and they share ties to the Koch brothers. Last week Scott said that collective bargaining prevents his being able to pay hard workers properly, and that he would like to remove collective bargaining from the constitution altogether. Of course, then there's health care. We've seen the consequences of his "experience" with health care. As a governor who may well direct managed care in his state, how convenient that his current health care company runs a chain of private clinics in north Florida. 

Rick Scott's campaign promises were all about creating jobs and moving Florida forward. But like Gov. Walker in Wisconsin, Scott's promises fell flat once the votes were counted.

"Let's Get To Work?" In his latest move, Scott "got to work" by destroying decades of planning and hard work to bring high-speed rail to Florida. Scott "got to work" by killing jobs and turning away billions of badly needed federal stimulus funds that leaders and voters alike cheered for last year. 

Why? Because President Obama was the one trying to move Florida forward. Plain and simple. Because Scott, the Republican party, and their corporate Tea Bag wing want nothing but power for themselves, and defeat for the President and the Democrats. They're perfectly willing to let workers and families suffer even if they have to bring down the economy and the country as they wait it out. 

While those in Florida who still have jobs sit in traffic choking on exhaust fumes, Gov. Scott flies over them in his private plane jetting off to Washington to play his part in their "hostile takeover" plans. Oddly enough, they seem to think we'll want  them back in charge when it's clear they're incapable of governing. 

Rick Scott is in over his head and that's more obvious now than ever before. There's a good reason why so many other states are clamoring for those high-speed rail funds that everyone but Scott and his lapdog Mike Haridopolos wanted here. Scott is just as clueless about that as he is about Floridians who are tired of watching him attempt to destroy our state. We're all suffering in this economy, but Scott has thrown away the very opportunities for infrastructure, growth, and job creation that we desperately need, and he's just getting started. How many more times will we have to watch while he says "no" merely out of revenge against a President he doesn't like? ("ObamaCare! ObamaRail!") How long will Floridians be held "hostage" to his warped ideology?

Scott shouldn't be surprised that he'll be facing more and more opposition to his failed policies, because people ARE pushing back. This week, statewide rallies have been organized for Tuesday, March 8. The protest effort, called "Awake The State," which began less than a month ago grew quickly. It started as a Facebook page and in no time boasted over 5,000 members. At last count there were at least 30 statewide rallies organized for the Tuesday event.

If you'd like to learn more and get involved, find a rally near you or organize one yourself, you can do so at the Awake The State website. As the video below illustrates, while families and workers in Florida are facing the worst of the budget cuts, the leaders who lecture them on the need to make those sacrifices are making none of their own. Quite the opposite.

Rick Scott and the Florida legislators are the ones who need to wake up.