thamanjimmy

Friday, October 8, 2010

Election Guide: Governor and Lieutenant Governor (Florida)

This guide is for Governor and Lieutenant Governor (Florida)

The seven candidates and their platforms:

1) Rick Scott (Republican).

Institute "Accountability Budgeting."
Opposed to immigration amnesty.
Committed to "conserving Florida's natural resources" and preserving the Everglades."
He started Columbia Hospital in 1987 which is now "the 12th largest employer in the world."
Co-founder of Florida based Solantic Health.
Opposes Obama's "government-run public option."
Supports a state constitutional amendment that prohibits the federal government from imposing Obama's mandate.
NRA member and supporter of the 2d Amendment.
"Rick will create jobs by keeping taxes low and limiting job killing regulations."
In the 1990s, the FBI launched an investigation of the Columbia Hospital which "led to the company pleading guilty to criminal charges of overbilling the government." They "paid a record $1.7 billion in fines"

Sources: http://www.rickscottforflorida.com/home/
Sun-Sentinel article.
Tampa-Bay.com article.

2) Alex Sink (Democrat).

"26 successful years in business."
Currently Florida's Chief Financial Officer.
Put a stop to "Project Aspire, an $89 million, over-budget and under-performing state accounting program she inherited upon taking office"
Launched initiatives like the Safeguard Our Senior Task Force to "protect older Floridians from financial fraud" and Florida Housing Help, a program that "provides assistance to Floridians facing mortgage foreclosure."
She is the chair of Take Stock in Children.
She was president of Florida's largest bank, in charge of over "$40 billion in customer deposits while supervising more than 9,000 employees in 800 branches."
"Stabilize and expand small business."
Creation of a Florida job-creation tax credit.
"Increase efforts to market Florida as a retirement destination."
Use her role to promote successful companies in Florida to the world.
Expand R&D tax credits.
"Leverage up to $2 billion for high-tech investment" from the Florida Retirement System Trust Fund.
Create Energy Finance Districts which would "provide residential, commercial, and industrial loans to retrofit properties with energy-efficient systems."
Create a small business ombudsman within the Governor's Office.
Will "require that state regulatory agencies work together to simplify regulations."
Create a "one-stop" web portal for start-up businesses.
Require all top state agency officials to sign performance contracts with benchmarks.
Create a "non-partisan watchdog office...to make state government more efficient."
Invest in high-quality pre-kindergarten education programs.
Invest in intervention programs to reduce crime.
Eliminate numerous exemptions from competitive bidding requirements.
Consolidate call centers, the state fleet management and "unneeded state property."
Reduce state cell phone usage to save "$6 million" as well as the use office supplies to save an additional $14 million.
Go after more federal transportation funding.
Hire a contractor to help the state draw down more federal funds.
"Merit pay for teachers and charter schools need to be part" of educational reform.
Require full disclosure of state party credit card spending.
Ban gifts from Vendors to State agency employees.
Promote Florida's new Property Assessed Clean Energy program, "which allows local governments to offer low-interest loans to property owners for making energy-efficient improvement to their homes."
Impose "stiff state fines" on private companies that knowingly hire undocumented workers.
Veto any legislation that diverts money from the state's highway trust fund to other projects.
Offer tax incentives for businesses to use rail.

Sources: http://www.alexsink2010.com/
MyFloridaCFO.com
Sink Unveils Alternative Energy Plan

3) Peter Allen (Independent).

Owner of two small businesses.
"Graduated from Brandon High night school with a GED in 2000, at the age of fifty."
Born on "all Saints day."
"Eliminate the special tax privileges that riddle Florida's tax codes, close all loopholes. except those that provide wellcare to our Children and the Elderly."
"Require that The Florida State Legislature provide full funding for all mandates they force on lower levels of government."
"Include sunset clauses in legislation along with a statement of the law's original intent."
"Restrict taxing authority to elected boards."
"Require all student loan organizations to fully explain the cost for student loans."
Promotes increasing Charter Schools.
"Make the criminals pay for the criminal justice system."
Privatize the states' prison system.
Decriminalize small amounts of Marijuana.
"Enact a Health Care Bill of Rights to provide basic health care to all of Florida's legal residents, and to protect the rights of citizens to freely exercise self interest in choosing health care."
Charge illegal immigrants for health care and education.
"Eliminate corporate welfare through public funding of professional sports stadiums and other commercial enterprises."
"Set term limits for all elected officials."
"Require all current office holder's to step down when running for another office, ending the Campaigning on the tax payer dollar."

Sources: http://peter4governor.com/governor/

4) Michael E. Arth (NPA).

Created "Villages for the Homeless" an organization that fights to end homelessness with less money.
Served as a public policy analyst for over 15 years.
Redesigned Downtown DeLand's Historic Garden District.
Supports a "woman's right to choose."
"We must end the expensive and self-destructive war on drugs and treat abuse as the health issue it is."
The death penalty is unconstitutional.
Supports "regulated, limited public campaign financing with little or no private campaign financing allowed; direct voting; proportional representation; [and] instant runoff voting."
"We should run our state like any prudent investor – put money into reserve in fat years and use those reserves in the lean years. That way, we can still follow Keynesian economics without going into debt."
Encourage growth of Charter Schools.
Have smaller class sizes.
Use "personalized, interactive, online teaching...with small neighborhood schools."
"We should not drill for oil off the coast."
Charge a 25 cent environmental tax on plastic garbage bags and plastic water bottles.
"Funding should not be connected with" the FCAT.
Supports "equal rights, including marriage, for gays."
"Extend Brady Background checks to all gun sales."
Supports a "single-payer" health system but "we should leave off the extraordinary end of life care and the other things that cost a lot but do not improve our quality of life."
"The government should stay out of the bedroom of consenting adults, but sex workers should have health and business–related regulations, and pay taxes, like the rest of us."
"Divert the non–violent mentally ill and substance abusers to supervised housing and treatment that would cost society a fraction as much."
Believes in the "constitutional separation of church and state."
Supports the Europe value added tax (VAT).
He is "pro-union."

Sources: http://www.michaelearth.org/org/index.html
http://www.pedestrianvillages.com//vfh/

5) Farid Khavari (NPA).

He is an "Economist (PhD) and also an accomplished author."
We "need to eliminate stupid little details that prevent jobs from being created" (i.e. waiting for certification of a product).
Use the Bank of the State of Florida (which he would create) to offer 2% interest loans to jobs that focus on stimulating the "demand side."
(I am assuming based on inference) Use the Bank of the State of Florida to offer 2% interest loans for home mortgages.
To lower property taxes and eventually eliminate them altogether.
Create "Homogeneous multi-specialty clinics" to decrease the costs of health care.
Have "affordable universal insurance coverage for all Floridians including health care, natural disaster, car, home and life insurance."
6% interest credit card maximum.
Lower the "interest rate to 2% on student loans, and ultimately [make] them free."
Support the solar industry to cut the cost of energy and to create jobs in Florida.
Create a "zero-cost economy."

Sources: http://www.khavariforgovernor.com/about/
http://www.zerocosteconomy.com/about_farid_khavari-detailed.html

http://www.examiner.com/miami-dade-county-elections-2010-in-miami/dr-farid-khavari-just-what-dems-ordered-for-florida-governor

6) C.C. Reed (NPA).

Supporter of President Obama.
"Knowledge is our power and unity is our strength."
A "child of God."
"The longest running candidate for Governor."

Sources: http://www.electccreed.com/
http://www.nowourway.com/home.htm

7) Daniel Imperato (NPA).

A "global businessman."
A trustee of the African Center Foundation, a United Nations NGO.
Create a Social Security charity fund.
Require "an approval fee on all FDA approved drugs to be contributed by the drug companies to the US healthcare system."
Supports a US online education system.
Supports "joint manufacturing programs, expansion of labor unions and organized labor into Latin America."
"America must setup a payback system for the US taxpayers and the money that they have spent in Iraq using revenues from oil sales."

Sources: http://www.imperato2008.com/imperato2008/

The Hepburn Railway Act (1906)

"Hepburn Rate Bill"

Overview - PBS

More Overview

Even More Overview

"Sweeping Rate Rise Since Hepburn Act" - NY Times

History of the Elkins Act (1903)

"State Regulators and Pragmatic Federalism"

"With Iron Interlaced"

"Antitrust and Regulation"

Timeline

"Discontent and Reform"

"Cassatt on Rate Question" - NY Times

Wednesday, October 6, 2010

History of the Anthracite Coal Strike of 1902

Overview

"The Coal Strike of 1902"

Primary and Secondary Sources

"Anthracite Coal Strike Settled" - NY Times

"Report to the President" (1902)

More Overview

Speech from Secretary of War (1902)

"The Boys in the Breakers"

History of the Brownsville Affair

"The Brownsville Affair" - PBS

Overview

"An Unprejudiced Examination into the Brownsville Affair" - NY Times

More Overview

"Negro Vote Has Become an Important Factor" - NY Times

"Brownsville Revisited"

"The Brownsville Episode and the Negro Vote"

Election Guide: Representative in U.S. Congress, District Four (Florida)

This guide is for Representative in U.S. Congress, District Four (Florida)

The two candidates and their platforms:

1) Ander Crenshaw (Republican)

Click here to see articles about him as well as his votes in Congress during the past few years.
Click here to see his voting record.
Currently the Congressman for Florida's Fourth district (since 2000).
Serves on the Subcommittee on Military Construction and Veterans Affairs and the Subcommittee on State and Foreign Operations.
Supports "policies that keep taxes low, expand access to credit, and reduce duplicative regulation."
Supports "cutting all non-security spending to 2008 levels" and to reject "taxes on any American on January 11, 2011."
Supports "a common sense, fiscally responsible health reform proposal."
Supports a "four-point plan to lower energy costs by increasing environmentally sound American exploration of oil and gas, increasing the supply of domestic energy, encouraging research in advanced alternative and renewable energy technologies, and improving conservation and energy efficiency."
"Safe communities begin with secure borders."
Supports the Second Amendment.
Established a Veterans Cemetery in Jacksonville.
"Strongly" supports the FairTax proposal.
Interestingly, he did vote down the National Defense Authorization Act (which provides funding for the military in FY2010-11), although he has voted for supplemental spending in the Iraq War.
Voted "yes" on the Same-Sex Marriage Resolution.
Voted "yes" on the Economic Stimulus Plan in 2008.
He has flip-flopped a few times regarding unemployment extensions.

Sources: http://www.andercrenshaw.com/index.cfm/?CFID=19617090&CFTOKEN=35383647
http://crenshaw.house.gov/
http://twitter.com/andercrenshaw
http://www.votesmart.org/voting_category.php?can_id=31130

2) Troy Stanley (NPA).

"No Bailouts or Government Takeovers."
"Make Congress Cite Constitutional Authority for Proposed Laws."
"Fair Taxation."
"Strong National Defense."
"Balance the Budget and Read Bills Before Voting."
Supports the Second Amendment.
He is "pro-life."
He supports the recent Republican Party's Pledge to America.
20-year Navy Veteran.

Sources: http://www.stanley10.com/index.html
http://twitter.com/troydstanley

http://jacksonville.com/opinion/blog/403455/matt-dixon/2010-09-27/troy-d-stanley-gops-pledge-america-its-about-time

http://jacksonville.com/opinion/blog/403455/david-hunt/2010-05-04/stanley-move-going-npa-go-after-dem-vote

Sunday, October 3, 2010

Party Division of Congress During the Early 2000s

I am writing this post in response to something I heard on "progressive" talk radio. A host kept repeating about "Clinton's surplus" during the early 1990s and how the Republicans increased the federal debt. He also kept complaining about how Democrats today have no real power to change anything. I am writing this to learn more about the division of Congress over the past two decades.

What I learned:

During the past two decades, when there has been a surplus, the Congress was always controlled by Republicans and a Democrat was president (Bill Clinton). The surpluses averaged about $100 billion which is nothing comparable to the deficits that were run in other years which average about $250 billion (not counting the past two years). In addition, when the surplus' did occur, Republicans outnumbered Democrats by 10 in the Senate and only about 15 in the House.

I also learned that a Republican led government (both Congress and President) had extremely high deficits (averaging about $300 billion). Remember, this does not include extra spending during the year by Congress (i.e. military appropriations). During this time, Republicans outnumbered Democrats by about 5 in the Senate and about 30 in the House.

I learned that we have spent over $3 trillion dollars in the past few years. If you read my other post, you will learn that GDP, in that same period of time, hasn't even grown 1%. During this time, Democrats outnumbered Republicans by 13 in the Senate and about 60 in the House.

In conclusion, there is no real reason for Democrats to blame Republicans for any problems our economy currently faces. Democrats have a much higher margin today than the Republicans did in the late 90s, yet the outcomes are completely different.

FYI...I am not supporting Republicans or Democrats. I only support the truth which, in this case, are based on numbers presented by the U.S. government and a CNS article.

What I found:

Control of Congress Budget Balanced? Deficit/Surplus

President William J. Clinton (Left office Jan. 20, 2001)
1994 Democrat No --$203.2 billion
1995 Democrat No --$163.9 billion
1996 Republican No --$107.4 billion
1997 Republican No --$21.9 billion
1998 Republican YES $69.2 billion
1999 Republican YES $125.6 billion
2000 Republican YES $236.2 billion
2001 Republican YES $128.2 billion

President George W. Bush (Left office Jan. 20, 2009)
2002 Split No --$157.8 billion
2003 Split No --$377.6 billion
2004 Republican No --$412.7 billion
2005 Republican No --$318.3 billion
2006 Republican No --$248.2 billion
2007 Democrat No --$160.7 billion
2008 Democrat No --$458.6 billion
2009 Democrat No --$1.41 trillion

President Barack Obama
2010 Democrat No --$1.55 trillion

http://www.cnsnews.com/news/article/62793

Party Division in the House of Representatives from 1993 to 2011:

Congress (Years)	Number of House Seats	Democrats	Republicans	Other	Del./Res.
105th (1997-1999)	435	206	228	Independent (1)	4/1
106th (1999-2001)	435	211	223	Independent (1)	4/1
107th (2001-2003)	435	212	221	Independents (2)	4/1
108th (2003-2005)	435	205	229	Independent (1)	4/1
109th (2005-2007)	435	202	232	Independent (1)	4/1
110th (2007-2009)	435	233	202	Independent (0)	4/1
111th (2009-2011)	435	257	178	Independent (0)	5/1

D R

103rd (1993-1995)	435	258	176	Independent (1)	0	4/1
104th (1995-1997)	435	204	230	Independent (1)	0	4/1

http://clerk.house.gov/art_history/house_history/partyDiv.html

Part Division in the U.S. Senate from 1993 to 2011:

103rd Congress (1993-1995)

Majority Party: Democrat (57 seats)

Minority Party: Republican (43 seats)

Other Parties: 0

Total Seats: 100

Note: Party division changed to 56 Democrats and 44 Republicans after the June 5, 1993 election of Kay B. Hutchison (R-TX).

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104th Congress (1995-1997)

Majority Party: Republican (52 seats)

Minority Party: Democrat (48 seats)

Other Parties: 0

Total Seats: 100

Note: Party ratio changed to 53 Republicans and 47 Democrats after Richard Shelby of Alabama switched from the Democratic to Republican party on November 9, 1994. It changed again, to 54 Republicans and 46 Democrats, when Ben Nighthorse Campbell of Colorado switched from the Democratic to Republican party on March 3, 1995. When Robert Packwood (R-OR) resigned on October 1, 1995, the Senate divided between 53 Republicans and 46 Democrats with one vacancy. Ron Wyden (D) returned the ratio to 53 Republicans and 47 Democrats when he was elected to fill the vacant Oregon seat.

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105th Congress (1997-1999)

Majority Party: Republican (55 seats)

Minority Party: Democrat (45 seats)

Other Parties: 0

Total Seats: 100

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106th Congress (1999-2001)

Majority Party: Republican (55 seats)

Minority Party: Democrat (45 seats)

Other Parties: 0

Total Seats: 100

Note: As the 106th Congress began, the division was 55 Republican seats and 45 Democratic seats, but this changed to 54-45 on July 13, 1999 when Senator Bob Smith of New Hampshire switched from the Republican party to Independent status. On November 1, 1999, Smith announced his return to the Republican party, making the division once more 55 Republicans and 45 Democrats. Following the death of Senator Paul Coverdell (R-GA) on July 18, 2000, the balance shifted again, to 54 Republicans and 46 Democrats, when the governor appointed Zell Miller, a Democrat, to fill the vacancy.

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107th Congress (2001-2003)

Majority Party (Jan 3-20, 2001): Democrat (50 seats)

Minority Party: Republican (50 seats)

Other Parties: 0

Total Seats: 100

________

Majority Party (Jan 20-June 6, 2001): Republican (50 seats)

Minority Party: Democrat (50 seats)

Other Parties: 0

Total Seats: 100

______

Majority Party (June 6, 2001-November 12, 2002 --): Democrat (50 seats)

Minority Party: Republican (49 seats)

Other Parties: 1

Total Seats: 100

_____

Majority Party (November 12, 2002 - January 3, 2003): Republican (50 seats)

Minority Party: Democrat (48 seats)

Other Parties: 2

Total Seats: 100

Note: From January 3 to January 20, 2001, with the Senate divided evenly between the two parties, the Democrats held the majority due to the deciding vote of outgoing Democratic Vice President Al Gore. Senator Thomas A. Daschle served as majority leader at that time. Beginning on January 20, 2001, Republican Vice President Richard Cheney held the deciding vote, giving the majority to the Republicans. Senator Trent Lott resumed his position as majority leader on that date. On May 24, 2001, Senator James Jeffords of Vermont announced his switch from Republican to Independent status, effective June 6, 2001. Jeffords announced that he would caucus with the Democrats, giving the Democrats a one-seat advantage, changing control of the Senate from the Republicans back to the Democrats. Senator Thomas A. Daschle again became majority leader on June 6, 2001. Senator Paul D. Wellstone (D-MN) died on October 25, 2002, and Independent Dean Barkley was appointed to fill the vacancy. The November 5, 2002 election brought to office elected Senator James Talent (R-MO), replacing appointed Senator Jean Carnahan (D-MO), shifting balance once again to the Republicans -- but no reorganization was completed at that time since the Senate was out of session.

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108th Congress (2003-2005)

Majority Party: Republican (51 seats)

Minority Party: Democrat (48 seats)

Other Parties: Independent (1 seat)

Total Seats: 100

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109th Congress (2005-2007)

Majority Party: Republican (55 seats)

Minority Party: Democrat (44 seats)

Other Parties: Independent (1 seat)

Total Seats: 100

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110th Congress (2007-2009)

Majority Party: Democrat (49 seats)

Minority Party: Republican (49 seats)

Other Parties: 1Independent; 1 Independent Democrat

Total Seats: 100

Note:Senator Joseph Lieberman of Connecticut was reelected in 2006 as an independent candidate, and became an Independent Democrat. Senator Bernard Sanders of Vermont was elected as an Independent.

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111th Congress (2009-2011)
Majority Party: Democrat (57 seats)
Minority Party: Republican (41 seats)
Other Parties: 1 Independent; 1 Independent Democrat
Total Seats: 100
Note: Senator Arlen Specter was reelected in 2004 as a Republican, and became a Democrat on April 30, 2009. Senator Joseph Lieberman of Connecticut was reelected in 2006 as an independent candidate, and became an Independent Democrat. Senator Bernard Sanders of Vermont was elected in 2006 as an Independent.

http://www.senate.gov/pagelayout/history/one_item_and_teasers/partydiv.htm

GDP growth during the Great Depression and 2010

I am writing this post because I wanted to lean more about whether government intervention in the economy helped during the Great Depression.

I was listening to "progressive" talk radio the other day and one of the hosts talked about how government intervention in the economy during the Great Depression led to growth in our GDP thus getting us out of the Depression. The host then advocated government intervention, specifically the trillions that have been spent over the past few years, to get us out of our depression (I use this word) today.

What I found:

From 1932 to 1940, GDP grew from about $600 billion to $800 billion. Thus, the GDP grew about 33% as a result of government intervention.

http://www.sjsu.edu/faculty/watkins/recovery.htm

http://elsa.berkeley.edu/~cromer/great_depression.pdf

Today, the numbers are much different:

"The Commerce Department presents these revisions dispassionately, noting that the changes in real GDP are being revised down for all three years in the 2007-2009 time span: : 0.2 percentage point for 2007, 0.4 percentage point for 2008, and 0.2 percentage point for 2009. "

http://curiouscapitalist.blogs.time.com/2010/07/30/todays-gdp-report-getting-real-about-the-recession/

What I learned:

I learned that our current GDP growth is remarkably low. I also learned that the GDP wasn't really as bad as the economists, politicians, and media made it out to be. Finally, I learned that today's intervention has not led to anywhere near as much GDP growth as in the Great Depression.

Smugglers of Drugs Burrow on Border

But there is another route across the border, one in which smugglers slither north. As enforcement efforts have increased and border barriers have been built, tunneling has gained in popularity, with Nogales becoming the capital.

Over the last four years, at least 51 unauthorized tunnels, or more than one a month, have been found in the two border cities. Some are short, narrow passageways that require those navigating them to slither. Others are long, sophisticated underground thoroughfares strung with electric cables and ventilation hoses.

Last year, a resident tipped off the authorities to a tunnel that extended 48 feet into Mexico and 35 feet into the United States, making it one of the longest ever found in Nogales.

States give few fines for pipeline violations

State regulators around the nation seldom impose large fines for violations of pipeline safety codes, even for incidents causing deaths or substantial damage, a USA TODAY analysis shows.

Fourteen states have not levied a single pipeline fine since 2001 and another 20 states have issued only one or two fines per year, federal records show.

State regulators oversee pipelines that run within state lines. The federal Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Agency (PHMSA) has jurisdiction over pipelines that cross state lines. The pipelines move natural gas, oil, propane and other hazardous items.

Regulators say fines aren't always needed. "We don't do a lot of fines because there's a lot of compliance," PUC executive director Paul Clanon said.

Depression hits 9% of adults, worst in South, CDC reports

An estimated 9% of adult Americans currently meet the criteria for clinical depression, federal officials reported Thursday.

Rates of depression vary widely from state to state, ranging from a low of 4.8% in North Dakota to a high of 14.8% in Mississippi, according to researchers from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Overall, more people in the Southeast met the criteria for depression, compared with other parts of the nation, the researchers found.

For the report, researchers collected data on 235,067 people in 45 states, the District of Columbia and two U.S. territories.

They found that besides state-to-state disparities, those more likely to have major depression — the most serious kind of depression — were women, racial and ethnic minorities, those without a high school education, people who were divorced or never married, those unemployed or unable to work, middle-aged people, and those without health insurance.

Lower-income U.S. families see government more favorably: survey

Lower-income American families rate government policies more favorably than those of higher-income brackets, according to a survey released on Friday showed.

This disparity in views between different income groups in the latest Thomson Reuters/University of Michigan's Surveys of Consumers could play a role in the November 2 elections and change the political landscape in Washington.

In September, 23 percent of households with an annual income below $75,000 viewed government policies favorably, nearly twice the share of households making more than $75,000 a year, according to the survey.

Back in May 2009, 34 percent of lower-income families and 29 percent of upper-income households rated government policies favorably.

New sex ed funding ends decade of abstinence-only

For the first time in more than a decade, the federal government is funding sex education programs that aren't based solely on abstinence. But they're not just about handing out condoms, either.

Beginning this school year, a five-year, $375 million grant is being divided among 28 programs that have been proven to lower the pregnancy rate among participants, no matter their focus. Many programs distribute condoms, but about half also aim to boost teens' academics, get them involved in extracurricular activities and even improve their parents' job status.

Abstinence programs will still receive a $50 million annual federal grant that requires states to match $3 for every $4, and about 30 states have applied for that money. The $375 million HHS grant does not require states to provide matching funds.

Almost all U.S. teens have had formal sex education, but only about two-thirds have been taught birth control methods, according to a CDC report released Sept. 15.

AIG and U.S. set faster, riskier exit path

American International Group Inc and the U.S. government agreed on Thursday agreed on a plan that would accelerate the payback of bailout money and could yield a profit for taxpayers but also increase their risk.

The plan comes a little over two years after AIG was first rescued with an aid package that ballooned to $182.3 billion. The plan allows the Federal Reserve Bank of New York to be repaid in full and ends its involvement in AIG, leaving AIG to deal with just the Treasury Department, while simplifying the bailout structure.

The Treasury will convert some of its AIG securities into common shares, raising its stake in the insurer to 92.1 percent from nearly 80 percent. That stake will be sold off over time.

The Treasury also will effectively buy out the Fed's interest in two large AIG units that are being sold.

The plan could lead to a loss for taxpayers if the stock price falls below roughly $30, at which the Treasury will break even, or if the company fails, as common shares sit lower in the capital structure.

U.S. Issues New Rules on Offshore Drilling

The Interior Department tightened its rules on offshore oil and gas operations on Thursday but left in place the moratorium on deepwater drilling that has left oil executives frustrated and Gulf Coast officials fuming.

The new rules — governing well casing and cementing, blowout preventers, safety certification, emergency response and worker training — provide offshore drillers with clarity on the terms under which drilling will resume when the current freeze ends.

The rules take effect immediately under emergency rule-making powers.

The moratorium on deepwater drilling, imposed in late April, is scheduled to end on Nov. 30, but officials have signaled that it will probably be eased before then.

Report: Jax is 18th-worst traffic city

Jacksonville has the 18th-worst traffic in the nation, according to a report that measures mobility based on total drive time, as opposed to delays.

Jacksonville's total hours of peak period travel hit 209. Nashville was the worst traffic city with 284 hours of peak period travel.

Survey: Americans don't know much about religion

A new survey of Americans' knowledge of religion found that atheists, agnostics, Jews and Mormons outperformed Protestants and Roman Catholics in answering questions about major religions, while many respondents could not correctly give the most basic tenets of their own faiths.

Forty-five percent of Roman Catholics who participated in the study didn't know that, according to church teaching, the bread and wine used in Holy Communion is not just a symbol, but becomes the body and blood of Christ.

More than half of Protestants could not identify Martin Luther as the person who inspired the Protestant Reformation. And about four in 10 Jews did not know that Maimonides, one of the greatest rabbis and intellectuals in history, was Jewish.

Respondents to the survey were asked 32 questions with a range of difficulty, including whether they could name the Islamic holy book and the first book of the Bible, or say what century the Mormon religion was founded. On average, participants in the survey answered correctly overall for half of the survey questions.

Atheists and agnostics scored highest, with an average of 21 correct answers, while Jews and Mormons followed with about 20 accurate responses. Protestants overall averaged 16 correct answers, while Catholics followed with a score of about 15.

Not surprisingly, those who said they attended worship at least once a week and considered religion important in their lives often performed better on the overall survey. However, level of education was the best predictor of religious knowledge. The top-performing groups on the survey still came out ahead even when controlling for how much schooling they had completed.

Texting bans may add risk to roads

Laws banning texting while driving actually may prompt a slight increase in road crashes, research out today shows.

The findings, to be unveiled at a meeting here of 550 traffic safety professionals from around the USA, come amid a heightened national debate over distracted driving.

"Texting bans haven't reduced crashes at all," says Adrian Lund, president of the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, whose research arm studied the effectiveness of the laws.

Last year in the USA, 5,474 people were killed and another 448,000 injured in crashes involving distracted driving, defined as operating a vehicle in a careless or inattentive manner, the government says.

Blacks earn 54% of whites in Jacksonville

Income levels for African-Americans are a bit more than half of those for whites in metro Jacksonville, according to analysis of new U.S. Census Bureau data by a sister publication of the Jacksonville Business Journal.

The per capita income of whites in metro Jacksonville was $30,528 in 2009. Per capita income is defined as the average amount of money received by residents of a given area in a given year, encompassing such diverse sources of income as salaries, interest payments, dividends, rental income and government checks.

By comparison, African-Americans in metro Jacksonville made 54.3 percent of that, or $16,570, which ranks Jacksonville 53rd out of 101 metros for black per capita income.

Hispanics in Jacksonville made 55 percent of white per capita income, or $16,765. That ranks Jacksonville 17th for Hispanic per capita income.

The per capita income of local Asians was $25,794, or 85 percent of white PCI. That ranks Jacksonville 46th for Asian per capita income.

Income levels of African-Americans were less than half the income levels of whites in 31 major metropolitan areas, according to analysis by Business First of Buffalo.

The largest disparity exists in Bridgeport-Stamford, Conn., where the per capita income for black residents is $20,368, which is 35.9 percent of the comparable figure for whites, $56,729.

New Fla. laws cover 'pill mills,' street racing

Thirty-two new Florida laws go into effect Friday, Oct. 1. They include statutes that will:

- Crack down on the sale of prescription painkillers to addicts and drug dealers by "pill mills" through provision that limit advertising, bar patients without insurance from getting more than a three-day supply and impose stiff penalties on doctors and clinics that violate prescribing rules. (This law is being challenged in federal court.)

- Make prejudice-motivated attacks on homeless people hate crimes that can result in more severe penalties.

- Increase repeat offense penalties for street racers under what is titled the Luis Rivera Ortega Street Racing Act after a 15-year-old boy killed by an alleged street racer while riding his bicycle on New Year's Day 2009 in Orange County.

- Make threat of injury or death sent by e-mail or other electronic communications punishable by up to 15 years in prison as already provided for if those same threats are made on paper.

- Allow the death penalty for the unlawful distribution of methadone that causes a user's death.

- Make it illegal to impersonate military veterans when soliciting donations.

- Crack down on rogue debt collectors by making it easier to regulate the industry and increasing penalties.

- Create a "St. Johns River" specialty license plate to raise money for research projects and community outreach and access programs selected by the St. Johns River Alliance.

- Create an "Endless Summer" specialty license plate to promote surfing and fund such things as lifeguards, artificial reefs and beach protection.

- Create three specialty license plates: "Catch Me, Release Me" to fund marine research, education and outreach; "Discover Florida's Horses" to promote the Florida Agriculture and Horse Park in Marion County, and "Save Wild Florida" to aid the Florida Biodiversity Foundation.

- Let motorists donate $1 when registering and renewing their vehicle registration to the Florida Association of Agencies Serving the Blind to aid blind babies and youth, The Arc of Florida to help people with developmental disabilities or the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Tampa Bay.

- Allow motorists to donate $1 when registering and renewing registration for their vehicles to Prevent Blindness Florida or Lauren's Kids, a childhood sexual abuse prevention group.

Jacksonville City Council Approves New Millage Rate and Budget

The city council has approved the budget, and in its second vote on the city's millage today also approved a 10.0353 millage rate by a vote of 10-8 vote.

The vote means an 8 percent increase from the 9.27-mill property tax rate currently in Jacksonville.

The council took its first break of the morning around lunchtime today, following a vote on the millage rate increase which ended with a deadlock of 9-9. But Councilman Reggie Brown changed his vote to break the stalemate.

The budget, which includes the millage, passed 11-7, and is balanced.

Council President Jack Webb said the budget that passed was $4.3 million lower than the one proposed by Mayor John Peyton, which was $995 million.

Saturday, October 2, 2010

Election Guide: U.S. Senator (Florida)

This guide is for United States Senator.

The 10 candidates and their platforms:

1) Marco Rubio (Republican).

Hire one civilian employee for every two that leave government.
Use TARP funds to pay the debt.
Cancel unspent stimulus funds which "could save nearly $300 billion."
Ban all earmarks.
Pass a Constitutional Amendment requiring Congress to balance the budget.
Require any new federal tax to be approved only by a 2/3 vote of Congress.
Supports proposals that "would allow individuals and businesses to check-off an amount, up to 10% of their tax bill, to be dedicated to retiring the national debt. Congress would have to match the amount."
Freeze federal non-defense, non-veterans spending at 2008 levels.
Give the president the line-item veto.
Permanently extend the 2001 and 2003 tax cuts.
Permanently end the death tax.
Stop the Value Added Tax.
Repeal "ObamaCare."
Prevent a national energy tax.
Oppose efforts to strip away workers' right to a secret ballot.
Allow individuals to purchase health insurance across state lines.
Incentivize the use of electronic medical records.
Give individuals the same tax break given to businesses when they buy health insurance.
Increase the number of Community Health Centers.
Allow "patients to switch insurance coverage...without risking pre-existing condition exclusion."

Sources: http://www.marcorubio.com/
"Rubio Calls for Federal Layoffs" article.
Rubio interview with Wolff Blitzer.

2) Kendrick Meek (Democrat).

Supported the Florida initiative to reduce class sizes in Florida's public schools.
Began his career as a Trooper with the Florida Highway Patrol.
Served in the Florida House from 1995 to 1998 and then in the Florida Senate from 1999 to 2002.
Worked with Republicans to provide compensation for two Floridians who had been wrongly convicted of murder.
Led a 25-hour sit-in "to protest the [FL] Governor's plan to roll back state policies that made sure all Floridians had equal education and workplace opportunities."
"Voted for a $23 billion increase in VA funding."
He co-sponsored HR 1211, which passed in 2009, to "fund and require gender-specific VA health care for our women vets for the first time."
Co-sponsor of the End Veteran Homelessness Act of 2010, "which increases support for successful VA programs."
Co-sponsor of HR 1513 which "provides for an annual, automatic cost of living adjustments for veterans' compensation."
Graduated from Florida A&M University.
Has "received an A rating from the National Educator's Association every year since 2003.
Supports the Recovery Act that passed in 2009.
Supporter of the Employee Free Choice Act.
Against "any new offshore drilling."
Advocates the use of U.S. forces to "protect civilians in Darfur."
"Will help to ensure that we work with our allies to finish the job our military started in 2001" in Afghanistan.
"Iran must not be allowed to secure nuclear weapons capability."
The "only pro-choice candidate" in the race.
Supported the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, which ensures equal pay for equal work regardless of age, race, gender, religion, or national origin. It was signed by Obama into law in 2009.
The "only candidate that has supported the repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell since day one."
Believes that Florida's adoption ban for LGBT citizens is "wrong."
Has sponsored legislation to expand access to the State Children's Health Insurance Program.
Voted for the Affordable Care Act.
Supports measures that would lower interest rates and mortgage payments for families at risk of foreclosure.
Endorsed by Obama, Bill Clinton, Bob Graham, Bill Nelson, Alex Sink, and Corrine Brown.

Sources: http://www.kendrickmeek.com/
Meek's Voting Record.

3) Alexander Andrew Snitker (Libertarian).

Served eight years in the Marine Corps.
Salesman for AXSA Document Solutions, Inc.
Supports the "Fair Tax, term limits for both the Senate and the House, balance budget amendments, a non-interventionists foreign policy, and Ending the Federal Reserve."
Supports a "balanced Budget Amendment, which would prohibit the federal government from spending more money than it takes in each year."
Supports "the Enumerate Powers Act, which requires lawmakers to cite, in any piece of legislation, where in the Constitution the federal government has the authorization to create such legislation."
Believes that "all gun laws in this nation are unconstitutional and should be repealed."
Supports repealing the 17th Amendment (the popular vote of Senators).
Supports "making the Social Security and Medicare tax optional."
Will "move to abolish the inefficient Department of Education and other unconstitutional federal measures regarding education."
Favors the "research and implementation of thorium-based energy production."
Require companies to "carry insurance to cover any" environmental damages.
Opposes "any carbon tax scheme."
We need to "bring all the troops home."
Supports a "moratorium on most of the foreign aid the government allows."
Supports "enforcing laws on corporations that hire undocumented workers."
End the "federal war on drugs."

Sources: http://snitker2010.com/

4) Bernie DeCastro (The Constitutional Party).

Believes in "that life begins at conception."
Will "fight and oppose Obama's and Pelosi's Cap & Trade at any cost."
Signed "Glenn Beck's 912 pledge...that a return to God and the Constitution are the remedies for the serious problems this country faces."
"Spent almost 19 years locked up in Florida's criminal justice system for mostly drug related crimes" during the 1980s.
Founded the Florida Ex-Offender Reentry Coalition.
Supports repeal of the Income Tax and adoption of a "Fair Tax system."
Supports a "return to the Spiritual roots of our Founding Fathers."
Supports the "exploration for and use of oil reserves" in the U.S.
Has a five year plan to eliminate the national deficit.
Believes in setting term limits for elected officials to "two six year terms for the Senate and four two year terms for the House."
Supports "eliminating the IRS."
Have "China and other like countries to pay a per piece import tax" to increase revenue.
Repeal the 17th Amendment (popular vote of Senators).
Supports a "strong immigration policy (no amnesty)."
Believes that "marriage is between one man and one woman."
Believes in the right to own and possess firearms.
Advocates a "strong military" and a "non-interventionist's foreign policy."
Believes that "we must break our public school system free of the National Education Association stranglehold and its progressive agenda."
Supports "the reform of our healthcare system without a public option."
Believes that "Capt & Trade is nothing more than a rip-off from the far left."
Believes that "we are harming our nation when we qualify our nationality."

Sources: http://www.electbernie.com/

5) Sue Askeland (NPA).

I could not find anything substantial about this candidate.

6) Bruce Ray Riggs (NPA).

"The powers of government were never given the jurisdiction to do the things they are doing today."
Watch his video to learn more about his platform.

Sources: http://www.dirtyunclesam.com/
Riggs' MySpace Page

7) Bobbie Bean (NPA).

He is a pro-weightlifter.
He "was strongly involved in efforts to get the Jeffrey Johnson Stand Up for All Students Act passed, which was enacted by the Florida legislature in 2008 to provide safe school guidelines for every district in the state."
Supports a "Fair Tax and stimulus checks for our struggling lower and middle classes."
Supports "term limits."
Advocates "federal regulation to combat new forms of bullying such as cyberbullying and aggressive text messaging."
"Our time has come to either increase the number of U.S. troops...or bring our military personnel home."
Supports creating "new jobs with government-subsidized solar panels and deep energy retrofits for homes and businesses."
Supports increased spending for mass transit.
We need to "secure our borders with a strong military presence."
Supports increased "subsidies for small farmers."

Sources: http://www.bobbiebean.com/

8) Rick Tyler (NPA).

Part of "Newt Gingrich's team for the last ten years."
NY Times Best Seller author.
Became a "new creature in Christ" in 1979.
Believes "we have a criminal government that is in urgent need of being held to a proper standard of accountability."
Believes people have a "God given right to keep and bear arms."
Holds that "life begins at conception and abortion constitutes the unjust taking of a human life."
Believes that the "UN must be given its eviction notice and sent packing."
Believes that the "income tax is flagrantly unconstitutional."
Supports ending the Federal Reserve.
Supports home schooling and private Christian education to "supplant and challenge the hegemony of corrupt and subversive state education."
Supports an "outright exclusion of homosexuals from the American armed forces."
Repeal the Patriot Acts.
States "have the absolute right to secede from the national union."
A "permanent European American majority must be galvanized to insure the nation's well being and survival."

Sources: http://www.tylerforsenate.com/occupation
http://www.torenewamerica.com/tyler-bio

9) Charlie Crist (NPA).

Links to different articles regarding Charlie Crist from my website.
Tax credits for "businesses investing in low-income rural and urban locations."
Allocated "millions of dollars in state grants for the research and development of cellulosic ethanol."
Signed legislation "calling for 10 percent of our state's petroleum to include ethanol by 2010."
Approved the "first new nuclear plant in over thirty years."
Purchased the U.S. Sugar Plantation to restore the Florida Everglades.
Created the Office of Open Government which made "government more accessible to the people."
Supports the Second Amendment.
Since 2007, he has "suspended and/or removed 44 elected or public officials for violation of the public trust."
Supports increasing charter schools.
Endorsed by the Florida Education Association.
Signed the Anti-Murder Act which "ensures violent felony offenders who violate probation to return to jail. Since becoming law, nearly 100 violent probation violators have been locked back up."
Signed the Stop Turning Out Prisoners Act which requires "criminals to serve at least 85 percent of their sentences."
"Created the state's first Child Predator/Cyber Crime unit" in 2005.
Endorsed by the Police Benevolent Association and the Fraternal Order of Police.
Vetoed a "record $459 million in pork barrel spending in the 2007 state budget."
Has "cut state spending by $7.4 billion in three short years."
Led the campaign in support of Amendment 1 which "significantly cut property taxes for homeowners."
Launched the "Florida Discount Drug Card...in order to help Florida's seniors afford their lifesaving prescription drugs."
Signed the General Appropriations Act "which gave seniors and disabled individuals who currently reside in a nursing home a choice regarding their long-term care needs."
Created the "Silver Alert Program to alert the public about missing and endangered seniors."
Signed into law the Cover Florida Health Care plan which "provides uninsured Floridians with 27 health care options that best meet their needs."
Developed the Florida Discount Drug Card which "offers Floridians in need of prescription drug coverage immediate discounts."
Is the "only candidate standing firmly with Florida's seniors to protect social security as Americans know it today."
Does not support an amnesty program but "supports immigration reform that provides an earned path to citizenship."

Sources: http://www.charliecrist.com/home
http://www.flgov.com/priorities

10) Lewis Jerome Armstrong (NPA).

"'True Ethics' in the are of banking is needed."
Florida should "have funding in place that can aid the general public when there are catastrophic events."
Supports legislation that "helps all law-abiding immigrants within our borders to become citizen of this great nation."
Author of two books.
Supports vocational training in our public school system.
Will "ask for legislation that will increase benefits for our seniors."
Believes "a two-state solution with legislation pass by the U.S. can bring people in the region together" (in Israel/Gaza).
Supports legislation "that will call for inmates that can be fitted for military service to fill the ranks as foot soldiers."

Sources: http://www.lewisarmstrong.org/index.html