Wingnut of the Day

Florida state representative Kathleen Passidomo decides the best way to show compassion for an 11 year-old girl that was raped is by blaming the victim.

"There was an article about an 11 year old girl who was gangraped in Texas by 18 young men because she was dressed like a 21-year-old prostitute," Passidomo declared.

"And her parents let her attend school like that. And I think it’s incumbent upon us to create some areas where students can be safe in school and show up in proper attire so what happened in Texas doesn’t happen to our students," she added.

I am not shocked that someone this insensitive could be elected to the Florida legislature. I am even less shocked that the Republican Party of Florida would help Passidomo gain elected office. There is no blowback for Passidomo and other Republicans from making wingnut comments. It isn't like the Florida Democratic Party isn't going to start winning elections and forcing the Florida Republican establishment to move to the center.

Bipartisan Guide to Ridiculous Legislation: Unemployed? Florida lawmakers want you to work for free

Picture this scenario:

Your longtime job of 10 years laid you off. You were making an honest $40,000. Suddenly, you're thrown into the same lot as thousands of other Floridians -- unemployed with no job prospects. Hesitant, you apply for unemployment benefits. A few weeks later, you receive a check for $275. You look for work, online and off, unsuccessfully. After two months, belts tighten more. Your meager savings is almost depleted. The bills are piling up. You stop driving around filling out random applications, trying to save the gas for actual interviews or referrals.

Then, one morning while drinking day-old coffee, you read in the local newspaper that the Florida Legislature has mandated that you find an organization and work for them. For free. No money for gas or child care.

Call it volunteering.

That's the latest unemployment-related bill -- that does nothing to fix unemployment, by the way -- from state Rep. Kathleen Passidomo, a Naples Republican. She's the sponsor of HB 509, which is currently in the Economic Development & Tourism Subcommittee.

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