Florida Hometown Democracy News

Florida Hometown Democracy has placed Amendment 4 on the Florida ballot. The amendment summary is below.

Establishes that before a local government may adopt a new comprehensive land use plan, or amend a comprehensive land use plan, the proposed plan or amendment shall be subject to vote of the electors of the local government by referendum, following preparation by the local planning agency, consideration by the governing body and notice. Provides definitions.

Voters will have a say by vote on how local governments decide land use issues. Developers have successfully use their lobbying power to influence local elected officials to ignore environmental and smart-growth management.

Florida Hometown Democracy has hired Mitch Kates to be the campaign manager. FHD needs 60 percent of the voters to approve Amendment 4 to place it on the state constitution. Kates has represented progressive candidates and helped Kevin Beckner get elected to the Hillsborough County Commission.

FHD has also hired Wayne Garcia new communications director. That translates into Garcia will be communicated with traditional media and bloggers to help raise awareness on FHD. Garcia has also worked as a campaign consultant. Garcia has been all over the place politically. I am rather surprised he is working with FHD.

From the press release:

"Mitch and Wayne will help us bring our campaign to a higher level, adding new energy and expertise as they work alongside scores of volunteers to counter Big Development's lies and tell the truth about how Floridians can have their say," Lesley Blackner, president of Florida Hometown Democracy, the sponsor of Amendment 4 on the statewide ballot Nov. 2.

The horrible SB 360 is a prime example of how developers can write legislation and get politicians to support a bill that is against the interest of the people. SB 360 getting the Growth Management Act of 1985. The Republican legislators who cry about big government took power away from local governments to decide land use issues. The state can overrule local government by developing land they deem economoic development projects. SB 360 sponsor Sen. Mike Bennett said more houses needed to be built in Florida to turn the economy around. The problem was Florida was in a crushing mortgage crisis. Houses were not selling. Bennett and other members of the Florida legislature were looking for excuses to repay developers for their campaign contributions. Bennett and Rep. Ron Reagan run the PAC Citizens For Housing & Urban Growth. Construction and home builders have contributed over $33,000 to Bennett's campaigns.

The citizens of Florida need Amendment 4 to pass. The current Republican legislature attempted to approve offshore drilling before the Deep Horizon spill. They cannot be trusted to make sound decisions on growth management and environmental issues. Voters need to support Amendment 4 for the sake of Florida's future.

Cheney in 2012?

On Fox News Sunday, the panel made a pointless controversy on President Barack Obama Emperor of Japan. It is called paying respect to a foreign nation's customs. The panel noted that Dick Cheney did not bow to the Emperior. Liz Cheney floated the of her father running for President.

You could also look at the comparison and think, Cheney 2012.

I'm sure the White House would love to see Dick Cheney as the GOP nominee.

Cheney didn't bow because he is famous for his rudeness. Ron Reagan describes how Cheney treated his mother during his father's funeral. Nancy Reagan is frail and has difficulty walking.

How did your mother feel about being ushered to her seat by President Bush?

REAGAN:Well, he did a better job than Dick Cheney did when he came to the rotunda. I felt so bad. Cheney brought my mother up to the casket, so she could pay her respects. She is in her 80's, and she has glaucoma and has trouble seeing. There were steps, and he left her there. He just stood there, letting her flounder. I don't think he's a mindful human being. That's probably the nicest way I can put it.

How serious is your mother's glaucoma?

REAGAN: I don't know the specifics. She can still see. You may have noticed that she was wearing large glasses at one point.

Cheney created national embarrassment by wearing a parka and hiking boots to the 60th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz. Jews were senselessly slaughtered and Cheney dressed like a South Park character. Wearing a formal black jacket or bowing doesn't show weakness. Cheney's actions illustrate a lack of empathy. Apparently, behaving like an asshole is a quality conservatives seek in a presidential candidate.

Arianna Huffington Asks Joe Biden to Resign

Arianna Huffington tells Ron Reagan of Air America that Vice-President Joe Biden should resign in protest of U.S. troop increases to Afghanistan. Biden's opposition to Gen. Stanley McChrystal's 40,000 troop request earned him a Newsweek cover story. There was a fascinating exchange in the White House.

Joe Biden had a question. During a long Sunday meeting with President Obama and top national-security advisers on Sept. 13, the VP interjected, "Can I just clarify a factual point? How much will we spend this year on Afghanistan?" Someone provided the figure: $65 billion. "And how much will we spend on Pakistan?" Another figure was supplied: $2.25 billion. "Well, by my calculations that's a 30-to-1 ratio in favor of Afghanistan. So I have a question. Al Qaeda is almost all in Pakistan, and Pakistan has nuclear weapons. And yet for every dollar we're spending in Pakistan, we're spending $30 in Afghanistan. Does that make strategic sense?" The White House Situation Room fell silent. But the questions had their desired effect: those gathered began putting more thought into Pakistan as the key theater in the region.

U.S. forces have pushed al-Qaeda into Pakistan. CBS News cheir foreign correspondant Lara Logan said Afghanistan is the spiritual home of al-Qaeda. The Taliban is intent on taking back Afghanistan. The Taliban will allow al-Qaeda to set up safe havens in Afghanistan. Logan states the Afghanistan government is too unstable to fight al-Qaeda. The questions about President Hamid Karzai's future also cloud matters. Members of the White House, leaked to the media, that they have lost confidence in Karzai. So far, the White House has not called for Karzai to publicly step down.

Biden is right about Pakistan. The Swat Valley has become an international human rights crisis. The Pakistani people were divided over the Taliban. The cruelity displayed by the Taliban turned the Pakistani people. President Barack Obama just signed a $7.5 billion aid bill for Pakistan. What the longterm policy for Pakistan is uncertain. The United States is launching predator drone attacks on terrorist targets.

The issues in Afghanistan and Pakistan demand someone that is willing to challenge the President. Vice-President Biden will do a greater service to his country in office than out. Resigning out of protest would draw headlines. The move would be a one time ploy and Biden would have no voice on policy once he leaves.

Bernie Sanders on Public Option

Senator Bernie Sanders explains to Ron Reagan how a health care insurance public option is important to the currently uninsured. Sander stresses that the moral factor of providing health care has been undersold.

Pam Spaulding Interview

Ron Reagan of Air America interviews blogger and LGBT advocate Pam Spaulding. Discussed is going into the black and Latino community to garner support for LBGT rights.

Rush Limbaugh Again Advocating His Own Nobel Peace Prize

Rush Limbaugh went on-air in 2007 and demanded a recount for the Nobel Peace Prize. Limbaugh suspected that Al Gore supporters cheated him out of the award.

LIMBAUGH: My lawyers at the Landmark Legal Foundation are looking into the possibility of filing an objection with the Nobel committee over the unethical tampering for this award that Al Gore is engaging in. This is clearly above and beyond the pale. I mean, this might happen in high school class president elections and so forth, but this is shameless.

We are supoose to believe Gore needed help to beat Limbaugh out of the Nobel Peace Prize. Kids, this is what drugs does to your brain. Limbaugh has given up his Nobel jones. Air America's Ron Reagan reports Limbaugh is telling his listeners how he deserve a Nobel. Go to 3:20 in the audio clip.