LOCAL and Florida Politics

[spenser1058]

The good news: DeSantis has cut taxes for businesses by approximately $5.6 billion.   

The bad news: DeScammer has raised taxes on Florida’s consumers by roughly $1.5 billion.

VOTE REPUBLICAN- They’re as reliable as a trip to the casino!

From Florida Politics 

[aent]

19 hours ago, spenser1058 said:

The good news: DeSantis has cut taxes for businesses by approximately $5.6 billion.   

The bad news: DeScammer has raised taxes on Florida’s consumers by roughly $1.5 billion.

VOTE REPUBLICAN- They’re as reliable as a trip to the casino!

From Florida Politics 

Always with the FAKE NEWS.

DeSantis cut taxes on everyone. The $1.5 billion number is from an analysis where they evaluated the tax collection impact of the bills passed under DeSantis, but... that analysis only has one tax paid by consumers going up: sales tax. And DeSantis didn't raise the sales tax, so whats going on? Sales tax collections went up because Florida, with bipartisian support, started demanding all online businesses start collecting the sales tax. Note, Florida law already required sales tax to be paid on all out of state/online purchases to keep a level playing field for our local and small businesses, however, previously the onerous was placed on the citizens after they received their goods to cut the state of Florida a check. Needless to say, this was ripe for abuse: almost nobody actually paid it, and it allowed targeted, unfair enforcement because literally everyone was violating this law (who here sent the state a check for all their sales tax that wasn't collected by the company every year prior to this passing?)

Sales tax collections went up $2.6 billion by actually collecting the taxes already required by law. But according to that study, DeSantis passed $1.1 billion of tax cuts for consumers. So the democrats spun that as $1.5 billion tax hike, which doesn't make much sense.... but the problems don't even out there with the claim. Consumers don't pay all sales tax, corporations do too! Infact, its estimated only 60% of sales tax is paid by consumers, the other 40% is paid by corporations! So that $2.6 billion was actually only $1.6 billion paid by Florida's consumers, so even if you blame DeSantis for collecting tax the same way on out of state purchases as in state purchases already required by law before him, its only a $500 million difference. Don't forget to take a billion off your claim of corporate tax cuts! Of course, the reality is consumers pay all taxes. It doesn't matter if they charge a sales tax on your rent or they charge your landlord a property tax of the same amount... the reality is all businesses are going to pass those costs on to you, the consumer, so all of his tax cuts were for the consumers.

The FACT: DeSantis cut consumer taxes by over $4 billion, while also giving us a $22 billion surplus, the highest in state history. Its obvious more consumer tax cuts are coming.

And our local democrats are going to go with this claim, while simultaneously trying to actually hike our local sales tax by 1%?

To quote their favorite president, Joe Biden:

Come on, man!

End of quote. Repeat the line.

 

[spenser1058]

New to Florida and haven’t voted here before or it’s been such a long time you don’t remember when the last time was?

If so, it’s time to check in with the local Supervisor of Elections office to register (if you’ve been registered here before, ask first - if you haven’t been purged, just make sure your address is correct and you’ll be good to go).

If you do need to register, make sure you do by Monday, July 25 in order to vote in the upcoming primary.

Haven’t voted in Florida before? Then you may not be familiar with Florida’s closed primary.

When you register here, you declare your political party (choose NPA if you want nothing to do with any of the two major parties or the various smaller ones).

However, if you choose NPA (or any party other than Democratic or Republican), you’ll only be able to vote in the primary for nonpartisan races like judges.

Because the Democratic and Republican parties are often where the action is in the primaries (that’s particularly true in the gubernatorial and congressional races), you won’t have a say. Keep that in mind as you register. Remember that, come November, you can vote for whomever you like. The downside is that some districts are so gerrymandered that the result is actually decided in the primary.

Confused? Welcome to Florida, the perpetual swing state! If you have any questions, feel free to ask here or let the folks at your Supervisor of Elections office know. They’re quite friendly and helpful.

There is nothing more important you can do for your country than vote.
 

Edited July 22, 2022 by spenser1058

[spenser1058]

The City of WG goes to war for long-neglected East Winter Garden’s battle to save itself:

https://www.orangeobserver.com/article/winter-garden-initiates-action-against-orange-county-over-purecycle

From The West Orange Times Observer 

God, I love this town - instead of just deciding they can’t fix a problem, they get after it, even when the odds are against them, just because it’s the right thing to do for citizens.

 

[spenser1058]

Florida’s newspapers are beginning their endorsements for the Democratic nomination for governor. First up is the Ft. Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel, whose editorial page is to the left. They’re endorsing Charlie, which is a blow to opponent Nikki Fried.

She’s been trying hard to brand him as a DINO given his Republican past. Charlie, however, since he made the switch after the GOP excoriated him as governor because he was polite to President Obama on a trip to Florida, has not only talked the talk, he’s walked the walk of a progressive as a Congressman. 

Charlie also doesn’t scare the state’s grandmas like some of our most liberal types do. In a state full of retirees, that’s not to be underestimated.
 

Edited July 22, 2022 by spenser1058

[spenser1058]

Right behind the Sun-Sentinel, its sister paper the Orlando Sentinel has also endorsed Charlie:

Endorsement: Charlie Crist is the champion Democrats need
https://www.orlandosentinel.com/opinion/endorsements/os-op-edit-crist-endorsement-florida-20220722-wq4c3p7shfhehhpse4lwlg5bqm-story.html

Our local newspaper tends to be somewhat less progressive than the Fort Lauderdale broadsheet (the OS has to keep the folks in Lake County reading), so we’re seeing Charlie with a positive response all along the middle of the spectrum so far.

”(The debate with Nikki Fried) was a spirited exchange, and in the end, Crist emerged as the Democrat with the best chance of defeating DeSantis. That’s the real goal, and it’s urgent. As Crist noted, DeSantis has “torn Florida apart.”

 

Edited July 24, 2022 by spenser1058

[spenser1058]

‘“We’ve got to get rid of the guy. He’s an absolute monster,” Crist said about DeSantis. “This guy’s horrible. We all know it,” adding that, “He’s dead wrong on everything.”’

Amen.

[JFW657]

21 hours ago, spenser1058 said:

‘“We’ve got to get rid of the guy. He’s an absolute monster,” Crist said about DeSantis. “This guy’s horrible. We all know it,” adding that, “He’s dead wrong on everything.”’

Amen.

I don't think he's dead wrong on EVERYTHING, I just think he panders too hard to Trumpers. 

[orange87]

2 hours ago, JFW657 said:

I don't think he's dead wrong on EVERYTHING, I just think he panders too hard to Trumpers. 

The only thing I like about DeSantis is how he didn't shut down the entire state (except for like a month). The COVID insanity with the OCD rituals was the most retarded thing I've ever experienced in my entire life. I'm vaccinated and I wore a mask, but the other stuff was batpoop insane.

[spenser1058]

19 minutes ago, orange87 said:

The only thing I like about DeSantis is how he didn't shut down the entire state (except for like a month). The COVID insanity with the OCD rituals was the most retarded thing I've ever experienced in my entire life. I'm vaccinated and I wore a mask, but the other stuff was batpoop insane.

The problem is he reopened the state and did all the anti-mask nonsense BEFORE a vaccine was available (this was when Florida had several hot spots). He threatened local governments and school boards if they wanted to take extra precautions (remember home rule?) He also refused to have the state order vaccines for kids under five which made it harder for poor kids to get and also for private vendors to obtain it at first.

The state also refused to release reliable numbers on the pandemic. We STILL don’t know the truth.

He also hired a surgeon general who spouts utter nonsense and who is paid for teaching duties at UF he’s not fulfilling.

But other than that, Mrs. Lincoln, how was the play?

He let people in Florida die because he wants to be president on the wacko ticket. I’ve made my living in politics and there’s nothing decent about doing that. 

Edited July 25, 2022 by spenser1058

[angela1117]

1 hour ago, spenser1058 said:

The problem is he reopened the state and did all the anti-mask nonsense BEFORE a vaccine was available (this was when Florida had several hot spots). He threatened local governments and school boards if they wanted to take extra precautions (remember home rule?) He also refused to have the state order vaccines for kids under five which made it harder for poor kids to get and also for private vendors to obtain it at first.

The state also refused to release reliable numbers on the pandemic. We STILL don’t know the truth.

He also hired a surgeon general who spouts utter nonsense and who is paid for teaching duties at UF he’s not fulfilling.

But other than that, Mrs. Lincoln, how was the play?

He let people in Florida die because he wants to be president on the wacko ticket. I’ve made my living in politics and there’s nothing decent about doing that. 

And let's not forget that we didn't see or hear much from Dr. Rivkees once he said he thought we'd be wearing masks for a year. Until of course he stepped down to make way for the nitwit that took his place. 

[jack]

2 hours ago, spenser1058 said:

The problem is he reopened the state and did all the anti-mask nonsense BEFORE a vaccine was available (this was when Florida had several hot spots). He threatened local governments and school boards if they wanted to take extra precautions (remember home rule?) He also refused to have the state order vaccines for kids under five which made it harder for poor kids to get and also for private vendors to obtain it at first.

The state also refused to release reliable numbers on the pandemic. We STILL don’t know the truth.

He also hired a surgeon general who spouts utter nonsense and who is paid for teaching duties at UF he’s not fulfilling.

But other than that, Mrs. Lincoln, how was the play?

He let people in Florida die because he wants to be president on the wacko ticket. I’ve made my living in politics and there’s nothing decent about doing that. 

He did not start preventing local governments from Covid rules until after the vaccine came out. When we had the Covid surge, the vaccine was readily available. That's on the unvaccinated. @orange87is right, the Covid rules were ridiculous. In 2020, very understandable, Especially in the spring.  

[spenser1058]

7 minutes ago, jack said:

He did not start preventing local governments from Covid rules until after the vaccine came out. When we had the Covid surge, the vaccine was readily available. That's on the unvaccinated. @orange87is right, the Covid rules were ridiculous. In 2020, very understandable, Especially in the spring.  

The rules didn’t change but he began threatening even before the vaccine was widely available.

Let’s also remember how narrowly he won by. This was never a governor with a broad mandate, but he pulled a “my way or the highway” anyway, just like his role model @ Mar-a-Lago.

[spenser1058]

Election 2022: Orange schools ask voters to renew $20 a month tax for arts, sports
https://www.orlandosentinel.com/politics/2022-election/os-ne-politics-2022-election-orange-school-property-tax-20220725-yamxhaytsjhcfpex2xnxtycj7e-story.html

From The Sentinel 

This is so important- there are a lot of kids for whom the motivation to do extracurricular activities is the incentive they need to keep their grades up (I was one of them).

Things like sports teach a lot about leadership and teamwork, while the arts expose kids to a world they may never see at home.

This one’s on the August primary ballot - please vote “YES”!
 

[orange87]

5 hours ago, spenser1058 said:

The problem is he reopened the state and did all the anti-mask nonsense BEFORE a vaccine was available (this was when Florida had several hot spots). He threatened local governments and school boards if they wanted to take extra precautions (remember home rule?) He also refused to have the state order vaccines for kids under five which made it harder for poor kids to get and also for private vendors to obtain it at first.

The state also refused to release reliable numbers on the pandemic. We STILL don’t know the truth.

He also hired a surgeon general who spouts utter nonsense and who is paid for teaching duties at UF he’s not fulfilling.

But other than that, Mrs. Lincoln, how was the play?

He let people in Florida die because he wants to be president on the wacko ticket. I’ve made my living in politics and there’s nothing decent about doing that. 

I'm talking about mentally ill OCD rules like:

- you can only walk down aisles in one direction

- Best Buy wouldn't let you enter their store. The employees would stand under a tent in front of the store and you'd tell them what to get for you.

- retards social distancing with their cars at drive thrus because they see everybody else doing it.

- People being forced to eat outside in giant doghouse looking mini tents.

- having to mask-up between bites of food.

I could go on and on. Like I said; this was by far the most Twilight Zone level of insane retardation I have ever experienced in my life. The solution to this was very simple. If you have crippling OCD and agoraphobia, then hide under your bed forever in a hazmat suit. Some of us normal people have lives to live.

[jrs2]

3 hours ago, spenser1058 said:

The problem is he reopened the state and did all the anti-mask nonsense BEFORE a vaccine was available (this was when Florida had several hot spots). He threatened local governments and school boards if they wanted to take extra precautions (remember home rule?) He also refused to have the state order vaccines for kids under five which made it harder for poor kids to get and also for private vendors to obtain it at first.

The state also refused to release reliable numbers on the pandemic. We STILL don’t know the truth.

He also hired a surgeon general who spouts utter nonsense and who is paid for teaching duties at UF he’s not fulfilling.

But other than that, Mrs. Lincoln, how was the play?

He let people in Florida die because he wants to be president on the wacko ticket. I’ve made my living in politics and there’s nothing decent about doing that. 

I'd like to chime in, but...I don't really know what to say about any of this...other than:

Both camps have my full support to hash things out...in a friendly way...

11 minutes ago, orange87 said:

I'm talking about mentally ill OCD rules like:

- you can only walk down aisles in one direction

- Best Buy wouldn't let you enter their store. The employees would stand under a tent in front of the store and you'd tell them what to get for you.

- retards social distancing with their cars at drive thrus because they see everybody else doing it.

- People being forced to eat outside in giant doghouse looking mini tents.

- having to mask-up between bites of food.

I could go on and on. Like I said; this was by far the most Twilight Zone level of insane retardation I have ever experienced in my life. The solution to this was very simple. If you have crippling OCD and agoraphobia, then hide under your bed forever in a hazmat suit. Some of us normal people have lives to live.

OMG.  for Halloween people should get hazmat suits and walk around downtown and freak people out.  can you get in trouble for that?

I understand the one direction aisles; the logic of them at least.

people still wear masks in their own cars and on bicycles and at the beach.

the masking up- Disney did that too; mask at all times unless you are eating or drinking. forces you to spend money, huh...

[spenser1058]

4 minutes ago, orange87 said:

I'm talking about mentally ill OCD rules like:

- you can only walk down aisles in one direction

- Best Buy wouldn't let you enter their store. The employees would stand under a tent in front of the store and you'd tell them what to get for you.

- retards social distancing with their cars at drive thrus because they see everybody else doing it.

- People being forced to eat outside in giant doghouse looking mini tents.

- having to mask-up between bites of food.

I could go on and on. Like I said; this was by far the most Twilight Zone level of insane retardation I have ever experienced in my life. The solution to this was very simple. If you have crippling OCD and agoraphobia, then hide under your bed forever in a hazmat suit. Some of us normal people have lives to live.

I used to hear the same excuses when we passed the seat belt laws (and debated helmet laws, although I didn’t work on that).

Here’s the thing: if you live by yourself in Wyoming and sign a statement never to use health insurance, then rock on .

But if you live in society and are part of a public or private insurance risk pool, you agree to do what’s necessary to mitigate the risk. 

Despite all the big talk, however, these idiots who refuse to participate in civilization are the first to scream for care when they’ve been stupid again. 
 

[jrs2]

2 hours ago, spenser1058 said:

The rules didn’t change but he began threatening even before the vaccine was widely available.

Let’s also remember how narrowly he won by. This was never a governor with a broad mandate, but he pulled a “my way or the highway” anyway, just like his role model @ Mar-a-Lago.

Disclaimer:  both the left and right are controlled by the same source.  that being said:

He was trying to nip it in the bud (or butt) before sweeping mania hit the public.  On that note, didn't bar owners sue the City for forcing them and only them to close?  What happened with that?

You make a good point about the broad mandate.  But think about it...when mainly one party is broadly mandating lockdowns without question, Florida is just one state out of 50...so?

[spenser1058]

I might also add that, after a previous bout with a potential pandemic (I can’t remember which one), President Obama put together a scientific team to head the next such incident off at that pass.

What did His Highness, the Royal Cheetohead do? He shut it down and about the only reasoning anyone could determine was that he hated anything Obama did.

It wasn’t long after that… well, if Paul Harvey were here, he’d tell you “The Rest of the Story”. But then, you know it already. And here we are.

6 minutes ago, jrs2 said:

Disclaimer:  both the left and right are controlled by the same source.  that being said:

He was trying to nip it in the bud (or butt) before sweeping mania hit the public.  On that note, didn't bar owners sue the City for forcing them and only them to close?  What happened with that?

You make a good point about the broad mandate.  But think about it...when mainly one party is broadly mandating lockdowns without question, Florida is just one state out of 50...so?

Thank you, Mr. Bannon. Shall we go over Pizzagate next or Vince Foster?

You know, the Naderites insisted there was no difference between Al Gore and W.

Had Al become president, however, we know for a fact there would have been no Iraq War. It’s also likely the deficit would have remained much lower (he was all about the Social Security lockbox) and, without doubt, we would have done more on climate change (almost as soon as they took office, Darth Cheney went into a locked room with energy execs and, to this, day refuse to release what they did)

So, I’m sorry, park the bothsidesism on the trash heap of history.
 

Edited July 25, 2022 by spenser1058

[jrs2]

9 minutes ago, spenser1058 said:

I might also add that, after a previous bout with a potential pandemic (I can’t remember which one), President Obama put together a scientific team to head the next such incident off at that pass.

What did His Highness, the Royal Cheetohead do? He shut it down and about the only reasoning anyone could determine was that he hated anything Obama did.

It wasn’t long after that… well, if Paul Harvey were here, he’d tell you “The Rest of the Story”. But then, you know it already. And here we are.

Thank you, Mr. Bannon. Shall we go over Pizzagate next or Vince Foster? 

tisk, tisk, Spenser.  we can rehash stuff again, but, I'd rather see what latest scheme Angel is trying to get Jim into...but it looks like you are reading from  DNC manual.

[jrs2]

17 hours ago, spenser1058 said:

I might also add that, after a previous bout with a potential pandemic (I can’t remember which one), President Obama put together a scientific team to head the next such incident off at that pass.

What did His Highness, the Royal Cheetohead do? He shut it down and about the only reasoning anyone could determine was that he hated anything Obama did.

It wasn’t long after that… well, if Paul Harvey were here, he’d tell you “The Rest of the Story”. But then, you know it already. And here we are.

Thank you, Mr. Bannon. Shall we go over Pizzagate next or Vince Foster?

You know, the Naderites insisted there was no difference between Al Gore and W.

Had Al become president, however, we know for a fact there would have been no Iraq War. It’s also likely the deficit would have remained much lower (he was all about the Social Security lockbox) and, without doubt, we would have done more on climate change (almost as soon as they took office, Darth Cheney went into a locked room with energy execs and, to this, day refuse to release what they did)

So, I’m sorry, park the bothsidesism on the trash heap of history.
 

you just name dropped Pizzagate.  Didn't dude get prosecuted for the pedo island stuff and supposedly commit suicide in prison?  The guy with all the dirt on all the celebs and politicians involved with that stuff...  And now his female accomplice is in custody too or something like that?  And all that was what was going on in 2015 and then it completely died out for several years...until it didn't anymore.  Are you now saying Pizzagate didn't happen?  Comet Pizza; the guy; pedo ring stuff; CNN, FOX News covering his prosecution?  Am I taking crazy pills?

...

there is a difference between Gore and W.  Gore is smarter.  Gore bankrolled the global warming phenomenon while W didn't do anything b/c of his parents' and his money.  Gore was also smart b/c his wife Tipper was and probably still is hotter than hell.  Dee Snyder may not like either of them, but Twisted Sister got even more famous b/c of the PMRC hearings coverage.

Epstein...that's the name...

Are you now going to "cancel" the Epstein name from dialogue to deny that pizzagate and the pedo ring never actually happened?  Can't hang that one on Bannon...

[spenser1058]

That beacon of Family Values, Republican Pete Crotty, is bringing “Ax the Tax” back from the dead to try and torpedo improvements to Lynx, SunRail and local roadways. It’s the Republican way!

https://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/lake/os-lauren-ritchie-pete-crotty-arrest-record-addictions-20180615-story.html

From The Sentinel 

https://floridapolitics.com/archives/541427-opposition-to-orange-countys-transportation-tax-brings-back-ax-the-tax/

From Florida Politics
 

[jrs2]

26 minutes ago, spenser1058 said:

That beacon of Family Values, Republican Pete Crotty, is bringing “Ax the Tax” back from the dead to try and torpedo improvements to Lynx, SunRail and local roadways. It’s the Republican way!

https://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/lake/os-lauren-ritchie-pete-crotty-arrest-record-addictions-20180615-story.html

From The Sentinel 

https://floridapolitics.com/archives/541427-opposition-to-orange-countys-transportation-tax-brings-back-ax-the-tax/

From Florida Politics
 

is this that new tax they need approved for the Sunrail finances, etc?

[spenser1058]

2 minutes ago, jrs2 said:

is this that new tax they need approved for the Sunrail finances, etc?

It is indeed.

[jrs2]

1 hour ago, spenser1058 said:

It is indeed.

well, that would be bad.