Following Congressman Young's decision to retire last week, the campaign has
felt a surge of support! Yesterday, we were pleased to announce our
latest endorsement: The American Federation of State, County and Municipal
Employees with over 3,000 members in our area. Check the latest headline!
Mike Ebersole, President of the People's Chair of AFSCME
Florida:
"We are proud to stand with Jessica Ehrlich early in this campaign
because she is a fighter who will work to increase economic opportunity for
middle class families in Pinellas County. Jessica has already proven she
is willing to stand up to Republicans in Congress who right now have shut-down
our government out of spite. And Jessica will fight any efforts by the
Tea Party to strip families’ access to affordable health care."
I am so proud to be endorsed by AFSCME, with their long track record of
fighting for working families in Pinellas County and across the state of
Florida. In Congress, I will always fight for working families to ensure a
brighter future for all of us in Pinellas.
Headlines today in the Daily Kos Elections Morning Digest for 10/10
Leading
Off:
FL-13: At long last: Veteran Republican Rep. Bill Young, who
has served the Tampa area in the House since 1971 and has been the subject
of retirement speculation for many cycles, has decided to step down at the end of this term.
Young, 82 years old, said simply that "it's my time."
What
makes Young's departure so intriguing is that he's one of just a handful of
Republicans who represent a district Barack Obama won in 2012, in this case by a 50.1 to
48.6 margin. That makes Florida's 13th District the first truly competitive
open seat of the 2014 midterms, and you can bet Democrats will fight hard to
try to pick it up.
The voices of veterans and military family members are the key to ending the Republican-led government shutdown. Watch our powerful new ad running in several key districts, and contribute to help keep the pressure on vulnerable Republicans.
UPDATE: AS OF 10/10: It’s only 24 hours since Congressman Young announced his retirement and it’s
big news for Jessica’s campaign. The Cook Political Report moved this race from
Safe Republican to being the only “Toss Up” open seat House race of the 2014
cycle. Rothenberg Report and Roll Call have now made this race a “Pure Toss Up.”That’s right – Jessica’s race is now the only open seat toss up
in the entire country!
Roll Call said that “Jessica Ehrlich is the only serious Democratic
candidate for that district.” We have the momentum. We have a head
start on our Republican opponents and we can win this race. But we cannot
do it without you.
This is huge. Public Policy Polling just released a new poll in
my congressional district and the results are already making waves. The
poll shows this district is one of the six best pickup opportunities for
Democrats in the entire country with Congressman Young trailing 5% behind.
Even better, when voters learn Congressman Young voted to shut-down the
government, the lead grows to 9%.
The partisanship paralyzing Washington continues this week.
Congressman Young and his cronies are willing to hurt small businesses,
our economy and middle class families by continuing the government shutdown.
The Tampa Bay Times said Congressman Young fell "in step behind the smug
tea party frat boys." Enough is enough!
Click on the image (right) to go to Thundrclap page to support Action Florida's appeal to: “Rep Young, Pinellas students need help moving forward, not debt that robs them of their future. #BankOnStudents http://thndr.it/162zPfq”. You can support them via twitter and/or Facebook. These are young folks taking charge of their future through political action.
SO FAR 411
REPRESENTATIVES HAVE SIGNED A PLEDGE TO THE KOCH BROTHERS TO NOT PASS ANY BILL,
LAW OR LEGISLATION THAT WOULD ADDRESS GLOBAL WARMING OR CLIMATE CHANGE. HERE
ARE YOUR KOCH PUPPETS: http://www.noclimatetax.com/pledge-signatories/
Includes Senator Rubio and our local District 13 Congressman:
Americans for Prosperity Applauds U.S. Representative C.W. Bill
Young
-Signs No Climate Tax Pledge-
WASHINGTON-The free-market grassroots group Americans
for Prosperity (AFP) today applauded U.S. Representative C.W. Bill Young (10th
District) for signing the group’s “No Climate Tax Pledge.” By doing so, Young
joins over 100 lawmakers on the federal, state and local levels pledging to “oppose
legislation relating to climate change that includes a net increase in
government revenue.”
“The one thing elected officials should be able to
agree on is that global warming shouldn’t be used as an excuse to hike taxes on
citizens and businesses,” said AFP Policy Director Phil Kerpen. “We encourage
all of Florida’s elected officials and candidates for elected office to sign the
pledge.”
President Obama has made no secret of his intent to
advance the cap-and-trade legislation, which would amount to the largest tax
increase in American history. One version of the scheme, introduced last year
by Sens. Joe Lieberman (I-CT) and John Warner (R-VA), is scored by the nonpartisan
Congressional Budget Office as a net revenue increase of $1.2 trillion within
just the first 7 years the bill is in effect.
“Using the guise of climate change to transfer dollars
from hard-working citizens to bureaucratic big government is unacceptable,”
said Kerpen. “Regardless of their stance on global warming, this should be
common ground for all of our elected officials at all levels of government.”
The pledge is available online at www.NoClimateTax.com. AFP
does not endorse candidates.
All elected officials and candidates are encouraged to
sign the pledge and go on the record in opposition to using the climate change
issue to increase taxes and grow the size of government.
Americans for Prosperity (AFP) is the nation’s premier grassroots
organization committed to advancing every individual’s right to economic
freedom and opportunity. AFP believes reducing the size and scope of government
is the best safeguard to ensuring individual productivity and prosperity for
all Americans. AFP educates and engages citizens in support of restraining
state and federal government growth, and returning government to its constitutional
limits. For more information, visit www.americansforprosperity.org
REACTIONS FROM AROUND FL
TO THE END OF DOMA AND PROP 8
What people are saying about the
Supreme Court rulings on gay marriage [Tampa Bay Times] "President Barack Obama: "I
applaud the Supreme Court's decision to strike down the Defense of Marriage
Act. This was discrimination enshrined in law...U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson:
"The Supreme Court said the Constitution prohibits discrimination of
lawfully wedded same-sex couples. I support this decision."...U.S. Rep.
Kathy Castor: "Florida leaders should embrace this decision and
address the outdated and discriminatory Article I; Section 27 of the Florida
Constitution that bars many Florida married couples from equal rights and
treatment even after the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling today...U.S. Rep. Alcee
Hastings: "As we celebrate today's news, I am reminded of the
extraordinary progress that we have made in recent years to advance LGBT
equality in this country...U.S. Rep. Ted Deutch: "As we applaud
this historic victory for civil rights, we must also remember that the struggle
for marriage equality continues...State Rep. Darryl Rouson: "This
is a significant day for our nation. My hope is that one day Florida will join
those states in recognizing the equality of all people to marry...State Rep.
Janet Cruz: "I am thrilled that the Court's actions recognize that all
Americans are equal and that any adult regardless of whom they love has a right
to be married...State Rep. Linda Stewart: "Any legislation that
alienates a single class of people because of whom they are or who they love
has no place in a country in which its founding promise has always been
equality before the law...State Rep. Joe Saunders: "These rulings
... prove the country is moving everyday toward full marriage equality and
basic fairness for LGBT Americans...State Rep. Kionne McGhee:
"Today's overturning of the Defense of Marriage Act is a sweeping
affirmation of same-sex marriage that deserves applause...State Rep. Alan Williams:
"The ruling is a victory for Civil Rights...Allison Tant: "As
Democrats, we are committed to full equality for every American. Today, the
Supreme Court moved us further toward that goal.
SCOTT, RUBIO DECRY CIVIL
RIGHTS VICTORY OF GLBT AMERICANS
Scott says he and state law support
"traditional marriage" [Orlando Sentinel] "Gov. Rick Scott had a brief press
availability this afternoon, primarily to allow him to react to theU.S. Supreme
Court's decision to strike down a key portion of the Defense of Marriage
Actthat defines marriage as between a man and a woman...Asked his owned views,
Scott noted that he was married at 19. 'I believe in traditional marriage,' he
said."
Marco Rubio: Supreme Court mistaken on
same-sex marriage [Sun Sentinel] "Marriage is best defined as “the union between one man and
one woman,” U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio asserted on Wednesday, while accusing the
Supreme Court of over-stepping its role by striking down the Defense of
Marriage Act.
The events and policies that have pushed deficits to these high levels in the near term, however, were largely outside the new Administration’s control. If not for the tax cuts enacted during the presidency of George W. Bush that Congress did not pay for, the cost of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan that were initiated during that period, and the effects of the worst economic slump since the Great Depression (including the cost of steps necessary to combat it), we would not be facing these huge deficits in the near term.
This non-partisan organization focuses on fiscal policy and public programs that affect low- and moderate-income families/individuals. Their analysis shows that the budget deficit will continue to grow if the Bush tax cuts remain. They don't distinguish the different aspects of the tax-cuts; i.e., "high income", which Obama & Democrats want to let expire, and "middle/low income", which they plan to renew.
The graph to the right illustrates the impact of the various programs on the growth of the deficit into 2019. It is quite unfortunate that none of the high profile Republican politician and pundits, or conservative media (CNN or FOX) bother to read anything that doesn't come out of their own think-tanks.
Without the economic downturn and the fiscal policies of the previous Administration, the budget would be roughly in balance over the next decade. That would have put the nation on a much sounder footing to address the demographic challenges and the cost pressures in health care that darken the long-run fiscal outlook.[7]
Rep Markey " The BP oil spill highlights our need to move to clean energy alternatives to oil, but it is not our only oil problem. Foreign oil continues to account for 1/2 our trade deficit and keeps US troops in harm's way. "
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