GLBT DIGEST - October 29, 2006

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http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/opinion/editorial/sfl-editbrowardgsballotoct29,0,6444961.story?coll=sfla-news-editorial

ELECTIONS

Sun-Sentinel recommends

South Florida Sun-Sentinel Editorial Board

October 29, 2006


Voters around Broward County, depending on city of residence, will find ontheir ballots various questions for their decision. Many are about changingcity charters, while some are money questions -- about salaries or a bondissue. And all county voters will face two ballot items.

Find your city below to see what the South Florida Sun-Sentinel recommends.

All Broward Voters:

Say Yes on Watershed

A non-binding straw ballot intends to explore the establishment of aWatershed Improvement District; vote YES.

The Watershed Improvement District could improve efforts to reducepollutants from auto and lawn equipment and lawn-care products that getwashed into storm drains. It could also bolster education efforts to prodpeople to better preserve water supplies. The district would get its fundingfrom projects with government agencies and would not have independent taxingauthority.




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Subject: Voting Suggestions on 2006 Election : Proposed Amendments To The
FL Constitution

Date: Fri, 27 Oct 2006

From: The Whimsy LOOPS <TWPCHWPB@BellSouth.Net>
Organization: The Whimsy Political Clearinghouse / The Florida GLBT
Democratic Caucus

To: Whimsy LOOPS Readers & Friends of The Whimsy



VOTING SUGGESTIONS on 2006 ELECTION: PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO THE FLORIDA CONSTITUTION

FROM: THE WHIMSY POLITICAL CLEARINGHOUSE &
THE FLORIDA GLBT DEMOCRATIC CAUCUS

RUSTY GORDON, Vice-President, FL GLBT DEM. CAUCUS
Facilitator: THE WHIMSY LOOPS

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AMENDMENT #1 STATE PLANNING AND BUDGET PROCESS: YES
They are putting good measures in the Constitution that should be decided
by the Legislature, but since they cannot decide, we may as well do their
job and do the right thing.

AMENDMENT #2 - BLANK (NOT ON THE BALLOT)

AMENDMENT #3 BROADER PUBLIC SUPPORT FOR
CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS AND PETITIONS: YES

This is one is the most controversial from a strategy perspective. On onehand, voting YES will make it more difficult to amend the Florida constitution byrequiring 60% of the voters to approve any constitutional amendment.This might be good since our constitution is full of trivia.

This could bealso very benefitial for us since it is certain to be a constitutional amendmentin2008 saying that marriage is between a man and a woman and that no otherbenefits of marriage can be given to same-sex couples. So if this amendmentpasses this year, it will make it more difficult to pass the super DOMA in2008.However, if they get 60% in a super DOMA it will be more difficult for us tooverturn this amendment in the future.

more....


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http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/southflorida/sfl-celxus2229oct29,0,1660562.story?coll=sfla-home-headlines

Experts call Shaw-Klein race 'a pure toss-up'

After 26 years in office, can Clay Shaw keep his House seat? Ron Klein is giving the longtime incumbent a run for his money.

By Brittany Wallman and Anthony Man
South Florida Sun-Sentinel

October 29, 2006


One of the costliest races in the nation. One of the closest. One of themost important. One of the fiercest.

A race of superlatives -- the congressional contest between Clay Shaw andRon Klein to represent 640,000 Floridians.

South Florida's longest-running office holder in Congress, Shaw might notspend a 27th year in Washington, D.C. And the Republican-leaning District22, with beachside and suburban conservatives from mid-Broward County to thenorth of Palm Beach County, could be represented by a Democrat.




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http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/southflorida/sfl-pdisgraced29oct29,0,3316304.story?coll=sfla-home-headlines

Disgraced leaders cast cloud on elections in Palm Beach County Foley, Masilotti, Liberti give politics bad name.


By Patty Pensa and Mike Clary
South Florida Sun-Sentinel

October 29, 2006

In what has become almost a political ritual in Palm Beach County, a publicofficial resigns under pressure, apologizes for bad behavior and then asksfor understanding as he heads off to jail, his attorney's office or a rehabcenter.

Are voters paying attention?

You bet.

"These guys have turned politics dirty," said Terry Day, 66, who drove tothe Supervisor of Elections office near his home in Delray Beach Fridayafternoon to cast an early ballot in the Nov. 7 general election.




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http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/opinion/editorial/sfl-editfloridagovernoroct29,0,214450.story?coll=sfla-news-editorial

Governor

South Florida Sun-Sentinel Editorial Board

October 29, 2006

Elect Charlie Crist

There's much in play in Florida's high stakes gubernatorial race. The issuesrange from the economy to crime to health care needs, and three of them havedominated the contest -- the FCAT exam, hurricane insurance and the sharpspike in property taxes.

Unfortunately, the two leading candidates, Republican Charlie Crist andDemocrat Jim Davis, have staked out positions on these topics that, whilepolitically appealing, could complicate matters, not better them.Nonetheless, voters have to make a choice on Nov. 7, and the South FloridaSun-Sentinel Editorial Board recommends they elect Charlie Crist.

Crist, 50, is the attorney general. He also served as commissioner ofeducation and as a state senator. His chief opponent, Davis, 50, has been aU.S. congressman since 1997, and served in the Florida Legislature beforegoing to Capitol Hill.



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http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/southflorida/sfl-mayocol29oct29,0,1240971.column?coll=sfla-home-headlines

MAYO: Easy executions like Rolling's leave difficult questions for us to deal with Michael Mayo
News Columnist

October 29, 2006


As I walked through Florida State Prison last week to witness DannyRolling's execution, a Death Row inmate called me a killer.

"Murderers! All of you are murderers!" came the shout from a window as adozen media witnesses and six prison officials boarded two vans to take usto the death chamber.

Takes one to know one, I felt like shouting back.

But during the one-minute ride from a prison wing to the death chamber, aswe drove past the white hearse that would take Rolling's body off thegrounds, I couldn't help but wonder if he had a point.

Across the road, some who came to cheer Rolling's execution held up placardswith biblical passages supporting their position. "Whoever sheds man's bloodby man, his blood shall be shed Genesis 9:6," said one sign.



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The Sun-Sentinel


http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/palmbeach/sfl-pelxkottkamp27oct29,0,226916.story


CANDIDATE FOR LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR
Running mates are not just followers
Six-year record, family appeal a boon for Kottkamp

By Mike Clary
South Florida Sun-Sentinel

October 29, 2006


When Charlie Crist announced his running mate, the Republican candidate forgovernor cited the "camaraderie" he had with state Rep. Jeff Kottkamp andcalled him "a great friend."

"And he has a beautiful wife," added Crist as he stood next to Kottkamp andhis wife, Cyndie, on the couple's front lawn in Cape Coral last month.

Clearly, Crist knew his pick brought some personal balance to the GOP'sticket. Although Kottkamp, like Crist, is a white, middle-aged attorney, heis also a married family man who owns a home. Crist is unmarried, withoutchildren and rents a St. Petersburg condominium and an apartment inTallahassee.

As the nominee for lieutenant governor, Kottkamp, 45, also brings to theticket a six-year record in the statehouse and several legislativecontradictions that make him tough to pigeonhole and even tougher topredict.



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The Miami Herald
October 29, 2006


http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/15873434.htm?template=contentModules/printstory.jsp

Link - http://www.floridacomparecare.gov/
Link - http://www.hospitalcompare.hhs.gov/

Online comparisons of hospital quality are lifting the cloak of secrecy, butfew consumers use them

BY JOHN DORSCHNER AND JACOB GOLDSTEIN
jdorschner@MiamiHerald.com

Patients with severe strokes who go to Broward General are more likely todie than those who go to Aventura. A patient at Mercy is less likely to getan infection than one at Memorial West. Pneumonia patients at BaptistHospital are more likely than those at Cedars to be given the mostappropriate antibiotics.

All of those comparisons -- and many more -- are now available online, partof a movement to empower consumers by removing the traditional secrecy thathas surrounded the performance of hospitals and doctors.

The hope is that bringing market transparency to healthcare will drivebusiness to the providers that deliver the best care at the lowest price,reducing costs and improving outcomes.



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http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/broward/sfl-ckeechl28oct28,0,2066426.story
Fraud case enters campaign


In tight race, Scott, Keechl spar over viatical scandal.
By Vanessa Blum
South Florida Sun-Sentinel

October 28, 2006

Less than two weeks before the Nov. 7 election, Broward County CommissionerJim Scott is attacking challenger Ken Keechl for his legal representation ofa company accused of defrauding investors out of nearly $1 billion.

Scott wants voters to know that Keechl, a Democrat making his first run forpublic office, defended Mutual Benefits Corp. in lawsuits across the countryas a partner at Fort Lauderdale law firm Brinkley, McNerney, Morgan, Solomon& Tatum.

Federal prosecutors accuse Mutual Benefits of perpetrating the largestsecurities fraud in South Florida history. The former president of the FortLauderdale-based company, Peter Lombardi, pleaded guilty to securities fraudOct. 23, dragging the case back into the spotlight.


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