FLORIDA DIGEST April 6, 2008

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Help Florida Red and Blue earn a $1,000 donation by clicking here and voting in an on-line poll!
http://www.equalitygiving.org/
-Dear Florida Red and Blue and SayNo2 Supporters:
We're at it again. March was a very busy month and we've got a ton of greatnews to report!
SayNo2 - Finally armed with an amendment number for the "MarriageProtection Amendment," Florida Red and Blue successfully launched the SayNo2campaign. The SayNo2 campaign has a new web address (www.SayNo2.com) andeasy to remember messages - SayNo2 taking away legal protections, SayNo2hurting seniors, SayNo2 ending benefits and so on. If you haven't seen thenew site, drop by and check it out.
'Marriage Protection' an unnecessary burden - Those were the words of former
Congressman and Red and Blue state-wide Co-Chair Jim Davis in the MiamiHerald on March 11th. The 2006 gubernatorial Democratic nominee wrote agreat opinion piece for the Herald on Amendment 2.
Remember, we run this campaign on your support and you can help us haveeven more to report in April by making a financial contribution right now byclicking here. And don't hesitate to use the 'forward to a friend' link atthe bottom of the page to spread the word about SayNo2 and Florida Red andBlue. For more frequent updates visit www.SayNo2.com


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Fort Report
http://www.fortreport.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:

-Democrats' ballyhooed rules offer fix
Finger-wagging at Florida Democrats has been in vogue among some political commentators and Washington insiders these past few months.
http://www.palmbeachpost.com/opinion/content/opinion/epaper/2008/04/06/a1e_deutch_commentary_0406.html

-Allstate frozen out of Florida
Insurance regulators have the power to shut down Allstate in Florida toforce the company to cooperate with rate investigations, a court ruledFriday.
http://www.floridatoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080405/NEWS01/804050314/1006

-Sour smell of secrecy
Another misguided bill in Tallahassee seeks a major exemption from Florida's exemplary open-government laws.
Current law correctly lets elected officials meet privately to discuss tort litigation, such as a personal-injury claim, filed against a government. Theproposed change would let local politicians and their attorneys meet inprivate to discuss lawsuits that haven't even been filed, an idea that wouldinvite abuse.
http://www.palmbeachpost.com/opinion/content/opinion/epaper/2008/04/06/a2e_privatemeet_edit_0406.html

-In Florida, feel free to bear arms at work, get busy with a bearHere are two proposals under consideration during the ongoing session of theFlorida Legislature.
http://www.palmbeachpost.com/localnews/content/local_news/epaper/2008/04/06/s1c_bino_0406.html

-27 Florida delegates chosen for Democratic National Convention
ORLANDO - Chief Financial Officer Alex Sink, seven state legislators andOrlando Mayor Buddy Dyer were among 27 party leaders chosen Saturday to bedelegates to the Democratic National Convention.
http://www.floridatoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/CD/20080406/CAPITOLNEWS/80405025/-1/capitolnews


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Miami Herald
http://www.miamiherald.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:

-Lake levels rising in dry seasonThe water shortage is far from over butLake Okeechobee is managing to rise in the dry season, which has eased someconcerns.
http://www.miamiherald.com/460/story/484971.html

-Water no longer cheap and unlimited
OUR OPINION: SOUTH FLORIDA MUST STOP WASTEFUL OCEAN DUMPING
It makes no sense for South Florida counties to dump 300 million of gallonsof lightly treated sewage into the ocean every day. Yet Broward, Miami-Dadeand Palm Beach counties have been dumping sewage in the ocean for decades,refusing to stop, they say, because it is too expensive to reclaim or cleanup the dirty water. Well, now they may have to. A bill that requires thecounties to stop ocean dumping is moving quickly through the Legislaturetoward passage. It is time for South Florida counties to embrace the ideaand find ways to redirect and reuse the water.
http://www.miamiherald.com/opinion/editorials/story/483602.html

-Iraq's refugees becoming desperate
In several recent speeches on Iraq, there was one issue President Bush nevermentioned: Iraqi refugees.
More than two million Iraqi refugees are struggling to survive outside Iraq,
the bulk of them in neighboring Jordan and Syria. Only a small percentageare rich former Baathist supporters of Saddam Hussein. Most are middle-classIraqis, including thousands of Christians, who were ''ethnically cleansed''from urban neighborhoods and forced to flee for their lives.
http://www.miamiherald.com/851/story/483599.html

-SLAVERY IN FLORIDA
Make the apology meaningful
At last, Florida apologized for the enslavement of African Americans withinits borders. My grandmother's father was a slave in Gadsden County; so, whydon't I feel better?
http://www.miamiherald.com/851/story/483609.html


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