Daily News Clips for August 24, 2012

PROGRESS FLORIDA IN THE NEWS The Progressive's Guide to the Republican National Convention By Adam Weinstein Mother Jones All storm-watching aside, if you're a non-conservative heading to the Republican National Convention in Tampa, you may feel a bit intimidated…Fear not: Nonprofit Progress Florida has assembled an online "Progressive Guide to the RNC." From the "Patients Over Politics" bus-tour kickoff to a plug for Cafe Hey, "Tampa's official oasis of chill," the site offers progressives a host of activities and safe spaces during Romneypalooza. The liberals' guide to the GOP convention By Adam C. Smith Tampa Bay Times Here is the definitive guide for progressives who want to stand up for the middle class, oppose the Republican Party’s extremist agenda, and get the unscripted, behind the scenes play-by-play. The BluVu: Week of August 20th By Gayle Andrews The BluVu Damien Filer discusses the Governor's latest effort to keep Democrats from the polls, and Progress Florida gives us the Progressive’s Guide to the Republican National Convention...if it happens. All this and more as political reality comes your way! FEATURED STORIES As Isaac trends west, RNC plans proceed By Michael Van Sickler and Jessica Vander Velde Tampa Bay Times With the projected path of Tropical Storm Isaac trending to the west, officials sounded increasingly confident Thursday that the storm wouldn't disrupt the Republican National Convention. Will RNC protests in Tampa be peaceful? By Zac Anderson Gainesville Sun Modern political conventions are often described as political theater because the outcome is predetermined. Over objections, state asks court to approve early voting plan By Steve Bousquet Tampa Bay Times/Miami Herald Tallahassee Bureau Florida is asking a federal court to approve eight 12-hour days of early voting in five counties, saying it would not suppress African-American votes in November. Florida lawmakers seek to block redistricting testimony Staff Report Palm Beach Post Republican leaders have quietly asked a Leon County judge to shield lawmakers and their aides from having to testify during a trial to determine whether the state’s congressional redistricting plan runs afoul of new standards for drawing the state’s political maps. Facing FBI scrutiny, former Democratic candidate files amended campaign finance report By Marc Caputo and Manny Garcia Miami Herald A failed Democratic congressional candidate whose campaign is under federal grand jury investigation abruptly amended his financial disclosures to show he loaned himself nearly $53,000 more than he originally reported. WEEKLY BEST OF THE BLOGS Mack Cosponsored "Forcible Rape" Bill With Akin, Who He Now Criticizes By Inkberries Beach Peanuts Unless you were under a rock this weekend, you probably heard about this comment on rape and abortions when a rape results in a pregnancy: Bush Wonk Patricia Levesque Signs Parent Trigger Petition Twice By Bob Sikes Scathing Purple Musings You couldn’t make this up in a parody. Jeb Bush’ attempts to build momentum for his Foundation for Florida’s Future for a second run at Parent Trigger in Florida prompted  the Foundation’s director, Patricia Levesque, to post an online petition. Paul Ryan hunts for votes in Republican utopia (or dystopia) By David Jarman Daily Kos The selection of Republican Rep. Paul Ryan as vice-presidential nominee has left behind-the-scenes Republicans concerned that he and his budget open up new vulnerabilities for the GOP on Medicare. Cliff Notes On Cliff Stearns By Jake Rantings From Florida The news that Cliff Stearns could be unseated in a Republican primary is something difficult to fathom for those who have watched Central Florida politics in the last few decades, but that indeed happened this week when an unknown tossed the incumbent by less than 1,000 votes. Because I Still Believe By Brughart Hrrumph I have written a great deal about judicial merit retention over the past several months. FLORIDA POLITICS Charlie Crist Will Switch to Democrat, According To Rumors By Chris Joseph Broward New Times In probably what is the least-shocking news ever, former Governor Charlie Crist might be switching over to Democrat this week. Harry Sawyer: Early Voting Warrior By Whitney Ray Capitol News Service Governor Rick Scott’s entire plan for early voting could be foiled by one headstrong election supervisor. Democratic House candidates make their Tallahassee debut By Bill Cotterell Florida Current The Florida Democratic Party displayed its new line of state House candidates for Tallahassee lobbyists this week in a sedate little reception in the Governors Club, the private redoubt of corporate deal-making a block from the state Capitol. POLITICAL RACES Q poll: Romney edges up in Florida, Nelson leads Mack By William March Tampa Tribune The latest installment of the Quinnipiac University/CBS/New York Times swing state poll finds Mitt Romney edging up against President Barack Obama in Florida, and Sen. Bill Nelson holding his lead over Rep. Connie Mack in the Florida Senate race. Florida's 'Fab 5' land coveted RNC speaking slots By William March Tampa Tribune For Florida political leaders, the Republican convention in Tampa is a rare chance to shine in front of a crowd of the most influential, wealthiest and most active party members in the nation, people who can make or break a political career. RNC security zones set around Tampa Bay bridges as feds warn of threats By Richard Danielson Tampa Bay Times Related: Agencies share Republican National Convention communications center The Coast Guard says it will ban loitering, stopping, mooring or anchoring boats within 50 yards of 15 Tampa Bay-area bridges during the Republican National Convention. Romney could be nominated early in convention week Associated Press Tampa Tribune Republican delegates will begin the roll call vote to officially nominate Mitt Romney for president on Monday at the national convention in Tampa, which could allow Romney to accept the GOP nomination earlier in the week than has occurred at previous conventions. Obama campaign first to accept donation by text message By Matea Gold Orlando Sentinel Nine years ago, then-Vermont Gov. Howard Dean broke new ground when his campaign used the Internet to help raise what were then record sums for his insurgent White House bid. Stearns, Haridopolos, LeMieux have campaign cash but no campaign By Brittany Alana Davis Tampa Bay Times/Miami Herald Tallahassee Bureau Twelve-term U.S. Rep. Cliff Stearns lost his Republican primary to a little known tea party opponent last week with as much as $2 million still sitting in his campaign account. Crossroads launches new Senate offensive, with Florida on target list By Alexander Burns Politico The conservative outside-spending group Crossroads GPS is launching a fresh wave of ads in four Senate races, including one state that hasn’t been on the organization’s target list all year: Florida. Tentative agreement for congressional debate between Murphy, West By George Bennett Palm Beach Post U.S. Rep. Allen West, R-Palm Beach Gardens, and Democratic challenger Patrick Murphy have set aside Oct. 19 for a one-hour debate on WPTV Channel 5 if their campaigns can agree on the format for the showdown. ENVIRONMENT AND ENERGY Romney energy plan: More drilling By The New York Times Sarasota Herald-Tribune Mitt Romney plans to unveil an energy plan Thursday morning in Hobbs, N.M., that would allow states more control over the development of energy resources on federal lands within their borders, as well as aggressively expand offshore oil and gas drilling — including along the coasts of Virginia and the Carolinas — as part of a broader effort to reach energy independence. The rains came Editorial Gainesville Sun Yes, it's been raining an awful lot lately. LGBT Logo survey: Mainstream voters have increased support for issues important to LGBT people By Steve Rothaus Miami Herald Logo TV on Thursday released a survey that shows issues important to LGBT voters this year are also important to much of the general population. EDUCATION Teachers union, district officials see judge’s ruling as chance to get new merit pay system ‘right’ By Jason Schultz Palm Beach Post Palm Beach County School District and teachers union officials Thursday applauded a judge’s decision striking down the state’s rules putting a merit pay system in place, but their enthusiasm was tempered by the fact the law tying their salaries to evaluations and test scores was still intact. Voucher students make academic gains similar to other students By Cara Fitzpatrick Tampa Bay Times The latest report about Florida's corporate tax credit scholarships came out a week ago, saying that students in the program maintained their academic progress and made the same kind of gains as eligible students in the state's public schools. Florida’s ACT scores lag nation By Michael Vasquez Miami Herald Florida’s ACT scores are inching upward, but the state still lags significantly behind the nation as a whole, according to class of 2012 score results released Wednesday. JOBS, BUDGET, AND ECONOMY Rep. Mack’s ‘Penny Plan’ Disguises Painful Choices By Scott Lilly Center For American Progress Budgets are about choices. Families must decide whether to replace the car or cut back on meals out and entertainment. 20 years later, Andrew's wake still felt in Florida's property insurance market By Gray Rohrer Florida Current On Aug. 24, 1992, Hurricane Andrew slammed into Homestead as a Category 5 storm with top winds of 165 mph. At $125 billion, costliest U.S. hurricane was unnamed Miami storm from 1926 By Eliot Kleinberg Palm Beach Post The costliest hurricane in U.S. history certainly won’t be current tropical storm Isaac, barring some monstrous intensification. Prices and sales of Florida homes, condos jump in July Staff Report Florida Current Sales of existing single-family homes in Florida rose 9.8 percent last month compared with July 2011, according to a report from Florida Realtors. HEALTH AND SENIORS Debate over Medicare is confusing some By Mary Shedden Tampa Tribune Local health and senior advocates are growing frustrated by misconceptions and rancor over Medicare in the presidential race. Poll: Floridians Not Down With Paul Ryan's Medicare Plan By Chris Joseph Broward New Times He trotted out his mom like Sebastian the Ibis last week in front of thousands of retirees to tell them his Medicare plan is going to be a good thing, and that President Obama's plan will turn you over to a panel of bureaucrats who will then determine whether or not a person deserves to live. CIVIL RIGHTS, PEACE AND SOCIAL ISSUES Listen to Todd Akin and you hear Paul Ryan By Margaret Carlson Palm Beach Post U.S. Rep. Todd Akin’s remarks about some rapes being “legitimate,” and the ability of a woman to miraculously self-abort in those instances, have many of his fellow Republicans desperate to distinguish him from others in their party. GOP platform takes a hard line on immigration By The New York Times Sarasota Herald-Tribune Republicans have adopted a party platform on immigration that would require employers nationwide to verify workers’ legal status and deny federal financing to universities that allow illegal immigrant students to enroll at lower in-state tuition rates.