Daily News Clips for November 5, 2012

PROGRESS FLORIDA IN THE NEWS The BluVu: Week of November 2nd By Gayle Andrews The BluVu We're in the home stretch and the President is out front still working hard, Sandy has had an impact but tragedy brings out the American in all of us, and Florida Democratic Party executive director Scott Arceneaux gives Progress Florida’s Damien Filer his perspective on Election Day...all this and more as political reality comes your way! FEATURED STORIES President Barack Obama rallies 23,000 supporters in Broward County By Sergio R. Bustos and Amy Sherman Miami Herald Related: Poll: Mitt Romney maintains lead over Obama, 51-45 Related: Dems extend lead over GOP to 133,000 pre-Election Day votes President Barack Obama revved up a partisan Democratic crowd of an estimated 23,000 people Sunday afternoon at the McArthur High School football stadium in Hollywood. For all the talk, presidential race may come down to ground game By Alex Leary and Adam C. Smith Tampa Bay Times Bill Sandman stood in fading daylight in a working class neighborhood of South Tampa and began his sales pitch. Democrats Sue to Extend Florida’s Early Voting By Lizette Alvarez New York Times In a state where legal action often goes hand in hand with presidential elections, the Florida Democratic Party filed a federal lawsuit early Sunday to force the state government to extend early voting hours in South Florida. Five things that could go wrong on Election Day in Florida By Michael Van Sickler Tampa Bay Times/Miami Herald Tallahassee Bureau Balloting mishaps, confusion and alleged voter fraud won't mean much in the post-election analysis if Tuesday's presidential election isn't close and Florida doesn't matter. A Romney court would set back the clock Editorial Tampa Bay Times The presidential election will decide not just who leads the executive branch but who appoints federal judges. With four justices in their 70s, the next president likely will make at least one appointment to the nine-member U.S. Supreme Court, impacting the law for a generation. EDITORIAL CARTOON OF THE WEEK By Andy Marlette Pensacola News Journal FLORIDA POLITICS Palm Beach County accepting absentee ballots today; Democrats file suit over early voting By Scott Eyman, Dara Kam and Jane Musgrave Palm Beach Post Related: Scott wrong to not extend early voting Related: Justice Department to monitor elections in 23 states, including FL A day after a record-shattering 18,915 Palm Beach County voters stood in hours-long lines, believing it was their last chance to vote before Election Day, the unexpected happened Sunday: Supervisor of Elections Susan Bucher threw open the doors of her main office and allowed people to cast ballots Sunday and Monday. Orange County Early Voting Hours Extended Sunday Following Judge's Ruling By Gary Fineout and Beth Fouhy Associated Press Related: Florida Early Voting: Rick Scott Opposed To Extended Hours A judge extended early voting hours in one Florida county Sunday after Democrats sued to allow more time in a presidential battleground state where more than 4 million ballots have already been cast. A voting debacle in Doral causes chaos and confusion By Patricia Mazzei, Amy Sherman and Kathleen McGrory Miami Herald What began Sunday morning as an attempt by the Miami-Dade elections department to let more people early vote devolved into chaos and confusion only days before the nation decides its next president. Fla. Dems: 'Gov. Scott Ignoring The Facts Of Long Lines At Early Voting Sites' By Sascha Cordner       WFSU Tallahassee Despite recording breaking turnout all across the state, there’ve also been several complaints about long lines and wait times of up to three hours at some Florida poll sites. Stand up to election bullies and vote By Monica Russo and Judith Browne Dianis Tallahassee Democrat Like clockwork, in the weeks leading up to Election Day, last-minute intimidation tactics are cropping up. Could Florida's new voting laws really change the election? By Chris Kromm Facing South Florida is the purest of swing states: According to poll-watching websites like FiveThirtyEight, President Barack Obama and Governor Mitt Romney are deadlocked, separated by a mere half-point spread in the polls. Parties rake in millions as they contest legislative dominance By Aaron Deslatte Orlando Sentinel Florida's largest companies, law firms and labor unions have poured a whopping $21.5 million over the last two months into the coffers of both state parties, helping fuel a struggle over Republicans' super-majority control of the state Legislature. Central Florida's early voting strong despite bomb scare By Arelis R. Hernández Orlando Sentinel A bomb scare may have delayed voters for more than four hours in Winter Park, but most Central Florida voters cast ballots without much trouble Saturday — the last day of early voting. Judge rules against allowing West Palm Beach woman to vote in person after dispute over signature By Jane Musgrave Palm Beach Post While questioning the wisdom of state law, Palm Beach County Circuit Judge Glenn Kelley Friday ruled that it does not allow someone to vote in person if their absentee ballot has been rejected. Hialeah ballot scandal figure: I didn’t know I was breaking the law By Enrique Flor and Melissa Sanchez Miami Herald Anamary Pedrosa, the young law school student involved in Hialeah’s absentee-ballot brokering scandal, swore to authorities that she was not aware of the Miami-Dade County ordinance forbidding the collection of absentee ballots by intermediaries — even though the measure was cosponsored by her own boss, County Commissioner Esteban Bovo. In Madison County, Florida's longest absentee-voter fraud case By Steve Bousquet Tampa Bay Times/Miami Herald Tallahassee Bureau Florida's longest-running case of absentee voter fraud reads almost like a novel. POLITICAL RACES Nelson secures lead in final stretch, despite Mack’s link to Romney By Mary Ellen Klas Miami Herald/Tampa Bay Times Tallahassee Bureau Republican Mitt Romney’s coattails do not appear to be long enough to carry U.S. Rep. Connie Mack IV into the U.S. Senate, according to a new Miami Herald/El Nuevo Herald/Tampa Bay Times poll. Road to presidency almost always runs through Florida By William March Tampa Tribune Maybe we need to get clear on this: Barack Obama and Mitt Romney are running for president of the United States, not governor of Florida. President Clinton At FSU: Obama Believes 'We Need To Do This Together' By Jessica Palombo     WFSU Tallahassee The Obama and Romney presidential campaigns are making their final Florida push before Tuesday’s election. Romney, Michelle Obama plan rallies in Central Florida Monday By Scott Powers and Susan Jacobson Orlando Sentinel Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney is squeezing in one last visit to Central Florida Monday, while First Lady Michelle Obama will rally support for her husband in south Orange County the same day. 10 reasons why Latinos will vote for Obama By Andres Oppenheimer Miami Herald It shouldn’t come as a big surprise that the latest polls show that a whopping 70 percent of Latino likely voters support President Barack Obama, while only 25 percent support Gov. Mitt Romney. Swing voters decide fate of presidential race in Fla. By Marc Caputo Miami Herald They are the swing voters of the ultimate swing state. First Coast is key to presidential candidates' winning Florida By Matt Dixon   Florida Times-Union Sure, Florida is widely regarded as the nation’s biggest swing state. Third parties attract few votes, can have big impact By Anthony Man South Florida Sun Sentinel Given up on Barack Obama? Scared of Mitt Romney? GOP outspending Democrats in 2012 campaign's final days By James Call Florida Current Campaign finance reports submitted Friday indicates a committee affiliated with Florida Senate President-designate Don Gaetz, R-Niceville, and his expected successor Senator Any Gardiner, R-Orlando, has more than $500,000 to help candidates in the 2012 campaign’s final weekend. Handicapping the U.S. House races By William Douglas McClatchy News Service In an election year full of uncertainty, one thing seems fairly sure: Republicans will retain firm control of the House of Representatives. America’s Most Disgusting Political Ad: Florida Republican Group Links Elementary School Teacher To Jerry Sandusky By Josh Israel Think Progress In a stunning smear, a GOP group chaired by a prominent Republican strategist and funded by the state Republican leadership, has sent a mailing to Florida voters accusing an elementary school teacher running for state legislature of enabling child molestation because she is in a teacher’s union. BALLOT INITIATIVES Florida voters won’t be fooled again — or will we? By Carl Hiaasen Miami Herald There are so many bad constitutional amendments on Florida’s ballot that it’s hard to know where to start. Tuesday’s ballot questions long, complicated By David Rogers Palm Beach Daily News Brace yourself. If you haven’t cast your vote yet, it may take a while. Big spenders: a look at who is financing the constitutional amendments By Casey Frank Miami Herald When people look at the Florida ballot, their eyes glaze over as they come to the constitutional amendments. That’s understandable. The ballot is laughably long. ENVIRONMENT AND ENERGY Fla. regulators reviewing power companies' rates Associated Press Sarasota Herald-Tribune State regulators are conducting a three-day hearing on annual rate adjustments for Florida's five investor-owned power companies. Environmental groups pushing for greater sea turtle protection along beaches By Eric Staats Naples Daily News A renewed push for habitat protections for Florida's sea turtles is putting the ancient creatures on a crash course with fishermen and beach restoration advocates. EDUCATION No schools taking up new school prayer law yet By Kathleen Haughney Orlando Sentinel Last spring, conservative lawmakers railed against the lack of religion in public school and promised that if a school board wanted to set up rules allowing student-led school prayer, it could do it. Alternative Broward diploma program raises concerns By Scott Travis and Megan O'Matz South Florida Sun Sentinel Many of Broward County's struggling high school seniors have been called into their guidance counselors in recent weeks and strongly encouraged — some even say forced — to withdraw and finish their education through an online program. Pinellas schools panel recommends taking the sweets out of fundraisers By Curtis Krueger Tampa Bay Times When parents and kids want to raise money for schools, they often sell the fattening but popular treats that have raked in money for years: chocolate bars, M&Ms and tubs of delicious cookie dough. JOBS, BUDGET, AND ECONOMY Here Are The Jobs: 32 Months, 5.4 MILLION Jobs The Progress Report Think Progress Beating expectations, the final jobs report before the election showed that the economy created 184,000 private sector jobs last month. Bondi, lawmakers agree on foreclosure settlement spending By Gray Rohrer Florida Current The bulk of $300 million in state money that is part of a multistate foreclosure fraud settlement with five of the nation’s largest banks will not be spent until next year. Wake-up call Editorial Gainesville Sun Because of Hurricane Sandy, a lot of infrastructure — highways, bridges, seaports, airports — will have to be rebuilt, repaired or renovated in the hard-hit Northeastern U.S. HEALTH AND SENIORS Future of Medicaid hangs on election By Lloyd Dunkelberger Ocala Star-Banner The outcome of the presidential race will have a profound effect on the health care of millions of Floridians — but not because of the candidates' differences over Medicare. Medicare's home health care rules to focus more on prevention By Stephen Nohlgren Tampa Bay Times Larry Tilson, 52, figures he's doing pretty well for a guy with Lou Gehrig's disease. $34M in doctor bonuses pays off Staff Report Health News Florida Humana Gold Plus took a big leap in Medicare's quality ratings in just one year by paying bonuses to groups of doctors who produced results, the company said. Florida's failure to protect children Editorial Tampa Bay Times Florida's systemic failure to protect children in unlicensed group homes from abuse has finally caught the attention of state leaders.  JUSTICE AND THE COURTS Make sure to keep Florida Supreme Court justices on the bench Editorial Palm Beach Post Three of the most important votes to cast on Tuesday are YES, YES and YES to retain R. Fred Lewis, Barbara J. Pariente and Peggy A. Quince as justices of the Florida Supreme Court.