csziggy
csziggy's JournalOther Democrats than Grayson and Murphy running in the Senate primary
Cross posted from another thread:
Roque "Rocky" De La Fuenta, Pam Keith and Reginal Luster are running as well as the two headliners.
Grayson has worn out his chances and I don't want to vote for RINO Murphy so today I checked out the other three people running.
I've decided to vote for Reginald Luster in the primary. He has an impressive resume and I like what he has worked to support:
In 1988, Reginald returned to Jacksonville to begin his legal career as an associate attorney, and eventual law partner, with the Jacksonville insurance defense law firm of Mathews, Osborne, McNatt, Gobelman & Cobb. U.S. Attorney General Janet Reno appointed him as an assistant United States attorney with the United States Attorney’s Office, Middle District of Florida, Jacksonville Division in 1994. He represented the federal government, agencies and employees in complex civil litigation. In 2000, Reginald worked at the Justice Department in Washington D.C. with the Civil Rights Division of the Executive Office for U.S. Attorneys. U.S. Attorney General Reno awarded Reginald the Director‘s Award for Outstanding Achievement in Furthering Equal Employment Opportunity.
In 2001, Reginald Luster returned to the private practice of law. He practices law in the areas of personal injury law, wrongful death law, insurance law, employment discrimination law and criminal defense law. He was invited to join the American Board of Trial Advocates in 2007. He also holds professional membership in the Jacksonville Bar Association and the D. W. Perkins Bar Association. In addition to his law practice, Reginald serves as a board member on charitable foundations providing college scholarships to graduating high school students.
On May 3, 2016, during an annual scholarship awards ceremony to High Potential students, Reginald delivered A Call to Leadership in Public Service announcing his candidacy for United States Senator from the State of Florida.
http://www.reginaldluster.com/bio/
Since the powers that be are supporting Murphy, I expect him to win the primary and I will vote for the Democratic candidate in the general election. But I'd like the Florida and National Democratic Party to know that not everyone will jump on the bandwagon for whoever they prop up for us to elect!
Wow - Will Fisher, Purple Heart recipient schools Donald Trump!
Yesterday at his Virginia rally, in an action of extremely poor taste, Donald Trump accepted the Purple Heart Medal from a retired veteran saying, “I always wanted the Purple Heart. This was much easier.”
Really Donald? You always wanted to be injured or killed while fighting in a war? No one EVER says that. And, Trump certainly wasn’t saying it as he avoided the draft for Vietnam not once, not twice, but five times: four for college and the last for heel spurs.
As you can imagine this latest “WTF moment brought to you by the letters D and T” has gone over with actual purple heart recipients and their families like a lead balloon.
Iraq war veteran, United States Marine, and Purple Heart recipient, Will Fischer had a powerful message for Donald Trump. In a video that he posted on the Union Veterans Council, AFL CIO Facebook page he told Trump:
"Purple Hearts equal bad days, Donald. And nobody, nobody with one, ever wanted it.”
Video at link: http://winningdemocrats.com/watch-this-iraq-war-veteran-schools-trump-on-what-it-means-to-earn-a-purple-heart-video/
Also, check MSNBC later for Tamron Hall's interview with Will Fisher. He is a wonderful advocate for military veterans and families.
NBC opens ElectionConfessions.com
Call or text your election confession to
424-353-2016
This is an NBC News experiment. Tell us what you really think. What are your thoughts on the candidates? How do you feel about the election and the state of our country?
We may share your election confession on our various digital and broadcast platforms but we will not share your phone number. (Must be 18 or older to participate. Message and data rates may apply.)
This has a lot of potential!
I think I will call them and confess this is the first time I have NOT watched a convention on a network or cable news channel because the annoying and intrusive commentators.
The corpse flower opened - yesterday
UPDATE: The corpse flower has started its bloom cycle as of 3:30 p.m., Thursday, July 28! We will remain open 9 a.m. – 8 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, July 29 and 30, to accommodate the bloom!
Corpse Flower Cam at NYBG
Poor Michael Steel - MSNBC discussion on the DNC convention
Everybody was agreeing on how great the Democratic convention was and how pathetic the RNC one was. Michael Steel in a quiet little voice said, "We tried." Absolute silence for a short count. 
I love Rev. Shillady's stole!
The variety of faces is beautiful. So much nicer than the traditional stole worn by most priests and ministers! (And I have friends who embroider ecclesiastic linens for the local Anglican church so I've seen a few.)
Help Hillary Clinton's campaign by making calls from your home!
Last night I decided to make a contribution to the Clinton campaign. Once I had done that - set up to give as much as I can a month - I was taken to a screen from which I could make calls from their data base. It was too late last night and I had too much to do today, but I will start doing it Friday.
I've been unable to get into the local campaign office. All I was going to get them to let me do was make calls from home. Now I will just go to the website and do it rather than wasting time trying to get downtown.
You don't have to make a contribution - from the front page at Hillary Clinton 2016 on the menu at the top of the page, click the "More" link. At the right there will appear a menu. Click on the "Call Tool" link. That will take you to the page to make calls.
Let's get calling and get out the vote! 
Wow - all the MSNBC reporters still on the floor talking with Al Franken
He's really laying it out to them. Talking about Trump's many many lies he challenged the reporters to point them out and not just let them drop.
This is the best thing I have seen on cable news in a while!
Got a call today from the Martin County Democratic Party
They were concerned that as a Martin County voter I was not registered with any party. They were kind enough to connect me with the Martin County Supervisor of Elections office so I could change me registration to the Democratic Party. For a robocall it was not bad.
Two very MAJOR problems with this call - I have never lived in Martin County, Florida. I have never been registered as anything other than Democratic. I grew up in Polk County and registered there as a Democrat when I first turned 21. I have lived in Leon County since 1972 and changed my voter registration to that county once I decided I would stay here after college.
I suspect someone in the Martin County DP hit the wrong selection when setting up their robocalls. I sent them an email to let them know they are far off their target for making these calls.
It is nice to see a local Democratic Party working to get people registered as Democratic voters, though!
Florida: 5 dead, 25 hospitalized in Wakulla County bus crash
Karl Etters, Democrat staff writer 11:28 p.m. EDT July 2, 2016
Charred rubble, personal effects and bloody medical gear littered the side of Coastal Highway 98 in Wakulla after five people, including one child, died in an early-morning crash Saturday.
The fire-gutted frame was all that remained of a refurbished school bus, carrying as many as 35 Haitian migrant workers and their families. The semi-truck that the bus hit was equally destroyed.
The truck disintegrated on impact after the bus blew through the blinking red light that leads south to the city of St. Marks.
Its engine block and shredded front tires still sat on the side of the road in a puddle of muddy water as emergency officials tried to piece together what happened. Small trinkets, coolers once packed with food and drinks, pillows and a watermelon lay in the grass near the burning bus. On a sign post nearby was a smudged, bloody palm print.
Florida Highway Patrol investigators say the southbound bus did not stop for the light, hit the truck that was heading west, and then slammed into a power pole around 5 a.m. Skid marks just feet from the intersection indicate the semi-truck may have only braked seconds before impact.
More: http://www.tallahassee.com/story/news/2016/07/02/5-dead-25-hospitalized-wakulla-county-bus-crash/86632540/
The bus full of Haitian migrant workers was traveling from Bainbridge, Georgia to Belle Glade, Florida for a few weeks of work. The route they were on would have taken about eight hours to drive - I bet the workers were not going to be paid for their travel time. I also bet they have no benefits and no medical coverage.
What's odd is that the intersection where the accident happened is not a direct route south or the faster way south. US 98 along the coast is two lanes from that point until it joins US 27/US 19 at Perry. Also coastal fog makes driving slower some mornings. From Bainbridge, it is fastest to take US 84 east to I-75 or US 27 from Bainbridge to I-10 then east to I-75 , then 75 to the Turnpike. If they wanted to avoid tolls they could take US 27 south from I-75. Or just take US 27 all the way from Bainbridge to Belle Glade.
While they can stay on US 98 all the way from that intersection of US 319 and 98 where the accident happened, it is less direct and much slower that almost any other route.
The major advantage with taking US 98 is that there are no agricultural checkpoints - and maybe they avoid the possibility of being stopped so that papers for the workers can be checked.
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