March 12, 2015

Kerry's foot and mouth disease - Flashback: Kerry on Rubio

--FLASHBACK: KERRY ON RUBIO:

"I've been impressed by his thinking - doing the homework necessary to earn the credibility with respect to your approach to things. I think that's constructive ... A lot of the colleagues around here, obviously, are interested in substance and interested in people who do the work and are not impressed by people who are prone to play the political end of something and hold a press conference and not do the work ... They want to see someone buckle down and learn the ropes. And I think he's clearly been doing that in a very positive way." - from a June 3, 2012 story in The Miami Herald: "Sen. Marco Rubio earning respect in Senate for foreign-policy work"

http://hrld.us/1GuKLT7


I hope he comes out now, and actually takes back what he said (about Rubio, since he's running for prez) after signing that letter to Iran.

March 11, 2015

I'll bet if Elizabeth Warren runs, a large chunk of America will get on buses to go help her.

I really do believe that.

March 11, 2015

Fla US Sen poll: Patrick Murphy stronger against Rubio than Wasserman Schultz

http://www.tampabay.com/blogs/the-buzz-florida-politics/fla-us-sen-poll-patrick-murphy-stronger-against-rubio-than-wasserman/2220716

A newly released Mason-Dixon poll shows Marco Rubio comfortably positioned to win reelection should he seek a second U.S. Senate term, with double digit leads over two leading Democratic prospects, U.S. Reps. Debbie Wasserman Schultz and Patrick Murphy. But the lesser known Murphy at this point trails by 12 percentage points, compared to 17 percent for DNC Chairwoman Wasserman Schultz.


"From these numbers, it is clear that Murphy offers a cleaner slate for Democrats to work with than Wasserman Schultz. Murphy has only 3% unfavorable name recognition,while Wasserman Schultz’s is significantly higher. Statewide, her favorable/unfavorable numbers are upside down by almost a 2-to-1 margin (19% favorable to 36% unfavorable)," pollster Brad Coker wrote in a memo.

If Rubio runs for president and sticks by his promise not to use his senate seat as a back--up plan, CFO Jeff Atwater looks formidable. More from Mason-Dixon:

If Rubio sticks with his presidential run, the GOP has a strong back-up candidate in State CFO Jeff Atwater. Atwater leads both potential Democrats – holding a 45%-35% advantage over Wasserman Schultz and a 46%-32% lead over Murphy.

Although the “undecided” vote is twice as large with Atwater as the Republican candidate, it is largely the result of having lower name recognition than Rubio. Statewide, Rubio has 96% name recognition, compared to just 68% for Atwater.

Atwater is also not encumbered by any significant negatives after running two successful statewide campaigns. Only 5% of Florida voters say their opinion of Atwater is unfavorable.

The March 3-5 telephone survey of 800 voters has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.5 percent.
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More proof of the liability Wasserman Shultz has become to the party, certainly in the voting state of Florida!

March 10, 2015

Opposition mounts to Pasco charter movement

By C.T. Bowen, Times Staff Writer
Monday, March 9, 2015 10:29am
http://www.tampabay.com/blogs/baybuzz/opposition-mounts-to-pasco-charter-movement/2220587

Pasco County’s charter government debate is drawing new public opposition. A Facebook page, “STOP The Empower Pasco Charter Government Committee’’ began Saturday night and had 25 likes by Monday morning.
The on-line community’s mission is to “STOP the Insider/Good Ole Boys appointed to guarantee the socialization of costs and privatization of profits to drive massive development of Pasco County.’’

It is the handiwork of John Russell of Dade City who believes the ulterior motive of the charter government movement is to promote rapid growth in central and east Pasco.

State Rep. Richard Corcoran, R-Land O’Lakes, who started the public debate in January, casts the issue as a way to improve government accountability by adding an elected mayor/county executive, single-member districts and term limits for commissioners and a recall provision. Others are more suspicious of that spin and believe the charter is little more than a power grab by Corcoran and Sheriff Chris Nocco, who also advocates for an elected county executive, rather than an appointed administrator answerable to commissioners.

Russell, however, looked at the make-up of the charter advisory committee to the county commission and Corcoran’s willingness to bankroll a new electioneering committee, Empower Pasco, with $100,000 from a separate political committee, and drew a different conclusion.

“It is clear based on the makeup of the committee’s appointed members that the sole purpose of undertaking the process of changing to a charter form of government in this instance is to facilitate massive development in central and eastern Pasco County,’’ Russell posted on the Facebook page.

Russell, a former Congressional candidate, also filed public records requests to the county seeking the names and resumes of people who applied to serve on the charter committee.
Former Commissioner Pat Mulieri and others have criticized the 15-member panel for its lack of socio-economic, gender and political diversity. The only woman on the panel is School Board member Alison Crumbley and the only Democrat is former Commissioner Michael Cox.

The other committee members are: Randy Maggard, a Dade City business owner who is vice chairman of the Pasco Republican Party; homebuilder Mike Ryan, electrician John Kinsman, a director of the Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce; Robert Eckard of Land O’ Lakes whose law practice is based in Palm Harbor; real estate magnate Dewey Mitchell; attorney Steve Booth; Port Richey insurance agent Tim Holladay; Billy E. Brown, head of the Withlacoochee River Electric Cooperative; Realtor Chuck Grey; Bill Woodard, president and CEO of Alumi-Guard of Brooksville; Sheriff’s Office Maj. Mel Eakley, and retired Tampa Police Detective Gary Bradford, who is active with the West Central Florida Police Benevolent Association.

The Pasco County Commission is scheduled to formally establish the charter advisory committee Tuesday.


[Last modified: Monday, March 9, 2015 10:31am]

March 5, 2015

Dear SCOTUS: Health reforms intended for all under constitution

LTE in today's Tampa Bay Times.....

I was astounded when reading this editorial on the issue of King vs. Burwell. The sentence quoted by the Times to be the basis for the suit indicated that federal subsidies are provided to low-income people who buy private insurance on an exchange "established by the state".

The dictionary gives the first political definition of "state" as "a politically unified people occupying a definite territory; nation." It is further defined as the "body politic as organized for civil rule and government (distinguished from church)." Additionally, the definition includes "the operations or activities of a central civil government."

The document in question was written as a federal law. It is not a law passed by one or more individual states. The United States is a constitutional union of states, not a loose confederacy. A law of the national government is a law in all the states. The state referenced in the law is the state in the national sense of the word. This difference was thoroughly and thoughtfully worked out by the Founding Fathers. Any decision to the contrary could destroy the very basis of our CONSTITUTION.

Mxxx Axx Hxxxxx
Dunnellon, FL

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After reading this, they should not have agreed to take the case, and why would it take until June?

February 24, 2015

Flashlight App is Spying on you! Cyber security report here!

Sorry if this is a dupe or I double posted....

February 24, 2015

Flashlight App is Spying on everyone who installs it! Cyber security report here!

February 19, 2015

Jeb Bush calls for more hawkish U.S. role abroad while distancing himself from brother - Huh?

http://www.tampabay.com/blogs/the-buzz-florida-politics/jeb-bush-calls-for-more-hawkish-us-role-abroad-while-distancing-himself/2218076

UPDATE: Jeb Bush's remarks began around 1 p.m. Look after the jump for a live video stream provided via YouTube. (at link above)

Jeb Bush will sharply criticize President Barack Obama for an “inconsistent and indecisive” foreign policy during a speech today in Chicago, while trying to distance himself from his brother and father.

“I admire their service to the nation and the difficult decisions they had to make,” Bush will say of his brother and father, according to excerpts provided by his Right to Rise political committee. “But I am my own man, and my views are shaped by my own thinking and own experience. Each president learns from those who came before — their principles, their adjustments. One thing we know is this: Every president inherits a changing world and changing circumstances.”

Nonetheless, the likely 2016 presidential candidate will still espouse a more hawkish outlook. He may soon enter a tough GOP primary process in which his conservative credentials will be tested over Common Core and immigration, so the bullish talk could also help allay concerns on the right.

“My goal today is to explore how America can regain its leadership in the world,” he will say. "I have doubts whether this administration believes American power is such a force. Under this administration, we are inconsistent and indecisive. We have lost the trust and the confidence of our friends. We definitely no longer inspire fear in our enemies. The great irony of the Obama presidency is this: Someone who came to office promising greater engagement with the world has left America less influential in the world.”

But in the excerpts, at least, Bush sidesteps tougher questions about the wars started under his brother, both of which have caused many U.S. casualties and are unpopular with the public. Asked about foreign policy during an event last week in Florida, Bush said he would not “relitigate” the past, a stance sure to be tested on the campaign trail.

Bush will give his speech before the Chicago Council on Global Affairs. It begins at 12:30 p.m. eastern and can be viewed via live stream.

Meanwhile, Reuters got a first look at some of his advisers:

"The list includes people representing a wide spectrum of ideological views in the Republican Party, from the pragmatic to the hawkish. It includes James Baker, known for his pragmatism in key roles during the Reagan and George H.W. Bush presidencies, and former World Bank President Paul Wolfowitz, a hawk as deputy defense secretary who was an architect of George W. Bush's Iraq policy. Among others are two former secretaries of Homeland Security, Tom Ridge and Michael Chertoff, former national security adviser Stephen Hadley and a deputy national security adviser, Meghan O'Sullivan, as well as two former CIA directors, Porter Goss and Michael Hayden.

Others include Paula Dobriansky, a former undersecretary of state, Kristen Silverberg, a former U.S. ambassador to the European Union, Lincoln Diaz-Balart, who was a longtime member of the House of Representatives from Florida, and John Hannah who was Vice President Dick Cheney's national security adviser."

The following are the full excerpts as released by Right to Rise, a committee that is serving as a campaign in waiting for Bush:

Jeb Bush will sharply criticize President Barack Obama for an “inconsistent and indecisive” foreign policy during a speech today in Chicago while trying to distance himself from his brother and father.

“I admire their service to the nation and the difficult decisions they had to make,” Bush will say, according to excerpts provided by his Right to Rise political committee. “But I am my own man, and my views are shaped by my own thinking and own experience.

“Each president learns from those who came before — their principles, their adjustments. One thing we know is this: Every president inherits a changing world and changing circumstances.”

Nonetheless, the likely 2016 presidential candidate will still call for the more hawkish posture shared by presidents George H.W. and George W. Bush. “My goal today is to explore how America can regain its leadership in the world,” he will say.

“I have doubts whether this administration believes American power is such a force. Under this administration, we are inconsistent and indecisive. We have lost the trust and the confidence of our friends. We definitely no longer inspire fear in our enemies. The great irony of the Obama presidency is this: Someone who came to office promising greater engagement with the world has left America less influential in the world.”

In the excerpts, at least, Bush sidestepped tougher questions about the wars started under his brother, both of which have exacted many casualties and are unpopular with the public. Asked about foreign policy during an event last week in Florida, Bush said he would not “relitigate” the past.

Bush will give his speech before the Chicago Council on Global Affairs . It begins at 13:30 p.m. eastern and can be viewed via live stream.

My goal today is to explore how America can regain its leadership in the world. And why that leadership is more necessary than ever. American leadership projected consistently and grounded in principle has been a benefit to the world.
…
I have doubts whether this administration believes American power is such a force. Under this administration, we are inconsistent and indecisive. We have lost the trust and the confidence of our friends. We definitely no longer inspire fear in our enemies.
…
The great irony of the Obama presidency is this: Someone who came to office promising greater engagement with the world has left America less influential in the world.
...
The United States has an undiminished ability to shape events and build alliances of free people. We can project power and enforce peaceful stability in far-off areas of the globe. To do so, I believe we need to root our foreign policy in a set of priorities and principles.
…
I also have been lucky to have a father and a brother who both have shaped America’s foreign policy from the Oval Office. I recognize that as a result, my views will often be held up in comparison to theirs — sometimes in contrast to theirs. I love my father and my brother. I admire their service to the nation and the difficult decisions they had to make. But I am my own man — and my views are shaped by my own thinking and own experiences. Each president learns from those who came before — their principles … their adjustments. One thing we know is this: Every president inherits a changing world … and changing circumstances.
…
The transformation of our economy will also send a powerful message about the American system: free people, free markets, free ideas … implemented faithfully… will set a powerful example of what’s possible to the rest of the world.
…
Our words and our actions must match — so that the entire world knows we say what we mean and mean what we say. The administration talks, but the words fade. They draw red lines … then erase them. With grandiosity, they announce resets and disengage. Hashtag campaigns replace actual diplomacy and engagement. Personal diplomacy and maturity is replaced by leaks and personal disparagement.
…
The president’s word needs to be backed by the greatest military power in the world. … The president should call on leaders of both parties to fix the budget and address the shortfalls in our defense spending. He should show leadership — and commitment to solving the problem.
…
Having a military that is equal to any threat is not only essential for the commander in chief … it also makes it less likely that we will need to put our men and women in uniform in harm’s way. Because I believe, fundamentally, that weakness invites war … and strength encourages peace.
…
The threats of the 21st century will not be the same as the threats of the 20th… and it is critical that we adapt to meet this challenge.
…
America does not have the luxury of withdrawing from the world — our security, our prosperity and our values demand that we remain engaged and involved in often distant places. We have no reason to apologize for our leadership and our interest in serving the cause of global security, global peace and human freedom.

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all this new talk, JEB did say before he thought brother GW was right and did good on Iraq!

February 19, 2015

Conservative website Newsmax has pledged a very large donation to the Clinton Foundation

http://www.weeklystandard.com/blogs/newsmax-pledged-1-million-clinton-foundation_858504.html

Conservative website Newsmax has pledged a very large donation to the Bill, Hillary, and Chelsea Clinton Foundation, a new report in the Wall Street Journal states.

"Newsmax, a conservative news organization, last year pledged $1 million to the Clinton Foundation over a five-year period, according to a spokesman for Chris Ruddy, the organization’s CEO. Mr. Ruddy has been friends with the Clintons since 2007," reports the Journal.

"Through a spokesman, he said the donation wasn't tantamount to an endorsement of Mrs. Clinton’s potential campaign, though he thinks she would 'make a great presidential candidate.'"
Ruddy himself has even written a blog post for the Clinton Foundation website. The topic? "Public-Private Partnerships Advance Health Care in Mozambique."

"Christopher Ruddy is a noted journalist and entrepreneur. He currently serves as CEO and President of Newsmax Media, one of the nation's leading online news media companies. In 1998, Chris founded Newsmax Media, a multimedia publishing company that publishes online and offline content in the fields of news, politics, health and finance. Newsmax.com is consistently ranked as one of the country's most trafficked news websites," reads his bio on the foundation's website.

Daniel Halper is author of Clinton, Inc.: The Audacious Rebuilding of a Political Machine.
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Please, follow the money.....

February 14, 2015

Jeb Bush exposed 13,000 social security numbers. Here's where they were hiding

by
Robert Hackett
February 13, 2015, 12:31 PM EST

With transparency in mind, the former Florida governor released his email correspondence from his term in office. With it: personally identifiable information of his constituents.
Earlier this week, former Florida governor Jeb Bush released online a cache of emails sent and received by his personal email address during his time in office. His attempt at transparency turned sour after it was realized that some emails contained personally identifiable information of Floridians, including social security numbers, names, and dates of birth.

Todd Feinman, CEO of data protection firm Identity Finder, ran an analysis of the data and determined that nearly 13,000 unique social security numbers were released. His software, which uses natural language processing to identify sensitive information through contextual clues, found that about 12,500 of those were contained in a spreadsheet embedded in a PowerPoint slide attached to an email dated October 2003.
Kristy Campbell, a spokesperson for Bush, could not confirm that number.

When Feinman and his team first inspected the heavily flagged email, they were unable to locate the data. Initially suspecting it might have been a bug in the code—they had just released a new version of their software—they eventually determined that the information was contained in so-called hidden Excel columns, obscured from view.
Bush’s email address, along with about 50 others (including aol.com and hotmail.com addresses), had been copied on that email. The spreadsheet in question, as the AP reports, concerned “tracking the number of people on a state family service waiting list.” The relevant slide is titled, “Developmental Disabilities Home and Community-Based Waiver Waitlist Data.”

“We’ve redacted the emails that were brought to our attention that contained personally identifying information,” Campbell said. Bush’s team has also removed the downloadable archive, raw data “.pst” files. (Another site, americanbridgepac.org, which hosted the data since December, took the files down Thursday.)

There are, however, social security numbers represented in a non-standard format (e.g. not XXX-XX-XXXX) still visible on copies posted to the web on jebbushemails.com. Feinman estimates that there are 100 still publicly accessible.

A May letter obtained by Fortune shows that Bush’s attorney had asked the Florida Department of State to scrub sensitive information from the archive of jeb@jeb.org, so that the emails could be released:

We hope these emails will be available permanently to the public, provided the records are first reviewed by state officials in accordance with with Florida Statute to ensure information exempt from public disclosure is redacted before release, including social security numbers of Florida citizens who contacted Governor Bush for assistance; personal identifying information related to victims of crime or abuse; confidential law enforcement intelligence; and other information made confidential or exempt by applicable law.

“Our site contains the public records made available by the State of Florida,” Campbell said. (Florida’s “sunshine law” opens up the records of public officials by request.)

“The Department of State is currently reviewing our process for redacting confidential information from documents given to the State Archives,” said Florida Department of State spokesperson Mark Ard.

http://fortune.com/2015/02/13/jeb-bush-social-security-numbers/
now let it be known, he's too stupid to be the president!