A Huge U.S. Senate Race is Shaping Up in The Sunshine State

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Saturday March 19, 2016 · 9:53 PM PDT

2016/03/19 · 21:53

Congressmen Alan Grayson, Patrick Murphy (D-FL)

With the apparent demise of Marco Rubio’s political career, Florida is now a prime target for a Democratic pick-up in the U.S. Senate. The state is key to Democrats’ hopes of regaining power in the Senate. And Democrats turn out in higher numbers during presidential election years (Obama carried Florida in both 2008 and 2012.), and the open seat gives the party a better chance than if Rubio were seeking a second term.

While its presidential primary went down this past Tuesday, the state’s primary election for U.S. Senator and other offices is scheduled for August 30th. On the Democratic side, the race pits the firebrand, progressive Orlando Congressman Alan Grayson, who gained national fame when he said the Republican health care plan was “to die quickly”, and the much more moderate Miami Congressman Patrick Murphy, who has the endorsements of Obama, Biden and Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid. (Reid, in fact, wants Grayson drop out of the race.)

The race appears to be a toss-up at this time. According to Politico:

The Democratic primary is essentially a tie, with Rep. Alan Grayson pulling 33 percent support to Rep. Patrick Murphy’s 32 percent, according to the Mason-Dixon Polling & Research survey of 500 registered Florida Democratic voters. The poll is better news for Grayson because, compared to an April Mason-Dixon survey, Grayson’s numbers have improved by 19 percentage points, while Murphy has lost his front-runner status and has seen only a 9-point improvement.

As a registered Democrat and relative newcomer to Florida (who isn’t? lol), I find the prospect of turning this seat blue quite encouraging.

St. Louis Rams Come Out with 'Hands Up, Don't Shoot' Salute

joelal

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Sunday November 30, 2014 · 4:09 PM PST

2014/11/30 · 16:09

Nov 30, 2014; St. Louis, MO, USA; St. Louis Rams wide receiver Stedman Bailey (12) and wide receiver Tavon Austin (11) and tight end Jared Cook (89) and wide receiver Chris Givens (13) and wide receiver Kenny Britt (81) put their hands up to show support for Michael Brown before a game against the Oakland Raiders at the Edward Jones Dome. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports ORG XMIT: USATSI-180382 ORIG FILE ID:  20141130_gma_ac1_056.jpg

While taking the field today to play the Oakland Raiders, several St. Louis Rams players decided to mimic the 'Hands Up, Don't Shoot' gesture used by many protesters since the shooting death of 18-year-old Michael Brown by police officer Darren Wilson in nearby Ferguson, Mo. in August.
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So Goes The Nation...So Backslides Indiana

joelal

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Thursday January 09, 2014 · 8:33 PM PST

2014/01/09 · 20:33

Amid the fanfare of becoming the first state to legalize recreational use of marijuana for non-medical customers, Colorado appears to be leading an inexorable trend toward relaxing pot laws that's taking place in all of the United States...EXCEPT Indiana. Because of laws requested and signed into law by Gov. Mike Pence, Hoosiers actually have to deal with even stricter laws and penalties.

Poll

56 votes Show Results

What do you think is motivating Gov. Mike Pence to enact stricter marijauna penalties?

56 votes Vote Now!

What do you think is motivating Gov. Mike Pence to enact stricter marijauna penalties?

A sincere belief that it will deter marijuana use.

2 votes

A desire to fill corporate prison beds.

54 votes

September's Other Anniversary of Infamy

joelal

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Saturday September 14, 2013 · 4:03 AM PDT

2013/09/14 · 04:03

It has become a tradition, and rightly so. Every year as summer shows signs of receding into fall, millions of Americans take time out to participate in somber remembrances, such as holding moments of silence, reciting victims' names, and displaying U.S. flags at half staff, to commemorate the horrific tragedy of September 11th, 2001.

It's been a dozen years since those attacks, but I, along with the vast majority of folks who are old enough can still remember where they were and what they were doing on that awful day.

Meanwhile, another September anniversary of an event that had dire consequences for this country is about to pass. While not as lethal as the 9-11 attacks, the catastrophic meltdown of the nation's financial markets began emerging this week five years ago on September 15th, 2008.

joelal

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Friday June 21, 2013 · 11:55 PM PDT

2013/06/21 · 23:55

black and white of 50s businessman dressed in formal suit. I recently read a Facebook post that asked what facet of today's life would be the most difficult to explain to someone from the Fifties. The typical responses from folks, predictably, had something to do with the sweeping technological changes that have occurred. And to be sure, the idea of having iPads, social media and even microwave ovens would be inconceivable to people who lived in a world where television sets were tuned to 'Uncle Miltie' every week. Overlooked, however, among the answers was today's political mood, which I believe has taken an almost unrecognizable shift to the right during the last six decades.

joelal

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Sunday October 21, 2012 · 10:15 AM PDT

2012/10/21 · 10:15

R.I.P. George McGovern (1922-2012)

It is truly upsetting to learn about the passing of Senator George McGovern, the 1972 Democratic presidential nominee who lost to President Richard Nixon in a landslide of epic proportions. McGovern’s death resonates directly with me because at the age of 15, I became politically active for the first time in my life as I worked for his presidential campaign that year. (McGovern's campaign was the only one until Obama’s in 2008.)

joelal

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Saturday September 15, 2012 · 12:18 AM PDT

2012/09/15 · 00:18

I'll admit it. I'm somewhat of a Facebook junkie. I've been known to idle away many hours on this social network getting connected with family and friends. I love to post pictures, share news and sports stories, and yes, discuss politics. While a majority of my 1500+ friends lean to the left, I do have some who are tea partying Republicans. I purposely maintain my friendship with them because I've always believed that they bring arguments and viewpoints that are often thought provoking, and in turn, strengthen my own progressive talking points. But in my 'news feed' today, I was disheartened to come across a shared post that crossed the line.

joelal

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Friday June 15, 2012 · 8:14 PM PDT

2012/06/15 · 20:14

Once upon a time, a partier rented and moved into a beautiful house whereupon he began holding a huge, never-ending party that lasted during the next eight years. At first, the neighbors thought the man was charming and cool. However, the partier refused to clean up the messes left from the constant debauchery. Soon, leftover trash became towering piles of garbage, which emanated an awful stench all over the neighborhood.

Poll

42 votes Show Results

Who's to blame?

42 votes Vote Now!

Who's to blame?

The partier

9 votes

The new renter

2 votes

The partier's friends

2 votes

The partier and the new renter

1 vote

The partier and the partier's friends

23 votes

The new renter and the partier's friends

1 vote

All three

4 votes

None

0 votes

Priorities: People and Numbers

joelal

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Thursday August 04, 2011 · 4:50 PM PDT

2011/08/04 · 16:50

No written record exists of the exact time when human beings began to demonstrate the abstract ability to think of things in terms of numbers.
Carbon dating has revealed that prehistoric humans were able to count things some 37 thousand years ago when scientists recently used it to determine the age of what is believed to be the oldest evidence of counting - an African baboon bone with 29 distinct and deliberately cut notches.

joelal

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Friday February 19, 2010 · 12:34 PM PST

2010/02/19 · 12:34

Congressman Brad Ellsworth(D-IN) has announced he'll seek election to the U.S Senate currently held by Evan Bayh. Ellsworth currently represents Indiana's Eighth Congressional District, which spreads out across a large cross-section of the southwest portion of the state. The district's three largest cities are Evansville (Ellsworth's home town), Terre Haute and Bloomington.

joelal

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Saturday August 30, 2008 · 12:59 AM PDT

2008/08/30 · 00:59

In October, the one and only vice presidential debate will unfold in St. Louis. The forum will feature Democratic U.S. Senator Joseph Biden from Delaware...and Republican Governor Sarah Palin from Alaska. No contest! Biden should easily outshine Palin in what should be an intellectual mismatch.

Poll

18 votes Show Results

Who will fare better in the vice presidential debate?

18 votes Vote Now!

Who will fare better in the vice presidential debate?

Joe Biden

15 votes

Sarah Palin

3 votes

Evan Bayh for VP

joelal

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Thursday August 21, 2008 · 12:15 AM PDT

2008/08/21 · 00:15

The speculation on Obama's choice for veep is running amok at this hour as conventional wisdom has it that the Illinois senator will pick his running mate Saturday in his homestate's capital of Springfield. Fortunately, many pundits still list Senator Evan Bayh, from neighboring Indiana, as one of the leading contenders.

Poll

150 votes Show Results

Who should Barack Obama select as his running mate?

150 votes Vote Now!

Who should Barack Obama select as his running mate?

Hillary Clinton

18 votes

Joe Biden

35 votes

Evan Bayh

23 votes

John Edwards

3 votes

Kathy Sebelius

23 votes

Sam Nunn

3 votes

other

45 votes

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A Huge U.S. Senate Race is Shaping Up in The Sunshine State

St. Louis Rams Come Out with 'Hands Up, Don't Shoot' Salute

So Goes The Nation...So Backslides Indiana

September's Other Anniversary of Infamy

Scapegoating the Poor

America Loses a Decent, Selfless Champion for the People

A Really Disturbing Facebook Post

The Partier, the New Renter and the Partier's Friends

Priorities: People and Numbers

Indiana Congressman to seek Bayh's Senate Seat

Looking forward to St. Louis

Evan Bayh for VP