Please Light a Candle for Florida

No, this diary has nothing to do with Florida's ongoing delegate problem. That seems to be a minor concern at the moment.

First, it was the qualification of constitutional amendment #2, the so called "Marriage Protection Amendment"

This amendment protects marriage as the legal union of only one man and one woman as husband and wife and provides that no other legal union that is treated as marriage or the substantial equivalent thereof shall be valid or recognized.

This amendment will seek to permanently enshrine discrimination into the Florida constitution.

Then today the Florida Senate's committee on K-12 education voted 4-1 to approve Sen. Ronda Storms' bill to protect teachers who offer alternative theories to evolution and students who offer other theories.

Storms, R-Brandon, said the bill doesn't say creationism or other religious-based ideas should be taught, but critics said it was a back-door way to allow religious theories counter to Darwin. She did amend it with Sen. Steve Wise to tight a few weaknesses, such as allowing Holocaust deniers to be heard.

Finally today, the Taxation and Budget Reform Commission voted 17-7 for a proposal to remove language from the state Constitution that limits financial aid to religious organizations. This is a unique Commission that has the power to directly place constitutional amendments on the ballot.

The proposed ballot initiative seeks to remove Florida's "Blaine Amendment"  which provides that no state aid made be provided "directly or indirectly in aid of any church, sect, or religious denomination or in aid of any sectarian institution." The new language provides  "Individuals or entities may not be barred from participating in public programs because of their religion."

This proposal is a direct response to the Florida Supreme Court ruling in 2004 that overturned Gov. Jeb Bush's attempts to provide vouchers to religious schools. Well he managed to get his way today, thanks to a commission packed with his appointees.

So we'll now be faced with 2 votes in November that could set back Florida civil rights to the middle ages. The only good news is that these require a higher level of approval, 60%.

As far as the teaching of creationism in Florida schools, it looks like that is just a matter of time. The Republicans have such a strangle hold on the Florida legislature that there is little doubt from today's initial vote that it will pass both houses handily.

The only question remains is whether or not Gov. Charlie Crist (R) will have the guts to veto such insane legislation.

•  Tips, comments, rants and raves

  are always appreciated.

  by kansasr on Wed Mar 26, 2008 at 02:16:09 PM PDT

•  You could all move north again....

  and let the Everglades return

  by plf515 on Wed Mar 26, 2008 at 02:21:16 PM PDT

  •  Global warming

    will likely accomplish much of this, however it will just inundate the blue parts of Florida and leave the whacky red parts behind.

    by kansasr on Wed Mar 26, 2008 at 02:31:21 PM PDT

•  Thanks for this

  It's extremely sad, and it didn't make me feel good at all.  But it also wasn't about party infighting.  I think we can all agry that this is crap.

  by Bindle on Wed Mar 26, 2008 at 02:22:41 PM PDT

•  IT's to late

  for Florida. The whole state is a cesspool waiting to be washed away by rising ocean levels. I can't wait to leave.

  by ckerst on Wed Mar 26, 2008 at 02:23:28 PM PDT

  •  Not fair.

    Lots of good people in Florida.  (Including many Republicans.)

    Don't go joking about how the whole country would be better off without it.

    (It's a touchy subject with us Texans.)

    by SadTexan on Wed Mar 26, 2008 at 02:30:54 PM PDT

  •  I just got here.

    We've got a lot of work to do. But I am impressed with the Florida Netroots. These people have not backed down in the face of such hypocrisy, incompetence and corruption.

    We need to turn Florida Blue one district at a time and contest every race, elected official and issue. I just gave $25.08 to Joe Garcia, Miami will be Blue in 29!

    by blueintheface on Wed Mar 26, 2008 at 04:02:53 PM PDT

    •  The one thing working against them

      ...is the state Dem party.  Just as inept and flat out corrupt as the Republicans.

      by jpfdeuce on Wed Mar 26, 2008 at 04:56:40 PM PDT

•  A lot of us are going to be working our ass off

  against #2 in Florida.  

  I think we have a good chance of preventing passage, if nothing else because this amendment would also deny benefits to thousands of straight couples (predominately seniors) as well.

  by smash artist on Wed Mar 26, 2008 at 02:24:30 PM PDT

  •  I am in FL and...

    unfortunately EVERY amendment passes. Hell, 4 years ago we had 2 amendments that were basically the exact opposite of each other and both passed. Most voters have no idea what they are voting for on these amendments.

    by pfan151 on Wed Mar 26, 2008 at 02:55:01 PM PDT

    •  Bullet train? Passed. REPEAL bullet train?

      ...Passed.

      They make it a priority here to keep the public both ill informed and just stupid.  Florida's got a high drop out rate, it's colleges might be sports inclined but they do not create the best minds...  There are so many little things but yes indeed, the voters are ignorant what they are voting on.

      Case in point, why voters turned out in January wasn't because fo the primary but the "Amendment 1" on the ballot.  A property tax rollback.  Property taxes adn Homeowners Insurance are through the roof here and people are desperate for anything.  That desperation is why the amendment passed -- it will only benefit longtime home owners who qualify for a certain deduction known as Save our Homes cap.

      And because of the new property tax law now in the constitution - the state needs to slash the budget even more.  Less for education and social services, etc.  

      by jpfdeuce on Wed Mar 26, 2008 at 03:38:56 PM PDT

      •  Not so sure about your theory

        Democrats showing up at the polls would have defeated Amdendment 1.  Since the Democratic primary wasn't going to count and no reason, therefore, to go to the polls, they didn't.  Republicans had someone to vote for in the primary, so they voted for Amendment 1 and that's why it passed.

        by gatorcog on Thu Mar 27, 2008 at 12:10:57 PM PDT

•  AMAZING

  No wonder American is losing our advantage in science.  All the florida voters are choosing if this passes is for their children to be fry cooks at McDonalds.  I pray for them.

  by arogue7 on Wed Mar 26, 2008 at 02:24:34 PM PDT

  •  We already chose that with

    Amendment 1 in January.  Idiots didn't see what would be next.  Cut property taxes more?  Fine, the cities and counties are now coming up with fire prevention "fees" and such.  Guess what asshats, "fees" are not deductible on income taxes, but the old property taxes were.  Way to go.

    I'm a Florida native, but if things were different, I'd leave in a heartbeat.  Florida will soon make Mississppi, Alabama and South Carolina look like forward-thinking utopian paradises!

    by TampaCPA on Wed Mar 26, 2008 at 08:53:24 PM PDT

    •  See my comment above RE: Amendment 1 n/t

      by gatorcog on Thu Mar 27, 2008 at 12:11:59 PM PDT

•  Classic wedge ammendment.

  First off, I'm a resident of Florida, and I recognize the tactic very well.  This is a wedge amendment, meant to get republican turnout as high as possible in the next election.  It's already been used in previous elections in many other states.

  Second off, it really hasn't been unusual lately for Florida to be corrupt in terms of its use of politics.    This is no surprise.  

  I'm actually more surprised my house hasn't been made a congressional district paired with the panhandle by way of a thin strip running along the telephone wire, so I have to travel 300 miles to vote.  That wouldn't be an unusual move at this point.

  by Ryan in FL on Wed Mar 26, 2008 at 02:26:09 PM PDT

•  To answer your question:

  The only question remains is whether or not Gov. Charlie Crist (R) will have the guts to veto such insane legislation.

  NO.

  by lams712 on Wed Mar 26, 2008 at 02:29:25 PM PDT

  •  Of course, he....

    ....doesn't need to. These are contitutional amendments and are not "vetoable" by a governor, but I think Crist, despite his attempts to appear "moderate", embraces wingnut B.S.

    by lams712 on Wed Mar 26, 2008 at 02:32:05 PM PDT

•  Oh dear god....terrible n/t

  by KevinBarry16 on Wed Mar 26, 2008 at 02:29:38 PM PDT

•  Solidarity.

  Best wishes from Michigan.

  by ScottyUrb on Wed Mar 26, 2008 at 02:30:29 PM PDT

•  Florida is the Republican Party's ideological...

  playground.

  I'm stuck here (as I am disabled and dependent on family for the most part) and it seems at every turn, at every opportunity they put forward one wedge issue or another and it passes -- with help of a little deception here and there.

  The key is to keept he state ignorant (low priorities to education) and feast on the fear of the cost boogieman with any attempt at progress.  Class sizes amendment?  COST!  Mass transit?  COST!  Oh, and lets not forget our gay friends and how they seek to overtrhow us and ravage upon our children...  **rollign my eyes at the stupidity**)

  My sig line says it...  And I ask everyone believe it.  We're fucked in Florida.

  by jpfdeuce on Wed Mar 26, 2008 at 02:34:58 PM PDT

•  disaster recovery?

  If states don't fund religious groups like UMCOR (United Methodist Committee on Relief) and Catholic Charities doing disaster relief, who the hell is going to get that money?  The Red Cross doesn't do shit (in LA anyway), and I can't think of any state agencies that were as effective or more effective than the above two that I named.

  Yeah, Katrina was unique, but Florida is no stranger to hurricanes.  I was so solidly against any state aid to religious-based groups before the storm, but as long as those groups serve people of any creed, color, sex, etc then why not give them money, when what they do actually works?  Why not support the programs that are already working?

  I guess it hinges on the definition of "sectarian institution."  I could be totally off-base about this.  Please feel free to correct me.

  by alpelican on Wed Mar 26, 2008 at 02:43:00 PM PDT

•  FL has such a fun Constitution already.

  They still have term limits for Congressmen and Senators in that thing.  Thank God federal law supercedes the states and they have to grant Full Faith and Credit, or else that idiotic marriage amendment might mean...

  ...oh, right.  

  shit.

  DOMA sucks. :(

  by JR on Wed Mar 26, 2008 at 02:49:37 PM PDT

•  They're going to learn the hard way

  If Florida goes through with this creationism nonsense, all that's going to happen is a repeat of Dover, DE.  That is, they're going to get sued and lose.  I hope the citizens remember to thank Ronda Storms in a few years when their taxes get raised to cover the settlement.  

  by Soberish on Wed Mar 26, 2008 at 03:07:11 PM PDT

•  Start a dedicated campaign

  to teach Pastafarian creationism and make a big stink if they don't want to give you 'equal time'.

  by drbloodaxe on Wed Mar 26, 2008 at 04:42:19 PM PDT

•  Actually light a match.

  It stinks in there.

  by woodstock007 on Wed Mar 26, 2008 at 04:56:19 PM PDT

•  Rhonda Storms is an idiot

  and rightwing gasbag.  She was a Hillsborough County Commissioner before moving to the state senate.

  She was a joke on the commission, but her rightwing district loves her.  Her constituents actually make a good case for the theory of devolution.  She's such an assclown, I wouldn't be surprised if she were considered by the Rethugs to be one of their rising stars.

  by TampaCPA on Wed Mar 26, 2008 at 08:45:24 PM PDT