Alan Clendenin

Insights from Tim Kaine

By GARY GERBRANDT — Fri, 11 Feb 2011 09:27:00 EST

An article on DNC Chairman's return to Harvard. I does a wonderful job promoting our core Democratic values. http://www.harvardindependent.com/?p=1515

Florida Democrats Unite Behind Rod Smith

Alan Clendenin — Wed, 24 Nov 2010 10:19:00 EST

Over the last week Rod Smith and I have had several lengthy and meaningful discussions concerning the future of the Florida Democratic Party. As a result of these discussions we reached agreement on a plan to reorganize and rebuild a more inclusive Florida Democratic Party, a party ready to compete and win in 2012.

A Plan for the Florida Democratic Party - Reorganize Rebuild Recruit

Alan Clendenin — Fri, 19 Nov 2010 06:49:00 EST

Change must start now. Complacency and the status quo are no longer an option. November 2, 2010 left us disappointed, disheartened and dismayed. For the next two years every unemployed worker, every woman, every child, everyone except republican backed special interest will share those same feelings; the same pain. Now is the time for Florida Democrats who respect diversity, value justice, and support the core principles of the Democratic Party to stand united behind the rebuilding and rejuvenation of the Florida Democratic Party. It is our party that will provide hope and an alternative to the party of ‘no we can’t.’

Return to the scene of the crime

Alan Clendenin — Wed, 12 May 2010 09:25:00 EST

Tampa, FL - The Republican Party announced today Tampa would host the 2012 Republican National Convention. Bringing the right wing faithful to Tampa is like a criminal returning to a crime scene.

Recovery by the Numbers

Democratic National Committee — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 07:54:00 EST

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE February 17, 2010 RECOVERY BY THE NUMBERS The Recovery Act at One Year One year in, the Recovery Act is at work across the country creating jobs and driving economic growth. From major highway projects to green retrofits of military facilities and manufacturing of advanced batteries, more than 55,000 projects across the country have now been funded through the Recovery Act. To get an up close look at some of those projects, click HERE . This is in addition to the nearly $120 billion in tax relief already provided to American families and businesses - with more to come this year - and the billions of dollars in relief provided to shore up state and local government programs like Medicaid and education facing severe budget shortfalls. To see a video of how the Recovery Act is helping cities across the country click HERE . This is what it looks like, by the numbers: Jobs * CBO: According to the nonpartisan CBO, the Recovery Act is already responsible for as many as 2.4 million jobs through the end of 2009. * CEA, Other Private Forecasters: Analysis by the Council of Economic Advisers also found that the Recovery Act is responsible for about 2 million jobs - a figure in line with estimates from private forecasters like IHS Global, Moody's Economy and even the conservative American Enterprise Institute. The Economy * GDP/Economic Growth: In the fourth quarter of 2009, the economy grew 5.7 percent - - the largest gain in six years and something many economists say is largely due to the Recovery Act. Before the Recovery Act, the economy was shrinking by about 6 percent. * Job Losses: Job losses for the fourth quarter of 2009 were one-seventh what they were in the first quarter of 2009 when the Recovery Act was passed. Recovery Dollars * Spending: Nearly 70 percent of the $499 billion in Recovery Act spending has been obligated to specific programs and projects so far, putting those dollars to work in communities across the country. * Tax Relief: Nearly $120 billion in tax relief has been provided for working families and businesses through the Recovery Act this year. Infrastructure * Transportation Construction: Over 12,500 transportation construction projects - ranging from highway construction to airport improvement projects - have been funded so far. Of those, more than 8,500 are already underway across the country - with even more breaking ground as the weather warms up. * Defense Construction: Over 2,850 DOD construction and rehabilitation projects have been started at over 350 military facilities nationwide. * Superfund Sites: 51 Superfund project sites from the National Priority List have been funded. Of those sites, 34 already have on-site construction. * National Parks: Over 300 improvement projects underway or completed at 175 National Parks nationwide. * Community Health Centers: Over 1,100 health center grant recipients operate more than 7,500 community-based clinics nationwide have received nearly $1.9 billion in Health Resources and Services Administration Recovery Act awards to build or improve facilities and expand services. * Public Housing: Over 3,100 public housing authorities have been awarded Recovery Act funding totaling nearly $4 billion, helping to create jobs, retrofit housing, and support construction projects to improve public housing across the country. * Build America Bonds: Over $70 billion in Build America Bonds have been issued in 47 states since April 2009 to fund a wide array of critical infrastructure projects, many of which may have been stalled or unfunded construction projects. Build America Bonds attract a wider array of investors and provide a more attractive financing option for States and localities, and they now represent about 19 percent of municipal bond debt issued since the popular program began. Technology/Innovation * Advanced Batteries and Electric Vehicles: $2.4 billion in grants have been awarded to companies and educational institutions in over 20 states to fund 48 new advanced battery and electric drive projects that will help power the next generation of advanced vehicles. * Smart Energy Grid: $3.4 billion in grants have been awarded to private companies, utilities, manufacturers and cities to fund smart energy grid projects that will support tens of thousands of jobs and benefit consumers in 49 states. * Energy-Efficient Vehicles: $300 million in grants have been awarded to 25 cost-share projects under DOE's Clean Cities program to expand the nation's fleet of alternative fuel vehicles by putting more than 9,000 alternative fuel and energy efficient vehicles on the road. * Health Research: More than $5 billion in awards have been made through 12,000 grants to research and educational institutions to fund cutting edge medical research in every state. * Broadband: The first of over $7 billion in awards to bring broadband to communities where there is little or no access have been made - a significant step forward in driving local economic development. * High Speed Rail: Projects in 31 states to help lay a foundation for a high speed rail network here in the U.S. – including down-payments on 13 new, large-scale high-speed rail corridors across the country. This $8 billion investment will not only create jobs and drive economic growth, but jump-start a critical element of 21st century infrastructure. * Health IT: Over $750 million in awards have been made to state and local governments and community organizations to help prepare for widespread, meaningful use of health information technology. The awards will help make health IT available to over 100,000 hospitals and primary care physicians by 2014 and grow an emerging industry expected to support tens of thousands of jobs. Immediate Relief * Middle Class Tax Cut: Over 110 million working families have received a boost in their paycheck thanks to the Making Work Pay tax credit. Through this program, 95 percent of American families received an immediate infusion of cash that totaled $37 billion in tax relief in 2009. * Emergency Relief Checks: Nearly 55 million seniors, veterans and other high-need residents across the country have received one-time economic relief payments of $250, totaling $13.7 billion in relief. * Unemployment Benefits: More than 18 million Americans have received unemployment benefits through the Recovery Act. * Small Business Loans: SBA has supported nearly $20 billion in ARRA-funded loans to over 42,000 small businesses since the Recovery Act was signed into law. Aid to State and Local Governments * Medicaid: The Recovery Act has already made more than $56 billion available to states to help prevent cuts to Medicaid programs across the country. * Education: More than $60 billion of Recovery Act funding has been awarded to help support education budgets - a move that governors say funded over 300,000 education jobs in the fourth quarter of 2009. * Law Enforcement: Over 4,600 law enforcement officers from more than 1,000 communities nationwide received three years of salary and benefits through the COPS program. ###

President Obama Takes Questions at GOP House Issues Conference

Alan Clendenin — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 09:00:00 EST

On January 29, 2010 our President spoke to the GOP House Conference. The Republican leaders permitted television cameras inside. I am certain they believed this was a good way to score political points. Well their strategy backfired. I can't think of any other way to say this, The President 'spanked' the petty partisans in the room.

Remarks by the President in Remembrance of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

White House — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 09:51:00 EST

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

____________________________________________________________________
For Immediate Release January 17, 2010

Remarks by the President in Remembrance of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Vermont Avenue Baptist Church, Washington, DC

12:00 P.M. EST

THE PRESIDENT: Good morning. Praise be to God. Let me begin by thanking the entire Vermont Avenue Baptist Church family for welcoming our family here today. It feels like a family. Thank you for making us feel that way. (Applause.) To Pastor Wheeler, first lady Wheeler, thank you so much for welcoming us here today. Congratulations on Jordan Denice -- aka Cornelia. (Laughter.)

Michelle and I have been blessed with a new nephew this year as well -- Austin Lucas Robinson. (Applause.) So maybe at the appropriate time we can make introductions. (Laughter.) Now, if Jordan's father is like me, then that will be in about 30 years. (Laughter.) That is a great blessing.

Michelle and Malia and Sasha and I are thrilled to be here today. And I know that sometimes you have to go through a little fuss to have me as a guest speaker. (Laughter.) So let me apologize in advance for all the fuss.

We gather here, on a Sabbath, during a time of profound difficulty for our nation and for our world. In such a time, it soothes the soul to seek out the Divine in a spirit of prayer; to seek solace among a community of believers. But we are not here just to ask the Lord for His blessing. We aren't here just to interpret His Scripture. We're also here to call on the memory of one of His noble servants, the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Now, it's fitting that we do so here, within the four walls of Vermont Avenue Baptist Church -- here, in a church that rose like the phoenix from the ashes of the civil war; here in a church formed by freed slaves, whose founding pastor had worn the union blue; here in a church from whose pews congregants set out for marches and from whom choir anthems of freedom were heard; from whose sanctuary King himself would sermonize from time to time.

One of those times was Thursday, December 6, 1956. Pastor, you said you were a little older than me, so were you around at that point? (Laughter.) You were three years old -- okay. (Laughter.) I wasn’t born yet. (Laughter.)

On Thursday, December 6, 1956. And before Dr. King had pointed us to the mountaintop, before he told us about his dream in front of the Lincoln Memorial, King came here, as a 27-year-old preacher, to speak on what he called "The Challenge of a New Age." "The Challenge of a New Age." It was a period of triumph, but also uncertainty, for Dr. King and his followers -- because just weeks earlier, the Supreme Court had ordered the desegregation of Montgomery's buses, a hard-wrought, hard-fought victory that would put an end to the 381-day historic boycott down in Montgomery, Alabama.

And yet, as Dr. King rose to take that pulpit, the future still seemed daunting. It wasn't clear what would come next for the movement that Dr. King led. It wasn't clear how we were going to reach the Promised Land. Because segregation was still rife; lynchings still a fact. Yes, the Supreme Court had ruled not only on the Montgomery buses, but also on Brown v. Board of Education. And yet that ruling was defied throughout the South -- by schools and by states; they ignored it with impunity. And here in the nation's capital, the federal government had yet to fully align itself with the laws on its books and the ideals of its founding.

So it's not hard for us, then, to imagine that moment. We can imagine folks coming to this church, happy about the boycott being over. We can also imagine them, though, coming here concerned about their future, sometimes second-guessing strategy, maybe fighting off some creeping doubts, perhaps despairing about whether the movement in which they had placed so many of their hopes -- a movement in which they believed so deeply -- could actually deliver on its promise.

So here we are, more than half a century later, once again facing the challenges of a new age. Here we are, once more marching toward an unknown future, what I call the Joshua generation to their Moses generation -- the great inheritors of progress paid for with sweat and blood, and sometimes life itself.

We've inherited the progress of unjust laws that are now overturned. We take for granted the progress of a ballot being available to anybody who wants to take the time to actually vote. We enjoy the fruits of prejudice and bigotry being lifted -- slowly, sometimes in fits and starts, but irrevocably -- from human hearts. It's that progress that made it possible for me to be here today; for the good people of this country to elect an African American the 44th President of the United States of America.

Reverend Wheeler mentioned the inauguration, last year's election. You know, on the heels of that victory over a year ago, there were some who suggested that somehow we had entered into a post-racial America, all those problems would be solved. There were those who argued that because I had spoke of a need for unity in this country that our nation was somehow entering into a period of post-partisanship. That didn’t work out so well. There was a hope shared by many that life would be better from the moment that I swore that oath.

Of course, as we meet here today, one year later, we know the promise of that moment has not yet been fully fulfilled. Because of an era of greed and irresponsibility that sowed the seeds of its own demise, because of persistent economic troubles unaddressed through the generations, because of a banking crisis that brought the financial system to the brink of catastrophe, we are being tested -- in our own lives and as a nation -- as few have been tested before.

Unemployment is at its highest level in more than a quarter of a century. Nowhere is it higher than the African American community. Poverty is on the rise. Home ownership is slipping. Beyond our shores, our sons and daughters are fighting two wars. Closer to home, our Haitian brothers and sisters are in desperate need. Bruised, battered, many people are legitimately feeling doubt, even despair, about the future. Like those who came to this church on that Thursday in 1956, folks are wondering, where do we go from here?

I understand those feelings. I understand the frustration and sometimes anger that so many folks feel as they struggle to stay afloat. I get letters from folks around the country every day; I read 10 a night out of the 40,000 that we receive. And there are stories of hardship and desperation, in some cases, pleading for help: I need a job. I'm about to lose my home. I don't have health care -- it's about to cause my family to be bankrupt. Sometimes you get letters from children: My mama or my daddy have lost their jobs, is there something you can do to help? Ten letters like that a day we read.

So, yes, we're passing through a hard winter. It's the hardest in some time. But let's always remember that, as a people, the American people, we've weathered some hard winters before. This country was founded during some harsh winters. The fishermen, the laborers, the craftsmen who made camp at Valley Forge -- they weathered a hard winter. The slaves and the freedmen who rode an underground railroad, seeking the light of justice under the cover of night -- they weathered a hard winter. The seamstress whose feet were tired, the pastor whose voice echoes through the ages -- they weathered some hard winters. It was for them, as it is for us, difficult, in the dead of winter, to sometimes see spring coming. They, too, sometimes felt their hopes deflate. And yet, each season, the frost melts, the cold recedes, the sun reappears. So it was for earlier generations and so it will be for us.

What we need to do is to just ask what lessons we can learn from those earlier generations about how they sustained themselves during those hard winters, how they persevered and prevailed. Let us in this Joshua generation learn how that Moses generation overcame.

Let me offer a few thoughts on this. First and foremost, they did so by remaining firm in their resolve. Despite being threatened by sniper fire or planted bombs, by shoving and punching and spitting and angry stares, they adhered to that sweet spirit of resistance, the principles of nonviolence that had accounted for their success.

Second, they understood that as much as our government and our political parties had betrayed them in the past -- as much as our nation itself had betrayed its own ideals -- government, if aligned with the interests of its people, can be -- and must be -- a force for good. So they stayed on the Justice Department. They went into the courts. They pressured Congress, they pressured their President. They didn’t give up on this country. They didn’t give up on government. They didn’t somehow say government was the problem; they said, we're going to change government, we're going to make it better. Imperfect as it was, they continued to believe in the promise of democracy; in America's constant ability to remake itself, to perfect this union.

Third, our predecessors were never so consumed with theoretical debates that they couldn't see progress when it came. Sometimes I get a little frustrated when folks just don't want to see that even if we don't get everything, we're getting something. (Applause.) King understood that the desegregation of the Armed Forces didn’t end the civil rights movement, because black and white soldiers still couldn't sit together at the same lunch counter when they came home. But he still insisted on the rightness of desegregating the Armed Forces. That was a good first step -- even as he called for more. He didn’t suggest that somehow by the signing of the Civil Rights that somehow all discrimination would end. But he also didn’t think that we shouldn’t sign the Civil Rights Act because it hasn’t solved every problem. Let's take a victory, he said, and then keep on marching. Forward steps, large and small, were recognized for what they were -- which was progress.

Fourth, at the core of King's success was an appeal to conscience that touched hearts and opened minds, a commitment to universal ideals -- of freedom, of justice, of equality -- that spoke to all people, not just some people. For King understood that without broad support, any movement for civil rights could not be sustained. That's why he marched with the white auto worker in Detroit. That's why he linked arm with the Mexican farm worker in California, and united people of all colors in the noble quest for freedom.

Of course, King overcame in other ways as well. He remained strategically focused on gaining ground -- his eyes on the prize constantly -- understanding that change would not be easy, understand that change wouldn't come overnight, understanding that there would be setbacks and false starts along the way, but understanding, as he said in 1956, that "we can walk and never get weary, because we know there is a great camp meeting in the promised land of freedom and justice."

And it's because the Moses generation overcame that the trials we face today are very different from the ones that tested us in previous generations. Even after the worst recession in generations, life in America is not even close to being as brutal as it was back then for so many. That's the legacy of Dr. King and his movement. That's our inheritance. Having said that, let there be no doubt the challenges of our new age are serious in their own right, and we must face them as squarely as they faced the challenges they saw.

I know it's been a hard road we've traveled this year to rescue the economy, but the economy is growing again. The job losses have finally slowed, and around the country, there's signs that businesses and families are beginning to rebound. We are making progress.

I know it's been a hard road that we've traveled to reach this point on health reform. I promise you I know. (Laughter.) But under the legislation I will sign into law, insurance companies won't be able to drop you when you get sick, and more than 30 million people -- (applause) -- our fellow Americans will finally have insurance. More than 30 million men and women and children, mothers and fathers, won't be worried about what might happen to them if they get sick. This will be a victory not for Democrats; this will be a victory for dignity and decency, for our common humanity. This will be a victory for the United States of America.

Let's work to change the political system, as imperfect as it is. I know people can feel down about the way things are going sometimes here in Washington. I know it's tempting to give up on the political process. But we've put in place tougher rules on lobbying and ethics and transparency -- tougher rules than any administration in history. It's not enough, but it's progress. Progress is possible. Don't give up on voting. Don't give up on advocacy. Don't give up on activism. There are too many needs to be met, too much work to be done. Like Dr. King said, "We must accept finite disappointment but never lose infinite hope."

Let us broaden our coalition, building a confederation not of liberals or conservatives, not of red states or blue states, but of all Americans who are hurting today, and searching for a better tomorrow. The urgency of the hour demands that we make common cause with all of America's workers -- white, black, brown -- all of whom are being hammered by this recession, all of whom are yearning for that spring to come. It demands that we reach out to those who've been left out in the cold even when the economy is good, even when we're not in recession -- the youth in the inner cities, the youth here in Washington, D.C., people in rural communities who haven't seen prosperity reach them for a very long time. It demands that we fight discrimination, whatever form it may come. That means we fight discrimination against gays and lesbians, and we make common cause to reform our immigration system.

And finally, we have to recognize, as Dr. King did, that progress can't just come from without -- it also has to come from within. And over the past year, for example, we've made meaningful improvements in the field of education. I've got a terrific Secretary of Education, Arne Duncan. He's been working hard with states and working hard with the D.C. school district, and we've insisted on reform, and we've insisted on accountability. We we're putting in more money and we've provided more Pell Grants and more tuition tax credits and simpler financial aid forms. We've done all that, but parents still need to parent. (Applause.) Kids still need to own up to their responsibilities. We still have to set high expectations for our young people. Folks can't simply look to government for all the answers without also looking inside themselves, inside their own homes, for some of the answers.

Progress will only come if we're willing to promote that ethic of hard work, a sense of responsibility, in our own lives. I'm not talking, by the way, just to the African American community. Sometimes when I say these things people assme, well, he's just talking to black people about working hard. No, no, no, no. I'm talking to the American community. Because somewhere along the way, we, as a nation, began to lose touch with some of our core values. You know what I'm talking about. We became enraptured with the false prophets who prophesized an easy path to success, paved with credit cards and home equity loans and get-rich-quick schemes, and the most important thing was to be a celebrity; it doesn’t matter what you do, as long as you get on TV. That's everybody.

We forgot what made the bus boycott a success; what made the civil rights movement a success; what made the United States of America a success -- that, in this country, there's no substitute for hard work, no substitute for a job well done, no substitute for being responsible stewards of God's blessings.

What we're called to do, then, is rebuild America from its foundation on up. To reinvest in the essentials that we've neglected for too long -- like health care, like education, like a better energy policy, like basic infrastructure, like scientific research. Our generation is called to buckle down and get back to basics.

We must do so not only for ourselves, but also for our children, and their children. For Jordan and for Austin. That's a sacrifice that falls on us to make. It's a much smaller sacrifice than the Moses generation had to make, but it's still a sacrifice.

Yes, it's hard to transition to a clean energy economy. Sometimes it may be inconvenient, but it's a sacrifice that we have to make. It's hard to be fiscally responsible when we have all these human needs, and we're inheriting enormous deficits and debt, but that's a sacrifice that we're going to have to make. You know, it's easy, after a hard day's work, to just put your kid in front of the TV set -- you're tired, don't want to fuss with them -- instead of reading to them, but that's a sacrifice we must joyfully accept.

Sometimes it's hard to be a good father and good mother. Sometimes it's hard to be a good neighbor, or a good citizen, to give up time in service of others, to give something of ourselves to a cause that's greater than ourselves -- as Michelle and I are urging folks to do tomorrow to honor and celebrate Dr. King. But these are sacrifices that we are called to make. These are sacrifices that our faith calls us to make. Our faith in the future. Our faith in America. Our faith in God.

And on his sermon all those years ago, Dr. King quoted a poet's verse:

Truth forever on the scaffold
Wrong forever on the throne…
And behind the dim unknown stands God
Within the shadows keeping watch above his own.

Even as Dr. King stood in this church, a victory in the past and uncertainty in the future, he trusted God. He trusted that God would make a way. A way for prayers to be answered. A way for our union to be perfected. A way for the arc of the moral universe, no matter how long, to slowly bend towards truth and bend towards freedom, to bend towards justice. He had faith that God would make a way out of no way.

You know, folks ask me sometimes why I look so calm. (Laughter.) They say, all this stuff coming at you, how come you just seem calm? And I have a confession to make here. There are times where I'm not so calm. (Laughter.) Reggie Love knows. My wife knows. There are times when progress seems too slow. There are times when the words that are spoken about me hurt. There are times when the barbs sting. There are times when it feels like all these efforts are for naught, and change is so painfully slow in coming, and I have to confront my own doubts.

But let me tell you -- during those times it's faith that keeps me calm. (Applause.) It's faith that gives me peace. The same faith that leads a single mother to work two jobs to put a roof over her head when she has doubts. The same faith that keeps an unemployed father to keep on submitting job applications even after he's been rejected a hundred times. The same faith that says to a teacher even if the first nine children she's teaching she can't reach, that that 10th one she's going to be able to reach. The same faith that breaks the silence of an earthquake's wake with the sound of prayers and hymns sung by a Haitian community. A faith in things not seen, in better days ahead, in Him who holds the future in the hollow of His hand. A faith that lets us mount up on wings like eagles; lets us run and not be weary; lets us walk and not faint.

So let us hold fast to that faith, as Joshua held fast to the faith of his fathers, and together, we shall overcome the challenges of a new age. (Applause.) Together, we shall seize the promise of this moment. Together, we shall make a way through winter, and we're going to welcome the spring. Through God all things are possible. (Applause.)

May the memory of Dr. Martin Luther King continue to inspire us and ennoble our world and all who inhabit it. And may God bless the United States of America. Thank you very much, everybody. God bless you. (Applause.)

END
12:30 P.M. EST

Stacy Frank for House District 57

Alan Clendenin — Sun, 17 Jan 2010 10:32:00 EST

Stacy Frank, an attorney and small business owner announced her candidacy for Florida House District 57 to replace Republican Faye Culp. (Picture Alan Clendenin with Stacy Frank at the FDP State Conference in Orlando FL)

The Change Commission

Fri, 08 Jan 2010 10:25:00 EST

The Change Commission made three recommendations to the Rules and Bylaws Committee by unanimous consent.

Northwest Airlines Flight 253

Fri, 08 Jan 2010 10:17:00 EST

On December 25, Northwest Airlines flight 253 – en route from Amsterdam to Detroit – was the target of an attempted terrorist attack.

Florida CFO Alex Sink Endorses Congressman Kendrick Meek for U.S. Senate

Fri, 23 Oct 2009 08:32:00 EST

Miami Gardens, FL - Florida's CFO and next Governor Alex Sink endorsed Congressman Kendrick Meek for the U.S. Senate today.

CFO Sink released the following statement in endorsement of Rep. Kendrick Meek in his campaign for the U.S. Senate:

"I am pleased to endorse Congressman Kendrick Meek as a candidate for U.S. Senate. During his time in the state legislature, Kendrick worked diligently to improve Florida's schools. As a member of Congress, Kendrick has worked on behalf of Florida's families, making his voice heard of issues of housing and providing economic opportunities for Floridians. He has been a strong advocate for Floridians in Congress and I am confident will continue to work tirelessly for the people of Florida as their next U.S. Senator."

"CFO Alex Sink is a leader bringing a fresh perspective and new insights to our state government," said Congressman Kendrick Meek. "Alex understands how to get our economy moving again in the right direction and as Florida's next governor she will bring a renewed sense of optimism and hope to the people of this state. I look forward to working with Governor Alex Sink while I am serving in the U.S. Senate and am proud to have her endorsement."

Earlier today Congressman Meek was endorsed by Congresswoman Corrine Brown of Jacksonville.

Congresswoman Corrine Brown Endorses Congressman Kendrick Meek for U.S. Senate

Fri, 23 Oct 2009 08:30:00 EST

acksonville, FL - Congresswoman Corrine Brown (D-Jacksonville) endorsed Congressman Kendrick Meek for the U.S. Senate today, saying her congressional colleague is "a proven leader able to serve all Floridians in the U.S. Senate."

Tampa Business Woman and Tampa Attorney Considers a run for House District 57

Alan Clendenin — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 08:18:00 EST

Stacy Frank Democratic Candidate for the State House?...

A Thorough, Transparent Process on Health Insurance Reform

Democratic National Committee — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 08:05:00 EST

We are closer than ever to enacting health insurance reform that will provide stability and security to Americans who have insurance, affordable options for those who don’t, and lower costs for families, businesses and our country as a whole.

RPOF Fundraising Quarter

Wed, 14 Oct 2009 01:00:00 EST

After the Florida Democratic Party embarrassed the RPOF in the 2^nd quarter of 2009, it is widely expect that the Republicans will out raise us in the 3^rd quarter partly due to the fact that the RPOF’s major fundraiser for the year – their Statesman Dinner – was held during the 3^rd quarter.

In fact, history suggests that for the RPOF to have anything less than a 2 to 1 fundraising advantage during the third quarter would be a significant defeat for the Republicans, despite all the focus on the RPOF’s finances over the past few months with Floridians learning that the RPOF is nothing more than an AmEx slush fund for Republican leaders to live large.

According of Division of Election records:

- The RPOF has raised an average of 1,801,663.08 in the 3^rd quarter since 1997, while the FDP has raised an average of $870,355.79.

- This means the RPOF has averaged raising more than double than the FDP in 3^rd quarters. Specifically the RPOF has raised an average $1,451,631.70 than the FDP, or 62% more.

- In the last comparable quarter (the 3^rd quarter of 2007), the RPOF raised $4,712,899.26 while the FDP raised 1,061,754.31, meaning the FDP raised just 22.5% of the RPOF’s total receipts.

Because off year reporting requirements are different than that of election years, all comparable third quarters are from non-election years (IE: 1997, 1999, 2001, 2003, 2005, and 2007).

	RPOF	Fla Dems
7\1\2009 - 09\30\2009	?	Estimated nearly 2,500,000
7\1\2007 - 09\30\2007	4,712,899.26	1,061,754.31
7\1\2005 - 09\30\2005	2,727,389.60	1,218,835.04
7\1\2003 - 09\30\2003	1,999,827.60	480,268.48
7\1\2001 - 09\30\2001	1,824,164.43	821,128.17
7\1\1999 - 09\30\1999	1,718,615.01	1,177,314.59
7\1\1997 - 09\30\1997	949,029.01	462,834.12

[Source: Division of Elections Electronic Records]

HCDEC October Meeting

Alan Clendenin — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 01:00:00 EST

October 19 2009 at 6:30 pm...

Senate Finance Committee Vote on Health Care Reform

Democratic National Committee — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 01:00:00 EST

? After many months of thoughtful deliberation, the Senate Finance

Committee – the fifth and final committee responsible for health care

reform – has passed a proposal that has both Democratic and Republican

support.

? The Finance Committee considered hundreds of amendments and the

legislation includes ideas from Democrats and Republicans.

? The vote on Tuesday represents a critical milestone in our

effort to reform our health care system.

? The bill is not perfect, and we still have a lot of difficult

work ahead of us. But the work of the Senate Finance Committee has

brought us significantly closer to achieving President Obama’s core

goals.

? The Finance Committee’s bill would offer increased stability

and security to those who have insurance, affordable options for those

who don't, and as the Congressional Budget Office reported last week, it

would slow the growth of health care costs in the long term and it will

not add a penny to our deficit.

o It reins in some of the worst practices of the insurance

industry, like the denying coverage because of a preexisting condition,

and it would create an insurance exchange that will make coverage more

affordable for the uninsured.

? The Finance Committee’s progress is the culmination of the

work of five Congressional committees over the better part of year. We

have reached out to a variety of stakeholders - doctors and nurses,

businesses and workers, hospitals and even drug companies – to find

common ground.

? We are closer than ever before to passing comprehensive reform,

but we’re not there yet.

? We are going to keep working and keep engaging one another with

the spirit of civility and seriousness that this subject deserves.

? We will deliver reform health insurance reform to the American

people this year.

Camp Wellstone Training Comes to Tampa

Jen Haut — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 01:00:00 EST

The Hillsborough County Young Democrats have brought Camp Wellstone to Tampa!

Register today!

http://www.wellstone.org/training-calendar/camp-wellstone-florida

This 2.5 day training, running from 3-9pm Friday, 9am-6pm Saturday, and 9am-3:30pm Sunday, combines lectures from highly experienced trainers, stimulating exercises, and interactive simulations. We're counting on you to organize around issues that matter, help build campaigns for the future, and elect progressive candidates to office.

Camp Wellstone is divided into three tracks:

Citizen activist track. For people interested in citizen lobbying, issue advocacy, and community organizing, this track provides skills in how to win on issues.
Campaign track. This track focuses on how to be an effective staff or volunteer member of a winning progressive campaign.
Candidate track. This is for people who have made the decision to run for office.

The cost of Camp Wellstone is based on a sliding scale based on ability to pay. We are committed to keeping this training accessible to all. If you are able to cover the full cost of your participation in this training, please do so as this will help us continue to train progressives across the country; otherwise, you choose the option that works best for you. Rates are as follows: $200 (full cost), $100 (50% of training cost), or $50 (25% of training cost). This fee covers our book, Politics the Wellstone Way (activist track) or Winning Your Election the Wellstone Way (campaign and candidate tracks), materials, and three meals during the weekend. We are not able to guarantee space at the Camp unless payment is received two weeks prior to the start date.

This camp will be held at the Comfort Inn Conference Center located at 820 E Busch Blvd. in Tampa, FL 33612. Participants are responsible for their accomodations.

For questions, contact Jen Haut at 651.414.6037 or jennifer@wellstone.org.

Location

Comfort Inn Conference Center

820 E Busch Boulevard

Tampa, FL, 33612

Florida Democrats Celebrate Best Third Quarter Ever!

Florida Democratic Party — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 01:00:00 EST

Estimated $2.5 Million Raised Is Almost Three Times Party's Average Third Quarter

CBO Scores Finance Committee Bill

Wed, 14 Oct 2009 01:00:00 EST

The CBO released its long-awaited score of the Senate Finance Committee bill on Wednesday afternoon. After 80 hours of mark up and consideration of 140 amendments, CBO estimated that the bill would actually reduce the federal budget by $81 billion between 2010-2019 and cost approximately $829 billion during that same time period. This is another major step forward for health insurance reform. The promising news from the CBO came just as several prominent Republicans and Independents outside the Beltway – including former Senate Majority Leader Bob Dole, California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Tommy Thompson, a former Secretary of Health and Human Services during the Bush Administration – have commended the progress made so far and urged Congress to seize this moment and pass health insurance reform this year.