At Jacksonville sub shop, Bachmann pledges to end EPA, Department of Education
Would-be GOP presidential nominee Michele Bachmann began her weekend tour of the Sunshine State today, making a late afternoon visit to a sub shop in Jacksonville Beach.
Rubio: Conservatism is about âprosperity and compassionâ
Freshman GOP Sen. Marco Rubio, who has steadily become a central figure in today's Republican Party, spoke at the Ronald Reagan Library Tuesday. His message: Americans want the nation to be free and prosperous, but also compassionate.
Bishops call on Scott to stop execution (Updated)
Florida's Catholic bishops repeated their plea for Gov. Rick Scott to call off the execution of Manuel Valle, the subject of Scott's first death warrant.
Anti-abortion groups claim victory after Pensacola health clinic closes
A women's health clinic in Pensacola, Fla., closed its doors recently after failing to pay its mortgage. Anti-abortion groups are attributing this to a prayer rally that was taking place around the same time outside the clinic.
Florida receives almost $2 million in federal grants to sign up children for health coverage
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has awarded Florida about $1.8 million to help the state sign up more children for health insurance.
Congresswomanâs reelection bid unfolds amid intense debate over gerrymandering
During a July redistricting hearing in Jacksonville, Fla., Democratic Rep. Corrine Brown called her district the most popular one in the country. Because of its size and shape, Brown's district has taken center stage in Florida's intense fight over gerrymandering.
Scott defends rejection of federal health care money during C-SPAN appearance
Gov. Rick Scott defended Florida's decision to not implement federal health care reform in the state in an interview today with C-SPAN.
Floridaâs partial victory in its health care lawsuit
The Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals today affirmed a lower court ruling that the requirement in the federal health care reform law that individuals buy health insurance or face penalties is unconstitutional. It also upheld the lower court's rejection of an argument by Florida and 25 other states that the law's expansion of Medicaid is coercive to the states.
HCA warns investors about the cost of Medicaid cuts
Hospital corporation HCA warned investors in a Friday filing that reductions in Florida's Medicaid program could cost the company $50 million over the next year.
Florida congressman to host hearing on EPA âtakeoverâ
Rep. Cliff Stearns, R-Ocala, will host a congressional hearing on the economic impact of the EPA's proposed water quality standards next week.
Confusion about perpetrator of Norway attack ensnares Florida congressman
In the confusion that followed Friday's attacks in Oslo, Norway, some observers in America â including one Florida congressman â were quick to point to preliminary reports, which turned out to be inaccurate, that the perpetrator was an Islamic terrorist.
Planned Parenthood winning court battles at the state level
According to a recent article from National Journal, Planned Parenthood has recently won three court battles against state-level efforts to restrict access to abortion and to defund the chain of women's clinics. It also looks like the organization is set to win four more legal challenges.
Rick Scottâs first substantive veto (Updated)
Gov. Rick Scott issued his first substantive veto on Thursday, striking down a measure that passed two Senate committees and both houses of the Legislature unanimously.
Scott signs âChoose Lifeâ bill into law
Among the bills Gov. Rick Scott signed into law yesterday was House Bill 501, a measure that redefines how money made from sales of Florida's bright yellow Choose Life license plates is spent.
More African-American-themed anti-abortion billboards unveiled â this time in Oakland
Yet another series of anti-abortion billboards targeting minorities was unveiled recently â this time in Oakland, Calif.
Mica introduces act dubbed a âDirty Water Billâ by conservation advocate
Rep. Jon Mica, R-Winter Park, has introduced the Clean Water for Cooperative Federalism Act of 2011 (.pdf), a bill that aims to amend the Federal Water Pollution Control Act to preserve the authority of each State to make determinations relating to the Stateâs water quality standards, and for other purposes. In other words, Mica's bill would rewrite the Clean Water Act â removing the EPA's authority to object to state-approved permits and revise state water quality standards.
Rick Scott and the GOPâs national agenda
Republicans dominating the legislature and cabinet of one of the most politically diverse states in the country took up some pieces of the party's national agenda that didn't fly during this legislative session, and helped inspire a backlash. A new piece in the American Prospect looks at the situation through the lens of Florida's outsider governor.
Democrats take to the airwaves against Buchanan
The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee will begin airing radio ads this week targeting Rep. Vern Buchanan, R-Sarasota, whose alleged business and fundraising dealings have recently been the subject of litigation.
Family Research Council, Texas governor say Scott will declare Aug. 6 day of prayer (Updated)
In a new Washington update, the conservative Family Research Council is claiming that Gov. Rick Scott will declare Aug. 6 a day of prayer, following in the footsteps of Texas Gov. Rick Perry, who is putting on a massive prayer and fasting event being held at a Houston stadium that same day.
Wasserman Schultz: GOP âwar on womenâ big help for Obama in 2012
President Obama and the Democratic National Committee have begun courting female voters for the upcoming presidential election. Even though many women voters defected last year after voting in record numbers for the president in 2008, DNC chair Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Pembroke Pines, says the GOP's current anti-reproductive rights stance will be a big help in recapturing those voters.
Graham denies meeting with utility officials to discuss PSC executive directorâs resignation
Florida Public Service Commission chairman Art Graham today denied portions of a Miami Herald account of the chain of events leading to the resignation of executive director Timothy Devlin, which played out behind closed doors.
Poll: More Americans favor abortion rights
The number of Americans who self-identify as abortion rights supporters grew while the number identifying as anti-abortion rights advocates shrank, according to a new national poll. The new distribution marks the first time in about three years that Americans who believe a woman should have the right to choose have the numerical advantage over those who do not.
Pawlenty to make stops in Florida this week
Having officially announced his Presidential bid, former Minnesota gov. Tim Pawlenty is already making campaign stops - first in Iowa, and later in Florida. Pawlenty announced his candidacy in a video released Sunday night, in which he said the country was in need of a courageous leader.
Radical anti-abortion rights groups tout âhistoricâ work that lead to the 2009 murder of Kansas abortion provider
Yesterday, radical anti-abortion rights group Operation Rescue sent out a press release announcing its Summer of Mercy 2.0 in Germantown, Maryland. The last âSummer of Mercy,â took place twenty years ago in Wichita, Kansas, where work done by anti-abortion rights groups culminated in the shooting of abortion-provider George Tiller. Tiller was shot in both arms by an anti-abortion rights activist in 1993, and was eventually murdered by a different activist in 2009, also in Wichita.