U.S. Congress

Palm Beach County Human Rights Council Endorses Obama

The Palm Beach County Human Rights Council, a group dedicated to ending discrimination based on sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression, have released their list of candidates they're endorsing. Among them, President Barack Obama, West Palm Beach Attorney and police officer Dave K ... More >>

Las Vegas Gazillionaire Sheldon Adelson Tossing Pocket Change at Florida Races

UPDATE: George LeMieux announced this morning that he's dropping out of the race.A Las Vegas billionaire who has said he could dump as much as $100 million into the 2012 elections has donated $1 million of that chump change to a super PAC backing Republican Rep. Connie Mack in his race for U.S. Sena ... More >>

Congress Speaks at Tenth-Grade Level; Florida Totally Average; Connie Mack Simplest Speaker in Congress

There has been a lot of blogspace spent on the Sunlight Foundation's latest study, which found that the speech patterns of members of Congress have gotten markedly simpler over the past 15 years or so."Is Congress getting dumber, or just more plainspoken?" its headline asks, and the whole country at ... More >>

Chip LaMarca Still May Run for Congress in District 22

​The day Broward Vice Mayor Kristin Jacobs held her official campaign kickoff for the U.S. House of Representatives, fellow County Commissioner Chip LaMarca told the Sun-Sentinel he's "very seriously considering" running for Allen West's old seat too.LaMarca, a Republican, has been "considering" a ... More >>

Frankel and Hasner Running for Allen West's Seat; Who Knows Who Else Will?

​Now that Allen West has announced his intent to ditch the 22nd to run in a more Republican district farther north, there's no telling who's going to come out of the woodwork to snag the open seat in the November election.Right now, the only sure candidates are Republican Adam Hasner, who was runn ... More >>

Frederica Wilson Had Worst Attendance Out of Florida's Congressional Delegation

​No member of Florida's congressional delegation missed more votes this year than South Florida Democratic Rep. Frederica Wilson.In fact, South Florida Democrats -- excluding Rep. Alcee Hastings -- had some of the worst attendance records in the state, as Wilson, Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, and ... More >>

Five Food Shows We'd Love to See in 2012

​I'll admit I'm totally obsessed with shows on the Food Network, Travel Channel, and Cooking Channel. In fact, I recently upgraded my cable service (and bill) in order to get the Cooking Channel when the free trial period ended -- just so I could watch Emeril tour the USA and Nadia G. vamp her way ... More >>

Allen West: Where Was Your Leadership in Opposing the Payroll Tax Deal?

Whenever we point out the quirks of Rep. Allen West, there's always some dissent from his fans. In his defense, his supporters typically point out the leadership quality they see in the congressman.West was given a chance to be a leader this past week, as he's opposed the two-month extension of the ... More >>

Allen West Apologizes to the Country on the House Floor (Video)

Rep. Allen Bernard West is sorry about that whole Congress thing that happened this year.​Rep. Allen West took about 14 minutes to speak on the floor of the House of Representatives yesterday, apologizing to Americans for not really being able to do anything.Right after his apology, though, he mad ... More >>

Herman Cain Is a "Distracter," According to Allen West [Insert Laughter Here]

Rep. Allen West​Of all the people to call for GOP presidential candidate Herman Cain to drop out of the race because he's a distraction, it was Rep. Allen West.Yes, West, quite possibly the biggest distraction in the House of Representatives, said Cain's being a "distracter" was enough for him to ... More >>

Rick Scott Notices Super Committee Failure, Feels the Need to Put Out a Statement

​Once again, Gov. Rick Scott feels the need to release a statement about something he doesn't like in federal politics.Three House Republicans, three House Democrats, three Senate Republicans, and three Senate Democrats couldn't agree on how to make $1.2 billion in spending cuts over the next ten ... More >>

Connie Mack Enters U.S. Senate Race With 23-Point Lead Over Other GOP Hopefuls

FlickrConnie Mack​Whereas "someone else/not sure" was the overwhelming leader in previous polls for the Republican nomination in next year's U.S. Senate race, Rep. Connie Mack's entrance into the race changes things a bit.Mack enters with the support of 32 percent of Republican voters, according t ... More >>

Village Voice Media Asks for Your Support of Senate Bill 596

George LeMieux Bashes Stimulus by Voicing Distaste for Garbage-Eating Robots

​U.S. Senate candidate George LeMieux has apparently run out of things to talk about, so he's bitching about critiquing trash cans.He's upset about solar-powered trash compactors -- $6,000 "robotic trash cans" as he calls them -- some of which were purchased with federal stimulus cash by the L ... More >>

Florida Democratic Party's New Fundraising Technique: Identifying the "Rickpublicans"

​Forget Kevin Bacon, the Florida Democratic Party is playing the "Six Degrees of Rick Scott."How do you play? Well, apparently by launching a website identifying the state's "Rickpublicans."Sure enough, hometown favorite Rep. Allen West landed a Bacon Rick number of one, with a direct connection t ... More >>

Mitt Romney Leads New Florida Poll; Ron Paul Most Unfavorable Candidate but Places Fourth

​With this afternoon's release of Public Policy Polling's survey of Florida Republican voters, Florida became the first Southern state polled by the firm that didn't select Texas Gov. Rick Perry as its front-runner for the GOP presidential nomination.Instead, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney ... More >>

Allen West, Believe It or Not, Takes Up the Most Airtime of Any House Freshman

Harriet Tubman​Believe it or not, Rep. Allen West -- the self-proclaimed "modern-day Harriet Tubman" who compared being gay to liking ice cream and riding scooters, said gay soldiers can "change their behavior," called not-a-lady Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz the "most vile, unprofessional, and de ... More >>

Allen West: Country Is at "DEFCON 1"; Offers to Run the House of Representatives by Himself

​More than 80 U.S. lawmakers are headed to Israel during Congress' vacation, but Rep. Allen West said yesterday he's more than ready to come back to the House floor and run the place by himself.Both chambers of Congress are in recess until September 5, which hasn't been sitting too well with sever ... More >>

Allen West: Wasserman Schultz "Most Vile, Unprofessional, and Despicable" House Member

Allen West: Under the impression he's still in third grade.​If you haven't noticed, Rep. Allen West typically resorts to name-calling when things don't go his way.After Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz called out the "Cut, Cap, and Balance" legislation and made reference to West, he decided to do a t ... More >>

Democrats Call on Allen West Censure and Apology, Neither of Which Are Likely

​Patrick Murphy, the Democrat who wants to take over Rep. Allen West's seat in 2012, says West's attack on Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz shows he's "incapable of controlling himself," and says he should face a censure.Florida Democratic Party Chairman Rod Smith today demanded an apology from West, ... More >>

Vaginal Rejuvenation: Controversial Cosmetic Surgery Offered At Strax

​For women who want their junk to look like Barbie's, the world of plastic surgery offers a plethora of options.Any intimate part can be enlarged, removed, enhanced, or reduced. According to an article in this month's Atlantic magazine, cosmetic vaginal surgery is a growing trend, increasingly off ... More >>

Allen West Suggests Congressmen Should "Get Shot at a Few Times" to Change Opinion on Afghanistan

briansdesk.com​The U.S. House is nearing two different votes demanding that President Barack Obama set a definite timetable on troop withdrawal from Afghanistan, but Rep. Allen West doesn't want to hear any of that hippie talk. Instead, Lt. Col. West would prefer that congressmen urging an exit f ... More >>

Voter Suppression Back in Style; Let's Party Like It's 1869

Screw the 15th Amendment. This is Florida.​Florida's legislative attack on voter rights easily passed the House last week and looks like it will surely sail through the Senate to become law. We're not alone, though. Our state's attempt to disenfranchise a massive amount of its citizens is actuall ... More >>

Government Shutdown Will Backfire on Republicans

​If the government shuts down at midnight tonight, it won't be the first time. The same thing happened at the end of 1995, when a U.S. House led by Newt Gingrich pulled the stunt on Bill Clinton. We all know how that ended. The public blamed the Republicans for the shutdown, and Clinton ... More >>

Adam Hasner Joins West in Mindless Bashing

With the rhetoric coming from Allen West and Adam Hasner, it seems only a matter of time before they start talking about protecting our precious bodily fluids against the Muslim "infiltration." Hasner​Hasner, likely U.S. Senate candidate and former Florida House majority leader who represe ... More >>

Congressman Dennis Kucinich Sues Restaurant Over Olive

Donkey Hotey Watch those Olives!​Congressman Dennis Kucinich of Ohio is suing the operators, owners and suppliers of the House of Representatives cafeteria in Washington, DC for selling him a sandwich wrap that had an unpitted olive in it back in 2008. The lawsuit claims the Congres ... More >>

Mexican Macro-Economics

Do undocumented migrants steal jobs from American workers?

Billionaires Still Bountiful in South Florida

FlickrThe closest you'll ever get to H. Wayne Huizenga's yacht.​The region's economy has been shaken in recent years by the housing slump and by the collapse of Ponzi schemers like Madoff and Rothstein, but South Florida is still home to at least 20 billionaires, according to the most recent Forbe ... More >>

Marco Rubio Gets Big Campaign Bucks From Oil Giant Koch Industries

Rubio, a darling of Big Oil.​Four months ago, as oil from the Deepwater Horizon disaster gushed into the Gulf of Mexico and threatened Panhandle beaches, Republican U.S. Senate candidate Marco Rubio stubbornly defended his support for offshore drilling."The issue of offshore drilling is not going ... More >>

Marco Rubio Has Risen With Lightning Speed, but Conservatives Alone Can't Carry Him to the White House

At Century Village in West Palm, Jeff Greene Ducks Gay Marriage Question

During a recent campaign stop, U.S. Senate candidate Jeff Greene told a member of South Florida's gay community "I haven't formed an opinion yet" on gay marriage. That seems doubtful. Rather, Greene's shrewd enough to give himself some wiggle room on that question if it makes it to the general elec ... More >>

Republican Woman Swoon Over Marco Rubio; "Like Listening to Newt Gingrich Except Younger With a Cuban Accent"

The date on this video is June 16. So what's Marco Rubio doing giving speeches for Republican women in San Diego during the heat of the Senate race? Don't tell me that this young whippersnapper would win the U.S. Senate only to leave his term early to run for president. Because that sounds like som ... More >>

Morning Juice: Prison for Bev Gallagher; Oil Nears Panhandle

​Here's a glance at what's in the local headlines:It's not quite the Miracle on the Hudson, but a small plane made a safe emergency landing in a field just short of the Fort Lauderdale airport's runway. It narrowly missed hitting a home. [WPLG-5]Broward County School Board member Beverly Gallagher ... More >>

[UPDATED] It's Splitsville for Charlie Crist's Broward Bromance

​While he was a Republican Senate candidate, Charlie Crist didn't have an inner circle so much as a triangle. And all three points on that triangle were from Broward County. George LeMieux, the governor's former chief of staff, whom Crist appointed to the U.S. Senate last August; Eric Eikenberg, w ... More >>

Morning Juice: Perp Walk Coming for Rothstein Cohorts; Heat Playoff Run Gone in a Flash

​Let's see what's in the headlines this morning in South Florida:Six weeks after she was beaten nearly to death at a Deerfield Beach school bus stop, 15-year-old Josie Lou Ratley has been released from the hospital. She now heads to a rehabilitation facility to get physical therapy and speech ther ... More >>

After Anti-Drilling Press Conference, No Suspense Left in Crist Campaign Announcement

Crist's independent candidacy for U.S. Senate began two weeks ago, with his dramatic veto of Senate Bill 6. And calling a press conference Tuesday to announce his opposition to drilling for oil off the Florida coast was just populist posturing in advance of tomorrow's announcement in St. Pete.From ... More >>

Morning Juice: Crist Veto May Signal Indy Run; Life for Killer in Sunrise

​A glance through the Friday-morning headlines:Charlie Crist's veto of Senate Bill 6 has touched off conflict with fellow state Republicans, leading to more speculation that Crist will declare as an independent in the race for U.S. Senate. [Sun-Sentinel]The tea partiers did their tax-day thing out ... More >>

Disgraced Politicos Who Should've Stayed Hidden

Mark Foley is baack.​Now that former U.S. Congressman Mark Foley has begun his unembarrassed return to Republican politics, it's tempting to recall the many other disgraced Floridians who perhaps should have stayed hidden longer. Blithely ignoring the infamy of their scandals, these public figures ... More >>

Morning Juice: Deerfield Teen's Mother Meets the Media; Bill Targets Sexting

​A glance at the local news: Josie Lou Ratley's mother talked to the media yesterday about her daughter's condition following the brutal beating that occurred last week at a bus stop on the campus of Deerfield Beach Middle School. [WPLG-10]The Broward County auditor says that if the Broward Sherif ... More >>

Morning Juice: Ryan LeVin Surrenders to Police; Gallagher to Plead to Bribery Charge

​While you enjoy your Irish coffee, a few local headlines:Accused hit-and-run driver Ryan LeVin was arrested last night by Fort Lauderdale police. He's been charged with vehicular homicide in the February 13, 2009, deaths of Kenneth Watkinson and Craig Elford, two British tourists. [Sun-Sentinel]A ... More >>

George LeMieux Talking Points Get Mangled on Cable News Show

Is there anyone out there besides George LeMieux and his fellow Republicans in Congress who think that this health care issue hasn't been debated to death? To someone who was appointed to the U.S. Senate this past fall, it may seem like health care reform has sneaked up on Congress, but it's been p ... More >>

Morning Juice: Another Broward Commissioner Investigated; Kim Rothstein Gives Interview

​Let's see what's in the papers and on the TV news this Wednesday morning:Prosecutors are finally getting 'round to issuing subpoenas in the long-overdue investigation of Broward County Commissioner Diana Wasserman-Rubin, who voted for some $11 million in grants for parks in Southwest Ranches -- g ... More >>

A Sneak Peek at the Candidates for Broward Health Board

davidmaymon.comDavid Maymon​The list of candidates for the Broward Health board is full of attorneys, contractors, politicians and health-care business owners. They are vying for at least one open seat -- the one formerly belonging to Maureen Jaeger, who left this fall to join George Lemieux's U.S ... More >>

Rubio Reaches Out to Parking Lot Loiterers

If you're running for U.S. Senate like Marco Rubio, it's hard to break the habit of speechifying, even if you're just stepping outside your car and walking into a new campaign office in Clearwater. But just stick with it a few minutes. A few sympathetic people are bound to stop and listen. Maybe th ... More >>

Morning Juice: Salesman Not Buying FBI's Case; Embattled Palm Beach School Official Stripped of Duty

​Here's what in the local news this morning:Local targets of the FBI corruption sting were apparently unimpressed by the case that was made against them. The same day that former Broward County School Board member Beverly Gallagher entered a not guilty plea to selling her office, former Miramar Co ... More >>

Charlie Crist Ducks Questions From Conspiracy Theorists

There's Charlie Crist trying to warm up an otherwise frosty crowd in Clearwater. None chillier than the men behind the camera, who (judging by the herky-jerky camera) are quivering in anticipation of rubbing elbows with the governor and U.S. Senate candidate.Awesome intro music, by the way. I thoug ... More >>

High-Ranking Jeb Bush Associate Offers Candid Critique of Crist

Flickr: Linnette Alissa​The wild card in the race for the Republican nomination to U.S. Senate is the endorsement of Jeb Bush. To get a read on whether he's leaning toward Charlie Crist or Marco Rubio, I consulted a source who -- in exchange for his or her candor -- we will simply call a high-rank ... More >>

Mid-Terms Came Too Late

Foley Blames Demon Alcohol

Rockets Red Spiel

Get it at ArtServe now, folks! It slices, it dices, it makes you feel mushy.