Once Again We Lead The Nation in Stupidity FloriDUH

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##):ohno::think2::>( thanks religion and republicans for once again proving how worthless you both are

South Florida gambling plans head for trouble




TALLAHASSEE – A controversial plan to massively expand gambling in South Florida appears headed for more trouble as the House and Senate move in opposite directions.

Rep. Erik Fresen, R-Miami, released a 146-page rewritten version of his destination casino bill that bans Internet cafes, lowers pari-mutuel tax rates and reconfigures a regulation considered crucial to Las Vegas operators who want to do business in the state. It would not grant casino licenses until 2017 – the original timeline had a commission awarding licenses in mid 2013.

Both Fresen and Senate sponsor Sen. Ellyn Bogdanoff, R-Fort Lauderdale, have had to make a number of changes to their respective bills to win votes. But her version allows pari-mutuel facilities to become full blown casinos if destination resorts open in their counties. Her bill regulates Internet cafes and lets other counties get slot machines at their gambling facilities.


  • fresen said his revisions were necessary to win votes in the bill's first committee hearing slated for Friday


"The upgrades were all for the most part driven by me based on conversations with the different committee members," Fresen said. "[But] the basic core of the bill is still there."

The destination casino proposal has always faced an uphill climb. Supporters argue it could bring the state thousands of jobs, and be a boon to the South Florida economy. Opponents counter it would hurt the state's family-friendly image and cannibalize local businesses.

It has divided business groups like the Florida Chamber of Commerce, which opposes it, and Associated Industries, which supports it. The two have traded ad attacks for the past several weeks over issues of job creation, the crime rate and the image of the Sunshine state.

No Casinos, Inc., a group that has operated in the past to fight gambling expansion measures, released a study that predicts crime would rise 8 to 12 percent if two destination casinos were added, and the cost to imprison the perpetrators (mostly from robberies and thefts) would be $3 billion for 10 years. The numbers were based on 23 academic studies, but Jessica Hoppe, general counsel of casino resort company Genting, called it a "scare tactic."

"Today's publicity stunt is a condemnable attempt to manipulate the community through scare tactics," she said. "The true objective of this group is to deny the voters of Miami-Dade and Broward counties an opportunity to have a say on the destination resorts issue."

Bogdanoff's version passed the Senate Regulated Industries Committee weeks ago, and Senate President Mike Haridopolos has committed to letting the full Senate vote on the issue. He and other Senate leaders have been waiting for the House to take up the bill.

Both lawmakers long ago acknowledged they would have to make changes to accommodate their respective chambers' membership and then ultimately try to meet in the middle.

Fresen's rewritten version would lower a racino's tax rates from 35 percent to 10 percent once a destination casino opens and it would rework the regulation side of the bill. Instead of setting up a separate agency to control gambling, it would create a single department to oversee casinos and grant licenses. The department would answer to the Governor and Cabinet.

The original set-up, and the one in Bogdanoff's version, created a separate agency and gaming commission, which would handle the awarding of the licenses. Nevada uses a similar system and many Vegas operators endorse it.

"There were legitimate structural concerns, whether the commission would have a role beyond the issuance of the three licenses," Fresen said.

How the bill will fare Friday is still up in the air. Both representatives from Genting and Las Vegas Sands, two of the leading casino companies that hope to enter the state, said they are still reviewing the legislation.

"We are pleased Representative Fresen's bill has been released and are currently reviewing," Hoppe said. "We look forward to applying for the opportunity to work under the regulatory structure adopted by the legislature which they deem best for gaming regulation in the State of Florida."

Two committee members though, Rep. Carlos Trujillo, R-Miami, and Rep. Joseph Abruzzo, R-Wellington, have already said they are "no" votes.

Trujillo released an opinion piece after the committee agreed to hear the bill Friday.

"Contrary to the argument posited by proponents of HB 487, it is undeniable that this is an attempt at expanding gambling," he said. "To say otherwise is wrong, preposterous, and unfortunately, an attempt to mislead a community in desperate need of economic relief. "
 

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I dont understand your headline. Its 2 republicans in the story who are authoring the bills they are trying to pass. Also 1 of 2 groups named in the story as opposing the bill is The Florida Chamber of Commerce.....Do they hold their services on Sunday or Saturday????? Baptize in water? i dunno just asking..here in Louisiana the COC has nothing whatsoever to do with churches but i guess its different in Fla...
The other group is called NoCasinos.Inc and no mention is made of who their backers are......but surely you dont think nobody has a right to an opposing view do you? O wait....your a Democrat ?????? That would explain that part... It is funny the story doesnt mention anywhere all the Democrats who are breaking their necks trying to get a gambling bill passed...Are they to busy trying to run illegal guns across the border ????? Or suing states for enforcing laws????? Maybe they are all at todays meetings where Democrats are discussing the messiahs statement yesterday that taking from hard working productive people and giving it to bums is ordered in the Bible and was taught by that false messiah Jesus...There is a lot in the news today about bullshitting religious fanatics only thing is they all have a (D) after their name...
 

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I don't get the OP's point either.
Looks like republicans are trying to get this passed.
 

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No Casinos, Inc., a group that has operated in the past to fight gambling expansion measures, released a study that predicts crime would rise 8 to 12 percent if two destination casinos were added, and the cost to imprison the perpetrators (mostly from robberies and thefts) would be $3 billion for 10 years. The numbers were based on 23 academic studies, but Jessica Hoppe, general counsel of casino resort company Genting, called it a "scare tactic."


That's crazy if true...

2 casino.. 8-12% more crime.. 3 BILLION to house that increase?.... I believe the billion has to be the most skewed number.
 

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pro and bill,you guy's know that liberals never make any sense
Don't get me wrong, I like the OP, just don't know exactly what he's trying to say, you got a Republican trying to push it through, but he's blaming the republicans............
 

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what does this thread have to do with Republicans??
 

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I am sorry I didnt elaborate.I am familiar with FL state politics and obviously if not from FL you would not be....Not going into a long analysis here. Just know that our state legislature is dominated by a very conservative, religiously influenced, extremist right wing. The original authors of the bill are from South FL while most of the opposition is based out of the northern part of the state. Quite honestly Orlando south should be a different state as we share almost nothing in common with the religiously dominant conservative North...
 

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OK completely my fault for not elaborating here. I am familiar with FL state politics and it was stupid of me to assume other posters would be. To understand my anger at the republicans and the fanatic religious right wing that dominates the state legislature and the governors mansion you have to understand some basic facts and geagraphy about FL.

The state capital is located in Tallahasee which is north FL. The areas from the panhandle south to Orlando aare very similar to the backwoods of West Virginia and Arkansas... Dominated by a particularly evil brand of religious lunacy and conservatism. Orlando south comprises of a more liberal, educated, free thinking group of people, That is why the authors of the bill reside out of Miami and Ft Lauderdale which are modern, developed, economically dominat areas of the state.

To Be Continued...Gotta put the baby to sleep
 

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I dont understand your headline. Its 2 republicans in the story who are authoring the bills they are trying to pass. Also 1 of 2 groups named in the story as opposing the bill is The Florida Chamber of Commerce.....Do they hold their services on Sunday or Saturday????? Baptize in water? i dunno just asking..here in Louisiana the COC has nothing whatsoever to do with churches but i guess its different in Fla...
The other group is called NoCasinos.Inc and no mention is made of who their backers are......but surely you dont think nobody has a right to an opposing view do you? O wait....your a Democrat ?????? That would explain that part... It is funny the story doesnt mention anywhere all the Democrats who are breaking their necks trying to get a gambling bill passed...Are they to busy trying to run illegal guns across the border ????? Or suing states for enforcing laws????? Maybe they are all at todays meetings where Democrats are discussing the messiahs statement yesterday that taking from hard working productive people and giving it to bums is ordered in the Bible and was taught by that false messiah Jesus...There is a lot in the news today about bullshitting religious fanatics only thing is they all have a (D) after their name...


No I am DEFINITELY not a Democrat. I hate the 2 party system and am not a member of any party.Again I am sorry for just assuming people woul dknow the back story to this. I guess I can just summarize by saying the church has a stranglehold over the state goverment and has time and again used the republican party to push an extremist agenda on the citizens of the state.
 

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Religious, social conservatives unite to oppose gambling expansion in Florida

November 02, 2011|By Kathleen Haughney, Tallahassee Bureau
TALLAHASSEE — Religious leaders and social conservatives from around the state met in Tallahassee Monday to begin laying out their strategy to defeat a gaming bill that would dramatically expand gambling in the state by bringing three Las Vegas-style casinos to the South Florida market.
The Florida Catholic Conference, the Florida Family Policy Council, the Florida Baptist Convention and Florida Casino Watch all declared their opposition at a news conference, warning of social costs that a gaming expansion could bring to the state.


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"We believe that the casino bills are amazingly short-sighted," said John Stemberger, who heads the Florida Family Policy Council. "We do not solve short-term economic pressures by creating permanent institutions that are regressive, counterproductive and not in the best interest of the common good."
The opposition of the religious community is no surprise. They've rejected past attempts to expand gambling, but the group said the scope of the bills filed by Rep. Erik Fresen, R-Miami, and Sen. Ellyn Bogdanoff, R-Fort Lauderdale, is so broad that they wanted to attack the issue as a group.
Stemberger said his group, which typically endorses "family-friendly" candidates who oppose abortion and gay adoption, will publish committee and floor votes on the bills ((HB 487, SB 710) by all 160 legislators. It will also publicly name lawmakers who take gaming industry money.
Bill Bunkley, a lobbyist for Florida Baptist Witness, said he plans to reach out to leaders of individual lawmakers' churches or synagogues to help generate opposition.
How effective they'll be remains to be seen. According to surveys conducted by the American Gaming Association, an industry information clearinghouse based in Washington, D.C.. the percentage of Americans morally opposed to gambling has remained flat since 1999 at roughly 16 percent.
Meanwhile, 60 percent of respondents in a 2011 survey "view casinos as an integral part of their tourism mix," and say casinos are "very" or "somewhat" important to the overall U.S. travel and tourism industry, the AGA said.
 

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with RECORD unemployment in FL this is all w care about doing


New Restrictions On Abortion Almost Tied Record Last Year

By Julie Rovner, NPR News
January 20th, 2012, 9:56 AM
This story comes from our partner ‘s Shots blog.
If it seemed like 2011 was a big year for laws restricting abortion, it was.
In fact, according to “Who Decides? The Status of Women’s Reproductive Rights In the U.S.,” the 21st annual report compiled by the abortion-rights group NARAL Pro-Choice America, the 69 laws enacted restricting a woman’s reproductive rights were just one short of the record set in 1999.
“The bottom line here is that elections matter,” said NARAL President and CEO Nancy Keenan. “When you have a change of anti-choice politicians sitting in the statehouse, it affects women’s’ lives.”
rick-scott-176.jpg
Florida Gov. Rick Scott signed four bills in 2011 that placed new restrictions on abortions in the Sunshine State (photo by Gage Skidmore via Flickr)

In fact, the dramatic increase in laws restricting abortion and other reproductive health matters shouldn’t have come as much of a surprise given the results of the 2010 elections, noted NARAL Policy Director Donna Crane.
After the sweeping success of the Tea Party, only six states have governments where both houses of the legislature and the governor support abortion rights, while 19 states have a governor and majority of the legislature opposed to abortion.
The states that passed the largest number of abortion restrictions in 2011 all got new, anti-abortion GOP governors in 2009 or 2010: Florida, Arizona and Kansas.
Interestingly, however, those states don’t match the list of the top “pro-life” states as ranked today by the anti-abortion group Americans United for Life. AUL, which ranked states not just according to anti-abortion legislation but also issues including euthanasia, cloning and stem-cell research, put Louisiana, Oklahoma, and Pennsylvania at the top of its list. Bringing up the rear were Hawaii, California and Washington.
Meanwhile, the NARAL report shows that the 69 anti-abortion laws fell broadly into five separate categories:
1. Mandatory ultrasound laws. These laws, now passed by eight states, require a physician to perform an ultrasound on a pregnant women before performing an abortion, even if it is not medically indicated and the woman does not request it.
2. Abortion insurance coverage bans. These laws, now passed by 16 states, ban abortion coverage by private health insurers. Some apply to all health insurers in a state, some to the new health “exchanges” that will be created by the Affordable Care Act.
3. Nebraska copycat bans. In 2010, Nebraska banned most abortions after 20 weeks gestation, on the contested theory that it marks the point in pregnancy when a fetus can feel pain. So far at least five more states — Idaho, Indiana, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Alabama — have joined Nebraska in enacting similar laws.
4. Race and sex selection laws. These are laws that make it a crime for physicians to fail to ensure that abortions are not being done purely for race or gender selection reasons. Arizona passed such a law in March 2011, joining three other states that had older laws already on the books.
5. Affiliation bans. These laws seek to bar abortion providers (often, but not exclusively Planned Parenthood) from receiving state funds for family planning or other services. Three states passed new laws in 2011, bringing to 11 the number of states with such laws in place, although four are currently being blocked by court order.
And action is already heating up for 2012, say both sides. Several states are looking at “personhood” ballot amendments, which define life as beginning at fertilization. Such laws would not only ban all abortions with no exception, but also many forms of birth control.
Meanwhile, the Ohio Senate is expected to move early this year on a bill to ban abortion at the point the fetal heartbeat can be detected – about eight weeks into pregnancy. The bill passed the Ohio House last year.
That bill “would outlaw abortion at a point in pregnancy when most women aren’t even aware they’re pregnant,” said Kellie Copeland, executive director of NARAL Pro-Choice Ohio. It would almost certainly prompt a challenge to the Supreme Court’s landmark Roe v. Wade decision legalizing abortion.
Finally, Washington state’s legislature is considering a bill that would move their state in the other direction. The “Reproductive Parity Act,” which had its first hearing Thursday, would would require private and public insurers that provide maternity coverage to also cover abortion services.
 

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IN FL we dont creat jobs or give the citizens what they want....We Kill Jobs

House gambling bill appears dead for now

State Rep. Erick Fresen (R-Miami) withdrew his destination gambling resort bill on Friday and the chairman of a key subcommittee said it would not be meeting for the remainder of the year.
The moves appear to effectively kill chances of considering a bill this year, which would be a major blow to The Genting Group, which is planning $3.8 billion casino resort in downtown Miami.
Fresen said he was withdrawing the bill because it would not be afforded the opportunity for a proper debate.
The representative said he didn't want it to get lost and wanted to "continue the conversation outside of the hyperbole" – an indication of how he perceived the passionate nature of arguments for and against the measure.
The bill would allowed three resorts in South Florida, banned internet cafes and lowered the tax rate on racinos. Even if the Legislature would have approved the measure, voters in each county would have had to approve a destination resort.
Doug Holder (R-Sarasota), chairman of the Business and Consumer Affairs Subcommittee, which was the first house panel to consider the bill, said Fresen's call for postponement to workshop the bill further effectively eliminated any further vetting until the 2013 session.
 

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So here we go again....You have the desires of the people indicated in a Quinnipiac Poll (one of the most respected polling sources in the nation)

Florida Needs to Find Some New Economic Growth Drivers (wells fargo report for 2011)
[FONT=Georgia,Georgia][FONT=Georgia,Georgia]Florida’s economy grew at a sluggish 1.6 percent in 2010, which was the second slowest expansion for any Southeast state.
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Ongoing Struggles for South Florida
[FONT=Georgia,Georgia][FONT=Georgia,Georgia]South Florida’s recovery from the Great Recession has been painfully slow. There are a few bright spots, including continued export growth driven by South Florida’s close trading ties to South America and a rebound in tourism, but overall job growth in the South Florida region remains lackluster. Total employment in Miami, Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach, for example, is up only 0.6 percent over the past year, and the unemployment rate remains in double digits across many of South Florida’s metro areas.
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The poll of 1,412 registered voters by Quinnipiac University was conducted Jan. 4-8 and has a margin of error of 2.6 percentage points. The casinos numbers: Voters support the creation of "non-Indian casinos similar to those in Atlantic City and Las Vegas" by a slim 48-43 margin, a larger 61-33 percent margin believe casinos would improve state’s economy and voters do not think that gambling is morally wrong by a 73-22 percent margin.
Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/01/10/2582293/poll-majority-of-voters-say-casinos.html#storylink=cpy
 

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I am just trying to get the facts out there...I know its unorganized but just hang in there...I will bring at all together
 

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