This weekend, volunteers new and old from across the Sunshine State gathered for Organizing for America’s National Weekend of Training. From the sandy shores of Miami to the swamp where the Florida Gators play, change was in the air and health insurance reform was the topic at hand.
GRANDPA, WE LOVE AND RESPECT YOUR LIFE AND YOUR PAST ACCOMPLISHMENTS, BUT IT IS TIME TO GO SIT DOWN IN YOUR LOUNGE CHAIR AND WATCH THE HISTORY CHANNEL ALL DAY. YOU CAN RANT AND RAVE AT THE TV ALL DAY AND WE PROMISE TO KEEP YOU COMFORTABLE. IT IS HARD TO SAY THIS BUT WE ARE TIRED AND EMBARASSED ABOUT YOUR RANTING, RAVING, AND CRITICISM OF OUR WAY OF LIFE. YOU DON' UNDERSTAND OUR COMPUTERS, IPODS, BLACKBERRYS, AND BLOGS. WE UNDERSTAND THE WORLD HAS PASSED YOU BY, BUT IT IS NOW TIME FOR US TO RUN OUR BRAVE NEW WORLD. SO GRANDPA, MOVE BACK OUT TO ARIZONA, STAY WARM AND CMFY, AND WE PROMISE TO COME VISIT YOU NOW AND THEN. YOU SHOWING UP IN OUR LIVINGROOM IN YOUR UNDERWARE BECAUSE YOU FORGOT YOUR PANTS, NEEDS TO END. THE CUTE YOUNG NURSE THAT YOU HIRED WILL HELP YOU FIND THE TV CONTROLLER, AND FIX YOU NICE MEALS. GOODBYE GRANPA, WE WILL VISIT YOU SOON, BUT WE ARE BUSY RUNNING OUR WORLD NOW.
CAPT. RICK SILHAVY
Early Voting for the entire state of Florida has just been extended.
Every Early Vote location in Florida will now be every day from 7am-7pm up through November 2.
Please pass along this great news to everyone you know who will be voting in Florida. Click here to find your nearest early vote location.
Here's the release:
GOVERNOR CRIST EXTENDS EARLY VOTING HOURS ~~ ~Ensures maximum number of Floridians can exercise right to vote~ ~~October 28, 2008Contact:GOVERNOR'S PRESS OFFICE(850) 488-5394TALLAHASSEE - Governor Charlie Crist today signed Executive Order 08-217, extending the hours for early voting during the current General Election. Effective immediately, early voting sites will be open from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., through Friday, October 31, 2008, and for a total of 12 hours between 7:00 a.m. on Saturday, November 1, and 7:00 p.m. on Sunday, November 2, 2008. "I have spoken with the Secretary of State and members of the Florida Legislature and have concluded that it is always the right thing to do to give voters every opportunity to cast a ballot," Governor Crist said. "I have a responsibility to the voters of our state to ensure that the maximum number of citizens can participate in the electoral process, and that every person can exercise the right to vote." Prior to the 2008 General Election, Florida has seen historic numbers of Floridians registering to vote for the first time. In addition, record numbers of voters have chosen to cast a ballot during early voting. Early voting began on October 20 and runs through November 2. Current Florida law allows for early voting to be conducted eight hours per day on each weekday, and for a total of eight hours during both weekends during the early voting period. Floridians can contact their county's Supervisor of Elections for dates, times and locations of early voting. Florida voters can also request absentee ballots to be mailed to them until October 29. Please see the attached Executive Order 08-217. STATE OF FLORIDA OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR EXECUTIVE ORDER NUMBER 08-217 WHEREAS, early voting is scheduled to end November 2, 2008; and WHEREAS, early voting turnout has already reached record levels and is forecast to continue with record turnout. There are only 267 early voting sites throughout the state and long lines have formed at many of the early voting sites; and WHEREAS, a historic number of Floridians have registered to vote for the first time in this election; and WHEREAS, new voting equipment is being used in 15 Florida counties; WHEREAS, as a result of this unique combination of circumstances resulting from the historic voter turnout in this election, there is a possibility that election officials will be unable to conduct an orderly election, and thus residents in our state could be deprived of a meaningful opportunity to vote; andWHEREAS, because of the existing and continuing possibility of an emergency occurring before or during the regularly scheduled election, and in order to ensure maximum citizen participation in the electoral process, and provide a safe and orderly procedure for persons seeking to exercise their right to vote;NOW, THEREFORE, I, CHARLIE CRIST, as Governor of Florida, by virtue of the authority vested in me by Article IV, Section 1(a) of the Florida Constitution, by the Florida Elections Emergency Act, and by all other applicable laws, issue the following Executive Order, to take immediate effect:I hereby declare that, based on the above-described conditions, a state of emergency exists. It is hereby found and declared to be necessary to extend the voting hours during early voting. Accordingly, I order the Supervisors of Elections to open early voting sites from 7 a.m. and close at 7 p.m. through October 31, 2008 and open early voting sites for a total of twelve (12) hours between 7 a.m. November 1, 2008 and 7 p.m. November 2, 2008.IN TESTIMONY WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Great Seal of the State of Florida to be affixed, at Tallahassee, the Capitol, this 28th day of October, 2008. GOVERNORATTEST:SECRETARY OF STATE
GOVERNOR CRIST EXTENDS EARLY VOTING HOURS
~~ ~Ensures maximum number of Floridians can exercise right to vote~ ~~
October 28, 2008
Contact:
GOVERNOR'S PRESS OFFICE(850) 488-5394
TALLAHASSEE - Governor Charlie Crist today signed Executive Order 08-217, extending the hours for early voting during the current General Election. Effective immediately, early voting sites will be open from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., through Friday, October 31, 2008, and for a total of 12 hours between 7:00 a.m. on Saturday, November 1, and 7:00 p.m. on Sunday, November 2, 2008.
"I have spoken with the Secretary of State and members of the Florida Legislature and have concluded that it is always the right thing to do to give voters every opportunity to cast a ballot," Governor Crist said. "I have a responsibility to the voters of our state to ensure that the maximum number of citizens can participate in the electoral process, and that every person can exercise the right to vote."
Prior to the 2008 General Election, Florida has seen historic numbers of Floridians registering to vote for the first time. In addition, record numbers of voters have chosen to cast a ballot during early voting.
Early voting began on October 20 and runs through November 2. Current Florida law allows for early voting to be conducted eight hours per day on each weekday, and for a total of eight hours during both weekends during the early voting period. Floridians can contact their county's Supervisor of Elections for dates, times and locations of early voting.
Florida voters can also request absentee ballots to be mailed to them until October 29.
Please see the attached Executive Order 08-217.
STATE OF FLORIDA
OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR
EXECUTIVE ORDER NUMBER 08-217
WHEREAS, early voting is scheduled to end November 2, 2008; and
WHEREAS, early voting turnout has already reached record levels and is forecast to continue with record turnout. There are only 267 early voting sites throughout the state and long lines have formed at many of the early voting sites; and
WHEREAS, a historic number of Floridians have registered to vote for the first time in this election; and
WHEREAS, new voting equipment is being used in 15 Florida counties;
WHEREAS, as a result of this unique combination of circumstances resulting from the historic voter turnout in this election, there is a possibility that election officials will be unable to conduct an orderly election, and thus residents in our state could be deprived of a meaningful opportunity to vote; and
WHEREAS, because of the existing and continuing possibility of an emergency occurring before or during the regularly scheduled election, and in order to ensure maximum citizen participation in the electoral process, and provide a safe and orderly procedure for persons seeking to exercise their right to vote;
NOW, THEREFORE, I, CHARLIE CRIST, as Governor of Florida, by virtue of the authority vested in me by Article IV, Section 1(a) of the Florida Constitution, by the Florida Elections Emergency Act, and by all other applicable laws, issue the following Executive Order, to take immediate effect:
I hereby declare that, based on the above-described conditions, a state of emergency exists. It is hereby found and declared to be necessary to extend the voting hours during early voting. Accordingly, I order the Supervisors of Elections to open early voting sites from 7 a.m. and close at 7 p.m. through October 31, 2008 and open early voting sites for a total of twelve (12) hours between 7 a.m. November 1, 2008 and 7 p.m. November 2, 2008.
IN TESTIMONY WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Great Seal of the State of Florida to be affixed, at Tallahassee, the Capitol, this 28th day of October, 2008.
GOVERNOR
ATTEST:
SECRETARY OF STATE
I OWN A SERVICE COMPANY WITH 10 SERVICE TRUCKS. tHIS YEAR MY TRUCKS FILL UP WITH GASOLINE EVERY DAY. IT COSTS OUR SMALL COMPANY ALMOST $100 TO FILL UP EACH TIME. OUR COMPANY PROFIT HAS SEEN A MAJOR DECLINE BECAUSE WE ARE AT THE MERCY OF THE OIL COMPANIES. WE ARE GOING BROKE WHILE THEY GAIN PROFIT. THAT IS REALLY RE-DISTIBUTING THE WEALTH.
RICK SILHAVY
Woo-hoo! Managed to get a resident of Suncoast Estates to be my buddy. She knew the place to be to catch the most residents - a convenience store/gas station in the middle of this community. With permission from management, we set up shop right outside the door.
Once again, managed to register 11 new voters, assist with changes of address for several of those who moved here from out of county.
I also passed out quite a few applications for restoration of civil rights to convicted felons, but sadly had to explain that it was probably too late for this election. Why don't they tell these individuals that they can apply when they leave jail? None had a clue that they had that opportunity - they all thought that was it, no more civil rights of this type ever again. I was sure to point out the phone number for the ACLU on the back of the form - told them to jot it down & put it to use if they didn't hear from the state in a reasonable length of time.
This day was doubly important since the next day was the LAST day anyone could register in time to vote in the upcoming general election on 11/4/08.
At day's end, I took all the forms to my precinct captain (pct 67). She rushed them to the Lee County Hqtrs that evening so they'd be in the Supervisor of Election's office the next morning.
Afterwards, I followed up by making 200 1/4 page flyers regarding anyone's need for a ride to the polls to be distributed that Tuesday during the weekly food distribution at the Suncoast Estates Outreach Center. Some folks were dubious, but warmed up to the idea when reminded that voting is a secret ballot.
I spoke to our area's new Rides Director and his assistant to fill them in about these huge community that encompasses almost all of Pct 68. The next Tuesday I delivered the sign-up sheets for rides. I haven't heard from the director of the center as to how that went - hopefully very well. She was going to fax them directly to our local Obama hqtrs as the pages filled up.
Hmmm, I need to do some more follow-up and see how that worked out. Oh, the Outreach Center offered up their parking lot as a staging area for rides, too!
Again, I felt so good inside after this event that actually took so little time and effort on my part. It was food for my soul...
SEPTEMBER 21, 2OO8: SEMINOLE CAMPGROUND, 8991 Triplett Rd., North Fort Myers, FL 33917.
Registered new voters, assisted registered voters to apply to vote by mail, assisted with changes of address for those Florida residents who were new to Lee County, and helped several people with the application for restoration of civil rights for convicted felons who've completed their sentences. I also arranged rides to the polls for those without transportation.
Seminole Campground is a small area of Pct 67. Sadly, over the years, it has received a bad reputation, but to my pleasant surprise, is now under new ownership and getting cleaned up! The residents consist of temporary Lee County residents (workers), some displaced families, and some folks that are just plain down on their luck given the economy and mortgage disaster.
It was quite successful considering how few live in this small, but often forgotten community. I walked the park and talked to anyone and everyone that was outside of their little travel trailer homes. I was so pleased to have convinced a few people that their vote DOES count & they registered for the first time in their lives! Others, already registered, but cynical, were persuaded to exercise their right to vote.
I checked in at the campground yesterday, 10/24/08, to see if those in need of a ride were still in that position and just to touch base to make sure they all VOTE.
GOOD NEWS!!! All of them that had registered and also completed the vote by mail form had already received and mailed in their ballots! A few others had a turn in their luck & now have rides of their own! Everyone is very excited and staying informed on the progress of the campaigns!
The one contact that made me feel like I was on Cloud Nine, was the man who was taking his oath of citizenship in just 2 more weeks in Tampa. I gave him a voter registration form in Spanish, called my husband who is fluent in Spanish & had him explain the need to register. It seems they leave that OUT of the citizenship classes - grrrrrrrrrr!
Ahhh, I felt so good when I got home that day...
PLEASE VOTERS DO NOT BE FOOLED BY CHEAP GASOLINE---THE REPUBLICAN OIL EXECUTIVES AND BUSH AND CHENEY ARE MANIPULATING THE PRICE OF OIL AND GASOLINE PRICES--- JUST FOR THE ELECTION. BY JANUARY THE WILL BE BACK UP TO 4 DOLLARS A GALLON. THEY WILL FOOL VOTERS INTO THINKING THE ECONOMY IS NOT THAT BAD WHEN THEY GO TO THE GAS PUMP. IT IS THE OCTOBER SURPRISE TO HELP THE REPUBLICANS IN THIS ELECTION. HOW CAN PRICES GO DOWN WHEN HALF OF THE GULF FACILITIES ARE SHUT DOWN FROM THE HURRICANE WHICH SHOULD BE DISRUPTING THE SUPPLY. REMEMBER, ALL OIL COMPANY EXECS ARE REPUBLICANS.
PLEASE BEWARE OF THIS OCTOBER SURPRISE---
EVERYBODY LIKES LOWER GASOLINE--ESPECIALLY VOTERS
CAPTAIN RICK SILHAVY
I am an American woman who is tired of what has happened in this country during the last eight years. I am an American woman who loves my country, who is patriotic, who cares about the American way of life and the freedoms that come with it.
I am an American woman who is tired of seeing our way of life threatened and of the undermining of our Constitution. I am appalled at an administration that has the gall to question the patriotism of anyone that happens to disagree with them. I support the troops. For all of the preaching from the current administration about doing away with big government, I have never felt more powerless as an American citizen in my life. I am tired of an administration that advocates lies and secrecy, keeping the truth from the American people. I am appalled of the abuse of power by this administration.
I am tired of reading the newspaper about soldiers being killed in Iraq for no good reason, and the lies that led to that war. While believing that the Afghanistan invasion was worthy and necessary, I am saddened for mothers that cry themselves to sleep at night over the loss of the children that they will never be able to hold again and grandchildren that will never be born.
I am an American woman who is worried for the future of my children and grandchildren. I am worried about the debt that will fall on their shoulders due to the failed policies and uncontrolled spending of this administration. I am tired of the denigration of our standing in the rest of the world. Once we were a beacon of hope and light to countries around the world. A country to be admired for it's principles and human dignity, a country that now advocates torture, making us no better than our enemies.
The tone of the Bush presidency has become increasingly imperial with his "I don't have to answer to anyone" attitude. There is no longer a system of checks and balances, which were put in place for a reason. I am tired of having a President who is a virtual laughingstock. I want a President that can pronounce the word "nuclear" and doesn't speak with a cowboy mentality. I want a President that does not call himself a "maverick" which according to the dictionary is "an unbranded range animal"... "one who does not abide by the rules". Being a cowboy was admirable for John Wayne, but not for an American President.
I am an American woman who will NOT be voting for John McCain on Nov. 4th. I cannot vote for a man who has voted with this President 90% of the time. I cannot vote for a man that wants more deregulation of industry. John McCain is an advocate for deregulation of the insurance industry. If you think you have problems now when you reach someone in India about your computer problems, just wait until you have to try to get a health insurance claim settled with them. Try to get insurance with a pre-existing condition if this law is passed (H.R. 5480), it won't happen. Deregulation is not working, unfortunately, there is to too much greed in this world. We need that system of check and balances.
While thanking John McCain for his service to our country and for what he went through as a prisoner of war, I cannot vote for him because I feel it would be more of the same. I cannot vote for him because of his Vice-Presidential choice. While charming she may be, Sarah Palin is not, in my opinion, up for the job Vice President and certainly not for the possibility of ever becoming President. I've heard and seen much about John McCain's anger issues, and no longer want anger and the rush to judgment that comes from angry people.
I cannot vote for John McCain because of the voter caging scheme by his campaign that happened recently. Trying to deprive people of their right to vote is not what an honorable man would do. It was like another trick out of a Karl Roves playbook. Not a man that I want for the President of my country.
I cannot vote for John McCain because we need change, and we need it now.
I am an American woman who will be voting for Barak Obama on Nov, 4th. I've heard much touted about Barack's supposed inexperience, but I'm willing to bet that he will learn quickly. I feel that he will be more thoughtful in his decisions and of the consequences of those decisions than John McCain will be. The current administration was supposed to have that (so called) experience, and look at the mess that we are in right now.
I want someone that will care about the future of my grandchildren and not about how much money his insurance and oil industry friends will be making. I want someone who cares about this earth, our environment and the endangerment of the species that God put on this earth. Someone that's realizes that nature has it's own system of checks and balances that are quickly being done away with by man and his quest to make more money. I could go on and on about the injustices that I feel have taken place during the last eight years, but find that there are too many for me to list and/or remember.
I am an American woman who is looking forward to the change, that I feel we so desperately need. I feel that change will come with the election of Barak Obama and Joe Biden on Nov. 4th.
We had a great time reaching out to overseas Americans here at the Munich Oktoberfest! For three days Munich4Obama and the local Democrats Abroad Chapter teamed up to man two stands in downtown Munich. We had US voters from all over the place: tourist, locals, visiting from other places in Germany, Europe and all over the world!
Look at our pictures on Facebook
We actually got a whole lot of young dual nationals to get themselves registered via VoteFromAbroad.org! German kids who were born in the US while their parents worked there as German expats.
Of course we also confused the hell out of a few Germans asking themselves how on earth they should be able to vote for our man. But we were able to explain and ask them to tell their american friends about us.... :-)
I'VE ALWAYS THOUGHT OF MIKE SCOTT THE SHERRIF OF LEE COUNTY AS A GOOD SHERRIF AND A FAIR MAN. HE APPEARED WITH PAL;IN IN CLEARWATER THE OTHER DA -IN UMIFORM0 AND INTRODUCED HER AND USED OBAMA'S MIDDLE NAME IN A DISPARAGING WAY. HOW UNPROFESSIONAL CAN YOU GET. WE ALL KNOW HOW TO PAY SHERRIF MIKE BACK AT ELECTION TIME. HIS APPEARANCE AND HIS WORDS WERE AN EMBARASSMENT TO LEE COUNTY RESIDENCE. ESPECIALLY SINCE SOME OF THESE ANTICS STIR UP RADICALS AND VIOLENT LANGUAGE. HIS WORDS WERE ALMOST AS BAD AS HOLLERING "FIRE" IN A CROWDED THEATER.
SHAME ON YOU SHERRIF
BARRACK DID A GREAT JOB AT THE DEBATE BUT MISSED A COUPLE OF OPPORTUNITIES. WHEN MCCAIN TALKED ABOUT HIS HELPING VETERAN, BARRACK SHOULD HAVE BROUGHT UP MCCAIN'S VOTING RECORD AND HOW MANY TIMES MCCAIN HAS VOTED AGAINST INCREASE OF VETERAN'S BENEFITS. HE VOTED AGAINST INCREASE IN VOTING BENEFITS SO MANY TIMES, IT IS SHAMEFUL. NOT EVERY VETERAN CAME BACK AND MARRIED A BEER BARON'S DAUGHTER AND BECAME SO RICH ON THE SHOULDER'S OF THE MIDDLE CLASS THAT HELP FOR HIM FINANCIALLY WAS NOT NECCESARY.
ANOTHER SHAMEFUL THING FOR MCCAIN IS HOW MANY TIMES HE HAS VOTED AGAINST A MINIMUM WAGE INCREASE. WHEN YOU ARE AS RICH AS HE IS, 5 OR 6 DOLLARS AN HOUR MEANS LITTLE TO HIM. THE MINIMUM EAGE IS STILL SO LOW THAT IT HAS CREATED A NEW GROUP OF PEOPLE CALLED "THE WORKING POOR". HE SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF HIMSELF.
JOHN MCCAIN IS 65 YEARS OLD. HE CAN COLLECT A SOCIAL SECURITY CHECH BECAUSE THERE IS NO LIMIT ON YOUR INCOME AT HIS AGE. DOES HE COLLECT A SOCIAL SECURITY CHECK? IT WOULD BE INTERESTING TO FIND OUT. HE COULD SPEND IT ON GAS GOR HIS 13 CARS OR HEAT FOR HIS 7 HOMES. SOMEBODY SHOULD RESEARCH THIS.
HIS CONCERN FOR THE MIDDLE CLASS AND HARDWORKING PEOPLE OF THIS COUNTRY IS SHAMEFUL!!!!
Hi everybody,
just to let you all know: I just received my absentee ballot today! I'm registered in Ft. Myers, FL, that is Lee County. So if anybody out there from Lee County, Fl who did not get their ballot: CALL YOUR SUPERVISOR OF ELECTIONS NOW!!
rcs
P.S. Did you see David Letterma on McCain? Beautiful. They actually caught him lying! On his way to the airport, right?
There was a message circulating some of our groups in Florida yesterday that spread incorrect information conerning the the ID needed to vote. We're going to clarify below.
A message from the Florida Campaign for Change chief election lawyer:
I am the Obama-Biden campaign’s chief election lawyer in Florida, and I have received the 'no match no vote' message from several sources. This message is categorically false. Our reading of the clear statutory language does NOT require that the address on the driver’s license (or other ID) that the voter presents at the polls match the voter’s address in the precinct register. Furthermore, this press release from the Florida Secretary of State definitively ccnfirms:http://www.dos.state.fl.us/news/communications/pressRelease/pressRelease.cfm?id=330 See the last bullet:· I.D. required and checked at the polls is used solely to confirm the voter’s identity. Not to verify the voter’s ID number or address. The photograph on the ID is compared to the person standing before the poll worker and the signature on the ID is compared to the signature on record.
I am the Obama-Biden campaign’s chief election lawyer in Florida, and I have received the 'no match no vote' message from several sources. This message is categorically false.
Our reading of the clear statutory language does NOT require that the address on the driver’s license (or other ID) that the voter presents at the polls match the voter’s address in the precinct register. Furthermore, this press release from the Florida Secretary of State definitively ccnfirms:http://www.dos.state.fl.us/news/communications/pressRelease/pressRelease.cfm?id=330
See the last bullet:
· I.D. required and checked at the polls is used solely to confirm the voter’s identity. Not to verify the voter’s ID number or address. The photograph on the ID is compared to the person standing before the poll worker and the signature on the ID is compared to the signature on record.
Please feel free to email florida@barackobama.com with any questions or concerns.
