6/05/2008
Not just Florida
Creationists' legislative strategy, uh, evolves.
Genesis literalism > intelligent design > "strengths and weaknesses"
Genesis literalism > intelligent design > "strengths and weaknesses"
Labels: Education, Legislature, Theocrats
6/03/2008
Poll-0-Rama
The Quinnipiac University folks released a new Florida poll today. Nothing too surprising, except for the degree that voters actually believe the 65 percent classroom spending gimmick.
Highlights:
+ Gov. Charlie Crist's approval rate rises slightly to 61 percent. He's strongest in the Southwest, weakest in the Panhandle. Even 60 percent of Dems like him.
+ The state Legislature found a sure way to increase its popularity -- stay out of town. Now 38 percent approve of its work for some reason.
+ Anti-Gay Marriage Amendment: Yes: 58 percent; No: 37. Among college educated: Yes: 46; No: 50.
+ Guns at work: Yes: 47; No: 49. Among evangelicals: Yes: 60; No: 36.
+ Private school vouchers: Yes: 42; No: 55.
+ 65 Percent classroom: Yes: 63; No: 25.
Highlights:
+ Gov. Charlie Crist's approval rate rises slightly to 61 percent. He's strongest in the Southwest, weakest in the Panhandle. Even 60 percent of Dems like him.
+ The state Legislature found a sure way to increase its popularity -- stay out of town. Now 38 percent approve of its work for some reason.
+ Anti-Gay Marriage Amendment: Yes: 58 percent; No: 37. Among college educated: Yes: 46; No: 50.
+ Guns at work: Yes: 47; No: 49. Among evangelicals: Yes: 60; No: 36.
+ Private school vouchers: Yes: 42; No: 55.
+ 65 Percent classroom: Yes: 63; No: 25.
Labels: Charlie Crist, Constitutional Amendments, Education, Polls, Theocrats
5/24/2008
"Evil puppet master for vouchers"
The Carpetbagger Report writes about Governor for Life Jeb Bush, and the Tax and Budget, God and Education, Life the Universe and Everything Commission.
Labels: Constitutional Amendments, Education, Theocrats
5/20/2008
What voucher amendments?
The St. Pete Times editorial page talks about the deceptive ballot language of the voucher amendments:
Two of the constitutional amendments on this fall's lengthy presidential ballot are described to voters the following way:Although the majority of Florida voters oppose vouchers, this might pass due to pure voter confusion -- not an unknown thing in Florida.
No. 7: "Religious freedom."
No. 9: "Requiring 65 percent of school funding for classroom instruction; state's duty for children's education."
Here's a pop quiz: How many of you just guessed from the amendments' official titles that they are intended to invalidate a 2006 Florida Supreme Court and separate appellate court ruling against school vouchers?
Labels: Constitutional Amendments, Education, Theocrats
Creationist science teachers
The Florida Citizens for Science site points to an interesting New Scientist article about creationist beliefs among high school science teachers in the US . Among the results:
+ A quarter of the teachers also reported spending at least some time teaching about creationism or intelligent design. Of these, 48% – about 12.5% of the total survey – said they taught it as a "valid, scientific alternative to Darwinian explanations for the origin of species".
+ 16% of the total, said they believed human beings had been created by God within the last 10,000 years.
+ Teachers who subscribed to these young-Earth creationist views, perhaps not surprisingly, spent 35% fewer hours teaching evolution than other teachers, the survey revealed.
No wonder the many in the Legislature want to give teachers the right to teach creationism and magical design -- it won't mean that every science class will become a Bible study group, but with a combination of community pressure and teachers' religious beliefs, a lot of them would.
The whole survey can be found here.
+ Wired version
+ A quarter of the teachers also reported spending at least some time teaching about creationism or intelligent design. Of these, 48% – about 12.5% of the total survey – said they taught it as a "valid, scientific alternative to Darwinian explanations for the origin of species".
+ 16% of the total, said they believed human beings had been created by God within the last 10,000 years.
+ Teachers who subscribed to these young-Earth creationist views, perhaps not surprisingly, spent 35% fewer hours teaching evolution than other teachers, the survey revealed.
No wonder the many in the Legislature want to give teachers the right to teach creationism and magical design -- it won't mean that every science class will become a Bible study group, but with a combination of community pressure and teachers' religious beliefs, a lot of them would.
The whole survey can be found here.
+ Wired version
5/14/2008
Church and state, flag and threats
A DeLand Baptist minister who removed a U.S. flag from the church sanctuary promptly received harassing and threatening notes.
He's taking a leave of absence amid calls for his resignation. It's not easy keeping church and state separate, even on the church end of things.
He's taking a leave of absence amid calls for his resignation. It's not easy keeping church and state separate, even on the church end of things.
Labels: Theocrats
5/11/2008
Witchhunt!
Wizardry! It may look like the ol' disappearing toothpick trick, but you can't be too careful about witchcraft , so a substitute teacher is essentially suspended for for unauthorized use of magic ... and worse, deviating from the lesson plan.
+ San Francisco Chronicle columnist Jon Carroll (of whom I'm a huge fan) picks up the story.
+ San Francisco Chronicle columnist Jon Carroll (of whom I'm a huge fan) picks up the story.
5/08/2008
Not just marriage
Opponents of Florida's anti-gay marriage amendment argued the measure shouldn't be allowed on the ballot because it bans both gay marriage and civic unions and, oh yeah, maybe even partner benefits.
The Florida Supreme Court, in 2006, ruled that, taken in context, this seems to be just talking about gay marriage. Oh maybe. But over in Michigan they passed something like this and, sure enough, a court has now ruled that it bans governments from offering same-sex benefits. Could the same thing could happen here?
The Florida Supreme Court, in 2006, ruled that, taken in context, this seems to be just talking about gay marriage. Oh maybe. But over in Michigan they passed something like this and, sure enough, a court has now ruled that it bans governments from offering same-sex benefits. Could the same thing could happen here?
Labels: Constitutional Amendments, Theocrats
4/28/2008
House won't evolve
Take that, you pointy-heads who think you get to set state education standards! The Florida House says kids can so be taught creationism in Florida schools -- creationism bill passes 71-43 in a party-line vote with "critical analysis" language intact.
+ Citizens for Science summarizes the leadup to the vote and a roundup of breaking-news coverage of the vote.
+ Citizens for Science summarizes the leadup to the vote and a roundup of breaking-news coverage of the vote.
4/25/2008
Theocrat update
The Gradebook has an update about Cheri Yecke, who was Gov. Jeb Bush's K-12 chancellor (see The Flablog Vault 'o Memory -- here). Because of her past creationist statements, some educators were concerned that she was in the running to be state education commission.
Yecke now has contacted the Gradebook to let us know where she has landed. That would be Harding University, a private Christian school in Searcy, Ark. She'll be the dean of graduate programs and an associate professor of education.A much better fit, I'd say.
Fix is in for privatizing ed
Well, at the Tax and Budget, Education, Religion, Life the Universe and Everything Commission, the deal's been made, the fix is in -- trade vouchers and the 65 percent rule for the tax swap. Tax swap-proponent John McKay has seen the light:
So here's the deal: repeal constitutional language requiring a "uniform system of free public schools" (the voucher amendment) and also put the Legislature in the position of either drastically cutting schools or creating a state sales tax on services along with a punishing sales tax rate. Result: Line up for your church-school vouchers, kids, because Florida is we're getting out of the public education business.
Meanwhile an interesting legal question arises:
If the voucher and money-for-churches amendments fail and the tax-swap passes, the pressure for taxes on services will be irresistible. If everything passes, the legislature will raise the sales tax and jettison the school system.
+ Herald's story
+ Tally Dem
+ Palm Beach Post
+ News-Journal
There is some disagreement whether "other" could mean another penny sales tax increase.
(Remember the last time you heard the phrase "education will be held harmless"?)
So here's the deal: repeal constitutional language requiring a "uniform system of free public schools" (the voucher amendment) and also put the Legislature in the position of either drastically cutting schools or creating a state sales tax on services along with a punishing sales tax rate. Result: Line up for your church-school vouchers, kids, because Florida is we're getting out of the public education business.
Meanwhile an interesting legal question arises:
Constitutional amendments require a 60 percent majority to pass. Amendments that propose a "new" tax require a two-thirds majority. That raises the possibility of courts determining whether the proposal is actually a tax "swap," which supporters assert, or creates a new tax, and what margin of approval would be required.So if you force the Legislature into the position of either creating a new tax or abandoning the idea of a public school system is that the same thing as putting a new tax on the ballot? That's one for the courts.
If the voucher and money-for-churches amendments fail and the tax-swap passes, the pressure for taxes on services will be irresistible. If everything passes, the legislature will raise the sales tax and jettison the school system.
+ Herald's story
+ Tally Dem
+ Palm Beach Post
+ News-Journal
Labels: Constitutional Amendments, Education, Theocrats
4/23/2008
Creationists win Senate vote
The Senate passes the Teach Creationism Bill. The vote was 21-17. Does anybody doubt that it will pass in House?
+ The Buzz
+ Naked Politics notes that the only Dem voting for it was Sen. Gary Siplin, D-Orlando, the legislative mind behind the droopy drawers bill.
+ The Gradebook
+ Fla. Citizens for Science gives a blow-by-blow account of the debate
+ The Buzz
+ Naked Politics notes that the only Dem voting for it was Sen. Gary Siplin, D-Orlando, the legislative mind behind the droopy drawers bill.
+ The Gradebook
+ Fla. Citizens for Science gives a blow-by-blow account of the debate
Labels: Education, Legislature, Ronda Storms, Theocrats
4/18/2008
They came for the Truck Nutz and I was silent ...
More on the great Truck Nutz (trucktacles, truck balls, bull balls ) debate. Sen. Carey Baker flashes his morality cop badge and says "the line must be drawn here!"
Can police action against mud-flap girl be far behind?
Can police action against mud-flap girl be far behind?
Labels: Legislature, Theocrats
4/17/2008
The war on science (cont.)
Labels: Education, Legislature, Theocrats
4/15/2008
Voucher commmission
The Tax and Budget, Education, Religion, Life the Universe and Everything Commission may not been done yet. It may not pass much of anything about tax and budget reform, but it just might make another try at putting vouchers for church schools on the ballot.
Labels: Constitutional Amendments, Theocrats
4/14/2008
Creationism bill
The Florida Citizens for Science blog asks a question that your Florida Legislature is unwilling to ask -- just what the heck is this "critical analysis" that the House's creationism bill is talking about? And if critical analysis is so important in education, why is evolution the only scientific concept that is singled out for it? And just what critical arguments are they talking about, anyway? I mean other than that it Offends the Almighty and He is an Angry God and, you know, the whole Nazis-believed-in-stuff-like-that argument?
Labels: Education, Legislature, Theocrats
4/09/2008
GOP for GGG
The Guns, God and Guttin' Education Session continues apace. The Senate passes the Bring Your Gun Work Bill 26-13. Meanwhile the It's OK to Teach Creationism Bill passes the Senate judiciary committee.
Labels: Legislature, Theocrats
4/05/2008
One down, one put off
The Tax and Budget, Education, Religion Life the Universe and Everything Commission votes down a voucher amendment to the state constitution.
And it puts off the TABOR vote for its final meeting. If they're having this much trouble backing this -- despite the arguments, pleas and arm-twisting by Speaker Rubio and Gov. for Life Jeb Bush, despite their own ideological predisposition to vote for any tax/budget automatically, what chance does this measure really have for getting 60 percent of the vote in November? And rather than getting stronger with each rewrite, it's getting weirder each time the cocktail napkins come out and it's rewritten again.
And it puts off the TABOR vote for its final meeting. If they're having this much trouble backing this -- despite the arguments, pleas and arm-twisting by Speaker Rubio and Gov. for Life Jeb Bush, despite their own ideological predisposition to vote for any tax/budget automatically, what chance does this measure really have for getting 60 percent of the vote in November? And rather than getting stronger with each rewrite, it's getting weirder each time the cocktail napkins come out and it's rewritten again.
Labels: Constitutional Amendments, Education, Taxation, Theocrats
4/02/2008
T&BRC roundup (cont.)
The reviews of the Taxation and Budget Reform Commission's performance are slowly coming in, and they're still not good:
+ St. Pete Times -- Florida commission oversteps its duties: The state's Taxation and Budget Reform Commission is acting as if it were the Jeb Bush Education Agenda Commission.
+ Gainesville Sun -- Ideological warriors: Attempting to resurrect school vouchers under the guise of budget and tax reform is a duplicitous maneuver that ought to be thoroughly rejected by Floridians.
+ St. Pete Times -- Florida commission oversteps its duties: The state's Taxation and Budget Reform Commission is acting as if it were the Jeb Bush Education Agenda Commission.
+ Gainesville Sun -- Ideological warriors: Attempting to resurrect school vouchers under the guise of budget and tax reform is a duplicitous maneuver that ought to be thoroughly rejected by Floridians.
Labels: Constitutional Amendments, Taxation, Theocrats
3/30/2008
Tax commission roundup
Editorials
+ Daytona Beach News-Journal -- Particularly insulting to the people of Florida is that the Taxation and Budget Reform Commission is proposing to remove a stable tax base for public schools while opening public coffers to religious schools.
+ Gainesville Sun -- Attempting to resurrect school vouchers under the guise of budget and tax reform is a duplicitous maneuver that ought to be thoroughly rejected by Floridians. If commissioners refuse to reconsider this outlandish ploy, voters should have the good sense to defeat it in November.
+ Miami Herald -- These proposals are less about taxation and budget reform than about promoting state-funded religious programs and school vouchers that have been struck down by Florida's Supreme Court.
+ Sun-Sentinel -- The commission's decision would belaughable, if it weren't such a disconcerting departure from the panel's stated mission. Instead of addressing the state's budgetary and fiscal needs, the panel simply passed along a hot-button ballot question that most likely will end up in the courts.
Columnists:
+ Hiaasen: It's outlandish that the topic of church-state separation was seriously debated and voted upon by a tax-and-budget commission. It tells you all you need to know about the panel's political sense of mission. In case these goobers hadn't noticed, Florida's fiscal health is a wreck.
+ Lane: The Florida Taxation and Budget Reform Commission -- or as I call it, the Tax Cuts, Religion, Education, Life, the Universe and Everything Commission . . .
+ Schultz: Last week, it became clear that whatever this supposedly prestigious commission does until it disbands in May, Floridians can't take it too seriously.
+ Troxler: Beyond the tax swap, the commission has done little more than churn out a puny menu of new tax breaks and push ideological agendas . . .
+ Daytona Beach News-Journal -- Particularly insulting to the people of Florida is that the Taxation and Budget Reform Commission is proposing to remove a stable tax base for public schools while opening public coffers to religious schools.
+ Gainesville Sun -- Attempting to resurrect school vouchers under the guise of budget and tax reform is a duplicitous maneuver that ought to be thoroughly rejected by Floridians. If commissioners refuse to reconsider this outlandish ploy, voters should have the good sense to defeat it in November.
+ Miami Herald -- These proposals are less about taxation and budget reform than about promoting state-funded religious programs and school vouchers that have been struck down by Florida's Supreme Court.
+ Sun-Sentinel -- The commission's decision would belaughable, if it weren't such a disconcerting departure from the panel's stated mission. Instead of addressing the state's budgetary and fiscal needs, the panel simply passed along a hot-button ballot question that most likely will end up in the courts.
Columnists:
+ Hiaasen: It's outlandish that the topic of church-state separation was seriously debated and voted upon by a tax-and-budget commission. It tells you all you need to know about the panel's political sense of mission. In case these goobers hadn't noticed, Florida's fiscal health is a wreck.
+ Lane: The Florida Taxation and Budget Reform Commission -- or as I call it, the Tax Cuts, Religion, Education, Life, the Universe and Everything Commission . . .
+ Schultz: Last week, it became clear that whatever this supposedly prestigious commission does until it disbands in May, Floridians can't take it too seriously.
+ Troxler: Beyond the tax swap, the commission has done little more than churn out a puny menu of new tax breaks and push ideological agendas . . .
Labels: Constitutional Amendments, Education, Taxation, Theocrats
3/26/2008
Creationists win again
Unconcerned about looking like about looking like yokels, rubes, mouth-breathers and members of the Committee for the Propagation of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice, the Senate Committee on K-12 Education surprised nobody by passing the creationism bill.
A lot of good it did for for the state Board of Education to water down those biology standards with all that talk about "theories." Your Florida Legislature was not appeased. Its members want to encourage those teachers inspired to use their classrooms as platforms to preach about intelligent design, our young earth, creationism and biblical biology -- just as long as use the word "science" somewhere after they commence to testifyin'.
I guess the only good news is that you can't t be punished for talking about the scientific gospel of The Flying Spaghetti Monster just as long as you do so "scientifically."
+ Read the staff analysis since the senators didn't.
+ Citizens for Science says "don't panic."
+ Sen. Bullard sez: Teaching evolution to kids "may be brainwashing."
+ Palm Beach Post account: "You cannot simply call a religious belief scientific information and thus open the door to teaching it in our scientific classrooms," said Courtenay Strickland, the daughter of a Baptist minister and a science teacher. Strickland spoke on behalf of the American Civil Liberties Union, which filed the Pennsylvania lawsuit that struck down the teaching of intelligent design. She promised another "massive" lawsuit here if teachers use it to discuss religion in science class.
+ Miami Herald account: Move along, nothing to see here.
A lot of good it did for for the state Board of Education to water down those biology standards with all that talk about "theories." Your Florida Legislature was not appeased. Its members want to encourage those teachers inspired to use their classrooms as platforms to preach about intelligent design, our young earth, creationism and biblical biology -- just as long as use the word "science" somewhere after they commence to testifyin'.
I guess the only good news is that you can't t be punished for talking about the scientific gospel of The Flying Spaghetti Monster just as long as you do so "scientifically."
+ Read the staff analysis since the senators didn't.
+ Citizens for Science says "don't panic."
+ Sen. Bullard sez: Teaching evolution to kids "may be brainwashing."
+ Palm Beach Post account: "You cannot simply call a religious belief scientific information and thus open the door to teaching it in our scientific classrooms," said Courtenay Strickland, the daughter of a Baptist minister and a science teacher. Strickland spoke on behalf of the American Civil Liberties Union, which filed the Pennsylvania lawsuit that struck down the teaching of intelligent design. She promised another "massive" lawsuit here if teachers use it to discuss religion in science class.
+ Miami Herald account: Move along, nothing to see here.
Labels: Education, Ronda Storms, Theocrats
The runaway commission
The Florida Taxation and Budget Reform Tax Cuts, Religion, Education, Life, the Universe and Everything Commission votes to put the tax-money-for-churches amendment on the ballot. Read the vague, feel-good language here and pass the collection plate ... to Tallahassee!
+ The Buzz.
+ How one member was persuaded: Darryl Rouson, a Taxation and Budget Reform Commission member expected to win a state House election next month, said Wednesday afternoon that donations from pro-voucher groups did not affect his vote on a plan asking voters to remove the bar on using taxpayers money for religious-based schools and groups.
+ The Buzz.
+ How one member was persuaded: Darryl Rouson, a Taxation and Budget Reform Commission member expected to win a state House election next month, said Wednesday afternoon that donations from pro-voucher groups did not affect his vote on a plan asking voters to remove the bar on using taxpayers money for religious-based schools and groups.
Labels: Constitutional Amendments, Theocrats
3/25/2008
Tax money goes to church
The Florida Taxation and Budget Reform Tax Cuts, Religion, Education, Life, the Universe and Everything Commission is going to vote on a state constitutional amendments to make it easier for state government to fund churches. Or at least the ones savvy enough to be political players.
The Florida ACLU warns: This amendment would allow government to fund religious proselytizing activities and show preference for one religion over another. It would also open the floodgates for discrimination by permitting government-funded religious organizations to discriminate in who they serve.
An ADL lawyers says: If either amendment becomes law, it is highly likely that millions of taxpayer dollars will flow to houses of worship and other pervasively sectarian institutions. This means that taxpayers will be required, regardless of their religious belief or conscience, to fund houses of worship.
Palm Beach Post editorial: Another proposed amendment would ask if voters want "freedom to choose among public and private providers of public services." Gee, put that way, who wouldn't want choice? In fact, the amendment, in conjunction with the first proposal, would allow any kind of church school and religious health and social services provider, paid for by the public. The proposal is meant to overturn the 2006 Florida Supreme Court ruling against taxpayer-financed private-school vouchers.
The Florida ACLU warns: This amendment would allow government to fund religious proselytizing activities and show preference for one religion over another. It would also open the floodgates for discrimination by permitting government-funded religious organizations to discriminate in who they serve.
An ADL lawyers says: If either amendment becomes law, it is highly likely that millions of taxpayer dollars will flow to houses of worship and other pervasively sectarian institutions. This means that taxpayers will be required, regardless of their religious belief or conscience, to fund houses of worship.
Palm Beach Post editorial: Another proposed amendment would ask if voters want "freedom to choose among public and private providers of public services." Gee, put that way, who wouldn't want choice? In fact, the amendment, in conjunction with the first proposal, would allow any kind of church school and religious health and social services provider, paid for by the public. The proposal is meant to overturn the 2006 Florida Supreme Court ruling against taxpayer-financed private-school vouchers.
Labels: Constitutional Amendments, Taxation, Theocrats
3/03/2008
Creationism bill
Well, it had to come. The Fla. Senate now has a creationism bill. Excuse me a "academic freedom" bill. No surprise it comes from the Senates rightest winger, Sen. Ronda Storms. No House companion. Yet. Supporters say a House version will be filed.
(Via Florida Citizens for Science.)
(Via Florida Citizens for Science.)
Labels: Education, Legislature, Ronda Storms, Theocrats
2/22/2008
Evolution fight, cont.
Rubio: Science=communism. Well, not exactly, but teaching science is a lot like teaching communism.
Labels: Education, Marco Rubio, Theocrats
2/06/2008
Monkey fight!
There are some who say* that Florida Legislators will be too concerned about looking like yokels, rubes, mouth-breathers and members of the Committee for the Propagation of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice to start interfering with state Board of Education's proposed science standards.
There are those who argue that a state trying to diversify its economy by attracting the latest in biotech research might find it at least a little undesirable to host a monkey trial or impose religious tests on scientific thought and teaching.
There are a few who claim that Florida politics has matured past the point where legislators would attempt to distract attention from the state's fiscal problems by wasting time on purely symbolic issues of interest to only a tiny number of people belonging to the most rural, isolated and voter-repudiated sectors of the Republican Party's base.
Such people, ladies and gentlemen, don't describe the Florida Legislature that I know and love.
Right on time, the Herald reports:
Top state legislators say they're ready to join the fight over putting the word ''evolution'' in Florida's public-school science standards to ensure that it's taught as just a theory and not as fact. (Shorter form here.)
No word yet on the Legislature's stand on the theory of gravity or the germ theory of disease, which are, after all, just theories.
magical intelligent design.
No legislation has yet been prefiled, so maybe this is all just spouting off done in the hope that it will spook the Board of Education and satisfy the locals in north Florida.
__________________
*Rhetorical note: In political writing and speechwriting it is mandatory to use the phrase "There are some who say" before introducing a straw man or some variant.
There are those who argue that a state trying to diversify its economy by attracting the latest in biotech research might find it at least a little undesirable to host a monkey trial or impose religious tests on scientific thought and teaching.
There are a few who claim that Florida politics has matured past the point where legislators would attempt to distract attention from the state's fiscal problems by wasting time on purely symbolic issues of interest to only a tiny number of people belonging to the most rural, isolated and voter-repudiated sectors of the Republican Party's base.
Such people, ladies and gentlemen, don't describe the Florida Legislature that I know and love.
Right on time, the Herald reports:
Top state legislators say they're ready to join the fight over putting the word ''evolution'' in Florida's public-school science standards to ensure that it's taught as just a theory and not as fact. (Shorter form here.)
No word yet on the Legislature's stand on the theory of gravity or the germ theory of disease, which are, after all, just theories.
Rep. Marti Coley, future House Speaker Dean Cannon and state Sen. Stephen Wise, all Republicans, say they're considering filing legislation this spring that would specifically call evolution a ''theory'' if the state Board of Education approves the proposed science standards Feb. 19 as currently written.Wise wants schools to teach creationism and Colely is described as a proponent of
Floridians need to demand that evolution, biblical teaching AND the Flying Spaghetti Monster ALL be taught side by side in biology classes.Cannon said intelligent design should ideally be taught, but would leave that issue up to the ''curricular experts.'' And Wise, who said he is considering ''legislative remedies,'' went a step further by saying that creationism should be taught in schools.
''Put them side by side,'' he said of evolution and biblical teaching.
No legislation has yet been prefiled, so maybe this is all just spouting off done in the hope that it will spook the Board of Education and satisfy the locals in north Florida.
__________________
*Rhetorical note: In political writing and speechwriting it is mandatory to use the phrase "There are some who say" before introducing a straw man or some variant.
Labels: Dean Cannon, Education, Legislature, Theocrats
12/18/2007
Voucher amendment ... again
You'd think the Florida Taxation and Budget Reform Commission would have a pretty full plate handling, you know, taxation and budget reform. But the Jebbites want it to also set up a system of government-funded church schools.
12/03/2007
More ballot bait
Gay marriage is not recognized by Florida statute but Christian activists and the Republican Party of Florida want to make it double illegal with a state constitutional amendment amendment. And now it looks like they have the signatures. Hey, aren't these some of the same people who have lately been so-o-o concerned about "junking up the state constitution"? Just wondering.
And just in time to bring the rubes to the polls for the 2008 presidential election. Well, it worked in 2004 in Ohio, why shouldn't it work again in this swing state? Especially since the Dems have shown their willingness to write-off the state in a sad attempt to protect the existing primary system.
And just in time to bring the rubes to the polls for the 2008 presidential election. Well, it worked in 2004 in Ohio, why shouldn't it work again in this swing state? Especially since the Dems have shown their willingness to write-off the state in a sad attempt to protect the existing primary system.
Labels: Constitutional Amendments, Theocrats
