THE HEADLINES: July 23, 2008

 

WHAT'S ALL THIS SILLY FUSS ABOUT "COLLATERAL DAMAGE" IN AFGHANISTAN?

U.S. commanders complain that stringent "rules of engagement" that inhibit them from engaging in military operations with risk of civilian casualties are seriously hampering their ability to carry out anti-insurgency missions. These rules were tightened after a spate of civilian casualties had raised new concerns about effects of military operations on Afghan "hearts and minds." 

 

AS U.S. PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES STUMP FOR GREATER U.S. INVOLVEMENT IN AFGHANISTAN, CANADA PREPARES TO "DECLARE VICTORY AND GO HOME."

Last year, the Harper government announced ambitious goals of reduction of Taliban influence and of opium production in the country.  With both the Taliban and the poppies flourishing as never before, secret government documents indicate that, preparatory to removing its troops in 2011, "lowered expectations" are being articulated so the country can justify its withdrawal by its "success" by their new standards. (Will U.S. follow suit?) 

 

CONVICTED FELONS HAVE THE RIGHT TO BEAR ARMS?

This is the argument being used by some criminal lawyers in defending the right of their clients to possess handguns, basing their argument on the Supreme Court's decision that overturned the D.C. ban on handguns on the basis of the interpretation of gun possession as a general "right" of people to have guns.  As long as felons need them for their own "protection," don't they enjoy this right as well? 

 

BUSH ADMINISTRATION MAY BE MOVING TO INSULATE EMPLOYERS AGAINST RESPONSIBILITY FOR PROTECTING EMPLOYEES FROM TOXIC CONTAMINATION.

The Washington Post uncovers a quiet if not secretive move within the Department of Labor to loosen those rules, responding to employer complaints that regulations requiring guarantees against toxic exposure are too onerous for their operation.

 

AND IN THIS CORNER...

Florida Association of Realtors puts up $1 million to campaign to pass Amendment 5, which would eliminate property taxes to support schools in a "swap" for higher sales taxes.  Lakeland Ledger editorialist notes that the problem is that the sales tax hike cannot compensate for the loss of revenue from property taxes, so that funding of schools will be severely diminished. 

 

 

 

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TODAY'S OTHER NEWS:

 

FLORIDA

 

For more news and headlines from recent days, go to

What's New

 

SSA CALENDAR:

 

Mon July 28 to Mon August 18: Florida

FORUMS ON FLORIDA AMENDMENT 5

Over the next five weeks, a series of ten forums has been set in cities throughout the state to discuss the implications of Amendment 5, the tax-swap proposal before voters on the November ballot.  “Amendment 5 would affect Florida’s economy on every level, and it is important that voters hear this discussion firsthand so that they can decide if it is truly the right choice for our education system and our economy,” said Sen. Mike Haridopolos (R-Indialantic), the leader of Protect Florida’s Future, a coalition of Florida’s seniors, educators, health care providers, farmers, and small and large businesses dedicated to defeating Amendment 5.  “We hope that Mr. McKay will join us to represent his side, so that Floridians can listen to the facts without political distractions.”

  • Monday, July 28th, 1 p.m., Edison Community College, Ft. Myers
  • Tuesday, July 29, 1 p.m., Valencia Community College, Orlando
  • Monday, August 4th, 1 p.m., Florida Community College at Jacksonville, Jacksonville
  • Wednesday, August 6th, 1 p.m., Santa Fe Community College, Gainesville
  • Thursday, August 7th, 1:30 p.m., St. Petersburg College, Seminole
  • Monday, August 11th, 1 p.m., Miami-Dade College, Miami
  • Tuesday, August 12th, 1 p.m., Indian River State College, Ft. Pierce
  • Wednesday, August 13th, 1 p.m., Gulf Coast Community College, Panama City
  • Monday, August 18th, 1 p.m., Tallahassee Community College, Tallahassee

More info: www.protectfloridasfuture.com


For a listing of more events...

SSA Events page.

 

MISSION

The Sun State Activist is a website for all Floridians of progressive political leanings---that is, all those who believe that, through intelligence, commitment and concerted action we can make a difference toward realizing a humane world, country, state and local community. In many of its dimensions the site will be of benefit to progressives outside Florida.

 

ORGANIZATION OF THE SITE

The website divides the universe of progressive interest into some 95 topics and sub-topics and provides website and other links to organizations and events related to each topic as well as a source of information from various publications, websites and electronic media.

 

 

TOPIC DESCRIPTIONS

  1. GENERAL PROGRESSIVE ACTION deals with those organizations and individuals who have broad agendas of progressive social action; with progressive organizations such as the Green Party and Progressive Democrats of America; with progressive magazines like The Nation and on-line outlets such as Common Dreams.Org; with connections to alternative radio, television, book and film outlets.  

2. PEACE AND WAR is the website of the peace activist and those seeking to understand the causes of war and militarism. It deals with large peace initiatives like a proposed Department of Peace; with the imperialist foreign policy of the United States, including the Iraqi/Afghan war; with 9-11 and the “war on terror;” with the influence of the military/industrial complex on foreign policy and with military recruitment and procurement; with weapons both conventional and nuclear and weapons in space.  

3. ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES deals with the conservation and enhancement of natural resources; control of pollution of our land, waters and air; with environmental regulation and the destruction of environmental habitats with economic development; with animal rights; with natural disasters (their causes and with public responses to them.)  

4. SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT deals with the effort to compromise the needs of economic development with the “human” need for relatively small-scale enterprises; with agri-business and big box stores as symptoms of unbalanced development; with the development of alternative energy sources that do not destroy our environments and ways of life.  

5. CIVIL RIGHTS deals with a wide range of groups of people who suffer discrimination or denial of their constitutional rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness; among others, with blacks, Latinos, Asians, indigenous peoples, gays and lesbians, children, elderly, convicted felons who have served their sentences, immigrants, “terrorism” suspects.  

6. ECONOMIC JUSTICE deals with the issue of inequality of opportunity among different groups of people; with poverty, wages and unemployment; with worker’s rights to organize; with affordable housing and the homeless; with taxation and budgets; with globalization and corporate dominance; with retirement security.  

7. MEDIA ISSUES deals with the integrity of our media in their coverage of issues of progressive interest, including elections and issues that arise in the course of decision-making; with the related issue of corporate control of the media, including the issue of consolidation of media ownership.  

8. ELECTORAL ISSUES deals with how and whether our political processes are actually democratic in that they allow the will of the people to be expressed; with electronic voting systems and their effects on election outcomes; with manipulations of the voting system like re-districting schemes designed to benefit vested interests; with alternate voting systems better designed to reflect the will of the people in voting outcome.  

9. CRIMINAL JUSTICE deals with issues concerning the effects of incarceration, the death penalty, mandatory sentencing and other harsh sanctions on the kind of society we are trying to develop; with drug policy and other issues of criminalization; with due process in encounters of suspects with police and courts.  

10. ETHICS: GOVERNMENTAL, CORPORATE, PROFESSIONAL deals with political scandal, especially as it relates to the influence of money and corporate power on political decision-making; with efforts at campaign finance reform; with issues of corrupt corporate officials whose practices compromise the interests of their employees and the public.  

11. HEALTH CARE deals with issues of quality and delivery of medical facilities to whose needing them; with inequality in same;