Orlando Mayor changes staff

"Source: Orlando Sentinel 05/23/2007
A day after Orlando backed a $1.1 billion downtown venue package, Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer on Tuesday reshuffled some of his top political posts.

Chief of Staff Cheryl Henry, a chief architect of the financing plan to build a new arena and performing-arts center and upgrade the Citrus Bowl, will step down June 1 to take a corporate lobbyist post with Ruth's Chris Steak House Inc.

Former top city staffer Joe Robinson will replace Henry, serving again as one of the mayor's key lieutenants. As before, Robinson will spearhead Orlando anti-crime efforts. Former press chief Brie Turek will step into the deputy chief of staff slot, an open position.

Dyer said in a statement that Henry, 33, was pivotal to his team, especially in pushing the venues. But the mayor does not see her departure as hindering a final effort to secure political support for the complex venue financing, Turek said.

While City Council members voted nearly unanimously Monday to approve a series of deals for the proposed facilities, a final financing agreement must still be approved by city and Orange County leaders this summer. When interest on loans is paid off over 30 years in the proposed venue deal, the final cost could top $1.8 billion.

Another wrench in the plans could come from state lawmakers, who are considering property-tax overhauls in a special session next month.

Now Robinson, 48, and Turek, 26, will help secure Dyer's final venue deal. Robinson retired as an Orlando police captain and Dyer's deputy chief of staff in January 2006. He then went to work as chief of staff for Orlando venture capitalist Frank L. Amodeo and his AQMI Strategy Corp.

The company provided consulting services to a 70-company equity firm Amodeo helped found and fund, Mirabilis Ventures Inc. In May 2006, Robinson and fellow AQMI contractor Kevin Billings of Maitland were among several men detained by authorities for nine days in the west African country of the Congo, where they were sent by Amodeo to provide security and political consulting services to a presidential candidate.

Earlier this year, Mirabilis laid off more than 100 workers and shut down numerous affiliated companies. In March, the Orlando Sentinel disclosed that Mirabilis Ventures was under investigation by a federal grand jury in Orlando and that prosecutors had issued more than 100 subpoenas for witnesses and records involving several payroll and human-resource outsourcing businesses controlled or affiliated with Mirabilis, Amodeo or Amodeo-controlled companies.
During the past few months, several top associates of Amodeo's left the company, including Robinson. Dyer's new chief of staff said, "there's no connection with me at all" to the companies in the federal probe. "

Time to Sack the Attorney General

Update!!! Good Lord, I just heard the Congressional testimony of White House Liaison Monica Goodling in regards to this scandal with now Attorney General Alberto Gonzalez. Do you know that she contradicts the testimony of the former Deputy Attorney General? She said that she cross the line in considering political considerations. Finally, she stated that people more senior than her made a list of civil servants to fire. I pose an observation and a question. Who is more senior than the White House Justice Department liaison? Is it not the Attorney General?

There is a reason the public office Alberto Gonzalez holds is called the Department of Justice. When a sitting Attorney General testifies to Congress using phrases indicative of a criminal such as "I don't recall" as Gonzalez did it is clearly time for the President to fire his Justice Secretary.

"Bush defends Gonzales, calls plans for no-confidence vote 'political theater'
Source: Associated Press Newswires 05/21/2007

CRAWFORD, Texas (AP) - President Bush insisted on Monday that embattled Attorney General Alberto Gonzales still has his support and denounced Democratic plans for a no-confidence vote as "pure political theater."

"He has done nothing wrong," Bush said in an impassioned defense of his longtime friend and adviser during a news conference at his Texas ranch.
Despite Bush's comments, support for Gonzales is eroding, even in the president's own party. The Senate is prepared to hold a no-confidence vote, possibly by week's end, and five Republican senators have joined many Democrats in calling for Gonzales' resignation.
The attorney general is under investigation by Congress in last year's firing of eight federal prosecutors.
The president told the Democrats to get back to more pressing matters.
"I stand by Al Gonzales, and I would hope that people would be more sober in how they address these important issues," Bush said. "And they ought to get the job done of passing legislation, as opposed to figuring out how to be actors on the political theater stage."

Still, Bush did not directly answer a question about whether he intended to keep Gonzales in office through the end of his presidency regardless of what the Senate does.
Gonzales does not necessarily need Congress' support to continue serving. But Bush and Gonzales are under increasing pressure as more lawmakers demand the attorney general's departure.

Democrats pressed ahead with plans to put the Senate on record in expressing a lack of confidence in him.

"The president should understand that while he has confidence in Attorney General Gonzales, very few others do," said Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., in response to Bush's comments. "Congress has a right -- and even an obligation to express its views when things are this serious."

Gonzales, who is headed to Europe this week, scrapped a meeting with his Swiss counterpart and shelved tentative plans for a tour and a meeting in Hungary. But the overall trip is still on, and he is to leave Tuesday.

His former White House liaison, Monica Goodling, is to testify Wednesday on Capitol Hill about her role in the firings of the U.S. attorneys.

Gonzales is at the center of congressional inquiries into the 2006 firings by the Justice Department. He has acknowledged the ousters were mishandled but has denied politically motivated interference and has resisted calls for his resignation.

Further eroding his support was the revelation that in 2004 -- as White House counsel -- Gonzales went to the hospital bedside of then-Attorney General John Ashcroft to pressure him to certify the legality of Bush's controversial warrantless eavesdropping program while Ashcroft lay in intensive care.

Ashcroft had reservations about the program's legality and refused, according to Senate testimony by former Deputy Attorney General James Comey.
Bush was asked about Gonzales during a news conference on his ranch with NATO Secretary-General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer.

"I frankly view what's taking place in Washington today as pure political theater," Bush said, sounding exasperated with the furor swirling around his longtime friend.
As for the attorney general's stops in Switzerland and Budapest, Hungary, Justice Department spokesman Brian Roehrkasse said they had never been set in stone. He said Gonzales would leave Tuesday for meetings in Munich that are a leadup to next month's gathering in Germany of leaders of eight major industrial democracies.

Roehrkasse said Gonzales had hoped to travel to the International Law Enforcement Academy in Budapest for a tour and a meeting that ultimately could not be scheduled. Similarly, Roehrkasse said Gonzales was too short on time to make it to Switzerland, and that no meeting there was ever confirmed.

Sascha Hardegger, a spokesman for the Swiss Justice Ministry, said Washington called off the meeting. "

Yolanda Adams sings for Pres. G.W. Bush

For those of us that have forgotten the strength we once found in Jesus Christ. Never Give Up.

“They can see that you are a letter from Christ, written by us. It is not a letter written with pen and ink, but by the Spirit of the Living God; not one carved on stone, but in human hearts.

We dare to say these good things about ourselves only because of our great trust in god through Christ, that he will help us to be true to what we say.” 2 Corinthians 3:3-4

The Price of Gas: Part I lost count

The rise in gas prices reveals the stark presence of irresponsibility on the part of Oil companies. The government, Congress must put aside fear of losing the support of big money backers and regulate the gas prices. In certain cities there are price ceilings on rent, I propose a similar regulatory system for gas. In it not necessary for the survival of nor economically prudent for the national economy in having these excessive gas prices.

"Gas prices: Worse than '81 oil shock
Gas now at highest level, even adjusted for inflation; AAA's reading of nearly $3.20 a gallon marks ninth straight record high in current dollars.

May 21 2007: 5:46 PM EDT
NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- Gasoline prices have soared to levels never seen before as even the inflation-adjusted price for a gallon of unleaded topped the 1981 record spike in price that had stood for 26 years.

And higher prices could be on the way as Americans get ready to hit the road for the Memorial Day holiday and the start of the summer driving season.

Two different surveys found record high pump prices once again.
The nation's retailers say soaring gas prices are prompting U.S. consumers to cut back on their purchases and shopping trips.

While gasoline had already been in record territory in current dollars, Trilby Lundberg, publisher of the survey, said this is the first time that her survey topped her 1981 record high when adjusted for inflation.

The price of $1.35 in 1981 works out to $3.15 in current dollars, she said. The Iran-Iraq war, which started the year before, choked off oil supplies to the global market, causing that spike in prices.
The Energy Information Administration's latest pump price, when adjusted for inflation, also reached a new peak. The EIA said Monday the average price for regular unleaded gasoline soared 11.5 cents over the past week to a fresh record of $3.22 a gallon, the all-time high fuel cost reached in March 1981.

The EIA survey covers about 800 service stations nationwide while the Lundberg survey includes 7,000 stations.

The motorist group AAA does a daily survey of up to 85,000 gas stations, but that reading does not go back to the 1981 spike. Its survey has been showing a series of record high prices in current dollars since May 13, and Monday the average price for a gallon of self-serve unleaded hit $3.196, the ninth straight record high and up from Sunday's record of $3.178.
The AAA survey now shows prices up 4 percent over the course of the last week, along with an increase of 11.8 percent over the last month.

AAA warned in congressional testimony last week it believes that more record prices could be on the way. It is forecasting prices will approach $3.25 a gallon over the next 60 days.

Florida Moves Primary to January 2008

"The state of Florida is moving its presidential primary earlier by one week, under a new law signed by Gov. Charlie Crist. The change means that Florida's Jan. 29 vote will set it apart from the large number of states holding their primaries on Feb. 5, 2008.

The new date still follows the Iowa and Nevada caucuses, as well as the emphatically first-in-the nation primary in New Hampshire. But Florida's vote will now be held on the same date as the South Carolina primary.

With New York and California among the 12 states voting on Feb. 5, the new January date makes Florida by far the largest state with an early role in the presidential nominating process. It is possible more states may move their caucus or primary to Feb. 5.

Adam Smith, who covers politics for The Saint Petersburg Times, told NPR's Robert Siegel that the move is a way for Florida to assert itself in the general election.
"They see themselves as the biggest swing state in the country — a diverse state" Smith said, "and they want to have a lot of say in who the nominee of the respective parties is.""

Wildfires back up the Interstate

We need more rain this month!!!

"MANATEE COUNTY - Florida Highway Patrol closed down northbound lanes of I-75 and State Road 70 near exit 217. A 5-acre wildfire burning close to the interstate darkened the road with heavy smoke and scattered debris. Due to limited visibility troopers closed the northbound lanes temporarily. Emergency crews were able to contain the fire quickly and re-open north bound lanes. The on and off ramps to exit 217 were closed for a while afterward but Manatee officials say they are now re-opened."

Former President Carter Blasts Bush

"AP LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (May 19) - Former President Carter says President Bush 's administration is "the worst in history" in international relations, taking aim at the White House's policy of pre-emptive war and its Middle East diplomacy.

The criticism from Carter, which a biographer says is unprecedented for the 39th president, also took aim at Bush's environmental policies and the administration's "quite disturbing" faith-based initiative funding. "I think as far as the adverse impact on the nation around the world, this administration has been the worst in history," Carter told the Arkansas Democrat -Gazette in a story that appeared in the newspaper's Saturday editions. "The overt reversal of America's basic values as expressed by previous administrations, including those of George H.W. Bush and Ronald Reagan and Richard Nixon and others, has been the most disturbing to me." Carter spokeswoman Deanna Congileo confirmed his comments to The Associated Press on Saturday and declined to elaborate. He spoke while promoting his new audiobook series, "Sunday Mornings in Plains," a collection of weekly Bible lessons from his hometown of Plains, Ga. "Apparently, Sunday mornings in Plains for former President Carter includes hurling reckless accusations at your fellow man," said Amber Wilkerson, Republican National Committee spokeswoman. She said it was hard to take Carter seriously because he also "challenged Ronald Reagan's strategy for the Cold War." Carter came down hard on the Iraq war.

"We now have endorsed the concept of pre-emptive war where we go to war with another nation militarily, even though our own security is not directly threatened, if we want to change the regime there or if we fear that some time in the future our security might be endangered," he said. "But that's been a radical departure from all previous administration policies."

Carter, who won a Nobel Peace Prize in 2002, criticized Bush for having "zero peace talks" in Israel. Carter also said the administration "abandoned or directly refuted" every negotiated nuclear arms agreement, as well as environmental efforts by other presidents. Carter also offered a harsh assessment for the White House's Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives, which helped religious charities receive $2.15 billion in federal grants in fiscal year 2005 alone.

"The policy from the White House has been to allocate funds to religious institutions, even those that channel those funds exclusively to their own particular group of believers in a particular religion," Carter said. "As a traditional Baptist, I've always believed in separation of church and state and honored that premise when I was president, and so have all other presidents, I might say, except this one." Douglas Brinkley, a Tulane University presidential historian and Carter biographer, described Carter's comments as unprecedented. "This is the most forceful denunciation President Carter has ever made about an American president," Brinkley said. "When you call somebody the worst president, that's volatile. Those are fighting words." Carter also lashed out Saturday at British prime minister Tony Blair . Asked how he would judge Blair's support of Bush, the former president said:

"Abominable. Loyal. Blind. Apparently subservient." "And I think the almost undeviating support by Great Britain for the ill-advised policies of President Bush in Iraq have been a major tragedy for the world," Carter told British Broadcasting Corp. radio. "

White House nixes Democratic Iraq funding bill

"Posted on Friday May 18, 2007
CAPITOL HILL (AP) - Democratic congressional leaders say the White House has rejected a stripped down spending bill for the war in Iraq.

In a meeting today with the president's top aides, Democrats said they would remove (b) billions in domestic spending from an emergency appropriations measure. They also pledged to give the president the right to waive compliance with a timetable on the war.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid says it would be an "understatement" to say he's disappointed that no agreement came from the meeting.

Earlier this month, the president vetoed a bill that would have funded the war, because it also demanded that troops start coming home in October. "

Democrats Prod Automakers on Mileage

I know that many people disregard comments that present the idea that many politicians including U.S. President G.W. Bush have sold out to big money. Excuse me for being direct, but those of you that possess apathy on these matters are dead wrong. The fact is a foreign automaker Toyota, has surpassed GM in sales by selling smaller more fuel-efficient vehicles. The fact is President G.W. Bush gave a speech today May 14 2007 stated a goal of changing fuel emission standards in 2017. 10 years after foreign automakers and nations are already on the move. Listen to here: Bush will not be President a decade from now; therefore, his speech today was simply full of hot air in response to public sentiment on rising gas prices. There was neither true sincerity nor presidential action behind his words. We need leaders that will act to improve fuel efficiency, decrease green house gases, and reduce the price of gasoline today.

"Source: Associated Press Newswires 05/13/2007
WASHINGTON (AP) - Democratic-controlled Washington stepped in to help save Chrysler nearly 30 years ago when the automaker was on the verge of bankruptcy due to lackluster sales of its fuel-thirsty vehicles.

With the Big Three struggling again, many political leaders now are taking Detroit to task for failing to do more to reduce how much gas their vehicles use. The Democratic presidential candidates are pledging tougher gas mileage rules. Automakers say such changes would hurt an industry already down.

But the political climate is turning against the companies. Concern is increasing about global warming. Pump prices are high. People are worried about U.S. dependence on oil from the Middle East.

"We're talking about saving the auto industry from itself," said Sen. Chris Dodd, who is proposing the highest increase of any presidential candidate.
Dodd, D-Conn., wants to double the average fuel economy for each automaker, from about 24 miles to per gallon today to 50 mpg by 2017.

"The industry just digs its heels in to fight any of these changes, but it's hard to maintain a very sympathetic ear when you realize that other (foreign) automakers are moving" in the direction of more fuel-efficient vehicles and "devouring market share in the country," Dodd said in a telephone interview. "Why aren't we doing this?"

Other Democratic candidates have talked about mileage increases, too:
--New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, a former energy secretary, also wants to reach 50 mpg, but his deadline would be three years later than Dodd's. Richardson plans to offer details of his proposal Thursday.

--Former North Carolina Sen. John Edwards wants 40 mpg by 2016. He has urged his audiences to consider sacrificing their gas-guzzling vehicles for the good of the country. In a campaign line that he uses often and that wins applause, the 2004 vice presidential nominee says, "It's time for Americans to be patriotic about something other than war."

--New York Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton plans to announce her proposal for increasing fuel economy in the coming weeks. Clinton spokesman Phil Singer noted that in the past she has supported increasing fuel efficiency by 10 mpg over the next decade.

--At a speech last Monday at the Detroit Economic Club, Illinois Sen. Barack Obama lectured automakers on their home turf for investing in bigger, faster cars while dependency on oil is jeopardizing U.S. security and the global environment.

"The auto industry is on a path that is unsustainable for their business, for their workers, and for America, and America must take action to make it right," Obama said. "That's why my first proposal will require automakers to meet higher fuel standards and produce more fuel-efficient cars, while providing them the flexibility and assistance to do it."

Obama's speech irritated industry officials. They say the sentiment he expressed -- while shared by other political leaders -- ignores the reality that they are making the vehicles that people in the United States want to buy: Cars and trucks with big engines, towing capacity and room for passengers.
Dave McCurdy, a former Democratic congressman from Oklahoma who recently took over as president of the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers, said Obama's presentation was "great campaign speak."

"A politician talks about, 'Well we're going to help you and my pollster says this and my interest group says this,'" McCurdy said. "The executive has to make a cold, calculated decision about whether he's betting the future of his company on a technology that may or may not be there because the consumer will decide what they want to buy."

McCurdy said overhauling a vehicle's engine and powertrain takes about seven years and between $6 billion and $10 billion per manufacturer. "If you're in companies that are losing money because of market distortions and other decisions made in the past, that's a big gamble," he said.
Obama's proposal would require an increase in fuel economy standards of 4 percent each year. The government could stop the increases if it determined they were technologically unachievable, a threat to safety, or were not cost-effective. Environmentalists oppose that provision, saying it could derail progress.

Dodd criticized it, too.
"There are so many loopholes in it, you could drive a Humvee through it," Dodd said of Obama's plan. "If that's what we adopt, you will not get anywhere near the standards we are talking about. It's not going to happen, I promise you."
Obama's campaign says he is trying to reach a middle ground that will set aggressive goals while taking into an account factors that would reduce the rate of progress.

"This debate has been stuck in neutral for 20 years," said Obama spokesman, Bill Burton. "The bipartisan legislation Obama worked to produce has changed the politics of this issue."
Edwards would have no exceptions to reaching the fleet-wide standard of 40 mpg, said his spokesman, Eric Schultz.
This past week, a Senate committee approved a plan that would raise the nationwide fleet fuel economy to an average of 35 mpg by 2020.
Auto executives have said they support an increase in government standards, as long it is determined by experts at the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

They appear to have a more sympathetic ear among Republican presidential candidates, including Arizona Sen. John McCain. McCain has voted for some fuel economy increases in the past, but says he would negotiate with automakers on the appropriate increase if he were president.
"I'm not prepared to name a certain number," McCain said in a recent interview with The Associated Press. "I'm hopeful that the marketplace itself and the sale of hybrid cars -- the (Toyota) Prius, electric cars -- would address this issue in an effective fashion."
Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney opposes increasing the standards without taking other steps that include increased use of alternatives fuels such as ethanol and biodiesel and the development of hybrid technologies, said his campaign spokesman, Kevin Madden.

Sen. Sam Brownback, R-Kan., has voted against increased standards in the past, but said the threat of U.S. dependence on foreign oil has him so concerned that he would consider changing his position. He said an increase couldn't be so steep that it would endanger the U.S. auto industry while it is at financial risk."

Romney addresses Al Sharpton

"Source: Associated Press Newswires 05/09/2007
CLEAR LAKE, Iowa (AP) - Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney on Wednesday denounced the Rev. Al Sharpton's remarks about God and his Mormon faith, saying it could be construed as "a bigoted comment."

"It shows that bigotry still exists in some corners," said Romney, who spoke to reporters after a campaign event. "I thought it was a most unfortunate comment to make."
On Monday, Sharpton said in a debate that "those of us who believe in God" will defeat Romney for the White House. He denied he was questioning the Mormon's own belief in God.
Rather, the New York Democrat said he was contrasting himself with Christopher Hitchens, the atheist author he was debating at the time.

"As for the one Mormon running for office, those who really believe in God will defeat him anyways, so don't worry about that; that's a temporary situation," Sharpton said during a debate with Hitchens at the New York Public Library.

Romney's campaign seized on the comments to criticize Sharpton, and the candidate complained about the remarks on Wednesday, calling them "terribly misguided."
Asked if he considered the civil rights leader a bigot, Romney demurred.
"I don't know Reverend Sharpton," he said. "I doubt he is personally such a thing, but the comment was a comment which could be described as a bigoted comment."
Romney added that he was willing to believe Sharpton didn't mean to be offensive.
"Perhaps he didn't mean it that way, but the way it came out was inappropriate and wrong," said Romney.

In a statement, Sharpton accused the Romney campaign of a "blatant effort to fabricate a controversy to help their lagging campaign" and argued that it was Hitchens who criticized Mormons.

"In no way did I attack Mormons or the Mormon Church when I responded that other believers, not atheists, would vote against Mr. Romney for purely political reasons," Sharpton said.
In an interview with The Associated Press on Tuesday, Sharpton denied questioning Romney's belief in God and suggested the Romney camp was trying to stir up a controversy because of their political differences.

"What I said was that we would defeat him, meaning as a Republican," Sharpton said. "A Mormon, by definition, believes in God. They don't believe in God the way I do, but by definition, they believe in God."

Romney, the former one-term governor of Massachusetts, said that as he campaigns, he hears little criticism about his religion.

"Overwhelmingly, the people I talk to believe that we elect a person to lead the nation not based on what church they go to, but based on their values and their vision," he said. "I receive very little comment of the nature coming from Reverend Sharpton."

The issue of Romney's religion is often compared to the scrutiny given to former President John Kennedy, whose Catholic faith was an issue in the 1960 campaign. Kennedy dealt with the matter by giving a high-profile speech in which he said his religion would not shape his policy choices.
Romney, the former governor of Massachusetts, hasn't addressed such questions so directly, but he has been clear that his religion wouldn't dictate his policies.

"I make it very clear that the doctrines of any one church are not the basis for electing any individual in this country -- never have been and I doubt they ever will be," Romney said. "