Lob a few tweet bombs at U.S. Sen Bill Nelson, and help end workplace discrimination of LGBT employees.
That is the message from Equality Florida, as it mobilizes supporters to simultaneously tweet the Florida senator at 3 p.m., Thursday, Oct. 17.
Internet activists are organizing a Twitterbomb that urges Nelson to co-sponsor the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA).
The bill would prohibit workplace discrimination against employees based on sexual orientation or gender.
Nelson is one of only three Senate Democrats — along with Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Mark Pryor of Arkansas — who have not signed their names to the bill.
Supporters are encouraged to use the hashtag #supportENDA, to make the tweet bombs a trending topic across Twitter.
Equality Florida also has offered some pre-written messages for people to use, such as @SenBillNelson, glad you’re with us on Marriage Equality. But while not everyone gets married, EVERYONE needs a job.
Bombs away: Will the defense industry bomb in the Tampa Bay area, after its biggest champ retires in 2014?
Private defense contractors are starting to assess the potential effects of U.S. Rep. Bill Young’s retirement next year. Young has brought hundreds of millions of dollars in military jobs and defense-related contracts to the Tampa Bay area in four decades.
Observers say that Young used government grants as a major vehicle for spurring economic growth in southwest Florida.
Major private corporations, including Honeywell and Raytheon, benefited from his ability to direct defense, high-tech and marine research spending to the region.
Young had a total of $128 million in earmarks for his district in 2010, the Tampa Tribune reports.
The money included:
• $21 million for communications at MacDill Air Force Base,
• $4 million for a naval defense sensor system to be built by Raytheon,
• $3 million to SRI International for ship monitoring.
Surprise victory: A newcomer to state politics who challenged the Old Guard won a a special election Tuesday to capture a Florida House seat.
Democrat Amanda Murphy, a financial planner at Raymond James, was the surprise winner in a special election against Republican Bill Gunter.
She will fill a seat held by Republican Mike Fasano, who resigned to become Pasco County’s tax collector.
Gunter had garnered support from leading GOP’ers, including House Speaker Will Weatherford and Sheriff Chris Nocco.
But Fasano, who was a popular politician in west Pasco, broke with party ranks to endorse the Democratic newcomer last week. Murphy took 50.8 percent of the vote Tuesday, according to unofficial results.
Fasano disclosed that he voted for Murphy by absentee ballot, and then he formally endorsed the candidate.
This article appears in Oct 10-16, 2013.
