The Gainesville Iguana a Progressive Newsletter and Events Calendar November/December, 2018 Vol
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The Gainesville Iguana A progressive newsletter and events calendar November/December, 2018 Vol. 32, Issue 11/12 North central FL results not good By James Thompson reliable if moderate progressive Clemons (Florida House D21, Gilchrist, On Nov. 6, Florida, and specifically North messaging, and golden reputation as a Dixie, and West Alachua counties). Central Florida, lost some big elections to physician, the party machine that ran her Mr. Haeseler’s campaign got outspent some very dangerous people. Statewide campaign is in fact funded by corporations almost five to one, but stuck with tireless results are not finalized at this time. that poison our people, our government, fieldwork, progressive messaging, and and our water: Big Tobacco, Big Sugar, Dr. Kayser Enneking’s courageous and open attacks on Clemons’s right wing liquor distributors, and health insurance policies and voting record. The lack of costly run to oust corporate servant companies, to name a few. Keith Perry in Florida Senate District 8 negative state party maneuvering in this (Alachua, Putnam, and North Marion This matter of public record – one main race made it easy for Mr. Haeseler to counties) hurts the most. We needed focus of the dark money mailers – made ask for support from his strong primary this seat to begin undoing the ghastly it difficult to attack Keith Perry where he opponent, the fierce organizer Amol gerrymandering Republicans enacted is most vulnerable across party lines, his Jethwani. An aside, Mr. Jethwani is much after the 2010 Florida census. This was absolute devotion to the money interests, to thank for the injunction that kept our the most expensive regional campaign, which govern his every action. new university polling locations open and strategists took notice. Another tough hit was the close loss across the state for Nov. 6. Dark money PACs bashed the Florida by military veteran and out-of-the-gate Both Dr. Enneking’s and Mr. Haeseler’s Democratic Party’s blue-washed corpo- progressively platformed Jason Haeseler, races were very close, and the distribution rate funding of Dr. Enneking’s efforts to that other corporate servant in our of County votes typical. Each won huge through its Florida Democratic Leader- regional legislative delegation, Chuck See BROKEN, p. 8 ship Campaign Committee (Perry takes his more expansive portfolio of corporate cash directly to his campaign coffers). Perry’s campaign iced the cake with a fierce barrage of deceptive flyers and me- dia advertising against Enneking in the general election. Other than Keith Perry’s demonically stellar name recognition and his unlikely reputation for “helping people” (almost every working class supporter I talk to mentions this), the dark money ads may have hurt the most. Aside from Dr. Enneking’s unassailable character, INSIDE ... Editors’ Picks . 2 From the Publisher . 3 CMC Events . 11 Event Calendar . 12-13 Directory . 21-23 Update from the Alachua County Labor Coalition From the publisher . Subscribe! by Jesse Cosme, ACLC member that have gained ground elsewhere in the complete affordable housing plan. country and state and have been shown to The Gainesville Iguana With almost 14,000 properties in Gaines- On November 8 our proposed process to Suppressing Democracy is Gainesville's progressive ville on the rental market in the last year, improve the livelihoods of the renters in implement universal landlord licensing those communities. As I write this, four days after Election Day, things are quite uncertain in the key Florida newsletter and events calendar there is a serious need for action to protect was presented at the Gainesville City races. It will be almost a week from when I finish writing this to when you can read this. the interests of renters. The city and county have both made Commission during a packed meeting. It is an odd feeling. This is a huge election for the direction of the State, and as well the Individuals: $15 In the last months the renters’ rights cam- significant efforts to explore methods to We thank our members and supporters balance in the Senate and the empowerment of the truly vile Rick Scott to a six-year term (or more if you can) paign for the Alachua County Labor Co- expand affordable housing, and while who came. The outcome of that meeting in DC. I leave any comment on the election outcome to the future... Low/No income: What you can our proposal is not a solution to all of the alition has been picking up steam to do being the City Commission’s creation of a What we DO know is that this election has shown us the many Groups: $20 just that. The campaign proposes a uni- issues associated with affordable housing, special committee to construct a pathway it will ensure that tenants can rent safe manifestations of voter suppression across the country, and the Gainesville Iguana versal landlord licensing program that towards making this a reality. desperation of the right wing to cling to power in the face of on homes with full knowledge of their rights - P .O . Box 14712 focuses on energy efficiency, safety com- coming demographic shifts in the country. Those in power from and the utility expenses of home. We need your help to continue to push Gainesville, FL 32604 pliance, mediation processes, disclosures, this issue forward and smoothly through the Founding Fathers forward have always been wary of a true and a few anti-discrimination ordinances We see that as an essential element to any committee. one person, one vote system. The rabble must be kept in check. Comments, suggestions, contributions I don’t need to run down the history of the 20th century regard- (written or financial) are welcome. To We need renters’ voices to be heard in ing gender, race, property, and nationality being kept from voting. list your event or group, contact us at: these meetings to make sure their needs Heck even voting on a Tuesday, a work day for most, is a form (352) 378-5655 are being heard as loudly as they truly are. of voter suppression. But now all kinds of other means are in use. Joe Courter If you are interested in participating in Some are totally blatant and outrageous, limiting the opportunities GainesvilleIguana@cox .net this campaign in any way, even sharing to vote through minimized or moved polling places, and an obvious intentional selective www .gainesvilleiguana .org your stories of why these things are shortage of voting machines resulting in long lines. This is amplified by electronic voting facebook .com/gainesvilleiguana needed please contact the labor coalition machines, which, in addition to being vulnerable to hacking, slow the process of actually The Iguana has been published office at [email protected] or 352- voting as opposed to the paper ballot optical scan machines where your time at the machine monthly or bimonthly by volunteers D 375-2832. is minimal. for over 30 years . Circulation for In 2010 the Republicans pushed to gain control of state governments and thus the keys this issue is 4,500 . to redraw districts. This gerrymandering suppressed liberal voices, which resulted in Two labor related state after state, though voting Democratic statewide, ending up with overwhelmingly Publisher: holiday parties Republican legislatures. This is not a new practice, but through technology it is done with Joe Courter cold-blooded precision. This is a HUGE reason the Gillum-DeSantis race mattered so Editors Emeritus: The Labor Movement, the people much; 2020 and another census is right around the corner. who brought us the weekend and a Jenny Brown host of other things, deserve love and Yes, it is a very good thing we have early voting; from the looks of things the system could Mark Piotrowski not handle it if everyone had but one 12-hour period to physically vote. It is overwhelmed recognition. Friends of labor should help Editorial Board: them celebrate the holidays. in many places with just a 50 pecent turnout. But then we also have the ability to vote by mail. Both are good tools for Get Out the Vote efforts, but vote by mail is quite labor- Pierce Butler The first event is the annual Central intensive for elections offices and, as we are now seeing before our eyes, prone to being Joe Courter Labor Council Holiday Party spaghetti uncounted by understaffed or incompetent offices. Beth Grobman dinner on Monday evening Dec. 10. Jessica Newman Purging voter rolls, precise signature matching, and strict ID laws all are aspects of direct This year it will be at the Senior Center voter suppression. Less obvious, the fluffing out the ballot with a bunch of confusingly Production work and assistance: on NW 34th St. just south of 441 and worded amendments as was done in Florida made people feel uncertain and hesitant, and Joye Barnes across from the Walmart SuperCenter. It slowed the time to fill out the ballot. Another subtle form of voter suppression is Dark Linda Bassham begins at 6:30, with a donation requested Money, the flood of anonymous money unleashed by Citizens United. This plays a role in of canned foods for charity, and will host Kaithleen Hernandez elections too; while not directly suppressing the vote, it influences the electorate with false Jeremiah Tattersall and honor union activists and members attack ads. We saw it twice in the same race here in North Florida when hidden backers Editors’ picks: News that didn’t fit from Transit Workers and Electricians, of Keith Perry first tried to hurt the Kayser Enneking campaign with negative multi-card Distribution: grad students and UF faculty, and mailings “promoting” her grassroots challenger Olysha MaGruder (who I am sure they’d Joe Courter D Trump’s NLRB just quietly ruled to make union pickets illegal by Moshe Z.