Today's news -- April 11, 2017

What HB 11 supporters don’t get *

Recently the House passed HB 11, legislation that would require labor unions representing public sector workers to certify they have more than half of the workers signed up as members every single year. In their view this will empower workers to somehow bargain better contracts and benefits and, they swear, in no way an attempt to strip workers of their right to a voice on the job. It could be they just don’t understand how a union, in a “right to work for less” state like Florida, operates in a modern workplace. The wages, retirement, health care and other benefits that a union like AFSCME negotiates are enjoyed by every employee, not just those that pay dues. Things like investments in safety, emergency response protocols and, yes, how to save lives from a burning building are negotiated on behalf of bus drivers, public service aids and more, not just those in police and fire unites that the legislation would except under the belief they are the only ones dealing with public safety. All public-sector workers are on the front line of serving their community. Maybe the supporters of the legislation believe that all workers pitch in to the union in their workplace. That is not true. Members decide to pay dues for a variety of reasons but not because they are forced to do so. Non-members don’t even pay a fair share for the benefits they get to enjoy. It is a choice, but this legislation would take that choice from them. In America, we believe in the will of the majority but respect and protect the rights of the minority. A church doesn’t exist only if they get 50 percent of the town’s residents to attend, or even get 50 percent of their own congregation to attend each week. Official documents are printed in a variety of languages because we don’t force people to speak what most their neighbors speak. And people are elected to office with a majority of those who vote, not a majority of the citizens of that district, because we respect the right for people to not vote if they choose not to. By requiring a worksite to have a majority of workers signed as members you take away a choice. You limit a right, the right to collectively bargain, that even President Trump’s nominee for Secretary of Labor said, “is clearly established by law.” I invite anyone who supports HB 11 to join me for a day or two out talking to workers about why they do, or do not, join the union. See how unions actually contribute to our state’s prosperity. Understand how this legislation wouldn’t empower workers but actually take away a right that men and women have died to protect for generations – the right to choose for ourselves. Any country can operate by majority rule, what makes us special is that we respect minority rights. That is why this is not just bad legislation, it is anti-American.

http://floridapolitics.com/archives/235807-andy-madtes-hb-11-supporters-dont-get

“Opt out” parents appeal to Florida Supreme Court

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/politics/political-pulse/os-opt-out-parents-appeal-to-supreme-court-20170410-story.html

Unregulated charters, Uber and the world of DeVos (by Lily Eskelsen García)

http://lilysblackboard.org/2017/04/private-charters-uber-and-the-world-of-betsy-devos/

Fifth annual virtual schools report released

http://www.greatlakescenter.org/docs/Policy_Briefs/Miron-Virtual-Schools-2017.htm

Report: The failure of policy planning in California’s charter school facility funding

https://www.inthepublicinterest.org/report-the-failure-of-policy-planning-in-californias-charter-school-facility-funding/

https://dianeravitch.net/2017/04/10/bombshell-california-charter-report-hundreds-of-millions-of-taxpayer-dollars-wasted/

San Bernardino school shooting leaves three dead, including student

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/04/10/us/san-bernardino-school-shooting.html?emc=edit_th_20170411&nl=todaysheadlines&nlid=3179832

State adds up costs for university degrees

http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/state-adds-costs-for-university-degrees/dmVXiYzWKYUpByUcMGA9ZN/

House to take up pension “reform” this week

http://wlrn.org/post/florida-house-take-pension-reform-week

Advocacy groups renews questions about constitution revision process, rules (FEA mentioned)

http://www.tampabay.com/blogs/the-buzz-florida-politics/advocacy-groups-raises-more-concerns-about-constitution-revision-process/2319796

http://saintpetersblog.com/league-women-voters-says-lack-openness-still-hindering-constitutional-rewrite-panel/

Governor’s top lawyer joining Constitution Revision Commission

http://floridapolitics.com/archives/235822-crc-spicola

Reject fees for Medicaid patients

http://www.tampabay.com/opinion/editorials/editorial-reject-fees-for-florida-medicaid-patients/2319820

The Legislature's free-market fantasy for hospitals

http://www.tampabay.com/opinion/editorials/editorial-the-legislatures-free-market-fantasy-for-hospitals/2319824

House demands finance records from secret appropriations

http://www.naplesnews.com/story/news/local/florida/2017/04/10/house-demands-finance-records-secret-appropriations/100281892/

Florida Justice Association denounces House workers’ comp package

http://saintpetersblog.com/attorneys-workers/

More than 100 wildfires scorch Florida

http://www.tampabay.com/news/publicsafety/fire/more-than-100-florida-wildfires-scorch-state-a-sign-of-how-dry-we-are/2319799

Scientists fear budget cuts in face of Hurricane Matthew-like events

http://www.mypalmbeachpost.com/weather/hurricanes/scientists-fear-budget-cuts-face-hurricane-matthew-like-events/Sal0Q3oDHGOCU9LmOS70vO/

Trump’s promised announcement on labor law unnerves unions

http://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics-government/article143853439.html

Seniors could be in for a rude surprise if Ryan gets his way on taxes

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2017/04/10/the-seniors-who-could-be-in-for-a-rude-awakening-if-paul-ryan-gets-his-way-on-taxes/?tid=sm_tw&utm_term=.b7a52c172f0d

Universal healthcare supporters see their chance

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/apr/11/us-universal-healthcare-single-payer-rallies?utm_source=esp&utm_medium=Email&utm_campaign=GU+Today+USA+-+Collections+2017&utm_term=221373&subid=7590566&CMP=GT_US_collection

Patients prescribed shelter and medication are wary of Trump cuts

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/04/10/us/politics/housing-health-care-trump-cuts.html?em_pos=small&emc=edit_cn_20170411&nl=first-draft&nl_art=12&nlid=3179832&ref=headline&te=1

Trump administration to pay health law subsidies disputed by House

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/04/10/us/politics/affordable-care-act-trump-subsidies.html?em_pos=small&emc=edit_cn_20170411&nl=first-draft&nl_art=9&nlid=3179832&ref=headline&te=1

Club for Growth muscling moderates on Freedom Caucus health proposal

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/powerpost/wp/2017/04/10/club-for-growth-aims-to-muscle-house-moderates-into-accepting-freedom-caucus-health-proposal/?utm_term=.646bd69d7784&wpisrc=nl_politics&wpmm=1

Republicans avoid town halls after health care votes

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2017/04/10/republicans-avoid-town-halls-after-health-care-votes/100286290/

Scott would see big tax savings under Obamacare repeal

http://www.politico.com/states/florida/story/2017/04/scott-would-see-big-tax-savings-under-obamacare-repeal-111167

Florida among 14 states urge appeals court to reinstate travel ban http://customwire.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_TRAVEL_BAN_LAWSUITS?SITE=FLPET&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2017-04-10-17-07-35

Trump administration halts reports on immigration cooperation

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/04/10/us/politics/trump-administration-immigration.html?em_pos=small&emc=edit_cn_20170411&nl=first-draft&nl_art=10&nlid=3179832&ref=headline&te=1

California moves to become “sanctuary state,” and others look to follow

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/04/10/us/sanctuary-states-immigration.html?emc=edit_th_20170411&nl=todaysheadlines&nlid=3179832

How Pope Francis is leading the Catholic Church against anti-migrant populism

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/how-pope-francis-is-leading-the-catholic-church-against-anti-migrant-populism/2017/04/10/d3ca5832-1966-11e7-8598-9a99da559f9e_story.html?utm_term=.bfb2bb8a6afb&wpisrc=nl_headlines&wpmm=1

The ecological disaster that is Trump’s border wall

http://www.vox.com/energy-and-environment/2017/4/10/14471304/trump-border-wall-animals

South Florida kids head to D.C. to protest Trump’s immigration policies

http://wlrn.org/post/south-florida-kids-head-dc-protest-trump-s-immigration-policies

Gorsuch sworn in as 113th Supreme Court justice

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/courts_law/gorsuch-to-be-sworn-in-to-supreme-court-today-in-two-ceremonies/2017/04/10/9ac361fe-1ddb-11e7-ad74-3a742a6e93a7_story.html?utm_term=.f50a9175352d&wpisrc=nl_politics&wpmm=1

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/04/10/us/politics/neil-gorsuch-supreme-court.html?em_pos=small&emc=edit_cn_20170411&nl=first-draft&nl_art=3&nlid=3179832&ref=headline&te=1

Sessions orders Justice to end forensic science commission, suspend review policy

https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/public-safety/sessions-orders-justice-dept-to-end-forensic-science-commission-suspend-review-policy/2017/04/10/2dada0ca-1c96-11e7-9887-1a5314b56a08_story.html?tid=sm_tw&utm_term=.9be875e5e93a

Trump administration isn’t finished rolling back environmental regulations

https://thinkprogress.org/trump-environmental-regulations-delay-in-court-69de8301892b

What’s at stake in Trump’s proposed EPA cuts

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/04/10/climate/trump-epa-budget-cuts.html?emc=edit_tnt_20170410&nlid=3179832&tntemail0=y

Scientists fear climate data gap as Trump Aims at satellites

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/04/10/climate/trump-nasa-satellites-global-warming-data.html?em_pos=small&emc=edit_cn_20170411&nl=first-draft&nl_art=13&nlid=3179832&ref=headline&te=1

EPA climate adviser quits, torches Pruitt with red-hot letter on the way out

https://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2017/04/epa-climate-adviser-quits-torches-scott-pruitt-wit.html

Why the Trump administration has so many vacancies

http://www.politico.com/story/2017/04/donald-trump-white-house-staff-vacancies-237081

On Syria, an administration in disagreement with itself

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/04/10/opinion/on-syria-an-administration-in-disagreement-with-itself.html?em_pos=small&emc=edit_ty_20170411&nl=opinion-today&nl_art=0&nlid=3179832&ref=headline&te=1

No one should feel good about Trump’s attack on Syria

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/no-one-should-feel-good-about-trumps-attack-on-syria/2017/04/10/e610ef3e-1e15-11e7-a0a7-8b2a45e3dc84_story.html?utm_term=.801209ba96cf&wpisrc=nl_opinions&wpmm=1

New suit demands Trump White House visitor logs

http://www.politico.com/blogs/under-the-radar/2017/04/white-house-visitor-logs-lawsuit-237065

http://miamiherald.typepad.com/nakedpolitics/2017/04/watchdogs-sue-for-visitor-logs-to-white-house-mar-a-lago.html