la liberté avant tout
By Yaël Ossowski | Florida Watchdog TAMPA — During the 2008 Republican National Convention in Minneapolis, more than 10,000 supporters of Texas congressman and presidential candidate Ron Paulgathered at a competing celebration they dubbed the “Rally for the Republic,” complete with speeches, music and campaign flair meant to clash with the official convention across town. The rally was organized…
By Yaël Ossowski | Florida Watchdog TAMPA— While television viewers recover from last season’s ratings bonanza known as the GOP presidential primary debates, voters in Florida learned this week that the next season’s senatorial debates will be aired without the cameo of one of the most important contestants: Cornelius McGillicuddy IV. Two months to the…
By Yaël Ossowski | Florida Watchdog TAMPA— In the state of Wisconsin, it took an $80-million recall election to validate Gov. Scott Walker‘s fiscal reforms on public-sector collective bargaining and pension requirements for state employees. In Florida, where similar legislation has been passed and signed into law, the biggest impediment to Gov. Rick Scott‘s agenda has not been…
By Yaël Ossowski | Florida Watchdog Florida Gov. Rick Scott responds to questions about his voter reforms being blocked by the federal government during an interview Tuesday with Christine Romans, host of CNN’s “Starting Point.” TAMPA— In the past two days, Gov. Rick Scott has been busy on the national airwaves defending his attempts to legitimize voter…
By Yaël Ossowski | Florida Watchdog TAMPA — Florida‘s political season is ready to move full steam ahead. With the statewide primary for the Democratic and Republican parties set for Aug 14, voters in theSunshine State have been presented with a slate of 120 candidates for27 House congressional seats and 11 for the U.S. Senate. Of those…
By Yaël Ossowski and Marianela Toledo | Florida Watchdog TAMPA— In an interview with Florida Watchdog, congressional candidate Joe Kaufman laid out his case for seeking the GOP nomination in Florida’s 23rd district, the newly-drawn seat held by Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Weston. Kaufman is a journalist and activist, concentrating on “combating bigotry and exposing the activities of radical extremist organizations,” according…
By Yaël Ossowski | Wisconsin Reporter MILWAUKEE— The crowd downtown was mum by 9 p.m. at the election night rally for supporters of Democratic gubernatorial hopeful Tom Barrett. Eyes were glued to the large plasma screen television in the corner, where MSNBC host Rachel Maddow was breaking the news that projections from her own news…
By Yaël Ossowski | Wisconsin Reporter MILWAUKEE — At Marquette University in downtown, the line to vote extended past the entrance of the door and turned left down a hallway of offices. Students with backpacks stood alongside dozens of parents towing child behind them, giving them a glimpse of the tranquil process that has been…
By Yaël Ossowski | Wisconsin Reporter MILWAUKEE— Voter number 51 at Jefferson Elementary School in Wauwatosa. As a testament to fair democracy, despite the sea of millions of ballots to be cast in the Badger State gubernatorial recall election Tuesday, this single vote is counted just like any other. Though the ballot cast was that of…
By Yaël Ossowski | Wisconsin Reporter MILWAUKEE — And so it comes to judgment day. All across Wisconsin, voters head to the polls to record their voice in what has become the most bitter battle for hearts and minds that the Badger State has ever known. On the eve of election day, just nine hours…