By Yaël Ossowski | Florida Watchdog ST. PETERSBURG — The nation’s largest military contractors may be doing everything they can to warn Floridians of impending doom coming in the form of military-spending cuts, but newly announced defense contracts may leave their claims falling on deaf ears. DOOM: Military contractors warn of coming defense cuts, but […]
FL: State Internet taxes are ‘first step’ toward national online sales tax
By Yaël Ossowski | Florida Watchdog CLEARWATER — The world’s freest marketplace is set to become the next playground for Florida’s tax collectors. Come 2013, the Sunshine State could find itself with an Internet sales tax, thanks to a bill put forward by state Sen. Gwen Margolis, D-Miami, on Monday. Margolis did not return calls to Florida Watchdog, but she told Jacksonville […]
Sarasota Speech with Rich Swier
Here I am with my good friend Dr. Richard Swier, a passionate political activist, talented writer, and retired Army Lt. Colonel who is working to change the system and refute the myths currently hampering freedom and liberty in the state of Florida. He invited me along to give a post-election 2012 analysis at the Sarasota Yacht Club on […]
FL: Scott draws heat for Colombia trade trip
By Yaël Ossowski | Florida Watchdog ST. PETERSBURG — Critics are blasting Gov. Rick Scott for takingoff on yet another foreign trade mission, this time to the booming Latin American tiger of Colombia. Critics view these kinds of trips at public expense as troubling for the average taxpayer, not just for the temporary costs, but also because of […]
Article on Reason.com: How Tampa’s Surveillance State Profited from the Republican National Convention
Another article of mine was reprinted on Reason’s website, showing how the leftover spoils from the Republican National Convention have left a police state in the city of Tampa, Fla. Reason is a libertarian magazine that features great commentary and analysis on the pressing issues of our day. Enjoy: A vast network of surveillance cameras, armored trucks […]
FL: Miami-Dade prison work program ‘obviously unconstitutional’
By Marianela Toledo and Yaël Ossowski | Florida Watchdog MIAMI — Reacting to the news that Miami-Dade County wants to use accused criminals for manual labor in return for paying off debts, lawyers across the state say such a program could be rule unconstitutional. The proposed ordinance aims to save taxpayer dollars by offering “pretrial detainees” the option of cleaning roads, […]
Video: RNC spoils help bolster Tampa’s surveillance state
While most of the RNC convention goers have long since left Tampa Bay, the millions of dollars in security costs awarded to local police departments have stayed put, engendering a new kind of technological surveillance state never before seen by Florida residents. Read more: Florida Watchdog
FL: Alan Grayson gives flawed lesson on Walmart economics
By Yaël Ossowski | Florida Watchdog ST. PETERSBURG — Taking his victory lap on the heels of his return to the U.S. House after losing two years prior, U.S. Rep. Alan Grayson staged his first public spectacle against the retail giant Walmart over the Thanksgiving holiday. Grayson, a Florida Democrat, made Thanksgiving Day and Black Friday appearances at stores in St. Cloud and Orlando, handing workers turkey sandwiches and encouraging them […]
FL: Convention spoils help bolster Tampa’s surveillance state
By Yaël Ossowski | Florida Watchdog ST. PETERSBURG — A vast network of surveillance cameras, armored trucks with weapons mounting capabilities and state-of-the-art bulletproof vests strong enough to withstand high-caliber rounds. Those are just a few of the spoils enjoyed by the Tampa Police Department during the highly anticipated Republican National Convention, which occupied the city from Aug.27-30 […]
Article on Reason.com: Florida Weighs Corporate Welfare for New Sports Stadium
Another article of mine was reprinted on Reason’s website, detailing the push for Tampa Bay taxpayers to pick up the tab for a new baseball stadium. Reason is a libertarian magazine that features great commentary and analysis on the pressing issues of our day. Enjoy: Whether or not they’re fans of baseball, residents in Tampa and St. […]