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Tampa Bay Times
Tallahassee Bureau Chief of the Tampa Bay Times
PROFILE
Steve Bousquet
Guest
FROM Steve Bousquet
Which Way, L.A.?
Early Voting Transforms Campaign Strategy The first of this year's three presidential debates is day after tomorrow, but by the time Obama and Romney have met for the last time the election may already be over. Early voting, especially in swing states, has changed the dynamics of presidential campaigns, and "voter ID" may have boomeranged against the Republicans. They're complaining of "voter fraud" by a firm they hired to increase registration.
To the Point
Election Day Is Becoming Election Month President Barack Obama and Mitt Romney are besieged with advice about how to score points with voters in three debates starting day after tomorrow. But with almost half the electorate, it may be getting too late. Early voting is already underway in states that could decide the outcome before Election Day. Meantime, Republicans have made "voter fraud" a major issue, and Republican legislatures have passed "voter ID" laws, even when there's not much evidence that fraud is widespread. Now, in one of this year's political ironies, the Republican Party has fired Strategic Allied Consulting — a firm it hired to increase GOP registration. We hear how new forces are re-shaping national campaigns.
Which Way, L.A.?
Florida and the Politics of an Important Swing State Florida's political history has had its share of political action, not just in the 2000 election. In 1972, both parties held their conventions in Miami Beach. Now it's one of the most important swing states, with seniors, Hispanics and evangelicals living side by side. To the Point's Avishay Artsy went out to Plant City, a town 30 miles east of Tampa on the I-4 corridor. Home to half of the state's Republican voters, it's a barometer for the political direction of this swing state.
To the Point
Florida and the Politics of an Important Swing State Florida's political history has had its share of political action, not just in the 2000 election. In 1972, both parties held their conventions in Miami Beach. Now it's one of the most important swing states, with seniors, Hispanics and evangelicals living side by side. To the Point's Avishay Artsy went out to Plant City, a town 30 miles east of Tampa on the I-4 corridor. Home to half of the state's Republican voters, it's a barometer for the political direction of this swing state.
To the Point
Purging Voter Rolls in Florida In the 19th Century, revoking the civil rights of felons was a device for keeping black voters away from the polls. Now, it's performing a similar function. Florida's voting rolls are being purged of both non-citizens and felons. Of the 7000 newly convicted felons, a disproportionate number are African Americans and Democrats. That's according to Steve Bousquet in today's Tampa Bay Times .
Recommended
To the Point
Terrorism and tweets, hate speech and murder Just days before an election, Britain is coping with a rash of deadly terrorism, and Prime Minister Theresa May is on the defensive. And again today, President Trump has tweeted criticism of the Mayor of London. Later, a double murder in Portland, Oregon has revealed the ugly past of a supposedly “progressive” city. One immediate question: is “hate speech” protected by the First Amendment?
To the Point
Trump's new look at civil rights and global warming President Trump is reportedly ready to pull the US out of the Paris Agreement on Climate Change. We look at the possible consequences. On the second half of the program, we hear about cuts in Obama-Era civil rights programs called for by the Trump Administration's first budget plan.
To the Point
Janesville and the American Dream Janesville, Wisconsin is the hometown of Republican House Speaker Paul Ryan. But he couldn’t prevent the closing of the General Motors factory after 100 years. On this Memorial Day rebroadcast of To the Point, we hear what’s happened to what once was a model of American middle-class unity.
To the Point
Who's to blame for the opioid crisis? Some of the lawyers who took on Big Tobacco are now going after Big Pharma. It’s all about the deadly epidemic of opioid use. Are the drug companies to blame? What about the users? Later, on today’s Talking Point: making sense of Britain’s upset election.