Comments on: From the AU on Florida http://atheists.org/blog/2008/09/02/from_the_au_on_florida A Blog of Atheist Thought Fri, 10 Feb 2012 05:40:03 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: neowolfe http://atheists.org/blog/2008/09/02/from_the_au_on_florida/comment-page-1#comment-88165 neowolfe Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-88165 To me, you seem in panic. You should relax. If I lived in Florida, I would pledge my vote, and perhaps volunteer for your cause.<br /> <br /> But, I live in Idaho, the very reddist of the red states. But, guess what, there is no prayer in school here. Evolution is taught in science classes as a fact, not a theory. There are more churches in Boise than there are convenience stores.<br /> <br /> These bills keep popping up everywhere, all you have to do is get a few thousand signatures, and you can put a proposition on the ballot to make a maggot your state insect. The problem is that even if its passed, anyone or his dog can have the measure frozen pending judicial review. That is, is it constitutional?<br /> <br /> A lot of legal fees can be prevented by blocking passage, but, as soon as an evangelical measure is passed, it becomes a nationwide debate, and it always dies in a dumpster.<br /> <br /> NeoWolfe To me, you seem in panic. You should relax. If I lived in Florida, I would pledge my vote, and perhaps volunteer for your cause.

But, I live in Idaho, the very reddist of the red states. But, guess what, there is no prayer in school here. Evolution is taught in science classes as a fact, not a theory. There are more churches in Boise than there are convenience stores.

These bills keep popping up everywhere, all you have to do is get a few thousand signatures, and you can put a proposition on the ballot to make a maggot your state insect. The problem is that even if its passed, anyone or his dog can have the measure frozen pending judicial review. That is, is it constitutional?

A lot of legal fees can be prevented by blocking passage, but, as soon as an evangelical measure is passed, it becomes a nationwide debate, and it always dies in a dumpster.

NeoWolfe

]]> By: sam moore jr http://atheists.org/blog/2008/09/02/from_the_au_on_florida/comment-page-1#comment-88175 sam moore jr Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-88175 You sound optimistic,neowolfe. I hope you're right -- I hope this evangelical measure dies in a dumpster. You sound optimistic,neowolfe. I hope you’re right — I hope this evangelical measure dies in a dumpster.

]]> By: TXatheist http://atheists.org/blog/2008/09/02/from_the_au_on_florida/comment-page-1#comment-88188 TXatheist Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-88188 Neowolfe, how dare you be an optimistic atheist? Good for you and hope to emulate more of that characteristic. Neowolfe, how dare you be an optimistic atheist? Good for you and hope to emulate more of that characteristic.

]]> By: George Ricker http://atheists.org/blog/2008/09/02/from_the_au_on_florida/comment-page-1#comment-88197 George Ricker Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-88197 The good news is that, since both of these measures are amendments to the state constitution. they must be passed with a majority of, at least, 60 percent of the votes cast. <br /> <br /> However, if they do make it into the state constitution, then anyone attempting to stop the public funding of religious schools and other activities, which these amendments will allow, will be forced to go into the Federal court system and probably all the way to the Supreme Court for relief. I'm not at all confident such a challenge would be successful given the current makeup of the Supreme Court. <br /> <br /> These two amendments are efforts to restore former Governor Jeb Bush's voucher program, which was overturned by the Florida Supreme Court.<br /> <br /> We Floridians need to head this off at the polls, not hope for favorable court rulings down the line. The good news is that, since both of these measures are amendments to the state constitution. they must be passed with a majority of, at least, 60 percent of the votes cast.

However, if they do make it into the state constitution, then anyone attempting to stop the public funding of religious schools and other activities, which these amendments will allow, will be forced to go into the Federal court system and probably all the way to the Supreme Court for relief. I’m not at all confident such a challenge would be successful given the current makeup of the Supreme Court.

These two amendments are efforts to restore former Governor Jeb Bush’s voucher program, which was overturned by the Florida Supreme Court.

We Floridians need to head this off at the polls, not hope for favorable court rulings down the line.

]]> By: George Ricker http://atheists.org/blog/2008/09/02/from_the_au_on_florida/comment-page-1#comment-88217 George Ricker Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-88217 Florida Today (Brevard County's Gannett newspaper) is reporting that Florida's Supreme Court has thrown both Amendment 7 and Amendment 9 off the ballot. The decision was announced just a few hours after the court heard oral arguments. Also tossed was Amendment 5, a tax-swap measure that had come under heavy fire for deceptive language, etc. <br /> <br /> The opinions on the case have not yet been released, so I'm not sure about the legal basis for the decision. Florida Today (Brevard County’s Gannett newspaper) is reporting that Florida’s Supreme Court has thrown both Amendment 7 and Amendment 9 off the ballot. The decision was announced just a few hours after the court heard oral arguments. Also tossed was Amendment 5, a tax-swap measure that had come under heavy fire for deceptive language, etc.

The opinions on the case have not yet been released, so I’m not sure about the legal basis for the decision.

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