http://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics/index.html http://media.miamiherald.com/images/logos/rss_sitelogo.gif http://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics/index.html 140 25 News, sports and entertainment from MiamiHerald.com en-us Copyright 2010 MiamiHerald.com Political Currents 60 Sat, 20 Mar 2010 12:30:29 EDT http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss McClatchy Interactive's PubSys miamifeedback@miamiherald.com http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/03/20/1538906/agency-chiefs-may-face-working.html http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/03/20/1538906/agency-chiefs-may-face-working.html Sat, 20 Mar 2010 12:26 EDT Agency heads would have to live near Tallahassee, with a tighter control on their travel expenses, under a new legislative proposal that followed reports of travel costs for three agency directors. http://www.miamiherald.com/2008/09/09/740547/obamas-speechbrin-pictures.html http://www.miamiherald.com/2008/09/09/740547/obamas-speechbrin-pictures.html Tue, 09 Sep 2008 15:36 EDT Obama hosts town hall meeting in Ft. Myers, FL http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/03/04/1511612/crist-jumps-on-rubio-sansom-similarities.html http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/03/04/1511612/crist-jumps-on-rubio-sansom-similarities.html Thu, 04 Mar 2010 01:00 EST Ray Sansom may have quit the Florida House last week to avoid an ethics trial, but the scandal has legs in the Republican U.S. Senate primary between Gov. Charlie Crist and Marco Rubio. http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/03/04/1511694/pot-of-gold-that-ferre-left-city.html http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/03/04/1511694/pot-of-gold-that-ferre-left-city.html Thu, 04 Mar 2010 01:00 EST Maurice Ferre, a Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate, wants to convince voters that he will be a good steward of their tax dollars. He served as Miami's mayor from 1973 until he lost in 1985 and says that he left the city in good financial shape. That's notable because, these days, the city is plagued with budget shortfalls and under a federal investigation about its finances. http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/03/03/1509271/crist-calls-for-consensus-in-state.html http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/03/03/1509271/crist-calls-for-consensus-in-state.html Wed, 03 Mar 2010 01:00 EST In his farewell State of the State speech, Gov. Charlie Crist made a last-ditch appeal to the Legislature on Tuesday to embrace his style of pragmatic bipartisanship to confront Florida's problems. http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/03/02/1507438/legislators-making-last-grabs.html http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/03/02/1507438/legislators-making-last-grabs.html Tue, 02 Mar 2010 01:00 EST In an annual game of beat the clock, lawmakers fanned across the capital Monday with dollar signs in their eyes, chasing campaign cash from lobbyists. http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/02/28/1505828/as-costs-rise-lawmakers-eye-hmos.html http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/02/28/1505828/as-costs-rise-lawmakers-eye-hmos.html Mon, 01 Mar 2010 01:00 EST This is the year of big talk about healthcare. And potentially bigger profits for HMOs.<p/> As Medicaid swells in cost and number of recipients, some Republican legislative leaders are increasingly interested in putting more of the program's patients into HMOs, giving the private companies more control over the state-federal program for the poor. http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/02/27/1503254/trio-on-a-mission-to-keep-up-appearances.html http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/02/27/1503254/trio-on-a-mission-to-keep-up-appearances.html Sun, 28 Feb 2010 01:00 EST Crist, Atwater and Cretul on mission to keep up appearances during Legislature's 2010 session. <p/>It's a prescription for trouble. http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/02/28/1504457/amid-scandal-after-scandal-fla.html http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/02/28/1504457/amid-scandal-after-scandal-fla.html Sun, 28 Feb 2010 01:00 EST For the first time since the blistering indictment of former House Speaker Ray Sansom and the legislative process as a whole, the buzzword in this town is ``transparency.'' http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/02/28/1504464/floridas-colleges-universities.html http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/02/28/1504464/floridas-colleges-universities.html Sun, 28 Feb 2010 01:00 EST Jobs, jobs, jobs. Knowledge-based economy. High-tech research. <p/> The 2010 legislative session promises to be full of buzzwords and election-season hype -- much of it centered around the mantra that elevating Florida's economy beyond orange groves and theme parks will take a committed investment in Florida's community colleges and universities. http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/02/28/1503256/struggle-to-find-money-has-never.html http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/02/28/1503256/struggle-to-find-money-has-never.html Sun, 28 Feb 2010 01:00 EST For the third straight year, the Legislature will confront some painful choices as it writes the state budget, and those decisions are likely to be felt by every man, woman and child in Florida. http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/02/28/1504466/in-florida-support-for-offshore.html http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/02/28/1504466/in-florida-support-for-offshore.html Sun, 28 Feb 2010 01:00 EST When it comes to drilling for oil in the Gulf of Mexico, it's as if there are two Floridas. <p/> The people who live and work along the Gulf Coast tend to oppose it. Counties and cities around the state's western rim -- including Pinellas County, Largo, Tarpon Springs, St. Petersburg and Safety Harbor -- have passed resolutions opposing offshore drilling. http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/02/26/1501039/with-hands-tied-florida-struggles.html http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/02/26/1501039/with-hands-tied-florida-struggles.html Fri, 26 Feb 2010 01:00 EST Spurred by state unemployment soon expected to top 12 percent and a political agenda keen on kick-starting a long-stalled economy, Florida lawmakers insist job creation is a priority in this legislative session. http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/02/25/1500948/rubio-case-renews-spending-outcry.html http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/02/25/1500948/rubio-case-renews-spending-outcry.html Fri, 26 Feb 2010 02:00 EST Marco Rubio's routine use of a Republican Party of Florida credit card for personal expenses, while speaker of the Florida House, brought renewed calls Thursday for the party to disclose charges racked up by former and current elected officials. http://www.miamiherald.com/2009/10/27/1301989/president-obama-rallies-democratic.html http://www.miamiherald.com/2009/10/27/1301989/president-obama-rallies-democratic.html Tue, 27 Oct 2009 14:48 EDT President Barack Obama dashed from a Navy hangar in Jacksonville to a swanky Miami Beach hotel Monday to buff his image in a recession-weary state and bag $1.5 million to defend the Democratic majority in Congress. The ground Obama plans to cover on his two-day stint in Florida reflects the changing landscape since the freshly inaugurated president came to Fort Myers in February to pitch his economic stimulus plan. His poll numbers are down, unemployment is up and health care reform hangs in the balance. http://www.miamiherald.com/2009/07/30/1164553/which-tax-should-rise-to-pay-for.html http://www.miamiherald.com/2009/07/30/1164553/which-tax-should-rise-to-pay-for.html Thu, 30 Jul 2009 17:50 EDT Congressional negotiators are divided over how to raise taxes to pay for overhauling the nation's health care system, as key players disagree over whether to increase income taxes on wealthy people or find alternatives such as taxing insurers that sell high-end policies. http://www.miamiherald.com/2009/06/12/1094378/congress-wont-try-to-keep-guantanamo.html http://www.miamiherald.com/2009/06/12/1094378/congress-wont-try-to-keep-guantanamo.html Fri, 12 Jun 2009 14:02 EDT Congressional negotiators have agreed to drop an amendment to a defense approrpiations bill that would have prevented the Obama administration from releasing any freed Guantánamo detainees into the United States or transferring them to U.S. prisons for trial. http://www.miamiherald.com/2009/06/08/1088111/obama-given-some-credit-for-lebanon.html http://www.miamiherald.com/2009/06/08/1088111/obama-given-some-credit-for-lebanon.html Tue, 09 Jun 2009 09:54 EDT Lebanon's pro-Western political parties turned their focus Monday toward crafting a stable coalition government hours after voters soundly rebuffed efforts by Iran-backed Hezbollah politicians to secure more political power in Beirut. Analysts said Obama's call last week in Cairo for a "new beginning" for U.S.-Middle East relations helped tilt the balance toward America's allies. http://www.miamiherald.com/2009/06/08/1088112/yet-another-review-ordered-of.html http://www.miamiherald.com/2009/06/08/1088112/yet-another-review-ordered-of.html Tue, 09 Jun 2009 09:52 EDT Secretary of Defense Robert Gates has given the new U.S. commander in Afghanistan 60 days to conduct another review of the American strategy there, the fifth since President Barack Obama took office less than five months ago. The review comes even as the Pentagon said benchmarks promised on March 27 still are being drafted. http://www.miamiherald.com/2009/06/04/1081476/crowd-loved-obamas-irabac-even.html http://www.miamiherald.com/2009/06/04/1081476/crowd-loved-obamas-irabac-even.html Thu, 04 Jun 2009 14:14 EDT One of the Cairo cafe questions debated in the days leading up to the speech was: Would Obama say "salaam" to the Arabic-speaking world? The answer: Yes, sometimes mistakenly. http://www.miamiherald.com/2009/04/14/999823/obama-urges-patience-lower-expectations.html http://www.miamiherald.com/2009/04/14/999823/obama-urges-patience-lower-expectations.html Tue, 14 Apr 2009 19:55 EDT President Barack Obama told Americans Tuesday to brace for "more job loss, more foreclosures, and more pain" in 2009, saying the recession isn't over yet despite some early promise from the government's massive spending on bailouts and economic stimulus. http://www.miamiherald.com/2009/03/26/968522/obama-rebuffs-texas-gop-senators.html http://www.miamiherald.com/2009/03/26/968522/obama-rebuffs-texas-gop-senators.html Thu, 26 Mar 2009 11:08 EDT With both of Texas' U.S. Senate seats held by Republicans, the White House on Wednesday said it has asked the 12 Democratic members of the Texas delegation in the House of Representatives to interview potential nominees to Justice Department and judicial branch appointments. http://www.miamiherald.com/2009/03/18/956771/dallas-ex-mayor-confirmed-as-trade.html http://www.miamiherald.com/2009/03/18/956771/dallas-ex-mayor-confirmed-as-trade.html Thu, 19 Mar 2009 09:06 EDT The Senate on Wednesday easily confirmed former Dallas Mayor Ron Kirk as the U.S. trade representative, making him the ambassador for a new, more limited Obama administration approach to free trade. http://www.miamiherald.com/2009/03/16/952645/pew-poll-obamas-public-support.html http://www.miamiherald.com/2009/03/16/952645/pew-poll-obamas-public-support.html Mon, 16 Mar 2009 13:19 EDT President Barack Obama's popular support is eroding, as a new poll by the independent Pew Research Center shows his approval rating dropping below the 60 percent threshold. http://www.miamiherald.com/2009/02/24/920003/now-is-the-time-to-act-boldly.html http://www.miamiherald.com/2009/02/24/920003/now-is-the-time-to-act-boldly.html Wed, 25 Feb 2009 09:08 EST Calling this a "day of reckoning" for years of mistakes, President Barack Obama worked Tuesday night to assure a recession-weary nation that he's charting a new course out of the depths and ultimately to a prosperous future. http://www.miamiherald.com/2009/02/12/901609/stimulus-fight-augurs-tough-road.html http://www.miamiherald.com/2009/02/12/901609/stimulus-fight-augurs-tough-road.html Fri, 13 Feb 2009 11:25 EST President Obama won approval of the economic stimulus plan late Friday with little margin for error — it's got the bare minimum 60 votes necessary in the Senate — despite his popularity and the sense of urgency that opened the doors for quick action by a slow-moving legislative branch. http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/03/20/1538906/agency-chiefs-may-face-working.html http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/03/20/1538906/agency-chiefs-may-face-working.html Sat, 20 Mar 2010 12:26 EDT Agency heads would have to live near Tallahassee, with a tighter control on their travel expenses, under a new legislative proposal that followed reports of travel costs for three agency directors. http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/03/19/1536784/florida-workforce-boards-bristle.html http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/03/19/1536784/florida-workforce-boards-bristle.html Fri, 19 Mar 2010 01:00 EDT Some Florida job-creation advocates are upset over a Senate proposal to intensify oversight of regional workforce boards following lavish spending on meals and insider dealing by a handful of boards. http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/03/19/1536774/house-loosens-contribution-rules.html http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/03/19/1536774/house-loosens-contribution-rules.html Fri, 19 Mar 2010 01:00 EDT The Republican-dominated Florida House pushed through legislation Thursday that allows legislative leaders to raise unlimited dollars from special interests, rejecting a dozen Democratic amendments aimed at limiting the influence of money in politics. http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/03/19/1536773/nra-has-gotten-most-of-what-it.html http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/03/19/1536773/nra-has-gotten-most-of-what-it.html Fri, 19 Mar 2010 01:00 EDT Adoption agencies can't require prospective parents to disclose whether they have a firearm, according to a new bill that rocketed Thursday out of the Legislature and awaits the governor's signature. http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/03/19/1536772/lawmakers-push-to-curb-medicating.html http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/03/19/1536772/lawmakers-push-to-curb-medicating.html Fri, 19 Mar 2010 01:00 EDT A year after a seven-year-old boy heavily medicated on powerful psychiatric drugs hanged himself in his Margate foster home, lawmakers are pushing to reform state medical requirements for foster children. http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/03/18/1534821/business-interests-gain-edge-over.html http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/03/18/1534821/business-interests-gain-edge-over.html Thu, 18 Mar 2010 01:00 EDT The lobbying arm of the Florida trial lawyers limped into this legislative session and the group's pain is only getting worse.<p/> A handful of measures to change litigation law are making swift progress in the first weeks of session as advocates capitalize on the Florida Justice Association's diminished political clout. http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/03/18/1534816/battle-over-prayer-in-school-heats.html http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/03/18/1534816/battle-over-prayer-in-school-heats.html Thu, 18 Mar 2010 01:00 EDT After hours of sweat-stained athletic camaraderie, Pace High School coach Mickey Lindsey must walk away from his players the moment they start to pray. http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/03/18/1534817/proposed-laws-target-adults-who.html http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/03/18/1534817/proposed-laws-target-adults-who.html Thu, 18 Mar 2010 01:00 EDT Adults who knowingly provide alcohol to minors could soon be in a lot more trouble. <p/> The Senate's Regulated Industries Committee unanimously passed two laws aimed at curbing underage drinking before a crowd flecked in emerald green Wednesday. http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/03/17/1534820/lawmakers-offer-up-tax-breaks.html http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/03/17/1534820/lawmakers-offer-up-tax-breaks.html Wed, 17 Mar 2010 22:12 EDT After raising $2.2 billion in new taxes and fees last year, Florida legislators want to erase that memory this election year with proposals that roll back auto registration fees and steer as much as $100 million to businesses in new tax incentives. http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/03/17/1532889/tougher-standards-proposed-for.html http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/03/17/1532889/tougher-standards-proposed-for.html Wed, 17 Mar 2010 01:00 EDT Getting -- and keeping -- the popular Bright Futures scholarship might be more difficult if a proposal made Tuesday in a Senate budget committee wins favor. http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/03/17/1532890/florida-senate-president-backs.html http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/03/17/1532890/florida-senate-president-backs.html Wed, 17 Mar 2010 01:00 EDT If Jeff Atwater's Senate has its way, the higher office he seeks will have unprecedented power over privatized prisons, billions of dollars in purchasing authority and the power to investigate Medicaid and food-stamp fraud. http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/03/17/1532893/growth-management-placed-on-back.html http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/03/17/1532893/growth-management-placed-on-back.html Wed, 17 Mar 2010 01:00 EDT One subject that roiled last year's legislative session is largely absent from lawmakers' vocabulary this year: growth management.<p/> The reason, according to Department of Community Affairs Secretary Tom Pelham, is that everyone is scared of the subject. Legislators and lobbyists fear voter anger, or they fear a growth-related constitutional amendment, or they fear stirring up a fuss before a new governor takes over in January. http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/03/18/1536778/florida-water-managers-weigh-cuts.html http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/03/18/1536778/florida-water-managers-weigh-cuts.html Thu, 18 Mar 2010 22:00 EDT With the odds of borrowing a half-billion bucks growing dicey, water managers are exploring new ways to finance Gov. Charlie Crist's deal with the U.S. Sugar Corp. -- a controversial land buy the governor stood firmly behind Thursday during a South Florida visit. http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/03/19/1536774/house-loosens-contribution-rules.html http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/03/19/1536774/house-loosens-contribution-rules.html Fri, 19 Mar 2010 01:00 EDT The Republican-dominated Florida House pushed through legislation Thursday that allows legislative leaders to raise unlimited dollars from special interests, rejecting a dozen Democratic amendments aimed at limiting the influence of money in politics. http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/03/19/1536773/nra-has-gotten-most-of-what-it.html http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/03/19/1536773/nra-has-gotten-most-of-what-it.html Fri, 19 Mar 2010 01:00 EDT Adoption agencies can't require prospective parents to disclose whether they have a firearm, according to a new bill that rocketed Thursday out of the Legislature and awaits the governor's signature. http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/03/19/1536772/lawmakers-push-to-curb-medicating.html http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/03/19/1536772/lawmakers-push-to-curb-medicating.html Fri, 19 Mar 2010 01:00 EDT A year after a seven-year-old boy heavily medicated on powerful psychiatric drugs hanged himself in his Margate foster home, lawmakers are pushing to reform state medical requirements for foster children. http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/03/19/1536784/florida-workforce-boards-bristle.html http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/03/19/1536784/florida-workforce-boards-bristle.html Fri, 19 Mar 2010 01:00 EDT Some Florida job-creation advocates are upset over a Senate proposal to intensify oversight of regional workforce boards following lavish spending on meals and insider dealing by a handful of boards. http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/03/18/1534810/oppose-health-bill-crist-urges.html http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/03/18/1534810/oppose-health-bill-crist-urges.html Thu, 18 Mar 2010 07:27 EDT The pitched wrangling over healthcare legislation broke into the U.S. Senate campaign Wednesday as Gov. Charlie Crist pressed his potential Democratic rival, Rep. Kendrick Meek, to oppose the bill. http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/03/17/1534820/lawmakers-offer-up-tax-breaks.html http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/03/17/1534820/lawmakers-offer-up-tax-breaks.html Wed, 17 Mar 2010 22:12 EDT After raising $2.2 billion in new taxes and fees last year, Florida legislators want to erase that memory this election year with proposals that roll back auto registration fees and steer as much as $100 million to businesses in new tax incentives. http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/03/17/1532889/tougher-standards-proposed-for.html http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/03/17/1532889/tougher-standards-proposed-for.html Wed, 17 Mar 2010 01:00 EDT Getting -- and keeping -- the popular Bright Futures scholarship might be more difficult if a proposal made Tuesday in a Senate budget committee wins favor. http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/03/17/1532893/growth-management-placed-on-back.html http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/03/17/1532893/growth-management-placed-on-back.html Wed, 17 Mar 2010 01:00 EDT One subject that roiled last year's legislative session is largely absent from lawmakers' vocabulary this year: growth management.<p/> The reason, according to Department of Community Affairs Secretary Tom Pelham, is that everyone is scared of the subject. Legislators and lobbyists fear voter anger, or they fear a growth-related constitutional amendment, or they fear stirring up a fuss before a new governor takes over in January. http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/03/17/1532896/house-proposes-to-overhaul-pscs.html http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/03/17/1532896/house-proposes-to-overhaul-pscs.html Wed, 17 Mar 2010 01:00 EDT Florida's Public Service Commission would undergo a complete face lift under a draft House proposal released Tuesday that moves the commission's regulatory staff into a separate entity that answers to the Legislature and tightens qualifications for commissioners. http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/03/16/1532927/browards-beverly-gallagher-changing.html http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/03/16/1532927/browards-beverly-gallagher-changing.html Wed, 17 Mar 2010 01:00 EDT After declaring herself not guilty to federal corruption charges and following months of negotiations to reach a deal in the case, suspended Broward School Board member Beverly Gallagher will appear in a federal courtroom Wednesday and admit to taking money intended to garner her influence. http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/03/14/1527559/time-is-short-for-gov-crist-to.html http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/03/14/1527559/time-is-short-for-gov-crist-to.html Sun, 14 Mar 2010 01:00 EST When he entered ``the People's House'' with populist zeal, Gov. Charlie Crist made open government a cornerstone of his administration.<p/> He created the first Office of Open Government, issued the first Open Government Bill of Rights and appointed a commission of experts to recommend ways to make Florida government more transparent. http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/03/20/1538835/waxman-no-health-deal-with-abortion.html http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/03/20/1538835/waxman-no-health-deal-with-abortion.html Sat, 20 Mar 2010 10:44 EDT A top House Democrat says party leaders are unlikely to cut a deal with abortion opponents to pass President Barack Obama's health care overhaul. http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/03/20/1538812/house-committee-deciding-terms.html http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/03/20/1538812/house-committee-deciding-terms.html Sat, 20 Mar 2010 10:28 EDT House Democrats are moving closer toward enacting President Barack Obama's health care overhaul. http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/03/20/1538803/qa-with-the-governments-open-records.html http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/03/20/1538803/qa-with-the-governments-open-records.html Sat, 20 Mar 2010 10:13 EDT As part of Sunshine Week, when news organizations highlight the importance of government openness, the nation's new Freedom of Information Act ombudsman, Miriam Nisbet, took part in an exclusive interview with The Associated Press. http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/03/20/1538786/obama-close-to-health-law-success.html http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/03/20/1538786/obama-close-to-health-law-success.html Sat, 20 Mar 2010 09:44 EDT Rarely does the government, that big, clumsy, poorly regarded oaf, pull off anything short of war that touches all lives with one act, one stroke of a president's pen. Such a moment now seems near. http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/03/20/1538785/a-historical-look-at-health-care.html http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/03/20/1538785/a-historical-look-at-health-care.html Sat, 20 Mar 2010 09:44 EDT Pivotal moments in American health care history: http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/03/20/1538713/obama-to-capitol-hill-saturday.html http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/03/20/1538713/obama-to-capitol-hill-saturday.html Sat, 20 Mar 2010 05:13 EDT President Barack Obama is heading to Capitol Hill for one last strategy session with House Democrats before their health care vote. http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/03/20/1538664/though-companys-clients-lost-millions.html http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/03/20/1538664/though-companys-clients-lost-millions.html Sat, 20 Mar 2010 04:00 EDT As LandAmerica Financial Group lurched toward bankruptcy in late 2008, its leaders looked to the one place they thought could help: Washington. http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/03/20/1538533/obama-appeals-directly-to-iranian.html http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/03/20/1538533/obama-appeals-directly-to-iranian.html Sat, 20 Mar 2010 00:07 EDT President Barack Obama told Iranians in an online video message that the U.S. wants more educational and cultural exchanges, and lamented that Tehran's leaders have "turned their backs" on good faith overtures in the past to expand opportunities for their people. http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/03/19/1538409/house-democrats-draw-closer-to.html http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/03/19/1538409/house-democrats-draw-closer-to.html Fri, 19 Mar 2010 21:47 EDT Democratic leaders in the House of Representatives continued scouring for votes Friday among reluctant anti-abortion and conservative Democrats in search of enough "Yeas" to triumph in Sunday's historic vote on a $940 billion health care overhaul - and they appeared tantalizingly close to their goal. http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/03/19/1538221/gop-officials-threaten-court-challenge.html http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/03/19/1538221/gop-officials-threaten-court-challenge.html Fri, 19 Mar 2010 19:32 EDT Republican prosecutors from South Carolina and Florida said Friday they were preparing to file a lawsuit if the health care bill before Congress becomes law, challenging its requirement that all Americans buy insurance. http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/03/19/1538215/gop-state-prosecutors-threaten.html http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/03/19/1538215/gop-state-prosecutors-threaten.html Fri, 19 Mar 2010 19:27 EDT Republican prosecutors from South Carolina and Florida said Friday they were preparing to file a lawsuit if the health care bill before Congress becomes law, challenging its requirement that all Americans buy insurance. http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/03/19/1538199/house-democrats-draw-closer-to.html http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/03/19/1538199/house-democrats-draw-closer-to.html Fri, 19 Mar 2010 19:12 EDT Democratic leaders in the House of Representatives continued scouring for votes Friday among reluctant anti-abortion and conservative Democrats in search of enough "Yeas" to triumph in Sunday's historic vote on a $940 billion health care overhaul - and they appeared tantalizingly close to their goal. http://www.miamiherald.com/2009/10/26/1301613/haitis-prime-minister-targeted.html http://www.miamiherald.com/2009/10/26/1301613/haitis-prime-minister-targeted.html Mon, 26 Oct 2009 17:24 EDT With Haiti poised to enjoy the economic benefits of long-elusive stability, foreign diplomats are scrambling behind the scenes to keep it all from unraveling as several lawmakers demand the ouster of the country's prime minister. http://www.miamiherald.com/2009/10/13/1281788/faced-with-a-deep-recession-cuba.html http://www.miamiherald.com/2009/10/13/1281788/faced-with-a-deep-recession-cuba.html Wed, 14 Oct 2009 17:26 EDT Cuba's workplace cafeterias are closing, President Raúl Castro keeps saying the well-off shouldn't get the same subsidies as the poor, and now there are rumblings that one of the stalwart vestiges of the revolution -- the ration booklet -- has outlived its usefulness. http://www.miamiherald.com/2009/10/13/1279547/blogger-cant-come-to-us-for-prize.html http://www.miamiherald.com/2009/10/13/1279547/blogger-cant-come-to-us-for-prize.html Wed, 14 Oct 2009 17:25 EDT A Cuban blogger who has become an international sensation for offering frank criticism of her country's communist system said she was denied government permission Monday to travel to New York to receive a top journalism prize. http://www.miamiherald.com/2009/10/12/1279295/us-cuba-travel-picking-up-steam.html http://www.miamiherald.com/2009/10/12/1279295/us-cuba-travel-picking-up-steam.html Wed, 14 Oct 2009 17:25 EDT A powerful campaign to allow all Americans to travel to Cuba is rumbling through Congress, with both backers and opponents predicting eventual victory and a Cuban-American Senator holding a key vote. http://www.miamiherald.com/2009/10/09/1275157/controversial-media-reform-bill.html http://www.miamiherald.com/2009/10/09/1275157/controversial-media-reform-bill.html Wed, 14 Oct 2009 17:24 EDT A controversial media reform bill, set to be debated in the Argentine Senate on Friday, pits two powerful forces against each other -- President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner and the country's largest media conglomerate. http://www.miamiherald.com/2009/10/09/1273683/oas-diplomats-get-talks-started.html http://www.miamiherald.com/2009/10/09/1273683/oas-diplomats-get-talks-started.html Wed, 14 Oct 2009 17:23 EDT Diplomats pushed the two sides of the Honduran political conflict into direct talks for the first time in nearly three months, but left the country Thursday with no commitment from the coup-installed government to reinstate ousted President Manuel Zelaya. http://www.miamiherald.com/2009/10/07/1270203/south-florida-republicans-back.html http://www.miamiherald.com/2009/10/07/1270203/south-florida-republicans-back.html Wed, 14 Oct 2009 17:22 EDT A trio of South Florida Republican lawmakers said Tuesday that the remedy to the post-coup woes in Honduras lies in U.S. support of next month's scheduled elections. http://www.miamiherald.com/2009/10/01/1262329/report-hard-to-ease-cuba-embargo.html http://www.miamiherald.com/2009/10/01/1262329/report-hard-to-ease-cuba-embargo.html Thu, 01 Oct 2009 20:57 EDT A U.S. president has limited ways to ease the embargo on Cuba -- unless he or she certifies that Havana is moving toward democracy or Congress overturns U.S. laws on the sanctions, according to a report by the U.S. Government Accountability Office. http://www.miamiherald.com/2009/10/01/1260565/obama-aide-frets-about-ghosts.html http://www.miamiherald.com/2009/10/01/1260565/obama-aide-frets-about-ghosts.html Thu, 01 Oct 2009 17:45 EDT The June 28 coup that ousted Honduran President Manuel Zelaya ``deeply offended the core principles of the Americas,'' a top Obama administration official said Wednesday, calling for de facto authorities there to ``fully and immediately restore all civil and constitutional rights to the Honduran people.'' http://www.miamiherald.com/2009/09/29/1258651/costa-rican-leader-blasts-decree.html http://www.miamiherald.com/2009/09/29/1258651/costa-rican-leader-blasts-decree.html Wed, 30 Sep 2009 17:44 EDT Condemning the Honduran coup as a throwback to Latin America's ugly history, Costa Rican President Oscar Arias said Tuesday that the country can't have free and fair elections until its de facto government lifts a repressive decree that silenced opposition media and forbade public gatherings. http://www.miamiherald.com/2009/09/29/1258399/president-clinton-says-haiti-has.html http://www.miamiherald.com/2009/09/29/1258399/president-clinton-says-haiti-has.html Tue, 29 Sep 2009 18:52 EDT Former U.S. President Bill Clinton said Haiti enjoyed the backing of its Latin American neighbors more than ever on Tuesday as he spoke on the opening day of the Americas Conference. http://www.miamiherald.com/2009/09/23/1248828/theyre-torturing-me-honduras-manuel.html http://www.miamiherald.com/2009/09/23/1248828/theyre-torturing-me-honduras-manuel.html Thu, 24 Sep 2009 15:21 EDT It's been 89 days since Manuel Zelaya was booted from power. He's sleeping on chairs, and he claims his throat is sore from toxic gases and "Israeli mercenaries'' are torturing him with high-frequency radiation. http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/03/19/1536791/health-plan-gets-push-pull-before.html http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/03/19/1536791/health-plan-gets-push-pull-before.html Fri, 19 Mar 2010 08:58 EDT Buoyed by estimates that their healthcare overhaul would cut the deficit by $138 billion over the next decade, congressional Democrats unveiled their final blueprint Thursday and set the stage for a dramatic House vote Sunday. http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/03/14/1529738/democrats-lack-firm-votes-but.html http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/03/14/1529738/democrats-lack-firm-votes-but.html Sun, 14 Mar 2010 23:19 EDT WASHINGTON -- Democratic leaders scrambled Sunday to pull together enough support in the House for a make-or-break decision on healthcare reform later this week, expressing optimism that a package will soon be signed by President Barack Obama despite a lack of firm votes for passage. http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/03/13/1527327/blacks-split-on-redistrict-proposal.html http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/03/13/1527327/blacks-split-on-redistrict-proposal.html Sat, 13 Mar 2010 01:00 EST A citizens' initiative on the November ballot aimed at forcing the Legislature to draw political districts differently is drawing resistance from some African-American political leaders. http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/03/13/1527321/rubio-spent-big-with-little-scrutiny.html http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/03/13/1527321/rubio-spent-big-with-little-scrutiny.html Sat, 13 Mar 2010 01:00 EST Marco Rubio was barely solvent as a young lawmaker climbing his way to the top post in the Florida House, but special interest donations and political perks allowed him to spend big money with little scrutiny. http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/03/04/1511605/dcfs-independent-living-program.html http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/03/04/1511605/dcfs-independent-living-program.html Thu, 04 Mar 2010 01:00 EST A state program that helps former foster children become functioning adults does not know how many of its youth are skipping classes or how they are spending their monthly stipends.