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      <category domain="MiamiHerald.com">Political Currents</category>
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        <pubDate>Sat, 21 Nov 2009 14:49:28 EST</pubDate>
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<item>
    <title>Politicians jumping into social media, seeing new outlet to voters</title>
    <link>http://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics/story/1344947.html</link>
    <guid>http://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics/story/1344947.html</guid>
    <pubDate>Sat, 21 Nov 2009 01:00 EST</pubDate>
    <description>U.S. Senate candidate Marco Rubio is about to go on MSNBC&amp;#39;s Morning Joe. Attorney General Bill McCollum, running for governor, updates supporters that he is ``honored&amp;#39;&amp;#39; to get the endorsement of Gov. Charlie Crist. And Sen. Dan Gelber, hoping to be Florida&amp;#39;s next attorney general, wants you to know he&amp;#39;s thankful for America&amp;#39;s veterans. 
</description>
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<item>
    <title>Obama's speech&lt;br&gt;in pictures</title>
    <link>http://www.miamiherald.com/1348/story/740547.html</link>
    <guid>http://www.miamiherald.com/1348/story/740547.html</guid>
    <pubDate>Tue, 09 Sep 2008 15:36 EDT</pubDate>
    <description>Obama hosts town hall meeting in Ft. Myers, FL</description>
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<item>
    <title>Blogger in Cuba has Washington's ear</title>
    <link>http://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics/story/1343131.html</link>
    <guid>http://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics/story/1343131.html</guid>
    <pubDate>Fri, 20 Nov 2009 01:00 EST</pubDate>
    <description>Cuba&amp;#39;s celebrated and increasingly brassy blogger Yoani S&amp;amp;aacute;nchez emerged Thursday as a player in U.S.-Cuba relations, scoring a lengthy reply from President Barack Obama to her questions and playing a starring role in a congressional hearing on efforts to let American tourists visit Cuba.</description>
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<item>
    <title>Parts of Cuban blogger's essay read aloud in House</title>
    <link>http://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics/story/1342657.html</link>
    <guid>http://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics/story/1342657.html</guid>
    <pubDate>Thu, 19 Nov 2009 01:00 EST</pubDate>
    <description>A high-octane effort to let U.S. tourists visit Cuba got a major endorsement Thursday from one of the island&amp;#39;s leading dissidents, who suggested that ``along with suitcases, Bermuda shorts, and sunblock, support, solidarity, and freedom could come too.&amp;#39;&amp;#39; Cuban blogger Yoani S&amp;amp;aacute;nchez, who this week drew the attention of President Barack Obama, wrote in an essay to House Foreign Affairs chairman Rep. Howard Berman, D-Calif., that lifting the ban on U.S. travel to Cuba ``could bring more results in the democratization of Cuba than the indecisive performance of Ra&amp;amp;uacute;l Castro.&amp;#39;&amp;#39;
</description>
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<item>
    <title>Gov. Charlie Crist orders probe of juvenile justice chief</title>
    <link>http://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics/story/1340982.html</link>
    <guid>http://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics/story/1340982.html</guid>
    <pubDate>Thu, 19 Nov 2009 01:00 EST</pubDate>
    <description>Gov. Charlie Crist ordered an internal investigation and a citizen lodged an ethics complaint Wednesday over the extensive taxpayer-funded travel of Juvenile Justice Secretary Frank Peterman between the state capital and Tampa, near his family home.</description>
</item>
                   
<item>
    <title>Sen. George LeMieux blasted  for blocking diplomat</title>
    <link>http://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics/story/1340981.html</link>
    <guid>http://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics/story/1340981.html</guid>
    <pubDate>Thu, 19 Nov 2009 01:00 EST</pubDate>
    <description>New Florida Sen. George LeMieux&amp;#39;s first foray into foreign relations has drawn brickbats from former high-ranking State Department officials who say his effort to block the Obama administration&amp;#39;s new ambassador to Brazil is damaging U.S. relations with Latin America.</description>
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<item>
    <title>Gov. Charlie Crist: Ban texting while driving</title>
    <link>http://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics/story/1338790.html</link>
    <guid>http://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics/story/1338790.html</guid>
    <pubDate>Wed, 18 Nov 2009 01:00 EST</pubDate>
    <description>Gov. Charlie Crist and the state&amp;#39;s top highway safety appointee endorsed a ban on texting while driving Tuesday, adding new momentum to an idea that has never taken hold in the Legislature.</description>
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<item>
    <title>Bullet train might get special legislative session</title>
    <link>http://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics/story/1338788.html</link>
    <guid>http://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics/story/1338788.html</guid>
    <pubDate>Wed, 18 Nov 2009 01:00 EST</pubDate>
    <description>Gov. Charlie Crist and legislative leaders are discussing a new tax to pay for South and Central Florida rail service in the hopes that federal officials will send billions of dollars to the state for a new bullet train.</description>
</item>
                   
<item>
    <title>Sink backs adoption by gays, lesbians</title>
    <link>http://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics/story/1335577.html</link>
    <guid>http://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics/story/1335577.html</guid>
    <pubDate>Mon, 16 Nov 2009 01:00 EST</pubDate>
    <description>Alex Sink, Florida&amp;#39;s chief financial officer and the leading Democratic candidate for governor, told the state&amp;#39;s largest gay rights group Sunday that homosexuals should be allowed to adopt if it&amp;#39;s in the children&amp;#39;s ``best interest.&amp;#39;&amp;#39;
</description>
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<item>
    <title>Money affects Cuba policy</title>
    <link>http://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics/story/1335580.html</link>
    <guid>http://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics/story/1335580.html</guid>
    <pubDate>Mon, 16 Nov 2009 01:00 EST</pubDate>
    <description>Supporters of the U.S. embargo against Cuba have contributed almost $11 million to members of Congress since 2004 in a largely successful effort to block efforts to weaken sanctions against the island, a new report shows.
</description>
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<item>
    <title>Some Republicans see state GOP chief as burden</title>
    <link>http://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics/story/1330848.html</link>
    <guid>http://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics/story/1330848.html</guid>
    <pubDate>Fri, 13 Nov 2009 01:00 EST</pubDate>
    <description>Republicans should have the wind at their backs this election season with President Barack Obama&amp;#39;s poll numbers dropping and independents turning away from Democrats.
</description>
</item>
                   
<item>
    <title>Miami-Dade Democrats' new chairman was Diaz fundraiser in 2001</title>
    <link>http://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics/story/1330847.html</link>
    <guid>http://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics/story/1330847.html</guid>
    <pubDate>Fri, 13 Nov 2009 01:00 EST</pubDate>
    <description>Florida Democratic Party Chairwoman Karen Thurman has dumped the head of the party in Miami-Dade, claiming he tried to shake down local candidates for money and browbeat staff members and elected officials.
</description>
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<item>
    <title>Dade Democrats' new chairman was Diaz fundraiser in 2001</title>
    <link>http://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics/story/1330763.html</link>
    <guid>http://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics/story/1330763.html</guid>
    <pubDate>Thu, 12 Nov 2009 21:12 EST</pubDate>
    <description>Florida Democratic Party Chairwoman Karen Thurman has dumped the head of the party in Miami-Dade, claiming he tried to shake down local candidates for money and browbeat staff members and elected officials.
</description>
</item>
                   
<item>
    <title>PSC delays decision on energy-conservation goals</title>
    <link>http://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics/story/1327162.html</link>
    <guid>http://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics/story/1327162.html</guid>
    <pubDate>Wed, 11 Nov 2009 01:00 EST</pubDate>
    <description>Signaling another shift in direction at the Public Service Commission, state utility regulators ordered their staff Tuesday to come up with ``more robust&amp;#39;&amp;#39; energy conservation goals that reward customers for using less energy.
</description>
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<item>
    <title>President Obama rallies Democratic base in Miami</title>
    <link>http://www.miamiherald.com/obama/story/1301989.html</link>
    <guid>http://www.miamiherald.com/obama/story/1301989.html</guid>
    <pubDate>Tue, 27 Oct 2009 14:48 EDT</pubDate>
    <description>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.</description>
</item>
                   
<item>
    <title>Which tax should rise to pay for health care overhaul?</title>
    <link>http://www.miamiherald.com/obama/story/1164553.html</link>
    <guid>http://www.miamiherald.com/obama/story/1164553.html</guid>
    <pubDate>Thu, 30 Jul 2009 17:50 EDT</pubDate>
    <description>Congressional negotiators are divided over how to raise taxes to pay for overhauling the nation&amp;amp;#39;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.</description>
</item>
                   
<item>
    <title>Congress won't try to keep Guantánamo detainees out of U.S. &amp;mdash; for now</title>
    <link>http://www.miamiherald.com/obama/story/1094378.html</link>
    <guid>http://www.miamiherald.com/obama/story/1094378.html</guid>
    <pubDate>Fri, 12 Jun 2009 14:02 EDT</pubDate>
    <description>Congressional negotiators have agreed to drop an amendment to a defense approrpiations bill that would have prevented the Obama administration from releasing any freed Guant&amp;aacute;namo detainees into the United States or transferring them to U.S. prisons for trial.</description>
</item>
                   
<item>
    <title>Obama given some credit for Lebanon vote's moderate turn</title>
    <link>http://www.miamiherald.com/obama/story/1088111.html</link>
    <guid>http://www.miamiherald.com/obama/story/1088111.html</guid>
    <pubDate>Tue, 09 Jun 2009 09:54 EDT</pubDate>
    <description>Lebanon&amp;amp;#39;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&amp;amp;#39;s call last week in Cairo for a &amp;amp;quot;new beginning&amp;amp;quot; for U.S.-Middle East relations  helped tilt the balance toward America&amp;amp;#39;s allies.</description>
</item>
                   
<item>
    <title>Yet another review ordered of Afghan policy &amp;mdash; fifth this year</title>
    <link>http://www.miamiherald.com/obama/story/1088112.html</link>
    <guid>http://www.miamiherald.com/obama/story/1088112.html</guid>
    <pubDate>Tue, 09 Jun 2009 09:52 EDT</pubDate>
    <description>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.</description>
</item>
                   
<item>
    <title>Crowd loved Obama's 'Irabac,' even when he got it wrong</title>
    <link>http://www.miamiherald.com/obama/story/1081476.html</link>
    <guid>http://www.miamiherald.com/obama/story/1081476.html</guid>
    <pubDate>Thu, 04 Jun 2009 14:14 EDT</pubDate>
    <description>One of the Cairo cafe questions debated in the days leading up to the speech was: Would Obama say &amp;quot;salaam&amp;quot; to the Arabic-speaking world? The answer: Yes, sometimes mistakenly.</description>
</item>
                   
<item>
    <title>Obama urges patience, lower expectations on economy</title>
    <link>http://www.miamiherald.com/obama/story/999823.html</link>
    <guid>http://www.miamiherald.com/obama/story/999823.html</guid>
    <pubDate>Tue, 14 Apr 2009 19:55 EDT</pubDate>
    <description>President Barack Obama told Americans Tuesday to brace for &amp;amp;quot;more job loss, more foreclosures, and more pain&amp;amp;quot; in 2009, saying the recession isn&amp;amp;#39;t over yet despite some early promise from the government&amp;amp;#39;s massive spending on bailouts and economic stimulus.</description>
</item>
                   
<item>
    <title>Obama rebuffs Texas' GOP senators on judicial nominees</title>
    <link>http://www.miamiherald.com/obama/story/968522.html</link>
    <guid>http://www.miamiherald.com/obama/story/968522.html</guid>
    <pubDate>Thu, 26 Mar 2009 11:08 EDT</pubDate>
    <description>With both of Texas&amp;#39; 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.</description>
</item>
                   
<item>
    <title>Dallas ex-mayor confirmed as trade representative</title>
    <link>http://www.miamiherald.com/obama/story/956771.html</link>
    <guid>http://www.miamiherald.com/obama/story/956771.html</guid>
    <pubDate>Thu, 19 Mar 2009 09:06 EDT</pubDate>
    <description>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.</description>
</item>
                   
<item>
    <title>Pew poll: Obama&amp;#39;s public support is eroding</title>
    <link>http://www.miamiherald.com/obama/story/952645.html</link>
    <guid>http://www.miamiherald.com/obama/story/952645.html</guid>
    <pubDate>Mon, 16 Mar 2009 13:19 EDT</pubDate>
    <description>President Barack Obama&amp;amp;#39;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.</description>
</item>
                   
<item>
    <title>Now is the time to act boldly and wisely, Obama tells Congress</title>
    <link>http://www.miamiherald.com/obama/story/920003.html</link>
    <guid>http://www.miamiherald.com/obama/story/920003.html</guid>
    <pubDate>Wed, 25 Feb 2009 09:08 EST</pubDate>
    <description>Calling this a &amp;quot;day of reckoning&amp;quot; for years of mistakes, President Barack Obama worked Tuesday night to assure a recession-weary nation that he&amp;#39;s charting a new course out of the depths and ultimately to a prosperous future.</description>
</item>
                   
<item>
    <title>Stimulus fight augurs tough road for other Obama priorities</title>
    <link>http://www.miamiherald.com/obama/story/901609.html</link>
    <guid>http://www.miamiherald.com/obama/story/901609.html</guid>
    <pubDate>Fri, 13 Feb 2009 11:25 EST</pubDate>
    <description>President Obama won approval of the economic stimulus plan late Friday with little margin for error &amp;amp;mdash; it&amp;amp;#39;s got the bare minimum 60 votes necessary in the Senate &amp;amp;mdash; despite his popularity and the sense of urgency that opened the doors for quick action by a slow-moving legislative branch.</description>
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<item>
    <title>Politicians jumping into social media, seeing new outlet to voters</title>
    <link>http://www.miamiherald.com/news/legislature/story/1344947.html</link>
    <guid>http://www.miamiherald.com/news/legislature/story/1344947.html</guid>
    <pubDate>Sat, 21 Nov 2009 01:00 EST</pubDate>
    <description>U.S. Senate candidate Marco Rubio is about to go on MSNBC&amp;#39;s Morning Joe. Attorney General Bill McCollum, running for governor, updates supporters that he is ``honored&amp;#39;&amp;#39; to get the endorsement of Gov. Charlie Crist. And Sen. Dan Gelber, hoping to be Florida&amp;#39;s next attorney general, wants you to know he&amp;#39;s thankful for America&amp;#39;s veterans. 
</description>
</item>
                   
<item>
    <title>Gov. Charlie Crist orders probe of juvenile justice chief</title>
    <link>http://www.miamiherald.com/news/legislature/story/1340982.html</link>
    <guid>http://www.miamiherald.com/news/legislature/story/1340982.html</guid>
    <pubDate>Thu, 19 Nov 2009 01:00 EST</pubDate>
    <description>Gov. Charlie Crist ordered an internal investigation and a citizen lodged an ethics complaint Wednesday over the extensive taxpayer-funded travel of Juvenile Justice Secretary Frank Peterman between the state capital and Tampa, near his family home.</description>
</item>
                   
<item>
    <title>Gov. Charlie Crist: Ban texting while driving</title>
    <link>http://www.miamiherald.com/news/legislature/story/1338790.html</link>
    <guid>http://www.miamiherald.com/news/legislature/story/1338790.html</guid>
    <pubDate>Wed, 18 Nov 2009 01:00 EST</pubDate>
    <description>Gov. Charlie Crist and the state&amp;#39;s top highway safety appointee endorsed a ban on texting while driving Tuesday, adding new momentum to an idea that has never taken hold in the Legislature.</description>
</item>
                   
<item>
    <title>Bullet train might get special legislative session</title>
    <link>http://www.miamiherald.com/news/legislature/story/1338788.html</link>
    <guid>http://www.miamiherald.com/news/legislature/story/1338788.html</guid>
    <pubDate>Wed, 18 Nov 2009 01:00 EST</pubDate>
    <description>Gov. Charlie Crist and legislative leaders are discussing a new tax to pay for South and Central Florida rail service in the hopes that federal officials will send billions of dollars to the state for a new bullet train.</description>
</item>
                   
<item>
    <title>Sansom: Budget no secret</title>
    <link>http://www.miamiherald.com/news/legislature/story/1337208.html</link>
    <guid>http://www.miamiherald.com/news/legislature/story/1337208.html</guid>
    <pubDate>Tue, 17 Nov 2009 01:00 EST</pubDate>
    <description>Former Florida House Speaker Ray Sansom says it was all there for any member of the Legislature to review: millions in taxpayer dollars stuck in the state budget for a Panhandle college.
</description>
</item>
                   
<item>
    <title>State planes used less in '09</title>
    <link>http://www.miamiherald.com/news/legislature/story/1337207.html</link>
    <guid>http://www.miamiherald.com/news/legislature/story/1337207.html</guid>
    <pubDate>Tue, 17 Nov 2009 01:00 EST</pubDate>
    <description>The two leading candidates for Florida&amp;#39;s governor have grounded their high-flying ways on state-owned airplanes.&amp;lt;p/&amp;gt;  Chief Financial Officer Alex Sink and Attorney General Bill McCollum have dramatically cut back their use of state aircraft since a Herald/Times analysis in June revealed that they had racked up hundreds of thousands of dollars in flights, including questionable use of planes by family members and use of the planes to commute to work from their homes in other parts of the state.</description>
</item>
                   
<item>
    <title>Florida may crack down on corporate fees</title>
    <link>http://www.miamiherald.com/news/legislature/story/1335574.html</link>
    <guid>http://www.miamiherald.com/news/legislature/story/1335574.html</guid>
    <pubDate>Mon, 16 Nov 2009 01:00 EST</pubDate>
    <description>Florida&amp;#39;s constant search for more money could mean a tougher approach to businesses that fail to file annual reports on time. &amp;lt;p/&amp;gt;   By law, the 1.2 million corporations in Florida must file an annual report with the state, which can charge a $400 fine on every company that skips the May 1 filing deadline. The state, however, must waive the fine for most businesses if the company says it never got a reminder notice to submit a report. 
</description>
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<item>
    <title>FBI seeking help from alleged Rothstein victims</title>
    <link>http://www.miamiherald.com/news/legislature/story/1330909.html</link>
    <guid>http://www.miamiherald.com/news/legislature/story/1330909.html</guid>
    <pubDate>Fri, 13 Nov 2009 01:00 EST</pubDate>
    <description>The investment scam by Fort Lauderdale attorney Scott Rothstein ``could well exceed $1 billion,&amp;#39;&amp;#39; making it one of the biggest fraud cases in South Florida history, the head of the FBI in Miami said Thursday.</description>
</item>
                   
<item>
    <title>Marco Rubio takes tougher stance on illegal immigration</title>
    <link>http://www.miamiherald.com/news/legislature/story/1325301.html</link>
    <guid>http://www.miamiherald.com/news/legislature/story/1325301.html</guid>
    <pubDate>Tue, 10 Nov 2009 01:00 EST</pubDate>
    <description>As an underdog U.S. Senate candidate courting the GOP&amp;#39;s conservative wing, Marco Rubio takes a hard-line position against illegal immigration: no amnesty.</description>
</item>
                   
<item>
    <title>How conservative is Senate candidate Marco Rubio?</title>
    <link>http://www.miamiherald.com/news/legislature/story/1322675.html</link>
    <guid>http://www.miamiherald.com/news/legislature/story/1322675.html</guid>
    <pubDate>Sun, 08 Nov 2009 01:00 EST</pubDate>
    <description>Republican U.S. Senate candidate Marco Rubio is emerging as the champion of activists fed up with Republicans who don&amp;#39;t stay true to conservative principles.
</description>
</item>
                   
<item>
    <title>Change sought in who oversees state pension funds</title>
    <link>http://www.miamiherald.com/news/legislature/story/1321339.html</link>
    <guid>http://www.miamiherald.com/news/legislature/story/1321339.html</guid>
    <pubDate>Sat, 07 Nov 2009 01:00 EST</pubDate>
    <description>State Sen. Dan Gelber says the proposed anticorruption package he unveiled earlier this week is more vital than ever in light of the Securities and Exchange Commission&amp;#39;s investigation of possible fraud by the board that oversees the state pension fund. 
</description>
</item>
                   
<item>
    <title>Bank ordered to turn over documents for Rothstein case in Broward County</title>
    <link>http://www.miamiherald.com/news/legislature/story/1321201.html</link>
    <guid>http://www.miamiherald.com/news/legislature/story/1321201.html</guid>
    <pubDate>Sat, 07 Nov 2009 01:00 EST</pubDate>
    <description>A bank central to the federal fraud investigation into Fort Lauderdale attorney Scott Rothstein was ordered by a Broward judge Friday to turn over records to the receiver for Rothstein&amp;#39;s embattled law firm.
</description>
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<item>
    <title>Citizens rate hike not as harsh as expected</title>
    <link>http://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics/florida/story/1344943.html</link>
    <guid>http://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics/florida/story/1344943.html</guid>
    <pubDate>Sat, 21 Nov 2009 01:00 EST</pubDate>
    <description>The average cost of Citizens Property Insurance coverage for windstorm damage will increase next year but not as much as first expected. &amp;lt;p/&amp;gt;   Florida Insurance Commissioner Kevin McCarty approved an average 5.9 percent hike for single-family homeowners and 9.3 percent jump for businesses, according to an order issued Friday. 
</description>
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<item>
    <title>Politicians jumping into social media, seeing new outlet to voters</title>
    <link>http://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics/florida/story/1344947.html</link>
    <guid>http://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics/florida/story/1344947.html</guid>
    <pubDate>Sat, 21 Nov 2009 01:00 EST</pubDate>
    <description>U.S. Senate candidate Marco Rubio is about to go on MSNBC&amp;#39;s Morning Joe. Attorney General Bill McCollum, running for governor, updates supporters that he is ``honored&amp;#39;&amp;#39; to get the endorsement of Gov. Charlie Crist. And Sen. Dan Gelber, hoping to be Florida&amp;#39;s next attorney general, wants you to know he&amp;#39;s thankful for America&amp;#39;s veterans. 
</description>
</item>
                   
<item>
    <title>'Juice scam' victim: I was lured into Scott Rothstein deal</title>
    <link>http://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics/florida/story/1343136.html</link>
    <guid>http://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics/florida/story/1343136.html</guid>
    <pubDate>Fri, 20 Nov 2009 01:00 EST</pubDate>
    <description>Call this Scott Rothstein&amp;#39;s pineapple-juice scam.&amp;lt;p/&amp;gt;   Coconut Grove businessman Todd Snyder was lured into it just days before the Fort Lauderdale lawyer&amp;#39;s Ponzi scheme imploded in late October. Snyder wired a bank more than $2 million to buy a slice of Rothstein&amp;#39;s purported $500 million settlement with Dole Food Co.</description>
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    <title>Parts of Cuban blogger's essay read aloud in House</title>
    <link>http://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics/florida/story/1342657.html</link>
    <guid>http://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics/florida/story/1342657.html</guid>
    <pubDate>Thu, 19 Nov 2009 01:00 EST</pubDate>
    <description>A high-octane effort to let U.S. tourists visit Cuba got a major endorsement Thursday from one of the island&amp;#39;s leading dissidents, who suggested that ``along with suitcases, Bermuda shorts, and sunblock, support, solidarity, and freedom could come too.&amp;#39;&amp;#39; Cuban blogger Yoani S&amp;amp;aacute;nchez, who this week drew the attention of President Barack Obama, wrote in an essay to House Foreign Affairs chairman Rep. Howard Berman, D-Calif., that lifting the ban on U.S. travel to Cuba ``could bring more results in the democratization of Cuba than the indecisive performance of Ra&amp;amp;uacute;l Castro.&amp;#39;&amp;#39;
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    <title>Gov. Charlie Crist orders probe of juvenile justice chief</title>
    <link>http://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics/florida/story/1340982.html</link>
    <guid>http://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics/florida/story/1340982.html</guid>
    <pubDate>Thu, 19 Nov 2009 01:00 EST</pubDate>
    <description>Gov. Charlie Crist ordered an internal investigation and a citizen lodged an ethics complaint Wednesday over the extensive taxpayer-funded travel of Juvenile Justice Secretary Frank Peterman between the state capital and Tampa, near his family home.</description>
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    <title>Sen. George LeMieux blasted  for blocking diplomat</title>
    <link>http://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics/florida/story/1340981.html</link>
    <guid>http://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics/florida/story/1340981.html</guid>
    <pubDate>Thu, 19 Nov 2009 01:00 EST</pubDate>
    <description>New Florida Sen. George LeMieux&amp;#39;s first foray into foreign relations has drawn brickbats from former high-ranking State Department officials who say his effort to block the Obama administration&amp;#39;s new ambassador to Brazil is damaging U.S. relations with Latin America.</description>
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    <title>Bullet train might get special legislative session</title>
    <link>http://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics/florida/story/1338788.html</link>
    <guid>http://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics/florida/story/1338788.html</guid>
    <pubDate>Wed, 18 Nov 2009 01:00 EST</pubDate>
    <description>Gov. Charlie Crist and legislative leaders are discussing a new tax to pay for South and Central Florida rail service in the hopes that federal officials will send billions of dollars to the state for a new bullet train.</description>
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    <title>Gov. Charlie Crist: Ban texting while driving</title>
    <link>http://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics/florida/story/1338790.html</link>
    <guid>http://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics/florida/story/1338790.html</guid>
    <pubDate>Wed, 18 Nov 2009 01:00 EST</pubDate>
    <description>Gov. Charlie Crist and the state&amp;#39;s top highway safety appointee endorsed a ban on texting while driving Tuesday, adding new momentum to an idea that has never taken hold in the Legislature.</description>
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    <title>State planes used less in '09</title>
    <link>http://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics/florida/story/1337207.html</link>
    <guid>http://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics/florida/story/1337207.html</guid>
    <pubDate>Tue, 17 Nov 2009 01:00 EST</pubDate>
    <description>The two leading candidates for Florida&amp;#39;s governor have grounded their high-flying ways on state-owned airplanes.&amp;lt;p/&amp;gt;  Chief Financial Officer Alex Sink and Attorney General Bill McCollum have dramatically cut back their use of state aircraft since a Herald/Times analysis in June revealed that they had racked up hundreds of thousands of dollars in flights, including questionable use of planes by family members and use of the planes to commute to work from their homes in other parts of the state.</description>
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    <title>Money affects Cuba policy</title>
    <link>http://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics/florida/story/1335580.html</link>
    <guid>http://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics/florida/story/1335580.html</guid>
    <pubDate>Mon, 16 Nov 2009 01:00 EST</pubDate>
    <description>Supporters of the U.S. embargo against Cuba have contributed almost $11 million to members of Congress since 2004 in a largely successful effort to block efforts to weaken sanctions against the island, a new report shows.
</description>
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    <title>Florida may crack down on corporate fees</title>
    <link>http://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics/florida/story/1335574.html</link>
    <guid>http://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics/florida/story/1335574.html</guid>
    <pubDate>Mon, 16 Nov 2009 01:00 EST</pubDate>
    <description>Florida&amp;#39;s constant search for more money could mean a tougher approach to businesses that fail to file annual reports on time. &amp;lt;p/&amp;gt;   By law, the 1.2 million corporations in Florida must file an annual report with the state, which can charge a $400 fine on every company that skips the May 1 filing deadline. The state, however, must waive the fine for most businesses if the company says it never got a reminder notice to submit a report. 
</description>
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    <title>FBI seeking help from alleged Rothstein victims</title>
    <link>http://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics/florida/story/1330909.html</link>
    <guid>http://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics/florida/story/1330909.html</guid>
    <pubDate>Fri, 13 Nov 2009 01:00 EST</pubDate>
    <description>The investment scam by Fort Lauderdale attorney Scott Rothstein ``could well exceed $1 billion,&amp;#39;&amp;#39; making it one of the biggest fraud cases in South Florida history, the head of the FBI in Miami said Thursday.</description>
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    <title>Terror trials differ in civilian, military courts</title>
    <link>http://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics/AP/story/1345227.html</link>
    <guid>http://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics/AP/story/1345227.html</guid>
    <pubDate>Sat, 21 Nov 2009 10:47 EST</pubDate>
    <description>The federal courts and military tribunals that will prosecute suspected terrorists vary sharply in their independence, public stature and use of evidence. But the Obama administration has so far offered no clear-cut rationale for how it chooses which system will try a detainee.</description>
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<item>
    <title>Obama trumpets Asia trip as boost to US economy</title>
    <link>http://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics/AP/story/1345123.html</link>
    <guid>http://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics/AP/story/1345123.html</guid>
    <pubDate>Sat, 21 Nov 2009 06:07 EST</pubDate>
    <description>President Barack Obama&amp;#39;s eight-day trip to Asia produced no tangible wins for the United States, though he is citing talks with Asian allies that he says could help create thousands of job and open new markets for American goods in the future.</description>
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    <title>Prosecutors plan commission case in Cole bombing</title>
    <link>http://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics/AP/story/1344664.html</link>
    <guid>http://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics/AP/story/1344664.html</guid>
    <pubDate>Fri, 20 Nov 2009 20:47 EST</pubDate>
    <description>Military prosecutors said Friday they plan to seek new charges against the alleged mastermind of the 2000 bombing of the USS Cole.</description>
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<item>
    <title>Couple plead guilty to Cuba spying, will go to prison</title>
    <link>http://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics/AP/story/1344603.html</link>
    <guid>http://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics/AP/story/1344603.html</guid>
    <pubDate>Fri, 20 Nov 2009 19:41 EST</pubDate>
    <description>A retired State Department employee will spend life in prison without parole after he and his wife pleaded guilty Friday to serving as covert agents for Cuba for three decades.</description>
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    <title>FAA says equipment outage caused 819 flight delays</title>
    <link>http://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics/AP/story/1344540.html</link>
    <guid>http://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics/AP/story/1344540.html</guid>
    <pubDate>Fri, 20 Nov 2009 18:56 EST</pubDate>
    <description>The Federal Aviation Administration is blaming an equipment outage this week for delaying 819 flights.</description>
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<item>
    <title>Couple pleads guilty to spying for Cuba</title>
    <link>http://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics/AP/story/1344531.html</link>
    <guid>http://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics/AP/story/1344531.html</guid>
    <pubDate>Fri, 20 Nov 2009 18:46 EST</pubDate>
    <description>A retired State Department employee and his wife pleaded guilty Friday to charges that they have been spying for Cuba for decades.</description>
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<item>
    <title>Girl accuses Sacramento mayor of offering her hush money</title>
    <link>http://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics/AP/story/1344518.html</link>
    <guid>http://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics/AP/story/1344518.html</guid>
    <pubDate>Fri, 20 Nov 2009 18:41 EST</pubDate>
    <description>Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson offered to pay $1,000 a month to one of three girls who had accused him of inappropriately touching her while she was involved in his St. HOPE Hood Corps program, the girl told federal agents during their investigation of Johnson&amp;#39;s nonprofit St. HOPE organization last year.</description>
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    <title>Dems have 60 for health care; Lincoln a 'yes'</title>
    <link>http://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics/AP/story/1344491.html</link>
    <guid>http://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics/AP/story/1344491.html</guid>
    <pubDate>Sat, 21 Nov 2009 13:02 EST</pubDate>
    <description>Democrats have hit the magic number of 60 to move ahead on historic health care legislation.</description>
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    <title>Levin: could be more e-mails from Ft. Hood suspect</title>
    <link>http://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics/AP/story/1344480.html</link>
    <guid>http://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics/AP/story/1344480.html</guid>
    <pubDate>Fri, 20 Nov 2009 18:11 EST</pubDate>
    <description>WASHINGTON - The government intercepted at least 18 e-mails between the alleged Fort Hood gunman and a radical Muslim cleric, and a key senator says there could be more communications that might have tipped off law enforcement or military officials.</description>
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    <title>Lawmaker asks people to stop complaining, and gets an earful</title>
    <link>http://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics/AP/story/1344479.html</link>
    <guid>http://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics/AP/story/1344479.html</guid>
    <pubDate>Fri, 20 Nov 2009 18:11 EST</pubDate>
    <description>Rep. Emanuel Cleaver wanted people to stop complaining for a day and count their blessings. What he got, however, was just more complaints.</description>
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    <title>For central California lawmakers, fundraising never stops</title>
    <link>http://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics/AP/story/1344417.html</link>
    <guid>http://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics/AP/story/1344417.html</guid>
    <pubDate>Fri, 20 Nov 2009 17:36 EST</pubDate>
    <description>The dollar chase never stops for California incumbents and challengers alike, who keep busy raising campaign funds for themselves and for others.</description>
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    <title>Senate faces crucial vote on health care</title>
    <link>http://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics/AP/story/1344406.html</link>
    <guid>http://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics/AP/story/1344406.html</guid>
    <pubDate>Fri, 20 Nov 2009 17:31 EST</pubDate>
    <description>The Senate is poised to approve on Saturday the start of a historic debate over health care legislation aimed at making coverage easier, less expensive to obtain and harder to lose.</description>
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    <title>Haiti's prime minister targeted for ouster by lawmakers</title>
    <link>http://www.miamiherald.com/news/world/latin-america-and-caribbean-politics/story/1301613.html</link>
    <guid>http://www.miamiherald.com/news/world/latin-america-and-caribbean-politics/story/1301613.html</guid>
    <pubDate>Mon, 26 Oct 2009 17:24 EDT</pubDate>
    <description>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&amp;#39;s prime minister.</description>
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    <title>Faced with a deep recession, Cuba tries socialism lite</title>
    <link>http://www.miamiherald.com/news/world/latin-america-and-caribbean-politics/story/1281788.html</link>
    <guid>http://www.miamiherald.com/news/world/latin-america-and-caribbean-politics/story/1281788.html</guid>
    <pubDate>Wed, 14 Oct 2009 17:26 EDT</pubDate>
    <description>Cuba&amp;#39;s workplace cafeterias are closing, President Ra&amp;uacute;l Castro keeps saying the well-off shouldn&amp;#39;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.</description>
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    <title>Blogger can't come to U.S. for prize</title>
    <link>http://www.miamiherald.com/news/world/latin-america-and-caribbean-politics/story/1279547.html</link>
    <guid>http://www.miamiherald.com/news/world/latin-america-and-caribbean-politics/story/1279547.html</guid>
    <pubDate>Wed, 14 Oct 2009 17:25 EDT</pubDate>
    <description>A Cuban blogger who has become an international sensation for offering frank criticism of her country&amp;#39;s communist system said she was denied government permission Monday to travel to New York to receive a top journalism prize.
</description>
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    <title>U.S.-Cuba travel picking up steam</title>
    <link>http://www.miamiherald.com/news/world/latin-america-and-caribbean-politics/story/1279295.html</link>
    <guid>http://www.miamiherald.com/news/world/latin-america-and-caribbean-politics/story/1279295.html</guid>
    <pubDate>Wed, 14 Oct 2009 17:25 EDT</pubDate>
    <description>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.</description>
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    <title>Controversial media-reform bill in Argentina faces vote</title>
    <link>http://www.miamiherald.com/news/world/latin-america-and-caribbean-politics/story/1275157.html</link>
    <guid>http://www.miamiherald.com/news/world/latin-america-and-caribbean-politics/story/1275157.html</guid>
    <pubDate>Wed, 14 Oct 2009 17:24 EDT</pubDate>
    <description>A controversial media reform bill, set to be debated in the Argentine Senate on Friday, pits two powerful forces against each other -- President Cristina Fern&amp;amp;aacute;ndez de Kirchner and the country&amp;#39;s largest media conglomerate.
</description>
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    <title>OAS diplomats get talks started in Honduras crisis</title>
    <link>http://www.miamiherald.com/news/world/latin-america-and-caribbean-politics/story/1273683.html</link>
    <guid>http://www.miamiherald.com/news/world/latin-america-and-caribbean-politics/story/1273683.html</guid>
    <pubDate>Wed, 14 Oct 2009 17:23 EDT</pubDate>
    <description>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.</description>
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    <title>South Florida Republicans, back from Honduras, call for U.S. backing of elections</title>
    <link>http://www.miamiherald.com/news/world/latin-america-and-caribbean-politics/story/1270203.html</link>
    <guid>http://www.miamiherald.com/news/world/latin-america-and-caribbean-politics/story/1270203.html</guid>
    <pubDate>Wed, 14 Oct 2009 17:22 EDT</pubDate>
    <description>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&amp;#39;s scheduled elections.
</description>
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    <title>Report: Hard to ease Cuba embargo</title>
    <link>http://www.miamiherald.com/news/world/latin-america-and-caribbean-politics/story/1262329.html</link>
    <guid>http://www.miamiherald.com/news/world/latin-america-and-caribbean-politics/story/1262329.html</guid>
    <pubDate>Thu, 01 Oct 2009 20:57 EDT</pubDate>
    <description>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.</description>
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    <title>Obama aide frets about 'ghosts of past' in Honduras crisis</title>
    <link>http://www.miamiherald.com/news/world/latin-america-and-caribbean-politics/story/1260565.html</link>
    <guid>http://www.miamiherald.com/news/world/latin-america-and-caribbean-politics/story/1260565.html</guid>
    <pubDate>Thu, 01 Oct 2009 17:45 EDT</pubDate>
    <description>The June 28 coup that ousted Honduran President Manuel Zelaya ``deeply offended the core principles of the Americas,&amp;#39;&amp;#39; 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.&amp;#39;&amp;#39;</description>
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    <title>Costa Rican leader blasts decree</title>
    <link>http://www.miamiherald.com/news/world/latin-america-and-caribbean-politics/story/1258651.html</link>
    <guid>http://www.miamiherald.com/news/world/latin-america-and-caribbean-politics/story/1258651.html</guid>
    <pubDate>Wed, 30 Sep 2009 17:44 EDT</pubDate>
    <description>Condemning the Honduran coup as a throwback to Latin America&amp;#39;s ugly history, Costa Rican President Oscar Arias said Tuesday that the country can&amp;#39;t have free and fair elections until its de facto government lifts a repressive decree that silenced opposition media and forbade public gatherings.</description>
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    <title>President Clinton says Haiti has a good shot at success</title>
    <link>http://www.miamiherald.com/news/world/latin-america-and-caribbean-politics/story/1258399.html</link>
    <guid>http://www.miamiherald.com/news/world/latin-america-and-caribbean-politics/story/1258399.html</guid>
    <pubDate>Tue, 29 Sep 2009 18:52 EDT</pubDate>
    <description>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.</description>
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    <title>They're torturing me, Honduras' Manuel Zelaya claims</title>
    <link>http://www.miamiherald.com/news/world/latin-america-and-caribbean-politics/story/1248828.html</link>
    <guid>http://www.miamiherald.com/news/world/latin-america-and-caribbean-politics/story/1248828.html</guid>
    <pubDate>Thu, 24 Sep 2009 15:21 EDT</pubDate>
    <description>It&amp;#39;s been 89 days since Manuel Zelaya was booted from power. He&amp;#39;s sleeping on chairs, and he claims his throat is sore from toxic gases and &amp;quot;Israeli mercenaries&amp;#39;&amp;#39; are torturing him with high-frequency radiation.</description>
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