Month: March 2016

9 fatal drug overdoses on Staten Island in past month, D.A. says

From SILive March 23, 2016

District Attorney starts drug overdose response initiative District Attorney Michael McMahon spearheads drug overdose response initiative, where law enforcement and counseling services collaborate to stop the flow of heroin on Staten Island streets.

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — Nine people have died of a drug-related overdose on Staten Island in the month since the district attorney’s office announced a plan to closely investigate suspected overdose deaths, said a spokesman for the D.A.’s office.
There have been 10 reported overdoses on Staten Island since Feb. 22. One person was saved using the anti-overdose spray Naloxone, the spokesman said.

Last month, District Attorney Michael E. McMahon unveiled the Overdose Response Initiative, a law enforcement program designed to attack the drug plight at its source — identifying the dealers and suppliers who sell heroin, cocaine and pills around the borough and putting them behind bars.

New plan unveiled to probe OD deaths for dealer links
New plan unveiled to probe OD deaths for dealer links
Officials announced the Overdose Response Initiative, a new program that will probe drug overdose deaths to try to root out dealers.

“While I cannot discuss the specifics of any ongoing investigations, our newly-announced initiative is working as expected and has been fruitful thus far,” the spokesman said.

“This office aims to continue its work with family members of those who overdose in an effort to track down drug dealers and the deadly narcotics they peddle.”

According to city Health Department statistics, Staten Island recorded the highest rate of overdose deaths in the city in 2014, the most recent date available.

That year, 74 borough residents died of a drug overdose, spiking from 64 in 2013.

Heroin was involved in the overdose deaths of 42 Islanders in 2014, up from 32 in 2013.

McMahon had recently highlighted two apparent fatal overdoses, the death of a 26-year-old male on Feb. 24, the same day his office announced the initiative, and the death of an 8-month-pregnant woman.

“As we all know, Staten Island is facing loss to overdose deaths at an alarming rate,” McMahon had said in February during the announcement at Borough Hall in St. George. “Simply stated, our loved ones are dying. … My office is determined and committed to hunting down drug dealers, aggressively prosecuting them and sending them to prison.”

 

Top Ten Political Satire Tweets

Social media is critical to the candidates running for President in 2016.  All of the candidates have a presence online and on the major social media outlets like Facebook and Twitter.  They use these social media platforms to reach both supporters and undecided voters in hopes of getting out the vote and winning votes.

Social media is also a risk for candidates. For each attempt to rally the base or win an undecided voter there is potential for a satirical counterpoint.  It is unclear if this form of political satire sways public opinion but it is entertaining.  Here are retired2995’s favorite Top Ten Political Satire Tweets so far this election season.

10.  SNL is the James Bond of Political Satire-Nobody does it better and nobody is safe.

9.  Political cartoons- an american tradition.  Her are some from the Miami Herald cartoonist Jim Morin.

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8.  Late 1970’s Friday night TV, Can we do a Love Boat with Bernie and Hillary or Trump and Fiorina?

7.  If you think hard enough Bernie, you can come up with a few democrats and independents as well.  Healthcare for all means for all.

6. Where is Kasich?

 

5. I know how you feel Abe.

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Cc6-yqYW4AAI1A3.jpg:large

4.  Unconfirmed reports Gov. Christie has retained Daniel Webster in this matter.

3.  Anyone else thinking Titanic?

 

2.  Are they related?

  1.  It’s me Bernie…..

 

Florida Republican Primary- Monday February 15, 2016 to Sunday Mar 6, 2016-Super Tuesday Special

 

The Presidential Primary builds momentum in the Sunshine State as March 15 Primaries potentially make or break nominees.  Voters can request an absentee ballot be sent by mail between February 9 and March 9, 2016.  The five remaining candidates continue to compete for airtime but Trump, Rubio and Cruz dominate the news cycle. Quinnipiac released a new poll of likely Republican voters on February 25.   Florida Gov. Rick Scott has not endorsed a candidate.  In a late January press conference, he was asked of his plans to endorse a candidate and he replied he will before the Primary.  The interest in the Governors endorsement came likely because of an OP Ed in USA Today he wrote called “Donald Trump has Americas Pulse.”

Florida readies itself for the Primary 

The Sunday Feb 14 Miami Herald reported the absentee ballots were mailed out on February 9th.  These ballots include candidates that have dropped out since the printing.  According to Florida law early voting can begin February 29. The final opportunity to declare or change a party affiliation will be Tuesday February 16.  The herald observed that Floridians seemed to be focused on the election and election officials are preparing for higher than average turnout.  In 2008 42% and 2012 41% of registered Republican and Democrat voters participated in the primary.

Trump                                     trump 1

On the eve of the South Carolina primary Presidential Debate candidate Donald Trump packed the University of South Florida Sun Dome with 10,000 supporters.  Trump took the opportunity to attack Bush, eliminate common core and solicit the Hispanic vote.

A NY Times report alleged Trump is hiring foreigners in the country on H2B visas to work at his Mar a Lago estate in Palm Beach at the expense of Floridians.   The article says since 2010 300 Floridians applied for jobs at the estate but only 17 were hired.  Some hires were foreign in the country on temporary H2B visas which are reserved for persons without special skills and limited nationwide.   Persons in the United States on these visas cannot be hired before a US citizen.  In related campaign news Trump received endorsement from former Presidential candidate and New Jersey Governor Chris Christie.

Rubio                                          rubio 1

Marco Rubio has picked up the support of several local Florida Politicians.  The spurt of endorsements came after the endorsement of South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley and Jeb Bush suspended his campaign.   Gov. Haley committed this week to a Rubio rally on March 12 in St. Petersburg.  Rubio likes his chances and feels the race is narrowing.

“So you have had Donald Trump sitting at around 30 percent or so nationally — sometimes under, sometimes a little over and then you have 70 percent of the Republican electorate does not support Donald Trump.” Rubio said.  “That 70 percent has been divided between five to seven people. As this race continues to narrow, I think that’ll be easier and easier, for that 70 percent to coalesce.”

Rubio is looking mare like an establishment candidate.  He will open a campaign Headquarters in Jacksonville to focus on northeast Florida on Tuesday, a week ahead of the Super Tuesday Primary.  The new location is a few blocks away from Florida’s Republican Headquarters and the site of the republican mayor of Jacksonville’s 2015 campaign headquarters.

Cruz                                                  cruz 1

Ted Cruz hasn’t touched the Sunshine state recently.  He is in the headlines as news for his debate and campaign trail rhetoric.  The Florida-Elect Ted Cruz Facebook page has 3,717 likes.  I have more and in the latest poll he is in third behind Trump and Rubio at 12%.  It look like Florida is a lost cause for Cruz

 

Polls

A new Quinnipiac poll was released this week with Trump ahead easily in Florida.  The poll of likely republican voters showed Trump at 44% with Rubio (28%), Cruz (12%) Kasich (7%) and Carson (4%) trailing.  There are 15% either undecided or holding out for a Bush comeback.

Pre Super Tuesday

Super Tuesday’s available delegates are not enough to wrap the nomination but at the end of the day a little more than half of the 1327 needed will be split among the candidates.  Candidates will have a clear picture on what it will take to secure the nomination if they assess they still have a chance.  Electability in the general election will begin to be a concern for voters and donors.  Super Tuesday can completely change the landscape of the Florida primary.

Post Super Tuesday

Donald Trump is easily the big winner in the Super Tuesday primaries.  As of this writing, with results still not finalized, Trump wins in 7 states.  Cruz wins in Texas, Alaska and Oklahoma keeping his campaign alive.  Rubio added to his delegate total with a win in Minnesota and delegates awarded through proportional allocation.  Rubio is likely committed through the Florida primary.  Kasich wins Vermont and also appears to be committed through his Mar 15  homestate Ohio primary.  Carson stubbornly is remaining in the race.

“People have asked for somebody who is not a politician, who was a member of we the people, who has an outstanding life of achievement and who thinks the way they do,” he told Fox News.

In post election press conferences, both Trump and Cruz presented themselves as the unifying candidate for Republican party.

Political Tweet of the week:

The best political tweets this week were Super Tuesday related and found at:

#freechris christie