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Black America Web
23-07-2025
- Politics
- Black America Web
Florida Supreme Court Backs DeSantis In Diluting Black Voter Power
Source: ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS / Getty Long before Texas officials scrambled for a special session to attack Black voter power in the Lone Star state, Florida, Gov. Ron DeSantis was already stacking the deck in his party's favor. Now, four years after redistricting began, the Florida Supreme Court upheld maps backed by DeSantis diluting Black voter power. Embracing a reverse racism style argument, the Florida Supreme Court claimed that allowing a majority Black district to remain would violate the 14th Amendment's Equal Protection Clause. Led by Black Voters Matter Capacity Building Institute and the League of Women Voters of Florida, voting rights groups maintain the maps violated the 2010 Fair Districts Amendment. They further argue that the maps diluted Black voter power and were an assault on Black representation. According to Democracy Docket, the maps commissioned by DeSantis split Black voters formerly in the state's 5th Congressional district 'across four separate districts, reducing their ability to choose a candidate that best represents them in North Florida.' DeSantis pointing to multiple courts upholding his allegedly 'constitutionally correct map' does not mean the maps are accurate or fair. It only means that the courts have swung far enough to the right that the interpretation of accuracy and fairness is willing to overlook the true meaning of equal protection and fair representation. The Democracy Docket specifically called attention to the 'non-diminishment' clause in Florida's Fair Districts Amendment, which prohibits the state from creating districts that prevent racial or language minorities from having 'equal opportunity to participate in the political process and elect representatives of their choice.' It's all states' rights, and states can decide until a state law actually benefits Black people. As reported by the Tallahassee Democrat, there is still a challenge pending regarding Congressional District 26. This case is also separate from a challenge to Florida Senate District 16 involving Black voters in Tampa and St. Petersburg. But the 5th Congressional District case underscores the importance of federal oversight and protection to ensure that states do not disenfranchise or disempower Black voters. As outlined by the Legal Defense Fund, Florida has passed several anti-voter laws and targeted fairness and transparency in the democratic process. DeSantis and his cronies have no interest in upholding equal protection or ensuring free and fair elections. Retaining power by any and all means is the name of their game. Source: ninitta / Getty 'Conditions that can foster voting discrimination — such as unfairly drawn districts that weaken the voting power of Black voters and other voters of color, inaccessible polling locations, insufficient language assistance for voters who don't speak English comfortably, and outright voter intimidation — endure throughout Florida,' wrote the LDF. 'And many of Florida's counties and cities use at-large election structures or district maps that impair the ability of voters of color to elect candidates of their choice or influence the outcome of elections.' Despite claims that the DeSantis maps are racially neutral and did not intentionally discriminate against Black voters, modern era segregationists know they need to make it look accidental to pass judicial scrutiny. Trying to prove racist intent is no longer as simple as it was 60 years ago. The battle over maps in Florida is one of many ongoing challenges to Black voter power. But limiting Black political power and, in turn, full political participation is not new. Even before the passage of the 14th and 15th Amendments, the powers that be fought hard to minimize Black voting rights. And now, their descendants are colonizing the same laws passed to protect Black voters against us. Despite the extensive legislative history and record around the Reconstruction Era Amendments and numerous civil rights laws, including the Voting Rights Act, these people follow the far-right SCOTUS majority's intellectual dishonesty. There is nothing fair in what DeSantis and his cronies are doing. And yet, Black voters and the candidates who seek to represent their interests are left scrambling to out organize an increasingly hostile state and federal government. These contemporary voting rights challenges also show the enduring importance and need for the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Since the U.S. Supreme Court's decision in Shelby County v. Holder eroded key sections of the Voting Rights Act, voting rights advocates have pushed for legislation to restore and strengthen voting rights protections. Choosing our representatives and free access to the ballot are two of the most significant pathways to improving conditions for our families and communities. Protecting and expanding voting rights requires sustained organizing and lobbying leading to new safeguards at the state level like state voting acts and other pro-democracy legislation. SEE ALSO: Federal Judges Rule Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis' 'Race-Neutral' Congressional Map Is Constitutional Redistricting: Majority Black Voting Maps Rejected In Louisiana SEE ALSO Florida Supreme Court Backs DeSantis In Diluting Black Voter Power was originally published on
Toronto Sun
14-07-2025
- Politics
- Toronto Sun
HANSON: Trump's successes continuing to annihilate the impotent leftists
US President Donald Trump speaks during a White House Faith Office luncheon in the State Dining Room of the White House, in Washington, DC on July 14, 2025. Photo by ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS / AFP via Getty Images Across the political left, from orthodox Democrats to Antifa in the streets, the opposition to President Donald Trump has lost its collective mind. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account The House minority leader and now self-styled tough guy, New York Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, poses with a baseball bat to show how dangerous he is in opposing Trump's budget bill. Jeffries harangued Congress for eight hours; New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker went on for 25 — both to no effect. Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders and New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez hit the rally trail in private jets to rail about oligarchs, omitting that the ultra-rich are not only mostly leftists but also the funders of the Democratic Party. Sometimes the Democrats in Congress make bizarre videos featuring profanity. On other occasions, they scream and interrupt Congress. Some representatives now confess their constituents are pressuring them to take a bullet for the cause. Your noon-hour look at what's happening in Toronto and beyond. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. The racialist Texas Rep. Jasmine Crockett — sometimes playing the prep-school prima donna, sometimes modulating her accent to pass as the authentic inner-city activist — gains headlines for monotonously ranting about old white men. The left-wing internet mob grotesquely claims that children lost to the recent flash flood in Texas deserved their fate. They even advance three sick reasons for their ghoulishness: Texas Christians supported the MAGA agenda and thus met a just fate; as red-state Texans, they were deservedly collateral damage to DOGE's bureaucratic reductions; or, as climate denialists would say, the flash flood took righteous revenge on children for their supposed ignorance. Add it all up, and there is a sizable leftist 'base' that is completely amoral. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Then there are the college campuses, where left-wing antisemitism, pro-Hamas terrorism and DEI-fueled racism risk costing elite universities their multi-billion-dollar subsidies, which fund the indoctrination of young leftists. In panic, cash-strapped universities can no longer hide that they were gouging the federal government with outrageous surcharges on grants. They were systematically defying the Supreme Court by their race-based admissions and hiring. They institutionalized segregationist dorms, segregated graduations and antisemitism. Finally, there is the so-called 'left-wing Resistance' and the street mobs' descent into violence and terrorism. Sometimes, thugs ambush ICE agents. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Sometimes, they firebomb Tesla dealerships. Sometimes, they attack federal buildings, shut down freeways and pelt patrol cars with concrete. They continue with impunity because they know the Democratic Party cannot and will not censure them. As in the months-long rioting of 2020, leftist politicos assume their street bandits will cause so much mayhem, violence and chaos that Trump will either be forced to call out the troops (and thus 'prove' he's Hitler) or be too scared to, only to be blamed for the unrest, which could cost him the midterms. But who or what drives the insane rages of these various armies of the left? One is a bleeding Democratic Party. Despite gushing about its new DEI, illegal alien, trans and Middle Eastern constituents, it has no political power. Its issues are mostly 30-70 losers. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. It has little power in the House or Senate beyond fake filibusters, performative outrage or profanity-laced rants. It lost the White House. The Supreme Court eventually nullified the illegality of left-wing district judges. It does not trust the people, so plebiscites and ballot measures are mostly out. Two is that, unlike his first term, Trump is addressing the causes, not just the symptoms, of the progressive project, whether on the border, crime, cultural issues or foreign policy. The administration is committed to addressing the root causes of the left-wing influence, not just its manifestations. So, Trump has focused on leftist sacred cows like NPR, PBS, the elite campuses, USAID and the administrative state — all the inculcators and laboratories of leftist ideology. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Finally, the left is outraged that so far, the Trump counterrevolution is working. The economy is solid. The border is closed. Military recruitment has radically recovered. The budget bill has passed. The Iranian nuclear threat has lessened. NATO is strengthening. The Middle East has a chance for calm. Tariffs did not cause inflation. Deportations created American jobs. Biological men will likely no longer be winning women's athletic contests. Add it all up and the impotent left in all its orthodox and street manifestations has become unhinged. And why not when it rightly fears that not just its power, but the very sources of its power, are in mortal danger? Editorial Cartoons NFL Golf Uncategorized World
Miami Herald
09-07-2025
- Politics
- Miami Herald
What's the real name of Alligator Alcatraz? Get inside look at detention center
South Florida What's the real name of Alligator Alcatraz? Get inside look at detention center These articles discuss the Florida detention center "Alligator Alcatraz," its conditions, and the challenges faced by those trying to access it. The reports reveal a state-run facility built quickly to detain people under Trump-era immigration policies. They highlight issues like denied entry to lawmakers, heat and bugs inside the tents, and difficulties for detainees to contact legal counsel. "Alligator Alcatraz" is officially recognized by the state and has inspired merchandise. Read the stories below to catch up. No image found US President President Donald Trump arrives to attend a roundtable discussion as he visits a migrant detention center, dubbed 'Alligator Alcatraz,' located at the site of the Dade-Collier Training and Transition Airport in Ochopee, Florida, on July 1, 2025. President Trump is visiting a migrant detention center in a reptile-infested Florida swamp dubbed 'Alligator Alcatraz.' Trump will attend the opening of the 5,000-bed facility -- located at an abandoned airfield in the Everglades wetlands -- part of his expansion of deportations of undocumented migrants, his spokeswoman said. (Photo by ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS / AFP) (Photo by ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/AFP via Getty Images) NO. 1: IT'S OFFICIAL: ALLIGATOR ALCATRAZ IS NOT A NICKNAME. IT'S FLORIDA'S NAME FOR DETENTION SITE Alligator Alcatraz is not just a moniker designed to sell political merchandise. | Published July 1, 2025 | Read Full Story by Ana Ceballos No image found Florida state Sen. Carlos G. Smith and fellow lawmakers speak to the media before being denied entry into Alligator Alcatraz, the state immigration detention facility in the Everglades, on Thursday, July 3, 2025. By PHOTO BY AL DIAZ NO. 2: 'WHAT ARE THEY HIDING?' FLORIDA LAWMAKERS SHUT OUT OF ALLIGATOR ALCATRAZ In a surprising and possibly unlawful act, five state legislators were denied entry Thursday into a taxpayer-funded migrant detention center deep in the Everglades, raising questions about what will happen behind the razor-wire fences that are being erected surrounding the controversial facility the state has named Alligator only with state law and a growing list of humanitarian concerns, state Senators Shevrin Jones and Carlos Guillermo Smith, along with Representatives Anna V. | Published July 3, 2025 | Read Full Story by Antonio Maria Delgado No image found Aerial view of structures including gigantic tents built at the recently opened migrant detention center, 'Alligator Alcatraz,' located at the site of the Dade-Collier Training and Transition Airport in Ochopee, Florida on Friday July 04, 2025. By Pedro Portal NO. 3: GIANT BUGS, HEAT AND A HOSPITAL VISIT: INSIDE ALLIGATOR ALCATRAZ'S FIRST DAYS Concerns about conditions for detainees were heightened when one was rushed out of the detention center Monday in an ambulance. | Published July 8, 2025 | Read Full Story by Ana Ceballos Alex Harris Claire Healy The summary above was drafted with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists in our News division. All stories listed were reported, written and edited by McClatchy journalists.
Newsweek
03-07-2025
- Business
- Newsweek
More Than Half Remote Staff Work a Side Hustle While on the Clock
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Companies have long held concerns about remote work, fearing productivity declines, disconnected workforces and worsened team culture. However, a new study reveals there might be another problem for employers: the majority of remote employees are using their time on the clock to earn extra income on the side, according to a new study. The LendingTree study discovered that 51 percent of remote workers are earning additional income while working their primary job, and 58 percent have considered doing so. Male remote workers were significantly more likely to work for additional income while at their remote jobs, at 58 percent versus 42 percent. Why It Matters The survey's revelations add to a growing body of research documenting how economic pressures, changing job structures, and evolving expectations are reshaping how and when Americans work. With many employees facing distractions, juggling caregiving, and saving money on commuting costs, remote work continues to redefine the boundaries of productivity and accountability. Remote work has become increasingly popular since the coronavirus pandemic. While it was first seen as a necessity to curb the spread of the virus, it now has a strong hold on the larger workforce, and many top talent will not consider a job without remote work as an option. Nearly all, or 95 percent, of working professionals want some type of remote work, and 63 percent said it is the most important aspect of their job, even more important than salary, according to a recent FlexJobs report. However, employers continue to have looming concerns regarding productivity. File photo of a remote employee working from his bedroom. File photo of a remote employee working from his bedroom. ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/AFP via Getty Images What To Know The LendingTree survey of 2,000 Americans, which included 450 remote workers, found there were many benefits to remote work on the employees' side. "One of the greatest appeals of remote work is the ability to have more flexibility within your own home," Alex Beene, a financial literacy instructor for the University of Tennessee at Martin, told Newsweek. "However, that autonomy can lead some to go down the road of doing additional work, even for completely different professions, on the clock of their primary employer." Roughly 70 percent of remote workers reported getting more sleep, 66 percent felt more productive, and 90 percent said they had an improved work-life balance, according to the survey. However, remote workers were also likely to fear being let go if their company underwent layoffs, with 47 percent saying they were concerned about this. This may reflect the reality of today's workforce, as fully remote workers were 35 percent more likely to be laid off than in-office employees, according to a 2023 study by Live Data Technologies Inc. Even amid these fears, 45 percent of remote workers said they were opposed to returning to the office full-time, and 42 percent relocated after securing a remote job. What People Are Saying LendingTree chief consumer finance analyst Matt Schulz said in the report: "It can be tempting to try to generate some extra income while working remotely, but it comes with real risk, too. Splitting your focus that way can make you less productive. That's dangerous any time, but especially in a time of significant economic uncertainty in which many companies are already looking for ways to get leaner and more efficient. The last thing you should do is keep secrets from your employer." Alex Beene, a financial literacy instructor for the University of Tennessee at Martin, told Newsweek: "As appealing as the notion may be, it's important to understand the ramifications could be dire and include you losing your current role and potentially dooming other employees to return to the office if the employer feels like violations of their policies may be widespread." What Happens Next Beene said that if more employees take advantage of their employers' offering remote work, it could lead to these types of positions being less available in the future. "Remote work is a job feature many employees would love to have," Beene said. "Trying to take advantage of it ensures there will be fewer of those opportunities in the future." A previous national survey collected by found that 33 percent of remote employees are working two or more jobs. The reasons cited include the rising cost of living and the relative ease of managing remote roles. "Remote workers are increasingly working multiple jobs due to the rising cost of living in recent years. Additionally, many remote roles are relatively easy to manage, allowing workers to take on additional jobs without a noticeable drop in productivity," Kevin Thompson, CEO of 9i Capital Group, previously told Newsweek.
Miami Herald
26-06-2025
- Business
- Miami Herald
Housing market update spells more trouble
Let's say it like it is The housing market of late has been far from dazzling, and everyone's feeling the pinch. Don't miss the move: Subscribe to TheStreet's free daily newsletter New home buyers are hitting pause, with builders stuck with unsold inventory, as lenders continue clamping down. What looked like a robust housing market not too long ago now feels frozen. Buyers are stepping aside, builders are trying to unload homes, and no one's sure how ugly this dip might get. High mortgage rates, inflated home prices, and tariff drama have collectively led the new-home market into no-man's land. Affordability's taking a hit, and buyers continue being circumspect. Moreover, given the most recent development, things could take a while to improve. ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/Getty Images Since Covid, the U.S. housing market's been on a rollercoaster ride. Related: Huge housing brand franchisee was running a huge con The first was a massive price surge, followed by a Fed-fueled pullback and now a choppy cooldown heading into mid-2025. For perspective, home prices jumped about 43% from early 2020 to June 2022. That momentum had everything to do with rock-bottom mortgage rates, stimulus-fueled savings, and the powerful remote-work boom. However, the market started to cool fast once the Fed kicked off its aggressive rate hikes in early 2022. By mid-2023, 30-year mortgage rates surged from just under 3% in early 2021 to over 7%. Price growth hit the brakes, too. By late 2024, some cities were seeing significant year-over-year declines, and by April of this year, national gains were down to just 2.7%. Yet affordability is getting squeezed hard. Home prices continue outpacing wage growth, and with borrowing costs stuck high, a lot of current homeowners are staying put. At the same time, tariffs are messing with material costs, crippling supply. Inventory levels still feel tight as smart money dumps rental homes after nearly two years of falling rents. Looking ahead, the majority of analysts see either sluggish growth or slight price drops through the rest of 2025. J.P. Morgan expects sub-3% gains, while Redfin sees prices slipping about 1% by year-end. More on the housing market: New Home Sales Plunge, Keeping Us on the Sidelines With This Bullpen NameBillionaire Bill Ackman doubles down on major housing market betRising gold price has a surprising connection to house sales The real relief for buyers depends on the Fed cutting rates and boosting new-home construction to ease the supply crunch. Sales of new single-family homes nosedived again in May, dropping to a 623,000 annual pace. That's down roughly 13.7% from April and 6.3% lower compared to a year ago, highlighting significant market duress. Related: Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway expects housing market price changes soon Meanwhile, inventories of new homes continue piling up while revenues cool off. By the close of May, builders had just 507,000 new homes on the market, up 1.4% from April and 8.1% from last year. That's close to 10 months' worth of supply, pointing to substantial oversupply. Affordability remains the biggest roadblock The National Association of Realtors' chief economist, Lawrence Yun, says that median home prices have jumped over 50% since 2019, but wages haven't kept up. Layer that up with a 6.8% average mortgage rate and it's no surprise people are backing off Moreover, it's not homebuilders feeling the pinch. The weakened housing market has hit everyone from mortgage lenders to furniture stores. If this slump sticks around, it could prove to be a drag on consumer confidence and slow down the broader economy. Naturally, things are unlikely to get much better unless mortgage rates drop or prices take a meaningful dip. Builders might need to cut prices and throw in more incentives. It seems like high inventory and soft demand will stay for a while. Related: Major housing expert predicts huge change to mortgage rates in 2026 The Arena Media Brands, LLC THESTREET is a registered trademark of TheStreet, Inc.
