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COMMENTARY: Are the Republicans Playing Games with Amendment 4 in Florida?

NNPA NEWSWIRE — In order to remain in power, our leaders have no problem erecting barriers that make it difficult to make changes. However, nearly 65% of Floridians in 2018’s midterm elections voted to implement Amendment 4, which restores voting rights to approximately 1.5 million convicted felons who have completed their sentencing, parole and/or probation.

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By Roger Caldwell, NNPA Newswire Contributor

As I wrote in a previous article, called ‘Amendment 4 Has Passed and Implementation Questions Start,’ “The passage of Amendment 4 was a political, ethical, and moral victory especially for Blacks and people of color in Florida. As many different organizations and different individuals take their victory lap, everyone must remember that the battle is not over.”

Florida is a red state. The Republicans control the Governorship, Cabinet, Senate and House of Representatives. Most of the appointees are conservatives and Republicans. Decisions are made with one thought in mind, and that is to remain in power.

In order to remain in power, our leaders have no problem erecting barriers that make it difficult to make changes. However, nearly 65% of Floridians in 2018’s midterm elections voted to implement Amendment 4, which restores voting rights to approximately 1.5 million convicted felons who have completed their sentencing, parole and/or probation.

Change in America is always slow and incremental. Most Floridians did not expect this amendment to be implemented quickly. However, most Floridians expected the will of the people would be honored and that the rule of law would prevail.

In Tallahassee in 2019, the Republican lawmakers are rushing forward to pass a bill that would sabotage Amendment 4, and keep over 80% of the 1.5 million former felons from voting. The bill would require former felons to pay all their fees and fines before their right to vote is restored.

This new bill proposal by the Republicans in Florida’s legislature is targeting low-income felons who cannot afford to pay these fines because the majority of them don’t have a job. This would once again make the constitutional right to vote for many former felons unattainable.

Southern Florida public radio station WLRN reported that the majority of such fines are never paid because most convicted felons do not have the resources to pay their fines. “Just 19% of the $1 billion in fines were paid between 2013 and 2018,” the outlet noted. Florida’s court clerks’ association says that 83% of fines are not expected to be paid off.

The Republican Party is sabotaging Amendment 4, and disenfranchising the former felons who are expecting to be able to vote. “In the worst tradition of Florida voter suppression, some lawmakers want to take the harshest possible line on implementing a constitutional amendment that arguably doesn’t even require the Legislature to interpret the constitution,” says the Orlando Sentinel.

The implementation of Amendment 4 is turning into one huge mess and voting is becoming a privilege instead of a right. This is not a surprise because the Florida state government has failed to implement citizen-driven ballot amendments in recent years.

At this time in the Florida legislature, the bill is in subcommittees and the Voting Rights Restoration Bill has passed in the House. Basically the bill requires ex-prisoners to pay all court costs and fines before they can vote. This week, the Senate subcommittee is voting on their version of the Voting Rights Restoration Bill, which is very similar to the House version.

Many are calling this a new poll tax and nationally there is outrage and condemnation. Even though there is fierce opposition from the Democrats, the bill is expected to move quickly in the Senate because the Republicans have the numbers. Political experts and pundits would tell the Democrats that the state is turning purple, but the vote in the Florida legislature is still primarily red.

Andrew Gillum and the Democratic Party in Florida have a goal to register one million new Democrats by the 2020 election.

Ex-Senator Bill Nelson lost by 10,000 votes and Andrew Gillum lost by 33,000 votes. Voting with the numbers on your side is the key to making Florida a blue state.

As a voter you have the right to put pressure on the Republicans lawmakers by calling or visiting their state and local offices. Let them know you are opposed to the sabotage of Amendment 4 and suppressing of the vote for ex-felons.

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Trump Set to Sign Largest Cut to Medicaid After a Marathon Protest Speech by Leader Jeffries

BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — The bill also represents the biggest cut in Medicare in history and is a threat to the health care coverage of over 15 million people. The spending in Trump’s signature legislation also opens the door to a second era of over-incarceration in the U.S.

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By Lauren Burke

By a vote of 218 to 214, the GOP-controlled U.S. House passed President Trump’s massive budget and spending bill that will add $3.5 trillion to the national debt, according to the Congressional Budget Office (CBO). The bill also represents the biggest cut in Medicare in history and is a threat to the health care coverage of over 15 million people. The spending in Trump’s signature legislation also opens the door to a second era of over-incarceration in the U.S. With $175 billion allocated in spending for immigration enforcement, the money for more police officers eclipsed the 2026 budget for the U.S. Marines, which is $57 billion. Almost all of the policy focus from the Trump Administration has focused on deporting immigrants of color from Mexico and Haiti.

The vote occurred as members were pressed to complete their work before the arbitrary deadline of the July 4 holiday set by President Trump. It also occurred after Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries took the House floor for over 8 hours in protest. Leader Jeffries broke the record in the U.S. House for the longest floor speech in history on the House floor. The Senate passed the bill days before and was tied at 50-50, with Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski saying that, “my hope is that the House is gonna look at this and recognize that we’re not there yet.” There were no changes made to the Senate bill by the House. A series of overnight phone calls to Republicans voting against, not changes, was what won over enough Republicans to pass the legislation, even though it adds trillions to the debt. The Trump spending bill also cuts money to Pell grants.

“The Big Ugly Bill steals food out of the hands of starving children, steals medicine from the cabinets of cancer patients, and equips ICE with more funding and more weapons of war than the United States Marine Corps. Is there any question of who those agents will be going to war for, or who they will be going to war against? Beyond these sadistic provisions, Republicans just voted nearly unanimously to close urban and rural hospitals, cripple the child tax credit, and to top it all off, add $3.3 trillion to the ticking time bomb that is the federal deficit – all from a party that embarrassingly pretends to stand for fiscal responsibility and lowering costs,” wrote Congressional Black Caucus Chairwoman Yvette Clarke (D-NY) in a statement on July 3.

“The Congressional Budget Office predicts that 17 million people will lose their health insurance, including over 322,000 Virginians. It will make college less affordable.  Three million people will lose access to food assistance through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). And up to 16 million students could lose access to free school meals. The Republican bill does all of this to fund tax breaks for millionaires, billionaires, and corporations,” wrote Education and Workforce Committee ranking member Rep. Bobby Scott (D-VA) in a statement. The bill’s passage has prompted Democrats to start thinking about 2026 and the next election cycle. With the margins of victory in the U.S. House and U.S. Senate being so narrow, many are convinced that the balance of power and the question of millions being able to enjoy health care come down to only several thousand votes in congressional elections. But currently, Republicans controlled by the MAGA movement control all three branches of government. That reality was never made more stark and more clear than the last seven days of activity in the U.S. House and U.S. Senate.

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WATCH: NNPA Publishers Pivot To Survive

7.2.25 via NBC 4 Washington

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7.2.25 via NBC 4 Washington

https://youtube.com/watch?v=9oZc5Sz0jQQ&feature=oembed

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Congressional Black Caucus Challenges Target on Diversity

BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — we found that the explanations offered by the leadership of the Target Corporation fell woefully short of what our communities deserve and of the values of inclusion that Target once touted

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By Stacy M. Brown
Black Press USA Senior National Correspondent

Target is grappling with worsening financial and reputational fallout as the national selective buying and public education program launched by the Black Press of America and other national and local leaders continues to erode the retailer’s sales and foot traffic. But a recent meeting that the retailer intended to keep quiet between CEO Brian Cornell and members of the Congressional Black Caucus Diversity Task Force was publicly reported after the Black Press discovered the session, and the CBC later put Target on blast.

“The Congressional Black Caucus met with the leadership of the Target Corporation on Capitol Hill to directly address deep concerns about the impact of the company’s unconscionable decision to end a number of its diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts,” CBC Chair Yvette Clarke stated. “Like many of the coalition leaders and partner organizations that have chosen to boycott their stores across the country, we found that the explanations offered by the leadership of the Target Corporation fell woefully short of what our communities deserve and of the values of inclusion that Target once touted,” Congresswoman emphasized.  “Black consumers contribute overwhelmingly to our economy and the Target Corporation’s bottom line. Our communities deserve to shop at businesses that publicly share our values without sacrificing our dignity. It is no longer acceptable to deliver promises to our communities in private without also demonstrating those values publicly.”

Lauren Burke, Capitol Hill correspondent for Black Press of America, was present when Target CEO Cornell and a contingent of Target officials arrived at the U.S. Capitol last month. “It’s always helpful to have meetings like this and get some candid feedback and continue to evolve our thinking,” Cornell told Burke as he exited the meeting. And walked down a long hallway in the Cannon House Office Building. “We look forward to follow-up conversations,” he stated. When asked if the issue of the ongoing boycott was discussed, Cornell’s response was, “That was not a big area of focus — we’re focused on running a great business each and every day. Take care of our teams. Take care of the guests who shop with us and do the right things in our communities.”

A national public education campaign on Target, spearheaded by Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis Jr., president and CEO of the National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA), the NNPA’s board of directors, and with other national African American leaders, has combined consumer education efforts with a call for selective buying. The NNPA is a trade association that represents the more than 220 African American-owned newspapers and media companies known as the Black Press of America, the voice of 50 million African Americans across the nation. The coalition has requested that Target restore and expand its stated commitment to do business with local community-owned businesses inclusive of the Black Press of  America, and to significantly increase investment in Black-owned businesses and media, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU, Black-owned Banks, national Black Church denominations, and grassroots and local organizations committed to improving the quality of life of all Americans, and especially those from underserved communities. According to Target’s latest earnings report, net sales for the first quarter of 2025 fell 2.8 percent to $23.85 billion compared to the same period last year. Comparable store sales dropped 3.8 percent, and in-store foot traffic slid 5.7 percent.

Shares of Target have also struggled under the pressure. The company’s stock traded around $103.85 early Wednesday afternoon, down significantly from roughly $145 before the controversy escalated. Analysts note that Target has lost more than $12 billion in market value since the beginning of the year. “We will continue to inform and to mobilize Black consumers in every state in the United States,” Chavis said. “Target today has a profound opportunity to respond with respect and restorative commitment.”

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