Democratic Party Is Imploding in Florida

Story by James Bickerton • 1d

The Florida Democratic Party on Monday suspended three county chairs following what it claimed were repeated violations of party rules in an event one reporter dubbed the "Monday Massacre."

Miami-Dade chair Robert Dempster, Franklin chair Carol Barfield and Palm Beach chair Mindy Koch were stripped of their positions. Florida Democrat chair Nikki Fried said in a statement that the move formed part of "an overall strategy to get our local parties back on track."

Over the past few years, Florida, once a swing state, has turned increasingly Republican especially since Governor Ron DeSantis took office in January 2019. While a widely anticipated Republican "red wave" failed to materialize in the 2022 midterm elections DeSantis secured reelection with 59 percent of the vote, with strong showings in some traditionally Democratic areas such as Miami-Dade County.

In a statement posted on the Florida Democrats website Fried said: "Due to ongoing and unresolved issues, and failure to comply with the rules that govern all local parties, the Florida Democratic Party has made the decision to suspend the Chairs of the Miami-Dade, Palm Beach and Franklin DECs and rebuild in 2024.

"Candidates and elected officials rely on their local democratic parties to register voters, mobilize volunteers and engage donors to support their efforts—and they are impacted the most when they are not working effectively.

"The success of Florida Democrats depends on the success of our local parties on the ground, and the majority of our DECs are working tirelessly to organize year-round across the state. There is too much at stake to ignore the challenges before us and we need all of our local parties engaged in our mission to take back Florida."

The decision came just over a month after the Florida Democrats wrote to Dempster on February 1 accusing him of being out of compliance with party rules and giving him one month to rectify it.

Dempster told the Miami Herald that he is contesting the suspension and is "pretty confident I'll be reinstated" at the next Florida Democratic Party central committee meeting. Removing a party chair from their post requires a two-thirds committee vote, with the body containing 120 members.

Referring to the allegations against him Dempster added: "I don't think it comes anywhere near the bar warranting a suspension."

Fried also wrote to Koch, chair of the Palm Beach County Democrats, on Monday claiming she "failed to comply with the January 11, 2024 Judicial Council Agreement by not cancelling the contracts you entered into without approval."

Fried also claimed Koch's "removal of members and inability to find compromise within your membership" had created a situation where "as State Chair it is my responsibility to intervene."

Miami based Bulwark Online political reporter Marc Caputo shared a copy of Fried's letter on X, formerly Twitter, describing it as part of a "Monday Massacre."

Newsweek has reached out to the Florida Democrats for comment via the party's online press inquiry form.

In February, Fried faced social media backlash after refusing to say whether or not she thinks a transgender woman could get an abortion. It came while the Florida Supreme Court heard arguments over a proposed constitutional amendment aiming to increase abortion access in the state by limiting "government interference with abortion."

Asked by a conservative news outlet whether transgender women can give birth or have an abortion, Fried replied: "I am not a doctor.

"And I think this amendment speaks for itself. It is very clear on the language. Again, it goes back to medical professionals, not politicians, not elected officials telling people what to do with their bodies and interfering with medical decisions."

Florida Democrats did have a significant victory in January, when Tom Keen flipped District 35 in the state House, beating Republican Erika Booth, 11,390 votes to 10,800.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/other/democratic-party-is-imploding-in-florida/ar-BB1jng5a

A medical tech company that handles billions of records was hacked. What you should know.

Ken Alltucker USA TODAY March 6, 20241/2

U.S. health officials urged insurance companies to take immediate steps to ease a digital logjam after a massive data hack that snarled administrative functions for hospitals, doctors, pharmacies and millions of patients.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services asked insurers Tuesday to waive prior authorizations and Medicare's contractors to accept paper bills from doctors and hospitals. These temporary measures aim to address administrative problems that haveemerged from the data hack of an influential company owned by UnitedHealth Group.

On Feb. 21, Change Healthcare, a property of UnitedHealth Group, disclosed that hackers had disrupted operations for the company that processes 15 billion health-related transactions a year. Change Healthcare operates a digital "clearinghouse" that connects doctors, hospitals and other health providers with insurance companies that pay for medical care and authorize medical services.Since news of the hack became public last month, doctors and hospitals have been unable to bill for some services and patients have had trouble picking up prescriptions.

Last Thursday,UnitedHealth Group said a ransomware group known as ALPHV or Blackcatwas responsible for the attack that disrupted billing and care authorization systems nationwide.

In a statement Tuesday, HHS said it expected UnitedHealth to do "everything in its power to ensure continuity of operations" for doctors, hospitals and other health providers. HHS also pushed companies that serve patients enrolled in Medicare, the federal health program for adults 65 and older, to address problems prompted by the cyberattack.

Among those steps:

∎ The federal government has advised Medicare health plans to remove or relax requirements that patients or doctors obtain prior authorization before undergoing a medical test or procedure. Insurers have also been asked to halt "timely filing" rules that address when health providers must submit payment claims. Private Medicare plans also should offer "advance funding" to medical providers impacted by the data hack.

∎ HHS has asked private contactors who serve Medicare to accept paper claims from medical providers. Hospitals, doctors and other health providers have sometimes reverted to paper claims as a workaround when a data breach or cyberattack disrupts computer systems.

∎ HHS also invited hospitals facing "significant cash flow problems" since the hack to ask for accelerated payments from Medicare contractors. The federal agency also advised hospitals and doctors to switch to a different payment clearinghouse and contact a private Medicare contractor in their region….

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/health/2024/03/05/unitedhealth-cyberattack-disrupts-records-billing-security/72849687007/

>>20527503

2/2

The HHS steps were announced one day after the American Medical Association, an influential doctors group, asked the Biden administration to provide emergency financial relief to doctors affected by the cyberattack.

On Tuesday, American Medical Association President Jesse M. Ehrenfeld said the federal government's actions are a "welcome first step" but urged the agency overseeing Medicare to "recognize that physicians are experiencing financial struggles that threaten the viability of many medical practices."

The American Hospital Association on Monday blasted the plan by UnitedHealth to provide temporary financial assistance to hospitals harmed by the data attack. The trade group said thehealth insurance giant's funding proposal offered "one-sided contractual terms" and limited eligibility.

The cyberattack this year is by no means an anomaly.

Last year, about 1 in 3 Americans were affected by health-related data breaches. The number of attacks has surged in recent years.

They are often carried out by organized hackers operating overseas who target the computer systems of health providers and the vendors and companies that serve them. Most of the largest hacks have targeted vendors who bill, mail or provide other services for hospitals, doctors and other health providers.

Last year, data breaches exposed a record 133 million health records. Most of these heists were carried out by hackers who have targeted health providers and their vendors. Last year an average of two health data hacks or thefts of at least 500 records were carried out daily in the United States.

Ken Alltucker is on X, formerly Twitter, at @kalltucker, or can be emailed at alltuck@usatoday.com.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/health/2024/03/05/unitedhealth-cyberattack-disrupts-records-billing-security/72849687007/

NO COMPANY OR GOVERNMENT CARES ANYMORE!

Anon is laying out a pattern theory for War, Norad Shutting down, and National Security actions all that happened in Mar. 2020. The CiC never cancelled the National Security and Norad still shut down.two more to come

Mar 23, 2020

President Donald Trump has said that he feels like a “wartime President” as he leads the United States through the coronavirus pandemic. Speaking during his daily press conference, the US President thanked the American people and assured them that he and his team are doing everything they can to defeat “this horrible, invisible enemy”.

https://youtu.be/vOe4Ksoa5bk

Follow along using the transcript.

President Trump

I'm really happy with the job we're doing and I'm glad that this team and me are here for this horrible thing. I mean it's a number of people have said it,but and I feel it actually I'm a wartime president!This is a war there's a war different kind of a war that we've ever had.

I want to say that I know that this is a challenging time for all Americans. We're enduring a great national trial, and we will prove that we can meet at the moment. I want to assure the American people that we're doing everything we can each day to confront and ultimately defeat this horrible invisible enemy.

We're at war and a true sense we're at war and we're fighting an invisible enemy. Think of that, we're working urgently with Congress on legislation to support the millions of workers small businesses and industries who have been hit hard by the virus through, no fault of their own.

Our goal is to get relief to Americans as quickly as possible so that families can get by and small businesses can keep workers on the payroll. This will help our economy and you will see our economy skyrocket once this is over. I think it's going to skyrocket it's a it's a pent up demand it's a built up demand.

And I guess you really have to say who knows, butI think it's gonna be a tremendous day when we win this war, we will win the war!.

For those word and afraid please know as long as I am your president you can feel confident that you have a leader who will always fight for you! And I will not stop until we win this will be a great victory. This is going to be a victory and it's going to be a victory that in my opinion will happen much sooner than originally expected. (This sounds like a post from our favorite ghost)

It's now attacking the enemy is attacking 144 countries at this moment, 144 that's unthinkable there's never been anything like this and it's vicious it is vicious. (Why is 144 so important? PDJT has stated many times there are at least 169 countries WW. Is he talking about the 144,000?)

https://youtu.be/vOe4Ksoa5bk

>>20527591 COVID WAR, 10 days before the War Time President #2

President Trump

March 13, 2020 (Seven Days after PDJT shut down NORAD)

-To unleash the full power of the federal government, through this effort ==today I am officially declaring a national emergency. Two very big words. The action I am taking will open up access to up to $50 billion of very important and a large amount of money for states and territories and localities in our shared fight against this disease. In furtherance of the order, I'm urging every state to set up emergency operation centers effective immediately.

You're going to be hearing from some of the largest companies and greatest retailers and medical companies in the world. They're standing right behind me and at side of me. I'm also asking every hospital in this country to activate its emergency preparedness plan so that they can meet the needs of Americans everywhere. The hospitals are very engaged. New York and various other places are also very engaged. I just spoke with Governor Cuomo. We had a very good conversation. And we're working very strongly with many states, including New York.

The emergency orders I am issuing today will also confer broad new authority to the Secretary of Health and Human Services. The Secretary of HHS will be able to immediately waive revisions of applicable laws and regulations to give doctors, hospitals, all hospitals, that healthcare provider's maximum flexibility to respond to the virus and care for patients.

https://youtu.be/jKWXplosNfk

>>20527608 #3 Proof

NORAD’s Cheyenne Mountain Fortress Is Back in Business

The Pentagon reactivated its underground redoubt as backup homeland defense headquarters during the COVID-19 pandemic. (NORAD is still closed down)

By Kyle MizokamiPublished: May 06, 2020 8:56 AM EST

• The Pentagon reactivated its underground redoubt as backup homeland defense headquarters.

• The North American Aerospace Defense Command complex in Colorado was designed to ride out a nuclear attack. The base was closed in the 2000s but reopened due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

• The base will take over air defense for the nation in case the primary base closes due to illness.

__________

One of the U.S. Military’s most enigmatic military bases is open for business again because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Cheyenne Mountain, an underground facility carved into granite rock, was designed to deal with a nuclear attack on the U.S. and Canada. Its first real crisis, however, is the ongoing global pandemic. The base is up and running as a backup to the primary NORAD base, and its personnel is living in isolation to prevent them from picking up the virus.

Nothing Like a Good Fortress

The base at Cheyenne Mountain was built in the 1960s as the headquarters for North American Aerospace Defense Command, or NORAD. NORAD is a joint U.S.-Canadian military command tasked to keep a watch on air and space, tracking objects approaching North America. The command was originally set up to track Soviet bombers, then ballistic missiles. After 9/11 it was also assigned a homeland defense mission, monitoring commercial airspace for signs of hijackings.

Cheyenne Mountain was designed to survive a nuclear attack and continue its early warning mission. The facility is carved out of solid granite and the entrance is protected by 25 ton steel doors. Buildings constructed inside sit on giant, 1,000 pound steel springs to absorb the shock of a nuclear blast. At its peak 1,800 U.S. and Canadian military personnel manned the facility, and dorm-style housing, cafeterias, food, water, and electricity made the facility self-sufficient in emergencies.

Over the years thermonuclear weapons grew more powerful, making Cheyenne Mountain more vulnerable to attack. The facility became less important after the end of the Cold War, and in 2006 NORAD’s main functions were moved to nearby Peterson Air Force Base. Cheyenne Mountain was only lightly occupied, capable of being reactivated in the event of a crisis.

Well, it’s 2020 and the crisis is here. In late March, according to The Washington Post, NORAD decided that the main facility at Peterson needed a backup in case it was shut down by pandemic. The U.S. military has about 5,000 cases of the coronavirus and the possibility of NORAD being no longer able to function was a real one.

As the defender of North American aerospace, NORAD must keep its core functions running 24/7. The Post reports approximately 130 personnel were sent to Cheyenne Mountain to perform 12-hour watch shifts from the deep underground facility. The personnel live at Peterson and the nearby Air Force Academy. They are kept entirely separate from other military personnel, their take-home meals packed and kept waiting for them.They even use alternate entrances into the facility, apparently taking a different entrance than the one made famous by the movie Wargames and the TV show Stargate SG-1.

So 60 years after it was built, Cheyenne Mountain is finally being used in a national security crisis—just not the one its original designers foresaw.

https://www.popularmechanics.com/military/a32380097/norad-cheyenne-mountain-fortress/

https://www.stripes.com/branches/air_force/to-protect-no-fail-mission-us-military-unit-moves-into-mountain-bunker-1.628497

Source: Stars and StripesNOTE: neither WAPO or Stars and Stripes articles have been removed, see the graphic. I wonder why?

President TrumpCiC

March 13, 2020

-To unleash the full power of the federal government, through this effort today I am officially declaring a national emergency. Two very big words.

>>20527651

finally an anon gets it, too much of a coincidence to believe in coincidences

__Remarks by President Trump at Signing of the Coronavirus Preparedness and Response Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2020

Healthcare__

Issued on: March 6, 20204 year DELTA

The Prophet Speaks

Q So looking at the Super Tuesday results,are you worried the Democratic Party is unifying around Joe Bidenand that will take away your argument about Democrats being too left wing and too socialist?

THE PRESIDENT: Well, he’s left wing and he’s got all people that are left wing. And in many ways, he’s worse than Bernie. Look at what he did with guns; he put Beto in charge of guns. Beto wants to get rid of guns, right? So that’s a bad — that’s a bad stance.

And he’s got a lot of people that are left wing, and they’ll be running the government. He’s not going to be running anything. If he ever got in, they’ll be running the government. They’ve got people further left wing than what Bernie has. So, not — not going to be good. Wouldn’t be good for Wall Street, I can tell you that.

Plus, if you look at his taxes, he’s going to raise taxes incredibly. He’s going to raise taxes more than Bernie. I looked at — and he’s open about it. Bernie doesn’t like to — doesn’t like to talk about it.

I mean, Joe Biden, his tax increases are — they’re staggering.It’s ridiculous. He’ll destroy everything that’s been built.

https://trumpwhitehouse.archives.gov/briefings-statements/remarks-president-trump-signing-coronavirus-preparedness-response-supplemental-appropriations-act-2020/

>>20527780

Remarks by President Trump After Surveying Tornado Damage | Cookeville, TNIssued on: March 6, 2020 4 year DELTA

Q Mr. President, do you have a message for the survivors?

THE PRESIDENT: Well, I do have a message, and I have a message for the families of those that lost their lives: We love them; they’re special people. It’s an incredible place, an incredible state. Tremendous heart. Already, you see people rebuilding.I mean, it took place literally hours ago — a couple of days — and they’re already rebuilding. I’ve never seen — we were flying over; you see the blue roofs going up. It’s all over the place.

It’s just great people. It’s a great state. And they have great leadership in this state, and that’s why it’s working out like it is. But still, 25 people, at least, and some really very badly hurt. Very, very badly hurt.

The mayor was telling me some of the houses came down and they got here right after that happened, and the people are walking out of the houses and — you might explain that, what that looked like.

MAYOR SHELTON: It was just — you know, it’s a war zone and it’s in the middle of the night, and it’s very — very difficult to maneuver that.

But the first responders — we can’t say enough about the first responders that were here. They went in — you know, they run in when everybody else is running out. And they ran in and took care of these folks — the police and fire and EMS. And it was an amazing night.

(Did he know it was a weather weapon? Mentioning Blue Roofs?)

https://trumpwhitehouse.archives.gov/briefings-statements/remarks-president-trump-surveying-tornado-damage-cookeville-tn/