Stormy weather by @BloggersRUs

The eye of Hurricane Irma, the most powerful Atlantic hurricane on record, damaged or destroyed 95 percent of the French portion of the island of St. Martin according to one local official -- "an enormous catastrophe." The island of Barbuda has been reduced to " literally rubble ," reports Prime Minister Gaston Browne.

Republicans Lindsey Graham, Bill Cassidy hold on to Obamacare repeal option

Republican Sens. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina and Bill Cassidy of Louisiana returned to Washington Tuesday saying that they still had hope that an amendment they are working on could act as a vehicle to repeal and replace portions of Obamacare. The amendment , which has not been fully written and has not been scored by the Congressional Budget Office, would transfer Obamacare's revenue from taxes to states so they can come up with their own plans.

Florida Supreme Court sides with Gov. Scott over prosecutor who refused to seek death penalty

The Florida Supreme Court ruled Thursday that Gov. Rick Scott has the power to remove cases from controversial state's attorney Aramis Ayala . The ruling, 5-2, means that it was within Scott's legal authority under the state Constitution to remove 24 capital cases from Ayala's purview, the Orlando Political Observer reports .

Wasserman Schultz leads efforts to remove Confederate names, statue

If U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Fla., gets her way, the names of three Confederate generals will be removed from street signs in Hollywood, Fla., and the statue of a Confederate general representing Florida will be removed from the National Statuary Hall in Washington. Wasserman Schultz, the former chairwoman of the Democratic National Committee who resigned from the post in July 2016 amid allegations that she favored Hillary Clinton over Bernie Sanders for the party's 2016 presidential nomination, has asked local leaders in Hollywood to remove the names of Robert E. Lee, Nathan Bedford Forrest and John Bell Hood from city streets.

Pence in Florida: US won’t stand by as Venezuela crumbles

Florida Gov. Rick Scott listens at right as Vice President Mike Pence speaks during a meeting with members of the Venezuelan exile community, at Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church, Wednesday, Aug. 23, 2017, in Doral, Fla. less Florida Gov. Rick Scott listens at right as Vice President Mike Pence speaks during a meeting with members of the Venezuelan exile community, at Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church, Wednesday, Aug. 23, 2017, ... more Florida Gov. Rick Scott, left, shakes hands with Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., before a meeting with Vice President Mike Pence and members of the Venezuelan exile community, at Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church, Wednesday, Aug. 23, 2017, in Doral, Fla.

How Florida explains our polarized politics

The strategists plotting Florida Gov. Rick Scott's re-election bid in 2014 faced a problem: The state's explosive growth, especially in liberal cities like Miami, Orlando and Tampa, was being fueled by an influx of voters likely to back Scott's Democratic opponent. To win a second term, Scott would have to find votes in unlikely places.

Transit agency: Human error caused subway train derailment

A subway train derailed near a station in Harlem on Tuesday, frightening passengers and res... . This photo provided by Jackie Faherty from her Twitter page shows subway passengers on an A train with the lights out after it halted just shy of the 125th street stop in New York's Harlem neighborhood, Tuesday, June 27, 2017, ... .

Trump resistance will never be a Tea Party for Democrats

'Not my president' is not a formula for political revolution or expansion, it's just sour grapes by people who already vote Democratic. Trump resistance will never be a Tea Party for Democrats 'Not my president' is not a formula for political revolution or expansion, it's just sour grapes by people who already vote Democratic.

Florida governor: Zuckerberg missed out by skipping Trump meeting

Many of the nation's top tech CEOs met with President Donald Trump again at the White House on Monday, but there were some notable exceptions: Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg and Elon Musk of Tesla and SpaceX. Florida Republican Gov. Rick Scott, himself a former businessman, said that created a "missed opportunity" for them.

GA’s Unverifiable E-Vote System Passwords, Voter Database, More,…

If only we could tone down the rhetoric in D.C., everything would be happily every after, right? The cartoonist in PDiddie's weekly collection aren't so sure... 'Trail of Blood': Mass Shootings Critically Injure Congressman Near D.C., Kill Four Near S.F.: 'BradCast' 6/14/17 Guest: David Dayen on Congress/Trump plans to sell off public assets, gut banking reforms, more; Also: How to win young voters and the House Dem rift over impeachment... Int. Sec. wants new nat'l monument borders; Heat waves more deadly in India; More 100-year floods in US; PLUS : French grants for US scientists... As Comey prayed for audio tapes, God may have been ignoring him, but Trump wasn't.

Session on verge of collapse as Florida GOP leaders feud

Florida's Republican-controlled Legislature, which has been wracked by feuds among its top leaders for the last several years, is in danger of ending a three-day special session without restoring billions in money that public schools use to pay for day-to-day operations. The session is scheduled to end Friday, but after two days there remained a divide over spending that appears to have been partially spurred on by Gov. Rick Scott's decision to veto more than $400 million in projects, including tens of millions in programs for the state's 12 public universities.

Gov. Scott forms new PAC ahead of likely U.S. Senate run

Ahead of a likely 2018 run for U.S. Senate , Gov. Rick Scott has set up a political action committee designed to appeal to younger and Hispanic voters. The super PAC, called New Republican and announced last week, is meant to sell the GOP 's philosophy to young voters who want less government in their lives, Scott said.

First quarter tourism is at a record high in FL

Undercover officer Chris Green accidentally overdosed on what is suspected to be fentanyl and carfentanyl after he helped arrest two men. Undercover officer Chris Green accidentally overdosed on what is suspected to be fentanyl and carfentanyl after he helped arrest two men.

Florida GOP lawmakers hand Democrats some anti-Rick Scott ammo in budget

The Republican-controlled Florida Legislature approved an $83 billion budget on Monday night that ignores some of Republican Gov. Rick Scott's top priorities - and provides Democrats some ammunition if Scott makes an expected challenge of Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson next year. Scott wanted $100 million for the Visit Florida tourist marketing program; legislators approved $25 million.