The Senate sidetracked sweeping immigration legislation Friday. The bill gained only 38 votes on a key procedural test, far short of the 60 needed to advance.
Illegal immigration is at historical highs. As Congress debates solutions, some say kick them out. Others say no, they may be illegal but they have lives here and employers need them. Part of the answer 20 years ago was an amnesty, while today the very word is a deal breaker. What changed?
What did you think about the proposed legislation? Tell us what you think.
Do you have a favorite memory of shopping at the Maas Bros. department store in downtown Tampa? Share some of your recollections. What it was like to shop there or what do you remember most about the store? Photos: Mass Bros.’ Legacy
A bill in the Florida Legislature would allow people to resell tickets for sporting events, concerts and plays for up to 25 percent above face value. The legislation also would permit sellers to unload tickets online for as much as the market will bear. Is this is a good idea? Tell us what you think.
In the wake of professional baseball’s steroid era, state legislators have pushed for requiring mandatory anabolic steroid tests for high school athletes. The three-year testing program would include all high school sports, beginning next year.
What are your thoughts on the proposed action? Should high school athletes be tested, or is this an invasion of privacy? Tell us what you think.
With the number of U.S. residents age 65 or older expected to double by 2030, some policy makers are looking for ways to identify older drivers whose deteriorating health makes them safety hazards. Are tighter vision standards the answer? Should older drivers be required to take additional driving tests? Tell us what you think.
Demonstrators continue to protest a bill that would make it a felony to be in this country illegally and would make it a crime to dispense aid to the nation’s 11 million illegal immigrants. What are your thoughts on the issue? Tell us what you think.
Creating jobs, cutting crime and improving mass transit were among the initiatives Mayor Pam Iorio talked about last year. How do you think the mayor has fared toward achieving her goals? Tell us what you think.
As we mark the third anniversary of the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq, do you think we’ve made any strides? Has your opinion of the war changed during the past three years? What are your reflections on the war? Tell us what you think.
Catholics who have a beef with the rules will have to head out of town for a traditional St. Patrick’s Day meal.
This year, St. Patrick’s Day falls on a Friday during the Lenten season of fasting and prayer. As any good Catholic knows, you don’t eat meat on Fridays during Lent. For those who can’t celebrate the patron saint of Ireland without a slab of pink corned beef and a side of cabbage, there’s good news. Bishops in Florida’s other six dioceses have given varying degrees of dispensation to the religious obligation. That means you can drive to Orlando or Sarasota and order dinner with all the trimmings, sans guilt. Tell us what you’re going to do.
Read the full story
Recent news reports about a “Support Our Troops” sign that an Army wife put in front of her house in Westchase have stirred debate about whether a homeowners association can keep residents from putting up such signs, a right guaranteed by the First Amendment and upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court. Should the constitution only protect citizens from action taken by the government and not private entities, such as the association? Tell us what you think.
Commuters met gridlock this week in downtown Tampa as 20,000 people headed to a sold-out motivational seminar. Some residents said this proved Tampa is not ready to host a big event such as a National Convention. Many others were left wondering what would happen if Bay area residents had to evacuate during a hurricane. Tell us what you think.
The Pentagon inspector general is examining allegations that Lonnie W. Smith, a high-ranking manager in the intelligence directorate at U.S. Central Command retaliated against a subordinate who complained that Smith used his influence to help his son-in-law get a job at Centcom - a potential violation of a federal law barring nepotism.
Tell us what you think. Send your comments in the form below. Include your full name, email address and location so we can contact you. Some comments may be published on TBO.com, the Tampa Tribune and WFLA News Channel 8. Telephone numbers and emails will not be published.
Advertisement
