FIRST LADY MICHELLE OBAMA, SEC. SEBELIUS TO FLORIDA 

First Lady Michelle Obama is Broward bound Aug. 22 [Miami Herald] “The First Lady will be visiting Broward County next Wednesday, August 22, 2012, for a campaign event, a campaign official said.” 

Sebelius to tout Affordable Care Act in West Palm Beach today [Palm Beach Post] “Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius plans to visit West Palm Beach today to talk with seniors about what the Affordable Care Act is doing for them.” 

How the Affordable Care Act improves Medicare [Palm Beach Post guest column by Sec. Sebelius] “I’m visiting West Palm Beach today to meet with seniors and talk about how the health care law, the Affordable Care Act, is making a difference in their lives. Some of the most important parts of the law are provisions that strengthen Medicare. Here are a few ways that the law is helping Florida seniors:”

Reform puts doctors and patients ahead of insurers [Orlando Sentinel Guest Column] “As a physician, a small business owner, and a native of Florida, I can see that Obamacare is actually making health care more secure and affordable for millions of Floridians and small businesses — not harming them, as U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio argued in these pages on July 8.”

Like Cheney, Ryan has a plan — just not the right one [Palm Beach Post column] “The closer parallel is Dick Cheney, another Man With a Plan. George W. Bush needed a running mate who was older and wiser to fill in the blanks in his thinking. So he balanced his own vague compassionate conservatism with Mr. Cheney’s bloodless neoconservative certainty.” 

A humane first step on immigration [Tampa Bay Times editorial] “From Los Angeles to Chicago to Miami, thousands of young immigrants lined up Wednesday to apply to legally remain in the country where they have grown up, gone to school and become part of their communities. The outpouring on the first day of a new program by the Obama administration reflects the necessity for a more reasonable immigration policy that avoids penalizing young people who had no choice in deciding whether to enter this country illegally with their families.”

ON THE CONGRESSIONAL FRONT  — NEW VIDEO FROM DEMINGS 

New video introduces Val Demings to Florida’s 10th District [Orlando Sentinel] “Democrat Val Demings‘ campaign released a web video today introducing herself to the voters of Florida’s 10th Congressional District.” WATCH “INTRODUCING VAL DEMINGS” HERE. 

FACT CHECK: CONGRESSMAN ALLEN WEST FALSELY CLAIMS TO BE PROTECTING SENIORS [DCCC] “The truth is that Congressman West is the one who voted for the Ryan budgets that ends Medicare and raises health care costs for seniors by $6,400 according to the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office, while giving a $265,000 tax break to millionaires. The reality is that Congressman West supported the same savings from insurance company subsidies, waste and fraud that he is now attacking Murphy for. Both Factcheck.org and Politifact have found these savings would not impact Medicare benefits for seniors at all.”

OTHER NEWS WE THOUGHT YOU SHOULD KNOW

David Richardson: ‘I am the first openly gay legislator in the history of Florida. And forever will be’ [Miami Herald] “David Richardson, a 55-year-old forensic accountant and political newcomer, says he’s comfortable having made Florida history on election night.”

Dwight Dudley Earns Support From Law Enforcement  [SaintPetersBlog] “Dwight Dudley, the Democratic nominee for House District 68, announced the endorsement of the Florida State Lodge of the Fraternal Order of Police.”