Laundromat Owners Offer Olive Branch to Obama Supporters

Owners at Rogers Linen Services on Douglas Avenue removed a controversial sign against President Barack Obama, and in its place, painted another message.

Victor and Karen Rogers don't want any hard feelings left over from their political statement in the 2012 election. Their sentiment is painted on a storefront window at Rogers Linen Services, Inc. in the same place a controversial sign suggesting President Barack "Obama Can Kiss My Ass" for his July "You Didn't Build That" campaign speech in Roanoke, VA. To get off on better footing in 2013, Victor Rogers had another message painted in his store window a week before the president's inauguration on Jan. 21: "The Election is over the talk is done. My Party lost, your Party Won. So let us be friends, let argument pass. I'll hug my elephant, You kiss your Ass." It's a poem he found on Facebook, which is where he also found the "Kiss My Ass" …

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Barack Obama Re-Elected President

President Obama defeated Republican Mitt Romney in the 2012 presidential election.

President Barack Obama and Vice-President Joe Biden were re-elected Tuesday night, defeating Republican challenger Mitt Romney and his vice-presidential running mate Rep. Paul Ryan. NBC News called the presidential election for Obama around 11:15 EST. The president sent a message on Twitter at 10:14 saying simply, "This happened because of you. Thank you." The Obama campaign won the most expensive presidential race ever, with both parties raising about $2.6 billion. The race was filled with negative campaigning on both sides, from President Obama attacking Romney’s business experience with Bain Capital to Romney lambasting Obama’s handling of the economy. The race tightened during the final months of the campaign, with gaffes and surges …

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Poll: Do You Read Campaign Mail?

In light of the upcoming election we want to know what voters do when they receive campaign literature in the mail. Do you read it or toss it?

With the Nov. 6 election coming up in less than a week, it appears as though politicial flyers are being mailed to homes in a rush to influence voters. The accompanying photo shows five campaign cards that arrived in the mailbox of one local home in just one day! In light of the upcoming election we want to know what voters do when they receive campaign literature in the mail. Do you read it or toss it? We're inviting you to participate in our poll below. If you answer that you "sometimes" read campaign literature, let us know in the comments section what makes you decide to read literature from one campaign and not another! 

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Michael Stone

2:14 am on Sunday, November 4, 2012

Goodness no. After the bills and other whatnot, there's just no time or energy for the bottom of the junk mail pile.   more ›

Dunedin Teen on 'The Voice,' Obama Controversy at Dunedin High and More on Patch

OK, so you had a busy week. We understand. Let us catch you up on all the highlights!

1. Dunedin High teen singer Nathalie Hernandez wowed the celebrity judges on NBC's "The Voice" on Monday night, earning a spot on Christina Aguilera's team in the reality singing competition. 2. A complaint from a parent has prompted Dunedin High School to stop promoting a student volunteer opportunity tied to President Barack Obama, according to a media report. Was it the right call? 3. Patch asked the local candidates for mayor and City Commission Seat 3 what can be done to lure and spur development in Dunedin. Here are their responses. 4. Commissioners' eyebrows raised last week after mayoral candidate Bob Hackworth's strong commentary suggesting city leaders were disinterested in creating a domestic partnership registry. Hackworth said…

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What's Tampa Bay Saying?

Presidential Campaign Visits: Exciting or a Nuisance?

Love 'em or hate 'em, the candidates' visits to the Tampa Bay area probably won't stop anytime soon. What do you think of politicians coming to your town?

With Florida a battleground state – and Tampa Bay considered key to the presidential election – campaigning has been nonstop in 2012. The showdowns started with the Florida Primary in January, when Republican presidential hopefuls started descending on Tampa Bay. They intensified when the Republican National Convention came to town last month, with GOP nominee Gov. Mitt Romney and his crew bringing major buzz and more than a little disruption to downtown Tampa. Things heated up again recently, as President Barack Obama stopped in Seminole, Ann Romney came to Largo and Paul Ryan, Romney's VP pick, visited Oldsmar Saturday. Campaign visits: Love 'em or hate 'em, but don't expect them to end anytime soon. No, with Florida a critical state in …

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Dunedin, Are You Better Off Than You Were 4 Years Ago?

It's a popular question this election season. What's your answer?

What's Tampa Bay Saying?

State of America: Are You Better Off?

Politicians on both sides of the aisle are asking constituents whether they are better off now than they were four years ago. We want to know what the Tampa Bay area thinks.

It’s a simple question being asked all over America by Democrats and Republicans alike: Are you better off than you were four years ago? Although seemingly simple, the answer to the question is likely to have a big impact when people go to the polls in November. After all, the answer to the question is deeply personal and is likely to prove rather motivating for voters. To justify their stances on various issues, politicians on both sides of the aisle have stated their own answers to this question. Democrats say it’s getting better or is better. Republicans point to elevated unemployment numbers, high foreclosure rates and record numbers of people on food stamps and other forms of government assistance when answering this question with a …

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Sahara

10:39 am on Tuesday, October 2, 2012

"The sky is falling" theory somehow doesn't go with "This is the Greatest Country in the World." espousal. Now let's get down to the real truth and not opinion or propaganda and vote out all those who are so married to their beliefs it obscures any true production. Sharing the load has always worked in this country and we are not about leaving half the country behind because they aren't the same …   more ›

Laundromat Owner Takes Stand Against Obama

Karen Rogers, owner of Rogers Linen Services, Inc. in Dunedin, says she's just saying what other small business owners are afraid to say — "I built this business."

From Douglas Avenue, the patriotic red, white and blue sign that hangs in the window at Rogers Linen Services, Inc., looks like another innocuous campaign sign around town. But, wait. Look closer. It contains a strong message to the president: "I built this business without gov't help: Obama Can Kiss My Ass." Owner Karen Rogers said she is just saying what a lot of people and small business owners want to say, but don't for fear of retribution. She said anyone can order the signs online and customize the message. "You can have 'butt,' 'fanny' ... but I prefer 'ass,' " she said. "He had no right to say that," she said, referring to President Barack Obama's controversial "You Didn't Build That" speech in July. ("If you’ve got a business — …

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What's Tampa Bay Saying?

Is the High Court Right to Support ObamaCare?

In a 110-page decision Thursday, the Supreme Court affirmed its support for a major health reform that will transform how care is delivered. Was the court correct?

The Supreme Court, by a 5-4 vote, ruled in support of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act Thursday. The landmark decision is likely to affect every American for years to come. Most immediately, it will enable the health care reforms – passed by Congress and signed into law by President Obama – to take effect. They had been mired in lawsuits in lower courts. What do you think? Was it the right decision for you and your family? Voice your views in the comments section below. Dubbed ObamaCare, the reform package mandates that everyone pay into the health care coverage system. It requires individuals not covered by an employer or the government to buy health insurance. The ruling focused on the constitutionality of President Obama's…

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BlFalconskeep

11:33 pm on Wednesday, July 25, 2012

Im neither republican or democrat. I look at the issue, weigh it for what it says, look at what our constitution says, look at its impact on myself, my family, my community and my state and make an educated decision as to how to feel about it. This "law" or whatever they want to call it is bad for ourselves, our family, our communities, our state and our country. The problems it will cause …   more ›