Mariella Smith
@mariellasmith.bsky.social
Former Hillsborough County Commissioner. Passionate about smart growth management, transportation options, environment, #VisionZero, equity. Concerned about democracy & the press. Interested in art & tech.
Pinned
Antifa is not an organization. "Antifa" simply means "Anti-Fascism." America has been Anti-Fascism since its founding. Aren't we all Antifa? Yet Trump has designated Antifa as a domestic terrorist organization, and Sen. Rick Scott filed the "Stop ANTIFA Act." As if Anti-Fascists are our enemy.
October 4, 2025 at 6:22 PM
Antifa is not an organization. "Antifa" simply means "Anti-Fascism." America has been Anti-Fascism since its founding. Aren't we all Antifa? Yet Trump has designated Antifa as a domestic terrorist organization, and Sen. Rick Scott filed the "Stop ANTIFA Act." As if Anti-Fascists are our enemy.
Act Now to Save Public Media – WMNF Needs You www.wmnf.org/public-media...
Act Now to Save Public Media – WMNF Needs You
Help WMNF survive $230,000 in government funding cuts. Your donation protects independent community radio and keeps diverse voices on the air. Donate now.
www.wmnf.org
July 18, 2025 at 8:01 PM
Act Now to Save Public Media – WMNF Needs You www.wmnf.org/public-media...
Reposted by Mariella Smith
In the spring of 2008, I feared America was on the verge of war with Iran — and, believing that it’s good style to get to know people before you bomb them, I made “Rick Steves’ Iran,” a one-hour special that could (and would) only debut on PBS. Sadly, this special has become pertinent again today.
Iran
Join Rick as he explores the most surprising and fascinating land he's ever visited: Iran. In a one-hour, ground-breaking travel special on public television, you'll discover the splendid monuments of...
www.ricksteves.com
June 17, 2025 at 9:18 PM
In the spring of 2008, I feared America was on the verge of war with Iran — and, believing that it’s good style to get to know people before you bomb them, I made “Rick Steves’ Iran,” a one-hour special that could (and would) only debut on PBS. Sadly, this special has become pertinent again today.
I've long been concerned about CDDs and their impacts on homeowners and the larger community. This is the best report on the topic I've seen. If you're concerned about the impacts of growth, and the power of developers in Florida, this is essential reading.
substack.com/home/post/p-...
substack.com/home/post/p-...
Power and profit: Developers gained government status, then got bonds to build big
By Josh Salman and Derek Gilliam / Suncoast Searchlight
substack.com
May 5, 2025 at 9:55 PM
I've long been concerned about CDDs and their impacts on homeowners and the larger community. This is the best report on the topic I've seen. If you're concerned about the impacts of growth, and the power of developers in Florida, this is essential reading.
substack.com/home/post/p-...
substack.com/home/post/p-...
This is not The Onion, not Borowitz, not an SNL skit. Our real life is becoming so ridiculous it’s crazy-slapstick-hilarious 🤪
See for yourself:
www.congress.gov/bill/119th-c...
Ht @clarkbrooks.bsky.social
See for yourself:
www.congress.gov/bill/119th-c...
Ht @clarkbrooks.bsky.social
February 14, 2025 at 3:41 AM
This is not The Onion, not Borowitz, not an SNL skit. Our real life is becoming so ridiculous it’s crazy-slapstick-hilarious 🤪
See for yourself:
www.congress.gov/bill/119th-c...
Ht @clarkbrooks.bsky.social
See for yourself:
www.congress.gov/bill/119th-c...
Ht @clarkbrooks.bsky.social
The U.S. Government now prohibits medical research using certain forbidden terms - including “gender,” “pregnant person,” “LGBT,” “transgender,” and more.
insidemedicine.substack.com/p/breaking-n...
insidemedicine.substack.com/p/breaking-n...
BREAKING NEWS: CDC orders mass retraction and revision of submitted research across all science and medicine journals. Banned terms must be scrubbed.
Any unpublished manuscript mentioning certain topics, including gender and "LGBT," must be pulled or revised.
insidemedicine.substack.com
February 4, 2025 at 5:12 PM
The U.S. Government now prohibits medical research using certain forbidden terms - including “gender,” “pregnant person,” “LGBT,” “transgender,” and more.
insidemedicine.substack.com/p/breaking-n...
insidemedicine.substack.com/p/breaking-n...
Reposted by Mariella Smith
Bernie Sanders after his phone rings and interrupts Lee Zeldin's confirmation hearing: "Sorry. That was the fossil fuel industry."
January 16, 2025 at 4:00 PM
Bernie Sanders after his phone rings and interrupts Lee Zeldin's confirmation hearing: "Sorry. That was the fossil fuel industry."
Reposted by Mariella Smith
In 1979, Jimmy Carter installed solar panels on the White House. In 1986, Ronald Reagan tore them down along w/Carter’s clean energy funding.
This sums up the difference between the two men & political parties. Investing in solutions for the future vs canceling progress to score political points.
This sums up the difference between the two men & political parties. Investing in solutions for the future vs canceling progress to score political points.
January 5, 2025 at 1:55 AM
In 1979, Jimmy Carter installed solar panels on the White House. In 1986, Ronald Reagan tore them down along w/Carter’s clean energy funding.
This sums up the difference between the two men & political parties. Investing in solutions for the future vs canceling progress to score political points.
This sums up the difference between the two men & political parties. Investing in solutions for the future vs canceling progress to score political points.
Santa’s little helper.
December 25, 2024 at 3:40 AM
Santa’s little helper.
Reposted by Mariella Smith
Noting an oddity in the coverage that many outlets seem hesitant to use (the report's own words) "statutory rape." Calling it "sex with a 17-year-old" doesn't change those facts, it's just weirdly sanitizing. My writeup + linked report: talkingpointsmemo.com/news/ethics-...
Ethics Committee Finds ‘Substantial Evidence’ That Gaetz Committed ‘Statutory Rape’
The committee released its report Monday, stating that it had found “substantial evidence” that Gaetz violated House rules and laws “prohibiting prostitution, statutory rape, illicit drug use, accepta...
talkingpointsmemo.com
December 23, 2024 at 5:16 PM
Noting an oddity in the coverage that many outlets seem hesitant to use (the report's own words) "statutory rape." Calling it "sex with a 17-year-old" doesn't change those facts, it's just weirdly sanitizing. My writeup + linked report: talkingpointsmemo.com/news/ethics-...
Reposted by Mariella Smith
Republican senators’ claim that they will only pay attention to Hegseth’s accuser if she comes forward is 100% gaslighting. Clarence Thomas’s and Brett Kavanaugh’s accusers came forward and their credible accusations were totally ignored.
December 16, 2024 at 2:07 AM
Republican senators’ claim that they will only pay attention to Hegseth’s accuser if she comes forward is 100% gaslighting. Clarence Thomas’s and Brett Kavanaugh’s accusers came forward and their credible accusations were totally ignored.
Without the brave whistleblowers at FDEP, & great reporters at @tampabaytimes.bsky.social, DeSantis would’ve sold out Florida’s parklands to his golfing buddies & developer cronies before we knew anything about it. www.tampabay.com/news/environ... Thx, @maxchesnes.bsky.social
The behind-the-scenes story of the Florida state park scandal
Here’s how one of the state’s biggest controversies of the year came together — and quickly fell apart.
www.tampabay.com
December 22, 2024 at 3:28 PM
Without the brave whistleblowers at FDEP, & great reporters at @tampabaytimes.bsky.social, DeSantis would’ve sold out Florida’s parklands to his golfing buddies & developer cronies before we knew anything about it. www.tampabay.com/news/environ... Thx, @maxchesnes.bsky.social
MAGA Republicans keep blocking lifesaving health care from Americans, every which way. www.npr.org/sections/sho...
Louisiana forbids public health workers from promoting COVID, flu and mpox shots
An NPR investigation found Louisiana health officials told staff to stop promoting vaccines for COVID, flu and mpox, holding flu shot events or otherwise encouraging the public to get those vaccines.
www.npr.org
December 22, 2024 at 3:16 PM
MAGA Republicans keep blocking lifesaving health care from Americans, every which way. www.npr.org/sections/sho...
Thank goodness there are still some lawmakers in Florida willing to stand up to DeSantis’s attempts to sell out our parklands. And thanks to @maxchesnes.bsky.social for keeping us informed.
www.tampabay.com/news/environ...
www.tampabay.com/news/environ...
Florida lawmaker files bill to prohibit golf courses, hotels on state parks
The bill, filed by a Republican lawmaker, continues the bipartisan backlash against controversial plans to develop parks.
www.tampabay.com
December 6, 2024 at 3:36 PM
Thank goodness there are still some lawmakers in Florida willing to stand up to DeSantis’s attempts to sell out our parklands. And thanks to @maxchesnes.bsky.social for keeping us informed.
www.tampabay.com/news/environ...
www.tampabay.com/news/environ...
Follow @coachbalto.bsky.social for timeline cleansing videos and #BikeBus info & support.
A meditative state is a state of mind where your body and mind are relaxed, your awareness is heightened, and you are fully absorbed in the present moment. It's characterized by being calm and deliberate, while still focused on a single thought or activity. #BikeBus
December 5, 2024 at 5:22 AM
Follow @coachbalto.bsky.social for timeline cleansing videos and #BikeBus info & support.
“The organisation stated that it can ‘no longer ethically participate in a social network that its owner has transformed into a machine of disinformation and propaganda.’”
The EFJ will stop posting on X as of January 20, 2025. This Federation of journalists has roughly 30,000 members across 44 countries and they join several other news sources in leaving the social media platform.
www.thelondoneconomic.com/news/media/e...
www.thelondoneconomic.com/news/media/e...
European Federation of Journalists to stop posting content on X
The EFJ represents over 295,000 journalists in 44 countries.
www.thelondoneconomic.com
December 2, 2024 at 3:50 PM
“The organisation stated that it can ‘no longer ethically participate in a social network that its owner has transformed into a machine of disinformation and propaganda.’”
Provocative thread by Cas Mudde, leads to provocative article by Heather Cox Richardson: open.substack.com/pub/heatherc...
December 1, 2024 at 2:51 PM
Provocative thread by Cas Mudde, leads to provocative article by Heather Cox Richardson: open.substack.com/pub/heatherc...
Manatee County voters took their county back from big-money developers when they elected the new board and kept @gwkruse.bsky.social
Newly elected #Florida county commissioners have voted to dismiss a legal claim for nearly $250,000 against a former official who challenged the board’s controversial rollback of local wetland protections.
www.bradenton.com/news/politic...
www.bradenton.com/news/politic...
a large body of water surrounded by grass and a hill
ALT: a large body of water surrounded by grass and a hill
media.tenor.com
November 30, 2024 at 8:12 PM
Manatee County voters took their county back from big-money developers when they elected the new board and kept @gwkruse.bsky.social
Reposted by Mariella Smith
Buttigieg has that combination of knowing what he is doing and caring about the rest of us. We are going to miss that.
In which Pete takes Junior and Elon (who runs an EV company?) to school 👇🏽🔥
November 26, 2024 at 5:54 PM
Buttigieg has that combination of knowing what he is doing and caring about the rest of us. We are going to miss that.
Reposted by Mariella Smith
“A startling statistic emerged in Paris last month: during the morning and evening rush hours, on representative main thoroughfares crisscrossing the French capital, there are now more bicycles than cars – almost half as many again, in fact.”
Leadership. #Paris
www.theguardian.com/cities/2023/...
Leadership. #Paris
www.theguardian.com/cities/2023/...
Bollards and ‘superblocks’: how Europe’s cities are turning on the car
In Paris, Barcelona and Brussels, authorities are adopting varied approaches to the task of reducing congestion and pollution
www.theguardian.com
November 26, 2024 at 2:40 PM
“A startling statistic emerged in Paris last month: during the morning and evening rush hours, on representative main thoroughfares crisscrossing the French capital, there are now more bicycles than cars – almost half as many again, in fact.”
Leadership. #Paris
www.theguardian.com/cities/2023/...
Leadership. #Paris
www.theguardian.com/cities/2023/...
Reposted by Mariella Smith
trump is not invulnerable.
BREAKING: Gaetz withdraws from consideration for attorney general.
November 21, 2024 at 5:30 PM
trump is not invulnerable.
Honored to be named a Woman of Valor by the Enterprising Latinas at their 10-year Anniversary Gala. I greatly admire this hardworking group, helping each other learn, grow & succeed in our community.
November 16, 2024 at 4:19 PM
Honored to be named a Woman of Valor by the Enterprising Latinas at their 10-year Anniversary Gala. I greatly admire this hardworking group, helping each other learn, grow & succeed in our community.
Thanks for working to keep the trolls and bots out.
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November 16, 2024 at 2:53 AM
Thanks for working to keep the trolls and bots out.