The failure of several Democratic legislators to show any sort of political courage on “Stand Your Ground” this week is shocking, appalling and again demonstrates why the party finds itself in the position of being a permanent minority. An unwillingness to stand on principle or truly understand what voting trends in the state and nation mean about the potential on certain issues continues to hobble Florida’s weak-minded Democrats. Party discipline is non-existent, while Republicans continue to speak and act in lock-step.
This week several Democrats again showed how again not stand strong on a hot-button issue by skipping out on taking a stand on the issue. In the case of Senator Joe Abruzzo he stated his vote was unnecessary so why take a stand?
Others went further opposing efforts to have a Special Session on the law. Some of these Democrats like Michelle Rehwinkel-Vasilinda (who has proven she follows her convictions on other issues of importance to progressives like myself including the Death Penalty, Nuclear Waste and Genetically Modified foods) and Mike Clelland sit in districts where any gun control measure is undoubtedly unpopular.
But others like Mark Danish, Linda Stewart, Dwight Dudley and Carl Zimmerman sit in urban/suburban seats where in the past we have even seen elected Republicans skeptical of the NRA’s agenda. The fear of these Democrats about reelection and the selfishness of putting themselves above the common good and party cohesion is disturbing.
Then we have Katie Edwards of Plantation, sitting in a ultra-safe Democratic seat in Broward County. Edwards was the only Democrat in the entire state running for House last year to get an “A” rating from the NRA. Her continued willingness to buck the party line should be met with opposition locally from those who truly care about progressive causes. In defense of Edwards, I would state if you paid attention to her record and rhetoric when she ran for the House in 2010 in a more conservative district she was never even remotely progressive. At least she among Democrats seems willing to follow the courage of her convictions while other Democrats stick their thumbs in the air and misread the results. Perhaps she can be an example to other Democratic legislators about conviction though hers are contrary to that of many progressives.
We’ve heard rhetoric from Republicans about wasting taxpayer money on a Special Session on a law that is not going to be repealed. But the GOP has repeatedly held Special Sessions on trivial matters wasting millions in taxpayer dollars while Floridians struggle with economic realities. Given that this was a “free” vote for Democrats, not voting or voting no was unacceptable.
Stand Your Ground has been rightly ridiculed around the nation and abroad. But in the 2005 legislative session, Democrats flocked to back this legislation which resembled the types of laws passed in states governed by military juntas than anything you would see in the western world. Senator Rod Smith, later the chairman of the Florida Democratic Party sponsored the bill and worked hard to bring the majority of Senate Democrats to his side. Legislators from across the state, liberal and conservative, rural and urban, Republican and Democrat voted for this dangerous and quite frankly uncivilized piece of legislation. The gun situation in the United States is unacceptable, with the NRA and its supporters on both sides of aisle misrepresenting the constitution and dramatically misinterpreting history. If this country wants to be truly respected abroad and create a respectable society the issue of guns must be addressed. Those on the European left that are less driven by fear of American capitalism (a subject I don’t want to get into here but I have major difference with the left in Europe on multiple things) hate the United States because of guns and our willingness to push the death penalty, something that too can be considered at the very least passively racist. The gun issue has made this country a laughing stock abroad more so than George W. Bush’s foreign policy European liberals love to attack ever did. (Bush’s foreign policy was in fact far from conservative but again that is a topic for another time)
Consider when “Stand Your Ground” passed the Florida Legislature it was pushed actively by the NRA , Republican Governor Jeb Bush and Republican Attorney General Charlie Crist. But in the legislature, Democrats flocked to back this legislation which resembled the types of laws passed in states governed by military juntas than anything you would see in the western world. Senator Rod Smith, later the chairman of the Florida Democratic Party sponsored the bill and worked hard to bring the majority of Senate Democrats to his side. Legislators from across the state, liberal and conservative, rural and urban, Republican and Democrat voted for this dangerous and quite frankly uncivilized piece of legislation.
At the same time a faction of Democrats led by prominent Tallahassee based consultants were loudly articulating the view that winning rural north Florida counties was more important to reversing the fortunes of the party than just about anything else statewide. This approach ignored the fact that even the smallest of I-4 corridor counties had more voters than the entire Big Bend region minus Tallahassee itself. But these consultants deluded many Senate Democrats from other parts of the state into believing their party should be shifting its philosophy in order to appeal to the conservative, rural north Florida vote.
But when “Stand Your Ground” was front and center as an issue nationally last year after the Martin killing it was national Democrats especially those from Florida who aggressively sought to make awareness and repeal of the law a priority. The Florida Democratic Party was silent on the matter, at the time led by Rod Smith the Chairman of the Florida Democratic Party. Thirteen months later, under Allison Tant the party has been much more aggressive in trying to define this issue with legislators taking to national TV shows to discuss the potential of a repeal. But Tant could not get the spineless legislators some of whom represent districts where this issue will not be an electoral
Republicans walk in lock-step including those from urbanized districts. As has been pointed out before on this site, advocacy of Gun Control did not stop Bill Clinton or Al Gore from winning the majority of voters intent in Florida. Despite vast misrepresentations of President Obama’s record on guns he won Florida twice. Bill Nelson Senate record on guns has been largely contrary to the NRA’s agenda, yet he’s never faced a truly difficult election for Senate.
Florida’s demographics have changed substantially over the course of the 12 years since the Gore-Bush election. Florida’s urbanization which makes it the most urban state in the south and one of the most urban states nationally. Yet many Florida Democrats live in a reality created by political consultants and advisers unfamiliar with the state’s changing terrain, political landscape and views on issues. The party boasts some elected officials who are less concerned about any policy or issue position but about self-preservation and selfish pursuits. It is no small wonder Democrats continue to be a hyper-minority in the halls of the legislature despite the success of the party in Federal elections here in Florida.
The Florida Squeeze 
What this nation needs are political representatives who consider their calling to be service and not a job. Perhaps the best way to achieve this in to not pay them or offer a small stipend. Perhaps government should consist of people like me, retired, having no financial gain from serving. Politicians earning a living by being politicians will always be more worried about the next election than the interests of the people. I am ashamed of these Democrats.
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I might agree, except not paying elected public servants would simply put them deeper in the pocket of special interests! (If that’s possible!)
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I can’t think of enough negative words to register my disgust with ANY politician who failed to support a special session on the Stand Your Ground law……but especially Democrats!!
This nation is a wash in guns. The result being countless numbers of tragic deaths and destroyed families all for the purpose of supporting some outdated, 18th century thinking/amendment which does nothing but insure the profitability of the gun industry!
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Two of the people you mentioned are meeting with the Central Florida delegation.That means Florida House and Senate in orlando. “Coming out for” is all great for the media, but nothing happens unless those in power decide so, and that isn’t democrats. Here they have actually had attendance from the Republicans,also. The Democrats are outvoted in our state not do to the number of Democrats but do to the gerrymandered districts. Please show up in Orlando. Monday September 16 @3:00 – 6:00pm will be the date for the next delegation meeting, which will be held in the Orange County Administration Center (201 South Rosalind Avenue, Orlando 32801). If you wish to be on the agenda contact: Emmanuel Tormes.
Republicans say- they want to support businesses but as the boycotts continue to roll in then Disney better flex some muscle. They brag they own our state anyway and certainly they own Republicans.
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Katie Edwards is a moron. She doesn’t have any convictions just calculations on how to get ahead. She is a dimwit. An idiot who lets the lobbyists think for her.
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Katie Edwards is not a moron. I don’t agree with some of her politics, more so about the way she goes about making her points. I believe she’s arrogant and dismissive. But Terry, you are an idiot if you think she’s a moron.
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Or maybe Democrats are in the minority because their ideas for the State are incompatible with a majority of its inhabitants?!
The minority party always likes to blame the process because it is incomprehensible to its members that someone might disagree with their more “superior” intellect and opinion. It is why Democrats are so condescending towards the Republican base, and it explains why Democrats excuse every polling deficit as a failure to communicate and not a rejection of their ideas.
Case in point, “Eatingon1” wants to blame Republicans for gerrymandered districts. Give me a break! I live in the southwest extreme of Representative Kathy Castor’s congressional district 14 (http://castor.house.gov/district/map.htm). Her district includes all of the city of Tampa and has no business grabbing a small piece of south St. Petersburg. This ridiculous orientation is not because of devious Republican intent; it is because Democrats nationwide have insisted on constructing race-based district boundaries. While I believe the original intent was sincere, and we share a mutual desire for minority representation, the unintended consequences of this Democratic strategy have been enormous.
Furthermore, for the second time this week, the Florida Squeeze attacked Senator Joe Abruzzo (D-Wellington) as a “spineless Democratic legislator.” On August 12th, this blog featured a post titled, “Florida Blue Giveaway: How did it happen?” The post had a similar theme and everyone had something to say about complicit Democrats but no one was willing to answer a simple and sincere question explaining why his action was so devious. It’s a chronic problem on this blog – there is a baseless attack and then no follow-up with substantive information when challenged.
Finally, if public support for a special session is so overwhelming and legislators are so disconnected from the public will, then it’s time to get to work. Since the Florida constitution grants People the power to propose amendments, here’s an instruction manual to help get you started: http://doe.dos.state.fl.us/constitutional-amendments/init-peti-process.shtml.
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I agree with you on redistricting. The Democrats continue to use that as an issue nationally for not being competitive. The reality is the districts approved in 2012 are FAR MORE accessible for Dems than those approved in 2002. And the Democrats lost the state under a Democratic map passed in 1992 that had multiple gerrymandered districts.
You might be right about public opinion but all we are asking is that Democrats show some spine and stand on principle. It seems they don’t unless they have some powerful lobby telling them to. I have come to the conclusion while I am very much against school “choice” the only reason most Ds in the legislature oppose it is because the teacher’s union gives them boatloads of cash. They should oppose it because of conviction not convenience. That is just one of many examples where the Democrats in the Florida Legislature let other think for them.
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Linda Stewart is starting to lose respect among the progressive crowd fast!
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As a good friend said today, “Democrats lose because they lack definition.”
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Good Luck w/ Agenda 2014. Gun legislation, voter suppression, and corporate greed,pollution and campaign finance reform are all issues to get the vote out. Just saying…………. in my humble opinion.
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I was trying to post this comment and was denied. What’s the problem???
Sheriff Scott Israel did the right thing. The Florida Sheriffs Association advised that they were supporting the Stand Your Ground Law. The Sheriff, rightly, stated that the defense of your home should have no qualifiers, (that is not a quote, just the substance of his remarks). However, when confronted in any other situation, where there is an ability to withdraw SAFELY, causing harm to no one, then the citizen should withdraw, rather than shed blood. As far as people INITIATING the situation, (such as George Zimmerman), there should be no protection. We PAY police officers and deputies to protect us. Vigilantes belong in the no longer existing wild west.
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Kartik, I’m disappointed that you have lowered yourself to name-calling about Sen. Joe Abruzzo who is a solid Dem leader who has the respect of the other side of the aisle…I know what you want: “progressive” Dem’s to be elected…but you’ve already elected as many as there will be…progressive Dem’s will ALWAYS be a distinct minority because liberal ideas are supported by a minority of voters around 20 – 25%…I’m not saying that progressive ideals are bad just that they do not hold sway with a majority or even a significant plurality of Florida voters…that’s why your campaign to push former Sen. Nan Rich is well-received by progressives, but she has no chance or hope of securing the nomination, much less the election – and her fundraising is proof positive…
As for SYG, you have failed to do your homework…a recent Tamp Bay Times investigative report showed that minorities used SYG more often than whites and were more successful as well…this is not a racist issue as many progressives wold like to characterize it as…
Just remember that the right to gun ownership is the Second Amendment, right after freedom of speech…our Founding Fathers didn’t make it the sixth or ninth amendment, they made it the second because next to free speech it is the next most important right that Americans have…
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