Monthly Archives: March 2014
Governor Charlie Crist’s interview with Local 10 (Miami/Fort Lauderedale)
Local 10’s Michael Putney had a comprehensive interview with Governor Charlie Crist where issues such as the Affordable Care Act and school “choice” were discussed. On Obamacare, Crist refused to repeat the mistakes of Alex Sink and dug in supporting the program. Regarding school vouchers, Crist was wishy washy and evasive. The whole interview can […]
Democrats fail again on guns while ignoring political realities … Explanations needed
As my colleague Ryan Ray demonstrated again on Friday, the Democrats in the Florida House of Representatives failed on the gun issue once again. The gun lobby year after year finds new creative ways to chip away at any restrictions on ownership or use of firearms in this state, and year after year they find […]
While CNN sleeps Putin moves
Often times in the past I’ve found fault with Florida pols during Legislative Session who have no idea what is going on abroad when US interest at stake. During the 1999 Legislative Session when the US and NATO went to war in Kosovo, I found fellow legislative staff and legislators themselves mostly unaware that we […]
Flashback Friday: Racial Backlash among Democrats and 1968 Presidential and US Senate Election in Florida
In 1968, Alabama’s Democratic former Governor George Wallace who had become a national figure with his “stand in the schoolhouse door” ran for President on the ticket of the “American Independent Party.” The candidacy despite coded words like “crime,” “law breakers,” and “patriotism” was about one thing- race. Wallace had been a populist earlier in […]
Democratic Unity Essential on Gun Legislation
The extremist Tallahassee gun lobby is now several years into kicking the dead horse of liberalizing our gun laws. Unified Sportsmen of Florida Executive Director/NRA spirit animal Marion P. Hammer and her legislative surrogates in the Republican majority have ensured that gun control is off the table since the Jeb Bush administration, if not before. […]
Despite legislative progress public school advocates can never rest easy
The school “choice” movement suffered a significant setback in the Florida Senate yesterday when the companion bill to HB 7099 was withdrawn by its sponsor Senator Bill Galvano (R-Bradenton). We have devoted much of our space in recent weeks to galvanizing progressive opinion against HB 7099. Much like the initial “A+ plan” pushed by Governor […]
Tracking gun legislation in Florida
I must admit that we see so much unnecessary pro-gun legislation in front of the Florida House these days that when a prominent Democratic State Representative contacted me this morning about the two gun bills on the floor today, I was more interested in speaking about vouchers, gambling and immigrant tuition. Our views on guns […]
Ukraine: If Sanctions Fail, What Other Options Do We Have To Stop Putin’s Aggression
So this Ukraine thing is not over. Not by a long shot. Since my last post on Ukraine, Vladimir Putin has invaded and annexed the Crimean Peninsula, amassed troops at the eastern border with Ukraine, and continuing to troll Obama and the West. While cable news is distracted by the missing Malaysian jetliner, and thus not covering the […]
Has Jeb Bush become the 2016 GOP front runner? Larry Sabato thinks so
Larry Sabato, one of the foremost political analysts and prognosticators around has elevated Governor Jeb Bush to the top of his rankings for Republican Presidential contenders who are possible nominees in 2016. Senator Marco Rubio is now considered a “second-tier” candidate, though Rubio as had been reported widely in the national press in recent days […]
Videos: Voucher supporters concede they are doing a run around the Constitution
In a video obtained by The Florida Squeeze, the CATO Institute’s Andrew Coulson concedes that voucher programs are potentially doing a run around serious constitutional questions both on the state and national level. AMCSC Clip2 from Nozo Media on Vimeo. In the following clip Coulson expounds upon his premise.
The Florida Squeeze 