Monthly Archives: June 2015
The need for High Speed Rail in Florida more critical than ever
In the last few days, the conversation about High Speed Rail (HSR) and its potential future in the United States has reached a new level. After several months of discussion in the media and think tanks, two fellows at the Brookings Institution penned this outstanding editorial for Business Insider which summarized the findings of a […]
Back to the Future: Tallahassee Leaders Look to Chiles’ Era Reform Efforts to Address City Concerns
By Dr.Rachel Sutz Pienta In recent months, Tallahassee leaders have made efforts to address a number of city issues – from food deserts and disparate health outcomes to youth violence and early learning deficits. Earlier this year, Mayor Andrew Gillum convened business leaders for a Children’s Summit. What many thought would herald a move to […]
Does sexism represent a cornerstone of the American identity?
We keep hearing how things in the United States are better than ever. I happen to believe this country has made great strides in race relations and ethnic understanding even though work remains to be done. Hillary Clinton’s campaign for the Presidency is supposed to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Americans have gotten beyond […]
Down the road Obamacare votes will kill Florida Republicans (and maybe some Democrats)
History teaches us important lessons all of the time. Friday’s Supreme Court ruling regarding Same Sex Marriage was widely applauded on just about every side of the political spectrum. Yet just 18 years ago a majority of elected members of Congress in BOTH parties and a left-leaning President had agreed to ban marriage equality. Health […]
Flashback Friday: Civil Rights, Southern Manifesto and Voting Rights in Florida
In light of recent Civil Rights related controversies a look back at some of the sorry history of Florida members of Congress during the Civil Rights era. The Southern Manifesto (1956) from Florida. According to the official US House of Representatives site: ” Howard Smith of Virginia, chairman of the House Rules Committee, introduced theSouthern Manifesto in a […]
The Confederate Flag and Florida – My internal conflict
I must admit the recent controversy about the Confederate “battle” flag caught me slightly off-guard. As someone who has lived in Florida since 1979, and have been active in Democratic politics since the mid 1990’s, I simply accepted the flag as a symbol of southern regional pride and expression. Did the flag make me uncomfortable […]
Is Marco Rubio really stronger in swing states (including Florida) than Jeb Bush?
Senator Marco Rubio has gone from April’s flavor of the month in the Republican primary field to being the seasonal blend of choice. At the same time many in the national punditry seem to be writing off Governor Jeb Bush’s chances to secure the GOP nomination. A set of swing-state polls released by Quinnipiac University […]
Flashback Friday: Jeb Bush and the Confederate Flag
In 2001 Governor Jeb Bush very quietly removed a version of the Confederate Battle Flag from the row of flags outside the Florida Capitol. While in hindsight this might seem like an act of political courage, it is worth remembering Jeb Bush comes from a Connecticut Yankee family and into the mid 2000’s the majority […]
Let’s be frank about this LEAD Task Force Report — UPDATE/correction
Elizabeth Warren famously talks about Larry Summers giving her advice early in her career in the Senate, telling her she could be an insider or an outsider. “Outsiders can say whatever they want. But people on the inside don’t listen to them. Insiders, however, get lots of access and a chance to push their ideas. […]
Guest Editorial: Shouldn’t 100% be good enough?
By Sean Phillippi No one can be an expert in absolutely everything. The world is too big, too complex, and evolves too quickly for any single person to keep up with every major issue that affects society. So, in order to create a comprehensive platform, any cause or entity needs a space where a diverse group […]
The Florida Squeeze 