Monthly Archives: August 2015
House Democrats and Redistricting Special Session
The Democrats in the Florida House had an interesting week in Special Session. While Republicans wasted taxpayer money fighting over petty spoils and beating up on the Supreme Court, House Democrats attempted from at least a public relations to rise above this pettiness that after all comes from being in power without any sort of […]
Can Florida Democrats REALLY take advantage of the GOP redistricting debacle?
The Florida Democratic Party sent out a press release this morning following the breakdown of the Legislature’s Special Session. It was sharply worded and would make perfect sense if history wasn’t so contradictory to what was said. Since 1999, the Republicans running the legislature have made a mockery of the process and have governed with […]
Flashback Friday: First British siege of Pensacola ends
On this day in 1707, the first siege of Pensacola was lifted. The town was destroyed by the British and the Crown’s Creek Indian allies but Spanish rule persisted due to the defense of Fort San Carlos de Austria . This was part of the hostilities associated with Queen Anne’s War. We discussed the siege of St […]
Politics dominating Iran discussion – Historical precedents ominous
The discussion around the Iran nuclear agreement made by the Obama Administration as a result of the PS + 1 talks has been wholly political. Of course the sort of illogical rhetoric grounded in talking points from special interest groups is to be expected from Florida’s Junior Senator and Presidential aspirant Marco Rubio, but it’s […]
Thursday Bookshelf: Florida’s Hurricane History
With Tropical Storm Danny churning out in the Atlantic Ocean (I am old enough to recall well a previous Hurricane Danny threaten New Orleans 30 years ago) this seemed like a good time to discuss the long history of recorded Hurricanes and the State of Florida. Florida’s Hurricane History by Jay Barnes was published in the […]
GOLDEN STRINGS: Republican lobbyist pulling for Darren Soto
As Scott Powers reported in the Orlando Sentinel, campaign fundraisers for political candidates are starting to draw crowds. But in the case of Darren Soto, they’re also raising eyebrows. Soto’s host committee for his District 9 race includes a well known Republican lobbyist and bundler, Fred Leonhardt. Most people wouldn’t know or care who’s who […]
Flashback Friday: When Reapportionment meant the most
This week’s redistricting Special Session is the latest in a long run of map drawing and redrawing exercises the legislature has had to undertake since the Justice Department began strong enforcement of the Voting Rights Act in 1991 vis-a-vis minority-access and majority-minority districts. Prior to 1968, Florida’s legislature was badly apportioned. While the state had […]
Thursday Bookshelf: SKYGODS The Fall of Pan Am
Having recently reread the the excellent book Skygods: The Fall of Pan Am the subject of Pan American World Airways, America’s global ambassador which was born in Key West and throughout its history maintained a large presence in Miami was very much on my mind. From 1927 until 1969 Pan American World Airways was the undisputed […]
On Redistricting some South Florida Democrats showing hypocrisy and forgetting local interests
Florida’s Democrats love to play the victim especially when it comes to the way districts are drawn in the state. Redistricting has provided a continues excuse for Democratic under performance in elections from Congress to the State Legislature. In many ways, it is the gift that keeps on giving especially when so many Democratic activists […]
Inability to comprehend Trump phenomena exposes political class naivety
The indignation many in the political class have demonstrated towards Donald Trump’s emergence as a top-tier Presidential candidate speaks loudly to the isolation many in the political class live in, as well as the arrogance and elitism many regularly display. Having worked in and around politics for many years before branching out doing other work, […]
The Florida Squeeze 