Author Archives: Kartik Krishnaiyer
I-75 in Florida- a long and winding road to today’s route
I-75’s path through Florida was first authorized in 1955. It was completed in 1964 before any other Florida interstate. But then the rapid growth of southwest Florida and the need to link another interstate to southeast Florida set off a long drawn-out process to extend the highway. It was finally completed in 1992. On this […]
In defense of Charlie Crist…
The talk that Congressman Charlie Crist might once again seek a return the Governorship in 2022 has created a lot of conversation among Democratic activists. He wouldn’t be my first choice but certainly from where I sit, is preferable to some of the other names being floated. He’s also more qualified to hold the office […]
Questions answered on Florida History – Part 1
In this episode we answer listener questions on multiple topics including Henry Flagler and the allegations of a black shanty town being burnt down, The Governor’s Mansion, the bipartisan fight to make Big Sugar pay for Everglades cleanup and a comparison of Colonial St Augustine to cities in the 13 British Colonies to the north. […]
#CPAC2021 Highlights: The illiberal, non-conservative right has a new ideology – Statist Nationalism
CPAC’s second full day has thus far followed up on the Friday lighting-rod speeches of Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and Missouri Senator Josh Hawley. The two potential leading contenders to take up ex-President Donald Trump’s mantle as leader of a new Republican Party laid out what the new GOP is about. Rep. Paul Gosar of […]
#CPAC2021 – DeSantis opening remarks set the stage for a perfectly Soviet weekend in Orlando
CPAC 2021 opened its first full day Friday morning, with a video about alleged election fraud before turning the stage over to opening remarks from Florida’s GOP Governor Ron DeSantis. The video was laced with racial and gender-based innuendo as clips of Democrats who were non-white or female dominated the video. The other subtle theme […]
CPAC 2021: “conservatives” led by Trump and DeSantis gather in Orlando to cancel Conservatism
CPAC, that annual cattle call of opinion leaders on the right hosted by the American Conservative Union (ACU) will for the first time in its history leave the Washington DC area in 2021. The ACU which non long ago was led by Floridian Al Cardenes is now led by the mega-MAGA insider Matt Schlapp. Yes […]
Edison and Ford in Florida
Thomas Edison and Henry Ford both famously wintered in Fort Myers. In the case of Edison, some of his great works were developed outside Menlo Park, NJ and in Florida. This week on The Florida History Podcast we talk about both famous titans time in Florida and discuss the Gilded Age, Titans of Industry and […]
The American-JetBlue partnership and Florida: More competition and choices for consumers or collusion that stifles competition? It’s not really clear…
Last year, two financially struggling US airlines that vigorously compete with each other in the Northeast, Florida and on transcontinental flights announced a partnership that covers the New York and Boston markets. This week, the first pieces of the American-JetBlue partnership fell in place. American operates one the largest US airline hubs in Miami (in […]
South Florida’s incomplete mass transit (among other things) inhibits the region’s delusions of grandeur in attracting Californians and New Yorkers
https://twitter.com/rjwile/status/1362409953709981697?s=20 In recent weeks, south Florida’s elected officials led by Miami Mayor Frances Suarez (a man skillfully adroit enough but also so lacking in actual political conviction to be found in Trumpian, Never Trump GOP and Neoliberal Dem circles) have been pushing the region as a destination for those “stuck” in New York or the […]
Muhammad Ali in Miami
Muhammad Ali, one of the most famous American sportsmen of all time spent his formative years both as a boxer and a activist in Miami. Ali (formerly Cassius Clay) lived in Miami from 1960 to 1967. On this week’s Florida History Podcast, we discuss Ali’s Miami and the new critically acclaimed film One Night in […]
The Florida Squeeze 