Author Archives: Kartik Krishnaiyer
Flashback Friday: Jimmy Carter vs Ronald Reagan in Florida
We’ve spent a lot of time on TFS through the years talking about the “Dixiecrat” vote in north Florida as well as the interior of the state. These voters overwhelmingly supported George Wallace in 1968, running as an Independent, stuck with Wallace in the 1972 Democratic Primary leading him to an overwhelming statewide victory and […]
Clearing up some reapportionment misconceptions
Florida’s Supreme Court rightly threw out several Congressional districts basically invalidating the entire state map on Thursday. Under the “Fair Districts” law, Florida’s Congressional map was a complete disgrace. Florida’s Republicans have arrogantly drawn maps that skirt the boundaries of the law. The long-standing arrogance and sense of entitlement that Florida’s Republican leadership has demonstrated […]
Thursday Bookshelf – President Jimmy Carter “Turning Point”
President Jimmy Carter’s 1992 book, Turning Point: A Candidate, a State, and a Nation Come of Age is the story of Carter’s first run for public office. In 1962, Carter sought a seat in the State Senate and was the victim of blatant vote stuffing. At the time Georgia was still resisting desegregation laws, and elections […]
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 […]
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 […]
The Florida Squeeze 