Category Florida Legislature
Proposed punitive Florida EV tax is right-wing social engineering
Last week Senator Ed Hooper (R-Clearwater), a onetime moderate who I happened to somewhat like as a House member continued his drift into DeSantistan with an absolutely ridiculous proposal meant to “own the libs” and social engineer using the largess of government – something Florida GOPers have become experts at. In addition to regular vehicle […]
Guest Column: This session intensified Florida’s march toward Plutocracy and Fascism
By Thomas Kennedy A few months ago, I warned that after two decades of uninterrupted GOP rule, the Florida legislature would no longer function as an independent body, but instead serve as a rubber stamp for Ron DeSantis. Unfortunately, lawmakers did exactly that, carrying out what amounted to the most destructive and irresponsible lawmaking period […]
Government in the Sunshine is dying thanks to GOP rule of the state
Florida’s GOP run legislature has slowly but surely undone the progressive legacy of the 1970’s- an era when government in the sunshine made Florida the most open and transparent place in the western world in terms of government accountability. This session, the Legislature passed SB 7050 which allows state candidates and officeholders to hide who […]
How did Florida politics get so bat s*** crazy?
I discuss the drift toward the Gomorrah in Florida since 2000 with Behind Politics Matt Robson.
Tort Reform, vouchers and screwing consumers is the consistent ideology of Florida GOPers
In the late 1990’s conservatives throughout the country were pushing Tort Reform as a larger scheme to “defund the left.” Florida was an epicenter of activity as Jeb Bush’s Republican Party made breaking the Trial Lawyers and Teacher’s Unions (via merit pay, school vouchers and other education “reforms”) the priorities after gaining complete control of […]
Special Session is a giveaway to the insurance industry; Democrats somewhat surprisingly offer a good alternative
The GOP legislation flying through this week’s Special Session includes: It’s pretty stunning that given the insurance crisis in the state that disproportionately impacts the same working class voters that propelled Governor DeSantis landslide reelection, that the GOP continues to be controlled by the donor class and the insurance industry. In the wake of Hurricane’s […]
A History of Disney’s Reedy Creek Improvement District, Part 1
Editors note: With the recent efforts of Governor DeSantis and the majority party in the legislature to end Disney’s special taxing and governance district, in the next week we will be examining the history of the Reedy Creek Improvement District It all started with a Mouse…and an Improvement District. When it is clear out you […]
Progressives need to refocus attention toward state legislative races in Florida
I’ve personally become more aggressive the last few weeks in calling out Florida-based progressives that sit on Twitter obsessing about national politics, while ignoring state and local issues. Some of these progressives have gained great followings as a result of being Bernie Sanders supporters, and spend much of their day attacking national Democrats for perceived […]
The Florida Squeeze 