Category Florida Legislature
Legislative overreach and hypocrisy Florida Republican style
Florida’s Republicans who have been a governing majority in both houses of the legislature for the last 18 years have some nice fluffy rhetoric about “big government”. Yet, the party which has become drunk on power have time and again proven to be hypocrites when it comes to this theory. We’ve spoken extensively about “preemption” in […]
Home rule hypocrisy and discrimination rolled into one – thanks Rep. Artiles
State Rep. Frank Artiles Transgender discrimination bill has gotten lots of attention in the two days since it was filed. HB 583 the so-called “Single Sex Public Facilities” legislation would for all intents and purposes criminalize the use of public restrooms by transgender citizens of Florida AND could depending on interpretation hold liable business owners […]
Poll demonstrates need for Earned Sick Time
President Obama recently made Earned Sick Time an essential part of his domestic agenda. We’ve spoken time and again on this site about how the President’s unwillingness to embrace progressive policies in the last two years led directly to the Democrats election debacle in 2014 and the defeat of Charlie Crist here in Florida. Not […]
2016 Legislative Races Preview: Part 2 – The Senate
Part II – The Senate This is the year for even numbered seats, so there are twenty seats up for election. With only two competitive races in the Senate in 2014, this has to be the year for Democratic gains in the Senate because the chances for ’18 are slim (although hopefully Democrats will be […]
2016 Legislative Races Preview: Part 1
With the 2014 election behind us and brutal legislative session around the corner, Democrats across Florida are looking toward 2016 with tentative hope, as down-ballot Democratic candidates generally do better in a presidential year and there is a desperate need for change on the horizon. With a Senate and a Presidential race on the line, […]
Monday Musings: Rep. Moskowitz’s tax exemption bill, Gwen Graham meets progressives, Means of Ascent, Alachua DEC and Marc Caputo joins Politico
Rep. Jared Moskowitz (D-Coral Springs) has filed a piece of legislation (HB 49) that would increase the amount of income that is exempt from corporate income tax. With this sort of legislative agenda you would think Rep. Moskowitz hails from a swing district where he must worry about Republican challenges and position himself accordingly. However, […]
Florida Democrats at a Crossroads: Term limits , legislators, party building and office shopping
The advent of term limits helped to change the culture of state legislators in 1990’s. Previously many regardless of ideology worked hard to build a party that competed in elections and had a few guiding principles but was largely a big tent operation. Term limits being implemented coincided with the collapse of the Democratic Party […]
Governor Scott’s shallow inaugural appeal
Having been returned to office by Florida’s electorate despite failing to meaningfully grow Florida’s economy in his first term, Governor Rick Scott will appeal to residents to relocate to Florida. Since this Governor and his allies in the legislature proudly gutted the growth management laws that worked for 30 years, a potential influx in population […]
Florida political winners and losers for 2014
NOTE: Our Tuesday poll feature will return next week. It’s that time of the year for reflections. 2014 was an election year and with it came the usual array of winners and losers. A difficult year for Democrats across the country as well as here in Florida saw clear winners and losers.
Florida Democrats at a crossroads: Republican economic failures
Florida Republicans have long sold economic growth and tax cuts as the fundamental core of the party’s messaging. While other issues such as school vouchers, restricting women’s reproductive freedom, undermining marriage equality and undermining restrictions on gun ownership have been the sexy headlines in Florida’s papers. But the Republican brand has been based on tax […]
The Florida Squeeze 