Category Florida Legislature
The Myth of Gun Control and Florida Voters: Part I
This is the first of a three part series on how Florida’s gun laws became so wacky. We are told Florida is a conservative state and because of that in many cases Democrats must support the right to bear arms, and in the case of the stand your ground law the right to use arms indiscriminately. […]
Zest of the Day: Conservative think tanks take aim at progressive power bases in the states
Important read for all progressives from the Nation.
Kurly’s Kommentary: Enough already: America needs new dialogue & a scientific fix to abortion issue
By Steven Kurlander kurly@stevenkurlander.com Like the predictability of the change of seasons, social conservative GOP representatives in various State Legislatures have proposed a number of bills in their latest legislative sessions that would restrict, hamper, and even ban outright abortions in their states. Those same “conservatives” that seek to keep government small and as non-intrusive […]
Jeb Bush’s Karl Rove-Like Agenda Dominating Florida GOP Thinking
Jeb Bush left the Governor’s office over six years ago, yet his influence continues to dominate the legislative agenda of the state GOP. This week’s vote on the “Parent Trigger” bill will be just the latest salvo in a nearly two decade battle to save Florida’s schools from Jeb Bush’s political agenda. The national and […]
Republican Legislators Seek Power Grab with FHSAA Bills
While other issues such as “Parent Trigger,” various abortion bills and of course Medicaid reform are garnering all the headlines the most dangerous legislation of the 2013 session may in fact be unrelated to any of those issues. Rep. Metz’s (R-Yalaha) HB 1279 & Senator Stargell’s (R-Lakeland) SB 1164 would substantially change the way the […]
Zest of the Day: Refusal to Expand Medicaid Could Cost Florida Businesses
From the Tampa Bay Times.
Marginal Seat Freshman Democrats Showing Pragmatism
The two biggest upsets in legislative races election night were the victories of Mike Clelland and Carl Zimmerman over well-established incumbent Republicans. No legislative race victory in the past decade has meant more for the attempts to rebuild the Florida Democratic Party than did the defeat of Chris Dorworth by Mike Clelland. Dorworth, the Speaker […]
The Most Important Legislative Race in Modern Florida History
With the legislative session in full swing the time is right to look back at what I consider the most important legislative election in past-1968 Florida. At the time it was the most expensive election in Florida legislative history. The first million dollar legislative race on record. It was probably also one of the most […]
Zest of the Day: Speaker Weatherford’s Education Perspective
A thought provoking interview piece from State Impact/NPR including many of the Speaker’s outside the box type proposals.
Expectations For Speaker Weatherford Were Too High
At the outset of session I wrote a glowing piece about Speaker Will Weatherford, and his ability to transcend the petty partisanship that the Republican majority has inflicted on the legislative process since 1998. But Weatherford has gotten off to a bad start as Speaker, misrepresenting his family’s benefiting from the Medicaid program, speaking like […]
The Florida Squeeze 