Tag Archives: jeb bush
High-speed rail gaining momentum across the country even among Republicans
While Florida’s political leadership felt it was in the state’s best interest to turn down federal funds for High-speed rail (HSR) in 2011, allowing that money to be allocated to other states, politicians in other parts of the country including many Republicans are embracing the concept as a driver of economic development and a nnecessityin […]
Thursday Bookshelf – The Bush Dynasty
With Jeb Bush “exploring” a bid for the Presidency in 2016 now is the perfect time to discuss a timeless classic. Kevin Phillips, who was dubbed in 1995 by one of my Political Science Professors at the University of Florida as “the smartest Republican around,” is widely viewed as the chief architect of the 1968 […]
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 […]
Monday Musings – Jeb Bush, Charles Van Zant, Our new look, FDP bench building, The Kartik Report
While Jeb Bush claims to be still mulling his Presidential decision all indications are he will seek to regain the White House for the Bush family in 2016. The former Governor’s decision to release over 250,000 emails from his time for Governor and the forthcoming release of his ebook seem to indicate he is well […]
High Speed Rail passes Florida by while the rest of the world cashes in
Florida should have been the leader – beginning in the late 1980’s High Speed Rail was talked about as a potential driver for the state’s economy. Florida would once again be the national leader, the first to innovate much as the Askew/Graham years had pushed Florida to the forefront of progressive business-friendly reforms nationally. Then […]
The “new” “reinvented” Jeb Bush a Presidential contender
Nobody in Florida’s journalist circles did a better job of covering the heavy-handed borderline dictatorship at times that was Governor Jeb Bush’s reign better than S.V. Date, then of the Palm Beach Post. Date held Bush’s feet to the fire like no other reporter in the state. He had the courage to say what needed […]
Monday Musings: Why Democrats need competitive primaries, UKIP emerging as a force, Jeb Bush and Republican nominating history, How the RPOF spends money differently than the FDP
While we are all are wondering who is going to run for Senate in 2016 and 2018, there is one thing that Democrats need to remember: we need a competitive primary process in order to build up field. While it will no doubt be expensive for each campaign (both in ’16 and ’18), the one […]
The Crist Files: Charlie Crist and school “choice”
Many leaders of Florida’s Teachers Union have made it clear that they find Governor Charlie Crist, now seeking a return to the office he quit four years ago an acceptable choice. While it is entirely possible Crist’s views on education have evolved swiftly over the past few years, his record is very poor especially when […]
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 […]
School “Choice” Part I : The Agenda and History Behind Vouchers
Editors Note: Today we begin a three part series on School “Choice” legislation. This week Senate Democrats all but conceded defeat in the fight to stop the infamous “Parent trigger” bill since the dynamics of the Senate have changed with moderate, free thinking Republicans replaced Jeb Bush left the Governor’s office over six years ago, […]
The Florida Squeeze 