Tag Archives: politics
Have Most DEC’s Merely Become Social Clubs or Glorified Debating Societies?
I’ve been going to DEC meetings around the state for almost two decades. In that time I have seen some good DECs, some decent ones and mostly ineffective ones. While the impotence of the Florida Democratic Party has been largely blamed for the continued poor electoral performances of the party at the state level, the […]
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. […]
Florida Turns 500: When the State Almost Fell into Colonial British Hands
Today is the 500th Anniversary of Juan Ponce de León’s landing in Florida. The landing is believed to have been near the Fountain of Youth just north of St Augustine, and for historical purposes we will stick with that even though the landing may have been as far south as present day Brevard County. Today […]
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 […]
Port Funding Controversy: Governor Scott is Right to a Point
Rick Scott made an issue Thursday on Port funding asking the Federal Government to reimburse Florida taxpayers $75 million for the Port of Miami dredging project. Governor Scott is correct on this issue as he was regarding his January request for upwards of $36 million in state funding for Jacksonville port improvements. Building Florida’s port […]
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 […]
Kurly’s Kommentary: Carroll resignation shows true qualifications, not pedigree, should be top priority
Time to ditch the Ferrero method of picking candidates By Steven Kurlander Much of the analysis of the resignation of Florida’s Lt. Governor Jennifer Carroll last week is being framed as yet another ethics failure of Governor Scott’s administration and the need for campaign financing reform and better financial and business disclosure by public officials. […]
PPP Poll Takeaway & Is Jeb Growing Envious of Rubio?
Beating up on Governor Jeb Bush over his failed press tour and his two consecutive 180 degree flips on immigration is too easy, and not worthy of any more column inches. But what is interesting in the recently released PPP poll is that Marco Rubio’s views on immigration are now far clearer and better known […]
Book Review: Reubin O’D. Askew and the Golden Age of Florida Politics
With the Florida Legislature again showing a limited depth and understanding of the state’s problems, I can find no better time than now re-run this book review, originally published at the Political Hurricane last year. Martin Dyckman who covered the Tallahassee scene for the St Petersburg Times from the 1960s until the 1990s, has written […]
Are Florida’s Business Groups Becoming More Pragmatic?
By Kartik Krishnaiyer Florida’s two leading business groups endorsement of Rick Scott’s Medicaid expansion (which ran into trouble in the Senate this week) signaled to many a pragmatic shift by Associated Industries (AIF) and The Florida Chamber. While on the surface it appears the organizations are growing more practical and realistic in approaching the need […]
The Florida Squeeze 