Joe Henderson: How much will Florida change in 2019? Probably not much

A lone spectator watches the New Year's Eve fireworks from a walkway in Cascades Park Sunday, Dec. 31, 2017, in downtown Tallahassee, Fla. (Photo by Phil Sears)

Welcome to Florida 2019, a time of hope and optimism that maybe, finally, we’ll get it right. That feeling usually lasts about 24 hours before we realize that while the calendar may have changed, most everything else won’t.

People keep moving here. Traffic gets worse. And the National Rifle Association usually gets whatever Marion Hammer wants.

Sure, Florida is about to inaugurate a new Governor, and that’s always energizing. But Ron DeSantis is a Republican, just like those who went before him — Rick Scott, Charlie Crist (sort of), and Jeb! Bush. So, while the person living in the Governor’s mansion may be new, the policies won’t be that much different from what we’ve grown used to.

Away from politics, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Miami Dolphins are looking for new coaches.

As U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio noted in a tweet, the Dolphins “have a chance on the football side what they did with Hard Rock Stadium, build something special.”

Nice sentiment. Won’t happen.

Same with the Bucs, who did fool everyone by starting this season with two wins but then figured out what they were doing right and corrected it.

With that in mind, here are some things we would love to see change in 2019, but probably won’t.

The time is coming to back it up, Sen. Rubio: Florida’s now-senior Senator is noted for occasionally making noise with statements that appear to call out President Donald Trump when he does or says something loopy.

When it comes to back up his words with actual votes, though, Rubio shrinks in the spotlight and meekly votes to approve whatever the President or party leadership demands.

However, if the report by Special Prosecutor Robert Mueller contains proof Trump broke federal law in his business dealings or during the campaign and Rubio issues his customary statement of extreme concern, will he back it up in a meaningful way that puts the country first?

Call me skeptical.

I’d ask the same about incoming Sen. Rick Scott, but I kind of already know the direction he’ll go, no matter what.

Meet U at 7 by the … OMG! Once again, the issue of distracted driving is before the Florida Legislature. Once again, there appears to be strong support to make it a primary offense that would allow police to issue tickets if they see a driver texting while behind the wheel. It’s absurd that it has taken this much trouble to push through a commonsense law for public safety.

Is this year it passes?

That would be 2g2bt (ask your teenager what that means … oh, OK … it’s texting shorthand for “too good to be true.”

Somehow, it keeps failing and Vegas teaches that you can go broke betting on a streak to stop or start.

Pick up a dozen eggs and a bottle of Jim Beam: The so-called Whiskey and Wheaties bill that would allow liquor to be sold in grocery and big-box stores passed last year after several efforts to get it through the Legislature.

Scott promptly vetoed it, and it wound up in court.

An administrative judge recently issued a ruling that came down on the side of those who think it’s silly that they have to go to separate stores to buy their liquor and their food, especially since they can get beer and wine in grocery stores.

The state, naturally, has appealed the judge’s ruling.

Is this the year we’ll see tequila in the same store as potpies?

Doubt it.

The same goes for sports gambling, by the way. After the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that individual states can set up rules for betting on sports events, Florida voters approved controversial Amendment 3 that was aimed at casino expansion but may also have curtailed any attempt to legally bet on sports.

So, all that money that could have gone into state coffers will continue to fly into out-of-state gambling accounts, because here’s another prediction.

Sports betting isn’t going to stop. Florida just won’t get its share of the profits.

The rocket’s big boom, at 2:30 a.m. I just threw this in there to remind our leaders that Florida still has the most ridiculous fireworks law in the country. As I write this on New Year’s Eve, I’m anticipating a bird infestation tonight because there will be so many firecrackers going off and, well … to buy them legally in Florida purchasers are supposed to stipulate they understand they’re supposed to use them for agriculture purposes — you know, scare off birds from the plants.

Will that change in Florida 2019?

LOL!