Daniel Tilson, Author at Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Daniel TilsonJuly 21, 2014

With Florida Gov. Rick Scott’s endless evasions of myriad legitimate questions from the press garnering national coverage, not to mention racking up more points in the ongoing “America’s Worst Governor” competition, I thought I’d reach across the aisle to help out. So I came up with some snappy new rap song lyrics for Slick Rick to […]

Daniel TilsonJuly 15, 2014

Now is the time for Florida to build momentum toward further state-level immigration reform. The 2014 legislative victory granting in-state tuition rates to undocumented college students has put us on the right path…forward. What we can’t afford to do now is settle for anything less than creating full-steam-ahead support for taking the next steps. Republican […]

Daniel TilsonJuly 10, 2014

The uproar following the U.S. Supreme Court’s Hobby Lobby decision targeting American women is well warranted. But another awful court decision, this one targeting American workers, got far too little attention in the process and may well have more far-reaching, damaging impact. The good news: The June 30 Harris v. Quinn ruling in question appears […]

Daniel TilsonJuly 7, 2014

Florida Democratic Party leaders say it’s very hard to recruit candidates for local legislative races. They said it in a press conference during their recent “Leadership Blue Gala” fundraiser and statewide membership meeting. I was working in New York City on non-Florida, non-political stuff when I took a break and saw that item on SaintPetersBlog’s […]

Daniel TilsonJune 26, 2014

Hey, have you heard? The Florida Democratic Party (FDP) machine will proudly display some shiny moving parts this weekend at a swank hotel in Hollywood. Two days of meetings, marketing and fundraising events will deploy like a windup toy, highlighted by Saturday night’s $225 per person “Leadership Blue Gala,” starring Bill Clinton as keynote speaker. […]

Daniel TilsonJune 24, 2014

It’s official. Forty-five legislative districts in Florida will feature coronations rather than elections come November. All hail participatory democracy in the Sunshine State! Actually, most of the coronations came just in time for Happy Hour last Friday, after the candidate-qualifying period for 2014 had officially closed at high noon. Ceremonies consisted mostly of email and […]

Daniel TilsonJune 18, 2014

Juneteenth is a too-little-known annual day of celebration and reflection observed every June 19, commemorating the actual end of American slavery in 1865. It’s the day on which 149 years ago in Galveston, Texas, Gen. Gordon Granger and Union Army soldiers enforced the Emancipation Proclamation signed by President Abraham Lincoln in 1862, by freeing all […]

Daniel TilsonJune 5, 2014

University presidents should be special, but for the right reasons. This came to mind as Florida State University clumsily lurched along the road to picking a new president. Eric Barron resigned somewhat suddenly in early April, to take the presidency at Penn State. With a long pre-FSU faculty/administration history there, this was a “dream” move […]

Daniel TilsonMay 29, 2014

As if Internet service isn’t expensive enough, get ready for a “two-tiered” pay-to-play version. The Federal Communications Commission is moving forward with a controversial plan that would let Internet service providers (ISP) charge companies extra to stream their content at faster speeds. Companies like Netflix, Amazon and Google would be charged new fees to deliver […]

Daniel TilsonMay 27, 2014

The grandstanding of Gov. Rick Scott and other politicians around veterans’ health-care revelations leading up to Memorial Day weekend has been something to behold, and condemn. If there were one issue you’d hope to see both political parties rally around and use as a teachable, actionable moment for themselves and America, this would be it. […]

Daniel Tilson
Crowds gather to see Atlantis at Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex. (Gabrielle Russon)

Daniel Tilson: The Rick Scott 2014 broken-record remix

Daniel Tilson: Florida must enact its own bold immigration reform

Daniel Tilson: That other awful U.S. Supreme Court ruling

Daniel Tilson: New way forward for Florida Democrats

Daniel Tilson: Florida Democratic Party needs to connect some dots

Daniel Tilson: Uncontested elections are un-American and unacceptable

Daniel Tilson: Make Juneteenth more than national holiday

Daniel Tilson: FSU president should be special for right reasons

Daniel Tilson: It’s HOW the FCC regulates the Internet that matters

Daniel Tilson: Political grandstanding over veterans’ health care is shameful