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

Guest AuthorApril 3, 2016

Florida voters were overwhelmed with political ads on their TVs, computers, mobile devices and phones in advance of the recent Florida primary. The television ads pushed traditional product commercials out of prime-time programming and dominated the commercial breaks. Fortunately, the commercials disappeared as quickly as they started — at least until they start up again […]

Guest AuthorMarch 31, 2016

Florida has felt the effects of 59 federally declared natural disasters since 2010, and was recently struck by Tropical Storm Erika. Of course, our region is far from the only one to have experienced the devastating impacts of natural disasters. Since 2010, counties that are home to 97 percent of the U.S. population were affected […]

Guest AuthorMarch 31, 2016

If you’re in trouble and considering suicide, click here for a list of resources. “Angela* killed herself yesterday.” When someone calls, late on a Saturday night, with terrible news about a friend and colleague, it’s hard to know how to react. I sat down in a quiet space and took a deep breath. “What happened?” […]

Guest AuthorMarch 31, 2016

Despite persistent local legends and the occasional Sarah Palin-esque tweaking of the tourists, you cannot see the night lights of Havana from Key West. Not even on a clear evening. Not even if you squint. But Havana, a mere 90 miles from Key West, is closer to Duval Street than is Miami. In the days […]

Guest AuthorMarch 31, 2016

The late singer Ted Lewis in top hat, cane and tuxedo would look straight at the audience and ask, “Is everybody happy?” He would go on to sing, “Me and My Shadow” or any number of songs in his repertoire. The audience laughed then, but there would be little amusement today. Very few are happy. […]

Guest AuthorMarch 30, 2016

Despite persistent local legends and the occasional Sarah Palin-esque tweaking of the tourists, you cannot see the night lights of Havana from Key West. Not even on a clear evening. Not even if you squint. But Havana, a mere 90 miles from Key West, is closer to Duval Street than is Miami. In the days […]

Guest AuthorMarch 30, 2016

Jacob and Zachary, my sons, turned 16 in January. The birthday cards came pouring in, dozens of messages and jokes around the idea that “drivers better watch out” and “it’s time to get your license.” Since I’ve always been guided by reason, rather than Hallmark, these cards didn’t mean much to me. Or my kids. […]

Guest AuthorMarch 29, 2016

Technology has brought us so much innovation the past few years. We now have the ability to stream movies from our cell phones and contact people across the globe. We can send important messages in a matter of seconds and essentially pack our entire lives into one small device. Our laptops and cell phones have […]

Guest AuthorMarch 27, 2016

Beyond the pettiness, the vitriolic words, the name-calling and the bombast from Donald Trump also sits a chasm between what is the truth and what suits him and his own goals. While he calls Ted Cruz “Lyin’ Ted” and Marco Rubio “Little Marco,” he also finds ways to offer a story line to the American […]

Guest AuthorMarch 24, 2016

While serving as Lt. Governor of Florida, I had the opportunity to speak on the phone with Elsa Morejon, the wife of a political prisoner in Cuba, Dr. Oscar Biscet. Friends of Elsa had asked me to contact her and encourage her while her husband lingered in a maximum-security prison run by the communist police […]

Guest Author
Aerial photo courtesy Jesse Biter.

William Steiger: Ads might not change your vote, but they might get you to vote

Mark Ferrulo: Pam Bondi on wrong side of history

Catherine Durkin Robinson: Suicide reminds me that sometimes the bad voice wins

Linda Cunningham: Reconnecting with Cuba needs to be done carefully, slowly

Marc Yacht: The voters are angry and unhappy

Linda Cunningham: Reconnecting with Cuba needs to be done carefully, slowly

Catherine Durkin Robinson: Florida should raise the driving age to 18

Elizabeth Santiago: Tapping into the issue of phone privacy

Ed Moore: Donald Trump is wrong when he says nomination threshold is arbitrary

Jeff Kottkamp: Obama should show outrage over Cuba’s human rights violations