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

Guest AuthorMarch 4, 2014

First in an occasional series about Florida history. As the Legislature convenes in Tallahassee, it’s a good time to reflect on how we got to where we are as a state and how it all began. On March 3, 1845, Florida joined the Union as the 27th state. Hanging in my office is a map […]

Guest AuthorMarch 4, 2014

Recently I was cycling with a friend from grade school, and let’s politely say our political views have been at odds since seventh grade. But she says that she’d be a Republican on most issues, except for the environment. I remarked how there are no greater conservationists than those folks who grow up camping, fishing, hunting […]

Guest AuthorMarch 3, 2014

New York’s Gov. Andrew Cuomo recently proposed providing college degree programs in New York prisons, a proposal met with harsh criticisms from lawmakers and taxpayers alike. The estimated cost would be $5,000 per year per prisoner and a degree could be completed in three years or less. But providing taxpayer funded college scholarships to felons […]

Guest AuthorMarch 2, 2014

At first, I thought it was a joke — political satire. But no, it was for real. Some people actually think that way. It seems that a Maryland middle school was holding a dance and pizza party complete with a DJ for students who earned straight A’s. Students who got B’s and C’s were invited […]

Guest AuthorFebruary 27, 2014

Now that the grand bargain seems to have foundered on the rocks of political intransigence, perhaps it is time to tackle reform of the basic Social Security program. While a funding crisis is not imminent — the system is sound for well more than the next decade — the sooner corrective action is taken the less drastic […]

Guest AuthorFebruary 27, 2014

I can’t decide if kids these days are more enlightened when it comes to sex, or just as stupid as we were at their age. When choosing middle schools for my twin sons, Jacob and Zachary, many factors came into play. I chose their particular magnet program because of its rigorous academic environment, uniforms, early […]

Guest AuthorFebruary 27, 2014

Today’s world is full of hustle and bustle, instant downloads and constant online access. Although it creates an atmosphere of hyper-connectivity and efficiency, and it’s fascinating to see what we’ll think of next as we advance further and further into a digitally dominated culture, it can be easy to lose sight of the one thing […]

Guest AuthorFebruary 26, 2014

Most of us know Florida as the home to Disney World, LeBron James, and the reigning college football national champions. Small-business owners and those looking to invest and create jobs see a far different side of the state: its growing reputation as a hotbed of lawsuit abuse, especially for lawsuits alleging violations of the […]

Guest AuthorFebruary 26, 2014

OK, I admit it: I have road rage, just not the kind that makes me drive 4 feet behind someone who has made me angry, or leads me to exact vengeance on other drivers. Other drivers rarely do anything that makes me insane. Yes, there are people who cut me off, or people who drive […]

Guest AuthorFebruary 25, 2014

Earlier this week, Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel announced an initiative by the Obama Administration to significantly reduce military spending over five years. Described as “draconian,” Hagel’s proposal is surely just the beginning of an acrimonious debate over how big our military should be in a 2020 world, how much our military should depend on […]

Guest Author
Image via AP.

Ed Moore: Celebrating an important birthday: Florida’s!

Henry Kelley: Conservatives are often the most ardent conservationists

Dan McCarthy: Prisons should teach inmates work skills, not crime skills

John Grant: Pizza for all?

Michael Richardson: Winners and losers of privatized Social Security

Catherine Durkin Robinson: Sex & middle-school students: Conflicted, yes, but there’s hope

Peter A. Clark: There’s much more we can do to protect Tampa Bay

Tom Scott: Florida, don’t follow California’s lead by choosing lawsuits over jobs

Mark Routhier: Traffic lights turn me red

Steve Kurlander: We’re overdue for a discussion about military spending