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

Guest AuthorSeptember 26, 2013

It’s an interesting sign of these confusing political times that general elections tell us as much about political parties as primaries. It used to be that Republicans would gleefully pick off centrist Democrats who were disaffected by their party’s perceived leftward direction. Now it appears that Democrats are returning the favor, capturing centrist Republicans (a […]

Guest AuthorSeptember 26, 2013

Education continues to be contentious in Florida and for good reason. Public education has failed miserably to adequately prepare most graduates for the workplace. I say most because students in the top 10 to 15 percent of their class do well. But the rest are at best mediocre. I’m a well-taught product of Florida’s public […]

Guest AuthorSeptember 26, 2013

Florida’s elected leaders could learn a lot from the hordes of fishermen they represent. In fact, I think a statewide political fishing tournament every couple of years might be a great way to spread some much-needed wisdom among them. The prizes could be large contributions from the sponsors, deposited into the campaign accounts of the […]

Guest AuthorSeptember 25, 2013

Sadly, Sept. 19 marked five years since TransCanada applied for permission from the U.S. government to build the Keystone XL pipeline, a privately funded project that would give American consumers a direct link to Canadian oil sands, the third largest oil reserves in the world. However, the Obama Administration, bowing to political pressure from anti-energy […]

Guest AuthorSeptember 25, 2013

The growing conventional wisdom is that former Gov. Charlie Crist is a shoo-in to become Florida’s next governor. Conventional wisdom is wrong. The mainstream media in Florida is going to endorse Charlie. They love him because he loves the press and knows how to whip up a crowd with his rhetorical talents. There certainly is […]

Guest AuthorSeptember 25, 2013

Florida’s future depends on access to a reliable supply of fresh water. While we’re surrounded by seas and receive abundant rainfall, in some regions during certain times of the year, we are using water faster than Mother Nature can provide it. As our population continues to grow — this year we will surpass New York […]

Guest AuthorSeptember 24, 2013

Usually it is Democrats who have the short-sentence sell: “This (fill in the blank) will help people.” As news circulates that Florida’s unemployment rate fell again in August, Republicans have the easy pitch, “It’s working,” while critics must expend a lot of breath to argue it is not as it seems. It’s a lot simpler […]

Guest AuthorSeptember 24, 2013

With all the efforts in DC to cut the Food Stamp (SNAP) Program, we need to take a step back and look at just what the program is doing, or not doing, and how it helps or hinders the health of our vulnerable in this country. The SNAP program has saved millions from starvation, but […]

Guest AuthorSeptember 24, 2013

This past session, state legislators passed a bill defining the permitted scope of activities for individuals who will soon help Florida consumers navigate the complicated maze of health insurance exchanges established under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA). These individuals, who work for the federal health insurance exchanges, are called “navigators,” and it’s […]

Guest AuthorSeptember 24, 2013

Here’s where we are, Florida. Gov. Rick Scott has cut taxes five times in the last three legislative sessions: property taxes, business income taxes, sales taxes on manufacturing equipment and machinery. Almost 370,000 private-sector jobs have been created. Our unemployment rate has been dramatically reduced to 7 percent, below the national average, surpassing economists’ expectations. […]

Guest Author

Cary McMullen: A Republican abandons Rick Scott

Barney Bishop: Public education has failed to prepare most grads for workplace

Jim McClellan: If Florida politicians did more fishing

Dave Mica: It’s time to get started on the oil pipeline from Canada

Barney Bishop: Scott has delivered on promise to create jobs

Adam Putnam: Keeping Florida’s water flowing

Karen Cyphers: Jobs data incomplete, but Dem rebukes are a greater folly

Gary Stein: The country’s plump poor can’t get off the ‘floor’

Lee Martin: Health insurance exchanges: More consumer protections needed

Lenny Curry: Rick Scott’s tax cuts continue his record of helping Florida’s economy