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

Guest AuthorSeptember 23, 2013

Recently, a friend I have known since college sent me a link to a letter supposedly written to President Obama that was circulating on the Internet. It purportedly was written as a letter to the editor in a Mississippi newspaper. Normally I ignore such posts since the Internet is filled with “trolls” (people who post […]

Guest AuthorSeptember 22, 2013

“I never drink water because of the disgusting things that fish do in it.”- W. C. Fields First Lady Michelle Obama once again is trying to get Americans to eat, and now drink, healthier. She announced last week a new initiative called “Drink Up” that will try to get more Americans to drink water rather […]

Guest AuthorSeptember 22, 2013

“May you live in interesting times,” an oft-used phrase that is often misunderstood. Many people assume that “interesting” means entertaining and pleasant. In reality, it is not a blessing at all. The intent of the statement is to wish you the pleasure of living in chaotic and troubling times in the belief that disorder is […]

Guest AuthorSeptember 21, 2013

My mother and I were eating dinner recently at her favorite restaurant. We spent several hours talking, laughing and enjoying our meal. We noticed that while the occupants of the surrounding tables changed a number of times, their behaviors were almost identical: Most seemed transfixed by an electronic device. There were cell phones, tablets, MP3 […]

Guest AuthorSeptember 20, 2013

With the noble and lofty goal of improving education in America, a group of educators and leaders in the education reform movement came together to develop a national set of standards in the hope that our educational system in the various states would meet a common standard and impart a common base of knowledge for […]

Guest AuthorSeptember 20, 2013

Many Americans believe today that the federal government has become too big, too invasive and too unwieldy. Indeed if you are one of those citizens who thought some of the questions asked during the 2010 Census were a bit too nosy, just wait until you meet the next wave of folks who may come knocking on […]

Guest AuthorSeptember 19, 2013

It seems that Russia is calling us out as a nation on one of our most cherished and unwritten beliefs: the one that says America is exceptional. There is a long history to this notion, beginning with the Puritan John Winthrop’s comparison of his pilgrim band to the biblical city on a hill, and Americans […]

Guest AuthorSeptember 19, 2013

I’m thinking of moving back to Tallahassee because I understand there’s a new line of work available for folks like me. I used to be a public relations professional there, helping clients generate interest in their issues, communicate more effectively with the public and avoid missteps in the dicey world of state politics. After years […]

Guest AuthorSeptember 19, 2013

The governor of Florida is making it abundantly clear he will stop at nothing to sabotage the new federal health care law. And in so doing, he’s putting at risk some of the very residents he was elected to serve. Earlier this year, the governor decided to sign legislation that eliminated the Florida insurance commissioner’s […]

Guest AuthorSeptember 18, 2013

The headlines are achingly familiar: “Financing loosens up for new condo projects/ Lenders provide nearly $900 million in financing” “Brickell project changes to condo” “Fort Lauderdale rental boom underway” “Related Group plans 4 more condo towers.” And so on. With the wounds of South Florida’s last boom/bust cycle still fresh in our memories – to […]

Guest Author

Gary Stein: Time to dismiss the stereotypes in health care debate

Steve Kurlander: Michelle Obama drives fat Americans to drink H2O

Ed Moore: Interesting times that try men’s souls

Rebekah McCloud: The lost art of conversation

Debbie Mayfield: Common core is wrong for Florida

Bob McClure: Wary of the knocking navigators

Cary McMullen: Is America the exception to the rule?

Jim McClellan: Lobbying the news media? Not likely

Sen. Bill Nelson: Gov. Scott trying to disrupt new health care law

Doug Clifton: South Florida building boom will surely end in another bust