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

Martin DyckmanNovember 10, 2014

Sarcasm alert! The election campaign was not altogether a disaster. It revealed that I have more friends than I could have imagined. Michelle. Barack. Joe (as in Biden.) Wendy (as in Davis.) Robert (as in Redford.) Al (as in Franken.) Harry (as in Reid.) Even Scarlett. As in Johansson. And dozens more — mostly from […]

Martin DyckmanNovember 6, 2014

It can no longer be said that the country is going to hell. We have arrived. The worst disappointment isn’t the re-election of the kleptocrat Rick Scott, or U.S. Sen. Kay Hagan’s defeat by a Koch stooge in North Carolina, or even the fact that Ted Cruz is now running amok in a Senate majority. […]

Martin DyckmanNovember 3, 2014

The strengths of Tom Slade, the former Florida Republican chairman who died Oct. 20, included a talent for recruiting good candidates for offices the party had not won before. Comptroller Bob Milligan and Education Commissioner Frank Brogan were two of them. But this story, untold until now, is about a big one that got away. […]

Martin DyckmanNovember 2, 2014

Down deep on Tuesday’s ballots — the last item on most — is an issue not to be overlooked. Should a lame-duck governor replace Supreme Court Justices and judges of the district court of appeal who will be leaving office when he does? Or should it be the next governor’s duty? That’s the issue with […]

Martin DyckmanOctober 30, 2014

You’re the victim of a bad business deal, a drunken driver, a home improvement fraud, or a big bad check. So you call your lawyer. Nothing happens. The other guy’s lawyer has gotten to yours. They go partying together and he contributes money to your lawyer’s political campaign fund. If this happened in private life, […]

Martin DyckmanOctober 26, 2014

The last time the Constitution Revision Commission met, in 1997, it had some very good ideas. One of them was to establish an independent panel to redistrict the Legislature and congressional districts. More than half the members favored it, but fierce pressure from John Thrasher and other Republican bosses in the Legislature peeled off an […]

Martin DyckmanOctober 21, 2014

There are 100 potential questions on the test for immigrants wanting to become naturalized citizens. While reviewing them with a candidate whom I’m coaching, something odd stood out. He’s expected to know that the United States has a “market” or “capitalist” economy, but not what kind of government we have. He needs to know only […]

Martin DyckmanOctober 20, 2014

The title of the Florida Public Service Commission is about as relevant to reality as that of the People’s Republic of China. In each case, the true constituency is a narrow group of self-perpetuating special interests. Making the public interest the true constituency of the PSC ought to be high on the agenda of the […]

Martin DyckmanOctober 19, 2014

The term limits initiative that Florida voters put into the Constitution in 1992 was one of the most popular issues ever, passing with 3,625,500 “yes” votes to only 1,097,127 against it. But what it has done to the Legislature makes it one of the costliest mistakes in Florida history. The voters deserve an opportunity to […]

Martin DyckmanOctober 14, 2014

Whether to legalize marijuana for medical use — and with what conditions — are questions that should have been debated by the Legislature. There have been opportunities. But the profile most legislators display on such topics is not one of courage. Sports anglers encountered the same quicksand when they asked for restrictions on the massive […]

Martin Dyckman

Martin Dyckman: The upside of campaign season: Scarlett Johansson is now my friend

Martin Dyckman: This is what’s worse: Now we auction our government to the highest bidders

Martin Dyckman: It’s a shame the Democrats didn’t have Tom Slade working for them

Martin Dyckman: Amendment 3 is a cynical bamboozlement and must be defeated

Martin Dyckman: Attorney General Pam Bondi repeatedly has been lobbied out of representing the people of Florida

Martin Dyckman: Constitution commission needs to end abuse of primary elections

Martin Dyckman: We’re living in an oligarchy; only voters can restore democracy

Martin Dyckman: If you want the PSC to protect customers, vote for Crist

Martin Dyckman: Elect Crist if you want to fix the mess created by term limits

Martin Dyckman: Vote for Crist if you want much-needed constitutional reform