Emails & Opinions

Peter SchorschMay 9, 2017

The he-said, he-said-what? between medical marijuana proponents Ben Pollara and John Morgan has captivated political aficionados during the epilogue phase of the 2017 Legislative Session. On Friday night, the Legislature killed HB 1397, a bill to enact the medical marijuana amendment approved by 71 percent of voters in November. Morgan, who spearheaded and bankrolled much of […]

Tre' EversMay 9, 2017

Don’t pick a fight with folks who buy ink by the barrel — or so the saying goes. Well, it’s a good thing Peter Schorsch doesn’t actually buy ink, because I’ve got a bone to pick with him. Rick Scott and John Morgan could be considered “losers” only in a Tallahassee-centered universe. These two guys […]

Martin DyckmanMay 9, 2017

When the Florida Constitution Revision Commission was debating the election of judges 20 years ago, I sat in the gallery to hear my own words used to attack something that my editorials and columns consistently had supported. The issue was whether all trial judges should be chosen exclusively by appointment, without elections, in the same […]

Peter SchorschMay 8, 2017

Even after meeting dozens of times throughout the 2017 Legislative Session, the House GOP freshman caucus failed to adopt new rules on how to pick a leader. A caucus to ratify rules — drafted by Reps. Ralph Massullo and Michael Grant — to guide the freshman class’s decision-making process met Friday during a break in the […]

Peter SchorschMay 8, 2017

Dysfunction seems to run in Tallahassee like a sine wave. We went from the collapse of 2015 – the House going home early, no budget, a Special Budget Session – to the trains-on-time Session of 2016, to the no-budget-at-the-end-of-regulation Session in 2017. We saw another Session in which we got oh-so-close to a gambling bill, […]

Guest AuthorMay 8, 2017

“It is easier to build strong children, than to repair broken men (and women)” — Frederick Douglass It is incredible how many societal ills arise out of a failure to educate, in the fullest sense of the word, the children of our great state. We utter platitudes like, “we must do better,” as we watch […]

Joe HendersonMay 8, 2017

Florida State Senate President Joe Negron continues to insist there was no dark conspiracy to deny pre-eminent status to the University of South Florida. He swears on a stack of legal briefs that state graduation guidelines weren’t changed at the last minute just to make sure USF wouldn’t qualify. As we now know, this is […]

Peter SchorschMay 8, 2017

Sunburn – The morning read of what’s hot in Florida politics. By Peter Schorsch, Phil Ammann, Jenna Buzzacco-Foerster, Mitch Perry and Jim Rosica. The work of the people ended with a whimper Friday, as lawmakers agreed to extend the 2017 Legislative Session to complete the budget, killing a host of other legislation. As the Legislature turned […]

Peter SchorschMay 6, 2017

Editor’s note: FloridaPolitics.com comprehensive list of the Winners and Losers emerging from the 2017 Session will be published after Sine Die. Arthenia Joyner may no longer be in the Legislature, but she finally was able to see a prized piece of legislation pass. This week, the House unanimously approved the “Compensation of Victims of Wrongful […]

Blake DowlingMay 6, 2017

Legislative Session is winding down – gaming, dope, infrastructure, assistive tech. It has been an exciting journey, with losers and winners, fights, name calling at the Capitol and at the Governors Club. Hopefully, when the dust settles, those in the trenches can regain some commonality and remember we are all on the same team as […]

Emails & Opinions

John Morgan wrong to insult Mayernicks, lobbying profession

Tre’ Evers: On the contrary — Rick Scott, John Morgan real winners of 2017 Legislative Session

Martin Dyckman: Judges are not politicians, nor should they play politics

House GOP freshmen fail to adopt rules for Speaker’s race, putting leadership battle into chaos

Winners and losers emerging from the 2017 Legislative Session

Michael Bileca and Manny Diaz: Florida’s educational industrial complex earned need to be reformed

Joe Henderson: Bottom line for USF — Close, but no pre-eminence status

Sunburn for 5.8.17 – Sine Die

Takeaways from Tallahassee — Arthenia Joyner’s bill delayed, but not denied

Blake Dowling: Looking back …