Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Guest AuthorFebruary 4, 2015

With Mitt Romney announcing that he will not seek the GOP presidential endorsement again, former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush is positioned to be the uncontested “establishment” favorite to run in 2016. But a new Bloomberg Politics/Des Moines Register Iowa Poll spells trouble for Jeb. He’s already “toast” according to Salon. “Jeb Bush has some work […]

Guest AuthorFebruary 4, 2015

His name was Eddie, and he was a lot like me. We both were studious, scrawny and 11 years old at the time. He wore a starched white shirt with sharply creased sleeves and heavy-rimmed glasses that probably brought teasing from classmates. We sat awkwardly – mostly in silence – at the end of a […]

Jac VerSteegFebruary 4, 2015

Let’s connect the dots between a few headlines. From the Feb. 3 Palm Beach Post: “Land lacking for new homes.” From the Feb. 2 Palm Beach Post: “Avenir leader: Let’s talk plan out.” And from the Jan. 30 South Florida Sun Sentinel: “Inquiry backs up Palm Beach County’s handling of Ag Reserve Development.” When you […]

James CallFebruary 4, 2015

Patricia Nelson delivered the marching orders to the 12-member panel negotiating a regulatory structure to allow a medicinal marijuana product in Florida. The director of the Office of Compassionate Use minced few words in opening the first day of the two-day meeting scheduled to fulfill the Department of Health’s responsibility to implement the state’s Charlotte’s […]

Christine Jordan SextonFebruary 4, 2015

More than 1.3 million Floridians have enrolled or re-enrolled in so-called Obamacare plans through the federal health insurance marketplace, which puts the Sunshine State at the top of the list for number of residents using the federally run exchange to purchase insurance, federal officials said on Wednesday. Nationally, nearly 7.5 million consumers selected a plan […]

Mitch PerryFebruary 4, 2015

Attempts by the craft brewing industry to finally repeal the ban on 64-ounce beer growlers looked promising going into this year’s legislative session in Florida. But a provision added to what was considered a “clean” growler bill proved contentious at a hearing in the Senate Regulated Industries committee hearing on Wednesday afternoon in Tallahassee. In […]

Peter SchorschFebruary 4, 2015

Two Republican state lawmakers submitted new bills today to remove Florida’s “wall of separation” between grocery and liquor stores. House Bill 499, filed by state Rep. John Wood, and Senate Bill 468 from state Sen. Denise Grimsley seeks to repeal Florida’s “outdated and inconvenient” separation law. Both bills will be considered in the 2015 legislative session that starts […]

Melissa RossFebruary 4, 2015

Dark horse mayoral candidate Bill Bishop is banking on an underdog appeal and policy wonk specificity as he mounts an insurgent’s challenge to incumbent Jacksonville Mayor Alvin Brown and extremely well-funded GOP establishment favorite Lenny Curry. Bishop, an architect and former president of the Jacksonville City Council, has peeled off a few GOP endorsements in recent days, and says he has a strategy to […]

Associated PressFebruary 4, 2015

The Supreme Court is taking another look at President Barack Obama’s health care law, and this time it’s not just the White House that should be worried. Republican lawmakers and governors, too, will feel the backlash if the court invalidates insurance subsidies worth billions of dollars to people in more than 30 states. Obama’s law […]

Associated PressFebruary 4, 2015

The Supreme Court is taking another look at President Barack Obama’s health care law, and this time it’s not just the White House that should be worried. Republican lawmakers and governors, too, will feel the backlash if the court invalidates insurance subsidies worth billions of dollars to people in more than 30 states. Obama’s law […]

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Milton damage. Image via City of Tampa.

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Supreme Court’s new health law case cuts both ways

Supreme Court's new health law case cuts both ways