Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Diane RobertsOctober 20, 2015

OCCUPIED TALLAHASSEE – Another Special Session! Why, it’s just like Christmas – minus the joy. Minus the presents, too. While the members of the Florida Legislature rake in lobbyist largesse during committee weeks and every other hour that God sends, trawling for dollars during a Session is verboten. This makes them surly. Surlier. They aren’t […]

Sally SwartzOctober 20, 2015

About 150 of James Hutchinson’s friends braved a stormy night in Stuart last week to hear their favorite celebrated artist talk about living with the Seminoles and Miccosukees half a century ago. Hutchinson’s paintings from those six years, well known statewide and nationally, capture not only a gone-forever way of life, but also the disappearing […]

Guest AuthorOctober 19, 2015

“Not one more.” “Enough is enough.” “When will we do something about these mass shootings?” These are routine responses when someone shoots up a school, of which there have been three this month alone. In addition, let’s not forget about accidental shootings in the home, domestic abusers killing girlfriends or wives, countless suicides and murders […]

Shannon NickinsonOctober 19, 2015

Northwest Florida has a lot going for it. That was among the bits of wisdom and moments of insight offered throughout the recent Gulf Power Economic Symposium at the Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort in Destin. What we do with all that potential and goodwill created by our area’s natural beauty and a workforce influenced […]

Associated PressOctober 19, 2015

Donald Trump likes to boast about his enormous wealth and how he doesn’t need anyone else’s money to pay for his presidential campaign. That hasn’t stopped tens of thousands of people from chipping in with checks as small as $10 to let the Republican candidate know they’re behind him. Trump has taken in 73,942 contributions, […]

A.G. GancarskiOctober 19, 2015

One of the major issues in Jacksonville is vacant properties, stemming from the foreclosure crisis and other issues. Estimates say about 30,000 such properties dot the various neighborhoods in Jacksonville. Even in a time where we’ve seen equity markets surge to record numbers, the struggle is real … even in “good neighborhood[s],” according to one […]

Guest AuthorOctober 18, 2015

The rising expense of pharmaceuticals is expected to put extra pressure on Florida’s budget next year, with the Department of Corrections, worker health insurance plans, and Medicaid shouldering most of the burden. New specialty drugs in particular are fanning the budgetary flames, such as Sovaldi and Harvoni: $1,000 pills that cure Hepatitis C. Many observers […]

A.G. GancarskiOctober 16, 2015

For a measure of how seriously people in Jacksonville City Hall take the recent spate of imbroglios related to boards and commissions, look no further than an exasperated email from Jacksonville Ethics Compliance and Oversight Director Carla Miller to Chief Administrative Officer Sam Mousa. “We need to step up Board Ethics training; they need to come […]

Guest AuthorOctober 16, 2015

I attended the annual Tallahassee ritual Wednesday when politicians address the media and take some questions. The Republicans talked in generalities at the AP Legislative Planning Session and, for the most part, refused to respond to direct questions with direct answers. The Democrats, because they have absolutely no power in Florida government, mostly complained. Nonetheless, […]

Guest AuthorOctober 16, 2015

Everyone wants to increase the supply of renewable energy. The question is, how to do it in a way that benefits and protects consumers, regardless of their energy choices. When the so-called “solar choice” amendment was introduced, I was among those who called on its sponsors to modify their proposed amendment in a way that […]

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Image via Dariel Fernandez/Facebook.

Diane Roberts: Charm and grace again flow downhill from Capitol

Sally Swartz: Accomplished artist recalls life with Seminoles, Miccosukees

Catherine Durkin Robinson: Here are 11 concrete actions you can take to curb gun violence

Shannon Nickinson: Economic symposium points way for NW Florida's future

Small-dollar donors flock to Donald Trump, help power his campaign

Jax resident proposes property confiscation to deal with vacancy crisis

Sarah Maricle Ayers: Best medicine for drug prices is very little

Jax ethics chief urges after-hours training sessions

Tom O’Hara: Banner plane delivered highlight of AP Legislative Planning Day

Jim Kallinger: Make the smart solar choice