Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Guest AuthorOctober 8, 2014

I smoked some marijuana the other day and went to the beach in Fort Lauderdale. I eased back in my chair, looked up and saw the a lovely formation of wispy white clouds. The late-afternoon air had a hint of Florida autumn. The water was warm. The sounds of the beachgoers were soothing. I was […]

Shannon NickinsonOctober 8, 2014

I think I had my last chance to be in a wedding party. Thanks heavens I’m going out on a high note. I went through a period for a couple of years where it seemed like everyone I knew was getting matched or hatched. It was gift registries and strappy shoes for months at a […]

Guest AuthorOctober 8, 2014

Transformers 4 grossed $1 billion dollars worldwide. Now it’s out on Blu-Ray to add to that total. This has left many wondering what South Park creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone once famously pondered: “Why does Michael Bay get to keep on making movies” when his movies are seemingly so terrible? Well, modern consumer scientific […]

Guest AuthorOctober 7, 2014

If you haven’t yet heard about political writer Matt Bai’s book on the failed presidential hopes of Gary Hart, you will. Bai, once political editor for the New York Times’ Sunday magazine and current political editor for Yahoo, asserts that one week in 1987 forever changed politics in America. Bai is on the interview circuit […]

Guest AuthorOctober 7, 2014

The Tampa Bay Times is recommending a “no” vote for a constitutional amendment before voters in November. The proposal put forward by conservationists would allocate one-third of the documentary stamp tax required of real estate transactions to be applied to acquisition of conservation lands. In 2016, the newspaper notes, more than $600 million could be allocated to this important […]

Guest AuthorOctober 7, 2014

Florida Gov. Rick Scott is the reincarnation of Richard Nixon. “Tricky Dick,” the 37th U.S. president, was a walking thesaurus of negatives: imperious, secretive, draconian, paranoid, duplicitous, underhanded, and insincere — for starters. The committee formed to re-elect him — and that got him into Watergate trouble that led to his resignation — aptly went […]

Guest AuthorOctober 7, 2014

First in a series. As Election Day approaches, the backers on both sides of the ballot initiative to make medical marijuana legal in Florida are getting fired up. It’s a battle of wits, money, compassion, money, politics and money and of course, the people who are donating the money to either pass or defeat Amendment […]

Daniel TilsonOctober 6, 2014

It’s too late to register to vote in Florida’s 2014 elections. The deadline was yesterday. Now it’s up to determined Democratic activists to actually get people to vote. Otherwise, we’re looking at four more years of unchecked conservative extremists putting our government at the service of wealthy private interests, rather than you and me. Likely […]

Bob SparksOctober 6, 2014

Few races for seats in the U.S. House of Representatives fall into the competitive category, but Florida has one of the top 10 most watched campaigns in the country. Democrat Gwen Graham’s challenge to Republican Rep. Steve Southerland for the Congressional District 2 seat is a political scientist’s dream. The numbers for District 2 paint […]

Marc YachtOctober 6, 2014

The recent U.S. Ebola cases alarm some Americans, but their concerns are unwarranted. Such dangerous infectious diseases can be controlled as long as our federal and local public health agencies have adequate resources. Americans should remember SARS, West Nile Virus and Swine Flu. All were dangerous outbreaks. But for the most part, U.S. public health […]

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Tom O’Hara: I’m 67 years old, I smoke pot, and it’s time to make it legal

Shannon Nickinson: Bondi doesn’t realize the ‘majority’ accept same-sex marriage

Troy Campbell: Why does Michael Bay get to keep making movies?

Doug Clifton: Miami Herald was right to pursue tip about Gary Hart dalliance

Alan Farago: GOP forcing Floridians to use Amendment 1 to conserve vital lands

Stephen Goldstein: Florida’s Richard Nixon: “Tricky” Rick Scott

Gary Stein: Of Pain, people, pot, politics, public figures and priorities

Daniel Tilson: Questions Democrats should ask people who don’t plan to vote

Bob Sparks: Gwen Graham must overcome Steve Southerland and Barack Obama

Marc Yacht: U.S. safe from Ebola if public health workers have proper resources