Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Guest AuthorAugust 5, 2014

Politicians love to lavish tax breaks on potential voters, especially in election years — nowhere more than in Florida. Promoting the state’s Aug. 1-3 Back-to-School Sales Tax Holiday this year, Gov. Rick Scott boasted that “families will be able to save money on school supplies and other back-to-school items that will set students up for […]

Bruce RitchieAugust 5, 2014

Gov. Rick Scott can say what he will do if he is re-elected to another four years in office — but not beyond that. In a re-election campaign document released Sunday that the governor is calling his “Keep Florida Beautiful” plan, Scott says he will propose 10-year “investments” to provide $500 million for springs restoration […]

Dan GelberAugust 5, 2014

Rick Scott holding a press conference to declare he wants to clean Florida’s water is sort of like Darth Vader declaring he supports intergalactic peace. Irony is aplenty when Scott announces he wants to spend millions to clean Florida’s waterways. Put aside the point that the last time Scott touted his “record funding” for environmental […]

Bob SparksAugust 5, 2014

This week marks two rather grim anniversaries that few in this country will mark. They are significant events in U.S. and world history, but they have either faded over time or were events many wished to forget. On Aug. 6, 1945 the city of Hiroshima, Japan nearly ceased to exist after the first atomic bomb […]

Guest AuthorAugust 4, 2014

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The state is not doing its job to protect consumers from health insurance rate hikes. After passing up billions of dollars from the federal government for the state to expand Medicaid, Gov. Rick Scott and the Republican-controlled Legislature callously enacted a new law that, in essence, prevents the state’s insurance commissioner from regulating health insurance […]

Adam WeinsteinAugust 4, 2014

I’ve been trying to catch up with Marion Hammer, the former president of the NRA and top lobbyist for the pro-gun group here in Florida, for years. I’m a lifelong gun owner, but she’s never accepted my offers to meet up for a range day. So I was glad to see she’s writing here at […]

Guest AuthorAugust 4, 2014

Over the past two years there has been a concerted effort to expand gambling at greyhound racetracks in Florida. This effort has been promoted with a misinformation campaign that would make any Minister of Propaganda proud. Rather than openly push for the expansion of gambling, many of those behind this effort have pushed for the […]

Marc YachtAugust 4, 2014

I recently attended the Florida Medical Association annual meeting, where the organization develops policies for the coming year. The legislative agenda is drafted and approved. FMA delegates from the specialty groups and county medical societies will vote on each resolution coming before the House. FMA lobbyists will then bring approved policy to Florida’s legislators and […]

Martin DyckmanAugust 3, 2014

Our texts today are not Biblical, but they are definitely topical. A wise man changes his mind often, a fool never -Spanish proverb. A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds, adored by little statesmen and philosophers and divines –Ralph Waldo Emerson. In every political campaign since the Stone Age, it has been an […]

Julie DelegalAugust 3, 2014

Dear Arne Duncan, You’ve taken some flak recently for saying that children’s disabilities can be improved by “high expectations.” As President Barack Obama’s Secretary of Education, you’ve surely developed a thick skin. But as the parent of a child with unique brain wiring, and as someone who once thought autism was “curable,” I understand. I’ve […]

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Stephen Goldstein: Scam, sham, flimflam: End back-to-school sales-tax holiday

Bruce Ritchie: Scott can’t call his environmental promises ‘investments’

Dan Gelber: Scott supporting clean water is like Darth Vader supporting peace

Bob Sparks: Before criticizing Israel, let’s look at our own history

Bill Nelson: Florida GOP to blame for health insurance rate hikes

Adam Weinstein: NRA and its “Docs vs. Glocks” law treat gun owners like children

Jeff Kottkamp: Campaign to end dog racing is just a ruse to expand casinos

Marc Yacht: Florida Medical Association supports expansion of Medicaid

Martin Dyckman: Wise politicians learn, evolve — and change their minds

Julie Delegal: ‘High expectations’ don’t always solve disabled students’ problems