Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Guest AuthorOctober 23, 2015

It’s important for the public to know what legislative change means for our everyday lives. All too often common-sense policies are influenced by special interests and therefore compromise public benefit. For example, Acts H.R. 976 and H.R. 2513 appear to help improve our healthcare system, but in reality they would re-establish a bad policy for […]

Jim RosicaSeptember 14, 2015

A Tallahassee-based advocacy group led by veteran lobbyist Barney Bishop has had a mass exodus of board members in recent weeks, including one who accused Bishop of being motivated by “self-aggrandizement and personal gain.” As of Monday, group founder and former chairwoman Lori Costantino-Brown and members Pamela Alvarez, Catherine Craig-Myers, Jim DeBeaugrine and Mary Lynn Ulrey had all turned […]

Guest AuthorAugust 3, 2015

Much has been written about Gov. Rick Scott’s vetoes of member projects in the recent state budget. Although every governor has vetoed parts of the budget, this time was unusual because the governor had only a very short window to make his vetoes known. Although he vetoed a lot of projects, it does raise a […]

Guest AuthorMay 12, 2015

As we all know, Florida is an odd state for politics; one where Republicans control the Cabinet, House and Senate, but where voters have supported a Democratic presidential candidate the last two cycles. On the important topic of energy, Florida’s red politicians get very purple. Traditionally, Republicans have supported the notion of offshore energy exploration, […]

James CallMarch 24, 2015

The Senate Regulated Industries took about 90 minutes to do what the Department of Health, growers and investors haven’t been able to do since last August — agree on a regulatory structure allowing Florida’s first legal marijuana crop to be planted. “This is about fulfilling a promise,” Sen. Rob Bradley said of his glitch bill for the […]

James CallMarch 24, 2015

The Senate Regulated Industries took about 90 minutes to do what the Department of Health, growers and investors haven’t been able to do since last August — agree on a regulatory structure allowing Florida’s first legal marijuana crop to be planted. “This is about fulfilling a promise,” Sen. Rob Bradley said of his glitch bill for the […]

Guest AuthorNovember 10, 2014

When I debated Barney Bishop a few weeks ago in Miami, he claimed that he had “smoked more marijuana than everyone in the crowd – combined.” Well, he must have fried his brain doing so, because he can’t even put together a coherent thought in a “victory lap” piece like the one published on “Politics […]

Guest AuthorNovember 6, 2014

Now that Amendment 2 on medical marijuana has been defeated and relegated to the trash pile of poorly worded constitutional amendments, we can all breathe a sigh of relief. Well, not really. You see, John Morgan, the lawyer who spearheaded the drive to adopt Amendment 2, can’t stay silent even for a nano-minute. It’s just […]

Guest AuthorNovember 5, 2014

After what seems like a million television ads, Gov. Rick Scott — the first man to come out of nowhere and win the Governor’s Mansion with his own money — has secured a second term. What made this race so interesting was that former Gov. Charlie Crist, the consummate retail politician, was seeking a return […]

Guest AuthorOctober 21, 2014

Rubble. Fife. The Dinosaur. Bishop. What do these Barneys have in common? None of them live in reality. Barney Bishop’s most recent hyperventilation published on Context Florida about Amendment 2 — which would allow medical marijuana in Florida — both repeated some of his previous made-up contentions and introduced some new ones. Again, Bishop ignores […]

Barney Bishop: Self-promoting physician-owned hospitals will put patients at risk

Criminal justice reform organization led by Barney Bishop bleeding board members

Barney Bishop: State budget process needs a CBIR step again

Barney Bishop: Florida should take head out of the sand, allow offshore seismic surveying

Charlotte’s Web fix clears committee stop

Charlotte's Web fix clears committee stop

Ben Pollara: The battle to legalize medical marijuana moves to the Legislature

Barney Bishop: Some unsolicited advice for Amendment 2 crusader John Morgan

Barney Bishop: What does Rick Scott’s victory portend for Florida?

Ben Pollara: I may be naive, but I’m certain Floridians would benefit from medical pot