Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Guest AuthorNovember 14, 2013

The recent city elections in Lakeland appear to demonstrate the principle that if people are embarrassed or disgusted about something in their community, the guy at the top will get the ax, even if he’s not to blame. In the wake of an appalling string of scandals at the Lakeland Police Department this year – […]

Guest AuthorNovember 7, 2013

It didn’t take long after I arrived in Lakeland in 1997 to begin my duties covering the religion beat at The Ledger before I began hearing the name of Father John Caulfield. “Oh, you need to meet Father Caulfield.” “Father Caulfield? Great guy.” For 27 years, the Rev. John Caulfield was the pastor of St. […]

Guest AuthorOctober 24, 2013

The tragedy of Rebecca Ann Sedwick’s suicide continues to be compounded. One young life has been lost and two more are in danger of ruin, and one wonders which was worse, the lack of adult supervision that caused Rebecca’s death or the overabundance of it in the reaction that followed. Rebecca was 12 when she […]

Guest AuthorOctober 17, 2013

When it comes to law enforcement agencies, Polk County and its largest city, Lakeland, offer a study in contrasts. Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd – despite his flair for publicity-seeking – is generally regarded as running a model department. The Lakeland Police Department hasn’t had the benefit of leadership of Judd’s caliber. Several years ago, […]

Guest AuthorOctober 10, 2013

If ever you want to start a controversy, there’s no better way than to put the words “God” and “America” together on a sign and put it where everyone can see it. There’s sure to be a controversy about freedom of religion, freedom of speech, whether America is a Christian or a secular nation, whether […]

Guest AuthorSeptember 26, 2013

It’s an interesting sign of these confusing political times that general elections tell us as much about political parties as primaries. It used to be that Republicans would gleefully pick off centrist Democrats who were disaffected by their party’s perceived leftward direction. Now it appears that Democrats are returning the favor, capturing centrist Republicans (a […]

Guest AuthorSeptember 19, 2013

It seems that Russia is calling us out as a nation on one of our most cherished and unwritten beliefs: the one that says America is exceptional. There is a long history to this notion, beginning with the Puritan John Winthrop’s comparison of his pilgrim band to the biblical city on a hill, and Americans […]

Guest AuthorSeptember 12, 2013

Florida Rep. Neill Combee, R-Polk City, stirred up a small hornet’s nest last week with a Twitter post that asked the rhetorical question, “Did the White House Help Plan the Syrian Chemical Attack?” On first glance, this may appear to be yet another dive into the deep end of right-wing paranoia, but with the civil […]

Guest AuthorSeptember 5, 2013

Terry Jones’ Sept. 11 picnic checklist: Matches? Check. Lighter fluid? Check. Three thousand Korans? Check. Ignorance and intolerance? Double check. Bring your own hot dogs. Jones – onetime anti-Islamic pastor and now anti-Islamic public nuisance – is up to his old tricks again. Say what you will about him, he is certainly single-minded. He really, […]

Guest AuthorAugust 29, 2013

It may have escaped your attention since there are attempts to amend the Florida Constitution about every other day, it seems, but a new initiative aims to enshrine the Bible and the Christian faith as the foundation of government. Earlier this month, the secretary of state notified the state’s supervisors of elections that a petition […]

Tag: Cary McMullen

Cary McMullen: Reflections on Lakeland’s mayoral election

Cary McMullen: Farewell to a long-serving Lakeland priest

Cary McMullen: An eye for an eye is not justice for Rebecca

Cary McMullen: Lakeland police chief on the firing line

Cary McMullen: Here’s your sign: follow the rules

Cary McMullen: A Republican abandons Rick Scott

Cary McMullen: Is America the exception to the rule?

Cary McMullen: Proposed Syria strike provokes rare political unity

Cary McMullen: The unquenchable vengeance of Terry Jones

Cary McMullen: Christian group’s amendment effort an empty gesture