Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Mitch PerryJanuary 12, 2015

With the publication of his new book, American Dreams coming out tomorrow, expect to see and hear a lot of Marco Rubio this week. On CBS’ This Morning, the Florida Senator made appearances in both hours of the morning news show, with a longer hit in the 8 a.m. Eastern time zone block to discuss […]

Guest AuthorJanuary 3, 2015

Several days before the White House announced the U.S. would be normalizing relations with Cuba, a high school sophomore from Miami’s Little Havana neighborhood gave a speech that wowed a bipartisan group of state legislators and education advocates at a conference sponsored by the Hispanic Council for Reform and Educational Options (HCREO). In his speech, […]

Martin DyckmanDecember 23, 2014

Insanity has been defined often (though most likely never by Albert Einstein himself) as doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results. By that standard, the U.S. embargo on trade with Cuba is a spectacular example of insanity. After almost 53 years, it still is nowhere near to bestowing liberty on the […]

Jac VerSteegDecember 23, 2014

President Barack Obama’s decision to push for normalized relations with Cuba eventually can provide new access to special smoking materials for Floridians and tourists. But I’m not talking about Cohibas. I’m talking about “legal” marijuana. As Bloomberg has explained, Obama’s decision to lift some restrictions on Cuba will not result in a flood of Cuban […]

Jac VerSteegDecember 21, 2014

The headline in the South Florida Sun Sentinel was, “Putin: ‘External factors’ led to economic woes” and continued, “Russian President…blasts West’s moves.” The Miami Herald’s Web site headlined the story, “Putin: West wants to defang, declaw Russian bear.” In the Tampa Bay Times, it was: “Putin blames West for Russia’s economic woes.” They – and […]

Associated PressDecember 20, 2014

For decades, the politics of Cuba in Florida were simple: anything less than a hard line stance against Fidel Castro was a sure way to lose a race for office. President Barack Obama’s surprise decision this week to restore diplomatic relations with the communist nation is the surest sign yet that his is no longer […]

Daniel TilsonDecember 18, 2014

I’ve had a personal policy adviser on Cuba for years. My cousin Jesse is half Cuban and most of his father’s side of the family still lives there. He’d return from trips to visit them, questioning how much Americans knew or understood about what life was like for the Cuban people. He saw how a […]

Associated PressDecember 2, 2014

Nearing a decision on a presidential run in 2016, Jeb Bush on Tuesday reaffirmed his support for the U.S. trade embargo against Cuba and pushed for a foreign policy that he said could help repair the nation’s credibility after Barack Obama’s presidency. “Our allies don’t trust us and our enemies don’t fear us. There is […]

Guest AuthorNovember 30, 2014

Everyone knows how Charlie Crist lost: votes. But not enough has been said about how Charlie Crist won. First, the People’s Governor willingly walked into a $100 million wall. Rick Scott had $25 million in negative ads waiting to bully any challengers on day one and his campaign was boasting about an unprecedented, and almost […]

Mitch PerryNovember 24, 2014

President Obama’s announcement on Thursday night that he would sign an executive order shielding up to five million undocumented immigrants from deportation predictably has outraged Republicans, but the question about how they’ll fight his action is still being decided. On Friday afternoon, House Speaker John Boehner announced that he was following through on a threat […]

Tag: Cuba

Marco Rubio calls Jeb Bush & Mitt Romney "formidable," but says he can compete

William Mattox: Protect progress in any language

Martin Dyckman: Cuban embargo a spectacular example of insanity

Jac Wilder VerSteeg: The path to pot at tribal casinos

Jac Wilder VerSteeg: Castros ‘re-gift’ blame-America excuse to Putin

Obama’s Cuba moves reflect Florida political shift

Daniel Tilson: Ending economic war against Cuba is best diplomacy

Eyeing 2016, Jeb Bush talks foreign policy

Kevin Cate: How Charlie Crist won

Mitch Perry Report – 11.24.14