Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Darryl PaulsonJune 6, 2017

Some readers may be incapable of getting beyond the title of this article. How in the world can anyone defend politicians and politics? It’s easy and, I would argue, necessary. One recent study found that Americans rank politicians lower than cockroaches. I hope Americans are expressing their frustration with politicians, but not their actual sentiments. […]

Associated PressJune 5, 2017

President Donald Trump and his GOP allies on Capitol Hill have made it through nearly half their first year in power without a single major legislative achievement. If that’s going to change, it will have to start soon, a reality that Republican lawmakers will confront when they return to the Capitol on Monday from a […]

Bob SparksMay 31, 2017

The news began to break on Tuesday evening. Jeb Bush was reportedly no longer interested in purchasing the Miami Marlins, according to anonymous sources. Bush was yet another among the biggest names in Republican politics seeking to buy one of baseball’s worst performing teams. Others include President Trump’s family circle and a serious investor carrying […]

Mitch PerryMay 30, 2017

Sarasota Republican Congressman Vern Buchanan wants President Donald Trump to keep the United States in the Paris Agreement, the landmark climate change document officially ratified last year by the U.S. and 194 other signatories. Although Trump said this past weekend that he was still considering whether to remain in the pact, Axios reported this weekend that it’s […]

Mitch PerryMay 22, 2017

Among the loudest critics of U.S. House Republican plan to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act this year has been the AARP. “That plan would repeal the expansion of Medicaid that was voluntarily adopted by 31 states, some Republican and some Democratic, so that they could cover millions of poor people with good health […]

Darryl PaulsonMay 4, 2017

Florida’s Republican Party has governed Florida for less than a third of the past 150 years. After the Civil War, a coalition of newly enfranchised blacks, a small number of native white Republicans and northern carpetbaggers dominated Florida politics from 1865 to around 1885. After the blacks were stripped of their voting rights at the […]

Associated PressMay 3, 2017

Jeb Bush says he is optimistic he can close a deal to buy the Miami Marlins despite stiff competition, and partner Derek Jeter would take charge of baseball operations. Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred says two groups remain in the mix. The second bid is led by Tagg Romney, son of former Republican presidential nominee Mitt […]

Associated PressApril 17, 2017

The photo from inside Donald Trump‘s makeshift situation room at Mar-a-Lago affirmed what White House insiders have recognized for some time — that Dina Powell has quietly established herself as a White House power. Though sandwiched between other administration officials, the deputy national security adviser for strategy stands out as the only woman among 13 […]

Scott PowersApril 12, 2017

Economists from Florida, Florida State, Miami, and Florida International universities are among nearly 1,500 nationally that sent a letter to President Donald Trump and congressional leaders Wednesday urging immigration reform and embrace of immigration. In addition to the Florida economists, the 1,470 signatories include six Nobel Laureates and members of the presidents Ronald Reagan, George […]

Darryl PaulsonApril 11, 2017

What little Americans know about the filibuster is due to James Stewart‘s portrayal of Senator Jefferson Smith in the classic movie, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington. In the movie, Senator Smith filibusters a fraudulent land deal until finally collapsing on the Senate floor. This past week, it was the filibuster that collapsed on the Senate […]

Tag: George W. Bush
Rodney Guttman, image via University of West Florida.

Darryl Paulson: In defense of politics

GOP running out of time for legislative achievements

Marlins sale still involves Who’s Who of Republican politics even without Jeb Bush

Vern Buchanan wants Donald Trump to keep U.S. in Paris climate accord

AARP president predicts new GOP health care plan will score ‘somewhat’ worse than original

Darryl Paulson: Should the Florida GOP feel blue?

Jeb Bush optimistic he and Jeter can close deal for Marlins

Who’s Dina Powell? A rising Donald Trump national security figure

Florida economists join national letter urging embrace of immigration

Darryl Paulson: The filibuster, the nuclear option and the future of American politics