Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Julie DelegalSeptember 3, 2014

Synecdoche means using one part of something to speak for the whole. When it comes to school-privatization rhetoric, voucher proponents have mastered the art of synecdoche. They find an individual — a successful, accomplished voucher student — and tell a glowing story that is meant to represent all private school voucher students, indeed, the entire […]

Julie DelegalAugust 27, 2014

Just when I thought I had reached inner peace about vaccines and autism, the specter of a link has reared its ugly head again — on Twitter, on Facebook, on CNN’s user-generated “iReport” website. It’s hard enough sorting through autism science. But parents like me, whose children are affected by the potentially devastating neuro-developmental condition, […]

Julie DelegalAugust 18, 2014

The police-shooting death of an unarmed teenager in Ferguson, Missouri, continues to bring citizens out of their homes and onto the streets. On August 9, 28-year-old Officer Darren Wilson, who is white, fatally shot 18-year-old Michael Brown, who was black. The shooting itself was tragic enough. Police actions after the shooting, though, have made Ferguson […]

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 […]

Julie DelegalJuly 31, 2014

Two weeks ago Context Florida asked why former Gov. Jeb Bush remained silent while more than 50,000 unaccompanied child-refugees crossed into the United States. The children fled violence in Honduras, El Salvador and Guatemala. In those countries, drug cartels battle for power and kill people — children, included — who don’t fall in line with […]

Julie DelegalJuly 21, 2014

Judge Terry Lewis’ ruling invalidating the boundaries of two congressional districts was issued on July 10 — a Thursday. Lawmakers quietly “considered” whether to appeal on Friday. They deliberated over the weekend, and thought some more on Monday. It turns out, as we’ll see below, that their period of deliberation may have been, well, deliberate. […]

Julie DelegalJuly 17, 2014

Florida’s schools have been graded since FCAT began under Gov. Lawton Chiles in 1998. There weren’t any consequences for the first few years — no “turnaround” lists, no teacher bonuses — as schools were given the chance to adjust to the brand new test. Standards of the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test have been ramped up […]

Julie DelegalJuly 14, 2014

Sanity is beginning to trickle into the debate on immigration reform, writes columnist Rick Outzen. The Florida Chamber of Commerce says that developing clearer paths to citizenship is good business and will help fill critical worker gaps in the state’s economy. The chamber, a conservative bastion of entrepreneurs, stood shoulder to shoulder with Catholic bishops […]

Julie DelegalJuly 13, 2014

The Redistricting Case The League of Women voters won their court challenge to Florida’s congressional map last week. Leon County Circuit Court Judge Terry Lewis agreed with the League that Florida’s latest congressional map was drawn to favor one political party (Republicans) over the other (Democrats.) Lewis invalidated the map as unconstitutional, and called for […]

Julie DelegalJuly 6, 2014

Now that our collective blood pressure is returning to normal, feminists need to revisit the Hobby Lobby decision with more objectivity. In a nutshell, ladies, we’ve been duped. For those readers who’ve been living under a rock, the U.S. Supreme Court voted last week, 5-4, to do two things: First, they invented a new right […]

Tag: Julie Delegal

Julie Delegal: The simple cure for voucher-school lawsuits

Julie Delegal: Autism, vaccines, science and doubt

Julie Delegal: Ferguson, Missouri: Police didn’t trust the system

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

Julie Delegal: Jeb Bush tacks right on child-refugee crisis

Julie Delegal: Timing of decision not to appeal districts ruling was questionable

Julie Delegal: Charter school grades should alarm every Floridian

Julie Delegal: Why is Jeb Bush silent during this immigration crisis?

Julie Delegal: Congresswoman Brown shouldn’t fight redistricting ruling

Julie Delegal: Health insurance is compensation for labor, not a boss’ handout