Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Guest AuthorMay 4, 2014

There are 2,700 pages of the Affordable Care Act that can be condensed into one word:   Obamacare. To insure the uninsured, we first make some of the insured uninsured and then make them pay more to be insured again. In some cases, people have had to buy a policy they can’t afford despite the subsidies […]

Guest AuthorApril 27, 2014

I’m privileged to live in the congressional district served by Mr. Anti-Poverty himself, U.S. Rep. Steve Southerland. The second-term congressman and former funeral home director, you should know by now, has made fighting poverty his No. 1 priority. In doing so, Southerland has embarked on a crusade to overhaul (some would say gut) the food […]

Martin DyckmanApril 23, 2014

“Tell Mike it was only business. I always liked him.” That’s the gangster Tessio in “The Godfather,” as he’s being led to his doom for conniving to betray Michael Corleone. Politics can be like that too. According to a report in the New York Times this week, Jeb Bush has earned more than $2-million for […]

Guest AuthorApril 22, 2014

After Obamacare’s very rocky implementation, there are more and more Americans signing up for health insurance. President Obama recently announced that many more people signed up on Obamacare exchanges than expected — over 9 million Americans to be exact. That confirmed a Gallup Poll that found that close to 10 million people signed up for […]

Daniel TilsonApril 1, 2014

Overcoming epic rollout woes, constant conservative attacks, repeated Republican repeal attempts and nonstop negative media coverage, the Affordable Care Act (ACA) has met and exceeded its benchmark goal of gaining 7 million enrollees by March 31. The ironic icing on the cake for Florida progressives is that infamous “Obamacare” opponent Gov. Rick Scott must endure […]

Martin DyckmanMarch 18, 2014

The secret to success in politics, like that of real estate (location, location, location), supposedly consists of three simple words: Turnout, turnout, turnout. That would appear to be the short explanation for why the Democrats narrowly lost last week’s special election in Pinellas County’s 13th Congressional District. Republican David Jolly edged Democrat Alex Sink by […]

Bob SparksMarch 17, 2014

Now that the dust has settled from the David Jolly vs. Alex Sink race for Congressional District 13, the message machines are in full spin cycle. We have heard most of the analysis from both sides. Was this simply, as Democrats say, a race won by a Republican in a district held by Republicans for […]

Marc YachtMarch 17, 2014

A two-part series published in the Tampa Bay Times exposed outrageous unregulated charges by Florida trauma centers. The argument for marketplace medicine rings hollow when patients are charged $33,000 for the hospital trauma team call-up. That is the cover charge; other bills come later. Total bills can tally up to hundreds of thousands of dollars. […]

Daniel TilsonMarch 12, 2014

So Alex Sink lost another big one. Not exactly a surprise. After all, this is the same Sink who snatched defeat from the jaws of victory in 2010, enabling an ultra-conservative, ethically tainted multimillionaire businessman to get elected Florida governor. Like Rick Scott then, Republican David Jolly beat Sink in Tuesday’s CD 13 special election […]

Marc YachtMarch 3, 2014

Will opposing forces ever get to YES, or will the growing ideological chasms ultimately tear down America? First, curtail the use of labels. Tagging Americans liberals, conservatives, tea partiers, communists, socialists, or libertarians draws attention away from needed discourse and rallies individuals based on group affiliation. If one is for something as a liberal, […]

Tag: obamacare
Miami considers 287(g) agreement, empowering city police with immigration enforcement duties alongside ICE.

John Grant: Obamacare is ineffective and needs to be repealed

Andrew Skerritt: Southerland’s stance on Obamacare inconsistent with his poverty campaign

Martin Dyckman: If Jeb Bush runs, he’ll have to tell voters ‘it was only business’

Steve Kurlander: There are hidden costs even if you have health coverage

Daniel Tilson: Florida leads way on Obamacare, for better and worse

Martin Dyckman: Congressional District 13 was drawn to assure a GOP victory

Bob Sparks: Republican brand tries to catch the wave

Marc Yacht: The profitable business of health care

Daniel Tilson: Lessons for losers from Florida congressional district 13

Marc Yacht: Crazy politics thwart good Republican policy