Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Guest AuthorMarch 5, 2015

For decades casino lobbyists have tried to turn Florida into Las Vegas. However, they have been turned back time and again by voters, legislators, governors and business groups who understand the toxic nature of gambling economics. Gambling lobbyists are back again, though, this time pushing for the biggest expansion of gambling in Florida’s history. There […]

Phil AmmannMarch 1, 2015

Before the gavel falls on Tuesday to open Florida’s 2015 Legislative Session, before Gov. Rick Scott gives his annual State of the State missive, there is a final blast from the Tallahassee “river of green.” “Old Corruptible” makes its last hurrah, before falling silent for the next 60 days. Today, editorial cartoonist Bill Day casts […]

Phil AmmannMarch 1, 2015

Before the gavel falls on Tuesday to open Florida’s 2015 Legislative Session, before Gov. Rick Scott gives his annual State of the State missive, there is a final blast from the Tallahassee “river of green.” “Old Corruptible” makes its last hurrah, before falling silent for the next 60 days. Today, editorial cartoonist Bill Day casts […]

Guest AuthorFebruary 19, 2015

Speaker Crisafulli is right: no one has really made the case to him or anyone that the statutory language of SB 1030 is flawed; but it absolutely is and must be fixed legislatively. I’m willing to accept partial blame here. The conversations surrounding 1030 have largely been driven by two groups of political actors: advocates […]

Guest AuthorFebruary 19, 2015

Speaker Crisafulli is right: no one has really made the case to him or anyone that the statutory language of SB 1030 is flawed; but it absolutely is and must be fixed legislatively. I’m willing to accept partial blame here. The conversations surrounding 1030 have largely been driven by two groups of political actors: advocates […]

Guest AuthorFebruary 12, 2015

“We were once an aspirational society.” That was said at the table during the directors meeting of an organization’s national board upon which I serve. We were deep in a discussion about the value of education to society and what it means to our country’s future, and the themes of aspiration, ambition, desire and drive […]

Bruce RitchieFebruary 8, 2015

Some legislators again are taking aim at water bottling operations in Florida. This week, members of the Senate Committee on Agriculture said they’re concerned about shipping water out of Florida and the effects of pumping during drought and in areas with water shortages. “Obviously there is money being made on use of a public resource […]

Guest AuthorFebruary 7, 2015

February is national Career and Technical Education month and across the country, educators and counselors are preparing America’s next generation of skilled workers. In just a few months, students will graduate from high school and many aren’t sure of their next step. Florida’s construction contractors face a related but different problem; a major shortage of […]

Martin DyckmanFebruary 6, 2015

If it’s too early to anoint a presidential front-runner among the Republicans, the national media are obviously treating Jeb Bush as one. Among the in-depth articles already up and running is a Boston Globe inquiry into his teenage years at the elite Phillips Academy nearly half a century ago. Another is a biting review on […]

Guest AuthorJanuary 28, 2015

Apparently, not even the Florida Constitution can save Kevin McCarty. He’s an insurance regulator in a sinkhole of Tallahassee politics. Here’s what we know about Kevin McCarty – Governor Rick Scott is finished with him. He doesn’t want McCarty to regulate the insurance industry any longer. This week, after three weeks of stalling and avoiding […]

Tag: outside opinion

John Sowinski: Florida has “a lot to lose” with gambling expansion

Bill Day's latest: Old Corruptible

Bill Day’s latest: Old Corruptible

Ben Pollara: Legislative action needed on Charlotte's Web

Ben Pollara: Legislative action needed on Charlotte’s Web

Ed Moore: America still longs for aspirations

Bruce Ritchie: Water bottling continues to draw fire despite small amount of pumping

Steve Cona III: Construction industry offers opportunity for many

Martin Dyckman: Jeb Bush’s behavior in the Schiavo case is unworthy of a governor — or a president

Sean Shaw: End the Cabinet monopoly, save Insurance Regulator