Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Guest AuthorAugust 24, 2014

Florida was lucky that Trayvon Martin’s killing in Sanford in February 2012 did not trigger a riot. But if we consider the anatomy of a riot, we’ll know that it wasn’t simply dumb luck — but the absence of destructive forces. First, the entire country, both black and white, grieved for Trayvon. Apart from some loony […]

Bob SparksAugust 20, 2014

Many significant issues confront us daily, both in Florida and around the country. Thank goodness for distractions like football, whose season is only two weeks away. Larry King said it best: “If you are a sports fan, every day is different.” Over the past 30 years, no state has played championship football better than Florida. […]

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 […]

Guest AuthorAugust 18, 2014

For the moment, the prolific images on CNN of bleeding and maimed Gazan children being used as human shields by Hamas in hospitals have ceased. So has the castigation by the White House of Israel’s use of harsh military force to stop the rockets from being shot from these humanitarian facilities. While the on-again, off-again […]

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 […]

Guest AuthorJuly 29, 2014

It’s a sweltering summer Sunday night in El Paso, Texas, at the city’s new downtown baseball stadium, where the local Triple-A team, the Chihuahuas, is leading the visiting Tacoma Rainiers at the seventh-inning stretch. As the hammerlock of the day’s 102-degree heat begins to release its grip, a sellout crowd of 8,607 fans rise to […]

Guest AuthorJuly 15, 2014

While job growth has remained lackluster during the economic recovery, the construction industry and other highly skilled trades are facing a shortage of qualified workers that threatens the future of the industry. The construction industry alone will face a shortage of 1.6 million workers by 2022, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Thankfully, Congress […]

Guest AuthorJuly 13, 2014

A political odd couple recently held a press conference in Tallahassee on what has been a hot button issue for conservatives since Barack Obama was sworn as president — immigration reform. As part of a national day of action, Florida Chamber of Commerce and Florida Conference of Catholic Bishops joined with human rights activists and […]

Guest AuthorJuly 8, 2014

There is a passage in the Federalist Papers that aptly describes the current situation in our country. “A people who mean to be their own governors must arm themselves with the power that knowledge gives.” Yet, we push aside knowledge-based discourse in favor of partisan bickering. Whether it is the battles over Common Core standards […]

Guest AuthorJuly 6, 2014

Driving across Alabama the other day, I heard a political candidate on the car radio proudly declaring that, if elected, he will oppose Obamacare. Really, Alabama? You’re a state that’s above average in only two ways – college football and payments from Uncle Sam. Alabama is No. 11 when it comes to total federal spending […]

Tag: President Obama
The Yankees organization is generous with Helene relief in Florida. Image via AP.

Rachel Patron: Ferguson, Missouri: The anatomy of a riot

Bob Sparks: FSU is still waiting for White House invite

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

Steven Kurlander: Gaza and Obama’s castigation of Israel: A sign of the growing insignificance of the ‘Jewish vote’ in American politics

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

Rick Brunson: As migrant crisis grows, Texas town responds with class

Steve Cona: Bill provides job-training grants to more non-union trainees

Rick Outzen: Sanity comes to immigration reform debate

Ed Moore: We need immigration reform because we need skilled workers

Mark O’Brien: Nation’s sad new motto: Yes, we can’t