x

x

FLORIDA POLITICS
Since 2002, daily Florida political news and commentary

 

UPDATE: Every morning we review and individually digest Florida political news articles, editorials and punditry. Our sister site, FLA Politics was selected by Campaigns & Elections as one of only ten state blogs in the nation
"every political insider should be reading right now."

E-Mail Florida Politics

This is our Main Page
Our Sister Site
On FaceBook
Follow us on Twitter
Our Google+ Page
Contact [E-Mail Florida Politics]
Site Feed
...and other resources

 

Welcome To Florida Politics

Thanks for visiting. On a semi-daily basis we scan Florida's major daily newspapers for significant Florida political news and punditry. We also review the editorial pages and political columnists/pundits for Florida political commentary. The papers we review include: the Miami Herald, Sun-Sentinel, Palm Beach Post, Naples News, Sarasota Herald Tribune, St Pete Times, Tampa Tribune, Orlando Sentinel, the Daytona Beach News-Journal, Tallahassee Democrat, and, occasionally, the Florida Times Union; we also review the political news blogs associated with these newspapers.

For each story, column, article or editorial we deem significant, we post at least the headline and link to the piece; the linked headline always appears in quotes. We quote the headline for two reasons: first, to allow researchers looking for the cited piece to find it (if the link has expired) by searching for the original title/headline via a commercial research service. Second, quotation of the original headline permits readers to appreciate the spin from the original piece, as opposed to our spin.

Not that we don't provide spin; we do, and plenty of it. Our perspective appears in post headlines, the subtitles within the post (in bold), and the excerpts from the linked stories we select to quote; we also occasionally provide other links and commentary about certain stories. While our bias should be immediately apparent to any reader, we nevertheless attempt to link to every article, column or editorial about Florida politics in every major online Florida newspaper.

 

Older posts [back to 2002]

Previous Articles by Derek Newton: Ten Things Fox on Line 1 Stem Cells are Intelligent Design Katrina Spin No Can't Win Perhaps the Most Important Race Senate Outlook The Nelson Thing Deep, Dark Secret Smart Boy Bringing Guns to a Knife Fight Playing to our Strength  

The Blog for Thursday, August 25, 2005

Argenziano Reacts

    In a press release yesterday about the failed attempt to override "Jeb!"'s veto of privatization oversight (for background see "Less than Zero"), the House Democratic Office issued a "Spin Alert", in part providing as follows:
    News Alert: House Democrats Thwart Republican Control of Florida Legislature

    The Republican-led Legislature really wanted to override the governor's veto of the Center for Efficient Government, but because House Democrats advocated for the issue, now they can't.

    Despite leading both chambers of the Legislature and the Governor's Office, one Republican [Sen. Nancy Argenziano] admitted they are helpless to take legislative action when House Democrats suggest it first. ...

    It's amazing that simply because House Democrats shed light on the fact that millions of tax dollars are being wasted, and asked the Legislature to provide accountability to Florida's privatization efforts, Republicans are compelled to oppose the issue.
    House Democratic Leader Chris Smith (D- Ft. Lauderdale) offered the following statement
    "I had no idea we were so powerful. I wish to sincerely apologize to any Republican who was going to override the governor's veto, but now doesn't want to because House Democrats felt government accountability was important."

    "I will get down on my knees and beg for forgiveness of any Republican if they agree not to take their anger out on the public and just enact some common-sense protections for Florida tax dollars."
    To which Argenziano responded in an e-mail yesterday (quoted below in pertinent part):
    He can spin all he wants. If he truly cared about the issue, instead of politicizing, he would have come to those who worked hard and wrote the bill. Those of us who happen to be Republicans who slammed the current procurement system, who held no punches, who exposed the real problems and I might add not quietly, wrote a darn good bill. Those of us who were successful, key word is SUCCESSFUL, in the legislature in passing a good bill. We heard nothing from him.

    It is a real shame. I understand it was a surprise to the Senate Minority leader also. You really need to get it together. He should look at his legislative record and also take a look at the bridges he has not built, but torn down. Many of his own members know me, they know I am fair.

    As far as the minority leaders sarcastic comments that he was unaware of the power he had, I say do not flatter your self. You could affect [sic] far more then miniscule power if you were to try to build relationships. And I am certain his remarks will go along way in helping his members obtain success.
    Someone struck a nerve.

    Florida Politix opines: "Is Chris Smith stupid? I don't think so". Some interesting points.

6:15 AM

<< Home