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 Wednesday, November 10, 2010

West's Right Wing Media Circus

    "Following a combative campaign, Rep.-elect Allen West has hired as his chief of staff a conservative radio talk show host from South Florida who has railed against illegal immigration, touted the tea party and pummeled President Barack Obama for speaking to schoolchildren."
    In September 2009, Kaufman was part of the nationwide outcry among conservatives who criticized President Barack Obama for a speech welcoming kids back to school.

    In April 2010, she bashed Pompano Beach city commissioners for allowing a local Muslim leader to say a prayer in Arabic and English prior to a public meeting.

    A 2007 Miami New Times profile included an accusation that she had said that illegal immigrants should be hanged in public squares as invaders. Kaufman told the newspaper that the "hanging'' comment came from a listener and that it was taken out of context.

    News reports said she likened House Speaker Nancy Pelosi Tuesday to "garbage.''
    "Rep.-elect Allen West picks conservative radio host Joyce Kaufman for top job". See also "West taps South Florida right-wing talk show host as chief of staff". More here.

    Fred Grimm writes that "it didn't matter what West said, that he didn't actually live in the district or that his personal finances were a mess. Some other years, a controversial incident that led to his forced retirement from the Army in 2003, involving the treatment of an Iraqi prisoner, might have been a political liability. Not in 2010." "Moderation? It's dead, killed by angry voters".


    Scott begins flip-flopping

    "Video: Rick Scott meets and greets, modifies position on immigration and stimulus".


    Brain trust

    "Incoming Florida Senate President Mike Haridopolos has ... selected Sen. Mike Bennett, R-Bradenton, as Senate president pro tempore - second in command. He picked Sen. Andy Gardiner, R-Orlando, as majority leader." "Bennett named Fla. Senate president pro tempore". Related: "New lineup ahead for state Cabinet".


    Say what?

    "Rick Scott reveals little about strategy as governor during visit to Tallahassee".


    "They had no idea what they had done"

    The Saint Petersburg Times editorial board: "It's still to be seen how Gov.-elect Rick Scott, the former bane of the Republican Party of Florida, will mesh with his newly acquired allies in the Legislature. But the first test of that relationship is unfolding now, as incoming House Speaker Dean Cannon and incoming Senate President Mike Haridopolos threaten to resurrect a bad government bill rightly vetoed by Gov. Charlie Crist. If Scott wants to accomplish much of anything over the next four years, he needs to persuade Cannon and Haridopolos to leave this bad bill buried during next week's special session."

    The issue is the arcane and little discussed House Bill 1565, which flew under the radar during spring's legislative session. It passed both chambers unanimously due to misleading rhetoric that it would simply lessen government's burden on businesses in a period of incredible economic distress.

    Lawmakers of both parties acknowledged, after the vote, that they had no idea what they had done.
    "Bad bill will be Scott's first test".


    Charlie shaking his head

    "Charlie Crist still won't say whether he voted for Rick Scott, but the outgoing governor met with the new governor-elect at the state Capitol on Tuesday to talk about the transition from one administration to the next." "Scott visits Capitol, gets advice from outgoing Crist".


    West embarrasses himself

    "West has said he wants to join to bring a new perspective to the group."

    West, a former Army officer, said in an interview he's eager to steer the group away from "failing liberal social welfare policies that have caused the demise of the black community."
    "Black caucus says it will allow Republicans".


    Deep thoughts

    The The Orlando Sentinel editorial board issues some pablum this morning: "Make drilling safer".


    "Fickle Florida electorate"

    "[A] fickle Florida electorate helped spark a historic exodus of the four statewide officeholders who gather twice a month for Cabinet meetings. None will return in January. " "Crist: 'A new day in Tallahassee'".


    Wexler scandal in the making?

    "Months before popular Democrat Robert Wexler abruptly quit Congress last year, federal agents interviewed two South Florida businessmen about his campaign's unconventional $150,000 investment in a real estate venture. Two sources who also spoke with those agents, including a Republican political opponent whose complaint apparently sparked the inquiry, said authorities were seeking to determine whether the Robert Wexler for Congress campaign had engaged in money laundering. No charges have been filed." "FBI weighs unconventional real-estate deal by former Rep. Robert Wexler's campaign fund".


    Recount reunion

    "With the whole world watching, a judge in the eye of Florida's 2000 presidential whirlwind worried that his borrowed courtroom looked a bit too tropical to be taken seriously." "Village Square reunites players in 2000 recount".


    The bathrooms are over here ...

    "Incoming state House freshmen got a crash course Tuesday afternoon on Capitol protocol and some practical advice from veteran leaders." "Incoming Fla. House freshmen get an introduction to Capitol protocol".


    Another fine Jebacy

    On one hand we are told that "Poverty rises in Florida", while on the other hand, the Florida Center for Fiscal and Economic Policy explains how "Jeb!" and his RPOF cronies dismantled any semblance of a reasonable public finance structure:

    Two taxes targeted specifically to wealth disappeared during the last decade after having been collected in Florida for more than three-quarters of a century.

    Elimination of these taxes—both paid almost entirely by more affluent Floridians—has cost the state more than $12 billion to date. Furthermore, their absence will cost the state $2 billion each year in the future.
    "Unbalancing Florida’s Tax System: Eliminating Taxes on Wealth Shifts Burden to Others".


    Scott's "cadre of Jeb Bush advisers"

    "When incoming Gov. Rick Scott was putting his transition team together, he tapped two out-of-state attorneys and a cadre of Jeb Bush advisers." "Who Are the Players Rick Scott Chose to Lead His Transition?".


    Norman

    "Norman leaves Salvation Army to take on Senate duties".


    Whatever

    "For the Carroll family, competition in politics and sports".


    'Ya reckon?

    The Daytona Beach News Journal editorial board: "Crist almost certainly would have been better off, politically, if he had remained in the GOP and sought another term as governor. But his ambition apparently overwhelmed his judgment and his political identity. Now he can only watch while Marco Rubio emerges as the latest GOP star from Florida." "Crist's blind ambition turned off voters".


<< Home