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After 10 Glorious Years, Sunshine State News and I Are Passing the Baton
You probably can't imagine how much fun I've had at Sunshine State News over the last 10 years. I don't think anybody could.
November 1, 2019 - 6:00am
Politics
Columns
One hundred and fifty years ago, in the midst of a bloody Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln led a courageous Congress to ratify the 13th Amendment and abolish slavery in America.
Barack Obama wanted 15 minutes of airtime on Sunday night, the most heavily watched night of the week, to speak to the nation about the San Bernardino shooting. It was appropriate for the president to request it, and for the networks to grant it, but everyone knew he would say nothing new of substance. On the matter of Islamic terrorism, he never does.
What does alimony have to do with “The Baby Mama Syndrome”? Next to nothing.
As a concerned citizen and North Florida voter, I attended the Capital City Republican Club Dec. 2 to hear Dr.
Criminal justice issues have dominated our headlines for many months. Not just about terrorism, but also about suspects who have mental health issues.
While virtually every Floridian has some interaction with state government, it is easy for the average citizen to feel distanced from the political process of Tallahassee. And it can be easy fo
On Monday, U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson, D-Fla., took to the Senate floor and spoke on Islamic State terrorism, including the recent attacks in Paris and San Bernardino. His speech was as follows:
You'll probably hear a lot about Monday's Monmouth University survey. It puts Ted Cruz ahead of the GOP field in the Hawkeye State for the first time. But pay no attention. Outside of Iowa, it's virtually meaningless.
When the President of the United States asks the television networks to set aside time for him to broadcast a speech from the Oval Office, we can usually expect that he has something new to say. But President Obama's speech Sunday night was just a rehash of what he has been saying all along, trying to justify policies that have repeatedly turned out disastrously for America and our allies.
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By Kevin Derby
U.S. Rep. Dennis Ross, R-Fla., part of the House leadership as senior deputy majority whip, pointed to numbers from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services which found health-care costs on the rise in Central Florida. Blaming President Barack Obamas health-care law for the rise, Ross noted premiums went up 14.9 percent in his home base of Polk County and 19.2 percent in Hillsborough County.
By Kevin Derby
Count former Gov. Mike Dukakis, D-Mass., as underwhelmed by former Gov. Jeb Bush, R-Fla., but insisted he was fundamentally conservative. Dukakis, who lost to Bushs father in the 1988 presidential race, talked to U.S. News and World Report on the 2014 elections and the 2016 presidential contest:
Q: Who do you think on the Republican side is a legitimate messenger?
By Kevin Derby
Florida Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam endorsed former Rep. Travis Hutson over former Rep. Doc Renuart in the Jan. 27 Republican primary in the special election for the Florida Senate seat vacated by former Sen. John Thrasher.
Travis Hutson is a committed conservative who is devoted to helping Northeast Florida thrive, said Putnam on Tuesday. I know he will work tirelessly to grow the Northeast Florida jobs base and improve the economy and education system. Travis Hutson is a true leader, and I am proud to support him.
By Kevin Derby
With four rabbis killed by Palestinian terrorists in Jerusalem this week, U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan, R-Fla., called for freezing federal aid to the Palestinian Authority.
This act of cold-blooded violence is an abomination, said Buchanan. Releasing millions of hard-earned taxpayer dollars to the Palestinian Authority is outrageous. How can we justify this? We need to send an undeniable message to the world that actions do indeed have consequences.
Buchanan is the only member of the Florida delegation on the Ways and Means Committee.
By Kevin Derby
Noting that newly elected Gwen Graham, the Democrat who beat U.S. Rep. Steve Southerland, R-Fla., earlier this month, said she would not vote for U.S. House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., to lead her partys caucus, conservative group Congressional Leadership Fund (CLF) took her to task.
On Tuesday, the CLF pointed to reports showing Pelosi had been elected to lead Democrats without any opposition.
By Kevin Derby
U.S. Rep. David Jolly, R-Fla., unveiled a bill to repeal the individual mandate included in President Barack Obama's federal health-care law. Jolly is calling his proposal the? ?Patient Freedom Act of? ?2014.
By Kevin Derby
Teacher David Cox took 37.5 percent as the Democrat challenger against U.S. Rep. Ron DeSantis, R-Fla., who won with 62.5 percent. But on Monday, less than two weeks after the final votes were counted, Cox filed to run for the Florida Senate seat opened after Sen. John Thrasher, R-St. Augustine, resigned to take the helm at Florida State University.
Cox becomes the first Democrat to run for the seat. Already two Republicans in the Florida House -- Travis Hutson of Palm Coast and Doc Renuart of Ponte Vedra Beach -- have filed.
By Kevin Derby
Reports emerged on Monday that Nicolas Maduro said his regime in Venezuela is running a large spy operation in the U.S. and two Florida Republicans who have been sharp critics -- U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio and U.S. Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen -- are targets.
By Kevin Derby
U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., a member of the Senate Foreign Affairs Committee, took aim at the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) after news emerged on Monday that it had kidnapped a Colombian general. Rubio said he supported the Colombian government ending peaces talks with FARC.
By Kevin Derby
On Monday, Florida Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater named Michelle Dahnke as deputy CFO of the Florida Department of Financial Services. Dahnke will focus on communications.
Michelle brings our department more than a decade of strategic communications and policy experience on a variety of issues important to the well-being of Florida families, Atwater said. Im confident her expertise will advance our efforts to make our government more transparent and our entire state more consumer- and business-friendly.
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