What to make of all the polls on the government shutdown? You know, the ones that say that, to varying degrees, congressional Republicans are being blamed more than Democrats and Barack Obama.
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
WASHINGTON -- For all the hyped indignation over GOP "anarchism," there has been remarkable media reticence about the president's intransigence. He has refused to negotiate anything unless the Republicans fully fund the government and raise the debt ceiling -- unconditionally.
The following is the full text of the address U.S.Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., gave Thursday on the floor of the U.S. Senate:
"Ex-Marine Asks Soviet Citizenship" -- Washington Post headline, Nov. 1, 1959 (concerning a Lee Harvey Oswald)
"He didn't even have the satisfaction of being killed for civil rights. It's -- it had to be some silly little Communist." -- Jacqueline Kennedy, Nov. 22, 1963
I can think of one reason to end the federal shutdown: There are a lot of stupid people now roaming the streets. The Feds, however, do not have a monopoly on idiocy. Bureaucratic bumbling can be found wherever there's large government, even on the state, and yes, on the county level.
More than a week since the rollout of the new Obamacare health insurance marketplaces, and still not much about the process is going smoothly.
One way or another, the battle of the budget and the debt ceiling will be over by All Hallows' Eve.
Yet, as one looks deeper, at the irreconcilable conflict behind the present clash, only a roaring optimist would imagine we shall ever know again the tranquility and unity of the Eisenhower-Kennedy years.
WASHINGTON -- The Supreme Court must feel as though it is plowing an ocean as it repeatedly reminds Congress that the anodyne label "campaign finance reform" can encompass a multitude of sins. Come Tuesday, the court will have another occasion to consider that not all regulations of the indispensable means of disseminating political speech -- money -- are constitutional just because they are presented as means of preventing corruption or its "appearance."
WASHINGTON -- The Obamacare/shutdown battle has spawned myriad myths. The most egregious concern the substance of the fight, the identity of the perpetrators and the origins of the current eruption.
The following is the full text of the address FloridaSen. Marco Rubio gave Friday on the floor of the U.S. Senate.
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By Kevin Derby
On Wednesday, U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan, R-Fla., said he would introduce a bill next week to ensure the federal government doesnt go after Americans whose families received overpayments from Social Security and other programs over the last 50 years. Social Security estimates more than 400,000 Americans received overpayments of around $714 million.
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Commissioner of Education Pam Stewart sent an email to superintendents Wednesday addressing a server issue that plagued certain school districts on Tuesday, leaving many unable to take the FCAT.
Stewart's email read:
"The department has been working with Pearson throughout the night and this morning on the issues that affected online testing in Florida yesterday. Pearson has put into place a mitigation strategy that includes redundancy in access to its production servers."
By Nancy Smith
The Army Corps of Engineers Civil Works Review Board, scheduled Tuesday to approve paying for half of the $1.9 billion Central Everglades Planning Project (CEPP), instead postponed completing its review -- a needed step before it can get Congress's final funding approval.
By Kevin Derby
Republicans in Southwest Florida hit the polls on Tuesday to find a replacement for former U.S. Rep. Trey Radel, R-Fla., and selected businessman Curt Clawson who prevailed over Florida Senate Majority Leader Lizbeth Benacquisto, R-Fort Myers, former state Rep. Paige Kreegel and conservative activist Michael Dreikorn in the primary. Radel resigned earlier this year after pleading guilty to cocaine possession.
By Nancy Smith
All of a sudden Democratic gubernatorial candidate Charlie Crist has the ideal occasion and opportunity to debate his primary opponent, Nan Rich. Will he do it?
Rich said she accepted an invitation from the Florida Society of News Editors and the Florida Press Association to appear at a July 10 candidate forum co-hosted by the two organizations.
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The Republican Party of Florida is going after former Gov. Charlie Crist over changing his mind on offering in-state tuition rates for the children of undocumented immigrants.
In 2006, Crist praised state lawmakers for rejecting a bill to offer in-state tuition rates to all Florida students. Now, running as a Democrat, Crist has switched his position on the issue and now supports legislation offering in-state tuition rates for Dreamers.
By Kevin Derby
On Tuesday, U.S. Rep. Ron DeSantis, R-Fla., announced he was backing a challenge from U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Fla., against the Office of Personnel Management exempting members of Congress from being included in President Barack Obamas federal health-care law.
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Stetson Law School once again led Florida law schools with the highest percentage of its graduates passing the February bar exam.
According to a report from the Florida Board of Bar Examiners, Stetson Law grads boasted the highest passage rate at 85 percent.
Florida State University College of Law trailed behind Stetson, with 82 percent of its grads passing the exam. Florida International University College of Law had 81.3 percent of its grads pass the February exam.
By Kevin Derby
Having launched a TV ad in Spanish earlier this week, Gov. Rick Scotts team has unveiled a website in Spanish.
The website, rickscottporlaflorida.com, went live Tuesday.
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FCAT testing is under way for many students in the Sunshine State, but a number of schools are reporting problems with the computers used for the test.
According to various reports, several school districts had problems with the computer systems, canceling testing altogether.
According to MyFox Tampa Bay, Pasco County is recommending its schools pause FCAT testing because administrators are having trouble signing onto the FCAT system.
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