Whether it deserves the distinction or not, the Iowa Caucus has been elevated to something just shy of virtual kingmaker of American politics. In roughly the last 10 elections, 60 percent to 70 percent of the winners in Iowa presidential primaries go on to earn the nomination of their party. Conversely, no one finishing lower than fourth has ever succeeded. Once the Caucus was moved to the start of the year, Iowa became vital to anyone running for the nation's highest office.
 

Throughout the weekend, D.C. was in a severe lather over the latest outrage/scandal/impeachable offense involving the president. In fact it continues to gather steam well into this week.

Today is National Voter Registration Day, and of course Andrew Gillum, who has taken up the initiative to register a slew of new voters for the upcoming 2020 election, is excited. No, wait -- check that. He is “excitable.” Turns out, ahead of what is practically a national holiday for the former Tallahassee mayor and current CNN personality is instead a cause of concern.

Comedian Dave Chappelle has come under fire for his new Netflix standup show, “Sticks And Stones." But lost in the furor of his routine, angering leftist ideals and liberal policies were Chappelle's poignant words regarding school shootings, and the drills they have in some schools.

"Why would you have kids rehearse for some s--- they have no control over? All you’re doing is training these kids to worry."

And he followed that with a poignant observation: “When you’re doing these drills, well, aren’t you training the shooter, too?” 

It would be laughable were there not rampant devastation just off our shores, but the press is content to hammer away at President Trump over his supposed gaffe involving Hurricane Dorian and the state of Alabama. While the storm has moved on, the press has not. And all kinds of left-leaning reporters insist on beating the tortured horse that Trump made a most egregious error on hurricane notification.

The debate in Tallahassee over the deregulation of Florida's power supply market is largely flying under the radar. But it's a very big deal.

There's an effort to get the utility deregulation amendment on the ballot for the 2020 election, and those behind it are having some trouble both legally and in sparking interest. Polling data has shown a stark resistance to the idea from voters. While the ballot issue against assault weapons grabbed most of the press last week, lawyers on both sides were before the state Supreme Court to argue the ballot initiative on energy.

While things have calmed somewhat regarding President Trump and immigration (I mean, his Sharpie pen on a hurricane map IS vastly important), Florida Democrats are trying to build the importance of that issue back up, and it's with an eye on the demographic map. Thinking they've found a wedge to finally strip away the dependable Cuban vote from the red team, Democratic pols and their pals in the press are loudly crowing about "the GOP deportations" to Cuba.

The HBO football-based comedy “Ballers” was a production tailor-made for Florida. The sunny locales played into the high-flying living of the players, members of the Miami Dolphins and Miami Marlins franchises. The star of the show, Dwayne Johnson, is not a mere celebrity in the area, as he has a history as a former player on the UM Hurricanes roster. 

Yet, after two seasons the storyline, and Johnson, shifted entirely and abruptly to California. 

Prominent Second Amendment lobbyist Marion Hammer, with a long career of working in Florida, has been heavily occupied of late. A proposed constitutional amendment to the 2020 ballot requires her attention. Thanks to a recent administrative ruling, she's been freed up from a lingering ethics issue and can finally attend to that heady piece of electoral content.

Curses, say state Democratic leaders. They're still in a tizzy.

Twice-failed congressional candidate Pam Keith appears intent on making a name for herself as a firebrand personality in Florida, since she can't manage to do so in the political arena. In a state known for its lunacies, Keith manages to rise above those tales and serve as an embarrassment for residents.