Category: Florida

Nothing says the holidays in Florida more than ever-booming gun interest. According to the Department of Law Enforcement, some 23,000 requests for background checks related to gun purchases were processed Thanksgiving week. A normal week averages about 14,000. In fact, Black Friday set a new record–8,300 requests–which was the third-busiest day ever.

In other Gunshine news, barely two weeks after the Florida State library shooting, we’ve sure enough had a bill proposed in the House that would let some people carry concealed weapons on college campuses. It was filed by Sarasota Republican Greg Steube. HB 4005 is also serving as a rallying point for FSU’s Students for Concealed Carry and another bullet pulpit for NRA lobbyist Marion Hammer.

But to be fair, it’s not just Gunshine State ethos, when it comes to guns. More like an ongoing offshoot of “American exceptionalism.” A recent Pew Research Center survey found that–two years removed from the mass school shooting in Newtown, Conn.–a majority of Americans say it’s more important to protect Americans’ gun rights than for government to limit access to firearms.

The headlines captured our attention because of the historic, societal implications. Gay couples may be legally marrying in Florida in 2015. It seems likely that Florida will follow a legal trend that now includes 35 states plus Washington, D.C.

After the 11th U.S. Circuit Court in Atlanta ruled that a stay in this state’s gay-marriage ban case will be lifted early in January, the die appears cast. Even if Attorney General Pam Bondi’s office is still “reviewing the ruling,” as we speak.

Increasingly, it’s looking like U.S. Judge Robert Hinkle of Tallahassee–the jurist who tossed out the (2008) gay-marriage ban in Florida’s constitution with rhetorical gusto (“an obvious pretext for discrimination”)–will be historically credited–if not lionized. Maybe future gay couples will get “Hinkled” as well as “hitched.”

Judge Hinkle merely cited the obvious: Voters are not always on the side of what’s right. If it’s a candidate, recall or don’t re-elect. If it’s an issue–think “separate but equal”–there’s obvious redress. The redress rehearsal is well under way.

But as telling as a lifted stay is, there was a related, manifest sign of the times–although less noble–a couple of days later. If the gay-marriage ban falls in Florida in a few weeks, there are those in the Sunshine State who want to be able to take advantage of it in the old-fashioned way: Capitalize on it.

Visit Tampa Bay has “To Have and To Hold” ads primed and ready to woo gay couples. Hillsborough County’s tourism branch has matrimony-specific print ads that will target the Northeast, the Middle Atlantic, Ohio and Texas, as well as digital ads in Chicago and Dallas.

VTB already partners with Visit Florida to promote the state as a destination for same-sex couples. Weddings and honeymoons would be a natural extension.

If the gay-marriage ban is lifted Jan. 5, a 9-figure economic impact–spending plus jobs–is estimated to result locally.

“I think it’s an extraordinarily important market,” says Hillsborough County Commissioner Kevin Beckner, who is openly gay. “As we have started changing our policies, we can certainly benefit economically.”

Call it a perfect societal storm. Changing culture and evolving laws meet economic opportunity. Also call it reality.

Nothing says the holidays in Florida more than ever-booming gun interest. According to the Department of Law Enforcement, some 23,000 requests for background checks related to gun purchases were processed Thanksgiving week. A normal week averages about 14,000. In fact, Black Friday set a new record–8,300 requests–which was the third-busiest day ever.

In other Gunshine news, barely two weeks after the Florida State library shooting, we’ve sure enough had a bill proposed in the House that would let some people carry concealed weapons on college campuses. It was filed by Sarasota Republican Greg Steube. HB 4005 is also serving as a rallying point for FSU’s Students for Concealed Carry and another bullet pulpit for NRA lobbyist Marion Hammer.

But to be fair, it’s not just Gunshine State ethos, when it comes to guns. More like an ongoing offshoot of “American exceptionalism.” A recent Pew Research Center survey found that–two years removed from the mass school shooting in Newtown, Conn.–a majority of Americans say it’s more important to protect Americans’ gun rights than for government to limit access to firearms.

Those thinking Jeb Bush is the moderate adult in the room wouldn’t think so if they had been in that Coral Gables room where Bush addressed the U.S. Cuba Democracy PAC last week. One sample Bush quote: “I would argue that, instead of lifting the (Cuban economic) embargo, we should consider strengthening it.”

At least “Flori-duh” didn’t make this list: the states with language in their constitutions that prohibits people who do not believe in God from holding office. Those states: Arkansas, Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Texas.

Call it states’ rights applied religiously. So much for being compatible with the spirit of Article VI of the U.S. Constitution, the one that says no “religious test” should ever be required for federal office.

Just guessing, but I don’texpect to see “Medical Marijuana, the Sequel” back on the ballot in 2016.

Sure, the momentum is still there from the referendum amendment that gained 58 percent of the vote last month. Indeed, the petition drive would be considerably less expensive next time, and, yes, John Morgan and United for Care’s Ben Pollara are still committed.

But the Florida Legislature knows that as well.

It knows that a sequel amendment will likely hit the 60 percent threshold next time. The Republican-dominated Legislature also knows that in a presidential-election year, this issue is not a net plus for its side. Why chance helping to gin up the other party’s vote–in another razor-thin presidential race–when you can pre-empt the amendment by passing serious medical marijuana legislation? Plus, you get credit for doing the right thing.

How ironic.

Florida State University had arguably been going through the worst of times.  Call it the trifecta from higher ed hell.

It’s what you get when you combine a malignant football culture, enabling police departments and a rigged search that ultimately rubber-stamped a career politician-lobbyist for president.

And then it got worse.

FSU experienced one of those increasingly familiar rites of horrific passage: an on-campus shooting. This one resulted in a paralyzed victim and a dead shooter, an FSU graduate.

And then, in an emotional catharsis, everything coalesced into a healing, coping context that changed all conversations.

No longer was the university, let alone the media, all consumed with the countdown to Jameis Winston’s student-code-of-conduct hearing, which is a polite way of referencing rape charges. No longer was the focus on scandalous double standards for football players.

Indeed, it gave head football coach Jimbo Fisher a forum to do something other than “put it behind him” and defend the indefensible.

“I really don’t know if we really appreciate how much athletics holds a community, universities, cities together because they rally behind them so much,” said Fisher. “Hopefully we can give a little comfort to some folks.”

As a result, Jameis and the lads, sporting ribbon decals on their helmets for the Boston College game, came to the rescue–and won with a vintage, last-second field goal. Also caught up in group therapy: FSU alum Burt Reynolds, who pitched in and planted that Seminole spear at mid-field at the end of pre-game ceremonies.

Then there’s the police, previously seen as football-culture collaborators. Not long ago, they were being vilified for treating certain sexual-assault and female-battery cases with less urgency than jay-walking. Now they’re being lionized for a speedy response that likely saved lives at FSU’s Strozier Library.

In fact, University Police Chief David Perry got a standing ovation the next night at a candlelight vigil on campus.

But Chief Perry wasn’t the only FSU official at the vigil. New President John Thrasher was a towering presence of reassurance. Relying on well-honed, political-leadership skills, Thrasher led the calm call for unity in the “Seminole nation.”

“We’re stronger. We’re more passionate, and we care about each other,” said Thrasher between choruses of Amazing Grace and the Hymn to the Garnet and Gold.

Moreover, he also greeted students at the re-opened library the following morning. The omnipresent president–who had been on the job less than a fortnight–also delivered a message of unity and resilience on the Doak Campbell Stadium video screens on Saturday.

Thrasher was, by all accounts, pitch perfect to a student-and-faculty constituency that had, on balance, wanted anyone but him as their president. Thrasher will still be the president associated with climate-change skepticism, the Koch brothers and Rick Scott’s re-election campaign, but he will always be remembered as the president who stood tall when FSU needed nothing less from its leader.

The subject of Mayor Bob Buckhorn and possible 2018 Florida gubernatorial scenarios is definitely out there. Among those propping it up: our most voluble politician, Mayor Bob. “There will be an open seat in four years,” he coyly noted recently in the aftermath of Rick Scott’s narrow victory over Charlie Crist. “I’m just saying.

“I know the speculation is  inevitable,” he acknowledged, thereby helping assure its inevitability.

Mercifully, we’re still an election cycle away from that Adam Putnam-Bob Buckhorn match-up. But what would it be like going from East Kennedy Boulevard to Apalachee Parkway?

Bob Martinez has some pertinent thoughts. Florida’s 40th governor was also Tampa’s 52nd mayor.

It mattered, underscores Martinez,79, that his experience was in a strong mayor system. “You’re a CEO. That’s certainly helpful.”

In addition to sheer scale, a key difference, points out Martinez, is that “Local government is more retail. State government is more regulatory–and more philosophical. Do you, for example, measure success by input or output on many issues.”

Going from a non partisan race–even though your party affiliation is well known–at the local level to the statewide, partisan mosh pit was a major adjustment, recalls Martinez.

“It’s quite different,” he emphasizes. “Both parties caucus. There’s definitely a learning curve involved. You have to adapt. You reorganize how you engage in the issues. It can seem hit-and-miss for a while, but you do adapt.”

As for being a Tallahassee outsider, Martinez notes that the trend, manifested in the more recent administrations of Jeb Bush and Rick Scott, has been away from those who have served in the Legislature. The big, palpable difference, says Martinez, is getting your name and message out “to a bigger audience.” And that, of course, involves time and money.

“It’s certainly a more expensive audience to reach now,” he adds. “And to make a statewide run, you have to start no less than two years out and then be visible circulating outside  your neighborhood  the other two years.”

So, any projections on a Putnam-Buckhorn showdown?

“That’s for the pundits to figure out.”

As we’ve seen, the Board of Governors has formally confirmed the selection of W. Kent Fuchs, former Cornell provost, as UF president and John Thrasher, the former Republican state senator and chairman of Rick Scott’s re-election campaign, as FSU president. Also confirmed: FSU’s classless process and sell-out choice.