Category: Florida

* No state has more wetlands than Florida. We are de facto stewards as well as residents. And developers. We have priorities: from ecosystems to economics. In that order–if enlightened self interest means anything. In that order, if absorbing flood water, filtering out pollution and providing wildlife habitats mean anything.

Now, however, there are two bills coursing through the legislature that threaten that already delicate balance.

Both SB 1402 and HB 7043 would expedite a change that would mean the state–“Flori-duh,” we are reminded–would replace the federal government when it comes to issuing federal wetlands permits. The cut-to-the-chase agenda: Make it easier to build in wetlands–and, in the process, construct an addition to the Rick Scott legacy of Department of Environmental Protection downgrades.

If it were to happen, there could be ripples beyond the Sunshine State. “The likelihood would be that several other states would then use this as a template,” says Eric Hughes, a former U.S. EPA wetlands expert. Alas, Rick Scott is not one of a kind–just Florida’s sell-out, Trump-supporting version.

* As we’ve been seeing, the gubernatorial campaign of name-recognition-challenged Philip Levine has been getting some ink of late as the former Miami Beach mayor tours Florida. He does, however, check off some boxes that could resonate with a mix of voters.

He’s not some classic liberal ripe for demonization by partisan opposition. He has business experience; he’s rich; he’s media savvy; he’s been elected; and he’s got a serious track record for pushing climate-change infrastructure investments in Miami Beach’s streets, sea walls and flood control system.

And, yeah, having personality, being able to contribute multi-millions of his own money to a campaign and speaking fluent Spanish in Florida–with its ever-increasing influx of Puerto Ricans–should help.

He’s a player.

Among the more notable proposals once again facing the Sunshine State are two that need more blunt and candid context: Texting while driving and restoring rights to former felons. Whether via legislation or amendment.

First, making texting while driving a primary offense needs to happen. It’s the only way to get through to too many who turn unconscionably careless and witless behind the wheel. We need to say as a society: “This is going to cost you big time–from serious fines to insurance impact to license suspension and worse. You take a selfish, cavalier attitude about distracted driving–and we’re coming after you. Count on it. Nothing will distract us.”

Second, is the ultimate rationale. We’re all impacted.

This is not some legal abstraction; the rest of US are potential victims every time we get behind the wheel because of who else might literally be crossing our driving path. We are the constituency with skin and bones in this game. Let’s do this for US. Let’s promote this for the gut-level common good.

As for former felons having their civil rights restored, it’s just fair that after having paid (via prison and probation) a societal debt–unless it was a violent felony that can never been righted–these people automatically get another shot at full citizenry.

Second, is the ultimate rationale. We’re all impacted. It’s worth repeating.

Felons who have had their rights restored–including voting, jury serving and certain professional license holding–have noticeably lower rates of recidivism. That’s a formal way of saying a restored-rights, former felon is less likely to negatively impact all of us non former felons. In short, having more than a million long-term, second-class citizens can’t be in Florida’s best interest.

This is doing the right, smart thing for the right, smart, self-serving societal reasons. For us.

Bus Rapid Transit. Thanks again, Gov. Rick Scott and a Flori-duh legislature that won’t permit city-only, self-determination referenda.

So, Rick Scott cuts a ballyhooed deal with U.S. Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke to separate Florida from coastal, oil-drilling scenarios. Political expedience meets environmental conversion. Swing state loyalty meets senatorial ambition.

But let’s not forget that the Trump Administration’s overall coastal drilling policy remains a threat. Spills off of other Gulf states, lest we forget, have a rippling impact. No sighs of relief; it’s everybody’s environment–ecological and economic.

* We all know, and most of us lament, the ever-increasing influence of lobbyists, whether in Tallahassee or Washington. That’s a given. But the derivation of the term “lobbyist” predates modern partisan politics by about a century and a half. The 1870s, to be exact. Legend has it that those who wanted to influence the government would hang out in the literal “lobby” of Washington’s Willard Hotel–next to the White House–and hope that President Ulysses S. Grant would put in an appearance. More often than not, President Grant would drop by for a nightcap.

Sounds almost quaintly innocent by today’s compromised standards.

* “De$anti$”: A potential oppo bumper sticker that should be too good to pass up after the announcement that U.S. Rep. Ron DeSantis, part of Florida’s gubernatorial-candidate field, has the support of Trump and several, usual-suspect billionaires.

* Political speculation: It’s part, of course, of what we do around here. Especially local to statewide. And, inevitably, we ponder whether Dems can make certain inroads.

Any scenario, however, has to factor in that this is a non-presidential year–and non-presidential years, as we know all too well, are not typically good for Dems. Which confronts us with this demoralizing reality: How much longer can this be the case? We know all the usual demographic and political rationales–but voting as a whim and not a responsibility?

How can that rule of selective disinterest still apply–given the desecration of the governor’s mansion and the continued Republican majority on the County Commission? American exceptionalism shouldn’t include this predicable subplot about lazy undervoting in non-presidential years.

* After health care fraud, a geek-caricature persona, media avoidance, opaque policies and high-speed rail oblivion, how has Rick Scott been re-elected and seemingly headed for a Senate race? See above.

Although Irma still lingers on in our collective Sunshine State consciousness–and temperatures dipping below 40 degrees pleased no one around here–we still need to keep all things weather wise in context. For example, 90 percent of America woke up to below-freezing temperatures this past Monday. We were among the 10 percenters. Happy first week of 2018.

While gerrymandering, fundraising, turnout and Trump fallout will all have major impact on the next presidential race, let’s not forget that it’s census time again in 2020. With more than 21 million residents, ever-growing Florida will likely be adding a couple of congressional seats–going from 27 to 29. Thus becoming an even more impactful swing state.

It’s been no secret throughout the years that Jack Latvala was not a nice guy. As in the loudest bully in the room. That, alas, was not nearly enough to prevent his ascent into the upper ranks of legislative power in the Sunshine State. Tallahassee, alas, can be bully friendly. And worse.

Latvala, as it’s been well-chronicled, will resign, effective Jan. 5, as a result of sexual-groping charges. There’s also a criminal investigation. But he did not go, unsurprisingly, quietly or with a smidgen of class. Al Franken he’s not. He had to put out a statement that was insultingly disingenuous. “I have never intentionally dishonored my family, my constituents or the Florida Senate,” he wrote, as if he had been charged with intentional dishonor. “My political adversaries have latched onto this (national #MeToo movement) effort to rid our country of sexual harassment to try to rid the Florida Senate of me.”

Here’s what he should have said:

“I apologize. And I apologize for not having apologized sooner.

“I’ve gotten by as a bombastic ‘moderate’ all these years when, in fact, I’ve also been an arrogant, obnoxious sleaze. I’ve abused my powers. Would that it were only hardball, old-school politics, not salacious quid pro quos of entitlement. I apologize to those I’ve imposed myself on, and I apologize to my constituents for leaving them without direct senatorial representation in the upcoming legislative session. I would apologize to my family–but they were also enablers.

“This is not some #MeToo conspiracy. This is my sleazy MO catching up with me. This is karma payback. I’m getting what I deserve, and I’ve deserved it for some time. I apologize.”

All that being said, however, Jack Latvala should still run for governor. Hear me out.

It would be a graphic reminder to the electorate about how careful it has to be. Recall Trump flunky Rick Scott. It would also be a big help to the Democratic candidate to have a Republican primary tarnished by the guilt of association.

Not fair? Of course it isn’t. Neither is a Gov. Corcoran or Gov. Putnam after Gov. Scott.

Did anyone really doubt that–after seemingly going to the political mattresses over child tax credits–Sen. Marco Rubio would become a “yes” vote on the controversial tax bill?

How much were the middle class and the poor helped by Rubio holding out for a more generous child tax credit in the final bill? In the end, the change would allow families with no tax liability to claim up to $1,400 in tax refunds per child, an increase from $1,100 in the version that had previously passed the Senate.

He had his price: $300. He wasn’t going off the GOPster reservation and risk being pilloried by his party: a bad career move. But he wanted to showboat for a while to appear conscience stricken and the champion of the little guy. He’s still “little Marco.”

Why would he? John Morgan, that is. Run for governor, that is.

As we’ve seen, Morgan, 61, has formally announced that he will not be a candidate for Florida governor next year. Even though he was polling best among Democrats. Even though Democrats really, really need somebody like him to get the vote out and even the score statewide.

Morgan has his reasons. Ours not to quibble.

He’s independently wealthy. He doesn’t owe anybody. He’s free to pick and choose his issues and weigh in where he wants with serious-dollar impact. That’s a helluva place to be.

He can also pick and choose where he goes, who he drinks with and what he says about anyone and anything that crosses his mind. If he decides to buy last round, he will. He’ll joke with bartenders as well as budtenders.

He doesn’t need to outsource his values and opinions to marketers, strategists and focus groups. He is his own man–and would never be caught pandering to those who might not agree with him. He’d rather talk at a Tiger Bay luncheon than a political debate.

He’s used to winning and being surrounded by winners. He doesn’t suffer fools because he doesn’t have to. And Tallahassee is hardly a fool-free zone.

He  belongs on the left-hand side of the spectrum, and the righteous hypocrites of the Florida Legislature remain prominent among the GOPster majority. Who needs that element in your life?

There’s a gut reason why John “For the People” Morgan has gone this long without running for office. And nothing has changed except he has more money, more autonomy–and partisan politics keeps getting more poisonous.