Category: Uncategorized

The U.S. involvement in Venezuela, including coup talk, can be seen by some as imperial America meddling again in Latin America. The track record, to be sure, is nothing to be proud of, and President Trump has underscored that “all options are on the table.” But this isn’t Guatemala or Chile or Cuba. The OAS and most Latin American countries are on board with regime change as the only avenue to halt further devolution of a country that is in economic, health-care and criminal-justice free fall and has created a refugee crisis with its neighbors.   

But there is one Latin American constant: the military. So far, it’s supporting the de facto dictator, Nicolás Maduro. But opposition leader Juan Guaidó, the 35-year-old leader of the National Assembly, has notably not been arrested. Moreover, he has made it clear that he is supportive of an amnesty law the assembly passed that encourages members of the armed forces to switch their loyalty to him. That could be determinative.

* I watched Sen. Kamala Harris’ on her CNN town hall from Des Moines, Iowa. She’s good.   Articulate, camera-friendly, passionate and tough. From issues to optics, she’s more than ready for prime time. Even Donald Trump seemed impressed by the early rollout of her presidential candidacy, although Trump praise is nothing any Dem would ever covet. “I would say the best opening so far would be Kamala (pronounced ‘Kameela’) Harris,” he observed. “In terms of the opening act.” In other words, it’s still performance art for Trump–but Harris is much more than that. It would be brutally apparent if it ever came to a presidential debate.  

* We live in an oxymoronic, news-junkie era when news has never been more reviled, more cherry picked, more susceptible to tampering, more profit-and-survival conscious–and more flat-out necessary. The new news normal ranges from Russian bots to Fox’s partisan reality to the pathological liar-in-chief.

Countering all this will take an all-out, societal effort, so that our electorate becomes less vulnerable to forces that seek to undermine American democracy. One way would be to get serious about our school curricula and what’s at stake electorally. No, we’re not extolling the virtues of old school civics to see who knows how many years a U.S. representative’s term lasts. And, no, this is not nostalgia for some “Americanism vs. Communism” Cold War social studies relic.

Here’s hoping that Florida lawmakers, currently smitten with the teaching of science “options” and Bible-literacy electives, will evolve and mandate the teaching of contemporary media along with real-world American democracy. In short, how to be your own best advocate for non-fake news. What to look for, how to look for it. The value of knowing the other side of issues–and not just cherry picking that which validates the cherry picker. We need to groom the next generation to know what’s at stake and how self-serving partisans and cyber attackers can manipulate an electorate that is blatantly vulnerable.

* “Stan and Ollie.” This holiday, pre-Oscar season has had more than the usual amount of good movies wedged among the usual comic-book, video-game genres. Another good one: “Stan and Ollie.” As in Laurel and Hardy. The ending–oops, a bit of a spoiler alert–is appropriate. You’ll tear up while you’re smiling.  

* Still my favorite bumper sticker: “TAMPA 2012: Where Stupidity Meets Humidity.”

* Some numbers are still boggling. To wit: There are less than 8 billion people on Earth. More than a quarter of them (2.3 billion) are on Facebook.

So the Democratic governor of  Virginia, Ralph Northam, apologizes for appearing in a blatantly racist yearbook photograph that featured a man in blackface and one sporting KKK garb. Then he denies being part of what he had just apologized for. Sounds like another cold opening for “Saturday Night Live.”

Frankly, Northam should consider apologizing for being two-faced.  

There’s also an element of irony here. Should Gov. Northam ultimately resign, his place would be taken by Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax, who happens to be black beyond his face. Fairfax would become the second African-American governor in Virginia’s history. Sounds almost karmic, except that there are now accusations of sexual assault against Fairfax.

And this just in. Virginia’s Democratic Attorney General Mark Herring has now acknowledged appearing in rapper-esque blackface back in the 80s. That’s Virginia’s top three elected officials engulfed by scandal. Moreover, should all three wind up resigning, the next in line to become governor would be House Speaker Kirk Cox, a Republican.

No, you can’t make this stuff up.

* Quarterback-challenged FSU just jettisoned its starting QB Deondre Franciois. It had everything to do with another all-too-disgustingly-familiar domestic violence accusation. Call it doing the right thing. But also call it the expedient thing that is part of Jameis Winston’s infamous legacy. FSU does not want to re-enter that notorious spotlight that Winston put them in a few years back. Besides, Francois was never going to win a Heisman and lead the ‘Noles back to the, however soiled, glory years.

* While speculation about Super Bowl player participation continues regarding a New England Patriots team visit to the White House, this is always a good time–even in a non-Trump presidency–to re-think this tradition. Just eliminate all teams from a WH visit unless they are representing the U.S.–not their franchise owners–in international competition. The Olympics and World Cup, yes.  The NFL, NBA, MLB or NHL, no. Regardless of who’s president.

* Not that Bruce Arians is deterred, but the oddsmaking Westgate SuperBook already has Super Bowl odds out for next year. The Bucs are 80-1 longshots. But it could be worse. We could be talking about the Miami Dolphins, who are listed at 300-1. BTW, next year’s game is in Miami.

* “The distribution of risks around Brexit outcomes is widening.”–Goldman Sachs, in a report that places the odds that Brexit will be delayed at 50-50.

* “We never really had a trade deal with China, and now we’re going to have a great trade deal with China if it all works out.”–President Donald Trump.

* “(By) radiating authority.”–The way a female politician earns credibility, according to German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

* “Some U.S. allies and partners are seeking greater independence from Washington in response to their perception of changing U.S. policies on security and trade.”–Excerpt from the “Worldwide Threat Assessment” report from U.S. intelligence agencies.

* “Perhaps Intelligence should go back to school!”–Donald Trump.

* “The risk of miscalculation or misunderstanding is already higher than at any point since the end of the Cold War, and this decision only makes it worse.”–Democratic Rep. Adam Smith of Washington, chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, on Trump’s announcement that the U.S. would be pulling out of the 1987 Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces treaty with Russia.

* “For the first time, you have an opposition leader (Juan Guaidó) who is clearly signaling to the armed forces and to law enforcement that he wants to keep them on the side of the angels and with the good guys.”–William Brownfield, former American ambassador to Venezuela.

* “Reading about the indictment of Donald Trump’s longtime pal Roger Stone, you can’t help thinking that we’ve got a president whose circle of associates closely resembles the guys Tony Soprano used to hang around with outside the pork shop in New Jersey.”–Gail Collins, New York Times.

* “Despite Trump’s claims, the main challenge for coal is not regulation. It’s technology. Hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, in particular, has made natural gas a much cheaper alternative.”–Catherine Rampell, Washington Post.

* “(Government shutdowns) hurt federal employees and their families, disrupt critical government services and increase the cost to taxpayers. This shutdown confirmed what we already knew about shutdowns. Let’s do something about it now while the pain and inefficiency of this moment is fresh on our minds.”–Ohio Republican Sen. Rob Portman, who has re-introduced legislation to prevent government shutdowns.

* “The moment when we reach a compromise on the (border security) vocabulary is the moment when we will reach a compromise on the policy.”–Jeh Johnson, former homeland security secretary under President Barack Obama.

* “It will be interesting to see how primary voters wrestle with these questions: Is America too racist and sexist right now to elect a black woman? Or would nominating a black woman in fact be the perfect rebuttal to Trump?”–David Brooks, New York Times.

* “(Howard Schultz’s) immediate problem is the Democratic Party. … Democrats will never forget … what Ralph Nader’s Green Party candidacy in 2000 did to Al Gore. … They feel they are this close to taking out Mr. Trump. They are not going to let another independent get in their way.”–Peggy Noonan, Wall Street Journal.

* “Grateful patient programs.”–Wealth screenings by nonprofit hospitals to gauge which patients are most likely to be the source of large donations.

* “A sunny place for shady people.”–How Roger Stone characterized Florida.

* “In a twisted way, the Florida dateline might have blunted the shock of last week’s (Sebring bank murders) crime. We live in a notorious firing range, the Gunshine State, where the rush of blood-splattered headlines seldom lets us catch our breath.”–Carl Hiaasen, Tribune Content Agency.

* “Nothing is ever settled if it’s science, because people are always questioning science. If you look at the history of human learning, for a long time the official worldview was that the world was flat.”–State Sen. Dennis Baxley, R-Ocala.

* “A study of a book of creation by its creator is absolutely essential. … In the world there is one book that is the ultimate authority on mankind. That is the Holy Bible. I think it should be studied in our schools.”–State Rep. Brad Drake, R-Fort Walton Beach, the co-sponsor of a bill that would require high schools to offer an elective course on the Bible and religion.

* “We want to be nimble. We want to be responsive to how the economy changes.”–Gov. Ron DeSantis, in advocating for better workforce and technical training programs during an appearance at Tampa Bay Tech.

* “Though skeptical, I’m willing to wipe the slate clean and judge him on his environmental record going forward. Florida is in desperate need of a new environmental hero. I’d be thrilled if DeSantis turned out to be one.”–Former Republican state legislator Paula Dockery.

* “I believe it’s a good idea. We need access to our rural communities. We need to improve access so prosperity can return there.”–Florida Senate leader Bill Galvano, R-Bradenton, in announcing that one of his top priorities is pushing legislation to extend the (lightly traveled) Suncoast Parkway to the Georgia state line.

* “The story of Tampa is really quite remarkable but not surprising. You had the vision to take the waterfront and do something with it. You have a live-work-play that’s the envy of other cities.”–Mitchell Roschelle, co-author of the 2019 “Emerging Trends in Real Estate Report.”

* “The greatest feeling in the world is winning (a Super Bowl). The absolute worst feeling in the world is when the confetti is coming down on them, and you’ve got to walk through it.”–New Bucs head coach Bruce Arians.

* “Never worked for Russia.” Doesn’t that speak “Manchurian Candidate” volumes about this president when he actually has to say this? When we actually have to ask this? While scenarios of a Trump presidency ending prematurely are in play, we are reminded that no one ever had to ask Richard Nixon such a question.

* As critical–and crushing–as the 2016 election was, 2020 will be even more impactful. While the historical stain of this travesty will remain, we can reverse much of what Donald Trump has wrought. That’s because much of what he wreaks is via executive action. To wit: canceling the Paris climate accord, halting the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal, exiting from the Iran negotiations and raising tariffs and global ire while reducing respect for the U.S. and cooperation among our allies and partners. These are all reversible by a Democratic president.

* So Trump will sit down again with North Korea’s Kim Jong-un, this time, presumably, with a written definition and details of denuclearization resulting. But one thing we do know–and it’s worthy of concern–is that North Korea, as well as the rest of the world, knows what Trump is facing domestically. They know part of his MO is to create diversions–which could be trumpeted as “wins.” So heads up on what these expedient negotiations actually yield.  

* Trump: “(The United States) will devastate Turkey economically if they hit Kurds.” Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu: “You will not get anywhere by threatening Turkey’s economy.”  Mike Pompeo (to himself): “I miss Rex Tillerson. I didn’t whore out for this.”

* “If you want to see a stock market crash, impeach Trump!” That was Donald Trump saying, in effect, “Whatever the hell I did or didn’t do, so what? This isn’t about right or wrong. True or false. This is about me, as it always is, and I will play all the scare-tactic cards I can.”

* “Absurd and almost childish.” That was the take–just a couple of years ago–on “The Wall” by a South Carolina Republican congressman who no longer talks that way. Oh yeah, that was Mick Mulvaney, now this absurd and childish president’s acting chief of staff.

* Sen. Mitch McConnell: He’s no longer just a gutless, sycophantic Trump enabler. He’s a co-conspirator.

* Could this Trump presidency get any worse? Yes. Trump could take up drinking.

* New York Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, 52, formally announced the formation of a presidential exploratory committee on “The Late Show With Stephen Colbert.” At the risk of political naiveté, I still feel that such an important announcement about such an important office should have a forum other than a late-night comedy host.

I know it’s how you reach a wider demographic audience–and there’s ample precedent going all the way back to John F. Kennedy doing the old “Tonight Show.” But at a time when the presidency has been debased and demeaned by a grandstanding former reality-TV performer, we’ve never needed a sense of serious purpose and class more than now. The presidential-candidacy forum should reflect that.

* Former Texas congressman Beto O’Rourke has youth-energizing charisma, modern-media appeal, an impressive, grass-roots organization and proven (non-PAC) fund-raising wherewithal. It’s why he’s prominently in the mix among would-be, Democratic presidential contenders for 2020. Some early media polls actually have O’Rourke, 46, behind only Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders among early favorites.

Imagine what we’d be seeing had he not lost his senate race to Ted Cruz, the most hated man in the Senate.

On balance, Gov. Ron DeSantis has been a bipartisan surprise. He’s no Rick Scott. Seemingly, not even close. But his stand on Airbnb andIsrael seems like a disingenuous regression. For the record, DeSantis says the company risks sanctions by discriminating against Israel. As a result, Florida is considering whether to put the popular tourism service on a state list of scrutinized companies that boycott Israel. “We have a moral obligation to oppose the Airbnb policy,” stated DeSantis, who attended the opening of the relocated U.S. embassy in Jerusalem. “It does target Jews specifically. I think that’s wrong.”

But context matters. This is not anti-Semitism. This is about Airbnb’s decision not to list some 200 properties in the West Bank because, it says, it was uncomfortable doing business in an “occupied territory.” The West Bank, as we know, is land Israel claimed after the 1967 war. The United Nations, which has scrutinized the territory more than Florida’s State Board of Administration has, does consider the West Bank an occupied territory.

Moreover, this is hardly reflective of how Airbnb treats Israel, per se. Otherwise, it wouldn’t be doing business with more than 20,000 Israeli hosts in Jerusalem. For what it’s worth, Airbnb no longer does business in Crimea. Doing business in problematic areas of de-facto occupation is arguably at odds with their business model, even if Ron DeSantis and Sheldon Adelson disagree. It’s Airbnb’s call, and they shouldn’t be called on it if it’s not anti-Semitic discrimination.

You ever think that if we have to keep telling ourselves that “We’re better than that,” it might be that we, well, aren’t? At least not enough of us. How did we get to where we are and still be “better than that”? But, then, we see various communities, including our own, stepping up to help federal workers unfairly impacted by the partial government shutdown. From free tickets from the Florida Orchestra and Ruth Eckerd Hall and a daily popup food bank at TIA to free pet food from the Humane Society, gratis restaurant meals and waived fees at credit unions. We’ve also seen where all the profits–an expected $15 million–from the three-week run of “Hamilton” in Puerto Rico will go to Hurricane Maria relief efforts.

It’s a welcome reminder that, indeed, we are “better than that.”

No, former state Rep. Ed Narain of Tampa did not jump into Tampa’s mayoral race, despite some speculation to the contrary. As a result, Tampa will go another four years at least without its first African-American mayor. Time was when Bob Morrison, the executive director of the Hillsborough County Hotel and Motel Association–and one time, high-profile assistant to former Mayor Bob Martinez–looked likely to be that mayoral pioneer.