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Long-Time Tampa Democrat Susan Valdes Switches to Republican, Adding to GOP’s House Supermajority

December 9, 2024 | FlaglerLive | 17 Comments

Rep. Susan Valdes of Tampa announced Monday she was switching parties to become a Republican.

Elected four times to the state House as a Democrat, Tampa lawmaker Susan Valdes on Monday added to Republicans’ supermajority. Valdes announced she had become a Republican, saying she expected to be “welcomed and treated with respect” by her new party. The move, which drew a rebuke from House Minority Leader Fentrice Driskell, came a week after Valdes lost a bid to become chairwoman of the Hillsborough County Democratic Executive Committee.

The County Commission’s Choice Tonight: Filth or Statesmanship

November 15, 2021 | FlaglerLive | 29 Comments

County Commissioners Don O'Brien and Dave Sullivan, with their Svengali, Joe Mullins. (© FlaglerLive)

The Flagler County Commission this evening is set to elect a new chairman, with Joe Mullins in line for the job, unless fellow-commissioners think better than to choose a bigot to represent them and the county. The School Board elects a chair Tuesday evening, with its own dilemmas.

Critical Rage Theory

June 12, 2021 | Pierre Tristam | 51 Comments

critical rage theory pierre tristam

Critical race theory has been around almost 50 years and went mainstream 25 years ago, but Trumpist Republicans are discovering it only now, passing laws in several states to ban the teaching of critical race theory without understanding the first thing about it, but proving with every ban that it is less theory than fact.

Trump-Republican Men Lead in Vaccine Refusal, Putting Goal of Herd Immunity at Risk

April 24, 2021 | FlaglerLive | 49 Comments

republicans not getting vaccinated

About 13 percent of American adults don’t want a covid-19 vaccine, but nearly 30 percent of Republicans don’t. The counties that are most vaccine-hesitant are rural, more likely to support Trump and have lower income levels and college graduation rates.

Democrats Call for New Senate Vote in Place of Fraudulent Election of Garcia; GOP Says No.

March 21, 2021 | FlaglerLive | 3 Comments

Sen. Jose Javier Rodriguez

Miami-Dade County State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle on Thursday filed felony charges against former Sen. Frank Artiles for allegedly recruiting and paying an old pal nearly $45,000 to disrupt the November election between former Democratic Sen. Jose Javier Rodriguez and Republican challenger Ileana Garcia.

Flagler and Florida Democrats Face a Reckoning After Dismal Showing at Every Level

November 6, 2020 | FlaglerLive | 5 Comments

No wins for Democrats in Flagler, mirroring a poor showing across the state. (© FlaglerLive)

Trump’s Florida victory aside, Republicans upset two incumbent South Florida congresswomen, flipped five state House seats and could pick up a seat in the state Senate, making a mockery of Democrats’ hopes to cut into the GOP’s legislative dominance.

Milissa Holland Campaign Will Edit TV Spot That Appeared to Dog Whistle as GOP, Democrats, NAACP and Lowe Rebuke It

October 9, 2020 | FlaglerLive | 23 Comments

The picture at the center of a controversial television commercial produced by Milissa Holland's campaign, showing candidate Alan Lowe, left, and Philip, a resident of Dominica, in 2017, after Philip survived drowning in waters churned by Hurricane Maria according to Lowe. (Alan Lowe)

A 30-second Milissa Holland campaign ad against Alan Lowe implies he’s a criminal (he’s not) just as he appears next to a Black man. The ad, part of a 30-ads-a-day buy, was produced by a high-powered firm that worked for Donald Trump and appeared on Fox News. An ad not featuring the segment appeared on MSNBC.

In Georgia, Voter-Suppression Becomes Systematic

June 11, 2020 | FlaglerLive | 11 Comments

Endless lines in Georgia Tuesday. (Facebook)

What Georgia did Tuesday was criminal, a racist crime against our democracy, and it’s time to criminalize voter suppression once and for all, argues Thom Hartman.

Party Split or Not, Republicans Using George Soros to Smear Other Republicans Is Offensive

August 22, 2018 | FlaglerLive | 4 Comments

Roped-in again: George Soros. (Central European University)

The GOP primary that has degraded into absurd name-calling pits tea-party-backed Scott Sturgill against conservative Mike Miller in the Edgewood, Orlando, and Winter Park area.

In City Rep Theatre’s “Other Desert Cities,” A Recognizable Family At War With Itself

November 9, 2017 | FlaglerLive | Leave a Comment

The Jon Robin Baitz play opening Friday at Palm Coast’s City Rep Theatre explores in darkly comic tenors a family’s reverberations through Vietnam, the Iraq war and the present.

Fantasyland and the Liberal Delusion

October 29, 2017 | FlaglerLive | 4 Comments

It's not make-believe. (David Meyer)

Liberals’s hopes that the likes of Jeff Flake or Bob Corker in any way speak for today’s vanilla-white GOP is a refusal to concede that the Age of Trump is here to stay.

In Startling Avowal, Rep. Renner Says State Will Attack Home Rule to Discipline “Rogue,” Leftist Cities

October 13, 2017 | FlaglerLive | 31 Comments

To Paul Renner, who represents Flagler County in the Legislature and is in line to be Speaker of the House, cities have no room to exercise their own authority if it differs from Tallahassee's, ideologically. (© FlaglerLive via Florida Channel)

“The reason we think they’re going rogue is because it’s Bernie Sanders in charge of your local city government or county government in some cases,” Rep. Paul Renner, who represents Flagler, says.

That Last-Ditch Effort By Republicans To Replace ACA: What You Need To Know

September 21, 2017 | FlaglerLive | 8 Comments

Even he doesn't look convinced, or convincing. (Marc Nozell)

While the chances for this last-ditch measure appear iffy, many GOP senators are rallying around a proposal that would repeal most of the ACA.

Trump Will Win In 2020

August 4, 2017 | FlaglerLive | 93 Comments

The clue to Trump's victories: Richard Nixon in 1968. (Ollie Atkins)

There’s nothing original in Donald Trump’s presidency when seen through Nixon-colored glasses, considering the similarities–and the invaluable help both got from Democrats to get elected.

Gov. Scott Defends Plan to Appoint Three Supreme Court Justices in Last Days In Office

July 21, 2017 | FlaglerLive | 7 Comments

Gov. Scott p[lans to pack the court with conservative justices in his final days in office. (© FlaglerLive)

Those three members — justices R. Fred Lewis, Barbara Pariente and Peggy Quince — are part of the court’s more-liberal majority, and some advocates are worried that Scott, a Republican, could tip the balance of power on the bench on his final day in office.

Latest Republican Health Bill Cuts Costs At Expense of People With Pre-Existing Conditions

July 17, 2017 | FlaglerLive | 13 Comments

It's turning into Cruzcare. (Jamelle Boule)

The proposal would let insurers sell health coverage outside the ACA exchanges with no provisions for prescription drugs, mental illness, hospitalization or almost any other benefit.

In Palm Coast, A Small Protest Against GOP Health Bill Echoes Myriad Anxieties of Flesh and Blood

June 27, 2017 | FlaglerLive | 47 Comments

A few of today's protesters on State Road 100 by the Florida Hospital Flagler entrance: from left, Pat Ferraro, Nancy Nally, and Nally's 14-year-old daughter, Bridget. Click on the image for larger view. (© FlaglerLive)

It wasn’t a large protest but every person gathered in support of Obamacare had a story to tell that looked past ideology to the human beings behind the numbers, and all those stories were local.

Making Democrats Great Again: It’s Going To Take A While

June 27, 2017 | FlaglerLive | 16 Comments

She's not the Democrats' only frequent flier toward sunset. (Hillary for America)

No wonder Republican leaders think they can get away with almost anything. They do because they can, argues Nancy Smith, and because Democrats’ absent strategy lets them.

The GOP Senate Bill’s Hollow Promise To Protect Coverage For Preexisting Conditions

June 25, 2017 | FlaglerLive | 13 Comments

It's making them sick. (Ted Eytan)

Built into the bill are loopholes for states to bypass protections and erode coverage for preexisting conditions, so insurers could cover chronically ill people but not the diseases they suffer from.

It Would Be Up to Florida to Dismantle Obamacare Protections If GOP Bill Advances

May 8, 2017 | FlaglerLive | 23 Comments

obamacare repeal

Unless the legislation fails or changes substantially, many consumers across the country could see the amount they pay every year for premiums increase by thousands of dollars, making coverage effectively unaffordable.

GOP Plan Scraps Individual Mandate Only to Create New, 30% Penalty For Laggards

March 23, 2017 | FlaglerLive | 9 Comments

Paul Ryan's version of Obamacare does not eliminate penalties so much as it redefines them. (Tony Alter)

The GOP approach is called a “continuous coverage” penalty. It increases premiums for people who buy insurance if they have gone 63 consecutive days without a policy during the past 12 months.

Lawmakers’ Letters to Constituents on Health Care Are Full of Lies and Misinformation

March 22, 2017 | FlaglerLive | 10 Comments

Pathological lying is epidemic in the debate to 'repeal and replace' the Affordable Care Act. (Phil Konstantin)

As the GOP tries to rewrite–or “repeal and replace–the Affordable Care Act, lawmakers in both parties are incorrectly citing statistics, making false claims and leaving out important context in letters to constituents.

Florida’s Fractured Republican Leaders Heading Into Contentious Legislative Session

March 2, 2017 | FlaglerLive | 5 Comments

senate

A philosophical schism is plaguing a fractured Republican Party leading up to what insiders characterize as potentially one of the most contentious legislative sessions in modern history.

Conservatives Plot Their Course on the Rising ‘Sea of Red’ in State Capitals

January 8, 2017 | FlaglerLive | 5 Comments

The Oklahoma State Capitol, one of 32 fully controlled by Republicans. Only 12 state legislatures are fully controlled by Democrats. (Jim Bowen)

The American Legislative Exchange Council sees bright future for its agenda now that Republicans control 68 of the nation’s 99 state legislative bodies and 33 governor’s mansions.

Only 20 Percent Of Americans Support Health Law Repeal Without Replacement Plan

January 7, 2017 | FlaglerLive | 8 Comments

obama repeal

More than a third of those said they would not want the law repealed after being told that some people with preexisting health problems would no longer be able to get insurance.

Florida Ethics Commission Chairman Decries Vote to Eliminate Office of Congressional Ethics

January 3, 2017 | FlaglerLive | 6 Comments

Matt Carlucci. ethics commission

If the Florida Commission on Ethics did not exist, its chairman argues, thousands of ethical violations and trespasses of good government would occur, continuing to diminish what little trust the people have left in government.

Gov. Scott’s Pick from Judges Applying to Replace Perry Will Shift Supreme Court Right

November 14, 2016 | FlaglerLive | 2 Comments

Justice James E.C. Perry was appointed by Gov. Charlie Crist in 2009. (Florida Memory)

The Florida Supreme Court Judicial Nominating Commission plans to provide Scott a short list of six names, from 11 applicants, by Nov. 29, giving the governor plenty of time to make a decision before Justice James E.C. Perry’s resignation goes into effect Dec. 30.

Those Double-Digit Health Insurance Rate Hikes in Florida? Blame State GOP.

October 27, 2016 | FlaglerLive | 42 Comments

Sen. Bill Nelson, once Florida’s insurance commissioner, reminds residents that it was the Republican state Legislature that stripped the office of insurance regulation of the authority to approve, modify or reject rate hikes by health insurance companies, thus leading to current, unacceptable rate hikes.

Undone in White House Bid at Trump’s Hands, Rubio Retreats to Battle Beruff

August 17, 2016 | FlaglerLive | 7 Comments

marco rubio

Rubio is running again for a Senate seat that he was ready to vacate, a seat some critics say he had already vacated, a seat that at times seems almost as much like a form of captivity for Rubio as it does a prize.

Republicans’ Women Problem

July 27, 2016 | FlaglerLive | 47 Comments

roy lichtenstein gop

Long before Donald Trump the Republican Party has been relentlessly pushing policies aimed at curtailing women’s reproductive rights, economic freedom, access to health care, and autonomy.

Republicans Hope Raucous Convention Distractions Pass as Gov. Scott Predicts Trump Win

July 19, 2016 | FlaglerLive | 8 Comments

GOP convention

So far, the Republican National Convention has seen a raucous fight over the party’s rules and accusations of plagiarism against presidential candidate Donald Trump’s wife. And that was from the first day.

Encouraged By Polls and GOP, Marco Rubio Will Run for Re-Election to Senate After All

June 22, 2016 | FlaglerLive | 22 Comments

marco rubio us senate race

U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., has reversed course and will seek re-election to his seat, according to numerous media reports Wednesday morning. Rubio’s decision comes as Republicans try to maintain control of the U.S. Senate.

Donald Trump’s Fascism and His Appeasers

June 10, 2016 | FlaglerLive | 49 Comments

donald trump fascism tristam

Trump will fade. Trumpism may not. And the longer the Republican establishment is willing to appease him as a better alternative to Clinton, the more it legitimizes his racism as an acceptable American value.

Marco Rubio Says He’s Out For Good: No Senate Run, No Plans For Governor in 2018

May 27, 2016 | FlaglerLive | 12 Comments

marco rubio no mas

Rubio said he has heard from colleagues and Florida activists “in the last day or so” who want him to re-up for six more years in the Senate, but he ruled that out in favor of eventually endorsing Lt. Gov. Carlos Lopez-Cantera for Senate.

What Blowout? Trump Even With Clinton in Florida and Pennsylvania, Ahead in Ohio

May 10, 2016 | FlaglerLive | 16 Comments

donald trumpo hillary clinton quinnipiac poll florida ohio pennsylvania

The latest Quinnipiac poll shows Clinton barely ahead, 43-42 in Florida and Pennsylvania, and Trump somewhat ahead in Ohio, 43-39, though results may be slightly affected by still-ongoing Democratic primary contests.

The Republican Responsibility to Reject Trump

May 8, 2016 | Pierre Tristam | 81 Comments

donald trump

Derision, racism, default and brutality are strange ways to go about making America great again. Let’s hope for the GOP’s sake and everyone else’s that Republicans have the clarity not to fall for Trump’s latest reality show.

Florida Republicans Try to Come to Terms With The Donald, #NeverTrump Notwithstanding

May 4, 2016 | FlaglerLive | 27 Comments

trump florida

Shortly after Trump’s victory Tuesday, Republican Party of Florida Chairman Blaise Ingoglia issued a statement calling on the party to get over a contentious primary that once included U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida and former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush.

Republicans On Crack

March 5, 2016 | FlaglerLive | 34 Comments

republican party gop train wreck pierre tristam

The crack-up is upon us. The locks have popped. The insane asylums have emptied. The loons are casting ballots. And Mitt Romney’s string quartet is arranging the deck chairs on the Titanic.

Driver’s Licenses for Undocumented Immigrants: Flagler Sheriff Says Yes, But Local Opinion Is Divided

February 26, 2016 | FlaglerLive | 24 Comments

undocumented immigrants driver's license

A dozen states have legalized issuing driver’s licenses to undocumented immigrants, primarily as a safety measure, but Flagler officials reflect state opinion that has prevented such legalization from taking place in the Sunshine State.

The End of Jeb

February 21, 2016 | FlaglerLive | 10 Comments

jeb bush presidential ambitions

While the favorite of many Republican insiders and fund-raisers, Bush could never appear to get his footing in a race that has been largely dominated by the outsider Donald Trump.

Master of Obstruction: Why McConnell Is Picking a Fight Over Scalia’s Replacement

February 21, 2016 | FlaglerLive | 7 Comments

mitch mcconnell obama

It is less about blocking liberal policy goals than about boosting Republican chances. Remarkably, McConnell has chosen a path that would seem to reduce his party’s odds in November.

Taking the Pulse of Crazy: The Election Season on Eve of Iowa and New Hampshire

January 14, 2016 | FlaglerLive | 2 Comments

elections 2016

The electorate is angrier and more fearful than in recent presidential contests, and both Trump and Cruz are capitalizing on it, but as the field narrows, Trump’s appeal may not be as lasting.

Donald Trump’s Funeral

December 11, 2015 | FlaglerLive | 56 Comments

donald trump funeral

If Donald Trump were to drop dead tomorrow Democrats would grieve, Republican candidates would celebrate, but Trump’s neo-fascism will have already damaged the nation beyond recognition.

No War On Women? I Disagree

December 10, 2015 | FlaglerLive | 13 Comments

war on women delegal

The debate reflects an ancient, unyielding, and ultimately impossible desire on the part of men to control a power that our creator entrusted to women: propagating the species, writes Julie Delegal.

“We Might Be One Terrorist Act Away From a Trump Presidency”

December 7, 2015 | FlaglerLive | 34 Comments

trump presidency one terrorist act away

A spectacular murder spree by Islamists could spook Americans enough to vote for the greatest fear-monger. Anything is possible, but Ian Buruma doesn’t believe American voters would be that stupid.

Conservatives Should Be Leading the Charge to Accept Syrian Refugees. We Have No Choice.

November 21, 2015 | FlaglerLive | 42 Comments

syrian refugees gop demonization republicans conservatives nancy smith

Doesn’t American exceptionalism demand that we lead where others have neither the will nor the courage? We have no choice. America gives sanctuary to those fleeing persecution, argues Nancy Smith. This is what we do and who we are. We’re the good guys.

Trump in Florida Maintains Big Lead Over Rubio and Easily Beats Clinton in Latest Poll

November 18, 2015 | FlaglerLive | 7 Comments

donald trump poll florida

Donald Trump has double the support of Marco Rubio, with Ben Carson a distant third, and would beat Hillary Clinton by 8 points in Florida Atlantic University Business and Economics Polling Initiative.

At Florida’s GOP Summit, 2nd-String Candidates Focus on Paris Attacks and Blame Obama

November 15, 2015 | FlaglerLive | 9 Comments

fiorina attacks

Carly Fiorina, Rick Santorum, John Kasich and Bobby Jindal spoke on the second day of the Sunshine Summit and criticized current policy regarding ISIS as they sought to distinguish themselves and lift their sagging place in polls.

Even Liberals Should Concede:
Obamacare Is Not Working

November 9, 2015 | FlaglerLive | 43 Comments

obamacare failing

Between the rapacity of insurers, GOP assaults and its own flaws, the Affordable Care Act is failing its promise to curb costs and make insurance coverage affordable. Republicans have no alternative. But a better one already exists.

Angry With Liberal Court, Florida Lawmakers Propose Judicial Term Limits

November 3, 2015 | FlaglerLive | Leave a Comment

judicial term limits

The proposal comes after years of rising anger in the Legislature at members of the Supreme Court. With its more-liberal majority, the state’s highest court has emerged as the only major hurdle in Tallahassee to Republicans’ conservative agenda.

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