Blame the Republican Legislature (especially in November) – Part I (Education)
By Dan
Thursday May 15, 2008
My favorite is “we are just making the tough choices that any family would make in hard times.” Yeah, right. I can just imagine my wife’s reaction if I told her that I wanted to cut the kids’ education to make sure I didn’t have to turn in my Miami Heat tickets. That would go over well.
By Dan
Saturday May 10, 2008
In Florida, only about 10 of the 18 million people who make up our great state are registered to vote. In Miami-Dade County, roughly half of the 2.5 million people are not registered. And on Election Day even those registered more often than not don’t even bother to show up. Too many of our neighbors have simply lost confidence in their elected officials. Today the Obama campaign took an important step to address this disconnect by reminding our neighbors that their voice matters.
Florida is in Play on Game Day
By Dan
Friday May 9, 2008
As the primary journey comes closer to its finish (and I do think the end is near), it’s time to start thinking about game day - November 4 - and the positive trends that, I believe, are working in favor of Florida swinging Democratic this year.
By Dan
Wed May 7, 2008
Since the beginning of this primary slog I have been conflicted. I like both Obama and Clinton and believe either would be markedly better than the alternative. But only one can be the Democratic nominee and we have to end this sooner than later. As a superdelegate from the rogue state of Florida (currently under penalty from the DNC) my vote doesn't count. But if it did, I would say it's time to move on and choose Senator Barack Obama. Here is why.
By Dan
Monday May 5, 2008
Well, you can let the kids out of the cellar, the 2008 legislative session is over. Though my colleagues did somehow find the time to debate whether truck ornaments should be regulated or evolution was reliable enough for Florida’s science classes. Florida’s budget crisis dominated the 60 days as we tried to navigate what to do with a nearly $6 billion cut from last year. While the air was rich with metaphors (“we have to tighten our belts”), they ultimately did find the courage you might have expected: they forced bedridden seniors, the developmentally disabled and public schoolchildren to bear the brunt of the cuts.
The TBRC: The Bad and the Ugly
By Dan
Friday Apr 25, 2008
Today the Taxation and Budget Reform Commission went further off the tracks and voted out various proposals it had no business addressing. It both was bad and ugly.
By Dan
Sunday Apr 20, 2008
For my caucus, the choice was clear. When you are in the minority the only thing you have is your voice. When the Majority party decides that they do not want your voice to be heard, and when they resort to procedural machinations to stop you from speaking, they are taking away the only tool you have to fight for the people you represent and the principles you cherish. If we had permitted the Republicans on this occasion (and on this issue) to just decide that they did not want us heard, than we would have acquiesced to silencing our voices.
By Dan
Wednesday Apr 17, 2008
Florida is facing soaring gas prices, horrible windstorm rates and property taxes
Lock the women and children in steerage; don't scuff the wingtips!
By Dan Gelber
Friday Apr 11, 2008
Yesterday the House sent its budget over to the Senate. The debate went as predicted (see "Budget Debate" post from 4/9), the vote was party line, and the cuts reflected what any good captain of a sinking ship might do (lock the women, children and seniors in steerage; put the corporate bigwigs on the lifeboats without scuffing their wing tipped shoes). The Republicans directed billions in cuts mostly from services provided children, sick children, infants, sick infants, school children, abused children, seniors, sick seniors, and dying seniors.
By Dan
Thursday Apr 10, 2008
The Medicaid budget cuts being contemplated by both Chambers will likely hurt our County much more than others given our high concentration of poverty and large Medicaid population.
By Dan Gelber
Wednesday Apr 9, 2008
For the most part, the debate went as expected, with the Republicans defending their suggested cuts to education, health care, and road construction as advantageous to forcing companies who are getting a free ride to pay their fair share---and as predicted, they used a lot of procedural maneuvers to avoid debate on our budget alternatives to their corporate pork. That being said, I want to share a few bright points.
What you will hear tomorrow---and what you won’t.
By Dan
Tuesday Apr 8, 2008
At 11:00 AM tomorrow, the full House begins debate on the state budget. Since most Floridians have far more to do than to watch seven hours of floor debate during working hours, I wanted to take a moment to share with you exactly what the Republicans will say.
By Dan Gelber
Thursday Apr 3, 2008
By leaving the issue of taxpayer-funded corporate pork off the table, we are failing to give Floridians real choice. For example, why are we choosing between children’s health care or Hospice care when there is another choice: closing the loophole that allows multi-state corporations to avoid paying their fair share?
Another Day of Ignoring Property Taxes and Property Insurance
By Dan Gelber
Wednesday Apr 2, 2008
...the decision of my Republican colleagues to once again turn the floor of the Florida House into their own personal ideological soapbox is a disservice to the people that we serve...
The divide between church and state takes a hit
By Dan Gelber
Wednesday Mar 26, 2008
Today, Florida’s Taxation and Budget Reform Commission on a divided vote agreed to put on the November 2008 ballot a measure that would significantly diminish the separation between church and state that Floridians have enjoyed for over a century, and pave the way for expansion of school voucher programs.
A toll by any other name…is a tax
By Dan Gelber
Friday Mar 21, 2008
Imagine a $7 toll over Alligator Alley or to cross the Skyway Bridge in Tampa Bay. Well, that is exactly what the Florida Department of Transportation is moving toward thanks to a Republican measure passed last year. The (bad) idea is to lease many of Florida's toll roads to private companies and investment banks. The companies would take over the roads and raise tolls dramatically enough to allow them to make lease payments to the state and a profit to their investors.
By Dan Gelber
Thursday Mar 20, 2008
Tallahassee is a two party town and increasingly so the Republicans – especially my colleagues in the House – are becoming more and more partisan. Ideas are no longer as important as who proposes them, and principles are malleable depending upon who they are being used to bash. I think many of us have a skill set that makes it easy to respond in kind to rank partisanship. Sometimes it even feels good. But it is better, no it is necessary, that right-thinking public officials resist the impulses of their lesser demons. I will do my best, but I am not perfect and sometimes I find myself rolling around with pigs. When you see it happening, please remind me to get up, wash myself off, and do what my better angels might command.
Searching for solutions to a fiscal crisis
By Dan Gelber
Tuesday Mar 18, 2008
Florida is in the midst of a fiscal crisis. Due to plummeting state revenues we have been forced to cut billions from the current budget year, and have been told by state economic forecasters that we will be cutting billions from next year’s budget. Although we can hope the bad times end soon, because Florida’s economy is so premised on housing and construction, it is unlikely we will see the light at the end of the tunnel for at least another budget cycle.
Providence or good graces will have to determine Florida Delegates
Monday Mar 17, 2008
Question: Is the only viable option the right option?
By Dan Gelber
Thursday Mar 13, 2008
The primary revote idea is reaching heightened levels of clarity with last night's release of the Florida Democratic Party revote plan. I commend FDP Chair Karen Thurman for quickly putting together on paper what a revote plan would look like. I believe it was her obligation to present to Florida Democrats the available options and she has done exactly that. Whether a mail revote makes sense or will happen is another story entirely. Absent consensus it is going to be very difficult for Floridians to chart a path out of this primary mess. And presently there is no consensus in part because of so many unknowns and because so many stakeholders (including voters) tend to see options through the filter of what is good or bad for their favored candidate. A few random comments for and against the idea.
Florida Democratic Primary Needs to be Run by Democrats
By Dan Gelber
Friday Mar 7, 2008
The need for integrity in the process is critical, but we really don’t need the State. Many accounting firms are very experienced in providing appropriate oversight and the State of Florida, frankly, doesn’t have a great track record in this area. Let’s face it, if the State of Florida tabulated the Academy Awards, Chuck Norris would likely have won best actor on a hanging chad dispute.
Thursday Mar 6, 2008
Opening Day of the Legislature
By Dan Gelber
Tuesday Mar 4, 2008
Lock the cupboards, hide the kids in the cellar…the Florida Legislature is in session.
By Dan Gelber
Tuesday Feb 26, 2008
During this election cycle, they circumnavigated the state with Newt Gingrich in tow offering power points celebrating right wing Republican orthodoxy, instead of sensible candidates who speak to the aspirations of their constituents and the real challenges of our state.
Wednesday Feb 20, 2008
Lots of opinions sent to me on the Florida revote idea. Some via posts, others by phone and mail and even a few yolks hurled at my doorstep. Some were actually polite. Let me try to answer your concerns by category.
New Science Standards: A Missed Chance to Evolve
By Dan Gelber
Tuesday Feb 19, 2008
I don't want a science teacher explaining and refereeing the tension between science and religion. As a parent of public school children, I prefer to have my children learn about faith and religion in our home and synagogue, not in our public schools -- and definitely not from the government.
Video of my commentscan be found at: www.associationstudios.com/gelber
One Way Out for Florida Democrats
By Dan Gelber
Friday Feb 15, 2008
As the primary slog continues, however, Florida Democrats find themselves wondering whether that all too familiar combination of self-destructiveness and bad luck will once again snatch defeat out of the jaws of victory. Since the DNC will only count our delegates if we select them through a DNC approved process, perhaps we should consider a primary election by mail that includes Independent voters.
By Dan
Thursday Feb 14, 2008
Today I travelled to Sarasota to appear before the Governor’s Commission on Open Government. They invited me to testify because I have taken issue with the increasingly secretive way in which the Florida Legislature has conducted itself. Most people don’t realize that the Florida Legislature, essentially, exempted itself from most of the exacting constraints of the Sunshine Law. So while you will never hear about secret negotiations or backroom deals among local elected officials (because it is a crime for them), such is the norm in the Florida Legislature. Today I also sent a letter to Speaker Rubio raising some of my concerns and suggesting 5 things the Legislature could do to open up the process. If we don’t govern ourselves more thoughtfully, we ought to be treated exactly the same as local officials.
What follows is my letter to the Speaker...
By Dan
Tuesday Feb 12, 2008
For a while I thought this internet thing was just a fad. But now I'm beginning to think it's got legs. So today I am launching my blog, the purpose of which will be to provide a forum for discourse about the great challenges facing our State. As the Leader of the opposition party, it has been my job to challenge the majority, to reveal their excesses and overreaching, but also to show our citizens that there is a better way. While I am optimistic about the future of our State, I believe too many of my colleagues have been telling voters what they want to hear, rather than what they need to hear. So this blog will be a little more unvarnished. Thanks.