Sunday Morning Coming Down

Sometimes elections are aspirational, and some times they are about the lesser of evils.  The Florida voting system used to include a runoff system where the party candidate of primarily the Democrat had to get 50% of the vote or face a second runoff election  to determine the parties candidate for statewide positions.  Fringe candidates were eliminated.  The State suspended the two election primary system in 2001 before eliminating it in 2005. The "two primary system" was expensive and burdensome.  It was a throwback to a time when Florida was a one party state.  It did however produce some very good  candidates and eventual winners in statewide or congressional races like Bob Graham, Lawton Chiles, and Ruben Askew. The times are changing again.  Both major political parties are struggling to nominate candidates that have a broad appeal that will attract independents or encourage moderate candidates to run for office. Gwen Graham and Philli...

This morning I read about shootings at high school football games in Palm Beach County and Duval County.  Neither got much press coverage in Miami. School has just started.  The President taking pot shots at NFL Players who express their concerns does little to unite this country to solve the complex issues we face.

A nephew of mine asked who likes spending wisely?  The question wasn't personal, it was a political question.  This morning I read an article in the Miami Herald that points to state budget surpluses in Ohio and other States while many towns and other governmental agencies have unmet needs and are having to cut back to balance their budgets.  And not to cut too fine a point on things the Federal Government is able to slash income taxes, increase spending, and increase the Federal Debt.  According to the article even West Virginia has a rainy day fund. Friday Afternoon, as I experience my comfortable retirement in a modest apartment, sparsely furnished I tried to finish watching a PBS documentary on the coal mining wars in Southern West Virginia in 1900-1920.  The mine owners and the coal miners were always fighting.  Profit versus survival of the miners. Strikes versus strike breakers.  Mother Jones and the UMW versus the Mine Owners. Thursday,...

Carlos Curbelo  has proposed a tax on carbon emissions. He believes it will slow climate change by adding some market based incentives to reduce carbon emissions. Not surprisingly the American Energy Alliance says this tax will be a drag on the economy by raising the cost of energy and displace workers in the energy fields.  They are running ads that oppose his modest proposal to limit carbon emissions.  And so say most all Republicans. The free market is supposed to take care of these issues but for the fact that the free market moves slowly and does not affect everyone equally.  Actually the energy market isn't very free at all because of subsidies, external and social costs. There is a reason Congressman Curbelo has proposed the Market Choice Carbon Tax.  He represents a part of South Florida that is and will continue to be affected by climate change.  Rising sea levels are projected to make living in South Florida more difficult and more costly. ...