It's About Time We Had Someone on Our Side in Tallahassee

In Florida, Republicans have held the governor's office and both chambers of the Legislature for over 20 years and there is little tension between them.  

 

Major policy shifts have occurred with little or no dissent from either branch, especially in the last eight years:

• Water pollution regulation was de-funded, unenforced, or eliminated altogether
• Florida Forever’s conservation goals were abandoned
• Energy policy favored the utilities, not the ratepayers
• 35 years of cautious and enlightened growth management law was overturned

One-party government breeds contempt for the opposition and for the voters who support them. Ultimately, it is anti-democratic. Maintaining power becomes more important than making tough decisions, especially decisions that would discommode powerful interests. It's time to stop this in Florida.

 

Our system of government relies on separation of powers to keep it from going off the rails. For separation of powers to work, each branch must have some power. Give Andrew Gillum that power — the power to appoint, the power to propose a budget to achieve his priorities, the power to issue executive orders, and the power to veto legislation.

A Governor Gillum will wield a power not written down in any Constitution: the power to bargain. He will be able to play hardball with the Legislature and extract a quid pro quo to achieve the most important of his goals.  

 

It's about time we had someone on our side in Tallahassee.