Republicans control all phases of lawmaking at the state level in Florida. This has been the case since the election of Jeb Bush as governor in 1998, complementing their majorities in the Florida House and Senate. Presently, they rule by supermajority in the Legislature, meaning they don’t have to negotiate…
On March 24, 2023, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed into law a bill passed by the Florida Legislature aimed at limiting the rights of individuals from seeking and obtaining civil redress in the courts for personal injuries. The bill is House Bill 837. Parts of the bill became effective when…
The 7th Amendment to the United States Constitution, ratified in 1791, codifies the importance of jury trials in civil cases to the framework in the American Way. Here is the amendment’s simple language: In suits at common law, where the value in controversy shall exceed twenty dollars, the right of…
The Seventh Amendment to the United States Constitution provides as follows: In Suits at common law, where the value in controversy shall exceed twenty dollars, the right of trial by jury shall be preserved, and no fact tried by a jury, shall be otherwise re-examined in any Court of the…
Here is my Letter to the Editor (Miami Herald), published on February 9, 2017: FAILED PARENTING I’m not a psychiatrist, so I won’t venture a diagnosis to explain President Trump. But I am a parent and do have an idea from that perspective: Trump’s parents failed miserably at teaching their…
In the upcoming healthcare debate, watch carefully for a Republican shell game. In his 60 Minutes interview, Trump professed support for prohibiting insurance carriers from denying coverage for preexisting medical conditions. Left unsaid is whether carriers will be allowed to charge higher premiums based on preexisting conditions, a practice banned under…
We are all in deep trouble with Trump, right-wingers included, but Congress, especially Republicans, can limit the damage by insisting on decency, honesty and fair-dealing from his administration. This will require principle and backbone, two characteristics in short supply in Republican leaders like Mitch McConnell and Paul Ryan. It took…