Andrew Schoolnik

Social Work PhD

Archives for May 2018

Bipartisan Gubernatorial Opportunity

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One Ticket with Two Parties

Perhaps this is a sign of things to come.  In a dramatic shift from the hyper-partisan version of America that we have all been living in, there is talk of a bipartisan gubernatorial ticket in Florida.  There is increasing talk of Democrat Patrick Murphy and Republican David Jolly forming a top-of-the-ticket team.  One would be candidate for Governor, the other for Lieutenant Governor.  Both are former Florida Congresspersons.

This Would be Quite a Change!

Patrick Murphy and David Jolly (photo from Tampa Bay Times)
Patrick Murphy and David Jolly (photo from Tampa Bay Times)

Since the nineties, Florida has been characterized by one-party rule in both chambers of the legislature and the governor’s office.  Adding to partisan rancor, Governor Rick Scott endorsed Donald Trump during the primary process.  Scott, who is now running for Senate against incumbent Bill Nelson, has launched a vicious media campaign attacking Senator Nelson.  There is not bipartisanship, or coming together, on his campaign’s horizon.  But as all of us who follow politics know, this is a case of business as usual.

It’s an Exciting Opportunity

A bipartisan gubernatorial slate is a first in contemporary Florida – and perhaps all of contemporary America.  This is different than an independent candidate running for high office as they usually point to the wrongs of both parties.  In this case, there is a chance for real teamwork.  There is the possibility for the commonalities in both parties to be emphasized, rather than the differences.  There is the opportunity for issues that the vast majority of us agree on – such as real, common sense gun control – to become law.

While a bipartisan gubernatorial ticket is not getting much attention today, it could be the most significant occurrence to happen in Florida politics in a recent memory.

-Andrew Schoolnik 5/27/18

Milano and Common Sense Gun Control

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Something I don’t understand is the hullabaloo about whether or not Alyssa Milano had an armed body guard a Gun Control Rally.  By all media accounts, most Americans want gun control.  The term I hear used most often is “common sense gun control.”  What this actually means can be debated.

I think to everyone it includes topics such as waiting periods, background checks, preventing those with mental illnesses from gun ownership.  The topic that sometimes gets lost in this discussion is that “common sense gun control” does not mean prohibiting gun ownership.

So was Alyssa Milano’s bodyguard armed?   Following this public incident, Milano tweeted “this security guy has had training and passed a background check.  These are the common sense gun reform policies we are fighting for for everyone.”  Meaning:  a body guard (or “security guy”) who passes a background check has every right to own a gun.  That’s common sense.

Divide and Conquer

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For all for of the political punditry and political blogospheric chatter about Trump ascent to the Presidency and his governing style it can be summed up, simply, as divide and conquer.  That’s what he did with the electorate:  he divided the nation by emphasizing different polarizing issues and then conquered the White House.  That’s what he’s done with social issues:  he divided America with his commentary on Charlottesville (saying there were “some very fine people” marching on the side of the street with Nazis) and conquered extreme right-wing of America while disaffecting (um…frightening) the rest of us.  He divided our public perception of the Fourth Estate with slanderous calls of “fake media” while conquering the cable news conversations.

It’s a very simple pattern.

picture of Senator Mike Rounds (R-SD)
Senator Mike Rounds (R-SD)

Today ABC News reports that Republicans in Congress want the Republican in the White House to stop “bashing” them.  He’s bashed their pace of judge approval.  He’s bashed them for their chamber rules.  He’s even bashed them for not bashing Robert Mueller.  So it’s clear he’s working his divide and conquer strategy with Congress.

In this article, Senator Mike Rounds (R-SD) said “it would be very helpful with our base if rather than suggesting we weren’t doing anything, that he acknowledged what we are getting done.”

But why?

Because he’s afraid that the Republicans could lose Congress and he responds the only way he knows how:  to divide and conquer.  But will it work?  Congressional elections are a much different animal that a presidential election.  Congressional electorates are, largely, homogenous.  As a result, there is not as much variation of thought inside of an individual district.  In fact, within a congressional district there is commonality among predominant industry, religion, culture, and so on.  And this commonality can be very different from one congressional district to another.

Will a divide and conquer strategy applied to Congress succeed in protecting – or gaining – Republican seats?

Nobody know now.  But we’ll all know in November.

-Andrew Schoolnik 5/19/18

Florida’s Inconsistent Republican Leadership

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Today’s Sun Sentinel (10 More Cities Join Gun Lawsuit Against Florida) showed an example of Florida’s inconsistent Republican leadership.  It referenced a state law from 2011 that “outlines penalties for elected officials who try to enact gun laws.”  It is important to note that Republican leadership is often different than rank-and-file Republicans (the same could be said for Democrats).  The inconsistency identified here is certainly influenced by other competing interests such as PACs, large donors, effective lobbyists, and the desire for re-election.  This 2011 statue became law under the watch of Republican Governor Rick Scott and a Republican controlled legislature. This is absurd for multiple reasons:

Inconsistent Republican Leadership

At the national level, the Republican Party pretends to support stat’s rights, saying that power at the state level is closer to the people; implying that Washington DC should not be trusted.  But apparently in Florida, the Republican Party believes that power should not be trusted at the municipal level; implying that Tallahassee should be trusted.  Wait a minute, Republicans…which is it?  Power to the people, or power to the central government?

Vengeful in Tallahassee

A municipality cannot make a law that is in opposition of the state in which is resides.  When this does occur, there is a court system to address it.  This is a long established legal tradition.  But in the 2011 statute,  the State of Florida established penalties for locally elected officials that include a “$5,000 fine” and “removal from office.”  Central government should not wield undue political power over subordinate elected bodies and threaten penalties for disagreement.

What About the Governor?

Rick Scott is Full of Crap.  Governor Scott can say he is a champion for gun control in 2018, but where was he in 2011 when this bill was passed under his watch?

 

-Andrew Schoolnik 5/17/18

Tillerson on Trump

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For all of the talk from the President about “fake news” (which he apparently defines as any news that does not promote his own self) this article from CBS News quotes a non-media source.  In fact, it quotes President Trump’s former Secretary of State, Rex Tillerson.  In Tillerson’s own words, he warned of America accepting “alternate realities.”  Go figure.  Trump’s former right-hand-man (Tillerson) called out the foolishness of Trump’s current right-hand-woman (Kelly Ann Conway) about her version of America – one with alternate realities.

But while Tillerson appears to have spoke truth-to-power, when he was in power he was tacitly supporting an alternative truth.

-Andrew Schoolnik 5/16/18