As Florida lawmakers begin work on a new state budget, a quick look at three especially ugly earmarks that have already made it into initial drafts of the state spending plan.
The legislature in FL is merely the grifting arm of Republican corruption. Make a small donation, in the scheme of things, and your return will be multiples in returns. I continue to hope, and talk and work to elect Democrats to try to return a balance from the overwhelming Republican control of this state. 20 years of Republican control that is unchecked, has brought more corruption than anyone could ever imagine. I pray that someday the citizens of this state will recognize that they are voting against their own best interest in electing these Republicans, but I fear that it won’t occur in my lifetime, as I am in my 70s.
Totally agree with you, Jan, in everything you stated. I had to move out of Florida to the state of Washington due to the extreme corruption. Now, the entire Federal Government is total corruption because of Trump. Time to clean house!
Great to hear Jason live today on Jax NPR station. More of these interviews, if you can shoehorn them into your schedule.
Mike Huckabee is the chief US apologist for the ethnic cleansing going on in Gaza and the West bank. He combines the worst of Evangelical Xty and militant Zionism. Here's hoping he gets his wish to be Raptured -- soon!
Clearly the airport renaming will be more than the asking price. In any case, let Trump round up some donors to pay a more realistic $5 million to make the changes.
Newsmax stinks.
Americanism vs. Communism was a Florida high school graduation requirement in the 1960s and complemented the activities of Junior Achievement. (Cue up the 1965 Kinks' "Well-respected man")
No ethnic cleansing in Israel….the IDF is still finding weapons in tunnels made with world money meant for the people. Hamas is doing the ethnic cleansing against Israel and gazans. The Palestinian authority still uses pay for slay. Please tell the facts, not propaganda and lies regarding Israel and gazans!!
I don't want to abuse Jason's hospitality, so I posted a list of the books I have read since Oct. 23, 2023 in an attempt to understand the Big Picture in Gaza, the West Bank, and Israel. The list is posted on my substack.
One book shows up on both lists: The hundred years' war on Palestine: a history of settler colonialism and resistance, 1917-2017 by Rashid Khalidi
Khalidi is a Palestinian-American historian of the Middle East and the Edward Said Professor Emeritus of Modern Arab Studies at Columbia University. He served as editor of the Journal of Palestine Studies from 2002 until 2020.
His book overall is an indictment of Zionist settler colonialism and ethnic cleansing — the polar opposite of your position. As a former teacher, I have to ask: Have you read this book?
I have read reviews of the authors who spread lies and propaganda. I’m not interested in being lied to or brainwashed. They are the reason university students have been brainwashed into declaring intifada and getting paid by Qatar to protest, put up tents, and waving terroristic flags.
“After a Florida state lawmaker proposed putting Trump’s name on the Palm Beach International Airport, Jason Garcia of Seeking Rents today reported that the Florida legislature is currently pushing through measures to change the name of that airport to the “Donald J. Trump International Airport.” The amount of money proposed in Florida’s budget to make the change is $2,750,000, but Garcia notes this is likely a placeholder: the budget request is for $5.5 million.”
Well, here's the kicker. People in the state of florida should file a lawsuit against the florida state legislator and specifically the magat minion republicans, the crooked grifting Trump family businesses filed today to have trademark rights on any airport using his name. So that he receives royalties and fees and be able to charge them for using his name for an airport that isn't even named after him yet. So let's see how this bill has come up. It hasn't even passed, and the trump family has filed to receive a trademark rights patent. Nowhere else in the country is trying to put Trump's name on any airport. So how come the Trump family has already filed paperwork to receive money from it and it hasn't even happened. There needs to be a lawsuit to stop this naming.
Thank you, J. C., for taking the time (and having the patience) to bring all of this to us. Most of it is over my head, I admit, and I am too lazy to plow through all of it. I am not looking forward to the rest of 2026, as I can only imagine the depths the Republicans will sink to to win the midterms.. It's almost funny. Trump is appealing to voters to keep Congress red, not because he is doing such a good job, but to keep from being impeached. No promise from him to mend his ways to win the vote. Just vote for a Republican Congress so that he won't be impeached. What a progressive platform. As they say, you can'make this stuff up. Anybody have any idea what is on the agenda for DeSantis? Will he just fade away, as I hope, or... Sigh.
Reading this is another affirmation on my part not to snowbird in this state again for three months at a time, it's time I took my money elsewhere. When I go to an art fair and come across an artist selling paintings of Trump with Jesus praying over his head and Charlie Kirk in the same scene and other paintings in the same vein, it's time to go. I count my blessings that I never purchased a second home here. I have 39 days left in my present rental stay and I could leave tomorrow for home and not care about money on the table. I will also note that tourism and traffic is way down compared to years past, my observation, and I've inquired about my observations with waiters and staff.
Trump and Ron have put a blight on this state or more like a big shit stain.
I helped to clean up the trailer of a mentally unstable hoarder who saved every piece of paper to ever arrive in the mail. She kept flier’s from Trump promising to show her how to become a millionaire just like him. From the 90’s perhaps? The fliers were trashy, crooked and sad in a style similar to that of promises by a carnival hawker. Couldn’t wait to throw them in the garbage. Now I wish I had saved them. Surely the Trump fliers belong in some future museum. Down the same hall as early NAZI propaganda and statues to Musselini.
Wow!!! Great information if not upsetting. There were some other things on that list I wasnt so happy about but I ll keep that to myself. And great comments below and were kept respectable even when we disagreed. Question, excuse me if I am lazy to do it myself, or stuipid, but can someone print the email address or telephone numbers of our representatives in the Bradenton area? Or provide a link of where to go to find them. I have the momentum after this article and seeing the information to push my a.. to do a little little bit. Thanks in advance.
So how many voters actually read and analyze and understand the amount of grift in this budget. What it’s costing unfairly to ordinary citizen taxpayers? It’s really in the weeds. IMO.
You should inform the Trump family about the faith of an another dictator family's faith in Romania. They also put their name everywhere, they were living gods, but unfortunately they were shut in December 1989.
If they change the airport name nobody I know will ever use it! And the books are being used to fuel another Cold War and close off an understanding of other forms of government… seems to be brainwashing to me!
I couldn't help but notice that Ana Maria Rodriguez, who is on the Ethics and Honesty in Government Committee, also received a $5,000 "donation" from Learn Our History... Is there no end to the disgusting levels these people will sink?! How can anyone on that sort of committee accept any "donation (ahem, payoff)" from a PAC? Just more of the same for the (un)Ethics and (dis)Honesty in Government Committee...
We all need to remember these things and make sure everyone around us remembers these things when we all hit the polls. If we don't, we'll just be propagating the same corruption again. Get your sticky notes out and start making notes. I dare someone to email a copy of this newsletter to your Republican representative along with a picture of a kid sticking their tongue out telling them who they're voting for come election time.
The legislature in FL is merely the grifting arm of Republican corruption. Make a small donation, in the scheme of things, and your return will be multiples in returns. I continue to hope, and talk and work to elect Democrats to try to return a balance from the overwhelming Republican control of this state. 20 years of Republican control that is unchecked, has brought more corruption than anyone could ever imagine. I pray that someday the citizens of this state will recognize that they are voting against their own best interest in electing these Republicans, but I fear that it won’t occur in my lifetime, as I am in my 70s.
Totally agree with you, Jan, in everything you stated. I had to move out of Florida to the state of Washington due to the extreme corruption. Now, the entire Federal Government is total corruption because of Trump. Time to clean house!
Great to hear Jason live today on Jax NPR station. More of these interviews, if you can shoehorn them into your schedule.
Mike Huckabee is the chief US apologist for the ethnic cleansing going on in Gaza and the West bank. He combines the worst of Evangelical Xty and militant Zionism. Here's hoping he gets his wish to be Raptured -- soon!
Clearly the airport renaming will be more than the asking price. In any case, let Trump round up some donors to pay a more realistic $5 million to make the changes.
Newsmax stinks.
Americanism vs. Communism was a Florida high school graduation requirement in the 1960s and complemented the activities of Junior Achievement. (Cue up the 1965 Kinks' "Well-respected man")
I had to take that Americanism vs Communism course. All of us found it laughable at the time.
No ethnic cleansing in Israel….the IDF is still finding weapons in tunnels made with world money meant for the people. Hamas is doing the ethnic cleansing against Israel and gazans. The Palestinian authority still uses pay for slay. Please tell the facts, not propaganda and lies regarding Israel and gazans!!
I don't want to abuse Jason's hospitality, so I posted a list of the books I have read since Oct. 23, 2023 in an attempt to understand the Big Picture in Gaza, the West Bank, and Israel. The list is posted on my substack.
Israel: A History by Anita Shapira (Chronicles from late 19th-century origins to present).
Israel: A Concise History of a Nation Rebornby Daniel Gordis (Accessible, narrative-driven history).
My Promised Land: The Triumph and Tragedy of Israel by Ari Shavit (Combines personal narrative with historical analysis).
The Story of Israel by Martin Gilbert (Detailed, map-heavy account).
Zionism & Foundation:
The Making of Modern Zionism by Shlomo Avineri (Explores intellectual origins).
History of Zionism by Walter Laqueur (Definitive history of the movement).
The Zionist Ideas by Gil Troy (Collection of foundational documents).
Conflict & Wars:
Righteous Victims: A History of the Zionist-Arab Conflict by Benny Morris (Detailed overview of the conflict).
1948: A History of the First Arab-Israeli Warby Benny Morris.
Six Days of War: June 1967 and the Making of the Modern Middle East by Michael Oren.
The Hundred Years' War on Palestine by Rashid Khalidi (Perspective on colonialism/resistance).
Society & Culture:
Start-Up Nation: The Story of Israel's Economic Miracle by Dan Senor and Saul Singer.
Israel: A Simple Guide to the Most Misunderstood Country on Earth by Noa Tishby (Modern, accessible overview).
The Prime Ministers by Yehudah Avner (Inside look at leadership).
Pre-State & Early Mandate:
One Palestine, Complete: Jews and Arabs Under the British Mandate by Tom Segev.
Time Immemorial
O Jerusalem
*The source ( the characters are fiction, however the details are facts).
One book shows up on both lists: The hundred years' war on Palestine: a history of settler colonialism and resistance, 1917-2017 by Rashid Khalidi
Khalidi is a Palestinian-American historian of the Middle East and the Edward Said Professor Emeritus of Modern Arab Studies at Columbia University. He served as editor of the Journal of Palestine Studies from 2002 until 2020.
His book overall is an indictment of Zionist settler colonialism and ethnic cleansing — the polar opposite of your position. As a former teacher, I have to ask: Have you read this book?
I have read reviews of the authors who spread lies and propaganda. I’m not interested in being lied to or brainwashed. They are the reason university students have been brainwashed into declaring intifada and getting paid by Qatar to protest, put up tents, and waving terroristic flags.
Oh Jill .. bless your heart 🙄
Jason,ICYMI,”top billing”with Heather Cox Richardson today.
“After a Florida state lawmaker proposed putting Trump’s name on the Palm Beach International Airport, Jason Garcia of Seeking Rents today reported that the Florida legislature is currently pushing through measures to change the name of that airport to the “Donald J. Trump International Airport.” The amount of money proposed in Florida’s budget to make the change is $2,750,000, but Garcia notes this is likely a placeholder: the budget request is for $5.5 million.”
https://open.substack.com/pub/heathercoxrichardson/p/february-16-2026?
Well, here's the kicker. People in the state of florida should file a lawsuit against the florida state legislator and specifically the magat minion republicans, the crooked grifting Trump family businesses filed today to have trademark rights on any airport using his name. So that he receives royalties and fees and be able to charge them for using his name for an airport that isn't even named after him yet. So let's see how this bill has come up. It hasn't even passed, and the trump family has filed to receive a trademark rights patent. Nowhere else in the country is trying to put Trump's name on any airport. So how come the Trump family has already filed paperwork to receive money from it and it hasn't even happened. There needs to be a lawsuit to stop this naming.
Thank you, J. C., for taking the time (and having the patience) to bring all of this to us. Most of it is over my head, I admit, and I am too lazy to plow through all of it. I am not looking forward to the rest of 2026, as I can only imagine the depths the Republicans will sink to to win the midterms.. It's almost funny. Trump is appealing to voters to keep Congress red, not because he is doing such a good job, but to keep from being impeached. No promise from him to mend his ways to win the vote. Just vote for a Republican Congress so that he won't be impeached. What a progressive platform. As they say, you can'make this stuff up. Anybody have any idea what is on the agenda for DeSantis? Will he just fade away, as I hope, or... Sigh.
Reading this is another affirmation on my part not to snowbird in this state again for three months at a time, it's time I took my money elsewhere. When I go to an art fair and come across an artist selling paintings of Trump with Jesus praying over his head and Charlie Kirk in the same scene and other paintings in the same vein, it's time to go. I count my blessings that I never purchased a second home here. I have 39 days left in my present rental stay and I could leave tomorrow for home and not care about money on the table. I will also note that tourism and traffic is way down compared to years past, my observation, and I've inquired about my observations with waiters and staff.
Trump and Ron have put a blight on this state or more like a big shit stain.
I helped to clean up the trailer of a mentally unstable hoarder who saved every piece of paper to ever arrive in the mail. She kept flier’s from Trump promising to show her how to become a millionaire just like him. From the 90’s perhaps? The fliers were trashy, crooked and sad in a style similar to that of promises by a carnival hawker. Couldn’t wait to throw them in the garbage. Now I wish I had saved them. Surely the Trump fliers belong in some future museum. Down the same hall as early NAZI propaganda and statues to Musselini.
The world view of Huckabee (and his daughter!) is based on a perversion of Christianity.
Wow!!! Great information if not upsetting. There were some other things on that list I wasnt so happy about but I ll keep that to myself. And great comments below and were kept respectable even when we disagreed. Question, excuse me if I am lazy to do it myself, or stuipid, but can someone print the email address or telephone numbers of our representatives in the Bradenton area? Or provide a link of where to go to find them. I have the momentum after this article and seeing the information to push my a.. to do a little little bit. Thanks in advance.
Generally speaking, every House member's email address is First.Last@FLHouse.gov and every senator's email address is Last.First@FLSenate.gov.
You can find your specific legislators (and their phone numbers) using either of these searches:
https://www.flhouse.gov/FindYourRepresentative
https://flsenate.gov/Senators/Find
And you find contact info for every House member and senator at these links:
https://www.flhouse.gov/representatives
https://flsenate.gov/Senators
Keeping Floridians Stupid should be their slogan.
So how many voters actually read and analyze and understand the amount of grift in this budget. What it’s costing unfairly to ordinary citizen taxpayers? It’s really in the weeds. IMO.
You should inform the Trump family about the faith of an another dictator family's faith in Romania. They also put their name everywhere, they were living gods, but unfortunately they were shut in December 1989.
If they change the airport name nobody I know will ever use it! And the books are being used to fuel another Cold War and close off an understanding of other forms of government… seems to be brainwashing to me!
Perhaps a bill to forbid the use of that surname anywhere in the state of Florida would be more fun.
When I call my representatives to call them out on issues, the last words of my call are: “And I always vote”.
I couldn't help but notice that Ana Maria Rodriguez, who is on the Ethics and Honesty in Government Committee, also received a $5,000 "donation" from Learn Our History... Is there no end to the disgusting levels these people will sink?! How can anyone on that sort of committee accept any "donation (ahem, payoff)" from a PAC? Just more of the same for the (un)Ethics and (dis)Honesty in Government Committee...
We all need to remember these things and make sure everyone around us remembers these things when we all hit the polls. If we don't, we'll just be propagating the same corruption again. Get your sticky notes out and start making notes. I dare someone to email a copy of this newsletter to your Republican representative along with a picture of a kid sticking their tongue out telling them who they're voting for come election time.