Diane Roberts

5 days ago | floridaphoenix.com | Diane Roberts

While the Florida Legislature exhibits nowhere near the level of bile-spitting, brainless dysfunction you get in Washington, they haven’t exactly been a model of a sleek, responsive government machine. For weeks, there was no budget. No hint of a budget. Instead of getting done the one thing the Constitution says they have to get done, they’ve been indulging in that sure-fire negotiating tactic: insulting each other. Then Friday: a trickle of white smoke emanating from the Capitol.

2 weeks ago | floridaphoenix.com | Diane Roberts

You’ve heard of the U.S. Constitution, right? You can see one of the 1789 originals right there in the National Archives. At least until the current regime shuts the place down for harboring wokey documents. You can get yourself a cheap copy of the newest iteration — the one with the freedom of speech part as well as the birthright citizenship, the equal protection under the law, the votes for women, term limits for presidents, and other exciting stuff — small enough to fit in your pocket.

2 weeks ago | yahoo.com | Diane Roberts

Early voting for the 2024 General Election started Oct. 21 for most counties in Florida. (Photo by Jay Waagmeester/Florida Phoenix)You’ve heard of the U.S. Constitution, right? You can see one of the 1789 originals right there in the National Archives. At least until the current regime shuts the place down for harboring wokey documents.

3 weeks ago | floridaphoenix.com | Diane Roberts

Why are right-wingers so scared of ideas? Are their minds so weak that mere exposure to certain books will infect them with what Elon Musk calls “the woke mind virus”? They don’t want you inoculated against measles, but they’re doing their damnedest to inoculate Americans against knowledge. Novels upset them; poetry upsets them; science upsets them; history upsets them; art upsets them; questioning of authority upsets them.

1 month ago | floridaphoenix.com | Diane Roberts

Florida’s elected representatives are fighting like weasels in a sack. The Senate versus the House; the House versus the governor; the governor versus everybody. They’re so furious they can’t even see straight. The governor has one job: Look after the best interests of the people of Florida, who are crying out for affordable insurance, housing, decent public schools, clean water — small stuff like that.