[southernnaturelover]

Originally Posted by seain dublin

Gee I wonder how they feel about living in the only state in the nation that doesn't allow gay people to adopt.

Myself, I don't want kids, and I don't hear others mention it either so I assume they feel the same way.

[Coconut1]

Originally Posted by chopchop0

just don't use my taxpayer money to fund your lifestyle, that's all.

I love how people grab their torches and pitchforks and protest using "their" money... they make it seem like they fund the entire government by themselves.

Originally Posted by southernnaturelover

I don't hear others mention it either so I assume they feel the same way.

Really? Okay. Wow.

[chopchop0]

Originally Posted by Coconut1

I love how people grab their torches and pitchforks and protest using "their" money... they make it seem like they fund the entire government by themselves.

We all do, although less and less of us seem to fund the federal government.

47% of households owe no tax - and their ranks are growing - Sep. 30, 2009

I am definitely part of the taxpaying segment of the population, myself, so yes, I along with others do fund the government.

[locoyofla]

Despite stereotypes, Texas is actually one of the most diverse states in the country with only 46% of its population being non-Hispanic white. But a general low turn-out of Democrat-leaning groups, specifically Hispanics, the state almost always goes Republican. Similarly, Florida Democrat-leaning Hispanics like Puerto Ricans, tend to have a lower turn-out. If Democrats want to turn the state blue in elections, they need to raise the turn-out for these groups.

[Kevin from Tampa]

Originally Posted by locoyofla

Despite stereotypes, Texas is actually one of the most diverse states in the country with only 46% of its population being non-Hispanic white. But a general low turn-out of Democrat-leaning groups, specifically Hispanics, the state almost always goes Republican. Similarly, Florida Democrat-leaning Hispanics like Puerto Ricans, tend to have a lower turn-out. If Democrats want to turn the state blue in elections, they need to raise the turn-out for these groups.

Locoy, like I said earlier, Florida Hispanics are dominated by Cubans. Cubans are a pretty conservative lot, actually, unlike most other Hispanics. If you notice, many of the Hispanic politicians in Florida are Republicans.

[FlyMIA]

Everyone does realize Florida is almost 50/50 in the past few presidential elections right? I think its politics make perfect sense.

[ferret111]

Originally Posted by FlyMIA

Everyone does realize Florida is almost 50/50 in the past few presidential elections right? I think its politics make perfect sense.

Yeah, seriously. I like being a swing state. I just we were more socially liberal.

[frankmaraschino]

Originally Posted by FLGator487

Phrased another way: Why do we look like California or New York in terms of the diversity and composition of our population, but have a political culture (e.g. Rick Scott, right-wing extremists running the Legislature, etc.) that looks like the one in Nebraska?

Because at least since the 1920s, Florida has—like McDonalds—served millions upon millions of suckers one of the most pernicious of American myths, that happiest of Happy Meals: the Free Lunch.

Lie on the beach all day, slathered in baking grease, never get cancer. Run your golf-course gated-community fire-hose sprinklers full-blast from 9 to 5, never run out of water. Pave the state over into one giant, peninsular parking lot, never sit in traffic. It's no accident Ponce de Leon landed here and not Pascagoula.

Historians often refer to this entitlement mentality as "American exceptionalism." I always refer to it as "infantile bull****." It is without question the root reason why the rest of the world hates America, and why the rest of America hates Florida.

In that spirit, then, I propose to our lawmakers in Tallahassee that Florida's state motto be changed from "In God We Trust" to "Leave Me the F*** Alone."

But I regress. Fact is, an overwhelming number of Floridians—ordinary workin' folk, mind you; not trust-fund smart-asses born to former presidents or "libertarian" multimillionaires who defraud government programs—bought the lie willingly.

What is the lie? The Fountain of Youth, of course. The Free Lunch. You can get something for nothing. Leave me the f*** alone.

So hordes of self-styled Ethan Allens move here because to them a place that doesn't have an income tax is some sort of ecstatic, dreamy, Jeffersonian Valhalla. Don't tread on me. Live free or die. Give me North Florida's water or give North Florida death.

If you politely gesture toward reality out there to these tea bag people, viz., the appallingly regressive nature of Florida's tax system and how they are for instance being screwed by it to Jeb Bush’s and Rick Scott’s benefit, stupidly thinking that reason and logic should at least be invited to this discussion, you only cave deeper into the sinkhole.

This is not about numbers, or facts. This is about getting something for nothing. It’s about the crack-addicted welfare queen going to jail where she belongs, and me getting my four-figure refund check so I can finance my Bose home theater system; it’s about the ******* in the car next to me on I-4 getting stuck in the moron merge lane, and me zipping deliriously to my destination down a highway with no one on it (apologies to Bono); it’s about me renting a cheap bungalow yet getting a voucher to send my kid to a “charter” school located in an area of town where other people are saddled with property taxes that would pay off Namibia’s IMF debt.

It’s about free libraries with parking out front, Jeopardy!-champions for librarians waiting behind the reference desk to look up the answer to my question while I drop in at the café on the first floor to get my complimentary cappuccino. It’s about me and my kids going to Disney World whenever I want for 20 bucks—because I’m a “Florida resident,” like it’s a state university or something.

It’s about me being on Medicare and Social Security and dressing up like Patrick Henry to denounce things like “big government” and “socialism” and demanding to inspect the president’s birth certificate even though I couldn’t authenticate my own birth certificate if you threw it at me.

It’s about me, after 30 years of sleepwalking, suddenly giving a **** about the national debt when there’s a black man and a Democrat in the White House.

But more to the point, because this is really what mainstream Florida is really all about: I am right now imagining a team of smiling Publix deli attendants waiting behind the counter to make my sandwich, which I’m getting with a tanker-sized Coke and a garbage-bag sized sack of chips for, I don’t know, three bucks. I just made that up. Florida: The Rules are Different Here.

Publix understands all of this, by the way. Publix is by far and away the essential Florida company (well, maybe tied for first place with Florida Rock), much more essentially Floridian than some carpet bagging concern like Mouseco. Publix not only understands the essential Floridian, Publix inhabits the essential Floridian. (Now I’m getting hungry … damn—it’s 3 a.m.)

That's why they give you free samples while they're making your sandwich. Aww. You thought they were being nice. You thought it was the “free market.”

[allenk893]

Frankmaraschino, I read your post and all I have to say is, if you don't like Florida, get the hell out of my state and go somewhere else where you will be more content. We don't need your politics here. We are happy being a swing state. I cannot believe some people here actually want us to be like California or New York! Have you seen what a colossal mess they are?!! The last thing ANY state needs is to adopt anything resembling California! Take your politics and hit the road! Don't let the door hit ya where the good Lord split ya!

[vaughanwilliams]

Originally Posted by allenk893

Frankmaraschino, I read your post and all I have to say is, if you don't like Florida, get the hell out of my state and go somewhere else where you will be more content. We don't need your politics here. We are happy being a swing state. I cannot believe some people here actually want us to be like California or New York! Have you seen what a colossal mess they are?!! The last thing ANY state needs is to adopt anything resembling California! Take your politics and get the hell out. Don't the door hit ya where the good Lord split ya!

I appreciate his comments-sometimes it's hard to look into the mirror.

How is Ca. and NY any more of a mess than Florida?