Editorial Archive

There’s something distinctly American about praying at public events – graduations, football games and such like. Having witnessed too many of these prayers to count, I can’t say there is much religious or spiritual about them, but by golly, we Americans can be sure that – unlike the Brits or the Swedes or the Japanese – whenever we assemble, we’re going to be knock, knock, knocking on heaven’s door.

As we celebrate the 50th anniversary of University of Central Florida in Orlando this year, we are reminded that a core benefit of an upper-level education is the opportunity to pursue and obtain insight and knowledge over blindness and ignorance.

In the four years before I took office, Florida lost more than 825,000 jobs, unemployment more than tripled from 3.5 percent to 11.1 percent, and state debt increased by $5.2 billion.

It might be time for the Santa Rosa County Commission to rethink who represents the county on the Tourist Development Council.

Being lieutenant governor of Florida is like being the best basketball player on that team that loses to the Harlem Globetrotters every night.

Every now and then, we get to proudly proclaim the Santa Rosa County commissioners got it right. The commissioners got it right this time by approving an amendment to the Land Development Code (LDC) that creates and extends the wellfield overlay area around all 12 well heads.

Last year the Florida Legislature passed a bill that allowed returning outright prayer to public schools. Not a moment of silence, not gathering around the flagpole on the National Day of Prayer, but the bona fide right of students to lead other students in prayer at any student assembly, even mandatory ones. School officials are prohibited from interfering, or even judging whether the prayer in question is appropriate.

In recent years, we have seen the size of our federal government increase at an alarming rate with excessive and irresponsible government spending threatening our economic prosperity. Across the country, millions of Americans have become more interested in the Congressional budget process, with many, including myself, advocating for a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution. The American people understand that Washington must pass sensible budgets and get its fiscal house in order. Over the next few months, the annual budget process will move into full swing; however, during this time we are also facing numerous budgetary challenges.

I get it. I’m a woman who grew up on a farm doing “man’s” work. I enlisted in the Navy and did a “man’s” work as an aviation structural mechanic. Yet, the standards for physical readiness for me were different than for my male counterparts. Sure, I could carry the same tool box, but in the Navy’s eyes, I could not do as many sit-ups, push-ups and run a 1.5-mile as fast as a man.

The things women can do always amazes me. What amazes me more is all the things women have been told they can’t do.