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Why Josie Tomkow is Wrong for Tampa

March 17, 2026 B. John 161 Views 0 Comments Josie Tomkow, Tampa Politics, Home Rule, SD 14, Preemption, Local Autonomy, Voter Suppression, Public Education

For decades, the “Home Rule” philosophy was the bedrock of Florida governance—the common-sense idea that the people who live in South Tampa and Northwest Hillsborough are better equipped to run their communities than a bureaucrat in a distant capital. But after the 2026 Legislative session, that principle isn’t just under attack; it’s being systematically dismantled. At the center of this power grab is Representative Josie Tomkow, a Polk County resident now seeking to represent Senate District 14. While her campaign paints a picture of “common sense” leadership, her voting record tells a different story: one of a reliable “yes-man” for a Tallahassee establishment that views your local autonomy as an obstacle to be cleared.

From voting to strip your city council of the power to host local cultural festivals to supporting state-level takeovers of local zoning boards, Tomkow has consistently prioritized state authority over your backyard reality. Whether it’s placing barriers at the ballot box for USF students or diverting your tax dollars away from public classrooms, her record is a blueprint for centralization. Senate District 14 doesn’t need a proxy for the Governor’s office; it needs a champion for its own streets. We’re taking a deep dive into the specific “preemption” bills Tomkow supported and why her vision for Florida is a direct threat to the independence of the Tampa Bay area.

[Read the full analysis here: The Death of Home Rule and the Rise of the Polk County Proxy]

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McCarthy in the Mangroves: Florida’s High-Tech Return to the Red Scare

March 9, 2026 B. John 152 Views 0 Comments First Amendment, HB 945, McCarthyism, Florida State Guard, Rep. Danny Alvarez, Government Surveillance, Thought Police, Red Scare, Lennard High School protest, Constitutional Rights, Political Dissent., Florida Politics, DeSantis administration

A Flagpole, a Principal, and the New “Thought Police”
If you’ve been following the news in Hillsborough County, you’re likely familiar with the recent “scandal” at Lennard High School—or rather, the scandal that wasn’t. We watched in real-time as Representative Danny Alvarez took to social media to demand a principal’s head over a student walkout that, upon even the slightest investigation, proved to be a non-event handled with textbook safety protocols. It was a classic “Red Scare” tactic: loud, factually hollow, and designed to intimidate. But while the principal’s career was thankfully spared, the mindset behind the attack has just been codified into a terrifying piece of legislation.

HB 945 is currently moving through the Florida legislature, and it should have every citizen—regardless of party—checking their digital locks. The bill seeks to create a new counterintelligence unit with the power to monitor our “patterns of life” and target anyone whose “views or opinions” are deemed “inimical” to the state. In a “Free State” that increasingly feels like a digital panopticon, we are being asked to trust our private data to an administration that can’t even get the facts straight about a local high school gathering.

When “inimical” effectively translates to “unfavorable to the Governor,” we have moved past the era of public safety and into the era of the Thought Police. Backed by a growing, personal “State Guard” militia, this isn’t just a policy shift; it’s a constitutional five-alarm fire. I’ve written a full breakdown of why this return to McCarthyism is a danger to the very fabric of our Republic.
Click here to read “McCarthy in the Mangroves” and see why Florida’s newest law is a direct assault on the First Amendment.

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When Elected Officials Skip the Phone Call and Go Straight to the Pitchfork

February 5, 2026February 5, 2026 B. John 164 Views 0 Comments Civic Engagement, Florida Politics, Student walkout, education policy, Hillsborough County, DeSantis administration, ICE protest, fact-checking, school governance

Apparently, in Florida politics, the due-diligence phase has been replaced by vibes, outrage, and a quick dash to social media. Two Hillsborough County Republican legislators worked themselves into a moral panic over students protesting ICE at a local high school — and then skipped the most basic step of governance: checking the facts. Instead of making a phone call, they fired off a letter demanding an investigation and the permanent revocation of a principal’s educator license. Because when you hear something alarming, why verify it when you can threaten someone’s career instead?

Here’s the inconvenient truth they missed: the protest happened after instructional time. Not during class. Not instead of math or English. After. That small detail didn’t stop Florida’s education commissioner — a hand-picked appointee of the governor — from piling on with a scolding warning about “diverting students from instruction.” Strong language, zero curiosity. What followed wasn’t leadership or oversight. It was performative outrage, public intimidation, and a clear message to educators and students alike: civic engagement is welcome only when it stays quiet, invisible, and politically convenient.

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A Speech Built on Sand. Fact-Checking the President’s Address

December 18, 2025 B. John 340 Views 0 Comments economic claims, inflation data, border policy, partisan rhetoric, public accountability, democratic norms, presidential address, fact check, political misinformation

Last night’s prime-time presidential address was sold as a report to the nation. What it delivered was more like a campaign rally with a White House backdrop.

We were told inflation has been “stopped,” prices are “coming down fast,” the border is “fully secure,” wars have been ended, and the economy is suddenly the hottest in the world. The problem is that many of these claims aren’t true, and others are so exaggerated that they lose all contact with reality. Public data on inflation, jobs, migration, and global conflicts tell a far more complicated story than the one presented on screen.

The speech also leaned heavily into partisan attacks, repeatedly blaming Democrats and President Biden while offering little effort to speak to the country as a whole. Even new announcements, such as a promised cash payment to service members, were floated without any explanation of their legality or funding. Symbolism replaced substance. Confidence stood in for evidence.

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Bi-Vocational Martyrdom and the Pronoun Police: Crying Wolf in a Library

July 28, 2025August 5, 2025 B. John 1439 Views 0 Comments Family Research Council, Luke 6:31, FRC, Bi-Vocational, Tony Perkins, Pronouns

Tony Perkins is mad again. This time, it’s because his “bi-vocational” pastor buddy got fired from a public library job for refusing to call a coworker by their chosen pronouns. Perkins calls it persecution. I call it what happens when someone mistakes rudeness for righteousness. This essay cuts through the drama, mocks the martyr complex, and reminds Pastor Luke that if you want respect, you might try giving some. Being a public employee means treating the public like people — all of them.

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When Facts Fail: Political Psychology Meets Trump’s Epstein Files Debacle

July 19, 2025July 20, 2025 B. John 1118 Views 0 Comments Trump, Hidden Brain, QAnon, Cognitive Bias, Epstein File, conspiracy

Ever wonder why some people refuse to change their minds even when presented with clear evidence? Scientists have discovered that our brains are wired to protect our beliefs, not seek truth.We see it in Donald Trump’s spectacular mishandling of the Jeffrey Epstein files controversy proves just how dangerous this psychological quirk can be, even for master manipulators.

For years, Trump expertly exploited this mental bias, convincing his supporters to dismiss investigations as “hoaxes” regardless of the evidence. But his attempt to brand concerns about the Epstein files as just another Democratic conspiracy has backfired spectacularly. Unlike previous scandals, this one taps into his base’s deepest fears about secret cabals and hidden power. Beliefs so central to their identity that when Trump dismissed their concerns, they turned on him instead. The result? The worst internal revolt of his political career, with major allies like Mike Pence and Elon Musk publicly breaking ranks.

This isn’t just political drama, it’s a real-time case study in how the psychology of conspiracy theories can eventually consume even those who try to control them. When belief becomes currency, losing trust costs more than any scandal ever could.

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My Take on Tampa’s No Kings Day Protest

June 16, 2025June 16, 2025 B. John 1125 Views 0 Comments Trump, Protest, Tampa, MAGA, No Kings, March

On June?14, 2025, Tampa’s “No Kings Day” protest unfolded under blue skies outside City Hall. Between 2,000 and 3,000 people participated, joined by coordinated protests across Tampa Bay—ranging from Largo to St.?Petersburg—where similar crowds gathered. And here is my take. I saw proof: when people stand together, young and old, across every background, authoritarian theatrics shrink. It gave me hope. Tampa spoke with its numbers and its unity. And for me, that was worth the energy, bearing the heat, being there with them. In short, I think we had a lot more energy than the Birthday Parade in D.C.

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The Plan Is Working: Fear, Force, and the March Toward American Authoritarianism

June 14, 2025June 14, 2025 B. John 239 Views 0 Comments Marines, Trump, ICE, No Kings Day, Arrests, Protests

Of course, it’s all a coincidence. Marines are arresting civilians in Los Angeles. ICE raids are ripping families apart. Federal troops deployed without state consent. Political opponents detained. And now, a state legislator has been murdered. All part of the new normal. Nothing to see here. It’s just another week in the great American experiment.

This is not chaos. It’s choreography. What may seem like a string of shocking, disconnected headlines is actually an authoritarian blueprint unfolding in real-time. Donald Trump’s administration is not merely pushing legal boundaries but deliberately breaking them and testing the system. Daring anyone to stop him. Spoiler: No one has.

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Now That You Know: A Stoic Response to Injustice During Pride Month

June 3, 2025 B. John 1105 Views 0 Comments LGBTQ+. MAGA, Epictetus, Aurelius, Wilberforce

“You may choose to look away, but you can never again say you did not know.” —William Wilberforce There are moments in life when we are confronted with a clear, morally unambiguous truth that strips away all our comfortable illusions. Wilberforce’s words aren’t just a condemnation of apathy but an indictment of complicity. Once you’ve seen injustice, silence is no longer neutral. It’s a choice. Ancient Stoics would have understood this. For all their restraint and talk of inner calm, the Stoics were not spectators. They believed in moral clarity and civic virtue. To live a good life was not to retreat from the world but to meet it head-on—with courage, justice, and integrity.

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FDLE Serves as Rick Scott’s Personal Goon Squad in Election

November 9, 2018November 9, 2018 B. John 1478 Views 0 Comments Rick Scott, FDLE, florida, Florida Department of Law Enforcement, U.S. Senate, Goon Squad, Voter Fraud, Broward County, Vote Counts

With all the votes now being counted, Rick Scott is seeing his lead slipping away in his race for U.S. Senate, and so, as any good Republican would do, he sued to try to keep from counting all the votes. Scott has apparently ordered the FDLE to investigate the Broward County Elections Office mostly because they are now counting all the ballots.

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Rick Wiles Tries to Out-Crazy Lance Wallnau

November 6, 2018November 5, 2018 B. John 1249 Views 0 Comments republicans, conservatives, Lance Wallnau, hate, Rick Wiles, Evangelical, Republican Party, Fear, Evangelical Christianity

As I posted Yesterday, “Pastor” Lance Wallnau was saying Trump should, like other dictators, be able to kill his opponents. Well, I guess “Pastor” Rike Wiles didn’t like Wallnau getting all the attention, so he’s now claiming that Democrats will “slaughter” tens of thousands of Christians if they win the midterm elections.

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