Deep Something

Corporate Welfare in Overalls: The Rural Shell Game of Florida Amendment 2

September 22, 2026September 22, 2026 B. John 52 Views 0 Comments Home Rule, agricultural tax exemption, corporate agribusiness, Hillsborough County, tax shift, Property Taxes, Florida Amendment 2

This entry is in the series 2026 Elections

This entry is in the series Florida Amendments and Referenda-2026

The television commercials for Florida Amendment 2 are almost entirely self-written. All you have to do is play the acoustic guitar, show the video of a dusty tractor, and then tell the heartwarming tale of a fourth-generation family farmer who is struggling. Although the story is touching, the sentimental presentation covers up a costly performance by the corporation.

Florida businesses currently have a standard exemption of $25,000 for tangible personal property, which covers a significant portion of the equipment needed by genuine small-scale growers. The main benefit of Amendment 2, however, goes to industrial agribusiness syndicates, huge commercial packing houses, and luxury agritourism event venues that operate fleets of machinery costing six figures.

When Tallahassee eliminates equipment taxes on commercial agricultural land, those multi-ton transport trucks do not stop chewing up county roads. The bill simply shifts. County commissions are left to either gut local services or force residential homeowners to make up the difference. Read the full breakdown of how Amendment 2 puts corporate welfare in overalls and leaves local taxpayers holding the tab.

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Indocrination – BOO!

October 26, 2008September 29, 2018 B. John 576 Views 0 Comments Constitutional Amendments, Gay Rights, Insanity, Florida Constitution, Florida Amendment 2, John Stemberber, Dishonesty, Marriage, indoctrination, homophobia, Election Law, bigotry, Attorneys, hate

An article at the Florida Bilerico project points out the lengths to which the American Taliban will go in order to scare people. John Stemberger, lead proponent of Florida’s Amendment 2, is claiming that if Amendment 2 fails, the schools will have indoctrinate children to gay marriage. And to top it all off, despite being an attorney (or maybe because of it), Stemberger and Florida4Marriage.com are being accused of violations of campaign finance laws. Seems they may be trying to hide who their donors are, a violation of Florida Campaign laws.

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The Day After – Gay Marriage

June 19, 2008September 29, 2018 B. John 628 Views 0 Comments Marriage, supreme court, florida, fl, Constitution, California, Gay Marriage, Amendment 2, Florida Amendment 2, Full Faith and Credit Clause

Well, it’s the day after the first full day that gay marriage was legal in California, and gosh darn it, the sun came up, birds still sang, children were born, people died, there were even some heterosexual marriages, and I still had to go to work. In other words, if God is mad about it, he sure missed that wrath thing by taking it out on the mid-west. This raises a lot of questions, such as what happens next in California, what does this mean to Florida’s Amendment 2 initiative (and see a possible connection), and what does it mean for gay people around the country.