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Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush appears poised for a presidential run and is currently leading the polls among potential Republican candidates for 2016, but the comments he made in 1994 during his first run for Florida’s highest office may come back to haunt him.The Associated Press reports that Bush described himself then as a “head-banging conservative” and used fiery rhetoric — such as claiming he would do “probably nothing” for African-Americans if he became governor — in his ultimately unsuccessful bid. Bush made that statement in response to a question on what he would for African-Americans if elected to office.“It’s time...

A rescued yellow Labrador retriever mix was popularly named Reagan by Rick Scott Facebook fans as the now Florida governor campaigned in the 2010 close election against Democrat Alex Sink. Unfortunately, Reagan's photos disappeared shortly after Scott was sworn in on January 2011, reports the Tampa Bay Times. So what happened to Reagan the rescue pooch? Introduced as the newest addition to the Scott family back then, all sorts of dog friendly and Rick Scott photos were plastered everywhere. Of course, animal advocates love that kind of compassion; statistics reveal that 39% of Americans have at least one dog in...

ST. PETERSBURG, FL. In recent presidential election cycles, Florida's primary has basically decided the Republican nomination. In 2008 John McCain received the endorsement of then-Republican Florida Gov. Charlie Crist, and after winning the sunshine state's primary, never looked back. Even more dramatically, Mitt Romney reversed what seemed to be a potentially fatal loss to Newt Gingrich in the South Carolina primary by besting the former speaker just days later in the Florida contest. The fight in 2016 for Florida's rich number of delegates could once again bring an early and final decision in the race for the GOP nomination, especially...

Link to video In the famous bar scene in Star Wars, one of patrons remarks that the debt collector should be watching Han Solo's hands.  It is good advice that is taught in police academies.  It is hard advice to follow when you are trying to rob a store where the clerk is behind a counter.  This robber in Florida made many mistakes, and still managed to survive.  From wpbf.com: A man walked into the 13th Street store, pointed a gun at the clerk and demanded money. The clerk was secretly aiming a gun at the would-be robber from...

People cannot bring own guns to attraction KISSIMMEE, Fla. —A new tourist attraction promises to give people as young as 13 years old the chance to fire fully automatic weapons. Outside the new attraction, you can hear the unmistakable rat-a-tat-tat of machine guns inside. The automatic weapons are powerful and firing them is intense, but owners are hoping Orlando tourists will want to try the unique experience. "We see this as attractive to someone who might want to go bungee jumping -- adrenaline rush experience," said Bruce Nierenberg, general manager of Machine Gun America Orlando. "There are a lot of...

Gannett - link and title only.

Last month there was a shooting at Florida State University where three students were shot by a mentally disturbed man before the police arrived.  One of the students had a concealed carry permit, but was not allowed to have his defensive firearm with him.  Another witness was a combat veteran who said that he had a clear shot at the attacker, but was also prevented from having his firearm with him by current law. A bill has been filed in the Florida Senate to restore the ability of permit holders to carry their firearms on campus, as they can...

Is former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush too moderate for the Republican Party? That is all the talk. But here’s a surprise: Adam C. Smith, political editor of the liberal Tampa Bay Times, authored this piece last Friday refuting with evidence that Bush as governor was “arch-conservative” and far from a “moderate squish.” — Ed. Respected Ronald Reagan biographer Craig Shirley told the Washington Examiner recently that Jeb Bush is the latest in a line of Bushes who oppose Reaganism. Radio host Mark Levin has dismissed Florida’s former governor as “a very good moderate Democrat,” while pioneering conservative activist Richard Viguerie...

In Florida, a 32 year-old career criminal was captured as he resisted arrest after committing multiple felonies.  It was particularly notable because he had been arrested for illegal possession of a firearm just a few days previously.   Wilford McCloud is accused of breaking into several cars before he was chased by an off-duty Brevard County deputy.  From clickorlando.com: As Holton attempted to arrest McCloud, the man was reportedly violently resisting, which led to Holton shooting McCloud. (snip) McCloud was arrested just days before for carrying a concealed firearm by a convicted felon and has an extensive record. Trying to...

The article with this poll was first published on Friday afternoon a week ago, 21 November, 2014, the day after the shooting at Florida State University (FSU).   I wrote about it the next day.   At that time the ratio of second amendment supporters to disarmists was a very high 12 to 1. On Saturday morning, about 6 a.m. the total number of votes cast were 2740.   As you can see from the screenshot, today, 28 November about 10 a.m., the number has increased to 4,330, and the ratio has increase from 12 to 1 to an astonishing...

After the recent shooting on campus in Florida, Florida Carry quickly made the case that the campus was a "gun free" or "defenseless victim" zone, and that removing the prohibition on legal guns would make campus safer.  From new4jax.com: Friday said several lawsuits are pending against Florida universities that refuse to allow students the right to carry weapons in class. In states like Idaho, Colorado, Utah, Oregon and Kansas, Friday said, school shooting statistics are remarkably lower than the rest of the nation. "Every state that allows law-abiding students to carry guns on campus, every one of those schools...

Link to video on YouTube Florida Carry has been litigating a case through the Florida court system, a case about whether a ban on open carry in Florida is constitutional under the State and Federal constitutions.  It is quite an accomplishment that the case is being heard by the Fourth District Court.   A few days ago, the oral arguments were heard by a three judge panel.  The video above, just under 39 minutes, is of the opposing counsels giving oral arguments before the three judge panel.  The case is State v. Norman.   From a discussion of the case on...

Lawley In most states, the legislators and courts have ruled that defense of property is not sufficient justification, by itself, for the use of deadly force. This does not mean that you have to allow criminals to steal your property at will.   It means that you may not immediately use deadly force to prevent a theft, though there are exceptions.   Texas, for example, allows the use of deadly force to prevent theft on one's property at night. The way that deadly force is legally employed in the protection of property is indirect, allowed for with an escalation of force.  ...

The new owner of a foreclosed home in Cape Coral got more than he bargained when he went to inspect his purchase. William Wilson bought the light pink house on SE 19th Lane for $96,000 at an auction on Tuesday, according to the News-Press of Fort Myers. When he went to mow the lawn and check out the house itself on Wednesday, he found a corpse on the master bedroom floor. Wilson told the paper all that remained was the bones, skin and smell of the remains. Wilson said the inside of the house was a mess and it looked...

....ick Scott attended early services Sunday at Broward's oldest Baptist Church, softly pitching his re-election to black churchgoers. His four minutes of remarks to more than 500 congregants at First Baptist Church Piney Grove in Lauderdale Lakes concentrated on the biographical, touched on policy, and emphasized his faith. "Jesus Christ is my savior," he said to a chorus of amens and clapping. The governor described his "wonderful Christian mother and very wonderful Christian grandmother, and they told me all along that Jesus Christ was my savior. From a very young man I learned the importance of believing in Jesus Christ,...

A new poll from the Florida Chamber of Commerce Political Institute shows Gov. Rick Scott with the lead over former Gov. Charlie Crist. The Florida Chamber is backing Scott for another term. The poll of likely voters, taken by Cherry Communications, shows Scott ahead with 44 percent and Crist at 39 percent, outside the margin of error. Libertarian Adrian Wyllie takes 4 percent

A great many Republican House and Senate candidates may be staying away from talking immigration, or immigration reform this cycle, but not Jeb Bush. A funny thing happened on Jeb's recent visit to Colorado to stump for Republican Cory Gardner in his race against Democrat Mark Udall.

Charlie Crist has slightly nudged ahead of Gov. Rick Scott in Quinnipiac University’s latest poll that shows the Democrat picks up 43 percent support from likely voters to the incumbent’s 40 percent. That apparent 3 percentage point lead for Crist is essentially a tie because it’s within the poll’s margin of error, but the poll of 800 likely voters indicates Crist has some momentum on his side. Last week, Quinnipiac surveyed the governor’s race and found it dead even between Crist and Scott, with each getting 42 percent. So the contest has shifted a net 3 percentage points in Crist’s...

The investigator leading the probe into the Secret Service's 2012 prostitution scandal quietly resigned in August after he was implicated in a prostitution entanglement of his own. A senior administration official confirmed to Fox News that David Nieland was observed entering and leaving a building that was under surveillance as part of a prostitution investigation by sheriff's deputies in Broward County, Fla.

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The divers descended 410 feet into the Mediterranean off Italy, shining bright lights on a ship that sank thousands of years ago. A sea-crusted anchor rested amid piles of terra cotta jars traditionally used to carry wine, olive oil and other cargo.