Common Sense…Coming Soon!

We’re changing it up a bit

I started this Substack three years (!) ago to focus exclusively on Manatee County issues and policies. We had A LOT of issues that needed long-form explanations and I believe this has served its purpose. As time has gone on, however, the subscriber list has grown and become more locationally-diverse and so has the realization that discussing singular local policy issues isn’t going to fix the broader problems with our politics.

We’re all seeing the impacts Tallahassee can have on our local decisions and community. We’re seeing the impacts Federal policies and tone can have on our elections and our future. We’re seeing that many of our local policy discussions aren’t as black & white as you believe they are. We each have our own opinions and views of everything from development to taxes to budgets.

Today, I see elected officials remaining quiet, or maybe a small whisper, whenever broader issues are discussed. Having your own views on anything even remotely partisan is a sure way to get yourself primaried. The only loud voices you hear are coming from the extreme edges of each party. Those voices do not represent the majority of voters nor do they speak to basic common sense.

I believe I have a platform with some reach here and I am choosing to use it in an attempt to fix the system, rather than sit idly by in a broken system.

I will be expanding this Substack to give my opinions and thoughts on broader policy issues - local, state and federal - even though it will still have a Manatee County focus.

We will also talk about politics in general, especially next year as we get back into yet another campaign cycle.

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Going forward, I will be focusing this Substack more heavily on podcast-form delivery. Many people have told me that some (most) of the posts are too long. But almost everyone has 15 minutes or so to listen via their podcast app or straight from the web.

I’ll continue using the article form to post additional information, standalone posts, and updates. Regardless of the type of post - audio or written - they will all be sent straight to your inbox if you subscribe.

I was hoping to launch this rebrand with the first podcast - which I actually recorded already. However, I have been sick for days and it honestly sounded like I was talking into a tin can. So, to avoid kicking things off with a terrible episode, I will be redoing it, hopefully this week, so stay tuned!

At that time, I will fill you all in on what I’m doing, why I’m doing it, and what the plan is for…