Commentary
Commentary: America 250 is a chance to recommit to local journalism
As the president and general manager of Central Florida Public Media, local journalism is a...
Commentary: The Supreme Court just gave the rich even more political power
The Supreme Court continued its troubling shift by striking down limits on campaign expenditures by...
Commentary: Rigging the rules to protect Trump’s guy | Steve Bousquet
The Republican Party's refusal to schedule a debate among its candidates for governor is bad...
Maxwell: Free speech? Florida students have diplomas threatened for silent ICE protest
Maxwell: Free speech? Florida university threatens students' diplomas for participating in a silent protest where...
Commentary: Social Security and Medicare’s insolvency dates don’t matter. Insolvency does
Social Security and Medicare trusts will be depleted within the decade, but lawmakers must act...
Commentary: Kids college-bound? Here’s how to set them up for success
You can’t prepare your child for everything they’ll face in life, but you can help...
Commentary: Property-tax bill helps Floridians, not government
As the state's Republican Party chairman writes, the proposed property-tax elimination won't cost taxpayers, it...
Maxwell: Who makes Orlando better? Plus, watch out for Hope Florida 2.0
It’s time again for readers to submit their nominations for “10 People Who Make Orlando...
Commentary: Puerto Rico’s power and water didn’t fail by accident
Recent failures of infrastructure in Puerto Rico are are the predictable yield of deferred maintenance...
Commentary: Learn the courage of our nation’s founders
Americans would be better off spending more time reading founding documents and writings about the...
Commentary: If Iran exploits memorandum, it could turn defeat into victory
Military pressure on Iran should be maintained until Iran either fully accepts the core conditions...
Commentary: Iran can’t negotiate from strength because U.S. already won war
Claims that Iran somehow “won” the war are detached from reality. Iran lost military capacity,...
Commentary: Don’t touch the water or Trump will get you | Pat Beall
Columnist Pat Beall sees the furor over green algae in the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool...
Commentary: Why LGBTQ+ voices belong in climate-justice conversations
The future of climate justice depends on ensuring that no community is left behind. LGBTQ+...
Commentary: Demings failing us with tourist-tax boondoggle | Mike Thomas
As former Sentinel columnist Mike Thomas writes, a task force intended to direct funds from...
Commentary: Break the silence — be open about men’s mental-health struggles
Men’s Mental Health Awareness Month needs to stop being treated as an opportunity to simply...
Commentary: Florida’s preparedness gap is growing faster than infrastructure
The question facing Florida is not whether we will continue to grow. We will. The...
Commentary: Listening to the songs of longleaf pines
The longleaf pine is truly the tree of life. Few trees are as essential to...
Commentary: Elon Musk is a trillionaire? Good for him, good for us
Elon Musk made money from his legitimate companies; so why do the socialists in the...
Commentary: Insurance copay accumulators are hurting patients
Programs that allow insurers to accept copay assistance but not count it toward a patient's...
Maxwell: This bench beneath a shady tree in Orlando is a lifeline for struggling firefighters
After seeing too many of their peers struggle and even take their own lives, two...
Commentary: Reviewing ‘An Inconvenient Truth’ after 20 years
The real lesson of “An Inconvenient Truth” is that panic makes for lousy policy. Trading...
Commentary: A home is more than four walls. It’s a foundation for everything
For a family that has never had a home, it is a turning point. It...
Commentary: Florida’s opioid process shows why regulation beats prohibition
A recovering addict writes that medication-assisted treatments such as kratom and 7-OH should remain viable...
Commentary: Trump’s economic pivot isn’t coming. He’s made that clear
For Republicans in Congress who’ve been clinging to hope that President Donald Trump might finally...
Commentary: What Florida can learn from the Southern surge in education
Emphasizing knowledge in school curricula, especially s students make the transition from "learning to read”...
Commentary: With World Cup action comes intense heat
When the 2026 FIFA World Cup kicked off, 48 nations began their chase for soccer’s...
Commentary: Why Archie Bunker voters are disillusioned with U.S. politics
The 1970s "All in the Family" stalwart supported law-and-order, cultural conservatism and strong labor unions,...
Maxwell: Even as it’s abandoned, boondoggle ‘Alcatraz’ may cost taxpayers more
The feds say they wanted to get detainees out of Alligator Alcatraz before hurricanes arrive,...
Commentary: What success really looks like — planning for an uncertain future
If you're living paycheck to paycheck, today's needs take precedence over tomorrow's goals, but there...
Maxwell: Here we go again. Orange County looks to ensure hotel taxes can’t pay for local needs.
The last time Mayor Jerry Demings convened a hotel-tax task force, members were told they...
Commentary: Graduates cheered Steve Wozniak’s affirmation of humans over AI. Leaders, pay attention.
The story Gen Zers are being told about their future may be wrong. And the...
Commentary: Recipe to convert to a private Social Security system | Point
The best way to maintain the Social Security trust fund, now scheduled to be depleted...
Commentary: Social Security should not be privatized | Counterpoint
Investing in stocks and bonds may work for individual investments, but it carries too much...
Commentary: Heart screenings for youths can save countless lives
The Second Chance Act requires all students participating in high school sports for the first...
Commentary: Is Florida paying attention to red-flag laws’ success?
Florida's Risk Protection Order law was never designed to win praise from gun-safety advocates. It...
Commentary: The Dow is a spectator sport — Why Wall Street boom misses middle America
The next time someone points to a market record as proof the country is doing...
Commentary: Free the hostages! Especially that woman in Omaha | Pat Beall
The stock market is held hostage to Elon Musk, a Florida county commissioner's ambition is...
Commentary: What a Puerto Rican teacher learns in Florida’s school system
Florida gains something when educators from Puerto Rico enter its schools, bringing lived experience, adaptability...
Commentary: The fun is running out for Trump’s presidency
The writer believes President Donald Trump wants out of the presidency because the old stimuli...
Commentary: The FDA’s sunscreen rules leave Americans exposed
The CEO of the Pacific Research Institute writes that the FDA's approval of a new...
Commentary: Saving on your electric bill in the scorching summer
The president of Senior Resource Alliance shares tips to cut energy costs, especially vital for...
Maxwell: Readers have good, tough questions for mayoral candidates
Maxwell: Four candidates are running for Orange County mayor. But before they get anyone’s votes,...
Commentary: School nurses help drive the future of America’s health
What are we losing — financially, academically, and in community health — by failing to...
Commentary: Senate should reform the job of U.S. attorney general
The pending nomination of Todd Blanche is an opportunity to remove cronyism from the top...
Commentary: Sojourner’s truth
In 1851, activist Sojourner Truth delivered a speech that called on attendees to reject racial...
Commentary: The importance of survivors speaking out
Child abuse survivor and advocate Lauren Book describes a new project of her nonprofit Lauren's...
Commentary: Florida is unprepared to meet mental health needs of its seniors
Florida has a shortage of mental healthcare providers for seniors, a shortfall that must be...
Commentary: Proposed student literacy plan has no accountability
Orange County has just gained an independent measure of its progress on student literacy from...
Maxwell: Hugs for Orlando arts scene. Slugs for FPL and Florida debate-dodgers
Hugs for fewer pedestrian deaths in Orlando and big news on Central Florida's arts scene....
Commentary: Do your part by bringing your own cups, utensils to restaurants
Multi-use personal beverage containers like coffee mugs, water bottles and drink cups are legally allowed...
Maxwell: Florida’s 2026 ballot is packed, confusing. But there’s help.
This 2026 ballot will be packed with 28 candidates for governor, 33 candidates for Orange...
Commentary: Welcome the stranger
This week (June 15-21), World Refugee Week, established by the United Nations, recognizes the right...
Commentary: Coal power is a critical tool amid a power supply emergency | Point
The Trump administration's embrace of coal power is a timely and essential response to an...
Commentary: Trump coal bailouts lock-in higher costs, forestall real solutions | Counterpoint
By repeatedly using taxpayer dollars to bail out the coal industry, the Trump administration is instead pursuing a reckless and costly gambit that fails.
Commentary: ‘In God We Trust’ is an un-American motto
Roughly 58 million Americans do not affirm belief in any god or universal spirit. Americans...
Commentary: Ten years after Pulse, honor those we lost with action
To mark 10 years since Pulse, an Equality Florida leader writes, "I hope we do...
Commentary: Strengthen downtown without sacrificing history
Downtown Orlando's challenges did not begin with historic preservation, and they will not be solved...
Commentary: Finding integrity amidst the money machine of college sports
At a time when college athletics is confronting the expanding influence of legalized sports gambling,...
Commentary: Flesh-eating maggots are back in vogue | Pat Beall
Administration officials are blaming Biden immigration policies for screwworm's Texas invasion, columnist Pat Beall writes....
Commentary: Take a page from soccer’s relegation model
International soccer leagues demote their worst teams and promote their best minor-league squads every year,...
Commentary: Alzheimer’s awareness, research and care is vital and available
The head of the Osceola Council on Aging details help available for patients and caregivers...
Commentary: Florida citrus is under assault. Innovation helps us fight back
The EPA recently approved a gene-edited citrus rootstock to slow down citrus greening. Government regulators...
Maxwell: 10 years after Pulse, Orlando won’t let anyone erase this tragedy
When the cards started coming into our newsroom — notes of support from newsrooms that...
Commentary: Why returning to invest in higher education matters
Today's students enter college carrying the hopes of their families and communities, steps away from...
Commentary: Detaining immigrants in an untamed swamp was never workable
Will the last person leaving “Alligator Alcatraz” please turn out the lights? Let a grim...
Commentary: Pulse memorial must capture full spirit of the 49 victims
As the Rev. Dr. José Rodriguez writes, memorial designers are not fully embracing the Hispanic...
Commentary: Thoughts and prayers … and sandwiches
In moments of crisis or tragedy, go ahead and send those thoughts and prayers, but...
Commentary: My father, Ronald Reagan, would be heartbroken by White House conduct
As Patti Davis writes, a long list of presidents including her father have adhered to...
Commentary: Connecting people with the right jobs
A leader at Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida says the organization's job-training has...
Commentary: Florida’s conservation model saves habitat, wildlife
In recent commentary, critics have raised concerns about the leadership of the Florida Fish and...
Commentary: In light of Kyle Busch’s death, we need to talk about sepsis treatment
Despite being one of the costliest, deadliest conditions patients may experience in the hospital, sepsis is less...
Commentary: Mister Rogers’ empathy should still fit nation’s values
Mister Rogers understood that citizenship starts with being a good neighbor. How we treat each...
Commentary: Yes, we can end corporate influence in politics
There’s more money in politics than ever. But some state governments, like California, are finding...
Maxwell: Plaintiffs in Florida’s voucher school lawsuit highlight disturbing reality
Plaintiffs in lawsuit challenging Florida's universal school voucher program argue voucher schools lack standards. They're...
Maxwell: Did you know Trump’s latest judicial nemesis is from Orlando?
The judge who ordered Trump's name must be removed from the Kennedy Center is from...
Maxwell: FPL looks to go national, and the nation should be nervous
Maxwell: Florida Power & Light and its parent company, NextEra, have a history of hardball...
Commentary: Let budget reform commission lead debate on property tax
The hurried evaluation and adoption of this proposal, which became public less than a week...
Commentary: Legislative leaders stripped Black voters of representation
Representation is not just symbolism. It is power. It is who writes the laws, who...
Maxwell: A gator-shooting ‘Looksmaxxer.’ A disturbing new breed of Florida-man.
A gator-shooting ‘Looksmaxxer’ is a new breed of Florida-man. If you don't know who these...
Commentary: There’s nothing MAHA about taking away fruits and vegetables
If lawmakers genuinely want to improve public health outcomes while practicing fiscal restraint, they ought...
Commentary: Don’t just build smaller houses, get people to like them
As more people seek smaller starter homes, developers keep building bigger. How will the gap...
Commentary: Energy cancel culture emerges in race for Florida governor
The president of Conservatives for Responsible Stewardship takes issue with statements by Republican gubernatorial candidate...
Commentary: Florida needs fish and wildlife commissioners with conservation ties
Instead of partisan political appointees, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission must have new...
Commentary: America’s gas prices are Iran’s weapon
Every dollar above prewar fuel prices transfers directly into political pressure to end the war,...
Commentary: As community mourns e-bike accident, we must protect our children
Pediatric neurosurgeon Myron Rolle writes about what can be done to prevent e-bike tragedies like...
Maxwell: Taxpayer waste – Florida’s Charlie Kirk settlement, clown show CFO
The past few days have been rough for anyone who cares about tax dollars in...
Commentary: Hurricane season starts next week. Is your roof ready?
When the first hurricane of the season forms in the Gulf, suddenly homeowners across Central...
Commentary: Our wars haven’t been worth it, and not just in Iran | Counterpoint
After decades of war since 9/11, Americans now largely agree: War isn’t worth it.
Commentary: War can be justified, but only as a last resort | Point
America cannot ignore serious threats to its people or its allies. Yet, even when war...
Commentary: Honoring those who made the ultimate sacrifice
This Memorial Day, let’s renew our commitment to service, in whatever way we can, whether...
Commentary: Don’t let Florida ban undocumented students from public colleges
The Florida Legislature rejected a proposal this year to ban undocumented students from public colleges....
Commentary: Florida’s tax strategy sets a national example
Florida is an ideal case study demonstrating that a conservative tax posture can promote household...
Commentary: Holocaust Center ignores Oct. 7 Gaza attacks
If ever there was a reason and need for a Holocaust museum, the sustained and...
Commentary: Eatonville is more than a construction site
Enough treating Historic Eatonville like disposable land. Enough making decisions without the people. Enough ignoring...
Commentary: Why Florida has to lead on water, resilience and climate
As Rep. Anna Eskamani writes, funding water quality and conservation is only the beginning to...
Commentary: Need cash, quick? Go break the law! | Pat Beall
Under President Trump and his $1.8 billion slush fund, crime really does pay, writes columnist...
Commentary: DUI crackdown creates legal trap for medical marijuana patients
A lawyer highlights a 2025 state law cracking down on DUIs. While he applauds much...
Commentary: ‘Summer melt’ challenge faces graduating seniors, future workforce
The two months between high school graduation and the first day of fall classes for...
Commentary: Puerto Ricans deserve the same rights this Memorial Day
For the thousands of Puerto Rican veterans now living in Florida, Memorial Day is a...