Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, and the state legislature — which is dominated by Republicans who have supermajorities in both chambers — have implemented a series of policies and laws in recent years that critics say are demonstrating tendencies toward autocracy.
A basic definition of autocracy is a leader or party who seeks to concentrate power and undermine the separation of powers; weaken the independence of the judiciary, legislature, and other institutions; persecute their opposition, and weaken civil liberties.
We spoke with three people who count themselves among the critics who are decrying what they see as autocratic tendencies in Tallahassee and here in Florida. They are members of the nonprofit, Floridians for Democracy, which was formed earlier this year to bring together voices from across the political spectrum to push back against this rising trend. The group's mission is "to coordinate a Florida network of social justice advocates dedicated to saving and preserving democracy."
They have held a series of meetings to bring together interested individuals, and presenters have included:
- David Pepper, author of Saving Democracy
- Bobby Block, executive director of Florida First Amendment Foundation
- Nikki Fried, chair of Florida Democratic Party
- Howard Simon, retired executive director, Florida ACLU
- Dave Aronberg, Palm Beach County State Attorney
- Mike Chitwood, Volusia County Sheriff
- Mike Caruso, Republican Florida State Representative from Palm Beach County
- Dr. Bob Hilliard, WWII Veteran, 98-year-old passionate advocate for democracy
GUESTS:
Jim Nathan, co-founder of Floridians for Democracy and former CEO of Lee Health. He’s also a founding member of Southwest Florida Voices for Racial Justice, and an adjunct professor and Executive-in-Residence for the Marieb College Health and Human Services at Florida Gulf Coast University.
Dr. Mike Martin, FGCU president emeritus, and a member of Floridians for Democracy.
Rev. Dr. Barrion Staples, president of the nonprofit Race and Ethics, Corp, as well as an active participant with Southwest Voices for Racial Justice and a member of Floridians for Democracy.
Click here to listen to our conversation with Jim Nathan and other members of Floridians for Democracy on May 15, 2023.
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