Retain the Chief

Florida's state supreme court is led by Chief Justice Charles T. Canady, who is up for a merit retention vote this year.

Canady is a native Floridian who earned a law degree from Yale University.

He returned to this little corner of heaven to establish his law practice and quickly entered the political arena . . . as a Democrat, no less.

Unfortunately, as many conservative Democrats would eventually discover, the national party left him a long time before he felt compelled to switch his registration.

He ran for U.S. Congress as a Republican in 1992, and won narrowly. In DC, he distinguished himself as a leading opponent of partial-birth abortions.

After a self-imposed term limit, Canady returned to Florida and served as general counsel to Governor Jeb Bush for a time before accepting a judicial appointment.

He was named Chief Justice by our current illustrious governor in 2008, but don't hold that against him. He deserves retention.

Vot YES to retain Chief Justice Charles T. Canady on the November ballot.

There's gold in them thar hills!

How cool is this old picture?!

That Parson Swinney was the father of the William Swinney for whom I am named.

He had a pretty interesting life, graduating from Yale, managing a vast tobacco empire, founding colleges, and . . . from the looks of this picture . . . some prospecting out west.

He purchased an interest in the Gilpin Mine near Steamboat Springs, Colorado, back in 1886. But, I've never really followed-up on that little tidbit with any actual research. Perhaps, this picture will provide the inspiration . . . if not the time!