Spill The Tea: Recent Episodes
Spill The Tea
On the latest episode of Spill the Tea, guests hosts Logan Padgett and Bill Mattox do a deep dive on all of the issues you should be paying attention to as we get closer to the start of session in March.
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On the latest episode of Spill the Tea, Dr. Bob McClure sits down with JMI’s Director of the Center for Technology and Innovation, Edward Longe, to do a deep dive on tech issues data privacy, cryptocurrency, Tik Tok, and other topics.
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On the latest episode of Spill the Tea, JMI’s Dr. Bob McClure and Sal Nuzzo discuss the hypocrisy of the World Economic Forum, gas stoves, the Florida’s 2023 legislative session actions on the Reedy Creek district, Governor DeSantis’ response to the NHL “Pathway to Hockey Summit” and other topics.
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December 25, 2022
In the wake of COVID, a “new normal” in K-12 education is taking hold. Public school enrollment is down in most parts of the country. Homeschooling numbers remain well above their pre-pandemic levels (especially among African Americans). The same is true for virtual learning, where some innovative new programs using immersive technology are winning critical acclaim. And small, highly personalized learning communities — such as micro-schools, learning pods, and hybrid homeschools — are continuing to draw considerable interest from young families.
Many families are drawn to these emerging enterprises because they like smaller, more personalized environments. They want curriculum tailored to the individual child’s interests, needs and learning styles. And they appreciate the fact that their child can more easily get extra attention in certain subjects — while often gaining exposure to cutting-edge technology.
For example, the Florida-based Optima Foundation has produced the first-ever classical curriculum using immersive technology. It allows students, wearing virtual reality headsets, to be transported to ancient Rome to witness debates between leading philosophers. With immersive technology of this kind, it matters not whether the student is engaging educational content from a large classroom in Broward County or a small out-building in Glades County. As such, immersive technology helps fuel the growing “learn anywhere” movement.
Interestingly, an increasing number of educators share parents’ enthusiasm for “micro” options. They have rediscovered the joy of teaching, free from the often-stifling regulations of big school bureaucracies, by moving into the “micro” sector as education entrepreneurs. South Florida, in particular, has become a “large hub of education entrepreneurship,” according to scholar Kerry McDonald.
These alternative forms of education “are here to stay,” McDonald says, in large part because of their “educational diversity.”
“Today’s micro-schools,” she writes, “represent all ideological and political persuasions, embrace a variety of educational philosophies and approaches, and use a wide assortment of curriculum resources and learning tools, including, in some instances, standardized tests and traditional curriculum.” This diversity means today’s “micro” movement is “less apt to fade with changing cultural or political trends,” according to McDonald.
Speaking of diversity, many families are finding school choice to be the best solution to some of the divisive conflicts in K-12 education that have arisen in recent years. For example, during the fall of 2021, several public school districts sought to defy Florida’s prohibition on mask mandates in public schools. Gov. Ron DeSantis responded by offering Hope Scholarships to students harassed by local school officials over masks. But in a move that many national media outlets completely overlooked, DeSantis also authorized Hope Scholarship assistance for families uncomfortable with sending their children to mask-optional public schools.
As such, Florida gave all families the opportunity to enroll their child in a school that shared their masking preferences. Rather than perpetuating a high-stakes, zero-sum battle in which only one side could get its way, Florida found a way to accommodate the concerns of families with very different needs, preferences and convictions. The key to this accommodation? School choice.
In many ways, the emergence of a post-COVID “new normal” should not surprise anyone. Parents have long expressed broad support for school choice policies. And roughly four out of five parents now support flexible-use scholarships commonly known as Education Savings Accounts. With ESAs, families can patch together courses from multiple providers (including virtual programs) rather than relying on a single school to meet all of their children’s learning needs. As such, ESAs are particularly beneficial to families interested in smaller, more customized forms of education. And they should be made more widely available to families by Florida policymakers.
“What we’re hearing from parents loud and clear is they feel a greater sense of ownership over their child’s education,” says polling analyst Christian Lehr of Tyton Partners. “We must work hard to connect families with a broader set of learning opportunities and provide them the resources and tools necessary to take action.”
Originally found in South Florida Sun Sentinel.
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Roslyn Layton
December 20, 2022
The midterm election spawned a new political reality and configuration in Washington D.C., letting states will take the lead in technology policy as gridlock dominates Congress. The shift in power from Washington means peril or promise, depending on how lawmakers approach questions around technology. With trifecta control now the norm in state capitols across the country, fewer barriers to passing legislation, and less oversight, good and bad policy will inevitably slip under the radar, despite the national consequences. Edward Longe, Director of the Center for Tech and Innovation at the James Madison Institute and Doctoral Candidate in US History explains the developments data privacy, app stores, right to repair, content moderation, and cybersecurity.
Layton: What do the midterms mean for tech policy?Longe: By design, Congress is a sclerotic institution. Of the 17,148 bills introduced between January 3rd, 2021, and the 2022 midterm elections, only 632 (4 percent) became law. Such an abysmal track record occurred despite the Democrats holding a trifecta – controlling both chambers of Congress and the White House. After Republicans recaptured the House from 2022 midterm elections and expressed greater interest in oversight, it’s almost certain that fewer bills – except must-pass spending and defense bills – will make it to the President’s desk.
In 2023, 39 states will likely have trifectas, meaning fewer legislative barriers exist to a bill’s passage. Instead of needing bipartisan support, a piece of legislation being considered in a state with a trifecta only needs the backing of the majority party and the governor. These reduced legislative barriers make it likely, given the gridlock in Congress, that many states will take the lead in creating the regulatory environment governing technology and innovation. Technology’s ability to transcend state borders means the decisions taken in state capitols will have national ramifications.
The Republican recapture of the House of Representatives and Democrat control of the Senate means that a federal data standard that has enjoyed bipartisan support will struggle to gain traction. California Democrats demand that any federal statute should follow California’s Consumer Privacy Act or the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation. Many Policy analysts have widely criticized these laws, noting reduced freedom of choice for consumers and increased costs on enterprise with compliance and litigation.
With Congressional Republicans and Democrats so far apart on the issue, state legislatures will inevitably step in and fill the void. So far California, Virginia, Connecticut, Colorado, and Utah have passed data laws, all of which were under a Republican or Democratic trifecta. With a record number of states under trifecta control after the November midterms, it seems likely that, given constituent demands, more states will consider their own data privacy requirements.
While necessary in the absence of congressional action, this new trend will further entrench the 50-state patchwork that raises costs for businesses and leaves millions without appropriate data protections. In an age when lives are increasingly taking place online, this presents a treacherous digital situation for Americans who will find their zip code determining the level of protection, and businesses will face increased compliance costs and an uneven regulatory environment.
Layton: What are other developments do you see with tech policy at the state level?Longe: Some state legislatures, guided by hostility to large technology companies, could pass misguided bills to regulating safety of app store and complicated “right to repair” rules between consumers and manufacturers. Largely driven by the populist streak dominating political discourse, these bills will leave consumers vulnerable to bad actors and destroy digital ecosystems that have generated substantial value for American consumers. Just one state passing one of these bills, supported by a handful of lawmakers in the majority party, could cause real damage to all Americans and the tech and innovation sector. That’s before considering content moderation bills that while constitutionally questionable are increasingly popular in both parties. Some Republicans claim conservatives have been censored by social media platforms; some Democrats want tech platforms to combat “misinformation” and “hate speech.”
Layton: Other the other hand, it could be that state policy signals viable solutions to Congress. Moreover, we have seen that people vote with their feet, moving to the state whose policies they prefer, for example Florida.Longe: Despite the perils of states driving technology policy, they are petri dishes of good policy. Multiple state governments have shown substantial interest in creating sandboxes that provide greater regulatory freedom to provide citizens with innovative goods and services. Additionally, as the Federal Bureau of Investigation noting that cybersecurity attacks on the risk, state governments have the opportunity to pass bipartisan legislation, following Florida’s lead, that prohibits the use of state funds for purchase of equipment from adversaries, mandates reporting, invests in training programs, curbs the use of technology from hostile nations, and prohibits state agencies and municipalities from paying ransom to cybercriminals.
If state governments ultimately pass these measures, it would create an environment that embraces innovation and enhances security which will ultimately benefit every American.
Roslyn Layton analyzes international technology policy through business economics. EVP, Strand Consult; Co-Founder, ChinaTechThreat; Visiting Researcher, Department of Electronic Systems, Aalborg University. Focus on US, EU and China policy.
Originally found on Forbes.
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On the latest episode of Spill the Tea, JMI’s Bob McClure and guest host Logan Padgett discuss Florida’s special session on property insurance reform. Will your property insurance bill be going down anytime soon? Other items discussed are a new discount on tolls for commuters, the announcement by DeSantis to seek a grand jury to investigate Covid-19 vaccines, Hurricane Ian and Nicole’s effects on the orange grove industry and beehives in Florida.
The post Spill the Tea- Episode 32 appeared first on James Madison Institute.
On the latest episode of Spill the Tea, JMI's Bob McClure and guest host Logan Padgett discuss Florida's special session on property insurance reform. Will your property insurance bill be going down anytime soon? Other items discussed are a new discount on tolls for commuters, the announcement by DeSantis to seek a grand jury to [...]
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On the latest episode of Spill the Tea, JMI's Bob McClure and guest host Logan Padgett discuss the potential railway strike, the cryptocurrency market collapse, the World Cup, predictions for the College Football playoffs, and the 2022 Merriam Webster "Word of the Year."
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On the latest episode of Spill the Tea, JMI’s Sal Nuzzo and guest host Logan Padgett discuss the...
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Even Democrats are adapting to new political realities. By Corey DeAngelis Nov. 10, 2022 1:45 pm ET There may...
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Dr. Bob McClure and Sal Nuzzo sit down on a bonus episode of Spill the tea to discuss...
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Derek Robertson November 8, 2022 Elections, you might have heard, have consequences. Today’s midterms obviously matter for hot-button issues...
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Former U.S. Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen November 5, 2022 When you work in politics, you find out really early...
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November 4, 2022 It’s a cliche, but lawmakers shouldn’t cut off their noses to spite their faces. Over...
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On the latest episode of Spill the Tea, JMI’s Dr. Bob McClure and Sal Nuzzo discuss Elon Musk...
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November 1, 2022 Paychecks are great. Really great. And raises are even better, especially in inflationary times. But...
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Roslyn Layton October 31, 2022 Florida is now the third-largest state. One way we can look at policy...
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Chloe Kauffman and Mason Robinson October 31, 2022 In recent years, a growing cohort of individual investors have...
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On the latest episode of Spill the Tea, JMI’s Bob McClure and guest host Logan Padgett discuss the Rubio vs Demings Debate, the housing market in southwest Florida, number one issue for voters at the polls, college football, favorite fall traditions, and other topics.
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On the latest episode of Spill the Tea, Sal Nuzzo and Bob McClure discuss Hurricane Ian recovery, a new JMI poll on how people feel about inflation compared to other issues like gun control and immigration, an OPEC deal and what it means for gas prices in Florida, and other topics. [...]
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On the latest episode of Spill the Tea, Sal Nuzzo and Bob McClure talk about the Queen's passing, DeSantis sending illegal immigrants to Martha's Vineyard and suspending elected officials, JMI's 2022 Tech Summit, Jacksonville's drug bust, and the college football playoff expansion.
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On the latest episode of Spill the Tea, hosts Bob McClure and Sal Nuzzo talk about college football games in Florida, Biden’s recent speech on democracy, the new UK Prime Minister, utility prices in Florida, property insurance costs, the amendments on the Florida ballot, and a taste test of a famous cookie brand.
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On the latest episode of Spill the Tea, JMI's Sal Nuzzo and Bob McClure discuss the 2022 Florida Primary election results, Fauci retiring, Liz Cheney losing, college football predictions, student loans, and other topics.
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On the latest episode of Spill The Tea, Dr. Bob McClure and Sal Nuzzo discuss the "Inflation Reduction Act," the FBI raid on President Trump's Mar-a-Lago home, Governor DeSantis' removal of a Hillsborough state attorney, 2022 Amendment Guide, and other topics.
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On the latest episode of Spill the Tea, Dr. Bob McClure and guest host Logan Padgett discuss hepatitis and monkeypox outbreaks, another homeowners insurance company leaving Florida, Gislane Maxwell's transfer to a Tallahassee prison, political ads, and other topics.
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On the latest episode of Spill the Tea, Sal Nuzzo and guest host Logan Padgett discuss the African snail outbreak in Pasco county, Elon Musk's twitter deal, the upcoming Florida primary elections, the Leon County School Board's new "LGBTQ Inclusive School Guide," why Texans are busy conserving energy and what that means for Florida, and [...]
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On the latest episode of Spill the Tea, JMI's Dr. Bob McClure discuss recent U.S. Supreme Court decisions, Covid-19 vaccines for infants, bills Governor DeSantis recently vetoed, the cost of a 4th of July bbq in 2022, inflation, interest rates, and more.
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On the latest episode of Spill the Tea, JMI's Dr. Bob McClure and Logan Padgett talk about gun control, their favorite summer drinks, now many people are visiting Florida this summer, Governor DeSantis' decision to veto the $35 million for the Tampa Bay Rays stadium, and other topics.
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On the latest episode of Spill the Tea, JMI's Dr. Bob McClure and guest host Logan Padgett discuss the 2022 hurricane season predictions, the wins from the 2022 special session on property insurance, the Uvalde tragedy, Summer industry labor shortages, a new immigration policy in the United Kingdom, social media censorship, and other topics.
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A new NBC News poll shows that only 75 percent of U.S. adults think the nation is on the wrong track. On the latest episode of Spill the Tea, Dr. Bob McClure and Sal Nuzzo talk about this, the baby formula shortage, primary results, climate change, the rise of property insurance, inflation, and other [...]
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On the latest episode of Spill the Tea, JMI's Dr. Bob McClure and Sal Nuzzo discuss the Roe v. Wade leaked draft decision, the rise of property insurance rates in Florida, the White House correspondence dinner, the latest Tony Hawk documentary on Netflix, and Elon Musk.
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On the latest episode of Spill the Tea, JMI's Dr. Bob McClure and Sal Nuzzo discuss the special session on redistricting, the Governor's announcement to remove Disney's special taxing district status, Florida judge striking down CDC mask mandates, the push for private companies like Starbucks, Amazon, and Apple to unionize, the border crisis in [...]
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On this episode of Spill the Tea, JMI's Bob McClure and Sal Nuzzo discuss the upcoming Tax Day, the NCAA basketball champions, the Russia vs. Ukraine conflict, gas prices, Disney, and other topics in politics, culture, and news.
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On the latest episode of Spill the Tea, Sal Nuzzo and Bob McClure discuss Tom Brady coming out of retirement, the confirmation hearings of Judge Kentanji Brown Jackson, Lia Thomas, a new SEC proposal to require publicly traded companies to report greenhouse gas emissions, Daylight Savings Time, March Madness and much more. [...]
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On this episode of Spill the Tea, Bob and Sal discuss the Russia vs. Ukraine conflict, the State of Union address, the MLB collective bargaining issue, an update on the 2022 Florida Legislative Session, Tik Tok, Wordle, and other topics.
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On this episode of Spill the Tea, Dr. Bob McClure and guest host Bill Mattox give an update on the 2022 Florida Legislative Session and discuss the Russia/Ukraine conflict, the Winter Olympics, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and other topics.
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On the latest episode of Spill the Tea, JMI's Bob McClure and Sal Nuzzo discuss a Florida Legislative Session update, Joe Rogan, Whoopi Goldberg and cancel culture, the upcoming Superbowl, and the hypocrisy surrounding Covid-19 and politicians.
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On the latest episode of Spill the Tea, JMI's Sal Nuzzo and Logan Padgett discuss Covid-19 restrictions for kids, the 2022 Florida session, WWIII, the IRS, The NFL playoffs, what they're binging on Netflix and other topics.
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Happy 2022! On the latest episode of Spill the Tea, JMI's Bob McClure and William Mattox talk about JMI's latest research in school choice, Governor DeSantis' State of the State, Covid-19 restrictions in Ireland vs Florida, Novak Djokovic, the Golden Globes, the NFL playoffs, and other topics.
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On this episode of Spill the Tea, Sal and Bob talk about their favorite Christmas movies, inflation, the Omicron variant, new Covid-19 restrictions for kids in NYC, college football playoffs, National Signing Day, Urban Meyer, and more.
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On this episode of Spill the Tea, Dr. Bob McClure and Logan Padgett talk about real Christmas trees vs. fake trees, the price of gasoline, birth rates declining for the sixth year in a row, the Great Resignation, the Omicron Covid-19 variant, and other topics.
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On the latest episode of Spill the Tea, Dr. Robert McClure and Sal Nuzzo discuss the Florida Legislature's Special Session on vaccine mandate bans, the $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill, inflation, the cost of a turkey in 2020 vs. 2021, whether it's acceptable to decorate for Christmas prior to Thanksgiving, the Kyle Rittenhouse trial, and [...]
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On this episode of Spill the Tea, JMI's Sal Nuzzo and special guest Logan Padgett discuss the 2022 Election Day results from the Virginia Governor's race, along with Seattle's police abolitionist local races and a ballot amendment in Minneapolis to eliminate the police department. Sal and Logan also talked about new Florida Governor's race [...]
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On this episode of Spill the Tea, JMI's Dr. Robert McClure and Sal Nuzzo discuss the 2022 Gubernatorial race, the Biden admin's IRS proposal, the Jacksonville Jaguar's first win, Kyrie Irving, Allison Williams, Rich Rolovich, and other's pushing back against vaccine mandates. Sal and Dr. McClure also discuss inflation and the U.S. Post Office's [...]
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On this episode of Spill the Tea, JMI's Dr. Robert McClure and Sal Nuzzo discuss California's decision to mandate vaccines for kids to attend public school, Senator Lauren Book's bill to repeal the tax on diapers, the harassment of Senator Krysten Sinema in a public restroom because of her position on Biden's "Build Back [...]
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On this episode of Spill the Tea, Sal and Bob talk about Governor DeSantis' announcement to end FSA testing and Common Core, upsets in week three of college football, out-of-touch celebrities at the Met Gala, and the lack of masks at the Emmys. Make sure to subscribe to get notification of future episodes! [...]
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