This week in Florida: Cuts, Camps, and a Country on the Edge

When It’s Not Just One Big Brutal Bill

I usually keep my focus on Florida — between the Alligator Alcatraz disaster and the governor’s veto pen slicing through local projects, there's always plenty to cover. But this week, I can’t ignore what just happened nationally.

Right before the holiday, Congress rushed through a sweeping 1,100+ page tax and budget package — Trump’s so-called "Big Beautiful Bill." No meaningful committee vetting, major changes inserted hours before the vote, and barely a chance for lawmakers or the public to digest what was inside. Technically there was “debate,” but let’s be honest — it wasn’t oversight. It was theater.

And while the headlines focus on the federal tip tax break — eliminating income tax on tips and some overtime up to $25,000 per year — let’s not lose the bigger picture:

That’s a narrow win for one subset of workers. Meanwhile, millions of low- and middle-income families stand to lose far more through cuts to Medicaid, food assistance, and community-level supports — all while the bill balloons the national debt by trillions.

Beyond that, the bill includes hundreds of provisions buried in technical language that reshape everything from corporate tax rates to environmental safeguards. It repeals key clean-energy investments, slashes workforce development funding, expands military and law enforcement spending, and offers little in the way of housing, healthcare, or meaningful cost-of-living relief.

It’s not people-first policy. It’s a power document.

If this were happening in another country, we’d call it what it is: a government consolidating power and pushing sweeping change with minimal accountability.

But it is happening here in America.

And Florida, in many ways, has already been living it.

Florida: The Petri Dish — But Not the Problem

Let’s be clear: Floridians aren’t the problem.

What we’re dealing with is a corrupt political class — aided by national dark-money groups — using our state as a laboratory for authoritarian creep.

Florida has become a testing ground — a policy petri dish — for the most extreme ideas circulating on the far right. And we’ve seen it firsthand:

The six-week abortion ban
Book bans and school censorship
Don’t Say Gay and attacks on LGBTQ+ youth
The removal of DEI programs from colleges and public institutions
Anti-immigrant relocation schemes
Investment restrictions on ESG
(ESG stands for Environmental, Social, and Governance — criteria many responsible investors use to guide their decisions, for example: reducing carbon emissions, supporting fair labor practices, or increasing board transparency. But in Florida, ESG has been labeled “woke” and banned from use in managing state funds or pensions. It’s an ironic move from politicians who claim to support free markets — and it’s just one more way they’ve turned basic accountability into a culture war.)
Crackdowns on campus protest and free expression

These aren’t random.

They reflect a pattern we’ve already seen play out in Florida — one that chips away at rights, tests legal boundaries, and normalizes extreme policy shifts. Whether by design or momentum, that pattern is now surfacing nationally.

The Boiling Water We Barely Notice

It’s not happening all at once.

It’s happening step by step — one right restricted here, one program gutted there, one book removed, one community silenced. And slowly, we’ve been desensitized.

We’ve become like the proverbial frog in the pot — the water gets hotter, but we’ve adjusted to each new temperature. The loss of rights, the erosion of norms, the slide away from democratic values — it starts to feel normal.

And how many times have we said “That’ll never happen”?

Trump will never win a first term.
He’ll never get re-elected.
He won’t actually stack the cabinet with unqualified loyalists.
He’ll never appoint someone like Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as Secretary of Health and Human Services.
Project 2025 can’t be real.
He can’t actually run for a third term — that’s against the Constitution.

And yet, here we are. Watching it all unfold in plain sight.

We’ve been turned into consumers of politics instead of participants.

Many of us feel too exhausted, too discouraged, or are too misinformed to push back.

And that’s exactly the point.

We are now, officially, at risk of losing our democracy — not someday, not hypothetically, but right now.

And most people don’t even realize it.

They say “it can’t happen here,” even though it already is.

From the Powell Memo to Project 2025: A Long Game

This moment didn’t happen overnight. It’s the product of a decades-long strategy to reshape American democracy — one that traces back to a 1971 document called the Powell Memorandum.

What was it?

A confidential memo written by Lewis F. Powell Jr., a corporate attorney and future Supreme Court justice. He addressed it to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, urging America’s business leaders to mobilize against what he saw as a growing threat to the “free enterprise system” — namely, liberals, college professors, the media, and activist movements.

“Strength lies in organization, in careful long-range planning and implementation, in consistency of action over an indefinite period of years.”
— Lewis F. Powell Jr., 1971

What did it call for?

Powell laid out a blueprint for long-term ideological warfare, encouraging corporations and wealthy conservatives to:

Fund think tanks and legal groups
Influence education and textbooks
Shape public opinion through media control
Build a legal pipeline to influence the courts
Train loyalists to enter government positions

It wasn’t about one election — it was about reshaping the entire structure of American society to serve corporate and conservative interests over generations.

Why it matters now:

That memo helped inspire the rise of powerful institutions like the Heritage Foundation, which is now spearheading Project 2025 — a plan to dismantle the federal government and replace career civil servants with partisan loyalists.

Florida, again, has been the proving ground for these ideas — from book bans and loyalty pledges to DEI rollbacks and agency takeovers. What started as a corporate protection strategy in 1971 has evolved into a full-scale effort to consolidate political power and silence dissent.

So What Do We Do?

We stop pretending everything is fine.

We name what’s happening — out loud and without apology.

And we organize — locally, consistently, urgently.

🗳️ Get informed about what’s happening in your own district

📣 Talk to friends and family about the policies behind the headlines

🧭 Support local watchdog groups and organizers

🗂️ Keep visiting me here at rachelgrage.com to follow what’s happening in Florida policy

📱 For real-time updates, actions, and ways to get involved, follow me on Facebook and Instagram — I share more frequently there than on the website

We don’t fix this with one election or one viral post.

But we can hold the line — if we’re willing to do it together.

The water’s hot. But we’re not cooked yet.

And we’re not powerless.

Alligator Alcatraz: Political Spectacle

and Ecological Crisis

Florida’s Attorney General James Uthmeier and Governor Ron DeSantis have repurposed an unused airstrip in the Everglades to construct an ICE detention camp nicknamed Alligator Alcatraz — a remote facility whose harsh conditions and isolation are meant to make escape difficult and symbolize a no-nonsense approach to immigration enforcement. It comes complete with barbed wire, floodlights, trailers, and a branded merch line. But beneath the tough talk and cartoon gator mascots lies a disturbing truth: this is a $450 million spectacle that embodies both political cruelty and environmental destruction.

A $450 Million Spectacle — Bypassing Accountability

The DeSantis administration is investing $450 million in state funds to build and operate “Alligator Alcatraz,” with plans to seek federal reimbursement later. In other words, Florida is footing the bill upfront — without any guarantee that Washington will pay it back.

What’s more, this massive sum wasn’t debated as part of the regular state budget. Instead, the project was greenlit using the governor’s emergency powers, sidestepping environmental reviews, public comment, and the legislative process altogether.

So while everyday Floridians are told to “tighten their belts,” Florida’s leaders can magically conjure nearly half a billion dollars for a political stunt in the swamp.

Trump Loyalty Theater

Governor DeSantis isn't just building a controversial facility—he's playing to Trump’s base. In early July, Trump visited Alligator Alcatraz, marking a public reunion after their 2024 primary fight and solidifying a united front. What was once a campaign rivalry has flipped into a sycophantic display—DeSantis is projecting loyalty with a half-billion-dollar detention center, using public money to wow Trump and his supporters. This isn’t governance—it’s political theater on swamp land.

Environmental Damage: Far from "Zero Impact"

DeSantis claims the project will have "zero impact" on the Everglades because it's being constructed on a former airstrip. But environmental scientists, tribal leaders, and legal experts disagree:

The site lies within Big Cypress National Preserve, a critical ecosystem that supports Florida's aquifer and biodiversity.
A federal lawsuit filed by the Center for Biological Diversity, Friends of the Everglades, and the Miccosukee Tribe argues that the project violates NEPA and the Endangered Species Act, and was approved without required environmental impact assessments or public hearings.
Experts warn of sewage runoff, light pollution, and disruption to endangered wildlife corridors.
Tribal leaders say the facility sits near sacred burial sites and is an affront to Indigenous communities.

Despite these concerns, DeSantis has brushed off critics as political alarmists, calling the project "secure as it gets" and boasting that it "won't interfere" with Everglades restoration — a claim many environmental groups find laughable.

Cruelty as Campaign Strategy

The human toll is just as disturbing. Alligator Alcatraz is designed to hold up to 2,000 detainees, with future capacity planned for as many as 5,000. Detainees will endure intense heat, insects, and isolation in a facility deliberately placed in the middle of nowhere.

To make matters worse, Attorney General Uthmeier has launched a merchandise line featuring Alligator Alcatraz branding — turning a human rights concern into a campaign novelty. T-shirts, mugs, and bumper stickers glorify the facility and mock the plight of migrants held inside.

Bottom Line

This isn’t just a wasteful vanity project — it’s a disaster for human dignity, environmental protection, and responsible governance.

Florida’s leaders say we can’t afford to fund schools, healthcare, or infrastructure. But for detention centers in sacred wetlands? There’s always money.

Alligator Alcatraz must be exposed for what it is: a pachydermatous political stunt with real, lasting consequences.

If Florida is going to tighten its belt, it shouldn’t be to make room for gator-branded cruelty.

What You Can Do

📞 Call Governor DeSantis and AG Uthmeier
Demand an immediate halt to construction and a full environmental and human rights review.

Governor’s Office: 850-717-9337
Attorney General’s Office: 850-414-3300

Suggested Phone Script:

Hi, my name is [Your Name], and I’m a Florida resident calling to strongly oppose the construction of the detention facility known as Alligator Alcatraz.
I’m deeply concerned about the environmental damage to the Everglades, the violation of Indigenous land rights, and the inhumane conditions planned for detainees.
Spending nearly half a billion dollars on a political stunt while our schools, healthcare, and infrastructure are underfunded is unacceptable.
I’m asking you to halt construction immediately and ensure a full environmental and human rights review.
Thank you for your time.

✉️ Email Your State and Federal Reps
Urge them to oppose the facility, support federal environmental enforcement, and back legal challenges brought by environmental and civil rights groups.

🖋️ Sign the Petition
Visit Friends of the Everglades to sign and share the petition demanding a stop to Alligator Alcatraz.

📍 Show Up and Speak Out
Attend upcoming protests, vigils, and public meetings. Use your voice, online and in person.

💸 Support Legal Action
Donate to groups like the Center for Biological Diversity, Friends of the Everglades, and Florida Rising, who are fighting this facility in court.

📣 Share This Alert
Post on social media using #StopAlligatorAlcatraz and help others understand the truth behind the spectacle.

Florida’s 2025–26 Budget:

Fiscal Responsibility or Political Payback?

Governor Ron DeSantis signed Florida’s $117.4 billion 2025–26 state budget just before the July 1 deadline. On its face, this budget appears to reflect fiscal restraint, coming in leaner than last year. According to Governor DeSantis's official transmittal letter , a total of $1.35 billion was removed from the legislature’s original FY 2025–26 budget proposal—$576 million through line-item vetoes and the remainder through technical rollbacks and administrative adjustments. A report from News4Jax confirms that 39 local projects were vetoed in Duval County alone, totaling more than $53 million, including intersection upgrades, university program cuts, and public safety investments—signaling that even districts aligned with the governor weren't spared broad cuts. But beneath the surface lies a troubling pattern of politically motivated vetoes—ones that seem designed less to save taxpayer money and more to punish those who have dared to ask tough questions.

✂️ What Got Cut — Statewide Totals by Category

DeSantis vetoed approximately $567 million in line-item funding. Here's how those cuts break down across major statewide categories:

Category	Estimated Veto Total	Examples
Environmental & Water Projects	~$175 million	Lagoon cleanups, stormwater drainage, land acquisition
Public Education & Youth	~$100+ million	Afterschool programs, school pilots, mentorship
Health & Human Services	~$80 million	HIV prevention, utility relief, domestic violence orgs
Infrastructure (roads, safety)	~$120 million	Traffic signals, sidewalks, stormwater, rural access
Public Media & Arts	~$5.7 million	Grants to Florida Public Radio and PBS stations
Legal & Public Safety	~$20 million	Legal aid, victim services, police training facilities
Veterans, Seniors, Nonprofits	~$40–50 million	Senior centers, vet housing, community partnerships

Note: All figures reflect FY 2025–26 allocations and are rounded based on publicly available veto documents and press analyses.

The Florida Policy Institute typically produces an interactive map showing where budget vetoes hit by county and district. The 2025–26 map isn't out yet, but I will share it as soon as it's available.

How We Arrived at the Estimate. One example: Environmental & Water Projects (~$175M)

To give you a sense of how these totals were calculated, here’s one example: a closer look at the environmental and water project vetoes, which alone added up to roughly $175 million statewide. The same method was used to estimate the other categories. While Florida’s official veto list doesn’t group projects by category, we reviewed the full document line by line and aggregated items based on project name and description. Environmental and water-related projects accounted for a substantial portion of the $567M in vetoes.

These include:

West Augustine Septic-to-Sewer Conversion — $5,000,000
St. Augustine Beach Stormwater Facility Improvements — $2,000,000
St. Augustine Beach Shoreline Resiliency Project — $3,864,500
Atlantic Beach Septic Tank Elimination — $312,500
Neptune Beach Stormwater Improvements — $500,000
Dredging and Drainage Projects across multiple coastal towns — often $250K–$2M each
Regional Lagoon Cleanups and Aquifer Protections — appearing in multiple counties
Clay County Shoreline Stabilization — $425,000
Multiple Wetlands Restoration & Runoff Infrastructure Projects statewide

🧮 Based on these entries, the average individual project size ranged from $250,000 to $5 million. We reviewed over 60 such projects in the 80-page veto list. The estimated total for this category is approximately $175 million.

📰 Confirmed by:

The Governor's Official Veto List (PDF)
Tampa Bay Times Reporting that highlighted environmental vetoes as one of the hardest-hit areas

Political Retaliation Disguised as Fiscal Restraint

Several vetoes appear to be payback against lawmakers—including members of DeSantis's own party—who dared to demand accountability, especially around controversial initiatives like Casey DeSantis's HOPE Florida Foundation.

🔹 Rep. Alex Andrade (R–Pensacola)

As Chair of the House Justice Appropriations Subcommittee, Andrade took a vocal stance questioning the opaque spending and oversight surrounding the HOPE Florida Foundation. He pushed for clarity on the $10 million in Medicaid settlement funds funneled to the First Lady's nonprofit.

The response? Key projects in Andrade's district were vetoed, including:

Legal aid programs
Infrastructure improvements across Escambia County

Estimated impact: ~$7.45 million, across ~15 projects

🔹 Rep. Vicki Lopez (R–Miami)

Lopez wasn’t targeting HOPE Florida, but she was doing something equally bold: demanding accountability from executive agency heads. As Chair of the House Administration Budget Subcommittee, she led a high-profile grilling of the Department of Management Services (DMS), pointing to $57 million in mismanaged contracts and administrative failures.

In a March hearing, she said:

"We have a crisis of leadership at DMS that has resulted in a crisis of management… To this day… the secretary has no idea how many vehicles the state of Florida owns. It’s his job to know."

Her district saw vetoes of:

$2+ million for Brickell infrastructure
$310K + $375K for Coral Gables safety projects
Wagner Creek restoration, Homestead Park, and early-learning programs

Estimated impact: ~$7 million, across ~10 projects

Estimated veto totals for Reps. Andrade and Lopez are based on reporting from Action News Jax, WEAR-TV Pensacola, and a manual review of the Governor’s 2025 veto list PDF, cross-referencing project locations and legislative sponsorship. These figures are subject to further verification as additional datasets are released.

Veto Comparison by District

District / County	Representative	# of Projects Vetoed	Est. Dollar Total
HD‑2 (Pensacola/Escambia)	Andrade (R)	~15	~$7.45 million
HD‑113 (Miami‑Dade)	Lopez (R)	~10	~$7.0 million
NE Florida	Multiple (incl. Nixon)	~38	~$53+ million

Duval County's high total is spread across multiple lawmakers and a broader geographic area. The cuts to Andrade and Lopez's districts, while smaller in total, appear more targeted in nature—linked to their specific oversight roles.

Want the full list?

See the full breakdown of all 39+ vetoed projects in Northeast Florida—complete with dollar amounts and item descriptions—in the Action News Jax coverage: “Northeast Florida lost out on millions thanks to Gov. DeSantis’ veto pen. Here’s a look at what got cut”

A Broader Pattern of Retaliation

This year’s vetoes reflect more than just a budgetary philosophy—they reflect a culture of control. Lawmakers from both parties have noted how the veto list seemed to reward loyalty and punish dissent, regardless of merit or need.

Critics argue that using the budget process to punish legislators for performing basic oversight duties has a chilling effect on democratic governance. When even Republican lawmakers are being silenced for asking tough questions, what message does that send to everyone else?

Transparency Matters.

Floridians deserve transparency in how public funds are allocated. That expectation rings especially true given the governor’s own stated rationale for many of these vetoes: to prepare for potential economic downturns. Yet it’s worth noting the irony—many of these same voters supported Donald Trump on the promise of Republican-led economic superiority. If the GOP's policies were supposed to usher in prosperity, why are we cutting afterschool programs, public health services, and basic infrastructure under the guise of belt-tightening?

When lawmakers—even those from the governor’s own party—raise red flags about misuse or mismanagement, they should be applauded, not punished.. When lawmakers—even those from the governor’s own party—raise red flags about misuse or mismanagement, they should be applauded, not punished.

The vetoes that hit Reps. Andrade and Lopez weren’t about cutting costs—they were about cutting dissent. And it’s the people of Florida who suffer most.

To help make sense of the 80+ page veto list, I used AI tools to sort and group the data, then cross-checked it with official state records and reporting from trusted Florida news outlets. These estimates are as accurate as possible based on what's publicly available and subject to refinement.

Learn More

Official FY 2025–26 Veto List (PDF): flgov.com
Analysis via News4Jax: NE FL cuts
Florida Policy Institute’s annual veto map will be linked here once available.
Other data from:

Stay informed, and stay engaged. Because accountability is not a partisan issue—it's a democratic one.