As the Florida House of Representatives continues to negotiate the 2023 legislative session, a multitude of bills have been contested and have sparked major debates in committee hearings and on the floor as well.
The Floridian was able to sit down with State Representative Randy Fine (R-FL) to discuss just how intense those dialogues have become.
When asked about some of the name-calling he’s received recently, such as being called a white supremacist and segregationist, Rep. Fine called it “amusing.”
How is a Jewish-American a white supremacist?
“If you’re not taking flak, you’re not over the target. All it does is confirm that I’m doing the right thing. These are folks who have a completely different worldview than I do, and an incorrect one – they don’t think parents should be responsible for their children, they think mutilation of children is good, they think science doesn’t matter, that biology isn’t real. And so, I just find it entertaining,” Rep. Fine stated.
He would go on to mention that he considers himself a reactionary debater. According to Fine, when he goes to close on a bill, he doesn’t even prepare a speech, but only responds in the moment.
“If they (Democrats) were smart, they would say nothing. When you see me close on a bill, I never go in with a written speech. I figure out my close; I react to what other people say. If no one said anything, if no one testified, I don’t think I’d have anything to say.”
For instance, one of Fine’s recent pieces of action – a memorial – urges the federal government to take away Coca-Cola from food stamps, citing it as one of the most bought products of the program, and an unnecessary one for the general welfare of U.S. citizens.
“You can’t buy beer with your food stamps. And you know they (Democrats) just went crazy, and I just find it amusing what they say,” said Rep. Fine.
However, perhaps what Fine finds the most amusing is when they throw out names such as white supremacist and segregationist his way, despite the fact that he is Jewish.
“Well oftentimes people who do this don’t know that I am Jewish. I’ve been called a “Christofascist.”
He also stated that he doesn’t feel challenged intellectually by those in opposing him in the legislature, and that he misses his colleagues of old.
“I’m confident in my views. I wish I had people who tested me more. I missed the Jared Moskowitz’s of the world who don’t agree with me on a lot of things, but he’s a good man and he’s smart as hell, and I missed that,” Fine stated. “That makes me sharper, having someone like that. It’s quite the trade down with Angie Nixon as well.”
Following their interactions during a committee meeting, Rep. Nixon called Fine “condescending to women.”
It was nothing but the spirit of the Lord that bridled my tongue today during debate with @VoteRandyFine. You, are very disrespectful. And it’s clear you love attacking and speaking condescendingly to women. Maybe you need to see someone about that.
— State Rep. Angie Nixon (@AngieNixon) March 30, 2023
“It was nothing but the spirit of the Lord that bridled my tongue today during debate with @VoteRandyFine. You, are very disrespectful. And it’s clear you love attacking and speaking condescendingly to women. Maybe you need to see someone about that,” stated Rep. Nixon.
