Thursday Column: This 'New' Dispute Is As Old As Democracy

The coming fight for the soul of Florida is the oldest political fight there is.

As we duke it out between now and November 2008, we will call it by its current label, "Hometown Democracy."

But it's really an argument that began 2,500 years ago on a hillside in Athens.

Can citizens govern themselves wisely? Or should somebody else make decisions for them?

Florida Hometown Democracy is a group that wants to give voters control of major growth decisions in our state. The group is petitioning to put a constitutional amendment on the 2008 ballot... [rest of column]