Florida politiX

The New Laura Bush attacks Hillary Clinton

2006-01-19T08:18:00.000-05:00

First Lady Laura Bush decided to partake in bare-knuckled politix by attacking her predecessor on Wednesday. The assault by Mrs. Bush was unprovoked and was very out of character for the First Lady who typically shows a very classy demeanor.

Laura Bush has spent the past five years serving as a polite and respectful First Lady. But since the beginning of 2006, she has changed. She is now acting as a partisan politician, and as we witnessed yesterday, she is engaging in Swift Boat-style attacks against her political opponents. According to most recent polls, Bush enjoys high approval by most Americans. It will be interesting to see how the country feels about the new Laura Bush.

Earlier this week, Laura Bush endorsed the idea of a woman as President of United States, but only if that woman is a Republican. Then yesterday, Mrs. Bush attacked Hillary Clinton's speech from a Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. event, calling Clinton's comments "ridiculous."

On Monday, Clinton was speaking to an African American crowd in Harlem when she said that the Republicans run the Congress like a "plantation." The former First Lady used the imagery to describe the way that the GOP in Congress exludes minorities from decisions and suppress free speech. Her words were almost identical to those used by Newt Gingrich in 1994, when the future Speaker of the House said he was leading a "slave rebellion" against the Democrats who "run the plantation."

This appears to be a non-story except for the fact that America is witnessing a transformation of Laura Bush. Most Americans have supported the dignified, classy First Lady who has stood by her man during a tough first term. What will America think of the new First Lady now that she is becoming a partisan attack-dog? Only time will tell.

Also posted at FLA Politics.

St. Pete Times mischaracterizes anti-gay amendment

2006-01-12T09:48:00.000-05:00

Today, Adam Smith (email) of the St. Petersburg Times reported that that Republican Party of Florida has contributed $150,000 to the controversial anti-gay amendment [PDF - 95 KB] sponsored by the group, Florida4Marriage.org. The Times' Smith, along with Jason Garcia (email) of the right-leaning Orlando Sentinel, has simply regurgitated the GOP's talking points which state the amendment only bans gay marriage. Unfortunately for the credibility of these two papers, this characterization is incorrect.

Ironically, only the conservative Tampa Tribune accurately describes the amendment by labeling it the "Antigay Measure," but even this depiction omits the issue of domestic partnerships for unmarried heterosexual couples which would be banned under the proposed law.

While the organization Florida4Marriage.org states that their amendment is intended to only ban gay marriage, it goes a lot further than just attacking same-sex nuptials. In addition to marriage, the amendment would also ban civil unions between same-sex couples and domestic partnerships between hetero- and homosexual couples. Sadly, Florida4Marriage.org and the Republican Party refuse to mention the total scope of this constitutional amendment and are purposely misleading the voters of Florida.

If this amendment were to pass, many domestic partnerships granted through various counties and cities around the state would likely be nullified. And while domestic partnerships offered by private organizations, such as Bank of America, Chevron Texaco Corp., and Disney Worldwide Services Inc., will probably continue, they would likely be unenforceable through civil actions in state courts, essentially leaving individuals who encounter problems with their benefits without any legal remedy. (It would be interesting to see if this violates the constitutional right of access to the courts as guaranteed under Art. I, Sec. 21 of the Florida Constitution.)

The language of the constitutional amendment reads as follows:

"Inasmuch as marriage is the legal union of only one man and one woman as husband and wife, no other legal union that is treated as marriage or the substantial equivalent thereof shall be valid or recognized." (emphasis added)

This language broadens the amendment to cover more than just marriage. Florida4Marriage.org says that it doesn't, but this is obviously a lie. While recent polls show a majority of Floridians oppose gay marriage, they also show that a majority supports equal rights for gay couples.

Florida4Marriage.org has obviously seen these polls, so they are only telling half of the story. Let's hope that in the future, the news media tells the rest.

Is the McInvale defection bad news for Democrats?

2006-01-10T07:54:00.000-05:00

As reported by the Orlando Sentinel, state Representative Sheri McInvale (D-Orlando) is expected to announce today that she is switching her voter registration from Democratic to Republican. According to the right-leaning Orlando newspaper, this should be seen as a blow to Florida Democrats, who only hold 36 out of 120 seats in the Florida House of Representatives. The McInvale switch would bring the minority party to 35, but one has to ask: Is this really bad news for Florida Democrats?

McInvale, who represents House District 36, has angered many Democrats in the Orlando area for her willingness to compromise what they see as Democratic values in a Legislature that is overwhelmingly controlled by extremely right-wing Republicans. While McInvale has been able to gain for herself the perks of being an elected official in Tallahassee (she is currently a Democratic vice chair of a House committee), she is often accused of forgetting the principles of those voters who sent her to the capital city.

The defection of McInvale may actually be good for Florida Democrats. The Party must start putting its members on notice that while it is fine to be independent, it is another thing to continuously stab your party in the back. Florida Democrats have forgotten this in the past. (The current leader of the House Democrats is state Representative Chris Smith (D-Ft. Lauderdale), whose rise to power followed his betrayal of the Florida Democratic Party and the endorsement of Jeb Bush for governor.) The removal of McInvale may actually signal that Florida Democrats are finally growing some backbone and abandoning their frat boy Yes sir, may I have another? attitudes.

McInvale's decision is not motivated by principle. Like most Florida politicians, McInvale is concerned with her own welfare, and it has been apparent for some time that her reelection in 2006 was less than assured. After facing opponents in the last two elections who had joined the races late, McInvale has been running against a young and energetic Democrat for months. Scott Randolph has been a candidate since October and has already raised $20,000 compared to McInvale's $30,000. McInvale has heard the footsteps, and her defection is simply the realization that the end is near. McInvale's decision should not be seen as a courageous act of principle. As I said before, self-preservation is her primary motivator.

By switching to the Republican Party, McInvale is likely ending her career as a politician. Due to reapportionment, the McInvale district is heavily lopsided, with Democrats outnumbering Republicans by a margin of 47 to 29 percent [PDF - 213 KB]. Republican voters literally have no say in choosing their state representative in District 36, and odds are that if McInvale switches her party registration, she is essentially writing her own political obituary.

Leon Democrat attacks Party's founder

2005-11-20T14:04:00.000-05:00

Today, the Tallahassee Democrat reported that a leader of the Leon County Democratic Party is looking to impose her extreme views on other members of the party in the name of political correctness. Acting party chair, Monica O'Neill, who was never elected to the position by Leon County Democrats, is attempting to force her beliefs on the party by denouncing the memory of Andrew Jackson, the former president, first military governor of Florida, and founder of the modern Democratic Party.

While Thomas Jefferson is commonly referred to as the founder of the Democratic Party, as well as the nation, no American in history has contributed more to the values of the modern Democratic Party than former President Andrew Jackson. Jefferson's Democratic Party, which ironically was known as the "Republican Party," was founded in 1792 and was the opposition to the soon-to-be failed Federalist Party. The Democratic Party, however, truly found its stride when a faction of the party emerged in 1828 with the election of Andrew Jackson as the seventh President of the United States.

Jackson's Democratic Party sought to establish a "party of the people," stating that the president should hold a national mandate from the voters. Jackson's populist message became the foundation for such leading progressives as Theodore Roosevelt, Woodrow Wilson, Franklin Roosevelt, Huey Long, Harry Truman, John Kennedy, Lyndon Johnson and Bill Clinton.

Like most early Americans, Jackson has blemishes on his record. His aggressive miliary action against Native Americans, especially the Seminoles, has been judged harshly by history, but in hindsight, it was Jackson's leadership during the First Seminole War that allowed for Florida to join the Union.

Prior to the Florida engagement, Jackson had recruited free black men to serve alongside his white soldiers against the British during the War of 1812. The Battle of New Orleans in 1815 was historic, because the American forces under the command of Jackson were comprised of white and black soldiers, as well as some Native Americans. Such diversity in the U.S. military was unprecedented at the time.

Just as President George W. Bush is attemting to rewrite history in regards to the Iraq War, the unelected chair of the Leon County Democratic Party, Monica O'Neill, is now attempting to rewrite the history of the national Democratic Party. Democrats and those who respect their Party's grand history must stop her.

Today, extremists in the Democratic Party aim their hostility toward great men like Jefferson and Jackson. But who is next? Will extremists in the party go after Presidents Kennedy and Clinton or Dr. Martin Luther King, because of the perception by some that they degraded women? Will anti-war extremists attack Wilson and FDR because they were aggressive wartime presidents.? Will human rights activists attack the memory of Harry Truman because he oversaw the destruction in Japan caused by two nuclear bombs?

O'Neill's attacks on the founders of the Democratic Party are ridiculous and point out the party's fundamental problem, a lack of leadership. Florida Democrats should be focused on the future, not dwelling on the past. Additionally, Ms. O'Neill should not take it upon herself to serve as an apologist for the Democratic Party, when the party has done so much to make America the greatest country in the world.

Fortunately, Ms. O'Neill's interim period is quickly coming to an end. Let's hope that her successor concentrates his efforts on the positive instead of blaming Democrats for the country's shortcomings. Leon Democrats deserve a better leader than Monica O'Neill. Let's hope they get one.

Also published at Florida Politics and Daily Kos.

The fight for fair elections is now

2005-10-24T07:48:00.000-04:00

The bipartisan effort to create a fair process for drawing congressional and legislative districts in Florida has hit a bump in the road. Politicians in Tallahassee are pulling out all the stops to maintain their stranglehold on power in Florida. Opponents of fair districts have run to court, filing motions to prevent voters from deciding this issue next fall. And partisan members of the Florida Legislature are already using our tax dollars for their own political agendas. The Committee for Fair Elections has been successfully collecting signatures from Florida voters in order to place this issue on the ballot next year, but they still may fall short with the electorate. If the proponents of fair districts don't form a politically strong argument for this issue soon, they will lose this fight before it even begins.

The redistricting issue is a complex one. While readers of political blogs are familiar with the flawed process in Florida, most voters are not. Fair election advocates have failed to create a strong argument for their position, including preemptive strikes against their likely opponents. Now that the enemies of democracy in Florida have reared their ugly heads, the Committee for Fair Elections must not wait any longer. They must act now.

First, supporters of the amendments need to stop talking about redistricting or reapportionment. Talk about fair elections.

Voters don't know what the terms redistricting or reapportionment mean. This issue is about fair elections. The Committee for Fair Elections needs to circulate a memo instructing all supporters to refer to these initiatives as the Fair Elections Amendments, not the Redistricting Amendments. Voters will understand this.

Second, the Committee for Fair Elections must define its opponents.

A number of Congressmen and state legislators have joined forces to defeat the Fair Elections Amendments. The Committee should make them the issue. Voters must understand these politicians' motivations.

All but one of the opponents of the Fair Elections Amendments are Republican. Florida Democrats hold a registration advantage over Republicans, but the GOP holds just under two-thirds of the state senate, more than two-thirds of the Florida House, and nearly three-quarters of the Florida Congressional delegation. Of course, Republicans would like us to believe that this is because the voters agree with them on issues like high deficit spending, political corruption, and government intrusion in end-of-life decisions, but those who are honest will admit that the system is rigged. These Republican politicians only oppose the Fair Elections Amendments in order to preserve their own political power.

The only Democrat to officially oppose the Fair Elections Amendments, Senator Al Lawson (D-Tallahassee), represents a district where 65.04% of the voters are Democrats. Senator Lawson has a reason to oppose the amendments - his own self-preservation. Senator Lawson has put his own interests over those of the citizens of Florida, and proponents of fair elections should point out his true motivation.

Supporters of the Fair Elections Amendments have done an exceptional job in collecting signatures in order to place the issue on the ballot next fall. Unfortunately they have failed to create a coherent message for why voters should agree with them. The winner of this issue next November will likely be the one who successfully defines the issue. For the sake of Florida's future, let's hope that the Committee for Fair Elections gets moving soon.

I'm back ... sort of

2005-10-23T19:21:00.000-04:00

I've been away from the blogging scene for awhile. I frankly didn't see the need to simply report the news and duplicate the efforts of other good blogs like Florida Politics and Florida News.

I intend to post from time to time, but not on a regular basis - just when important issues arise. This blog will feature more editorial-type pieces instead of a listing of regular news events.

Welcome back and thanx for visiting!

Live Blogging: Presidential Address

2005-09-15T21:01:00.000-04:00

For live blogging of the president's address to the nation, go to: http://americanpolitix.blogspot.com/2005/09/live-blogging-presidential-address.html.

Compassionate Conservatism among casualties of Katrina

2005-09-09T23:21:00.000-04:00

As the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina unfolds on television, Americans are increasingly disgusted with the lack of leadership shown by the Bush administration. President George W. Bush has scored low marks with the American people, with an overwhelming majority saying that he botched the handling of the infamous category 5 hurricane that hit the Gulf Coast two weeks ago.

According to a recent CBS poll, only 38 percent of Americans approved of Bush's response to the hurricane, while Zogby found only 36 percent of Americans approved of President Bush's handling of Hurricane Katrina. The Pew Research Center had the worst news for Bush, showing only 28 percent of Americans approving of Bush's response to the hurricane [PDF - 84 KB].

The Bush White House is desperately trying to salvage their public relations nightmare. Today, the Brownie was out and the girl scout was in. Michael D. Brown, head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, was ousted from his position overseeing the hurricane cleanup, and former Bush Communication czar, Karen Hughes was brought in as the Undersecretary of State for Public Diplomacy. If anyone can spin the White House out of this mess, it is the French-born Karen Hughes.

Unfortunately for Hughes, too many Republicans have gone off script and have given her more work than necessary. Republicans love to tell people that they care about average Americans, not just the rich ones. Sadly, no one's buying it. And this week, too many Republicans showed their true colors. Here are some memorable quotes by our favorite compassionate conservatives.

"And so many of the people in the arena here, you know, were underprivileged anyway, so this is working very well for them."

- Barbara Bush, showing that blue blood that has been a strong Bush family trait - 09/05/05

"While countless Americans are pulling together to lend a helping hand, Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid are pointing fingers in a shameless effort to tear us apart."

- RNC Chairman Ken Mehlman, responding to the Democrats' call for accountability - 09/07/05

"The Senate needs to do its part by making tax relief permanent and burying the death tax (estate tax) forever."

- RNC Chairman Ken Mehlman, discussing the RNC's top priority as thousands of fellow Americans die in the South - 09/01/05 (only 3 days after the hurricane hit the Gulf Coast)

"Given the abysmal failure of state and local officials in Louisiana to plan adequately for or respond to the effects of Hurricane Katrina on the city of New Orleans, and given the long history of public corruption in Louisiana, I hope the House will refrain from directly appropriating any funds from the public treasury to either the state of Louisiana or the city of New Orleans."

- Congressman Tom Tancredo (R-Texas), writing Speaker Dennis Hastert (R-Illinois) and calling for a halt to emergency funds to the areas hithard by Hurricane Katrina - 09/07/05

"We finally cleaned up public housing in New Orleans. We couldn't do it, but God did."

- Congressman Richard Baker (R-Louisiana), overheard speaking to a group of lobbyists.

"I mean, you have people who don't heed those (hurricane) warnings and then put people at risk as a result of not heeding those warnings. There may be a need to look at tougher penalties on those who decide to ride it out and understand that there are consequences to not leaving."

- Senator Rick Santorum (R-Pennsylvania) - 09-03 or 04/05

"Moral of the story: People were warned to get out. Those who stayed paid a price for that decision. If you rely on the government, you’re likely to be disappointed. No government can protect you or provide for you. You have to do it yourself. If a Category 5 story is headed your way, get out fast."

- Right-wing TV and radio commentator Bill O'Reilly - 09-02-05

"It looks like a lot of that place (New Orleans) could be bulldozed."

- U.S. House Speaker Dennis Hastert (R-Illinois) - 08/31/05

"Some people chose not to obey that (evacuation order). That was a mistake on their part."

- U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff, blaming the victims of Hurricane Katrina

"Unfortunately, that's going to be attributable a lot to people who did not heed the advance warnings. I don't make judgments about why people chose not to leave but, you know, there was a mandatory evacuation of New Orleans. And to find people still there is just heart-wrenching to me because, you know, the mayor did everything he could to get them out of there. So, we've got to figure out some way to convince people that whenever warnings go out it's for their own good. Now, I don't want to second guess why they did that. My job now is to get relief to them."

- Michael D. Brown, DHS Undersecretary of Homeland Security for Emergency Preparedness and Response

BREAKING NEWS: Judge Roberts nominated for Chief Justice

2005-09-05T12:15:00.000-04:00

This morning, President George W. Bush nominated Judge John G. Roberts, Jr. for Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court. This nomination comes in the wake of the death of former Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist, who died over the weekend from cancer at the age of 80 years old.

Visit AmericanpolitiX.com for a review of the winners and losers resulting from this recent announcement. This post is also featured on Daily Kos.

http://americanpolitix.blogspot.com/2005/09/scalia-and-thomas-are-big-losers-in.html

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2005/9/5/154344/7557

BREAKING NEWS: Chief Justice Rehnquist dies

2005-09-03T23:37:00.000-04:00

Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist, the ultraconservative activist jurist on the nation's highest court, has passed away at his home in Virginia. Rehnquist was 80 years old.

"The Chief Justice battled thyroid cancer since being diagnosed last October and continued to perform his dues on the court until a precipitous decline in his health the last couple of days," said Supreme Court spokeswoman Kathy Arberg.

Rehnquist was appointed to the Supreme Court in 1971 by President Richard Nixon and was elevated to Chief Justice by President Ronald Reagan in 1986. During his time as head of the court, the Rehnquist Court proved to be the most activist court in U.S. history, striking down more acts of Congress than any other court.

The death of Rehnquist creates an opportunity for President George W. Bush to nominate another conservative jurist to the bench. But the death of the leading activist conservative doesn't give the president much room to move to the right.

With the confirmation hearings for Judge John G. Roberts, Jr. scheduled to begin on Tuesday, the whole situation may get flipped on its head. How will the extremist groups on the right and those groups on the left react? Will the fight intensify? My guess is yes.

UPDATE: Conservative pundit George Will, on ABC News' This Week, declared the Rehnquist Court to be the most activist in American history, striking down 30 acts of Congress. This number has not even been approached by any other court. The panel also noted the most activist decision of the Court's history, Bush v. Gore, which occurred under Rehnquist's watch.

Help the victims of Hurricane Katrina

2005-08-30T23:02:00.000-04:00

Hurricane Katrina is behind us, but for many the pain is just beginning. Whether you're a bleeding-heart liberal or a compassionate conservative, please give what you can to help our fellow Americans in Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Tennessee, Georgia, and elsewhere.

Below is a post by DNC contributor Josh McConaha on the Democratic National Committee's blog. In order to be bipartisan, I checked the Republican National Committee's web site to include their message as well, but nothing was available.

The DNC blog posting provides very important information regarding the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.

Even after being hit by Katrina, the situation in the Gulf states continues to worsen...

In Mississippi, hundreds are feared dead.

Helicopters plucked frantic survivors from rooftops of inundated homes on Tuesday and officials said hundreds of people may have died in Hurricane Katrina's attack on the U.S. Gulf Coast, which sent a wall of water into Mississippi and flooded New Orleans.

The economic cost of the hurricane's rampage could be the highest in U.S. history, according to damage estimates.

"The devastation is greater than our worst fears," Louisiana Gov. Kathleen Blanco told a news conference. "It's totally overwhelming."

New Orleans is filling with water. The mayor is saying 80% of the city is underwater.

The historic city of New Orleans was steadily filling with water from nearby Lake Ponchartrain on Tuesday after its defenses were breached by the ferocity of hurricane Katrina.

With the floodwaters rising in many areas, threatening the French Quarter, residents were plucked from the roofs of their homes, bodies were seen floating in the streets and rescuers searched the city in boats and helicopters.

"We probably have 80 percent of our city under water; with some sections of our city the water is as deep as 20 feet. Both airports are underwater," Mayor Ray Nagin told a radio interviewer.

Troops in Iraq are worried about what's happened to their homes and families...

"It's a significant emotional event. Their families are on the forefront of the disaster," said Lt. Col. Jordan Jones of the 141st Field Artillery of the Louisiana National Guard.

"They're all watching TV and some have seen their neighborhoods completely submerged in water."

Jones, from Luling on the west bank of Lake Pontchartrain, said he hasn't been in touch with his own family for three days because of clogged phone lines, but that his neighbors had helped board up their home.

"It's hard, a lot of soldiers are watching this play-by-play, they're having a hard time," said Lt. Taysha Deaton, a spokeswoman for the unit.

Take time now to visit the American Red Cross website and donate to the relief efforts. This is bigger than politics - so many have already lost so much, we as a country need to band together to help.

Well said Josh!

Smith takes fight to Crist, becomes the law and order candidate

2005-08-29T05:23:00.000-04:00

As Florida Attorney General and GOP gubernatorial candidate Charlie Crist was knocking people over to apear on television during Hurricane Katrina, Senator Rod Smith (D-Gainesville) was pulling the rug out from under Crist's plans to be the "tough on crime" candidate for governor. Smith has gained the endorsements of seven North Florida sheriffs and promises that more are coming. While Crist is busy reserving the moving trucks for next November, the Smith campaign is saying, "Not so fast!" It looks like Crist may have a fight on his hands.

Senator Smith faces Congressman Jim Davis (D-Tampa) and former Tallahassee Mayor Scott Maddox in the Democratic primary. The victor will face the winner between Crist and Florida Chief Financial Officer Tom Gallagher in the GOP contest.

Most would expect the current attorney general to be the law and order candidate, but Smith, the former Alachua County State Attorney, is not ready to concede this terrain. Last week, Sheriffs Jerry Whitehead of Union County, Dewey Hatcher of Dixie County, David Turner of Gilchrist County, J. Harrell Reid of Hamilton County, Owen Carson McCall Jr. of Lafayette County, Dean Kelly of Putnam County and Joey Dobson of Baker County endorsed Senator Smith for governor and announced they are forming "Sheriffs for Smith." They intend to encourage more law enforcement leaders to back the former prosecutor who convicted and sentenced cold-blooded mass murderer Danny Rollings to death. Two of the sheriffs to endorse Smith, Gilcrest County Sheriff David Turner and Lafayette County Sheriff Owen Carson, supported Governor Jeb Bush in his 2002 reelection race.

This announcement has to hurt Charlie Crist. As the top law enforcement officer in the state, Crist should see this as a major snub. The state attorney general should automatically have the law and order crowd solidly in his corner. The fact that Smith has picked up so many defections is a sign that cracks are forming in Crist's race for governor.

It is also refreshing to see Smith taking the fight to Crist and the Republicans by venturing into an area where Democrats are normally timid. In recent years, Florida Democrats have refused to discuss law and order issues, instead limiting their focus to topics like education and ... education. The Democrats' silence has allowed Republicans to define them on other issues.

Rod Smith has decided to take the law enforcement issue back for the Democrats. He will also probably bring some so-called "soccer moms" back to the Democratic Party as well.

Congratulations to Senator Smith, and congratulations to Florida Democrats. It looks like you finally have a candidate who is unwilling to concede important issues, like law enforcement, to the Republicans and instead take the fight to the GOP.

Harris stumbles on abortion issue

2005-08-28T22:23:00.000-04:00

Read about Katherine Harris' recent blunder at AmericanpolitiX.com.

http://americanpolitix.blogspot.com/2005/08/harris-stumbles-on-abortion-issue.html

Raul Martinez for Governor?

2005-08-25T10:18:00.000-04:00

Yesterday, the Florida Democratic Party was saddened when one of their most successful elected officials announced his retirement from office. Of course, Florida Democrats could turn their lemons into lemonade by encouraging this iconic politician to run for higher office.

Late on Wednesday, Raul Martinez announced that he would not seek reelection as mayor of the City of Hialeah. Martinez has served as the chief executive in Hialeah for nearly three decades, first elected in 1981. The mayor has experienced ups and downs during his run as mayor and still remains enormously popular among the largely Republican Cuban American community. And he has done so as a Democrat.

Often when a Democrat is elected by a Republican-dominated electorate, he runs away from his party label. Not Raul Martinez. Martinez has always been proud of his party affiliation, and in 2004, he was a prominent member of the Kerry campaign. Martinez has been a great asset to the Democratic Party and should be credited for any progress the party has made among Cuban American voters. (Those gains may be small, but still significant.)

Martinez has not indicated what he intends to do next. He said that he wants to spend more time with his wife and family, but did not rule out the possibility of a run for higher office. Democrats would be wise to enlist Martinez for a future campaign. He has already served as chief executive for a major city. Would the next logical step be the chief executive for the state?

The Hispanic vote is essential in Florida and after snubbing Alex Penelas during last year's election for the United States Senate, Raul Martinez may be the Florida Democratic Party's last shot to secure Hispanic voters in Florida. Of course, Mayor Martinez will definitely be on the shortlist of candidates for Lieutenant Governor, but he may only provide a boost to Democrats by appearing on the top of the ticket.

Let's see what the future holds for Mayor Raul Martinez.

Is Chris Smith stupid? I don't think so.

2005-08-24T11:39:00.000-04:00

Today, news reports have taken the Democratic Leader in the Florida House of Representatives to task for his move to force the override of Governor Jeb Bush's veto of a good government bill. While the Democrats' effort may have likely doomed the legislation in any future special session, it has initiated a discussion that only will benefit Florida Democrats. Newspaper reporters may criticize the Democrats for this political move, but they are not thinking of the long-term effects of this tactic.

Yesterday, Democratic Representative Chris Smith, leader of the minority caucus in the Florida House, petitioned the Florida Secretary of State Glenda Hood to conduct a poll asking members whether they support a special session to override Governor Jeb Bush's veto [PDF - 14 KB] of Senate Bill 1146.

The legislation, sponsored by Republican Senator Nancy Argenziano (R-Crystal River), would have established a commission to approve state contracts of more than $10 million and to adopt accountability standards for contracting by state agencies. Reports have shown reckless procedures related to the privatizing of state services, resulting in unnecessary costs to Florida taxpayers. The governor, who pledges to leave no special interest behind, rejected this oversight of the state contracting system, opening the door to big government expenses passed along to taxpayers.

It was April 2003 when the St. Petersburg Times asked the important question, "Can Republicans Govern?" This effort by Representative Smith is an opportunity for Florida Democrats to point out that they can't.

SB 1146 received bi-partisan support last session and overwhelmingly passed both chambers of the Florida Legislature. Now, Republican leaders are flip-flopping on their position, allowing the governor's desire for big government and reckless spending to win.

Republican Leader Representative Andy Gardiner (R-Orlando) is the latest in the GOP to abandon the principles of former President Ronald Reagan. SB 1146 would have resulted in less government spending and more efficient government. Gardiner voted for the bill last session, but now he opposes the bill. Why? Good question. Democrats would be smart to provide their own answers. For instance ...

Gardiner and the House GOP Caucus now realize that they support bigger government.
Gardiner and the House GOP Caucus now oppose accountability of government agencies.
Gardiner and the House GOP Caucus now believe that the government knows better than the voters.

These are all logical conclusions drawn from Gardiner and his caucus' recent flip-flop on SB 1146.

Senator Argenziano and Representative Gardiner are already turning on the Democrats. Now, it will be interesting to see how the Democrats respond. Will they stick together and fight? Or will they cut and run, leaving Representative Smith to fend for himself? Unfortunately taking past events into consideration, I would expect the latter.

But Democrats should change their spineless ways and choose to fight the Republicans on this matter. Define the issue.

Any Republican who votes against the Secretary of State's poll has flip-flopped on this issue. (Every Republican voted for the original bill.)
Any Republican who votes against the secretary's poll now supports bigger government.
Any Republican who votes against the secretary's poll now opposes government accountability.
Any Republican who votes against the secretary's poll now supports reckless government spending.

Let's hope the Democrats in the Legislature grow a pair and join Representative Smith in his fight on behalf of Florida's taxpayers.

Davis, Smith go flat; Maddox flatlines

2005-08-22T06:38:00.000-04:00

With most Democratic politicos believing Congressman Jim Davis (D-Tampa) poised to handily win their party's nomination next fall, polls tend to show their confidence may be premature. This weekend, the Tampa Tribune reported of anxiety among Davis supporters over his inability to run away from the Democratic field, and polls and contributing factors tend to support their distress. To no one's surprise, the race for the Democratic nomination for governor is still wide open.

Polls by Strategic Vision, a Republican-leaning polling firm, over the past few months show Davis failing to increase his support among Democratic voters. Likewise, one of his opponents, Senator Rod Smith (D-Gainesville), has also remained flat in recent surveys. With the two leading candidates reaching a plateau in support, the real news is former Tallahassee Mayor Scott Maddox who has seen his campaign take a free-fall. All three candidates however are staying competitive, and the most recent poll shows a gubernatorial race that is anyone's to win.

A July Strategic Vision poll showed Davis with 26 percent of the Democratic vote. Smith was a distant second at 15 percent, while Maddox fell to dead last with 11 percent. While Davis and Smith's numbers were virtually unchanged from Stategic Vision's June poll, Maddox witnessed a drop of 9 points, numbers that should have raised concerns within his campaign.

In June, Davis and Smith received the support of 23 and 14 percent of the Democratic voters polled, respectively, while Maddox was the choice of one out of every five Democrats. Previously in April, Davis was supported by 21 percent of Democratic voters, Maddox earned 15 percent, and Smith garnered 13 percent in the poll.

Both the April and June polls were conducted prior to reports that the Florida Democratic Party, under the stewardship of Maddox, had failed to pay federal income and payroll taxes and faced a $200,000 lien from the Internal Revenue Service. The April poll by Strategic Vision was the first to limit the questioning to the three current candidates.

These polls are good news for Davis and Smith with both candidates realizing modest gains over the past four months. Davis has jumped five points while Smith has increased two points. Maddox saw a brief jump in June, followed by a steep fall in July.

Typically, these polling trends would indicate that Davis is strong, but unfortunately he may have failed to meet high expectations. Since the first poll was conducted, Davis received the endorsement of former Senator Bob Graham. Graham's support was expected to provide the Davis campaign with a boost, but it didn't. This means that either the Graham endorsement is not as valuable as some Democrats would like to believe or that Davis' plain and somewhat boring personality cut into any possible momentum the endorsement should have delivered. Davis' failure to gain steam is likely the result of a combination of both factors.

The Smith campaign should be pleased. Since the Legislature has not been in session since May, Senator Smith has been largely absent from recent news reports. Still, he managed to pick up a couple of points, showing slow but steady growth in his support.

Maddox's run for governor may be over. The former chairman has received negative press coverage over the state party's fiscal problems, and he has been engaged in a public feud with one of the largest labor unions in the state. On top of that, it recently surfaced that the City of Tallahassee may have engaged in illegal activities against workers' labor rights while Maddox served as the mayor. Maddox has denied any involvement with these activities.

Polls show that Maddox has lost nearly half of his support among voters, and he is also losing some of his biggest political supporters. The young candidate shouldn't be written off completely, but his speech writers still may want to start working on a eulogy just in case.

At the end of the day, the most important number in all of these polls is the percentage of undecided voters. In April, undecideds accounted for 51 percent of Democrats polled. In June, they were 43 percent, and in July, the number increased again to 48 percent.

With just over a year before Democrats choose their nominee for governor, this race is anyone's ballgame. Right now, Davis is playing the role of the hare, while Smith is the tortoise. And Maddox ... well he may just be a dead duck, but only time will tell.

Rod Smith declares support for Judge Roberts

2005-08-21T10:49:00.000-04:00

Yesterday, FloridapolitiX.com discussed the comments by Senator Rod Smith (D-Gainesville) where he said that he would consider raising taxes if elected governor. Now, Smith's diarrhea of the mouth continues.

In a follow up by the St. Petersburg Times, the paper now mentions that Smith would support Judge John G. Roberts, Jr. for the United States Supreme Court.

The paper stated that candidates typically "brush off hypothetical questions" and seemed surprised that Smith answered their question about Judge Roberts. (Nominees to the U.S. Supreme Court are approved by the United States Senate, not by any state governor.)

"I haven't seen anything that says . . . he is ethically challenged or that he's intellectually inadequate," said Smith. "Right now, I would have no reason to disqualify him other than I don't agree with positions he holds, and that doesn't drive me in judicial decisions."

As stated yesterday, Democrats will not win in Florida until they learn to control their message, to frame the debate. Answering the Judge Roberts question did nothing to help Smith, but the answer could hurt him with abortion rights supporters who he will need next year in the Democratic primary.

Rod Smith considers raising taxes

2005-08-19T10:15:00.000-04:00

While the Rod Smith campaign may state that this title is misleading and mischaracterizes what Senator Rod Smith (D-Gainesville) said in today's St. Petersburg Times article, I would respond with "too bad." What do you think the Republicans are going to say next fall?

Today's St. Petersburg Times devoted 622 words to the Smith campaign, focusing primarily on the campaign's argument that Smith is the most electable next fall. The piece, which was based on an interview between Smith and the St. Petersburg Times Editorial Board, was heavy on rhetoric and light on substance, but it was the last sentence that jumped out at readers. Asked if he would consider raising cigarette taxes, Senator Smith said that he would. Of course, he said that "you'd have to talk about it last." Still, I wouldn't wait for the Republicans to clarify Smith's position for him.

The point of this post is that the Democrats cannot win in Florida if they fail to control their message. Democrats should know that the GOP is only waiting for a mention of taxes, and they have to be smarter than this. (It was only three years ago when this same idea hurt Bill McBride's campaign for governor.)

Of course, I doubt that Smith volunteered his position on cigarette taxes to the editorial board. He was probably only answering a specific question. Still, Smith and the other Democratic candidates need to steal a page from George W.'s playbook. Don't answer the questions you don't like. Just repeat your talking points. Believe it or not, it works.

Smith's cigarette stumble is not a big deal. He is already on record raising cigarette taxes by supporting Senate Bill 2112 in 2004. Fortunately for Smith, the bill was pushed by the GOP, sponsored by Senator Paula Dockery (R-Lakeland) and in the House by Representative Frank Farkas (R-St. Petersburg). If Smith were to slip on taxes, this was definitely the way to go. The Republicans will have a tough time attacking a position that their own party has championed in recent years. (But don't worry. They'll try.)

Nevertheless, Smith and the rest of the Democrats should see this as a wake-up call. Charlie Crist and Tom Gallagher will be tough campaigners, and the Democrats cannot afford to get sloppy.

FSU Update: Trustee apologizes to the Seminole Nation of Oklahoma

2005-08-16T10:48:00.000-04:00

In the wake of embarrassing and offensive comments by some well-known FSU alumni, trustee Richard McFarlain has apologized to the Seminole Nation of Oklahoma for his "hostile and abusive" comments about the Native Americans that fled Florida in the early 1800s.

"I think I just should have shut up," McFarlain said. Of course, McFarlain had more to say last week went he went on the attack over the NCAA's ridiculous ban over the use of American Indians as mascots for major college sports teams.

Senator Jim King (R-Jacksonville) and FSU President T.K. Wetherell, a former Democratic Speaker of the Florida House, have yet to apologize for their despicable comments toward the Oklahoma Seminoles.

Senator King and Speaker Wetherell should be encouraged to apologize so this silly debate can be put behind us and FSU can continue being the Seminoles.

Senator King's email address is king.james.web@flsenate.gov.

Speaker Wetherell's email address is president@mailer.fsu.edu.

FSU battles the NCAA ... and its own alumni

2005-08-15T06:52:00.000-04:00

Last week, the NCAA announced new rules that would no longer allow teams, which use American Indian mascots, nicknames or imagery considered "hostile or abusive", to host NCAA championship events. The NCAA cited 18 specific teams that would be in violation of their new rules, but so far Florida State University is making the most noise over this half-baked plan.

FSU had the momentum to change the rule until some prominent alumni opened their mouths. The school will likely prevail in their fight with the NCAA, but not without suffering a public relations disaster of their own. Unfortunately, a few old Noles couldn't resist the urge to shoot off their mouths and to insult Native Americans in the process.

For the record, I think this whole issue is something about nothing. FSU has been working with the Seminole Tribe of Florida for many years to ensure that use of Chief Osceola is done with dignity. I think it is disgraceful that the NCAA issued their rule without consulting any of the interested parties. FSU and the Seminoles claim that they were not consulted.

The issue that led to the recent fracas was the NCAA's claim that the Seminole Indians of Oklahoma were offended by FSU's use of the tribe. It was later learned that the Oklahoma Seminoles never made any such statement, and the NCAA should have looked stupid yet again. Unfortunately, prominent Floridians beat them to it.

Former Republican Senate President Jim King (R-Jacksonville), who graduated from FSU in 1961 and is perhaps the biggest Nole fan in the Capitol, said that the Oklahoma Seminoles "gave up and went to the reservation" in the early 1800s. Of course, those Seminoles were run off their land and didn't simply leave on their own. King needs a refresher course in American history.

FSU Trustee Richard McFarlain said that the Seminoles from Oklahoma weren't even "real Seminoles." Apparently, McFarlain needs to join King in studying the history of the Seminole Indians.

Then FSU President T.K. Wetherell, former Democratic Speaker of the Florida House, issued the most devastating of the comments. Wetherell said that "maybe the Trail of Tears should have gone farther, I don't know."

Brief History Lesson

First, the Trail of Tears specifically referred to the removal of the Cherokee Indians from their homeland. The men, women, and children who were forced to follow the Trail of Tears endured great suffering, and it is believed that over 4,000 Cherokee Indians, or 25% of the entire tribe, died during this march.

The Seminole Indians of Florida, one of the "Five Civilized Tribes," were also forced to join the other tribes and move west, with most of the five tribes finding homes in Oklahoma and Kansas. In 1835, the Florida Seminoles refused to leave the Sunshine State, and their decision eventually led to the Second Seminole War. During this conflict, the Seminole leader Osceola employed guerilla-style tactics in battling the U.S. Army, by hiding in the Everglades and attacking the unsuspecting Americans. The Americans suffered numerous defeats at the hands of the Seminoles, but Osceola was eventually captured and died in prison. Most Seminoles were then forced to relocate to Oklahoma.

At the end of the day, Florida State University should be allowed to use the Seminoles as their official mascot. All interested parties agree, and the do-gooders from the NCAA should really just mind their own business and keep their political correctness out of Florida.

But the statements of King, McFarlain, and Wetherell must not be forgotten. While the statements clearly were not malicious, they were still racist statements that should not have been made. The people of Florida should not tolerate such conduct from our public officials.

The Seminole Caucus of the Florida Legislature (politicians who graduated from FSU) claims that they will be offering a resolution during the next session condemning the actions of the NCAA. I think they should. But only if they also condemn the hurtful comments of their own colleagues this past weekend.

Religious right group protests military funerals

2005-08-09T04:42:00.000-04:00

Why are members of the religious right protesting outside funerals of our fallen troops?

Learn more at AmericanpolitiX.com or go to:

http://americanpolitix.blogspot.com/2005/08/religious-right-group-protests.html

Nelson also victim of colorization scheme

2005-08-07T10:55:00.000-04:00

Over the past week, Congresswoman Katherine Harris (R-Sarasota) has accused Florida newspapers of using computer software to manipulate photographs of her during the 2000 presidential election recounts. Harris claims that she didn't actually wear as much make-up as the public was led to believe, and she said that the paper's doctored photos were hurtful to her. When asked which papers engaged in this unethical behavior, Harris was unable to name a single paper.

Granted, her story is a sad one. Harris' opponent in next year's election to the United States Senate has also been the victim of a similar scheme. In order to make Senator Bill Nelson appear more sympathetic to their readers, one newspaper doctored a photo of the senator for their publication.

The Smurf Times, a weekly publication aimed at members of the Smurf community, published a photo last year that was obviously doctored and gave Nelson's skin a bluish tint. Political commentator, Brainy Smurf, saw the move as a way for the paper to say to the Smurf-American community that Nelson was "like one of us." Brainy continued by saying that the action by the paper was misleading, and while their intentions may have been noble, the act itself was "wrong."

(Note to readers: I apologize to those serious readers who may be surprised by FloridapolitiX.com's use of humor and sarcasm on this site. FloridapolitiX.com will continue to be a reliable source of news and opinion, but the Harris story was just too good to resist.)

Florida discussion leads to Novak's suspension from CNN

2005-08-05T06:34:00.000-04:00

Yesterday, conservative columnist Robert Novak lost his cool during a debate with Democratic stategist James Carville and used profanity on the air. Immediately following the spectacle, CNN announced that Bob Novak would be temporarily suspended from the network.

Go to AmericanpolitiX.com to read the transcript and access the video footage online.

Bense will not run for United States Senate

2005-08-03T17:34:00.000-04:00

Today, Republican Speaker Allan Bense announced that he will not challenge Congresswoman Katherine Harris (R-Sarasota) in the GOP primary for the United States Senate. This news is devastating to Florida Republicans who have been hoping for Harris to leave the race, believing that she cannot defeat the moderate Democratic incumbent, Senator Bill Nelson. Most people believe that she will not only lose to Nelson but possibly drag down the entire GOP ticket.

Harris is still seen as an extremely polarizing individual over her role in the controversial 2000 presidential election. Harris, who that year served as secretary of state, oversaw elections in Florida, and during that time, also served as co-chair of then Governor George W. Bush's presidential campaign. Many people saw these dual roles as a blatant conflict of interest, and Harris has been unable to regain confidence with Florida's voters ever since.

Bense, a former Democrat himself, is seen as left-of-center politically, and many GOP operatives believed he had the best chance to defeat Nelson in a general election. Instead, Bense says that he will focus his efforts on leading the Florida House of Representatives.

Today, Bense issued the following statement:

“After much thought and prayer, and after extensive discussions with my family and friends, I have decided to remain focused on my responsibilities as Speaker of the Florida House of Representatives,” said Florida House Speaker Allan Bense. “When I was elected Speaker, I made a commitment to the other 119 Members of the Florida House and to the people of Florida, and it is a commitment I intend to uphold to the best of my ability.

“I greatly appreciate the sincere confidence so many have expressed in me, the enthusiastic encouragement they have given me as well as the candid counsel they have provided. However, I believe it would be extremely difficult to fulfill my duties as Speaker while also running for the United States Senate in a campaign that will attract national attention and require a huge commitment of time and energy.

“Therefore, I have decided that it is in my best interest, my family’s best interest and in the best interest of the Florida House that I do not run for the United States Senate at this time.”

This news is good for Nelson, but Harris shouldn't be ruled out just yet. She is tough and will not go down without a fight. Democrats should hold back on popping the champagne, but it might not hurt to start putting it on ice.

UPDATE (8:07 PM): The Associated Press reports on the Bense decision.

Senator Bill Nelson issued the following statement: "Regardless of who our opponent is, we expect it's going to be a tough race. Between now and election time, I'm just going to keep doing the best job I can for the people of Florida."

Congresswoman Katherine Harris issued the following statement: "Allan Bense is a living example of leadership, solidly grounded in character and integrity. I have long admired him, and deeply value his friendship."

St. Pete Times creates a Buzz with their new blog

2005-08-01T20:56:00.000-04:00

Every Sunday, Florida's Who's Who have become accustomed to reading the widely-acclaimed political column, The Buzz, on the St. Petersburg Times web site. Now the column has taken a life of its own and will be converted into a realtime blog, where the paper's staff writers contribute and readers are invited to comment.

St. Petersburg Times Blog - The Buzz

Check it out online now!