Sorry, couldn't resist! lol
Thank you for your support during my short tenure as a political blogger. For those of you who don't know, I've accepted a new job and feel this blog could be a conflict of interest. So, I'm going to move on to the next stage of my career with great excitement! I do have another blog that deals more with personal development, minimalism, and ADHD. If you're interested, check it out at The Pursuit of Fitness
Thanks everyone! And one last thought...Remember to VOTE on November 2nd!!!
Sunday, September 26, 2010
Thursday, September 16, 2010
An Interview with Kristin Dozier, Leon County's Commissioner-Elect
For anyone who doesn't know, Kristin Dozier was declared the winner in District 5 after Chairman Bob Rackleff withdrew very shortly after the Primary in August. She will assume office on November 16th and although she is very busy preparing for her new role, I had the pleasure of sitting down with her for a little while late last week to ask some questions and talk about her future plans. It was a great conversation! Thanks, Kristin, for taking the time to do this interview. My hope is that some folks who have not had the opportunity to meet Kristin in person will learn a little more about our newest Commissioner.
Panhandle Wonk (PW): What made you want to run for County Commission?
Kristin Dozier (KD): Well, this may sound a bit strange having just gone through the process, but I've always felt...well two things: I've always felt you need a diversity of experience to run for office. Getting out of college and knowing you want to get into politics was never to me the right trajectory. I think you need to get out and get experience first. Second, being asked by the community was very important. So, part of the reason I decided to run was that a number of people with diverse backgrounds came to me and said "we believe there will be an open seat in 2010 and we really think you should consider it." The reason I believe they said that and also the reason I thought I had something to bring to the Commission is because I've been working on sustainability for years - mainly through sustainable construction but also by setting up Sustainable Tallahassee. I believe there is a way to engage the business and development communities - folks who may not think about environmental issues first - and really bring them to the table to talk about sustainability because it is more marketable. It's good for our economy. It's good for our quality of life. And it's good for our environment. Triple bottom line. Being able to convey that message by walking into a room of staunch conservatives who don't want to hear a thing about global warming and at the end of the conversation having them ask a million questions about sustainable construction because they really get it - I think this message is so important. So often we have an "either-or" society – it’s either the environment or it’s economics. I wanted to bring the perspective to the Commission that it IS both - that we cannot give up our principles on one side about environmental protection and quality of life, but also that our economy is obviously important to all of us. We CAN focus on all of it.
PW: So would you say that these particular issues are so central to life in Leon County that they really transcend gender, race, orientation, etc.?
KD: Absolutely. These are everyone's issues. There are, however, different ways the sustainability movement will affect people in different communities. We can't do everything at once. If you were to look at everything you should do to be sustainable, it's overwhelming! You have to look at the complexity of the issues and the effects, both short and long-term, on the community in question and you have to have people who are willing to really look at these issues from different points of view.
PW: What would you say to the GLBT community? Commissioner Rackleff was a great advocate for the community, but many people don't know you and aren't sure you will be supportive.
KD: The short answer is that I am very committed, not to just GLBT issues, but to human rights in general. People who don't know me yet may question it, but I have always been committed to supporting equal rights. I'm very glad that Bob was on the Commission to take the lead during the passage of the Human Rights Ordinance, but that same advocate and voice and commitment will be there with me. I didn't talk about this much during the campaign because I think we should all be committed to equality and human rights whether we have someone lesbian or gay in our family or not, but I have dealt with it. It's very personal to me as I was a teenager with a mother in a relationship with another woman and even back then I knew I would always stand up for her rights and I've always been an advocate for her. Obviously based on what I just said I did not run against Bob because of his stand on the Human Rights Ordinance and GLBT issues! I'm as committed as Bob has been and I hope you'll be open to letting me prove it.
PW: So you ran against Bob because...
KD: First, I thought it was going to be an open seat and he changed his mind after I'd been thinking about it for awhile. Obviously I could have changed my mind, but by that time I'd been watching the Commission for so long that I truly believe there is a better way to accomplish the same goals. There is a conversation that needs to take place that wasn't necessarily there. I respect Bob. We agree on a lot of issues, but I thought it was time for a different perspective and voice.
PW: A number of people have commented to me that while you seem nice, they were not sure about having a developer on the Commission. What would you say to them?
KD: Well, the short answer is that MadDog Construction isn't a developer! The distinction between developer and contractor may seem like splitting hairs to many people, but it's really not the same. A developer buys a large piece of property. They own the land and develop it by selling off parcels in various ways while a contractor does just that - performs work (construction) under a contract. A great story from when I was walking the district during the campaign. I was walking in Blairstone Forest and spoke to a couple that said they supported Bob and expressed their feelings about having a developer on the Commission. I said I totally respect that, but if you have any questions for me I'd be happy to answer them. They had lots of questions and also said "well we know you're a developer." I explained the difference to them but also said that yes, MadDog was a developer back in the 70's and early 80's and the last project they did was...Blairstone Forest. MadDog won numerous environmental awards for that project, yet under the current comprehensive plan you couldn't build a development like that any more. I think it made an impression on them. That's the technical side of it.
On the other side of it, I've worked in the construction industry my entire adult life. It put food on our table my entire life. MadDog has always had an environmental focus, but also a community focus. I think we were an example to others in the construction industry that you CAN have both. Having the business and contracting experience that I do gives me a different perspective. I know the incredible benefit of the construction industry to our community. Obviously it provides jobs, but quality construction can give us the ability to grow in a sustainable way. Being able to talk to a contractor about sustainable construction - knowing the language - is a huge plus.
Someone recently told me that he had never seen a Commissioner who has support from both the folks who want to build everything and the folks who don't want to build anything! My response was that throughout the campaign I told both sides exactly the same thing - smart sustainable growth because we're going to grow, but it needs to be in the right way.
PW: So, what's the first thing you want to do when you start?
KD: You can't do everything overnight when you start. My primary goal right now is to make sure I am fully educated before assuming my position. Bob had incredible class and dignity. He really gave me a gift in that I have 2 1/2 months to talk to him, to study and be fully prepared to take office. I need to be ready to respond intelligently to all the current issues before the Commission. Of course there are a number of ideas that I have, but I don't expect to do everything immediately. Innovation Park is a prime example of a current issue that I need to be fully educated on to be able to take part in all discussions. It has been the cause of a breakdown in numerous relationships in the county. FAMU and FSU have basically walked away from the project. It will be difficult, maybe even impossible to salvage the relationships, but I'm excited at the prospect of looking at what can be done with it. There isn't a strong connection among the large entities in our community and I think encouraging those connections will be good for our community and for all of the organizations involved. There is a tremendous amount of talent coming out of FAMU, FSU and TCC and we need to capitalize on it! Although we do a lot of short-term planning in government, I think local government has the ability to do more long-term planning, so I will work to expand that.
PW: And finally, a fun question! What has been the most surprising thing about your new role OR what are you looking forward to most?
KD: Being recognized around town. The first time it really hit me was the Sunday after the election and I went to Publix. I was stopped probably 10 or 12 times by various people. Then I saw a man with his two little girls and he was talking to them and pointing at me. They never came up to me, but I it really hit me because I knew they were looking at me as a role model. Letting girls know that you can grow up and win an election or do whatever you want to do is a great feeling. You know, a lot of people have said to me that they don't know how I can deal with people coming up to me even in the grocery store to talk about cell phone towers or what have you, but I knew what I was signing up for and I'm fine with it.
Good luck, Kristin! I think you’re going to do a great job!
Panhandle Wonk (PW): What made you want to run for County Commission?
Kristin Dozier (KD): Well, this may sound a bit strange having just gone through the process, but I've always felt...well two things: I've always felt you need a diversity of experience to run for office. Getting out of college and knowing you want to get into politics was never to me the right trajectory. I think you need to get out and get experience first. Second, being asked by the community was very important. So, part of the reason I decided to run was that a number of people with diverse backgrounds came to me and said "we believe there will be an open seat in 2010 and we really think you should consider it." The reason I believe they said that and also the reason I thought I had something to bring to the Commission is because I've been working on sustainability for years - mainly through sustainable construction but also by setting up Sustainable Tallahassee. I believe there is a way to engage the business and development communities - folks who may not think about environmental issues first - and really bring them to the table to talk about sustainability because it is more marketable. It's good for our economy. It's good for our quality of life. And it's good for our environment. Triple bottom line. Being able to convey that message by walking into a room of staunch conservatives who don't want to hear a thing about global warming and at the end of the conversation having them ask a million questions about sustainable construction because they really get it - I think this message is so important. So often we have an "either-or" society – it’s either the environment or it’s economics. I wanted to bring the perspective to the Commission that it IS both - that we cannot give up our principles on one side about environmental protection and quality of life, but also that our economy is obviously important to all of us. We CAN focus on all of it.
PW: So would you say that these particular issues are so central to life in Leon County that they really transcend gender, race, orientation, etc.?
KD: Absolutely. These are everyone's issues. There are, however, different ways the sustainability movement will affect people in different communities. We can't do everything at once. If you were to look at everything you should do to be sustainable, it's overwhelming! You have to look at the complexity of the issues and the effects, both short and long-term, on the community in question and you have to have people who are willing to really look at these issues from different points of view.
PW: What would you say to the GLBT community? Commissioner Rackleff was a great advocate for the community, but many people don't know you and aren't sure you will be supportive.
KD: The short answer is that I am very committed, not to just GLBT issues, but to human rights in general. People who don't know me yet may question it, but I have always been committed to supporting equal rights. I'm very glad that Bob was on the Commission to take the lead during the passage of the Human Rights Ordinance, but that same advocate and voice and commitment will be there with me. I didn't talk about this much during the campaign because I think we should all be committed to equality and human rights whether we have someone lesbian or gay in our family or not, but I have dealt with it. It's very personal to me as I was a teenager with a mother in a relationship with another woman and even back then I knew I would always stand up for her rights and I've always been an advocate for her. Obviously based on what I just said I did not run against Bob because of his stand on the Human Rights Ordinance and GLBT issues! I'm as committed as Bob has been and I hope you'll be open to letting me prove it.
PW: So you ran against Bob because...
KD: First, I thought it was going to be an open seat and he changed his mind after I'd been thinking about it for awhile. Obviously I could have changed my mind, but by that time I'd been watching the Commission for so long that I truly believe there is a better way to accomplish the same goals. There is a conversation that needs to take place that wasn't necessarily there. I respect Bob. We agree on a lot of issues, but I thought it was time for a different perspective and voice.
PW: A number of people have commented to me that while you seem nice, they were not sure about having a developer on the Commission. What would you say to them?
KD: Well, the short answer is that MadDog Construction isn't a developer! The distinction between developer and contractor may seem like splitting hairs to many people, but it's really not the same. A developer buys a large piece of property. They own the land and develop it by selling off parcels in various ways while a contractor does just that - performs work (construction) under a contract. A great story from when I was walking the district during the campaign. I was walking in Blairstone Forest and spoke to a couple that said they supported Bob and expressed their feelings about having a developer on the Commission. I said I totally respect that, but if you have any questions for me I'd be happy to answer them. They had lots of questions and also said "well we know you're a developer." I explained the difference to them but also said that yes, MadDog was a developer back in the 70's and early 80's and the last project they did was...Blairstone Forest. MadDog won numerous environmental awards for that project, yet under the current comprehensive plan you couldn't build a development like that any more. I think it made an impression on them. That's the technical side of it.
On the other side of it, I've worked in the construction industry my entire adult life. It put food on our table my entire life. MadDog has always had an environmental focus, but also a community focus. I think we were an example to others in the construction industry that you CAN have both. Having the business and contracting experience that I do gives me a different perspective. I know the incredible benefit of the construction industry to our community. Obviously it provides jobs, but quality construction can give us the ability to grow in a sustainable way. Being able to talk to a contractor about sustainable construction - knowing the language - is a huge plus.
Someone recently told me that he had never seen a Commissioner who has support from both the folks who want to build everything and the folks who don't want to build anything! My response was that throughout the campaign I told both sides exactly the same thing - smart sustainable growth because we're going to grow, but it needs to be in the right way.
PW: So, what's the first thing you want to do when you start?
KD: You can't do everything overnight when you start. My primary goal right now is to make sure I am fully educated before assuming my position. Bob had incredible class and dignity. He really gave me a gift in that I have 2 1/2 months to talk to him, to study and be fully prepared to take office. I need to be ready to respond intelligently to all the current issues before the Commission. Of course there are a number of ideas that I have, but I don't expect to do everything immediately. Innovation Park is a prime example of a current issue that I need to be fully educated on to be able to take part in all discussions. It has been the cause of a breakdown in numerous relationships in the county. FAMU and FSU have basically walked away from the project. It will be difficult, maybe even impossible to salvage the relationships, but I'm excited at the prospect of looking at what can be done with it. There isn't a strong connection among the large entities in our community and I think encouraging those connections will be good for our community and for all of the organizations involved. There is a tremendous amount of talent coming out of FAMU, FSU and TCC and we need to capitalize on it! Although we do a lot of short-term planning in government, I think local government has the ability to do more long-term planning, so I will work to expand that.
PW: And finally, a fun question! What has been the most surprising thing about your new role OR what are you looking forward to most?
KD: Being recognized around town. The first time it really hit me was the Sunday after the election and I went to Publix. I was stopped probably 10 or 12 times by various people. Then I saw a man with his two little girls and he was talking to them and pointing at me. They never came up to me, but I it really hit me because I knew they were looking at me as a role model. Letting girls know that you can grow up and win an election or do whatever you want to do is a great feeling. You know, a lot of people have said to me that they don't know how I can deal with people coming up to me even in the grocery store to talk about cell phone towers or what have you, but I knew what I was signing up for and I'm fine with it.
Good luck, Kristin! I think you’re going to do a great job!
Thursday, September 9, 2010
A few thoughts before diving into the main issues so far in FL-CD2
Ok, first I'd like to say Congrats to Congressman Boyd on his endorsement by the Chamber of Commerce. Guess someone agreed with me that you are NOT anti-business ;-) I'm betting there are a lot of voters in District 2 who know that as well.
Second, anyone else really embarrassed to be from FL right now with the nut in G-ville talking about Quaran burning, etc...? First he's going to burn them on 9/11, then he's not because supposedly the Imam in NYC has agreed to move the mosque and when that proved to be untrue he made another announcement that he is "praying" over when to do it...yep, that's right up with the trailer park news out of Milton, FL I heard on the radio this morning. Apparently a couple of days ago a guy really ticked off his wife by letting her know how attractive he found J-Lo and a huge fight ensued. The next morning she set his boat, go-kart, and jacuzzi on fire...yeah, that's some real news right there. (add twang at will...)
Next, why do some conservative bloggers think posting a particular candidate's press releases constitutes a blog post? I mean, it's not hard to figure out which way I lean, but seriously...
And is it just me or is Steve Southerland starting to look like he wants to blow a gasket at any time? Just sayin'...
Oh yeah, and where are Paul McKain and Mrs. Berryhill hanging out these days? Has anyone laid eyes on them since the Primary? Helllooooooo? Wonder if those two will be attending the next Big Bend Environmental Forum in October? After the first one I have to say I really hope they do and I hope they bring Steve Southerland along too, but I betcha he'll be too busy to bother with an environmental forum...bets?
And finally, coming up soon - what are the main issues so far in the Boyd-Southerland battle for FL's 2nd and an interview with Leon County Commissioner-Elect, Kristin Dozier!
Second, anyone else really embarrassed to be from FL right now with the nut in G-ville talking about Quaran burning, etc...? First he's going to burn them on 9/11, then he's not because supposedly the Imam in NYC has agreed to move the mosque and when that proved to be untrue he made another announcement that he is "praying" over when to do it...yep, that's right up with the trailer park news out of Milton, FL I heard on the radio this morning. Apparently a couple of days ago a guy really ticked off his wife by letting her know how attractive he found J-Lo and a huge fight ensued. The next morning she set his boat, go-kart, and jacuzzi on fire...yeah, that's some real news right there. (add twang at will...)
Next, why do some conservative bloggers think posting a particular candidate's press releases constitutes a blog post? I mean, it's not hard to figure out which way I lean, but seriously...
And is it just me or is Steve Southerland starting to look like he wants to blow a gasket at any time? Just sayin'...
Oh yeah, and where are Paul McKain and Mrs. Berryhill hanging out these days? Has anyone laid eyes on them since the Primary? Helllooooooo? Wonder if those two will be attending the next Big Bend Environmental Forum in October? After the first one I have to say I really hope they do and I hope they bring Steve Southerland along too, but I betcha he'll be too busy to bother with an environmental forum...bets?
And finally, coming up soon - what are the main issues so far in the Boyd-Southerland battle for FL's 2nd and an interview with Leon County Commissioner-Elect, Kristin Dozier!
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
Follow-up on Governor's Race
Not long after finishing yesterday's post about Rick Scott upsetting McCollum in the Republican primary race I saw that Lawton "Bud" Chiles, III (Independent) is expected to drop out of the race. While this simplifies the choices, it remains to be seen which party will benefit most from this development. I've heard good arguments both ways. Some say it will help the Democrats as he is more Democrat (even though running as an Independent) and therefore won't be pulling votes from Alex Sink, but I've heard the same about the Republicans. Chiles was an alternative to Rick Scott, but not a Dem, which allegedly appealed to a number of moderate Republicans. I'd be willing to bet there are TONS of undecided voters out there and I hope they will take a good close look at the candidates. Of course I am hoping they decide to vote for Alex Sink!
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Biggest Primary Surprise?
And....I'm back. Took a short break, but I'm back to dish out more opinions and questions on some interesting races taking place in the Panhandle from the Governor's race on down.
There are always surprises when it comes to election results, but Rick Scott's defeat of Bill McCollum was probably the biggest one in recent memory. Rick Scott...he certainly has made the Governor's race a bit more interesting hasn't he? He went from "outsider" to "insider" so fast it made my head spin! My question is why is he running free (not in jail), much less running for Governor? At least Jeff Greene went down in flames so we don't have to hear any more enlightening quotes from Mike Tyson or fend off mental images of a vomit- covered yacht (seriously that's disgusting!). I have to say (insert sarcasm here heh heh) that I am just really touched by what big hearts exist in Florida's Republican party. I mean they were ready to roast Scott alive before the primary, but now? Sharing stages, talking about unity, calls for support (yes, we know we said he was the devil, but that was soooo last week!)...what's next? Roses? Wine? Carriage rides in the park?
At this rate the RPOF and associates look like they're aiming to snatch an Emmy from the Real Housewives of DC next year instead of being serious about addressing Florida's very real problems that need serious solutions. I say thank goodness for Alex Sink - a level-headed, incredibly smart woman who is ready to tackle all of Florida's issues!
There are always surprises when it comes to election results, but Rick Scott's defeat of Bill McCollum was probably the biggest one in recent memory. Rick Scott...he certainly has made the Governor's race a bit more interesting hasn't he? He went from "outsider" to "insider" so fast it made my head spin! My question is why is he running free (not in jail), much less running for Governor? At least Jeff Greene went down in flames so we don't have to hear any more enlightening quotes from Mike Tyson or fend off mental images of a vomit- covered yacht (seriously that's disgusting!). I have to say (insert sarcasm here heh heh) that I am just really touched by what big hearts exist in Florida's Republican party. I mean they were ready to roast Scott alive before the primary, but now? Sharing stages, talking about unity, calls for support (yes, we know we said he was the devil, but that was soooo last week!)...what's next? Roses? Wine? Carriage rides in the park?
At this rate the RPOF and associates look like they're aiming to snatch an Emmy from the Real Housewives of DC next year instead of being serious about addressing Florida's very real problems that need serious solutions. I say thank goodness for Alex Sink - a level-headed, incredibly smart woman who is ready to tackle all of Florida's issues!
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
Boyd and Southerland Will Face Off in General Election
Rep. Allen Boyd and Steve Southerland will face each other in the Nov. 2nd general election. Here we go!
Published with Blogger-droid v1.5.5.2
Friday, August 20, 2010
Southerland Speaks in Support of Mosque
I've spent a bit of time in the past few weeks asking "Who Is Steve Southerland?" Some of what I've found has been confusing at best, but I'm surprised and happy to let you know that someone in the Florida Congressional District 2 Republican Primary has some sense when it comes to building the mosque near Ground Zero. Last night at a forum in Bay County, Steve Southerland expressed his support for building the mosque. Glad to see Southerland come out in support, especially following Ron McNeil’s comments, which I wrote about yesterday.
In case you missed it here’s the McNeil position:
“I’m totally against it. If I had my way, it would pretty much be over my dead body,” said Ron McNeil, a candidate for the U.S. House District 2 seat, who was referring to a controversial plan to build an Islamic center and mosque near Ground Zero in New York City. “That religion is against everything America stands for. If we have to let them build it, make them build it nine stories underground, so we can walk above it as citizens and Christians.”
You can view Southerland’s comments in the video below:
Looks like Southerland is the only Republican in the race who supports the mosque. Finally some tolerance and support from a Republican candidate on this issue. Good job Steve Southerland!
In case you missed it here’s the McNeil position:
“I’m totally against it. If I had my way, it would pretty much be over my dead body,” said Ron McNeil, a candidate for the U.S. House District 2 seat, who was referring to a controversial plan to build an Islamic center and mosque near Ground Zero in New York City. “That religion is against everything America stands for. If we have to let them build it, make them build it nine stories underground, so we can walk above it as citizens and Christians.”
You can view Southerland’s comments in the video below:
Looks like Southerland is the only Republican in the race who supports the mosque. Finally some tolerance and support from a Republican candidate on this issue. Good job Steve Southerland!
Thursday, August 19, 2010
McNeil and the Mosque - FL CD 2
By now people all over Florida have heard about Ron McNeil's (McNeil) comments about the proposed mosque near Ground Zero in NYC. McNeil is one of several Republicans vying for a chance to run against Rep. Allen Boyd or Sen. Al Lawson in November. Fortunately, we only have to wait until Tuesday to see who that lucky person will be, but since he's still a candidate for a few more days, let's talk for a minute about McNeil's comments.
The following is McNeil's Mission Statement taken directly from his campaign website (my emphasis):
I intend to lead the transformation of the American Republic back to the US Constitution and Bill of Rights in order to promote Free Enterprise, to require the Federal Government to be limited in size and power, and to make it function under balanced budget limitations. Individual freedom and liberty must be preserved, while personal responsibility is expected from every citizen. The primary goal is to return to being the People’s Government instead of the Government’s people.
Now, with that in mind, consider the comments he made yesterday in response to questions about the proposed mosque near Ground Zero in NYC:
First Amendment – Establishment Clause, Free Exercise Clause; freedom of speech, of the press, and of assembly; right to petition - Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
First of all, even if you were to win your primary and then win the general election, which is highly unlikely (let's be honest), you still would not have a say over whether a mosque could be built a few blocks away from Ground Zero.
Did you know there is already another mosque five blocks from there? Did you know there is no proof whatsoever that those wanting to build have any ties to extremist Muslims, such as the ones who took part in 9/11? Did you know there are Muslim services held in the Pentagon? Do you understand that there are different sects of Islam, just as there are different sects of Christians and Jews, etc.? Do you realize there are at least 2 million Muslims (some say as many as 10 million or more) who are citizens of this country?
Do you understand that you are running for an office which, if elected to, would have you representing people of numerous religious faiths and ethnic backgrounds? No, I don't think you do. I don't think you have any concept of what you're talking about. The students asking you the questions and challenging you had far more insight than you appear to have.
So, here's a thought. Until you're ready to accept and grasp the fact that the district you want to represent is not fully comprised of lilly white Christians, I suggest you go back to your ranch and oh, I don't know...jump on your round trampoline because you are sure not ready for this.
The following is McNeil's Mission Statement taken directly from his campaign website (my emphasis):
I intend to lead the transformation of the American Republic back to the US Constitution and Bill of Rights in order to promote Free Enterprise, to require the Federal Government to be limited in size and power, and to make it function under balanced budget limitations. Individual freedom and liberty must be preserved, while personal responsibility is expected from every citizen. The primary goal is to return to being the People’s Government instead of the Government’s people.
Now, with that in mind, consider the comments he made yesterday in response to questions about the proposed mosque near Ground Zero in NYC:
- "I'm totally against it. If I had my way it'd be pretty much over my dead body to build a mosque there. The Muslims will have that place to gloat about for years if they get their way and it was the Muslim religion that caused the problems we had on 911. It was extremist. It probably didn't represent their exact religion but the very fact they want to build something right there in the shadows of ground zero is ridiculous,"
- “That religion is against everything America stands for. If we have to let them build it, make them build it nine stories underground, so we can walk above it as citizens and Christians.”
- “This religion’s plan is to destroy our way of life.”
- “It’s our place as Christians to stand up for the word of God and what the Bible says.”
First Amendment – Establishment Clause, Free Exercise Clause; freedom of speech, of the press, and of assembly; right to petition - Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
First of all, even if you were to win your primary and then win the general election, which is highly unlikely (let's be honest), you still would not have a say over whether a mosque could be built a few blocks away from Ground Zero.
Did you know there is already another mosque five blocks from there? Did you know there is no proof whatsoever that those wanting to build have any ties to extremist Muslims, such as the ones who took part in 9/11? Did you know there are Muslim services held in the Pentagon? Do you understand that there are different sects of Islam, just as there are different sects of Christians and Jews, etc.? Do you realize there are at least 2 million Muslims (some say as many as 10 million or more) who are citizens of this country?
Do you understand that you are running for an office which, if elected to, would have you representing people of numerous religious faiths and ethnic backgrounds? No, I don't think you do. I don't think you have any concept of what you're talking about. The students asking you the questions and challenging you had far more insight than you appear to have.
So, here's a thought. Until you're ready to accept and grasp the fact that the district you want to represent is not fully comprised of lilly white Christians, I suggest you go back to your ranch and oh, I don't know...jump on your round trampoline because you are sure not ready for this.
Monday, August 16, 2010
Update and Recap of the Big Bend Environmental Forum
Hello everyone! First I'd like to apologize for the delay in getting this latest blog post out. I had some computer issues that required an upgrade to Windows 7 and it didn't go quite as smoothly as I'd hoped, but now I'm in great shape and ready to get back to blogging! Second, I'm going to do a slightly abbreviated recap of the Big Bend Environmental Forum (the Forum) so that I can move forward with some other topics before the much anticipated primary election, which is one week from tomorrow! Yikes!
The Forum was a really informative event in many ways and was done really well! It was broken up into two distinct segments with candidates from FL House District 9 and FL Senate District 6 taking part first and candidates from FL's 2nd Congressional District second. During the first part there really wasn't a lot of disagreement overall. There were certainly different ideas about how to get to the end result of improving and sustaining our environment, but the panel was across the board in favor of doing all we can to protect the environment.
However, no sooner had the 2nd segment started than I began to wonder if I'd been transported to Bizarro. The three FL-02 candidates taking part were Dianne Berryhill (NPA), Paul McKain (NPA), and Ron McNeil (R). To make it simpler, I'm going to go by candidate instead of by question and, of course, add in a little of my commentary along the way ;-)
Dianne Berryhill got defensive pretty quickly. I think it might have had something to do with all the jaws on the floor after her first couple of responses and then no doubt the looks she was getting after the audience picked its collective jaw off the floor. Ms. Berryhill stated in clear terms that she is in favor of drilling anywhere and everywhere in the US and the sooner the better! She doesn't believe global climate change is caused by humans, therefore she is also in favor of more nuclear power, more coal power, and anything else we could possibly exploit. When asked what she does to help the environment, she said she recycles, but that's about it although she does have "Indian blood" so of course she respects "mother earth." Even so, she is going to continue putting the thermostat in her home wherever she wants without regard to efficiency and will drive a large gas-guzzling SUV for the rest of her life because she has 5 kids. This really came out of her mouth, folks, and in a very condescending way. Oh yes, and she believes in "the free trade." I wonder...is that practiced at "the Wal-Mart" or in "the Iraq"?
Then there was Paul McKain. His answer to every question was essentially that the market should be allowed free reign to take care of everything. However, when asked how the market could protect our drinking water he did have the decency to say he didn't have an answer (and neither did the other two). That might have been the best question of the night! And when asked what should be done about foreign plant species in FL, he said he thought there should be more oversight or scrutiny...but wait...that sounds like more regulation! Hmmmm, that surely couldn't be right. Can't the market just fix that too?
And last, but not least, there was Ron "Have We Lost Our Minds" McNeil, who of course plugged his book. He spent more time talking about various aspects of his ranch and all of his patents than he did issues, but he did pass along a few gems, such as stating our country is too large for mass transit.
I initially couldn't figure out why in the world these three showed up to an environmental forum, but it didn't take long for the answer to come. They have nothing to lose as they have little or no chance of winning, so why not? Make no mistake...the Repubs who didn't show up should be worrying us a whole lot more.
The Forum was a really informative event in many ways and was done really well! It was broken up into two distinct segments with candidates from FL House District 9 and FL Senate District 6 taking part first and candidates from FL's 2nd Congressional District second. During the first part there really wasn't a lot of disagreement overall. There were certainly different ideas about how to get to the end result of improving and sustaining our environment, but the panel was across the board in favor of doing all we can to protect the environment.
However, no sooner had the 2nd segment started than I began to wonder if I'd been transported to Bizarro. The three FL-02 candidates taking part were Dianne Berryhill (NPA), Paul McKain (NPA), and Ron McNeil (R). To make it simpler, I'm going to go by candidate instead of by question and, of course, add in a little of my commentary along the way ;-)
Dianne Berryhill got defensive pretty quickly. I think it might have had something to do with all the jaws on the floor after her first couple of responses and then no doubt the looks she was getting after the audience picked its collective jaw off the floor. Ms. Berryhill stated in clear terms that she is in favor of drilling anywhere and everywhere in the US and the sooner the better! She doesn't believe global climate change is caused by humans, therefore she is also in favor of more nuclear power, more coal power, and anything else we could possibly exploit. When asked what she does to help the environment, she said she recycles, but that's about it although she does have "Indian blood" so of course she respects "mother earth." Even so, she is going to continue putting the thermostat in her home wherever she wants without regard to efficiency and will drive a large gas-guzzling SUV for the rest of her life because she has 5 kids. This really came out of her mouth, folks, and in a very condescending way. Oh yes, and she believes in "the free trade." I wonder...is that practiced at "the Wal-Mart" or in "the Iraq"?
Then there was Paul McKain. His answer to every question was essentially that the market should be allowed free reign to take care of everything. However, when asked how the market could protect our drinking water he did have the decency to say he didn't have an answer (and neither did the other two). That might have been the best question of the night! And when asked what should be done about foreign plant species in FL, he said he thought there should be more oversight or scrutiny...but wait...that sounds like more regulation! Hmmmm, that surely couldn't be right. Can't the market just fix that too?
And last, but not least, there was Ron "Have We Lost Our Minds" McNeil, who of course plugged his book. He spent more time talking about various aspects of his ranch and all of his patents than he did issues, but he did pass along a few gems, such as stating our country is too large for mass transit.
I initially couldn't figure out why in the world these three showed up to an environmental forum, but it didn't take long for the answer to come. They have nothing to lose as they have little or no chance of winning, so why not? Make no mistake...the Repubs who didn't show up should be worrying us a whole lot more.
Thursday, August 12, 2010
State and Federal Candidates Like Night and Day on Environment
Tonight I attended the Big Bend Environmental Forum held at Tallahassee City Hall. The first round included candidates running for FL Senate District 6 and FL House District 9. All candidates present from those races were very professional and obviously well informed on environmental issues.
However, I was nothing short of amazed that the three candidates for FL's 2nd Congressional District even showed up! It was unbelievable! We went from total agreement in the first sesson that climate change is affected by humans and CO2 emissions to complete denial from the Congressional candidates. Not just denial actually, but dismissal and disdain, esp from Dianne Berryhill. I will have more to say on this very soon, but had to comment now!
Published with Blogger-droid v1.5.2
Something Stinks in the FL Comm of Ag Race
Up until now I've been focusing a lot on FL's 2nd Congressional race, but being a Wonk means following all the races...so I have google alerts set up on the different statewide candidates.
Yesterday an interesting endorsement came up for Congressman Adam Putnam who is running for Agriculture Commissioner. The Florida Feedstock Growers Association endorsed him - here is the first paragraph from their announcement:
"Today, at the Florida Feedstock Growers Association’s (FFGA) Inaugural Meeting, held prior to the Fifth Annual Farm to Fuel Summit, the organization announced its official endorsement of Adam Putnam for Commissioner of Agriculture and Consumer Services. FFGA is a group of veteran farmers who provide education and real-world experience to farmers and landowners about the principles and practices of growing renewable crops and their respective revenue streams and incentive programs."
It was the "inaugural meeting" that caught my attention. It is the first time these 'farmers' are getting together and they are already endorsing candidates? So I started digging...
My first google search was for their organization and the only thing that came up was this linkedin link: http://www.linkedin.com/pub/steven-webster/16/5ba/baafor Steven Webster who is listed as FFGA President. Mr. Webster is a Tallahassee Consultant with MW Consulting (he is the W of the MW) whose website is http://www.mwconsult.us/ and whose company slogan is "Our mission is to help our clients achieve profitability quickly and consistently". Nice!
So I start to explore MW Consulting further. They are a lobbying firm that specializes in having the state and federal government provide grant money to whomever hires them - currently they are bragging on their home page that "Mathews Wins $9 Million in Florida Grants for Agri-Source Fuels" (Mathews is the M in the MW). Hmmmm, think they might care about who ends up as the next Agriculture and Consumer Services Commissioner?
Also on their website I found this paragraph on FFGA:
"MW Consulting has filed the papers to launch the Florida Feedstock Growers Association. South Florida farmer Bill Vasden (http://www.uscjo.com/) is founding chair; farmer John Paul of Two Cars Citrus is vice chair. MW President Steven Webster is president and registered agent, while MW CEO Peggy Mathews is secretary-treasurer of the new association."
So of their four founding members, who Congressman Putnam's press release today called "a group of veteran farmers" only two have anything to do with farming! The other two are lobbyists for agribusiness. MW Consulting’s Bio Page for Mathews and Webster has nothing about farming.
This doesn't pass the smell test. This appears to be big business lobbyists who make a living off the taxpayers working to grease the wheels of the candidate they think is going to win and give them more money. These lobbyists got smart and created a group with a fancy name and are getting free press for their candidate off of it.
Do you know what Feedstock is? It's raw materials like crude oil or iron ore, or in this example biomass. These aren't working farmers at all.
This just stinks.
Yesterday an interesting endorsement came up for Congressman Adam Putnam who is running for Agriculture Commissioner. The Florida Feedstock Growers Association endorsed him - here is the first paragraph from their announcement:
"Today, at the Florida Feedstock Growers Association’s (FFGA) Inaugural Meeting, held prior to the Fifth Annual Farm to Fuel Summit, the organization announced its official endorsement of Adam Putnam for Commissioner of Agriculture and Consumer Services. FFGA is a group of veteran farmers who provide education and real-world experience to farmers and landowners about the principles and practices of growing renewable crops and their respective revenue streams and incentive programs."
It was the "inaugural meeting" that caught my attention. It is the first time these 'farmers' are getting together and they are already endorsing candidates? So I started digging...
My first google search was for their organization and the only thing that came up was this linkedin link: http://www.linkedin.com/pub/steven-webster/16/5ba/baafor Steven Webster who is listed as FFGA President. Mr. Webster is a Tallahassee Consultant with MW Consulting (he is the W of the MW) whose website is http://www.mwconsult.us/ and whose company slogan is "Our mission is to help our clients achieve profitability quickly and consistently". Nice!
So I start to explore MW Consulting further. They are a lobbying firm that specializes in having the state and federal government provide grant money to whomever hires them - currently they are bragging on their home page that "Mathews Wins $9 Million in Florida Grants for Agri-Source Fuels" (Mathews is the M in the MW). Hmmmm, think they might care about who ends up as the next Agriculture and Consumer Services Commissioner?
Also on their website I found this paragraph on FFGA:
"MW Consulting has filed the papers to launch the Florida Feedstock Growers Association. South Florida farmer Bill Vasden (http://www.uscjo.com/) is founding chair; farmer John Paul of Two Cars Citrus is vice chair. MW President Steven Webster is president and registered agent, while MW CEO Peggy Mathews is secretary-treasurer of the new association."
So of their four founding members, who Congressman Putnam's press release today called "a group of veteran farmers" only two have anything to do with farming! The other two are lobbyists for agribusiness. MW Consulting’s Bio Page for Mathews and Webster has nothing about farming.
This doesn't pass the smell test. This appears to be big business lobbyists who make a living off the taxpayers working to grease the wheels of the candidate they think is going to win and give them more money. These lobbyists got smart and created a group with a fancy name and are getting free press for their candidate off of it.
Do you know what Feedstock is? It's raw materials like crude oil or iron ore, or in this example biomass. These aren't working farmers at all.
This just stinks.
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
How Republican is Steve Southerland?
Has anyone else noticed that Steve Southerland spends a lot of time telling us what a "conservative" he is? In case you haven't visited his campaign website, the top banner literally says he is a Conservative Republican. This made me wonder why he is trying soooooooo hard to make sure everyone knows he's a conservative Republican. And if he's cornering the market on being the conservative candidate, where does that leave the other Republicans vying to run against Rep. Allen Boyd? I think there's a tiny little possibility that Mr. Southerland feels like he has something to prove, what with being a registered Democrat as recently as 2002. I wonder...did he vote for Clinton? Did he vote for Al Gore in 2000? I can't, of course, say who he voted for because I don't know. I can, however, tell you that he donated to Rep. Allen Boyd's campaign in the past...you know back when he was a Democrat - before he morphed into this uber conservative candidate. Come to think of it...if he registered to vote in 1984 as a Democrat and didn't become a Republican until 2002...yeah, it's now 2010...so that means he spent WAY more of his voting years as a Democrat than as a Republican! Yep, 18 years as a Democrat and only 8 years as a Republican...I can see why he feels like he has something to prove.
Monday, August 9, 2010
Early Voting Starts Today!
Just a friendly reminder that early voting starts today! If you live in Leon County, here's the link for all the info you need to go vote! http://www.leonvotes.com/
Stay tuned for ongoing commentary on local races. I wish I could cover them all, but not possible since I do have a day job :-) I'll do my best though! Remind everyone to vote!! Look at the ballot and research the names that aren't familiar to you and decide whose views match yours. This is important!
Stay tuned for ongoing commentary on local races. I wish I could cover them all, but not possible since I do have a day job :-) I'll do my best though! Remind everyone to vote!! Look at the ballot and research the names that aren't familiar to you and decide whose views match yours. This is important!
Thursday, August 5, 2010
Two Recent Endorsements for Southerland
Saw a shocking announcement today (insert sarcasm here)...Steve Southerland, Republican candidate for FL-02, received an endorsement from the House Conservatives Fund (HCF), a federal PAC with two primary goals: (1) regain the Republican majority in Congress and (2) elect (and re-elect) "principled conservatives."
I let my fingers do the walking over to the HCF website (houseconservatives.com) and started reading...
Rep. Patrick McHenry (R-NC) is the Honorary Chair of this group and he's received awards from various organizations for his conservative stands, including the Family Research Council (oh yes, the same group co-founded by our own George "Rentboy" Rekers). Rep. McHenry also reportedly shares the most conservative voting record on traditional family values. You know what that means, right? Complete disregard for a woman's right to reproductive freedom, not to mention rejection of any family unit that doesn't fit their definition of traditional. Furthermore, they blast the Democratic-led Congress for trying to "ram cap and trade" down their throats and blame them for the deficit.
The beauty of doing this blog is that I get to share what I find with you and ask questions to my heart's content and believe me - I have questions! For example...
I'm sorry, I had to pause for a moment to come back down from the ceiling so I could type without using all CAPS and too much punctuation lol...ok, I think I'm good now. Where was I?
Oh yes, for example...WASN'T IT THE REPUBLICANS CAMPAIGNING ON CAP AND TRADE IN 2008???? Sorry, I thought I was ok, but it slipped out. I am so frustrated with people who say one thing all over the place and then in the face of countless hours of having said these things on video they say "what? I never said that." Seriously, it's unbelievable.
And as for the general idea of fiscal conservatism and a deficit out of control. Really I can't believe I have to say this again, but come on! We HAD a budget surplus when Clinton left office. We HAVE a fiscal conservative in office now in the form of Rep. Allen Boyd. All you have to do is take a real look at his record to see that. I may not agree with him on everything, but I actually consider myself to be fiscally conservative and I know he is as well. I know that might be upsetting for some people...can you BE progressive and fiscally conservative at the same time? Yes you can!
Mr. Southerland also received an endorsement this week from Rep. Jeff Miller, Republican Rep from FL-01. I didn't know much about him until I started exploring his website tonight as well. Guess what I found? Rep. Miller received the same award (the "True Blue") from the Family Research Council in 2009. What an amazing coincidence! (yes, insert some more sarcasm...)
Look, I don't have a problem with people being fiscal conservatives and I don't have a problem with people having values, in fact I think values are a great thing to have, but I wish certain folks out there would get a grip on the concept that values are personal. And there isn't just one definition of a traditional value. Ok, so tonight might have been a little more rant than education, but oh well...I feel a little better :-)
I let my fingers do the walking over to the HCF website (houseconservatives.com) and started reading...
Rep. Patrick McHenry (R-NC) is the Honorary Chair of this group and he's received awards from various organizations for his conservative stands, including the Family Research Council (oh yes, the same group co-founded by our own George "Rentboy" Rekers). Rep. McHenry also reportedly shares the most conservative voting record on traditional family values. You know what that means, right? Complete disregard for a woman's right to reproductive freedom, not to mention rejection of any family unit that doesn't fit their definition of traditional. Furthermore, they blast the Democratic-led Congress for trying to "ram cap and trade" down their throats and blame them for the deficit.
The beauty of doing this blog is that I get to share what I find with you and ask questions to my heart's content and believe me - I have questions! For example...
I'm sorry, I had to pause for a moment to come back down from the ceiling so I could type without using all CAPS and too much punctuation lol...ok, I think I'm good now. Where was I?
Oh yes, for example...WASN'T IT THE REPUBLICANS CAMPAIGNING ON CAP AND TRADE IN 2008???? Sorry, I thought I was ok, but it slipped out. I am so frustrated with people who say one thing all over the place and then in the face of countless hours of having said these things on video they say "what? I never said that." Seriously, it's unbelievable.
And as for the general idea of fiscal conservatism and a deficit out of control. Really I can't believe I have to say this again, but come on! We HAD a budget surplus when Clinton left office. We HAVE a fiscal conservative in office now in the form of Rep. Allen Boyd. All you have to do is take a real look at his record to see that. I may not agree with him on everything, but I actually consider myself to be fiscally conservative and I know he is as well. I know that might be upsetting for some people...can you BE progressive and fiscally conservative at the same time? Yes you can!
Mr. Southerland also received an endorsement this week from Rep. Jeff Miller, Republican Rep from FL-01. I didn't know much about him until I started exploring his website tonight as well. Guess what I found? Rep. Miller received the same award (the "True Blue") from the Family Research Council in 2009. What an amazing coincidence! (yes, insert some more sarcasm...)
Look, I don't have a problem with people being fiscal conservatives and I don't have a problem with people having values, in fact I think values are a great thing to have, but I wish certain folks out there would get a grip on the concept that values are personal. And there isn't just one definition of a traditional value. Ok, so tonight might have been a little more rant than education, but oh well...I feel a little better :-)
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
US House District 2 Line-up and Bandwagon 2010
I've been trying to figure out where I should start and finally decided to dig in with the race for the U.S. House, District 2. If you're reading this, you probably already know that Congressman Allen Boyd, a Democrat, is the incumbent. He's been in office for 14 years and is facing a primary opponent in Senator Al Lawson. Rep. Boyd and Sen. Lawson are the only two Democrats running, but there are a whole bunch of other people in the race! I had never heard of most, if any, of them until the signs started sprouting all over town. Now of course I see Eddie Hendry signs in my dreams because there are so many of those signs! Someone told me he posted $40,000 in donations and expended $50,000 for signs and I would believe it!
Many of the candidates for District 2 attended Bandwagon 2010 Monday evening. This event was put on by the League of Women Voters and WFSU. The event was broadcast live, but if you're curious to see how they all performed (well...the ones who showed up), then check out WFSU's schedule since I've been told they replay it multiple times before the primary. http://wfsu.org/community/bandwagon2010.php
OK, on to the list of Republicans in no particular order:
1. Eddie Hendry (sorry about the sign jab above, but wow...)
2. Ron McNeil - took the opportunity at Bandwagon 2010 to plug his book entitled "Have We Lost Our Minds?" - my answer is...never mind...that's too easy
3. David Scholl - told the audience that he voted for Reagan and then proceeded to invoke the name of Reagan so many times that I started to feel like I'd gone back in time...kinda strange
4. Barbara F. Olschner - no show for Bandwagon 2010 in Tally, but according to her Twitter posts she took part in another similar forum west of here Tuesday night where she stated that the two biggest differences between her and the rest of the candidates are that she is the only woman and the only lawyer. I will have to return to that topic later...
5. Steve Southerland - also a no show in Tally, Mr. Southerland is in the funeral home business in Panama City.
No Party Affiliation and Write-In:
1. Dianne Berryhill
2. Paul C. McKain
3. Ray Netherwood
Quite frankly, there are so many people running in this race that my eyes are glazing over and yours probably are too! So, I'm going to break my candidate review into separate posts coming soon.
My last comment for the moment is about the Bandwagon 2010 event itself. The League of Women Voters is a wonderful and worthwhile organization and the event was well done for what it was. I just hope that more people than not do more research on the candidates than could be provided in a 3 minute stump speech...
Many of the candidates for District 2 attended Bandwagon 2010 Monday evening. This event was put on by the League of Women Voters and WFSU. The event was broadcast live, but if you're curious to see how they all performed (well...the ones who showed up), then check out WFSU's schedule since I've been told they replay it multiple times before the primary. http://wfsu.org/community/bandwagon2010.php
OK, on to the list of Republicans in no particular order:
1. Eddie Hendry (sorry about the sign jab above, but wow...)
2. Ron McNeil - took the opportunity at Bandwagon 2010 to plug his book entitled "Have We Lost Our Minds?" - my answer is...never mind...that's too easy
3. David Scholl - told the audience that he voted for Reagan and then proceeded to invoke the name of Reagan so many times that I started to feel like I'd gone back in time...kinda strange
4. Barbara F. Olschner - no show for Bandwagon 2010 in Tally, but according to her Twitter posts she took part in another similar forum west of here Tuesday night where she stated that the two biggest differences between her and the rest of the candidates are that she is the only woman and the only lawyer. I will have to return to that topic later...
5. Steve Southerland - also a no show in Tally, Mr. Southerland is in the funeral home business in Panama City.
No Party Affiliation and Write-In:
1. Dianne Berryhill
2. Paul C. McKain
3. Ray Netherwood
Quite frankly, there are so many people running in this race that my eyes are glazing over and yours probably are too! So, I'm going to break my candidate review into separate posts coming soon.
My last comment for the moment is about the Bandwagon 2010 event itself. The League of Women Voters is a wonderful and worthwhile organization and the event was well done for what it was. I just hope that more people than not do more research on the candidates than could be provided in a 3 minute stump speech...
Monday, August 2, 2010
What the heck is a wonk?!
Hello fellow voters! I thought I might start out with an answer to the question that some of you are no doubt asking yourselves...what's a wonk? Wonk is generally defined as a person who studies a subject or issue in an excessively assiduous and thorough manner: a policy wonk. (Dictionary.com Unabridged - Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2010.).
However, I'm guessing that many of you DO know what a wonk is and are wondering why I'm using it as a verb lol. If that's what you're wondering, then I'm very pleased to meet you! You're definitely in the right place.
Here's the deal...a wonk, or a policy wonk, is someone who studies and focuses on the details of policy and I think that's exactly what political campaigns are all about. What are these candidates' policy views? What policies do they want to change? Of course there are other parts of that crazy thing called a political campaign, but when you get right down to it...it's the policy, stupid ;-) As for why I'm taking the liberty of using it as a verb, well, why not? It's done all the time! So come on...wonk with me or get nerdy or whatever you wanna call it, but please...get educated before you go vote! Of course I'm hoping you'll decide to wonk THIS way.
However, I'm guessing that many of you DO know what a wonk is and are wondering why I'm using it as a verb lol. If that's what you're wondering, then I'm very pleased to meet you! You're definitely in the right place.
Here's the deal...a wonk, or a policy wonk, is someone who studies and focuses on the details of policy and I think that's exactly what political campaigns are all about. What are these candidates' policy views? What policies do they want to change? Of course there are other parts of that crazy thing called a political campaign, but when you get right down to it...it's the policy, stupid ;-) As for why I'm taking the liberty of using it as a verb, well, why not? It's done all the time! So come on...wonk with me or get nerdy or whatever you wanna call it, but please...get educated before you go vote! Of course I'm hoping you'll decide to wonk THIS way.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)