Charlie Crist

Gov. Charlie Crist’s new U.S. Senate campaign ad continues to backfire. First, morning show host Many Connell deconstructed it on-air as, essentially, a vomit-provoking “lie.” Now Cato Institute’s Tax Policy Director Christ Edwards, who gave Crist an “A” in his Fiscal Policy Report Card on America’s Governors,” is annotating Crist’s decision to mention the grade in the Connell-maligned radio ad.

From an Edwards email:

According to the Herald’s Naked Politics (October 16), Gov. Charlie Crist is trumpeting his grade of “A” on Cato’s “Fiscal Policy Report Card on America’s Governors.” The governor earned the grade in last year’s report based mainly on his property tax cuts and moderate spending approach.

I am pleased that Crist values Cato’s ratings because we work hard to make them accurate and nonpartisan. But as the report’s author, I am concerned that the governor has fallen off the fiscal responsibility horse since the report was written in mid-2008.

In particular, Crist approved a huge $2.2 billion tax increase for the fiscal 2010 budget, even though he had promised that $12 billion in federal “stimulus” money showered on Florida over three years would obviate the need for tax increases.

About $1 billion of the tax increases are on cigarette consumers, which will particularly harm moderate-income families. The rest of the increases are in the form of higher costs for often mandatory services, such as automobile registration, which is really just a sneaky form of tax increases.

These tax increases will be particularly painful to Floridians in the short-term because of the recession. But Crist has also jeopardized the state’s long-term finances with his expanded subsidies for hurricane insurance. Hurricanes are a major challenge in Florida, but giving big subsidies to coastal property owners, driving private insurers out of the state, and guaranteeing a massive state bailout when the next hurricane hits strikes me as the height of fiscally irresponsibility.

Sincerely,

Chris Edwards
Director of Tax Policy
Cato Institute
Washington, D.C.
Author of “Fiscal Policy Report Card on America’s Governors, 2008”

READ THE ARTICLE

Kendrick Meek

U.S. Rep. Kendrick Meek, D- Miami, today picked up Senate endorsements from Chief Financial Officer Alex Sink and U.S. Rep. Corinne Brown, D-Jacksonville, who had been exploring her own run for Senate.

Sink, a 2010 candidate for governor, is one of two Dems to hold statewide office in Florida. The other — U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson — hasn’t formally endorsed Meek, but was listed as a host for a Meek fund-raiser in Washington this month that was headlined by former President Bill Clinton.

Meek is the heavy favorite to win the Democratic Senate nomination, but former Miami Mayor Maurice Ferre announced this month that he will also run as a Democrat.

Miami, FL – Oct. 26, 2009   Noted economist Farid Khavari, a Democratic candidate for Florida governor in 2010, today discussed his plans for health care reform in Florida.

“No matter what health care reform plan Congress and the Obama administration come up with, the states will pay the price and we need to be ready,” said Khavari. “Florida will have 700,000 to 1,200,000 new Medicaid clients, with similar increases in other states. We can expect the mandate from Washington to be unfunded or inadequately funded. This will be a crushing burden on the states unless we have a comprehensive solution to improve health care quality and access, and reduce costs.”

Khavari has gained national attention for his innovative economic plans, including a proposed state-owned bank to slash interest costs in Florida, and a program to create one million private-sector jobs in Florida without subsidies. He addressed health care reform in his books Vultures (1987), Environomics (1995) and Toward a Zero-Cost Economy (2009).  Some of his concepts have surfaced in the current national scramble for health care reform.

“Health care is one area where improving efficiency actually improves quality. We can have universal access, top quality care, drastically lower costs—and doctors, nurses and other personnel can earn more with less stress,” Khavari said. “The key is restructuring the delivery system. We can leave practicing medicine to the doctors, not the lawyers or bureaucrats or insurance companies. We can eliminate any form of rationing. We can eliminate redundancy and red tape that add costs and take away from quality health care.” Details including a new clinic model are at www.khavariforgovernor.com.

“We need to slash insurance costs by 30% or more,” Khavari said. “Forcing everyone to buy health insurance will not lower costs, it will just hand a huge piece of the GDP to the insurance companies and destroy our economy. Insurance companies have no interest in improving care or reducing costs. They make a profit regardless. If costs are higher, their business grows. If they could make the same profit at half the price, they wouldn’t do it, because it would shrink the size of their business. Everything from stock prices to executive bonuses is keyed to growth.

“There already is a ‘public option’ called Medicaid. The state is already in the health insurance business. When we restructure our delivery system for Medicaid, we will have doctors rushing to work with us, a quality of care second to none, and costs per patient far lower than we have now. We can offer access to this system to everyone, much cheaper than private health insurance. The insurance companies can join us in lowering costs and improving care, or they can face unbeatable competition from the people. Health insurance cannot continue to suck the lifeblood out of our economy,” Khavari said. “And we will not stand for drug companies charging higher prices in Florida than they do in Canada.

“Restructuring our health care delivery system will create about 200,000 good jobs in Florida, which will cost nothing because they will be paid for by health care savings,” Khavari said.

Farid A. Khavari, Ph.D. is a noted economist and author of nine books. His latest, Toward a Zero-Cost Economy, is available in stores or for free download at the website.

Carey Baker

Eustis, FL.- Senator Carey Baker announced today that his candidacy for Commissioner of Agriculture and Consumer Services has been endorsed by the Fraternal Order of Police, Florida State Lodge (FOP).  In deciding to endorse Senator Baker, the FOP recognized not only Senator Baker’s “exceptional support for law enforcement issues and public safety” but also his 28 years of “service to our nation … including deployment to Iraq during Operation Iraqi Freedom.”  In addition, Florida State Lodge President James Preston announced that Senator Baker has been named the Fraternal Order of Police’s “2009 Senator of the Year.”

“I am proud that my candidacy for Commissioner of Agriculture and Consumer Services has earned the endorsement of the Fraternal Order of Police,” said Baker. “The Fraternal Order of Police is an important advocate on behalf of professional law enforcement officers and receiving their ‘stamp of approval’ is a badge of honor for my campaign.  Today’s endorsement underscores my position as the premier champion of law enforcement and public safety issues in this race.”

In announcing the Baker endorsement, Florida State Lodge President James Preston praised Senator Baker’s legislative record.  “We have found your exceptional support for law enforcement issues and public safety remains strong and focused even as we all struggle with tough economic times,” said Preston. “I believe your leadership, knowledge and passion for ‘doing the right thing’ for Florida will continue at the Office of Commissioner of Agriculture and Consumer Services,” Preston added.

Today’s announcement follows the recent announcement that Senator Baker had received the Police Benevolent Association’s “Law Enforcement Champion Award.”

Senator Carey Baker (SD-20) represents a district that includes portions of Marion, Sumter, Lake, Volusia and Seminole Counties. Baker is a candidate for the position of Commissioner of Agriculture and more information about Senator Baker may be found at his website: www.careybaker.com

Alan Grayson

Democratic Rep. Alan Grayson has launched a website, NamesOfTheDead.com, to honor the 44,000 people who die every year because they don’t have health insurance.

“I have created this project in their memory. I hope that honoring them will help us end this senseless loss of American lives,” Grayson writes on the site. “If you have lost a loved one, please share the story of that loved one with us. Help us ensure that their legacy is a more just America, where every life that can be saved will be saved.”

Grayson announced the site on the House floor today and the NRCC already has a clip of it up under the title, “Alan Grayson’s most shamless stunt yet?”

He begins talking about the website at about 2 minutes in:

Bill Posey

WASHINGTON, DC – This afternoon Congressman Bill Posey (R-Rockledge) delivered a speech on the House Floor discussing the need to invest more in our nation’s space program. In his speech, Posey outlined what a day without NASA spinoff products would be like.

“NASA has been at the cutting edge of technology, leading to many devices and luxuries that we use every day,” said Congressman Posey who worked on the Apollo 11 mission as a young man.

Posey used his time on the floor to also speak about contaminated Chinese drywall which has been used recently to build hundreds of homes in Florida and across the country.

“It’s a critical time for NASA and our nation’s leadership in space.

“With the looming retirement of the Space Shuttle and the risk of a growing space gap, we risk losing tens of thousands of additional jobs across the U.S.

“These are jobs in industries that develop the cutting edge technology which raises our living standards and helps American businesses compete.

“NASA has been at the cutting edge of technology, leading to many devices and luxuries that we use every day.

“Imagine what a day without NASA products would be like:

“First, you may not have had a good night’s sleep if you normally rest on that temper foam mattress or pillow – originally developed by NASA as a shock absorber.  You may have even overslept without NASA’s quartz timing in your alarm clock.

“Being green won’t help you get ready for work in the morning if you have a solar water heater installed on your roof.  Many cosmetics, toothpaste and perfumes find their roots in NASA.

“Before you head out the door, you may have difficulty getting an accurate weather forecast due to the lack of weather satellites coming out of our nation’s space program.

“Better use a landline telephone to call work and let them know you’re running late because cell phones and other wireless devices are out of service on a day without NASA derived technology.

“Getting to work might be a challenge as well particularly if you drive a hybrid.  The lithium-ion battery in your hybrid was developed with NASA engineering expertise and tested at Kennedy Space Center.  Get rid of that temper foam seat if you ride motorcycle to work.

“Don’t plan on flying to that vacation or important job conference.  NASA developed flight-tracking and management software is used by air traffic controllers.  It probably won’t surprise you that flight safety software was developed by NASA.  Just in case you still find yourself on an airplane, it may be a bumpy ride without NASA software that informs pilots of turbulent conditions.

“Work may be a little difficult too without access to NASA computer technology and wireless headsets.

“On an unrelated but important topic –

“As a member of the Contaminated Drywall Caucus and Representative of an area impacted by contaminated drywall, I wanted to take a few minutes to draw the attention of my colleagues to this issue.

“Between the 2004 and 2008 many homes were been built using what has turned out to be organically contaminated drywall.

“Homes in 26 states and the District of Columbia are affected

“It is particularly problematic in areas, like Florida, with high humidity.

“A little over a year ago, it was discovered that the source of a number of corrosion issues and health symptoms were likely due to contaminated drywall that originating from China.

“Since then we’ve been working to find a solution and what we’ve discovered is disturbing.

“The contaminated drywall contains toxic and semi-toxic substances which release harmful gases.

“Many of these homes are filled with a pungent sulfuric odor which has since been linked to adverse health conditions.

“Some families have already been forced to move out of their homes for fear of long term health effects.

“These gases are also responsible for devastating corrosion to many standard household systems such as copper and brass fittings, air compressor coils, electrical systems, and even fire alarms.

“We don’t know if there is a valid remediation protocol short of pulling all the contaminated boards out and replacing them.

“The Consumer Product Safety Commission has been tasked as the lead Federal agency and is working with Department of Housing and Urban Development and the Environmental Protection Agency to find solutions.

“The Consumer Product Safety Commission will soon release a study to answer some of the questions. They are also working on a remediation protocol.

“The Consumer Product Safety Commission must work closely with all parties, seriously consider the results of private studies, and share the results of their own studies with all stakeholders. We need all parties to be a part of a quick and permanent solution.

“I ask all of my colleagues to join me in thanking all those who are working hard on this issue and in calling on the CPSC to bring forward their study results quickly.”

Central Florida Politics’ Lakeland City Elections Endorsements:
- (Mayor) Jim Verplanck
- (At Large) Howard Wiggs
- (Northwest) Phillip Walker
- (Southwest) Michael Dunn

Jim Verplanck is my choice for Mayor
Mr. Verplanck’s commitment to excellence in Lakeland City Government is what has earned him Central Florida Politics endorsement. Jim Verplanck has worked tirelessly for economic development of Lakeland and surrounding areas, which in turn brings jobs at a much-needed time. I believe that Jim Verplanck has the leadership skills needed to carry Lakeland to the next level. This is why Jim Verplanck has won the endorsement of Central Florida Politics.

Howard Wiggs gets nod for At Large Seat 1
Howard Wiggs is committed to serve. This is visible not only from his current elected position but in other areas as well. Howard has either chaired or served on Lakeland Vision, Polk Senior Games, Viste, Ridge League of Cities, Kiwanis, and Rotary just to name a few. I believe that Howard’s commitment to community will assist him in the next term to bring more jobs to the area. Howard Wiggs is a life long resident of Central Florida. Howard Wiggs has earned the endorsement of Central Florida Politics based on his commitment to community!

Phillip Walker earns endorsement
Phillip’s life story, his commitment to small business, his selfless service to the community, and his love of family are reasons why we have chosen to endorse Phillip’s campaign. As a past police officer he understand the need for public safety. I believe the election of Phillip Walker will be a great step forward for the city of Lakeland.
Michel Dunn Gets Endorsement over Don Selvage
The decision to support Michael Dunn was fairly easy. Don Selvage has mentioned several times that his role in Human Resources brings jobs to the area. Anyone that has ever been terminated knows that it also ends jobs as well. Currently we are researching a story linking Don Selvage and his SHR Human Resources LLC to terminations at Summit Holdings where 55 Lakeland Residents just lost their jobs. (More on that later) Both Michael Dunn and Don Selvage are veterans of the United States Marine Corps as am I. My choice for the election is Michael Dunn. Mike is a lifelong resident of Lakeland. Mike’s focus on Lakeland Electric is yet another great reason to support him. I have not heard another candidate speak about ways to fix Lakeland Electric. Mike is already giving suggestions to fix problems. This shows that he has put in the time and research to find amicable solutions to the problems. With this Mike Dunn has earned my endorsement.