Democratic Agriculture Commissioner candidate Scott Maddox’s campaign didn’t get off to a slow start although he didn’t begin collecting money until yesterday.

The former head of the state Democratic Party put off raising campaign cash until Sept. 1 – nearly two months after he jumped into the race – for a reason: that’s when matching public money kicks in.

“But today is not just the first day of our fundraising campaign, today also marks the first day that you can more than double your impact! If you contribute today, the State of Florida will match your donation on a 2 to 1 basis up to $250! If you give $50 dollars, the state will match with an additional $100. If you give $100, the State will match an additional $200, and if you give $250, the match will be an additional $500! Please help us take on this challenge and make a difference for Florida’s consumers…and watch your donation grow!” reads an e-mail Maddox sent to supporters yesterday.

Maddox is faces two other contenders in the Democratic primary. Former state Rep. Rick Minton, a Ft. Pierce realtor, and former Suwanee County Commissioner Randy Hatch both want the job. Audubon of Florida lobbyist Eric Draper dropped out of the race after Maddox stepped in.

Republican U.S. Rep. Adam Putnam, also a former state House member, from Bartow. Putnam is heralded as the golden boy from Polk county, he was one of the youngest politicians elected to Congress in 2001 at the age of 26. Opponents in the primary include state Sen. Carey Baker, a gun shop owner from Eustis.

Current Agriculture and Consumer Services Commissioner Charles Bronson is leaving office because of term limits.

Websites: Adam Putnam, Carey Baker, Scott Maddox

Adam Putnam

Just because Destin has no agriculture doesn’t mean the Florida Agriculture Commissioner isn’t important to the city, Florida Congressman Adam Putnam says.

“The department, in addition to promoting agriculture, also regulates timeshares, autodealers, aquacultures and promotes Florida seafood,” Putnam, a Republican running for the state cabinet post, told The Log. “The commissioner of agriculture makes important decisions about sovereign submerged lands, energy — whether renewable or traditional, natural gas-fired or nuclear-fired power plants — food safety, which is important to everyone, water-resource issues and land use.”

Term limits will force current Commissioner Charles Bronson to step down in 2010. Putnam and state Sen. Carey Baker are competing for the Republican nomination; the Democratic candidates include former state Rep. Rick Minton, former Suwannee County Commissioner Randy Hatch and former Tallahassee mayor and state Democratic Party Chairman Scott Maddox. The 2010 state primary will be Aug. 24.

Putnam arrived in Destin Tuesday to attend and address a Destin Rotary Club breakfast as Mayor Craig Barker’s guest.

Putnam said his background is perfect for the job: A fifth-generation Floridian and farmer with government experience in both Tallahassee and Washington “creates a unique set of qualifications.” He said the commissioner not only needs to understand agriculture but to have a vision for “water resources, food safety, renewable energy and land use that creates a vision for our state.”

Why shift from the U.S. Congress to the Florida Cabinet?

“There’s a couple of reasons,” Putnam said. “The first one is, I’m excited about the opportunity to focus exclusively on Florida issues. As one of four members of the cabinet, as opposed to 435 members of the house, it gives you an opportunity to implement change more quickly, and be held accountable for your own vision for the department, rather than round up 200 votes to pass a Mother’s Day resolution.”

Putnam’s campaign manager is Trey McCarley, son of former Okaloosa County Commisioner Karen Baker.

McCarley grew up in Fort Walton Beach, fishing and working in Destin for many years at Louisiana Lagniappe and Seascape resort. He has worked for Gov. Jeb Bush and the Republican Party and he has managed campaigns for former State Comptroller Bob Milligan and outgoing Ag commissioner Bronson.

TAMPA — With the deadline looming to apply for federal stimulus money to build a high speed rail line, lawmakers, business leaders and community organizers will launch a campaign Tuesday to win funding for the project.

The group ConnectUs, a nonprofit founded by longtime rail supporter and former Hillsborough County Commissioner Ed Turanchik, is spearheading the effort.

“This is a grass-roots campaign that’s going to be working on this and elevating this in the public eye,” said Robert Armstead, a spokesperson for ConnectUs.

Florida is seeking $2.53 billion in federal stimulus money to start building a high speed rail line connecting Tampa to Orlando. Plans call for the tracks to eventually extend to Miami.

Three events in support of the effort are scheduled for Tuesday.

At 9:30 a.m., the Central Florida Partnership will host a rally at Orlando International Airport, with U.S. Rep. Alan Grayson-D, Orlando and Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer as the featured speakers.

At 11:45 a.m., Republican Florida Sen. Paula Dockery will host an event at Lakeland City Hall.

And at 2 p.m., Democratic U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor and the Tampa Bay Partnership will host a rally at Stetson University College of Law.

The line is considered a top contender in the competition for $8 billion in stimulus money attached to President Barack Obama’s vision for “world-class passenger rail” in 10 major corridors, including Florida. Obama has pledged another $1 billion for high-speed rail for each of the next five years.

U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood has singled out Florida and California — where the line would connect San Diego to San Francisco and Sacramento — as being “way ahead of the curve” with their high speed rail plans, meaning they could quickly meet Obama’s goal of creating jobs.

In Florida, environmental and ridership studies have been completed. The right-of-way for the tracks is largely in place, with plans to run trains in the median of Interstate 4.

Land for bullet train stations already has been committed in downtown Tampa on the site of the former Morgan Street jail and in Lakeland, Disney World and the Orlando International Airport.

“The only thing Florida has been lacking so far is a visible show of support from the citizens, the elected officials, communities, environmental groups and the business community,” Dockery said. “That’s really the purpose of ConnectUs, to gather all that support. Because it’s there. We just need to showcase it. If we can do that, Florida’s application is going to be heads above others.”

On July 31, U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson sent a letter to state Senate President Jeff Atwater, House Speaker Larry Cretul and state Democratic leaders, saying they need to get behind the effort if Florida wants to win the stimulus money. He suggested they write a letter to LaHood expressing support.

Last week, Republican state Sen. Mike Fasano did just that, making more than a dozen points about why the state should get the award. Among the arguments Fasano made: Work on the Tampa-Orlando line could begin in less than two years; the train would provide a safe transportation alternative for seniors; and it would help with hurricane evacuation.

Ten members of Florida’s federal legislative delegation also sent a letter in June to LaHood showing support for the project.

Signers included Democrats Castor, Grayson, Corrine Brown, Kendrick Meek, Robert Wexler, Debbie Wasserman Schultz and Alcee Hastings, and Republicans Lincoln Diaz-Balart, Mario Diaz-Balart and Adam Putnam.

LaHood will be in Florida around the first of September to meet with state and local officials about the project, said Brown, who chairs the U.S. House transportation committee’s subcommittee on railroads, pipelines and hazardous materials.

“He’s very interested in Florida,” said Corrine Brown, but noted that state lawmakers need to make financial commitments to the line. “I know the federal government wants to be partners. I know the locals want to be partners. But we’ve got to have the state at the table.”

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Prominent environmental lobbyist Eric Draper is leaving the race for agriculture commissioner.

Pointing to his long-standing commitment as the state policy director for Audubon of Florida, Draper said Monday he had chosen to stay in that job instead of running for the Democratic nomination.

“Keeping our state staff and volunteer leaders focused on protecting the environment is very important to me and is ultimately important for all Floridians who want strong advocates for our environment,” Draper said. “We face serious challenges – from proposed coastal oil drilling to keeping Florida Forever and Everglades restoration going.”

A conservationist who pushed for land preservation, clean energy and clean water, Draper called for more cooperation between farmers, urban interests and environmentalists on water sharing and stronger control of invasive species during his brief campaign.

Although well known in Capitol circles, Draper lacked the statewide name recognition often needed in Florida to attract enough cash to fuel a successful campaign.

He is the second announced candidate to withdraw from the contest. Former state Rep. Marty Bowen, a Haines City citrus grower, announced in April she was abandoning her bid to win the Republican nomination to focus on business issues.

U.S. Rep. Adam Putnam, a former state legislator from Bartow, and state Sen. Carey Baker are the GOP candidates still in the race. Putnam has built an early advantage raising money from special interest groups, unlike the Mount Dora gun shop owner.

Former Tallahassee mayor and state Democratic Party chairman Scott Maddox and former state Rep. Rick Minton of Fort Pierce are seeking the Democratic nomination. Maddox is making his third bid for statewide office.

The current commissioner of the agency formerly named the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services is Republican Charles Bronson, who is precluded by Florida’s term limits law from seeking re-election a second time.

Bronson, the state’s 10th ag commissioner since the department’s creation in 1885, oversees an agency of 3,700 employees. They are responsible for a wide-ranging array of duties from inspecting gasoline pumps at service stations, controlling and eradicating pests as well as plant and animal disease, issuing concealed weapons licenses to qualified citizens and ensuring that the food supply is safe.

Florida voters will also be choosing a new governor, U.S. senator, attorney general and chief financial officer in the 2010 election cycle in addition to state legislators and local officials.

To those of you who have been supportive of high speed rail for many years, we now have a great opportunity to show that support. In the recent stimulus package, President Obama included $8 billion for High Speed Rail projects nation-wide.

In view of this opportunity, the state of Florida has submitted several applications for these funds, one of which totaled $2.5 billion and would adequately fund Phase 1 of the HSR project, to run from Tampa to Orlando. Because this project has completed the NEPA process and is closest to being shovel-ready, this application is considered to be one of the strongest in the nation.

Ed Turanchik from Tampa is starting a grass roots organization known as “Connect Us” to help develop support for Florida’s High Speed Rail. On Tuesday, August 18, from 11:45 AM-12:45 PM at the Lakeland City Commission Chamber (228 Massachusetts Avenue), Ed and a group of supporters from Miami and Orlando will be coming to Lakeland to kick off this grassroots support with a media event. The group will then continue their support in Tampa.

Senator Paula Dockery will serve as emcee for the event. Appearances and comments will be provided by Lakeland Mayor Buddy Fletcher (confirmed), County Commissioner Bob English (confirmed), and City Commissioner Howard Wiggs (confirmed). Congressman Adam Putnam and City Commissioner Justin Troller are also invited to attend, but have not yet confirmed their attendance.
Attached for your information is an event flier highlighting the occasion. Please feel free to forward this email to other supporters. If anyone is interested in going on to the Tampa event afterwards, please let us know so that we have an idea of who is attending. Should you have any questions or need further information, please contact Yadira Holmes at 863.413.2900 or via email at yapulido@aol.com.

Thank you for your support of High Speed Rail. We encourage and look forward to showing your support on Tuesday, August 18.

See flyer

I have read many interesting letters from people in support of a national or socialistic healthcare plan. One has to ponder, what would the Founders want? Interestingly enough we know what they wanted. We can look to our Declaration of Independence and the Constitution for guidance.

Thomas Jefferson once said, “A wise and frugal government, which shall leave men free to regulate their own pursuits of industry and improvement, and shall not take from the mouth of labor the bread it has earned – this is the sum of good government”

I support Adam Putnam’s stance on the healthcare issue. He has stated in another area newspaper that he supports a “Free Market System”. I believe the founders would support his position as well.

What is it going to take for people to start realizing that the Government is not the answer to our problems? Government overstepping its boundaries is the problem. When we stop taking planks from the Communist Manifesto and applying them to our lives our society will begin to heal!

It is pointless to call the current measure Health Care Reform. When has Government involvement in the Private Sector ever made anything more efficient or cost effective? I believe this Reform move is more of a power grab that will haunt future generations of Americans.

Adam Putnam

Despite support from food-industry allies such as Rep Jim Costa and Rep. Adam Putnam, the Food Safety Enhancement Act of 2009 failed to reach the supermajority needed for passage in the House of Representatives today.

The yeas were 280 and the nays were 150, but the two-thirds supermajority (287) was not reached to pass the bill under a suspension of the rules that limited debate to 40 minutes.

Patrick Delaney, communications manager for the United Fresh Produce Association,Washington, D.C. said United Fresh was exploring the reasons why the bill failed and what the next steps might be for the House food safety legislation.

Opposition from the American Farm Bureau Federation and other agriculture organizations that were wary of Food and Drug Administration encroachment may have cost the bill some votes, though House Agriculture Chairman Collin Peterson, D-Minn., worked with House Energy and Commerce leaders to smooth over worries that the FDA would seek to regulate grain and livestock producers.

While the bill drew some opposition from Republicans in House debate, members of both parties praised the bill as a bipartisan product.

Putnam, R-Fla., praised the effort of Costa, D-Calif., in helping to put together a bill that brings together America’s farmers ranchers and consumers. However, Putnam said a number of features of the bill — particularly language relating to the FDA’s power to quarantine food and mandate traceability — need further work.

Rep. Joe Barton, R-Texas, ranking member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, said the legislation deserves support.

“The process is fair, the product is fair, I strongly encourage a yes vote,” he said during the debate.

“This bill begins a long task of rectifying decades of neglect by updating FDA’s ancient tools outdated mandate,” said Rep. Rosa DeLauro, D-Conn.

DeLauro said the bill gives enhance the agency ability to prevent contamination of food by giving the agency the ability to inspect the highest risk facilities once every six months to a year rather than once a decade.

She also said it also enhances reporting requirements for companies and establishing performance standards for fighting food based pathogens.

“This bill is a strong solid first step in creating a food safety system that can protect American families from contaminated food,” DeLauro said.

Rep. Frank Lucas, R-Okla., ranking member of the House Agriculture Committee, said that he objected to the fact the House Agriculture Committee was not involved in putting together the bill and stated his opposition to it.

We did a piece on this so called “Food Safety Bill” not to long ago.  We received several messages from Congressman Putnam’s office regarding the story.  It seems that exemptions were added to the bill.  You can find our original post here

Carey Baker

Saying they are giving Floridians a chance to “fight back”, State Senator Carey Baker (R-Eustis) and State Representative Scott Plakon (R-Longwood) filed legislation yesterday to amend Florida’s Constitution to prohibit any law or rule from forcing people into a one size fits all, federally mandated health care system such as that being rushed through Congress. HJR 37 and the Senate companion legislation would preserve the freedom of our citizens to choose the kind of care they want or need.

“Today, we’re drawing the line in the sand. It is bad enough that our federal government wants to choose your doctor and ration your treatment,” Baker said. “But to do so virtually in secret and in such a rush proves that the goal is not to get better health care but to get socialized health care. Congress’ plan even penalizes people that want to pay for their own lawful health care services. That’s just wrong.”

“The federal government and its bureaucracies dictating who, when and what kind of treatment you receive is not reform at all,” said Representative Plakon. “Senator Baker and I feel it is our duty to step up and reassert the rights of Floridians, in this case protecting our citizens’ rights and freedoms to make appropriate decisions as it relates to their own health care. We believe this unprecedented power-grab by President Obama and Congress is clearly not in the best interests of the citizens of Florida.”

Plakon added historical context to this important legislation, pointing out that in 1787, Dr. Benjamin Rush, America’s foremost respected physician of his time, a signer of the Declaration of Independence, and a delegate to the Constitutional Convention, worked diligently to have the protection of “medical freedom” as a key addition to the US Constitution. Dr. Rush warned that medicine could become “an undercover dictatorship and force people who wish doctors and treatment of their own choice to submit to only what the dictating outfit offers.”

Baker and Plakon agreed that America’s health care system provides the most advanced health care opportunities in the world and that totally dismantling it is a dangerous step backwards. They went on to say that the fear of the federal government rationing care is a very real consequence of the legislation Congress is trying to ram through. Both said that efforts to improve health care access and affordability are important, but that the starting point in those efforts must start with protecting people’s freedom in choosing doctors, treatments and insurance options.

To amend Florida’s Constitution, the Florida House and Senate must pass the referendum language in next year’s legislative session with a super majority (3/5) voting in favor. Then the measure goes before the voters in the 2010 November general election and must pass with at least 60% voting in favor.
ABOUT CAREY BAKER: Senator Carey Baker has served in the Florida Army National Guard for over 28 years. Most recently, he was deployed for a year in Iraq’s Sunni Triangle during Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Carey is also the owner of the nation’s oldest continuously operating gun shop, the A.W. Peterson Gun Shop in Mount Dora, Florida.

Carey currently represents Florida’s 20th District in the State Senate, which includes parts of Lake, Marion, Volusia, Seminole and Sumter Counties. He has announced his candidacy for Florida Commissioner of Agriculture (www.careybaker.com), a position that oversees the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services and is one of four statewide elected members of the Florida Cabinet.

Congressman Adam Putnam, R-Bartow, seeking the Republican nomination Florida Commissioner of Agriculture, speaks at a Hobe Sound Chamber of Commerce breakfast on July 2.

Adam Putnam

Today Adam Putnam released the following newsletter regarding the nomination of Sonia Sotomayor to the Supreme Court.

Since President Obama’s nomination of Judge Sonia Sotomayor to the U.S. Supreme Court, I have insisted that the Senate hearings move forward with an open mind to learn about her temperament and philosophy. I have also noted the historic nature of her nomination.

Now that we’ve witnessed her demeanor, knowledge of the law and responses to questioning, a more fair judgment may be made.

Judge Sotomayor is undoubtedly an accomplished jurist, but fails to clearly state her view of the Constitution and the fundamental rights enshrined therein. In response to questioning by several Senators on the Judiciary Committee, who were pursuing the basis for her own previous decisions that could imperil rights guaranteed by the 2nd Amendment, she refused to affirm the individual’s right to keep and bear arms.  Given the strong anti-gun agenda of this Administration, and the razor thin margin on the current Court, it is difficult to give this nominee the benefit of the doubt on such an important matter.

I believe a nominee’s philosophy, public commentary and, especially, past decisions are fair game in analyzing a nominee’s suitability for a lifetime appointment to the nation’s highest court. In this case, her past decisions and refusal to clarify her philosophy, as it relates to constitutional rights, are troubling enough. Without affirmation of her belief in the fundamental right to keep and bear arms, I would not support her elevation to the U.S. Supreme Court.

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