Bill Nelson

Florida Republicans Declare War On Democracy In Florida: Making It More Difficult To Vote!

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The Florida legislature, more than two thirds Republican, in league with Governor Rick Scott, has decided to take democracy away from the people of the Sunshine State, and in so doing, return Florida to the first half of the 20th century, and in many ways, to the late 19th century.

The goal in America has been to expand the right to vote, not inhibit it, but remember Florida, as a southern state, did everything it could after the Civil War and up to 1965, a full century, to deny African Americans the right to vote.

Now the legislature has decided to do the following:

1. Cut early voting before election day from 14 days to eight days, making it more difficult for many voters to participate, since many may not want to wait in long lines, particularly senior citizens. One third of Florida voters went to the polls before election day, and this will make it more difficult for them to do what they prefer, and assuredly will cut down the vote numbers.

2. College students and newlyweds with a name or address change will have to cast privisional ballots, which might not be counted, as there will be no allowance to change information as one votes. Half of all provisional ballots were not counted in 2008.

3. Groups that help register voters, such as the League of Women Voters, would only have two days to return the registration cards to the supervisor of elections, or would face the possibility of fines up to $1000, plus volunteers who made mistakes in voter applications could also be fined.

Florida Democratic Senator Bill Nelson made a public appeal to prevent these changes, but the GOP went ahead and did it anyway, so it is a bad sign for the future of Florida democracy!

The Outrage Of Rick Scott, John Kasich, And Scott Walker: Rejection of High Speed Rail Train Funds For Future Infrastructure Economic Growth! :(

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It is shocking news that Florida Governor Rick Scott has joined Ohio Governor John Kasich and Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker in the rejection of billions of dollars of high speed rail train funds for future Infrastructure economic growth! 🙁

This all comes after New Jersey Governor Chris Christie has rejected the building of new interstate roads between the high traffic states of New Jersey and New York.

Building and expanding transportation infrastructure is crucial for future economic growth and prosperity and the continued rapid growth of our population, and many European countries and Japan and South Korea are way ahead of us in that regard.

And yet these four Republican Governors, already infamous for attempting to crack down on public service employees and destroy labor rights, including collective bargaining, are so short sighted that they will reject federal funding, which will simply go elsewhere.

The Democratic Governors of New York and California has open arms extended to accept money rejected by these other states. Andrew Cuomo and Jerry Brown are not about to reject the chance for further long range economic growth, and it is essential for the future that the nation rely more on trains to cut down automobile traffic and save energy.

Florida could have had $2.4 billion to develop high speed train traffic between Orlando and Tampa, the high traffic corridor of I-4, and even many Republicans in the state, along with Democrats, including Senator Bill Nelson, are going to work to get the project done by working around the state government.

Scott took the lead of his Tea Party supporters, and is rejecting the future. In six weeks in office, Rick Scott has come across as a total “train wreck”, no pun intended, and yet there is no state mechanism to push for his recall, as only 18 states allow recall, and Florida is not one of them! 🙁

It is clear that Scott is going to be a very controversial and divisive Governor, and the question is how much his own party in the Florida legislature will fight him before he destroys the future of the Sunshine State! 🙁

The US Senate: Facing Possible Major Turnover In 2012

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The US Senate saw a major turnover in 2010, with sixteen new Senators being added to the body, 13 Republicans and 3 Democrats. Also, four incumbents lost their seats.

Now as 2012 comes on, 22 Democrats and only 11 Republicans face the challenge of running for re-election, and already three members have decided to retire–Republican Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison of Texas, Democratic Senator Kent Conrad of North Dakota, and Independent Senator Joe Lieberman of Connecticut.

Senators Ben Nelson of Nebraska, Bill Nelson of Florida, Herb Kohl of Wisconsin, Jim Webb of Virginia, Daniel Akaka of Hawaii, and Jeff Bingaman of New Mexico, all Democrats, and Republican Senators Orrin Hatch of Utah, Jon Kyl of Arizona, John Ensign of Nevada, and Richard Lugar of Indiana all face major challenges from the opposition party, as well as the Tea Party purists who seem to be out to defeat several Republican Senators, including Hatch, Lugar, Scott Brown of Massachusetts, and Olympia Snowe of Maine.

The Senate may be seen as a glorious and prestigious body that no one would want to leave by choice, but the struggle to win elections and hold on to seats is becoming more and more taxing, emotionally and financially, as the country becomes more divided by vitriolic opposition, so it would not be surprising if more than the three who have announced they are retiring end up leaving the hallowed body, considered the greatest legislative body and debating society in the world!

Charlie Crist Abandoned By Two He Promoted To Their Public Positions! :(

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Florida Governor Charlie Crist, who is running as an Independent for the Senate this fall, is learning rapidly what it is to be abandoned by two people that he promoted to their public positions, and it does not make either of these individuals look very appreciative! 🙁

First, he was abandoned by George LeMieux, who he appointed to replace Senator Mel Martinez almost a year ago, to fill the remaining 16 months of that term, but who chose to endorse Marco Rubio for the Senate! Now it is rumored that LeMieux plans to challenge Democratic Senator Bill Nelson for his reelection contest in 2012, although the appointed Senator has shown no statesmanship or principle at all, and is obviously a traitor as well! 🙁

Now, the news comes that Lieutenant Governor Jeff Kottkamp, who was an obscure state senator when Crist picked him to be his running mate in 2006, is also abandoning his boss, and backing Marco Rubio for the Senate! Kottkamp was a nonentity as Lieutenant Governor, except for the news that he was very loose in his use of an expense account to travel, at the expense of taxpayers! In other words, he was as irresponsible in the use of public money as Marco Rubio was while Speaker of the state House! 🙁

Both LeMieux and Kottkamp will go down as traitors to Crist, who made them what they became, and with Crist ahead in the polls for the Senate race, what they are trying to prevent, his victory for the Senate seat, will hopefully be a failure!

And then when either one goes for higher office, such as LeMieux for Nelson’s Senate seat, it would be appropriate for Crist to support Nelson based on record, but also based on incompetence that LeMieux has demonstrated in his short time in the US Senate, plus disloyalty! 🙁

“Appointed” Florida Senator George LeMieux: A Traitor To Charlie Crist!

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In an unbelievable move, “appointed” Florida Senator George LeMieux, who has proved to be a total mediocrity in the Senate, with no mind of his own, has repudiated Governor Charlie Crist, who appointed him to fill out the 16 months left in the term of Senator Mel Martinez, who resigned in September 2009.

Can you imagine that your good friend, who you worked for and made you what you are, decides to repudiate you and back the party over friendship? Is that a man of principle or of opportunism? 🙁 What it comes down to is that George LeMieux is “Benedict Arnold”! 🙁

Supposedly, LeMieux understood that he was simply filling a seat temporarily, and had no ambition to seek the Senate seat himself, and that is why Crist appointed him!

But now there are rumors that LeMieux may suddenly have interest in running for the Senate himself against Democratic Senator Bill Nelson in 2012, and obviously, if that is his ambition, he cannot afford to antagonize the GOP establishment in his state if he wishes to have their backing in the future.

So, in other words, throw your friend, who gave you the opportunity for what you are, under the bus! To hell with friendship, principle and decency! 🙁

Senator LeMieux has been a total disgrace to the state, and he should be condemned for his reprehensible behavior!

All that this does, as well as all the other Republicans statewide and nationally who have repudiated Crist, is to make Crist look ever better to many independents, moderates, and even Democrats, who admire Crist as a man who speaks his mind and is not tied to a party line!

With his announcement of independent candidacy for the Senate seat in Florida, Crist allows himself, if he is elected, the opportunity to be a moderate to progressive voice, who might very well join the Democratic caucus if he wins the seat!

Do not count Charlie Crist out, as many are, as he has an excellent opportunity to win the seat with as little as 34-37 percent of the vote!

The Florida race becomes the most interesting of numerous Senate races in the upcoming midterm elections of 2010!