Drill here, drill now, you're dumb

As you know if you've been reading Blast Off! for a while, I do a lot of driving around Florida. And in doing so, I see a lot of bumperstickers. Now, while the morons who still display Bush-Cheney '04 stickers barely outpace those who have removed Huggy Bear's name from their McCain-Palin '08 stickers for sheer stupidity (Palin? You really think that uninformed, batshit crazy woman is qualified to lead anything, let alone the United States?), the stickers that really piss me off are the ignorant "Drill Here, Drill Now, Pay Less" ones that advocate drilling for oil just a few miles off Florida's Gulf coast. It's just another example of wingnuts believing what they hear on Fox News.

Look, the simple fact is this: even if we permitted offshore drilling immediately, there isn't a shred of credible evidence to support the notion that prices would drop quickly. In fact, according to the federal government's own Energy Information Administration -- back in 2008, under a Republican president (so don't give me that "socialist/Marxist/evil Obama" crap) -- recognized that there would be no significant impact on crude oil (and thus gasoline) prices until 2030 -- more than two decades from now. So "Pay Less" is just another pipe dream of the Right ...

But isn't it still a good idea to go ahead and drill to save the country money in 20 years? Well, sure, if you want Florida to endure the kind of messes that they've had to deal with in Australia and the Pacific Northwest. And while it wasn't from the failure of an offshore oil rig, the Exxon Valdez disaster in Alaska reminds us that even 20 years later (PDF), the environmental impact of an oil spill still cannot be calculated fully.

The people who have those annoyingly ignorant stickers on their cars are being sold a bill of goods by Republicans -- as usual. GOP leaders who are beholden to Big Oil and the industries that rely on it -- auto makers in particular -- will do anything to promote America's continuing dependence on oil -- foreign or domestic, it makes no difference, for it's all destructive to the environment. After all, if we don't need oil and gasoline, then Big Oil and their cronies suffer financially ... and Republicans can't stand the thought of that happening. So the sticker-bearers driving around in their monstrous SUVs are merely pawns in a game where the real players -- Republican leaders -- don't care about them or their homes. They just want the flow of dollars to keep coming.

A responsible energy policy would lower our dependence on all oil -- not just foreign oil, which is the mantra of drilling advocates -- by encouraging research and development of alternate fuel sources. Why we in the "Sunshine State" don't have a viable plan for solar energy, I have no idea -- unless maybe, just maybe, it's because Republicans have controlled the state for over a decade now.

I strongly urge you to join me in supporting Progress Florida's campaign to share with state Senate president Jeff Atwater (R-North Palm Beach) the importance of keeping the rigs off of Florida's coastline. He needs to be reminded that it's a simple risk-benefit analysis -- and any realistic potential benefit of offshore drilling is far too small to justify the risk of permanently damaging Florida's fragile coastal ecosystem.

Tell Jeff Atwater: NO MORE CUTS

You know, it's one thing to advocate (however misguidedly) for less government, or even less government spending. But it's another altogether to push for reductions in schools and services that already are depleted beyond reason ... yet that's exactly what Florida Senate president Jeff Atwater (R-North Palm Beach) wants to do. Predictable enough for a Florida Republican, but it's still despicable.

Lawmakers on [January 14] concluded a 10-day special session - their second in the past 15 months devoted to budget cuts - by eliminating $480 million from the public school budget, shrinking the Department of Environmental Protection by $240 million and draining $1.6 billion from reserves and other trust funds to avoid deeper cuts. The budget, if Crist approves, would be nearly $7 billion less than last year and the lowest spending plan since 2005-06.

Republican majorities in the House and Senate on Wednesday led partisan votes - 74-43 and 27-13, respectively - to approve the changes. The only Democrat in either chamber to support the package was Sen. Gary Siplin of Orlando.

In assembling the cuts, lawmakers ignored Crist's suggestions to approve a gambling compact with the Seminole Tribe, which would add an estimated $135 million to this budget.

The total cut was more than double the $561.5 million reduction Crist suggested in December.

For public safety budgets, Crist proposed a $26.5 million cut to the Corrections Department, which is in line for a $48.7 million hit from the legislature. Juvenile Justice Department programs would be trimmed by $16.6 million, or $7.5 million more than Crist suggested.

Granted, our state, like so much of the nation, is in a serious financial crisis. But it's no answer to, as Progress Florida says, "balance Florida's budget on the backs of our children, the elderly, and the needy."

There are plenty of ways to increase revenue, such as the proposed compact with the Seminole Tribe mentioned in the above quote, as well as a cigarette tax, gas tax, and so on. But, true to his "I've got mine, screw you" GOP mentality, Atwater keeps pushing for more cuts in programs that help regular Floridians, while protecting the wealthiest citizens (who, not coincidentally, make up a large portion of his south Florida district).

It's time to tell Sen. Atwater that, as his name suggests, he's all wet. I'm normally not one for online petitions, but this one really matters. Please sign Progress Florida's petition to Sen. Atwater, and make a difference.

Senate race in Florida in 2010 is wide open: Mel Martinez won't run, nor will Alex Sink

The news just broke that U.S. Sen. Mel Martinez (R-Fla.) has decided not to run for a second term in 2010, in order to -- you guessed it -- spend more time with his family.

Just the other day, I made the case for state CFO Alex Sink to run for this seat rather than for the governorship, but that's apparently off the table as well.

So now what?

On the Democratic side, look for some up-and-comers to consider a run, like state senators Dan Gelber and Dave Aronberg. Unlike some, I don't see Rep. Ron Klein or Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz making a serious run for the gig, simply because I don't think they'd be very strong candidates statewide and they have more potential for leadership in the House (although Klein is being targeted heavily by the GOP for 2010).

For the GOP, I wouldn't be surprised to see Bill McCollum take another crack at it (although he really just needs to sit down and shut up). Also possible: former state House speaker Marco Rubio and maybe even state Sen. Jeff Atwater, if he's willing to give up his Senate leadership position so soon.

No matter what happens, though, with an open seat, there are sure to be suitors aplenty. The silly season is barely over, but here in America's Wang™, it seems to be starting up all over again already.

UPDATE (12:22 pm 12/2/08): TheHill.com suggests other possible candidates, like Democratic congresspersons Allen Boyd, Robert Wexler, and Kathy Castor.

Boyd's too blue-dog to be a viable candidate, and as much as I love Wexler, he would have the same problem, in my opinion, as Klein and Wasserman Schultz: no following statewide. Castor? As Sarah Palin might say, let me get back to you on that one ...

(cross-posted at FPC Blog)

GOP: unable to distinguish between their asses and a hole in the ground

Do you need more that Republicans are the most deceptive and craven people on Earth?

In a move at least politically reminiscent of Drunky McStagger's response to 9/11, when he sent our troops to Iraq after we were attacked by a bunch of Saudi nationals led by a guy hiding in Afghanistan, the Florida Republican Party is reacting to an electoral challenge to one of their stars by pouring money into ... a completely different race altogether.

Republican officials are targeting Democratic state Sen. Dave Aronberg in retaliation for Democrats' once-high-profile race against incoming Senate President Jeff Atwater.

"I've made it very clear that there was a decision to go after the leadership of our party, and our response on the Republican side was to aggressively go after some of the Democrats in their seats," said Jim Greer, chairman of the Republican Party of Florida.

He wouldn't say what races the party was targeting, and specifically declined to comment on the Aronberg race.

But, months before the November election, GOP officials have paid for four negative mailers and television ads attacking Aronberg's voting record.

The revenge campaign is the result of Democrat Skip Campbell, a former state senator from Broward County, challenging Atwater in his Senate District 25 reelection race. Campbell has since dropped out and been replaced by virtual unknown Linda Bird, a Democratic activist from Fort Lauderdale.

The ads say Aronberg voted against property tax relief and nursing homes for veterans, among other things.

One of the ads features a picture of Aronberg's opponent, Matt Caldwell, as a youngster holding a dead squirrel in one hand and a gun in the other. It says Caldwell, 26, will fight against "liberals trying to take away our freedoms" and "our God-given right to bear arms."

Oh, yeah, I remember that passage in the Bible when Jesus turned the water into guns.

By the way, this may be the first time that a dead squirrel ever has appeared in a campaign ad. I think it's a metaphor for Caldwell's chances against Aronberg ... plus it has the added benefit of pissing off both the gun control types and the animal rights activists. Way to cram your heads up your asses yet again, Republicans.

So, with Skip Campbell dropping out, there's not even a serious challenger to Atwater anymore. Yet the Republicans' political bloodlust, like their lust for war and killing, cannot be quenched.

Put more succinctly:

• If the Republicans had been in charge on December 7, 1941, we would have gone to war against Australia.
• If today's Republicans had been around in April of 1865 after Lincoln's assassination, they would have chased down Gen. George B. McClellan.
• If a Republican had written Hamlet, Laertes would have killed Rosencrantz and/or Guildenstern.

You see, for Republicans, it's not about doing the right thing for the state or the country. It's all about getting even. And that's basically why we're in the mess we're in today.

Democratic setback in south Florida

Disappointing news this morning out of Fort Lauderdale, as attorney and Democratic candidate Walter "Skip" Campbell (right) is reconsidering his candidacy for Florida Senate District 25, where he presently is slated to take on Senate president-designate Jeff Atwater (R-Palm Beach Gardens). Recent polls show Campbell with a slight lead, and this is a terrific opportunity to dethrone one of the Senate's most notorious GOP leaders. But Campbell's withdrawal could change all that.

"I would be not forthright with if you if I did not tell you that there are considerations as to whether I'm going to stay in the race," Campbell said.

Campbell, a Democrat who formerly served in the Senate, said he will make the decision before July 4, citing "personal reasons" for a possible exit.

"I am not dying," said Campbell ...

[Incoming Senate Democratic leader Al] Lawson said he will travel to South Florida on Thursday to scout potential replacements for Campbell, who qualified for the race before the Friday deadline, giving party officials the ability to pick a replacement for him on the November ballot.

But that may be hard to accomplish because some prospects who were interested in running have already qualified for other races and cannot switch.

"It puts us in a bad situation," Lawson said.

Indeed it does.

The timing is particularly unfortunate because Campbell was given a prime speaking slot at the Florida Democratic Party's Jefferson-Jackson Dinner on June 14, where he shared his vision for returning Florida to greatness following years of detrimental Republican control. There was a real buzz about him around the hotel that day -- I was there and I saw it for myself -- and there was real optimism about getting Atwater out of Tallahassee.

Now there's just uncertainty. Stay tuned ...