Dissecting Republicans' motives

Here at Blast Off!, I regularly chastise Republicans for fomenting hate and fear and using them to gain an electoral advantage. But thanks to their recent election-related activity here in Florida, I've found the proof of what I've suspected all along -- Republicans are motivated not by any great desire to "do what's best" for the state or the country or the citizenry, but instead by a crass need to maintain power at all costs.

Last week, the Florida blogosphere was abuzz with GOP attempts in Tallahassee to legislate new ways to suppress voter turnout. It's a long-standing tradition that Republicans want to keep people from the polls, believing that the fewer people who vote, the more likely they are to win. However, rarely have there been such overt attempts in the Legislature -- indeed, in any legislature -- to prevent large blocs of otherwise eligible people from exercising their constitutional right to vote.

Fortunately, those bills will not get to the governor's desk -- at least not this year. So now the GOP is aiming its legislative might at a perfectly reasonable effort to outlaw gerrymandering -- the drawing of legislative districts in such a way that one party is favored over the other -- and, predictably, opposing it for everything they're worth. Here's how Mark Ferrulo, executive director of Progress Florida, explains the situation:

One overlooked but critical repercussion of gerrymandered districts is that even after they are elected, legislators don’t feel beholden to their constituents because their seats are so safe. So, not only does gerrymandering deny voters a proper voice on Election Day, but their influence is compromised every day thereafter as well.

Not surprisingly, the only organized opposition to this proposal has come from members of the Legislature, who unsuccessfully argued before the state Supreme Court that the redistricting amendment shouldn’t qualify for the 2010 ballot.

Sen. Mike Haridopolos, R-Merritt Island, suggested that redistricting reform would give judges too much power over legislators, and that “elected officials are more responsive” to voters. But this is twisted logic since current redistricting rules have only made legislators less beholden to the public.

By the way, Haridopolos is in line to lead the next redistricting effort.

Well, there's a surprise. Mike Haridopolos opposing access to the polls is about as unexpected as the sunrise. The Brevard senator, like the rest of his ilk in the state Legislature, only wants to keep a firm grip on the controls of power. There is literally no way that Republicans credibly can show that their position here is the best thing for the people of Florida, just as there was no way to justify reducing access to the ballot for the elderly and minorities.

Yet that's exactly what the GOP will try to do. They'll come up with flowery explanations and shift the blame, and the real losers if the fair districting proposal is defeated will be the people of Florida. When are we collectively going to learn that Republicans only want what's good for themselves, not for everyone? It's as simple as this: Republicans aren't good for democracy.

Haridopolos panders again

This is getting ridiculous. Here we are, in the midst of the worst fiscal crisis since World War II (brought on by Republicans at both the state and federal levels, naturally), and Sen. Mike Haridopolos (R-Indialantic) just won't stop beating a tax-cut horse that should have expired long ago.

[Haridopolos'] proposal would put before voters in 2010 a proposed constitutional amendment to cap local taxation. It includes provisions for local governments to exceed the limits by a vote in local referendums.

More than 20 lined up in the Senate Community Affairs Committee to oppose the idea.

"Our state taxation system must allow for the levy of sufficient taxes," said Marilynn Wills, president of the League of Women Voters of Florida. "This proposal would cause continual shrinkage in the amount of revenue available to meet Florida's … needs."

Haridopolos, a Merritt Island Republican* set to be Senate President in 2010, said he will work with all opponents as he did in 2008 to defeat a similar -- flawed by Haridopolos's reckoning -- proposed amendment put on the ballot by the Taxation and Budget Revision Commission and thrown off by the Florida Supreme Court.

There were further complaints. "I'm not sure how this thing works," said Wayne Blanton, executive director of the Florida Association of Superintendents of Schools. "It's as close to creating governmental paralysis as anything I've ever seen."

Well, that's just it, Dr. Blanton. Haridopolos and his cronies in the Legislature want nothing more than to paralyze state government, so they can claim that it never worked in the first place. Of course, government led by Republicans notoriously doesn't work well, especially now that they've entrenched themselves as the party of free spending, high debt, and economic ruin, but that's not going to stop ol' Mikey from pandering like his political life depended on it (which, because he can't really do anything else right, it probably does).

While the proposal isn't, strictly speaking, a tax cut, it would drastically limit state revenues at a time when revenues ought to increase, or at the very least not be capped. It's irresponsible, it's dangerous, and it's classic Haridopolos. This joker is in line to be Senate President in 2010 ... and that, as much as anything else, ought to tell you what bad shape the Florida Legislature is in these days.

So pander away, Mikey ... and run the state even farther into the ground than you and your pals already have. After all, that's really what you want, isn't it?

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* He's always been identified -- including in the linked article, at first -- as being from Indialantic, so I don't get the Merritt Island reference. In any event, he's from and he represents Brevard County, which almost makes him batshit crazy by definition.

Utter non-Census

Well, Florida, the fix is in for 2010.

I'm not talking about the election. I'm talking about the U.S. Census, on which so many political decisions, from the number of electoral votes to the drawing -- gerrymandering? -- of congressional districts, will be based.

Yesterday, Gov. Crist chose 45 Floridians to serve on the "2010 Sunshine Census Complete Count Committee," and it includes some very notorious names indeed.

Besides [committee chairman Orange County Mayor Rich] Crotty, the list also includes longtime Miami-Dade lobbyist Ron Book, former Ocala legislator and current Christian Coalition of Florida director Dennis Baxley, and Florida Association of Broadcasters President Pat Roberts.

“The diversity of Florida’s cultures, backgrounds and experiences is quite possibly our state’s greatest strength, and we must do all we can to ensure an accurate count of every Florida resident during the 2010 Census,” Crist said in a statement.

The release said the panel members "represent Florida’s diverse geography and population, as well as many organizations throughout the state."

First and foremost, why in the name of all that is good and decent hasn't Dennis Baxley been marginalized right out of any kind of authority whatsoever yet? He's the guy who sponsored "shoot first, ask questions later" legislation in the state House and who is a vehement opponent of academic freedom. Putting him on a committee to oversee accuracy of the Census is like asking Alex Rodriguez to test urine samples. And a millionaire lobbyist deserves to be on the committee exactly why? Oh, and don't even get me started about Pat Roberts, whose anti-tax, hyper-fundamentalist ways just ooze bipartisanship and accuracy in the Census ... (/sarcasm)

But wait ... there's more ...

One of the legislators who will serve as a delegate to this committee is none other than state Senator (and Blast Off! favorite*) Mike Haridopolos (R-Indialantic), who pretty much lives off of wingnut welfare ... and he's not even out of office yet!

Come on, Charlie! I mean, didn't you learn something about bipartisanship from supporting President Obama's stimulus? Even if half the committee members are Democrats (and, I admit, time prevents me from reviewing every name on the list), the batshit-crazy quotient still is off the charts when you include nutcases like Roberts, Haridopolos, and (blecch!) Baxley. Having folks like that in charge is the very definition of "the fox guarding the henhouse." It pretty well guarantees that the Census won't be fair or accurate in Florida next year, and that as a result Republicans likely will retain their undeserved hegemony in this evenly-divided state for another decade.

Sure, I know you're a Republican, Charlie, and that you want to stack the deck for your team, but at least don't claim this is an extraordinarily balanced or diverse group. To put it a bit more bluntly: you can't polish a turd.

Anyway, the whole list is here, if you have the notion -- or the strong stomach -- to go through it in greater detail.

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* By "favorite," I mean "utter douchebag."

Wingnut welfare for Ray Sansom ... and he's not even out of office!

It used to be that Wingnut Welfare -- Republicans arranging jobs for themselves or their cronies in exchange (wink, wink, nudge, nudge) for certain political favors -- didn't come into play until the wingnut in question was, or was about to be, out of office. For example, Marco Rubio (R-Miami), the batshit crazy former speaker of the Florida house, landed a sweet gig at FIU once he was term-limited out of office.

But, like equally batshit crazy state Sen. Mike Haridopolos (R-Indialantic), who secured a cushy job at the University of Florida while still in office, Rubio's successor as speaker, Ray Sansom (R-Destin), managed to get a six-figure position at Northwest Florida State College ("NFSC," formerly Okaloosa-Walton Community College), which just happened to benefit from millions of legislative dollars that just happened to be steered their way by Sansom, who just happened to chair the House Policy and Budget Council.

The assistance, documented in a memo the St. Petersburg Times obtained this week through a public records request, highlights the close relationship between Sansom and the college president, Bob Richburg.

Last week that affiliation burst into public view when Sansom was given a $110,000 job as a vice president at the college.

It came on the same day Sansom was sworn in as speaker of the Florida House, a juxtaposition that has elicited cries of cronyism.

Sansom, who has a master's degree in education, denies any correlation and says he was merely doing his job as a citizen legislator.

But the extra $24.5-million was not the only boon to the school, renamed Northwest Florida State College in July under legislation Sansom supported that boosted the school's ability to offer bachelor's degrees.

State records show the college received $1-million more than initially budgeted for an extension center in Walton County and $105,000 more than initially budgeted for general renovation.

Sansom also got $750,000 added to the budget for "startup funds" for the college's leadership institute, according to records the House released Wednesday. The Times reported last week that it got $200,000, but that was based on a preliminary request.

The amount ballooned some time before a Dec. 5, 2007, meeting between Sansom and college president Richburg. A memo from the meeting details how the two discussed accelerating funding — hence $1-million becoming $25.5-million.

That was the single-largest public education capital outlay (PECO) award for community college projects this year.

Not even Miami-Dade College, which has 160,000 students to Northwest Florida State College's 15,000, fared better in a single budget line.

I've worked in Florida's community college system, and I have never seen a more politically charged, "good ol' boy" atmosphere anywhere in my professional career. See, the problem here is not that NFSC got state money ... it's the fact that it got such a disproportionate amount of state money that raises eyebrows -- and questions.

The PECO money is hard to come by -- I know from working in community colleges and state universities. The schools battle for it tooth-and-nail, trying to secure funds for much needed classroom space, faculty offices, and the like. Particularly in these difficult budget times, isn't it just a little bit curious that NFSC gets a huge chunk of money and then hires Ray Sansom?

In law, we call it "avoiding the appearance of impropriety." Needless to say, Sansom and NFSC, even if they haven't done anything wrong or illegal (and I find that a dubious proposition at best), hardly have avoided the appearance of impropriety. This needs to be investigated and, if any wrongdoing is found, punished accordingly. Otherwise, it's just business as usual for Florida Republicans.

Haridopolonomatopoeia gets a gig in Gainesville

State Sen. Mike Haridopolos (R-Indialantic), a rabid wingnut from my old stomping grounds in Brevard County, has been hired for a $75,000-a-year teaching position at the University of Florida ... which is more than two hours distant from his home. This pretty much squelches any thought of him running for Congress, which I had predicted he would do after Dave Weldon (R-Batshit Crazy) announced his retirement. So much for my prognosticatory skills.

By hiring Haridopolos, the third-ranking person in the Senate and a former Brevard Community College staffer, the university says it has added a teacher with plenty or real world public policy experience.

"Mike Haridopolos brings a combination of academic experience teaching government and real life, hands-on experience in Florida politics to the Graham Center," said former U.S. Sen. and Florida Gov. Bob Graham in a news release issued Thursday.

It also puts on its payroll someone who should have tremendous influence on the university's budget in the coming years. Haridopolos is in line to become Senate president in 2010. From that position, he will hold great sway over how much money flows to the university from Tallahassee.

Haridopolos said he had no plans to move from Indialantic and will commute to Tallahassee and Gainesville.

Ben Wilcox, executive director for the citizen's lobby, Common Cause Florida, questioned whether Haridopolos was being hired for his academic credentials or his political influence.

"If it turns out he's being paid to be an advocate for a university just because he's a legislator, then I think that raises questions about whether he's a lobbyist or not," Wilcox said.

Haridopolos said nothing could be further from the truth. He said Graham was eager to tap his experience for the benefit of UF students.

Ugh. It pains me to see Haridopolos, a smarmy little Napoleon whom I know and with whom I used to work (although not terribly closely), get the seal of approval from Bob Graham. But clearly ol' Mikey is gambling on the GOP holding onto the majority in the state Senate through 2010, giving him a crack at the presidency. I guess he figures there will always be enough wingnuts in Florida's Fightin' 15th District to get him to Congress when he's ready -- and, sadly, he's probably right.

Apparently, though, the decision to hire Haridopolos is not very popular at UF:

Haridopolos' hiring at UF, which was effective Feb. 15 according to the university, has ruffled some feathers within the university's faculty.

Unlike most full-time faculty members, Haridopolos does not have a doctorate degree. And the hiring was done without consulting the faculty of the political science department, which normally would have input on new hires.

Stephen Craig, the department chair, said he has no problem with Haridopolos himself. In fact, he said, he hired the senator in the past to teach individual classes about campaigning.

"My biggest concern is simply that the department was not consulted."

In his new role, Haridopolos will be paid far more than other lecturers. The two other full-time lecturers in the department, both of whom have doctorate degrees, are paid an average of $46,580.

"Lots of departments weren't able to hire at the levels they wanted to this year and even replace faculty they have lost," Assistant Professor Michael Martinez said. "So I think hiring a lecturer like this without faculty consultation sort of exacerbates that concern about lack of respect for faculty in this budget situation."

Yes, but remember, Prof. Martinez: in Florida, it's okay if you're a Republican.

I guess it could be worse. Haridopolos could be teaching at FSU ...

UPDATE (4:47 am 2/25/08): For more on this "curious development," check out Categorical Aperitif.

Today's Daily Schadenfreude: Rep. Dave Weldon (R-Fla.)

This is how eager I am to celebrate the impending departure of Dave Weldon, one of the most rabid, egregious, stupid wingnuts in Congress (and my former rep from my time in that bastion of wingnuttery, Brevard County):

I was driving down I-75, having just received a speeding ticket (thanks, state troopers in Alachua County!), when I learned of Weldon's decision to retire. And now I'm sitting at a restaurant near Ocala, eating a late lunch and sharing the good news with you.

Yes, Rep. Dave Weldon, whose record of asshattery in Congress stretches back to his first election to that formerly august body in 1994, has decided to hang up his jackboots and head back to Melbourne to ... you guessed it ... spend more time with his family.

Today U.S. Representative Dave Weldon, Republican, District 15 of Florida, announced his intention to retire from the House of Representatives at the conclusion of the 110th Congress.

Citing a desire to return to medical practice and devote more time to his family, Weldon extended his thanks to those who helped him through his seven terms in Congress.

"I want to thank my wife Nancy and my kids for all the support over these many years, as well as my staff and the people who supported my re-election efforts. It is a very big undertaking to run and successfully serve, and I would never have been able to do it were it not for the generous help of so many fine people," said Weldon.

I'm truly at a loss to come up with enough negative adjectives to describe Weldon. As a medical doctor, you'd think he'd have some sense especially on issues related to medicine, but his continuous opposition to stem cell research and even his position on the Terri Schiavo saga seem more the deranged idiocy of uneducated, mouth-breathing hicks than a supposedly intelligent doctor and congressman. Then again, those uneducated, mouth-breathing hicks sent Weldon to Washington for fourteen years, so perhaps I shouldn't be so surprised.

Of course, it's plenty schadenfreude-worthy to celebrate the departure of such a pitiable person from Congress. But for icing on the cake, how about an arrest in the family?

The daughter of longtime Florida Congressman Dave Weldon was arrested this morning after a Melbourne bar fight, officials said.

According to an arrest report, an off-duty Brevard County sheriff’s deputy arrested Kathryn “Katie” Weldon, 21, around 1:40 a.m. at the County Line Saloon on US 192 near Interstate 95 after she struck Aneff Solis with a shoe, cutting him under his left eye.

Bar bouncer Robert McClure saw her hit Solis, the report said.

Weldon was taken to the Brevard County jail in Sharpes and booked on a battery charge, records show.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Now that's some tasty schadenfreude, don't you think?!

Katie Weldon even has a record, having previously been arrested for possession of marijuana (the charges there were later dropped). And I knew before I even saw the article that the incident must have happened at the County Line, where according to my ex-brother-in-law, a Brevard County Sheriff's Deputy, there's at least one fight a night. I mean, sensible people don't even go to the County Line. But, then, we're talking about a girl who was raised wingnut, so Republican rebellion is natural, even expected ... as is violence, sexual misconduct, hypocrisy, arrests, drug use ... whoa, sorry, kinda got carried away there.

So who steps into the 15th District seat vacated by Weldon? Speculation includes state Rep. Thad Altman (R-Melbourne), former county commissioner Nancy Biggs (D-Melbourne Beach), and wingnut state Sen. Bill Posey (R-Rockledge).

But you heard it here first, folks: watch out for state Sen. Mike Haridopolos (R-Melbourne). This is a guy I know personally, and not only is he a disingenuous, plastic windbag, his politics are somewhere to the right of Mussolini. He'd be a disaster for the 15th District in Congress, and yet in conversations I've had over the years, he often was mentioned as Weldon's heir apparent. I don't know whether he'll run or not, but I'm just saying: look out, and get to work, Brevard Democrats. Haridopolos is a snake.

But for now, let's celebrate! I can think of few things that could make me happier (politically, anyway) than the departure of Dave Weldon from Congress. You've done enough harm, Dave. You know, Dave, it's the Hippocratic Oath, not the Hypocritical Oath.

Anyway, this is a good day indeed, as I congratulate Rep. Weldon, for today's Blast Off! Daily Schadenfreude is for you!

Florida's fiscal frustration

There's an interesting juxtaposition of front-page news in the two biggest newspapers in south Florida today.

The Sun-Sentinel features an article about the major budget cuts the state's community colleges are facing, while the Herald conversely trumpets the legislature's approval of a massive property tax cut ... and the Republican-dominated legislature is angling for more tax cuts to come.

From the Sun-Sentinel:

Gov. Charlie Crist has told the state's 28 community colleges, as well as all state agencies, to expect budget cuts of 4 percent to 10 percent because of lower-than-expected tax collections. That could be as much as $115.6 million in cuts statewide. The schools must submit budget reduction proposals by Aug. 8.

The colleges, which serve about 800,000 students a year, will consider limiting hiring, freezing enrollment and salaries, cutting courses and asking the state for special permission to raise tuition this spring.

"The great majority of our student tuition is covered by financial aid, so tuition increases do not have any impact on many of our students, yet are essential to maintaining the college's operations," said Juan Mendieta, a spokesman for Miami Dade College, which faces between $7.9 million and $19.1 million in cuts.

A 4 percent cut at Broward Community College would be almost $3 million, while a 10 percent cut would be $7.4 million.

The cuts come a month after Crist vetoed a 5 percent tuition increase for community colleges and universities.

Indeed, the eleven state universities similarly have been advised to expect budget cuts in the 4-10% range, which makes Gov. Crist's recent veto of a 5% tuition increase for higher education all the more damaging.

Meanwhile, the Herald tells us that, as is their wont, the Republicans don't give a shit:

The Florida Legislature passed the biggest property-tax cut in state history Thursday amid partisan quarrels about relieving over-taxed citizens and gutting schools and emergency services.

The first stage of the complicated two-part plan should save the average taxpayer about 7 percent this year by rolling back, cutting and capping local-government tax collections.

The second stage will ask voters on Jan. 29 to amend the state Constitution and super-size tax exemptions by as much as $195,000 for a home with a market value of $500,000 or more.

Though large, the savings could be smaller than originally billed for the plan, which comes after four months of intense and at-times-secretive legislative haggling.

The $31.6 billion price tag was watered down by as much as $7 billion over five years Thursday when Republicans reduced cuts to some fire-rescue districts and changed the proposed amendment to ensure homeowners could keep their existing Save Our Homes tax cap.

Unchanged: as much as $7.2 billion in cuts school districts could face if the amendment passes. If the amendment fails, schools would be unaffected.

Democrats opposed the amendment on a party-line vote. But fearing the label of "obstructionist, " they abandoned plans to push the vote to November 2008. They predicted voters won't approve the controversial measure anyway because of its "devastating" consequences.

House Speaker Marco Rubio, a West Miami Republican, downplayed the troubles and said he and most taxpayers want more tax cuts, not fewer.

"This is about people's pocketbooks. And people will always put their pocketbooks ahead of politicians, " said Rubio, who proposed about $44 billion in tax cuts this spring. "Ultimately, property-tax reform was something that had to happen, and nothing could stand in the way of it."

The fatal flaw in Rubio's argument, of course, is his claim that "people" will want tax cuts. But will they accept the resulting deep, catastrophic cuts in local and state government services, education, and other items they may take for granted? This isn't pearl-clutching ... these are real cuts that will have to happen:

House Democratic Leader Dan Gelber of Miami Beach said the amendment is doomed because "people are going to go to the polls and say: What kind of choice is this, take money away from school children?"

Republicans said they'll find the money for schools in future years because the state Constitution states that education is of "paramount" importance. Sen. Mike Haridopolos, the Melbourne Republican who leads the Senate tax committee, said people will have to "trust" the Legislature to continue its education spending increases. He issued a pledge to properly fund schools "by any means necessary."

Noting Florida's low graduation rate and low education spending compared to other states, Democratic Sen. Ted Deutch or Boca Raton bristled at Republican claims that Democrats were exaggerating the effects of the tax cuts.

"There is certainty in this bill: that there will be a $7 billion cut to education over four years, " Deutch said, noting that emergency workers painted a dire picture during a Wednesday meeting with Democrats.

"We heard yesterday from the firefighters and from the police that in fact there will be layoffs, " he said. "We don't believe them? Is that the argument?"

The universities and community colleges in particular are facing dire times because of the lack of funding -- believe me, as an employee of a state university, I know it all too well. Meanwhile, the Republicans can crow to their constituents about their "generous" tax reductions ... while those same constituents watch their schools fall even farther behind, their colleges and universities cut programs and enrollment, and their fire and police protection diminish if not disappear altogether.

Forgive me if I'm not exactly reassured by Sen. Haridopolos' urging that we "trust" the legislature to fund education. He's one of the chief architects of the destruction of Florida's tax base, taking much-needed money away from schools and services for the sake of giving a few dollars back to taxpayers. If the intent is to bolster the economy by giving taxpayers more disposable income, is it really worth it to do so at the expense of our children's education? I believe it is not.

And don't even get me started on the Democrats' decision not to move the amendment to November 2008 -- an election almost guaranteed to have huge Democratic turnout. For my part, I'd rather be called "obstructionist" than "weak" or "uncaring," and the Democrats' decision strikes me as both of the latter adjectives ... especially when they, too, are asking us to "trust" that the electorate will reject the amendment. There would have been a much better chance of rejection in a general election with large Democratic turnout than there will be for the January 29 special election.

So, once again, Florida's legislature finds a way to screw us but good. And as long as the majority of people in this state vote on moral issues rather than the issues that really affect us as individuals, long-term, we're going to face the same struggles time and time again.