Charlie Crist May Have the Last Laugh

Florida’s Republican Party thinks it has Charlie Crist out on a limb. A lifelong Republican and a sitting governor running for a US Senate seat, he was dissed by the party when it gave its official support to conservative Marco Rubio, who has strong Tea Party support. The party of “No” didn’t appreciate Crist’s bipartisanship and his getting cozy with President Obama.

When polls showed that Florida’s Republican right had generated overwhelming support among its base for Rubio, Crist saw the handwriting on the wall. Thursday he announced he would seek the Senate seat as an Independent. Some people (mostly Republicans) think that’s the kiss of death for Crist. With no party affiliation, he’ll have problems generating campaign funds, they say. You can count on one hand the number of people who have been successful running for the Senate as an Independent.

On the other hand, political pundits say Crist has a good chance of winning. He could gain the most votes in a three-man race with Republican Rubio and the Democrat candidate, Kenneth Meek. Crist has more name recognition than the others. And he doesn’t carry Rubio’s baggage of credit card scandals, among other things.

Florida (and some national) Republicans urged Crist to stay in the party, drop out of this Senate race, and try again for Florida's other senate seat opening in 2012. They didn’t say whether they’d screw him again then like they did this time.

Hoping to thwart Crist’s independent campaign, Florida’s Republican leadership reminded party members of their loyalty oath, urging none to support Crist and to demand refunds of campaign contributions they may have given him -- although he’s not obligated to return any money. Even National Republican Senatorial Committee Chairman John Cornyn (R-TX) got in on the act, telling Crist he can never return to the Republican Party and demanding a refund of $10,000 in donations to his campaign.

But Crist may have the last laugh. Republicans (who are not party “officials”), Democrats and Independents will support him; the only question is how many and by how much. And Republican “officials” in other states are not bound by Florida Republicans’ loyalty oath. Some of them who are reasonable people are as tired as the rest of us of the arrogance, the hypocrisy, the scandals, and disdain for the people by the right fringe of the Republican Party and its Tea Party partners.

Beware of the Man of One Book

Westwood Baptist Church (WBC) of Topeka, Kansas has to be the most venomous place in the US, the subject of a documentary entitled, The Most Hated Family in America. Essentially, it is a hate group masquerading as a church. Members of WBC hate just about everything and everybody, including their own country and its Constitution that allows them to spew their perverted, hate-filled messages. One of their most disgusting practices is to picket the funerals of American servicemen with signs proclaiming, for example, God Hates Fags, God Hates America, Thank God for AIDS, Thank God for 9/11, and on and on ad nauseum.

WBC picketers in 2006 disrupted the funeral of Matthew Snyder, a Marine killed in Iraq. The following year a federal jury in Baltimore awarded $11 million in damages to Albert Snyder, the Marine's father. The award was reduced to $5 million, and overturned on appeal for infringement of free speech. Then Snyder was hit with a $16,510 bill for court costs. The US Supreme Court recently agreed to hear the case.

Westwood Baptist was founded in 1955 by Fred Phelps, once a civil rights attorney, who claims that most of the world’s natural disasters and terrorist attacks are God’s punishment for a society that tolerates homosexuality. Phelps harbors the delusion that he is the only righteous man on earth, according to some of his sons who describe the church as a well-organized cult. The congregation of WBC is primarily Phelps’ family and some friends and neighbors. Phelps has 13 children and his daughter, Shirley Phelps-Roper, has 11, her first born out of wedlock. Curious, since the church is loudly opposed to fornication.

Phelps describes himself as an old school Baptist and Calvinist, although both groups disavow Phelps and his church. His anti-homosexual theology forms the core of his church’s doctrine, which uses “God Hates Fags” as both a church slogan and main website. He uses quotes from the Bible to justify his claim that God hates what Phelps considers sinners. Both Phelps and his daughter, Shirley were banned from the UK for inciting hatred, and WBC is designated a hate group by the Anti-Defamation League and the Southern Poverty Law Center.

Here is a short list of the many things WBC hates, although they make “God” responsible for the hatred:
Homosexuals
Jews
Muslims
Priests & Catholics
Protestants
Hindus
Eastern Orthodoxy (Greece)
America
Sweden
Italy
Ireland
Lady Gaga
The Laramie Project
Et al.

Westboro Baptist Church
3701 W 12th Street
Topeka, KS 66604
(785) 273-0325

Does anyone beside me find the first three digits of WBC’s zip code to be a bit ironic?

Here's How To Stop Suicide Bombings

The current issue (26 April) of The New Yorker magazine includes a review of several books by social scientists on the US’ war on terror and why it’s failing, both in concept and operation. These authors discuss the variety of methods used against Islamic terrorists by the US and other nations (Britain, Russia, Israel, etc.) in counterinsurgency, both military campaigns and social programs (negotiation, nation-building, jobs creation, etc.). Overall, these volumes give short shrift to one of the primary weapons of terrorists – suicide bombings.

One author traces the “modern age” of suicide terrorism to the 1983 attack by Hezbollah on the US Marine base in Beirut. Another notes that suicide bombings increase when terrorist groups encounter hard targets like American military bases that are impervious to traditional guerrilla-warfare techniques. But little else on this topic is offered in these six volumes, particularly on how to stop suicide bombings.

Since 2001 the story of General John “Black Jack” Pershing’s 1911 military campaign in the Philippines has been circulating on the Internet. As the story goes, Pershing executed all but one of a group of Muslim terrorists, and buried the dead with carcasses of pigs. The survivor was released to report to his superiors how the burial of terrorists would be handled from then on. “For the next 42 years there was not a single Muslim attack,” the story concludes.

Muslims are forbidden to eat pork because it’s considered unclean. Similarly, there is the Islamic belief that if one’s body is buried with a pig, the soul can never reach paradise – and the 72 virgins that Muslim martyrs expect to find there. So if the remains of all Muslim suicide bombers were interred with pig parts, Islamic terrorists would lose their primary incentive for suicide and martyrdom. That’s one way to end suicide bombings.

Historical precedent exists. In the year 828 the remains of St. Mark were spirited out of Alexandria hidden in a crate of pork by two Venetian merchants. Customs officials refused to handle the meat and the remains sailed away undetected. In Venice a basilica to house the saint's remains was built, known today as St. Mark’s cathedral.

Burying Muslims with pig parts has been practiced in Israel and by Britain in its war with Islam. And a few years ago the California National Guard posted a flyer in its headquarters suggesting US troops execute Islamic terrorists with bullets dipped in pig’s blood. It may not be politically correct, but when US soldiers are being killed in suicide bombings, it’s time to drop political correctness down the toilet. Bring on the pigs!

Republicans Pressure Crist to Drop Out

The right wing of the Republican Party is scared to death of Charlie Crist. The Florida governor is running for a seat in the US senate. His principal opponent in the Republican primary will be Marco Rubio, a conservative Florida legislator from Miami. The right wing supports Rubio and is doing everything it can to get Crist out of the race.

The latest gambit is a memo out of the office of the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) claiming Crist has no chance in the Republican primary and should drop out of the race. “It really doesn’t have any impact at all,” Crist said of the memo. “What I think is right for me to do is guided by the people of Florida, not by people in Washington DC.”

Pressure from the Republican right is increasing as the April 30 filing deadline nears. Crist could abandon Republicans and run as an Independent. Conservatives don’t like that possibility, either. Mitt Romney challenged Crist to stay in the race as a Republican or step aside and support Rubio.

Republicans oppose Crist because he’s a moderate and most likely would operate in a bipartisan manner in Washington. That’s not on the agenda of conservatives. Republicans today are the party of “No” to anything and everything proposed by the current Administration. It’s the G-no-P.

Running as an independent might be Crist’s best chance. Polls show that although he is far behind Rubio for the Aug. 24 Republican primary, he could win a three-way general election race with Rubio and the current Democratic favorite, US Rep. Kendrick Meek. Whether you like him or not, Crist’s record is an open book. Rubio, however, is carrying some baggage from the credit card expense scandal among Florida’s Republican hierarchy. And Meek has a far lower profile in Florida than Crist or Rubio.

This situation will come to a head in about ten days. Stay tuned…

Florida Legislators Target PSC Chairperson

Nancy Argenziano is chairperson of the Florida Public Service Commission (PSC). Appointed to the commission in 2007 by Gov. Charlie Crist and elected chairperson for 2010 and 2011, she has been a vocal critic of the “cozy” relationship between utilities and PSC staffers, and of the influence utilities have with legislators. Florida’s business-oriented Republican legislators don’t like that. They want Argenziano out. So do the utilities, as well as Associated Industries of Florida, a group that represents businesses.

“She is fighting for consumers, and the utilities don’t like that,” said Bill Newton, executive director of the Florida Consumer Action Network. “Utilities are among the largest contributors to the legislature, so it is no surprise that they are doing the utilities’ bidding.”¹

So in drafting a new bill (7209) to reorganize the PSC, legislators inserted a provision that those appointed to the commission have a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college. Argenziano dropped out of college to raise her child. The fact that she spent 10 years in the Florida legislature, which included a stint on the Public Service Commission Oversight committee, doesn’t seem to matter. Without a degree, legislators claim, she’s not qualified “to understand complicated rate cases.”²

Drafted by Stephen Precourt (R-Orlando), the bill initially moved the PSC technical staff to control of the legislature. Argenziano responded, “There can be no confidence by the citizens of this state in the operation of the PSC, knowing that the PSC labors under the direction of the legislature accepting millions from those regulated.”³ Gov. Crist said last month he’d veto the bill as initially proposed.

Precourt is the same guy who sponsored a bill to give tax breaks to filmmakers, but only if they avoid “non-traditional family values” – in other words, no gay characters. When the clause was publicized, he gave three different scenarios (none true) for his gay bias. And Precourt actually has a bachelor’s degree, in engineering.

In several committee actions last week, 34 lawmakers voted in favor of the House version of the bill. Five of those legislators don’t have college degrees themselves. A Senate version of 7209 does not include the college degree requirement.

¹,²,³: Quotes reported by Fort Lauderale’s Sun-Sentinel.

Republican Dreams for November

It appears some members of the Republican Party have become delusional. They believe that because their conservative friends are opposed to recently passed health care reform – and a few thousand Tea Party people demonstrate against it here and there (but mostly against taxes of any kind) – that a majority of the American people will rush to the polls in November to put Republican legislators back in office.

Don’t count on it.

These Republicans are talking to themselves, not the American people. I just don’t believe they have an accurate pulse of the average, middle-of-the-road voter. For example, of all the senior citizens I know – I am one and I know quite a few – only ONE is dissatisfied with the health care bill because her Medicare Advantage rate will increase (I told her to stay away from those Advantage plans). If this example is a reliable barometer, think about the size of the senior citizen voting bloc. And a Democrat just beat a Republican in a special election in Florida.

Add to that some encouraging signs the economy is recovering. If it shows more growth in the second and third quarters of this year, voters will look more favorably on the current Democratic Administration and the Congress.

And while Republicans complain about the President and his programs, they choose to ignore their own role in government over the past two years. Actually, “non-role” would be a more accurate description. Because all they’ve done is anything and everything possible to thwart the president and his programs. Republicans have become known as the party of “NO.” In fact, I’m beginning to see their party acronym like this: G-NO-P.

“Just say No” is an appropriate slogan for drug use, but not for running a government. That’s what’s going to bite Republicans in the ass in November. That plus the number of Republican lawmakers involved in corruption and sex scandals over the past several years. It’s not a pretty picture.

President Palin???

Less than two years ago Sarah Palin was plucked from obscurity in Alaska and pushed into the national (and international) spotlight as John McCain’s choice for vice president. It didn’t go well. She had trouble handling her new celebrity status. Every time she opened her mouth she displayed her limited grasp of facts and issues; she didn’t want to talk honestly about the controversies and lawsuits she faced in her home state; and, of course, the McCain-Palin ticket lost.

Since then she's become more comfortable as a celebrity, boned up a little on the issues, and is a powerful spokesperson for a group of conservative Republicans. She’s also become a darling of the media – and one of its favorite targets. She still has that problem: every time she opens her mouth…

As governor of Alaska, Palin earned $125,000 a year. Since she walked away from the job last July, she’s raked in nearly 100 times that salary – an estimated $12 million in fees, contracts and book royalties. Her first book, Going Rogue, netted an estimated $7 million; add another $2 million for her 8-part Discovery TV series Sarah Palin’s Alaska ($250,000 per episode); plus a multi-year hosting contract with Fox News; a second book deal; and speaking fees of $100,000 or more, depending on audience and venue.

The president of the United States receives a compensation package (salary and expenses) of about $570,000, plus the perks of a residence with staff, retreats, 24/7 protection, and a variety of transportation options – not including personal income from writing or royalties. Do you think Palin would trade her $12 million (and the opportunity to earn as much every year) for that? And all the headaches that come with the job? Would you?

In summary, Sarah Palin now has celebrity, power, big bucks, her privacy, but none of the problems of national office. She doesn’t need the presidency, or its headaches.

Elect NO Incumbents

Yes, it’s an extreme view – my friends keep reminding me. And I don’t expect we’ll ever throw out ALL incumbents. But it’s one way of expressing my opinion of government today. It stinks. They stink. For the most part, they’re useless. One of my friends suggested that by eliminating “experienced” legislators, we’d end up with – as she so aptly expressed it – “…a bunch of trough-feeders who also are clueless about governing.”

My response: So what? They don’t do very much governing anyhow. Think about it: who runs the government? Career bureaucrats. It makes no difference who’s elected; it’s the staff that gets things done. What do our elected lawmakers do? Anything and everything that will help them get re-elected. A representative’s term in Congress is just two years. From the day he or she is sworn in, that person is running for re-election: photo-ops, fund-raising events, lobbyist meetings (for the perks and the contacts needed if the re-election campaign is not successful) and occasionally traveling somewhere in the world on “fact-finding” missions – on the taxpayers’ dime.

So my proposal, if it should be somewhat successful, would put the fear of God in our sitting lawmakers. They have a lot invested in their “careers.” Let them think about the possibility of losing it all. Elect NO incumbents -- national and state level! Maybe the next batch will actually do some governing.

The Great Florida Lottery Hoax

In 1986 by a 2-1 margin Florida voters enacted a constitutional amendment for a Florida lottery that would use proceeds – about 30% after paying 50% in prize money and another 20% for vendors and other fees – to enhance education. In the 21 years since sales began in Jan 2008, the lottery has contributed $21 billion to education in Florida.
Sounds like big money, but it covers only about 5% of education spending in Florida. Still, if the lottery met its goal (and it did) of “enhancing” education, you’d think Florida students would be in great shape right now.
Think again. In those 20+ years, Florida has gone from number 28 among all states in the country in per-pupil spending to number 46, near the bottom of the barrel. The reason? As lottery money flowed in, state funding flowed out. In 1985, state sales taxes and fees paid 65% of the cost of public education. Now, 25 years later, the state’s share is down to about 40% of education costs. Lottery money replaces tax dollars legislators might spend on education, but instead spend on other projects – becoming part of the big pot of money that funds basic functions of government.
Who picks up the slack? “Local” funding – meaning property owners. Local taxpayers are shouldering a responsibility that should be the burden of the state. For the 2008-2009 fiscal year, ad valorem taxes – from property owners – funded 53% of Florida’s education budget. Two decades ago, when the lottery began, property owners contributed 35% of the education budget.
The result has been a steady decline in Florida’s per-pupil spending over the past 20 years. The Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank, found that after adjusting for inflation Florida was the second worst state in the nation at increasing its K-12 per-pupil funding in the 1994-2004 period. And Education Week gave Florida an F in overall funding and college preparedness.
Some people recognize the problem. A Northwestern Law School professor called the lottery in her state, “a shell game from the beginning.” Former Florida governor (1991-1998) Lawton Chiles once called the lottery “a great hoax on the people.” A legislative scam of epic proportions would also be an apt description.