Reflections on an Election: November 2, 2010

American voters may have saved the United States yesterday, November 2, 2010. The stakes in this midterm election were just that high. I awoke this morning with renewed hope.


Overall, the results should hearten conservatives who believe in limited federal government, rule of law according to the Constitution as intended by our Founding Fathers, fiscal responsibility, and free market capitalism. With a few exceptions, the country roundly repudiated Obama and his far left modus operandi. So far, thirty-one Tea Party candidates won election.

There were a few disappointments for me. Foremost was the reelection of Harry Reid to the U.S. Senate from Nevada. I was rooting for Ken Buck for U.S. Senator from Colorado and Tom Tancredo for Colorado’s Governor. However, I knew they were long shots. Republican insiders sabotaged Delaware’s Odonnell; I blame them for her defeat. Results from Alaska will be delayed until November 18th. It is looking as though U.S. Senator Murkowski may have won reelection as a write-in candidate, which would be disappointing. However, these are blips on the radar screen compared to the sweep of Republican victories nationwide.

What struck me, as I watched the returns through the night and into the wee hours of the morning, was the breadth and depth of the conservative victory. A sea of red ink floods maps of the United States at the county level. Democrats in small islands of blue are even more isolated than before. Naturally, the national media focused on the national races for Congress and the Senate and, to a lesser extent, the governors’ races.

Not only did the U.S. Congress flip to a Republican majority, but so did many state legislatures. Come January, there will many more states with Republican majorities in both legislative bodies and a Republican governor. Some of these have not had Republican control since the Civil War.

This state-level Republican control will have profound long-term effects. This being a census year, these Republicans will control redistricting in their states, which must be completed for the 2012 election. Future national leaders often emerge from these state bodies. The most successful presidential candidates have been governors historically. A strong electoral base can swing the results in national races for the state through better organization and enthusiasm.

So, how did my candidate and referendum choices fare? The following candidates I voted for won:

· Marco Rubio for U.S. Senator

· Rick Scott for Governor & Jennifer Carroll for Lieutenant Governor

· Pam Bondi for Attorney General

· Jeff Atwater for Chief Financial Officer

· Adam Putnam for Commissioner of Agriculture

· Charles McBurney for State Representative (District 16)

For race results already announced, only Ander Crenshaw (District 1 Congressional Representative) and John Thrasher (District 8 State Senator) won without my vote. Also, all the judges were retained, and I always vote against all of them because I do not believe in lifetime appointments or the process by which they are selected. I am still waiting to hear results on the Soil and Water Conservation District races. I voted for Phillip Laibe for Group 1, Curtis Winkler for Group 3, and Stuart J. Coffin for Group 5.

The only amendment or referendum that did not go the way I voted was No. 1 to repeal public campaign financing. Voters did not give it the 60% approval necessary to pass a Florida constitutional amendment.

Passage of constitutional amendments 5 and 6 was especially pleasing. I have long fought against “minority access” districts; Florida has now outlawed them. Districts will have to be drawn to be as compact, equal in population, and use existing geographical boundaries as is feasible. District lines cannot be drawn to favor incumbents or a political party or to deny equal participation in the political process.

U.S. Rep. Corrine Brown, Florida’s most embarrassing politico, announced today she would file suit against these amendments. Her district is one of the most convoluted in the country, extending from Jacksonville to Orlando. She knows she will lose if she has to run in a geographically contiguous district here in Duval County. That prospect alone persuaded me to vote for amendments 5 and 6, despite opposition from most establishment Republicans and the Tea Party. Many Republicans and conservatives have come to love these minority districts because it isolates voters who generally vote Democratic.

2010 Florida Republican Primary Candidate Recommendations

Here are my recommendations for the Florida Republican Primary election. Early voting began today and continues through August 22, 2010. The election itself is on Tuesday, August 24, 2010.

• U. S. Senator from Florida: William Escoffery III
• Governor of Florida: Rick Scott
• Attorney General of Florida: Holly Benson
• Florida State Senator District 8: Charles Perniciaro
• Florida State Representative District 16: Charles McBurney
• Florida Fourth Judicial Circuit Court Judge Group 25: Samuel P. Garrison

As always, whether you agree with my choices or not, I urge you to vote. Below is detailed information on all the candidates and how to contact them so you can make your own decisions.

2010 Primary Candidates

 Tuesday, August 24, 2010

Early Voting for Primary: Tues., August 9 - Sun., August 22, 2010

Last Day to Request Absentee Ballot for Primary: Wed., August 18, 2010

Last Day to Register to Vote or Change Registration for General Election: Mon., October 4, 2010

Last Day to Request Absentee Ballot for General Election: Wed., October 27, 2010

General Election: Tues., November 2, 2010

For More Information:

Jerry Holland, Duval County Supervisor of Elections

105 E. Monroe St., Jacksonville, FL 32202

(904) 630-1414

 

U. S. Senator

 

William Escoffery III

 

Address:
265 Country Club Road
Shalimar, FL 32579
Phone: (850)225-7228
Website: www.senatebill.us/
Email: Dr.Escoffery@senatebill.us/

 

Medical doctor. "Bible-believing Christian"

Platform:

• Limit big government (reduce taxes & regulations)
• Cut taxes
• Expand jobs (free market; stop bail-outs)
• Protect life (pro-life)
• Keep America safe (identify terrorism, prosecute terrorists under military tribunals)
• Guard our borders (stop illegal immigration & deport illegals here; no amnesty)
• Control the courts
• Root out corruption
• Restore Bible values
• Strengthen the family
• Defend U.S. sovereignty
• Safeguard individual rights

William Billy Kogut

 

Address:

12 Winchester Road

Ormond Beach, FL 32174

Phone: (386) 316-3133

Website: http://kogut2010.intuitwebsites.com/

Businessman & realtor in Flagler County since 1995. Memer of the Flagler County Planning Board. Former Municipal Chairman for Wallington, New Jersey. "Bible-believing Christian"

 

Platform:

• Protect our Constitution
• Repeal Obama Care
• Strongly Support our Military
• Oppose Amnesty for Illegal Immigrants
• Audit U.N. and Federal Reserve
• Supports Fair Tax
• Pro-gun
• Pro-life
• Supports traditional marriage

Marco Rubio

 

Address

4027 South LeJeune Road

Coral Gables, FL 33146

Website: http://www.marcorubio.com

Email: marcorubioforsenate@gmail.com

 

Private-practice lawyer & visiting professor at Florida International University’s Metropolitan Center. From 2000-2008, Rubio served in the Florida House of Representatives. During this period, he served as Majority Whip, Majority Leader and Speaker of the House.

 

Positions:

• Anti-amnesty for illegals and pro border security, employment verification.
• Pro-gun: "A" rating with NRA & endorsed by Gun Owners of America
• Opposes cap-and-trade carbon tax
• Opposed Obama's stimulus plans
• Supports balanced budget amendment & line-item veto
• Pro-life

Agenda in Florida House:

• lower taxes
• better schools
• a leaner and more efficient government
• free market empowerment
• protect private property rights
• championed a major overhaul of the Florida tax system that would have eliminated all property taxes on primary residences in favor of a flat consumption tax
• blocking the expansion of gambling in Florida

Endorsed by: Jeb Bush, Dick Cheney, Mitt Romney, Rudy Guiliani, The Club for Growth, Associated Builders & Contractors of Florida, FL Right to Life, Eagle Forum

 

FL Governor

 

Mike McCalister

 

Address

3201 Foxden Lane

Plant City, FL 33565

Phone: (727) 641-4873

Website: http://mikemccalister4governor.com/ or http://mikemccalister.com/

Email: bmccalister@earthlink.net

 

Single parent, retired USAF Colonel, educator, small-business owner, health care professional, farmer. PhD in Management

 

Websites have long list of endorsements and resume but no information on issue positions. Both seem to be primarily aimed to sell his book, The Right Future for Florida and You… Starting Right Now!

 

Bill McCollum

 

Address

Post Office Box 915006 or 

 

Longwood, FL 32791

Phone: (850) 241-1885

Website: http://billmccollum.com

Email: info@BillMcCollum.com

 

Florida Attorney General; former U.S. Representative

 

Positions:

• Pro-gun rights: "A" rating with NRA
• Illegal immigration: supports amended AZ law; opposed amnesty; voted to make hiring illegals illegal; pro-English language
• Economy & Jobs: wrote “Real Solutions, New Jobs: A Roadmap to Florida’s Future” with Steve Forbes. It provide tax relief, regulatory reform, litigation reform, and property tax cuts, and to improve Florida’s education, transportation, water and energy infrastructure.
• Pro-life: 100% rating from the National Right to Life Committee.
• First Attorney General to file suit against Obamacare, which 19 other states have joined now.

Endorsements: Jeb Bush, Mitt Romney, Newt Gingrich, Dick Armey, Ander Crenshaw, Cliff Stearns, etc., FL Right to Life - A rating

 

Rick Scott

 

Address

1400 Gulf Shore Blvd., North

Suite 148

Naples, FL 34102 or

 

300 S.E. 2nd Street

Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33301

Phone: (954) 915-3360

Website: www.rickscottforflorida.com

Email: info@rickscottforflorida.com

 

Businessman: former Founder & CEO of Columbia/HCA hospital system & Solantic Urgent Care Centers. Started Conservatives for Patients’ Rights, an organization founded to defend free market principles in health care that focused successfully on defeating President Obama’s government-run public option plan. Supports and has attended & spoken at Tea Party rallies.

 

Positions:

• Cut government workforce by 5%
• Phase out the corporate income tax
• Reduce regulations
• Cut state property taxes by 19%
• Pro-gun: highest rating from NRA & Unified Sportsmen of Florida
• Pro-life: wants Roe v. Wade overturned
• Illegal immigration: bring AZ's new law here; opposes amnesty
• 7-7-7 Plan: these 7 steps will create 700,000 jobs in 7 years:
• 1. Implement Accountability Budgeting
• 2. Reduce Government Spending
• 3. Enact Regulatory Reform
• 4. Focus on Job Growth and Retention
• 5. Invest in World Class State Universities
• 6. Reduce Property Taxes
• 7. Phase out the Business Income Tax 

Endorsements: FL Right to Life - A rating

 

FL Attorney General

 

Holly Benson

 

Address

2640-A Mitcham Drive

Tallahassee, FL 32308 or

 

P.O. Box 998

Tallahassee, FL 32302

Phone: 850-224-3800

Website: http://www.hollybenson.com

 

Secretary of the Agency for Health Care Administration; former Secretary of the Dept. of Business & Professional Regulation and State Representative

 

Positions:

• Will continue lawsuit against Obamacare & supports tort reform
• Will support AZ's illegal immigration law for FL Hold the federal government accountable for the costs to Florida’s taxpayers of illegal immigrants who attend our schools, receive care in our health care facilities and consume needed services.
• Pro-gun: A+ rating from NRA
• Pro-life & pro-family: 100% rating from the Christian Coalition as a state rep.

Endorsements: cross-section of local and state officials

 

Pam Bondi

 

Address

610 South Boulevard

Tampa, FL 33606

Phone: 866-246-9110

Fax: 866-702-3290

Website: http://www.pambondi.com/

Email: info@pambondi.com

 

Prosecutor for 18 years. Hillsborough County elections records show Bondi registered to vote as a Democrat in 1984 and switched to Republican on July 21, 2000. Election records also show Bondi didn't always vote when she had the chance. She skipped party primary elections in 1984, 1986, 1988, 1990, 1992, 2002 and 2008. She did not cast a ballot in the last presidential primary in January 2008.

 

Positions:

• Pro-gun: A rating from NRA
• Supports AZ immigration law for FL
• Wants to stop Obamacare
• Pro-life

Endorsements: Bob Martinez (her campaign chairman), Associated Builders & Contractors of FL, Associated Industries of FL, Chamber of Commerce of FL, and the pro-life Susan B. Anthony Candidate List Fund. 4 of the 5 largest newspapers in Florida: St.Petersburg Times, Miami Herald, Tampa Tribune and the Orlando Sentinel

 

Jeff Kottkamp

 

Address
Post Office Box 10787

Tallahassee, FL 32302

Phone: 850-701-2377

Website: http://www.jeffkottkamp.com/

Email: info@JeffKottkamp.com

 

Lt. Governor of FL; former State Representative

 

Issues:

• Pro-gun: A+ rated by the NRA. Co-sponsor of the Castle Doctrine law. Banned government from registering guns owned by individuals. Stopped the anti-gun lobby from filing frivolous lawsuits against gun makers and owners of shooting ranges.
• Supports AZ immigration law for FL. Would sue the federal government to recover the millions of dollars paid out each year by our taxpayers as a result of illegal immigrants in our state.
• Pro-life: Sponsor of the Parental Notification bill signed into law by Governor Jeb Bush. Led the fight to punish drunk drivers who kill unborn babies. Faith and Family Award presented by the Christian Coalition. Defender of Life Award by the Florida Catholic Conference.
• Will continue lawsuit against Obamacare. Has successfully sued the federal government in the past. Supports Tenth Amendment

Endorsements: Florida Police Benevolent Association, Florida Fraternal Order of Police, Florida Right to Life PAC, Connie Mack, FL Right to Life

 

State Senator Dist. 8

 

Charles Perniciaro

 

Address

Post Office Box 331178

Atlantic Beach, FL 32233

Phone: (904) 372-4494

Website: www.charlesperniciaro.com

Email: senatorcp@aol.com

 

Medical doctor, the Director of Dermatopathology at Bernhardt Laboratories. Member of Beach United Methodist Church. Recently changed voter registration from Democrat to Republican. "I've always been a conservative. I've been working to help Republicans get elected throughout my entire career. My contribution records from the Florida Division of Elections, going back 15 years, are public record. All of those contributions were to Republicans and committees that support tort reform. No Democrats. I've also hosted fund raisers in my home for Republican candidates. My prior voter registration was from the days when conservatives were all Democrats in the South. Although I didn't get around to correcting my party registration at the courthouse until recently, I‘ve lived and voted as a Republican for a long time. This primary will be a referendum on what it means to be a Republican, and about which Republican is running for the right reasons."

 

Issues:

• Refuses to accept PAC donations to campaign
• Jobs are the first priority. Spend money on backlogged transportation projects. Reduce regulations.
• Opposed Thrasher's SB 6 for education reform, which was vetoed by Gov. Crist and had wide opposition.
• Illegal immigrants should not be eligible for state or federal benefits. Ports & borders must be secured. Prosecute illegals & businesses that hire them.
• Opposes Obamacare. Limit Medicaid to set budget.
• Pro-gun.

Endorsements: the Republican Liberty Caucus of NE FL, the Jacksonville Liberty Journal.
 

John Thrasher

 

Address

4963 Beach Boulevard

Jacksonville, FL 32207 or

 

109 Premiere Vista Way

St. Augustine, 32080 Phone 904-607-2226

Phone 904-607-2226

Website: http://electthrasher.com/

 

State Representative; former Speaker-of-the-House. Interim chairman of the Republican Party of Florida. Florida co-chair for the George W. Bush for President campaign in 2004. Former chairman of the Board of Trustees of Florida State University. Former Clay County School Board member; chairman and vice chairman. Former Counsel to the Jacksonville law firm of Smith Hulsey & Busey. Former partner of Southern Strategy Group, a Tallahassee-based governmental relations firm.

 

Positions:

• Keep taxes low
• Grow our job base and our local economy
• Improve our children’s education
• Preserve the St. Johns River and our beautiful beaches

Endorsements: NRA and Unified Sportsmen of Florida, , Florida Police Benevolent Association and the Jacksonville Fraternal Order of Police, Jacksonville Regional Chamber of Commerce, Florida United Businesses, the Florida Right to Life Political Action Committee, Mitt Romney, Ander Crenshaw, Jeb Bush, FL Right to Life

 

State Representative Dist. 16

 

Charles McBurney

 

Address

6326 Christopher Creek Road E.

Jacksonville, FL 32217 or

 

76 S. Laura St., Ste. 590

Jacksonville, FL 32202

Phone: (904)731-7726 or (904) 798-0002

Website: http://www.votemcburney.com/

 

State Representative. Lawyer. Former Assistant State Attorney (prosecutor). Deacon in South Jacksonville Presbyterian Church.

 

Issues:

• Sponsored & passed Civics Education bill.
• Combat gangs and gang-related violence
• Voted to balance the State's budget every year
• Led the fight to make our schools more accountable and to improve their performance by directing more dollars into the classroom
• Introduced “Florida Taxpayers Protection Act”, House Bill 1197. The legislation would tax non-residents on Florida property transferred as a result of estate or inheritance to the extent a State imposes an estate or inheritance tax on Floridians for property in that other state.

Endorsements: NRA, John Delaney, Ed Austin, FL Right to Life

 

Luis Melendez

 

Address:
1401 Riverplace Boulevard, #610

Jacksonville, FL 32207

Phone: (904)962-8932

Website: www.electmelendez.com

 

An Allied Health Professional and a medical educator at a Jacksonville technical college. Small business owner, President of the Florida State Assembly of the Association of Surgical Technologists. A naturalized American citizen who served honorably in the United States Navy as a Hospital Corpsman with the Fleet Marine Force serving the United States Marine Corps.

 

Issues:

• Support sports' teams such as the Jaguars for economic impact they bring.
• Have criminals serve their full sentence and make prisons more spartan or restrict privileges.
• Government benefits should be time-limited & require drug screening.
• Supports Fair Tax. No tax increases -- cut spending.
• Pro-gun: member of NRA.
• Supports term limits.
• Supports school choice with student accountability for grades made if receive gov't. assistance to attend private schools.
• Pro-life.
• Supports AZ's immigration law & pro-English.

Endorsements: Republican Liberty Caucus

 

Fourth Circuit Court Judge Group 25

 

Samuel P. Garrison

 

Address

1223 Orange Circle North

Orange Park, FL 32073 or

 

221 N. Hogan St., Suite 382

Jacksonville, FL 32202

Phone: (904)303-5212

Website: http://www.garrisonforjudge.com/

E-mail: Garrison@garrisonforjudge.com

 

Assistant State Attorney, Senior Prosecutor in Homicide & Major Crimes; previously in the Special Assault & Repeat Offenders' division. Member of New Grace Church of Fleming Island. Founder of Clay County Victims' Services. Past Chairman of the Clay County Task Force on Sexual Assault & Domestic Violence. Past member of the Orange Park Medical Center Board of Trustees. Young Life of Clay County committee member.

 

Endorsements: Jennifer Carroll, Steve Wise, Mike Weinstein, Matt Shirk, Lake Ray, John Rutherford.

 

Mark Hulsey

 

Address

200 East Forsyth Street

Jacksonville, FL 32202

Phone: (904)353-7188

Website: http://www.votehulsey.com/

 

Certified Family Mediator & Child Custody Evaluator. Has practised law in 4 of the 5 areas covered by Circuit Court. Law educator at JU, FSCJ & UNF. Military veteran: Army Captain. Participated in Pro Bono work with the Jacksonville Area Legal Aid since 2000 and with the City Rescue Mission since 2000. Member of St. John's Episcopal Cathedral.

 

Endorsements: Jacksonville Fraternal Order of Police, Jacksonville Association of Fire Fighters, Association of Fire Chiefs, Duval Teachers United, Ed Austin, John Delaney, Jake Godbold, Tommy Hazouri, Martha Barrett, Nancy Broner, Vicki Drake, Brenda Preistly-Jackson, Daniel Davis, Michael Corrigan, Kevin Hyde, Dr. Johnny Gaffney, Mike Hogan, Jim Overton, Alberta Hipps, Kris Barns, Aaron Bean, ,Tony Hill, Betty Burney

Chicago-Style Immigration Reform

Whose aunt was caught as an illegal alien? Whose aunt was denied asylum and ordered deported in 2004 by a federal immigration judge? Whose aunt defied this order and stayed in the U.S., living in H.U.D.-financed housing in Boston? When caught a second time, whose aunt was allowed to repetition for asylum instead of being deported in 2009? Whose aunt found another federal judge who voided the previous deportation order and granted her political asylum on May 17, 2010?


If you answered President Barack Obama, you should get a prize. He is the nephew of Zeituni Onyango, a native of Kenya. She entered the country originally on a visitor's visa, which she overstayed. What made the difference between the outcome of her case in 2004 and 2010? Could it possibly be that having your nephew elected President of the United States gave her special privileges and status not enjoyed by other illegals? Is this what we can expect from immigration reform under Obama? For a Chicago politician, it would be business as usual.

BP’s Oil Spill: Why Do I Wish Sarah Palin Was Our V.P.?

Answer: BP and the oil spill in the Gulf. Governor Sarah Palin knows how to deal with Big Oil. She has been there and done that as chairman of the Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission (AOGCC) and as Governor of the state of Alaska. She also has empathy for the personal and financial fears of the people of the Gulf that comes from what she and her husband experienced following Alaska’s Exxon Valdez spill. All of this is clear by reading her 2009 autobiography Going Rogue: An American Life (Harper Collins Publishers, NY), which I highly recommend for its insights into modern politics.


Before Palin became Governor of Alaska, the big three oil companies were use to favorable deals being negotiated behind closed doors with often-corrupt lawmakers and state staffers. Palin threw the door open, having made it clear during her campaign that she was committed to “begin anew with a process that would not and could not be tainted by previous secret negotiations and corrupt legislative votes. During our first week of conferencing with the oil executives, every man – and they were all men – who entered that room knew things had changed. I made a point of saying, ‘We’re leaving the door open.’ Their inches-thick proposals would be displayed out in the reception area for the public and the media to see.” (Pg. 128)

Palin’s description of her first meetings with oil executives is priceless: “I walked into those meetings with coffee in hand, cookies to serve our guests and thought to myself, Hmmm. You just spent a year trying to kick my ass. I just spent a year trying to kick yours. And now we’re in this room together. Out loud I asked, ‘Want a cookie?’” (Pg. 127)

One of the major issues Palin confronted head-on was adherence to the terms and conditions of the leases made by the oil companies with the state of Alaska. Big Oil routinely ignored lease terms. Palin knew how to change that; she threatened to permanently pull their leases and offer them to other oil companies willing to play by the rules.

“When you deal with oil executives, you have to remember that they are used to winning…The executives themselves are armed with bottomless bank accounts and highly trained platoons of fire-breathing lawyers. Thus, reminding our friends in Big Oil that they have a contract that they’re obligated to fulfill was really not going to scare them. A $20 million fine? Pocket change. But with their leases on the line – permanently – the question…executives finally had to ask themselves was, do we really want to give up prime parcels that are loaded with billions of dollars’ worth of natural resources that the public and our shareholders want us to develop?” (Pg. 197)

Palin’s previous experience as AOGCC chair helped. “As AOGCC chair, when I wasn’t butting heads with the state GOP, I was getting a thorough education in issues surrounding oil and gas recovery and production…As a state chief executive, sitting across the table from well-heeled, lawyered-up oil executives, it was a given: you have to be committed to the position that is right for the people who hired you. You can’t blink. And we didn’t. Once we put our foot down, we won ruling after ruling after ruling.” (Pgs. 198-199) The end result was a competitive bidding process that “unlocked the Big Three oil companies’ development monopoly and threw open Alaska’s doors to true competition and free enterprise.” (Pg. 205)

Palin understands that any business is obligated to look after its own bottom line and put its shareholders’ interests first. She was crystal clear about her role. “My business was to look out for Alaskans’ bottom line. Our state Constitution stipulates that the citizens actually own our natural resources…In fulfillment of my oath, I would make decisions based on the best interests of our shareholders, the people of Alaska.” (Pg. 126)

Palin’s husband Todd worked for BP on the North Slope, “earning a king’s ransom of $14 an hour” (Pg. 50) when he started. This did not stop her from taking on BP directly as Governor for “trying to save money for years by cutting corners on oil pipeline maintenance on the North Slope.” Her administration created the Petroleum Systems Integrity Office (PSIO). “With the creation of the PSIO, Alaska became the first state to require industry operators to document their compliance with maintenance and quality assurance standards, and to share that information with the state.” (Pg. 153)

It is not just as a politician that Palin has experience in dealing with Big Oil. Her family was directly impacted by the Exxon Valdez catastrophe, the largest oil spill in American waters before BP’s Gulf blowout. Besides Todd’s employment with BP, he ran the family’s commercial fishing business in Bristol Bay, far from the site of the Exxon Valdez spill. As Todd predicted, “There will be a taint on our fish, too…Buyers will assume all Alaska salmon is oiled. Watch our price drop this summer.” Drop they did, going “from $2.35 to 80 cents a pound.” They feared for Todd’s new job with BP, too. “The rumor was that Alaska’s oil production would be shut down, which I believed would be an unnecessary, knee-jerk reaction that would destroy our state’s ability to recover.” She, her family, and friends helped in the clean up on the Sound. (Pgs. 60-61)

Palin knows the fight ahead to force BP to make good on its promises to pay for and make right the damages done by its oil spill on the people, businesses and environment in the Gulf. The Exxon Valdez occurred when she and Todd was a young couple awaiting the arrival of their first child. Twenty years later, when she was Governor of Alaska, ExxonMobil was still litigating claims from Cordova and Valdez fishermen. Knowing the suffering this caused, she stepped in as Governor, ordering “our attorney general to file an amicus brief on behalf of plaintiffs in the case, and, thanks to Alaska’s able attorneys arguing in front of the highest court in the land, in 2008 the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in favor of the people. Finally, Alaskans could recover some of their losses.” (Pg. 62)

President Obama recently disparaged Palin when she spoke out about BP’s and his response to the Gulf oil spill. Instead of spewing the Democratic party line that she is ignorant, he would do well to call her in as a consultant. Palin, not Obama, has the expertise and experience needed to deal with BP effectively in defense of the interests of the people of the Gulf and all Americans in this crisis.

Are Rick Sanchez and CNN Biased?

I just sent the following comment to CNN: Is Rick Sanchez and/or CNN backing Florida's Attorney General McCollum against Rick Scott in the Republican primary for Florida's next governor? The reason I ask is the McCollum campaign is using in a political ad a segment of an interview between Rick Sanchez and Rick Scott about his hospital corporation and Medicare fraud from August 6, 2009. The ad, through clever editing, makes it appear that Mr. Sanchez is making a statement against Mr. Scott, not asking a question. If either Rick Sanchez or CNN have given McCollum's campaign permission to use tape from this interview, then it proves media bias by CNN.

Rick Scott founded Columbia Hospital Corp. and Solantric Urgent Care Centers. The hospital corporation was accused of and fined for Medicare fraud. Scott has countered with a disarming ad in which he takes responsibility for the mistakes as CEO, then goes on to cite what McCollum doesn't. Columbia Hospitals have achieved higher ratings for quality of care than most.

Scott personally financed much of the campaign against Obamacare. He supports the Tea Party movement and many in it support him, although the Tea Party does not collectively endorse candidates. I have not yet decided whom I will back, although I am leaning toward Scott. I have more research to do on this Medicare fraud case as well as other positions of both candidates before I make my choice. However, I do not appreciate CNN or Rick Sanchez trying to influence the outcome of a Florida primary.

Kentucky Derby Pie

Below is my recipe for Kentucky Derby Pie. It is wickedly rich. I make it every year just for the Kentucky Derby. Today, it is on to the Preakness. Since it is run in Maryland, I'll be having some artichoke crab dip.

Kentucky Derby Pie

1 9-inch unbaked piecrust (I usually use Pillsbury refrigerated piecrusts)

1 c. granulated sugar

1/4 c. butter, softened

3 eggs

3/4 c. light corn syrup

1 t. vanilla extract

1 c. semisweet chocolate chips

1 c. chopped pecans

Optional: 2 t. Kentucky bourbon or 1/2 t. bourbon extract

Cream sugar & butter together. Add eggs one at a time, beating thoroughly after each addition until light and fluffy. Add corn syrup and vanilla. Mix in chocolate chips and nuts. Stir in bourbon or bourbon extract, if desired.

Spray 9-inch pie pan with butter-flavored cooking spray. Line with piecrust; fold under edges and flute. Do NOT prick piecrust.

Pour filling into piecrust. Protect piecrust edges with metal ring or aluminum foil. Bake in a preheated oven at 350-degree F oven for 45-50 minutes or until sharp knife inserted midway between center and edge comes out clean. Top with whipped cream, if desired. Serves 8-10.

Hot Tropical Elixir

Memorial Hospital's E.R. doctor sent me home with the usual prescriptions for bronchitis Sunday afternoon: antibiotic, Mulcinix DM, and prednisone. I take them dutifully as a compliant patient. However, what really got me breathing better Monday was what I call my Hot Tropical Elixir. I make it in a slow-cooker and drink 2-3 cups daily until I'm cured. The F.D.A. probably prohibits any healing claims, but I always feel better when I drink it if I have a cold, the flu, an asthma attack, sinus infection, allergies or bronchitis. Here's the recipe to try if you're suffering a respiratory ailment:

Hot Tropical Elixir

Ingredients:

1 46-oz. can orange juice (not drink)

1 46-oz. can pineapple-mango or pineapple juice

4 bags each green and black tea

4-6 Tbsp. honey

1-2 cinnamon sticks (optional)

1 unpeeled orange, sliced thinly

Directions:

Place all ingredients in a 4-quart slow cooker. Stir to mix and cook on low for at least 3-4 hours. Remove tea bags and cinnamon sticks (if used).

Serve hot with an orange slice and inhale steam while drink cools down enough to drink comfortably.

Refrigerate leftovers and reheat in microwave.

Drink 2 - 3 mugs per day until feeling better.

Hope it helps!

2010 Census Burning Taxpayers’ Money

My experience this week with the 2010 Census made me livid. Let me go back a few weeks, first.

So far, I have received one letter and two postcards informing me that the census form was coming and to please fill it out promptly. One of the postcards came AFTER I received and returned the completed census form. I have seen and continue to see numerous television and newspaper ads urging cooperation with the census. I have read about the cross-country tour of 2010 Census promoters; Jacksonville was visited this week.

So, when my census form arrived approximately three weeks ago, I filled it out the evening I received it and mailed it back the next day. Although it asks for more information than required by the Constitution, I was relieved to see it was far simpler and less intrusive that the last several I have filled out.

This Wednesday, April 7th, there was an announcement here where I live that a Census worker was in the building to help residents fill out their forms and to please let her in if she knocks. Okay, no problem. She did not stop by my apartment since I had mailed my form back, or so I thought.

We have lunch weekdays in our dining room downstairs at noon, and I went down a few minutes before. As soon as I wheeled into the dining room, this census woman, who it turned out is from Columbia and speaks barely passable English, accosted me. She told me she needed to fill out a census form for me. When I told her I had already done so and mailed it back, she informed me, “Oh, that doesn’t matter.” I gave her my birth date when she asked, and then wheeled around, announcing, “I need a drink.”

Returning to my seat with my lemonade, she told me she had filled out the form and had all the information she needed on me. I asked her pointedly, “Does this mean I will be counted twice?” She told me, “Oh, don’t worry about it.”

Excuse me, but I am going to worry about it. The Census is constitutionally mandated for one reason and one reason only: to determine how many U.S. representatives each State should have. Numbers matter. Duplications in the Census would result in a state having more representatives than it should.

All through lunch, I scolded about the utter waste of taxpayers’ money this Census is costing us. This woman was here most of the day. The job ads for Census workers here state the wages are $11.25 - $16.50/hour. At an average hourly rate of $13.87, her visit cost around $100.

Late that night, I was reading the news online. One of the articles from The Associated Press on yahoo! news was about the Census: “Census Bureau concerned about head count problems” http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100408/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/us_census_debacle_scenarios . The Census Bureau, according to it, has a number of concerns regarding their efforts, including “mass identity theft.” It reported that census field workers would not be going out until May. They would wait until the mailed-in forms could be tabulated and lists created of those who had not returned them. Makes sense to me to do it that way.

That article really raised my suspicions. Who was this woman? Was she really from the Census Bureau? She had an I.D. badge hanging around her neck, but I did not look at it closely enough to verify it was a Census Bureau tag. I will ask Representative Ander Crenshaw, and Senators Bill Nelson and George LeMieux to investigate.

This whole Census boondoggle has given me yet another reason to participate in the Tea Party on Thursday, April 15th at the Jacksonville Landing. I want to tell the federal government to just stop it: stop wasting our money.

We American citizens are not stupid. Just send the census form and the vast majority will fill it out as requested. Then, go out and find those who do not or cannot do it by themselves. And, while you are at it, if you find illegals, do not count them. Call I.C.E. to round them up and have them deported. But that is a rant for another day.

White House Easter Egg Roll

Only Washington public school children have been invited to this year's annual Easter Egg Roll at the White House. Private school students have been excluded from the invitation list. Does this mean that President Obama's daughters will not be allowed to attend since they attend a private school? Unlikely.

Actually, I think the two girls should attend and participate. Then, at the end of the Easter egg hunt, their dad should take their baskets and give away all the eggs they collect to the poor public school children. This would be the perfect lesson for his daughters to learn what income redistribution really means.

"What if a crippling attack struck the country's digital infrastructure?" Current and former national government officials tackled the question in a Washington hotel ballroom on Tuesday, February 16, 2010. The results, which will be broadcast on a special CNN report soon, were not comforting.

Michael Chertoff served as the national security advisor in the exercise. The Bipartisan Policy Center sponsored the exercise. The scenario was developed by Georgetown University and companies such as PayPal developed the cyber-attack scenario. Participants did not have knowledge of the scenario beforehand.

For me, the most alarming statement was the last sentence in the Los Angeles Times story: "In the end, no grand plan emerged, but the group did agree to advise the president to federalize the National Guard, even if governors objected, and deploy the troops -- perhaps backed by the U.S. military -- to guard power lines and prevent unrest."

To read the full Los Angeles Times article, go to:
http://www.latimes.com/news/la-na-cyber-attack17-2010feb17,0,803757,full.story

Get Ye to the Alhambra Theatre in Jacksonville

Today, I enjoyed an absolutely delightful afternoon at the Alhambra Theatre & Dining here in Jacksonville, Florida. After a delicious luncheon buffet, I saw "High School Musical." The food was plentiful and excellent. The play was fun and full of youthful enthusiasm.

The Alhambra Theatre is the oldest professional dinner theatre in the country. After 42 years of continuous operation, it closed its doors briefly in 2009 due to the economy. Thankfully, a group of investors quickly reopened it in December 2009.

They recruited one of Jacksonville's premier chefs, Matthew Medure, to revamp the menu. The luncheon buffet today featured baked chicken, seafood newburg, baked ham, and a variety of sides. An absolutely fresh salad with an assortment of greens and vegetables was served at the table beforehand. Two desserts are offered: bread pudding and chocolate mousse. Both were good, but the mousse was to die for.

The group of twelve seniors I was with included four in electric wheelchairs and several others who use walkers or canes. Physical improvements to the theatre helped, especially a new fully accessible restroom. The staff could not have been more helpful in accommodating our needs. They made trips to the buffet to bring our food.

The Alhambra has always offered wonderful theatre productions. Fortunately, founder Tod Booth, Sr. continues to be involved. The actors and actresses today were excellent with strong voices and seemingly endless physical vigor for the strenuous dance routines.

I encourage everyone to support the Alhambra Theatre in Jacksonville. Coming shows here in 2010 include:
42nd Street: March 10 – April 25
Cinderella: June 16 – August 8
Amorous Crossing: August 11 – September 5
The Wedding Singer: September 8 – October 10
The King and I: October 13 – November 28
It’s a Wonderful Life: December 1 – December 24

The Alhambra Theatre is located at 12000 Beach Blvd. on Jacksonville's Southside. Their phone number is (904) 641-1212. Go to www.alhambrajax.com for current ticket prices or to make reservations online. You will be glad you did.