My name is Sarah, and I'm a lightbulb hoarder

The ban on incandescent bulbs is one of those egregious abuses of Congressional authority that just illustrates everything that's wrong with our federal government.

Karen Diebel signs "No Climate Tax" Pledge

Congressional candidate Karen Diebel won praise last week from Americans for Prosperity's Florida Chapter after she joined more than 550 bipartisan lawmakers and candidates in signing the group's "No Climate Tax Pledge," agreeing to "oppose legislation relating to climate change that includes a net increase in government revenue."

AFP Florida Newsroom | AFP-FL Applauds US House Candidate Karen Diebel for Signing "No Climate Tax" Pledge

Morning Coffee Reading for September 12, 2011

Here's your morning coffee reading for today:

• L'affaire de Greer continues to burn, and it hasn't escaped the notice of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee. In a recent post, the DSCC lands some devastating blows on George LeMieux, including link after link after link to news articles showing the years of connections between LeMieux, former Governor (and former Republican) Charlie Crist, and former RPOF Chairman Jim Greer:

DSCC | Adam Hasner Says You Broke The Law. What Say You, George LeMieux? --& (Crickets)

• The New York special election to fill Anthony Weiner's Congressional seat is shaping up to be more of a challenge than the Democrats expected:

Michelle Malkin | Doug Powers | Race to Replace Anthony Weiner Update: Poll Finds Republican Leading by 6 Points

RedState | PPP (D) Poll: Turner (R)/Weprin (D) 47/41 in NY-09

Morning Coffee Reading for September 2, 2011

Here's your morning coffee reading for today:

• Sweet. I'm number one again on the list of "Florida's Top Political Tweeters." Well, technically I'm tied for first with Progress Florida, but I think they have several people working that account and I'm just little ol' me, so I'm going to go ahead and declare victory. High five to State Representative Scott Plakon, who improved his score an amazing 27 points, making him the 2nd highest ranked politician, right after Allen West.

Saint Petersblog | Florida's Top Political Tweeters for September

• The Jim Greer situation continues to slog on through the courts and the media, causing nightmares for a number of Florida politicians, including Florida Senate candidate George LeMieux:

Miami Herald | Jim Greer TV Tell-all is bad news for George LeMieux 

And that's bad news for LeMieux as he runs in a crowded Republican primary where he's trying to shake the legacy of calling himself and acting like a "Charlie Crist Republican." Judging by the first night's installment, the TV piece won't have much new in it. But it raises the issue of Greer and it specifically highlighted LeMieux, thereby making the old story news again. And campaigns are all about examining a candidate's past to help determine his future. 

LeMieux has tried to distance himself from his old boss (and Greer) by saying that Crist drifted left after he left the governor's office as chief of staff. But Greer told us a while back that he inked a little-known $10,000 monthly Republican Party of Florida contract — ultimately worth $150,000 — to pay LeMieux to continue giving Crist advice through a company called MTC Strategies. 

Greer owes a measure of his chairmanship to LeMieux, who was Crist's top campaign and gubernatorial advisor early on and therefore rounded up the votes on the Republican Executive Committee of RPOF to help make Greer chairman.

Rick Scott grants clemency...to a fish

Yes, Rick Scott really did grant clemency to a fish.

Last week, the Governor went on a fishing trip to Destin, as part of an effort to raise awareness that the area has recovered from last year's oil spill. Fox News reporter Phil Keating accompanied Scott on the trip and interviewed the Governor.

Scott discussed issues like the legislative session that just ended, his support for keeping Florida's early presidential primary date, and of course support for the tourism and fishing industries in the Panhandle. Recent testing by the Florida Department of Agriculture of over 230 samples shows that Florida seafood is safe to eat, but the number of visitors is still significantly down since the oil spill.

The Governor caught a large amberjack fish, pictured below, decided to grant "clemency" to the fish and toss it back into the Gulf of Mexico.

A happy governor and an even happier fish

Here's the Fox News video from the trip:


Fox News Video | Gov. Rick Scott Goes Fishing

This week's trip to Destin follows a trip last month by the Governor and his Cabinet to Panama City. Scott was joined by Attorney General Pam Bondi, CFO Jeff Atwater, and Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam in a friendly fishing competition, also meant to show how Florida's Gulf seafood was safe to eat. The Department of Agriculture has also recently launched a website called FishingCapital.com, with information about planning fishing trips in Florida, how to get a fishing license, helpful fishing tips, etc.

Personally, I'm glad to see our elected officials taking an active role in promoting our state. The reports I've seen show that many businesses that depend on tourism and fishing dollars are still suffering greatly, and the BP claims process is extremely complicated and not able to fully compensate businesses for the ongoing impact of the oil spill. Part of the challenge is educating people that the beaches are safe to visit and the fish is safe to eat, so anything our Governor and Cabinet do to use their positions to draw media attention is a good thing.

Granting clemency to a fish may sound a little silly, but it helped add interest to the story and draw media attention to an issue that should be important to all Floridians.

[Cross-posted at Red County]

The Lefties left a mess, once again

Well, this is sadly not surprising. The Wisconsin union protesters who have been camped out in their state capitol building left a horrible, disgusting mess. Trash all over the grounds, tape residue marring the marble walls inside the building, and let's not get started on the state of the bathrooms.

Fortunately for the people of Wisconsin, some local tea partiers have volunteered to help clean up their capitol today:

Tea Partiers Clean-Up Mess Left By Union Protesters in Wisconsin - Tea Party - Fox Nation

(link directly to video on Fox Nation)

The Facebook page for the clean-up event includes this description:

...It's not about partisanship or protests, but pride.

It is time to take out the trash... literally. In true Flash Mob fashion, on Sunday at exactly 1300 hours (1:00 pm for you non-military types) we will do an extensive police call (pick up the trash) around the capitol square. Regardless of the state the grounds are in, we will do this as both a literal and symbolic way to show our respect for our home. 

TEA Partiers know how this is done. It is time to show OUR pride for OUR state OUR way and be the example.

Even if you cannot attend, please share this and invite all of your sane friends who share our love of Wisconsin.

No signs, no screaming, just a necessary cleaning.

This is far from the first time that a left-wing protest has left a gigantic mess behind. The immense amounts of litter and garbage left after recent liberal events (as compared to the lack thereof for conservative events) is well documented (see here, here, and here). I find it ironic that the group that attempts to claim a monopoly on loving the environment so frequently causes such environmental damage when they gather in large numbers.

I can tell you from my own experience with an event I organized in May 2010, a rally for Republican Congressional candidates held at Orlando City Hall, that conservatives are responsible citizens when they have rallies or protests. I had brought trash bags to the event and had asked the volunteers who were helping with the event to plan on staying after to clean up the City Hall plaza. Well, I didn't end up needing any help cleaning up. Total trash I found in the entire plaza: one gum wrapper, one flyer, one Matthew Falconer campaign sign, and a water bottle in the bushes that actually looked like it had been there several days before our event. I've actually yet to attend a conservative event where I didn't see people picking up any litter and bagging any garbage.

In photos of the Wisconsin Capitol, it looks like the the union members' posters were put up with blue "painter's tape," which I've often used in craft and home improvement projects. It is less tacky than regular masking tape or duct tape, but still will leave a residue after a few days. While I'll give the Wisconsin protesters credit for at least bringing the least damaging tape, I still feel they were not properly respectful of their Capitol by taping anything to the walls in the first place. Regardless of the tape issue, there is absolutely no excuse for the discarded signs and litter left behind by the union protesters.

These "Litterbug Lefties" should be ashamed of themselves for the disrespect they showed to their own Capitol. And kudos to the local citizens who will be volunteering their time today to clean up the mess.

The Gulf Oil Spill: How YOU can help

As a lifelong Floridian, I have been watching the news coverage of the Gulf oil spill in shock, horror, and despair.  The devastation just seems so immense and I fear that our beautiful corner of the ocean may never be the same again.  

FoxNews has posted a list of well-established charities that are helping with the cleanup efforts.  There are different organizations for each affected Gulf state, and they need both volunteers and monetary donations.

Please check out the list, and consider donating some of your money or time.  Please also share this link on your own Facebook, Twitter, or other networks.  Every little bit helps.  Thank you.

FoxNews | Gulf Oil Spill Aftermath: How to Help

And the #1 sign they've run out of ideas...

Wow.  Oh, wow.  

Just when I think this oil spill fiasco cannot possibly get any crazier, the Feds have announced today that they are consulting with James Cameron (the guy who directed Titanic and Avatar), because he's "considered an expert on underwater filming and remote vehicle technologies."  Whaaaaat???

RedState had a great comment on this: