Orlando Sentinel Endorses Romney for President!

Wow. The Orlando Sentinel has endorsed Mitt Romney for president, and it's a solid endorsement (as well as a brutal takedown of the many failures of the Obama administration):

This is a MUST READ:

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/opinion/os-ed-endorsement-president-mitt-romney-101912-20121018,0,6927962.story

Dorworth fights back: It's not the critic who counts

State Representative Chris Dorworth has had an ongoing feud with Orlando Sentinel columnist Scott Maxwell, which I've covered several times in the past (see here and here).

Despite the fact that every time he engages with the Sentinel, they kick him in the teeth, Dorworth doesn't let it faze him and just carries on, working on legislation and reforms to make government more efficient and more responsive to the needs of the Florida people.

Now, Dorworth has moved beyond "just carrying on." I've been glad to see Dorworth decide to fight back and defending his name. In a recent op-ed posted at Sunshine State News, Dorworth addressed the slanted coverage he's received in the Sentinel (hmmm, you think there's a reason so many people call it the "Slantinel"?). I've linked it below: read it and let me know what you think in the comments section. 

There's a reason they call it the "Slantinel"

State Representative Chris Dorworth

Last fall, I wrote a post that started with this question:

How can you tell if Orlando Sentinel columnist Scott Maxwell will be attacking State Representative Chris Dorworth? If it's a day ending in a "Y."

My friend Tom Tillison had an excellent post at Florida Political Press yesterday regarding Maxwell's latest tirade against  Chris Dorworth, and pointing out that Maxwell's presumptuous "advice" to Republicans should be taken with a grain of salt:

The silly obsessions of Scott Maxwell

Not in Dorworth's Fan Club

How can you tell if Orlando Sentinel columnist Scott Maxwell will be attacking State Representative Chris Dorworth? If it's a day ending in a "Y."

OK, it's a dumb joke, but there is some truth to it...

I don't expect journalists to be cheerleaders for elected officials. Disagree with some proposed legislation or how a government program is funded? Fire away. If a politician does something illegal or unethical, the media should call them out. But looking back over Maxwell's columns during the past two years, I can't help but wonder if there isn't something else going on.

Maxwell's bomb-throwing has been especially vitriolic recently. In a column on October 22 titled "Why won't Rep. Chris Dorworth explain $713,000 in new assets?" Maxwell rants and raves about information in Dorworth's latest financial disclosures, insinuates that Dorworth is involved in shady business dealings, and then claims that Dorworth refused to answer a list of 21 questions that Maxwell sent him. Maxwell followed up that column with a blog post two days later.

I know Dorworth from when we were both in college at the University of Florida together, and called him up to hear what he had to say about all of this. As I suspected, his side of the story is a lot different than the one Maxwell wants you to hear.

Maxwell makes two main allegations in his column: (1) that Dorworth is somehow hiding his wealth, and (2) that Dorworth won't answer Maxwell's questions. 

On the first point, Dorworth filed, on time, all of the financial disclosure forms that he is required to file. He actually disclosed more information than the law requires. Anyone who knows anything about real estate and business development knows that there is a value to information, and usually you don't want to disclose anything, for fear of helping your competitors or risking a deal. One little detail that Maxwell omits is that Dorworth was willing to provide the complete details to his business ventures, but wasn't willing to violate contracts or ruin his business deals by letting the newspaper print all the confidential details. Hmmm, that's funny, Maxwell doesn't mention that Dorworth was willing to do this in any of his articles. 

What seems to have Maxwell's panties in a bunch is that Dorworth is doing better financially than he was the year before. Surprising as this may be, Chris Dorworth didn't hatch out of an egg the year that he was elected to the legislature. Ask anyone who went to UF in the past few decades and they'll tell you that being elected Student Body President is a huge deal, but also a job that requires a lot of hard work. After he graduated from UF, Dorworth headed to Duke and earned an MBA: another accomplishment that requires a high degree of dedication and initiative. 

Is it really that shocking that someone who accomplished these things might be able to turn a profit in business once in awhile? Now, Dorworth's business certainly took a hit from the real estate downturn (and, I suspect, from the time he spent away in the Legislature), but now he's turning things around again...and...gasp! He's showing a profit! It's the end times for sure, my friends.

Seriously, what is Maxwell's problem? That Dorworth didn't curl up in a ditch and die after one unprofitable year? That he dared to get back out there, search for projects worth investing in, and do his best to make them successful? Quelle horreur!

The saga gets even wackier when you look at the timeline of events last month as a whole. Dorworth forwarded me emails and phone records that confirm this timeline:

• October 20 – Maxwell contacts Dorworth and emails him the infamous 21 questions. Dorworth was overseas at the time and got the impression that Maxwell had already made up his mind about the issue.
• That same day, Dorworth had a conversation with the publisher of the Orlando Sentinel, where he explained he would no longer deal with Maxwell, but would welcome the opportunity to answer any questions posed to him by other Sentinel reporters, and specifically expressed his willingness to answer the questions that Maxwell was asking.
• October 22 - Maxwell publishes his column, accusing Dorworth of being evasive and refusing to answer his questions.
• October 25 - Dorworth has two telephone conversations stretching almost two hours in length with Victor Schaeffer of the Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board, in which he answers in detail the vast majority of Maxwell's questions. This call resulted in a several hundred dollar phone bill for Dorworth for the international call on his cell phone.
• October 26 – Dorworth submits MyWord column in response to Maxwell’s writings answering in detail questions about his financial disclosure. 
• October 27 –The Sentinel responds that they will not publish Dorworth's MyWord column without significant edits to not just the length of the column, but the content as well. 
• October 28 – A second column is re-submitted by Dorworth. Again, the Sentinel objects to the length of the column. (You try answering 21 complicated questions about your financial dealings in 400 words or less. Just saying...)
• November 1 – Maxwell still refuses to admit that Dorworth has provided any additional information to the Sentinel, even though he wrote another blog post suggesting that Dorworth is refusing to answer questions about his financial dealings. 
• November 1 – A third column is submitted by Dorworth. The Sentinel agrees to publish the column the next day. 

As I mentioned, the Sentinel did publish a short "My Word" column by Dorworth last week, but even that was only half the story...literally.

Once again, Dorworth asked if he could write an op-ed in response to Maxwell's accusations, and submitted a column. He was told that it exceeded the word count, and that some of his direct critiques of Maxwell would not be allowed. Dorworth revised the column and resubmitted it. It was rejected again, with the excuse that it needed to be under 400 words (never mind that the Sentinel's stated editorial policy on their website is that My Word columns are "about 450 words").


For the record, here is the full My Word column that Dorworth originally submitted:

Setting the Record Straight, Again. 

By Chris Dorworth

In just the past year, Scott Maxwell has published columns and blog posts about my mortgage, my marriage, my EPass, my cell phone usage and my Facebook account.  He ignored my work to pass landmark legislation to protect victims of sexual violence, my advocacy for a property tax constitutional amendment and some of the most aggressive pro-jobs regulatory reform in Florida’s history --- issues that matter in the lives of everyday Floridians.

I did not run for office to seek approval from the Orlando Sentinel.  I ran to represent my constituents and to advance good, conservative policy. Scrutiny is part of the job, but no one should be allowed to print lies about people they don’t like, as Mr. Maxwell has done time and again.

Mr. Maxwell’s latest distortions are based on his examination of the financial disclosure form I file each year as a state legislator.

What makes this remarkable is that it was my thorough and extraordinary disclosure that made this available to him in the first place. I went well beyond what is required by state law to disclose, in painstaking detail, how I earn a living, and the valuation of the business endeavors I am involved in. His complaints about a lack of transparency are ridiculous.

Far more troubling however is that Mr. Maxwell levels serious allegations without any facts to back them up. In Mr. Maxwell’s court, you are convicted first and asked to prove your innocence second.

The truth of the matter is that I do not now, nor have I ever, profited in the private sector because of my public service.  In fact, my overall net worth has decreased 99% since my first disclosure was filed.  How anyone could twist this into accusations that I profited from my office is bizarre.

In addition, I do not have any ownership in anything related to the Wekiva Beltway project, another baseless allegation leveled by Mr. Maxwell.  I have never used my position to unduly influence the outcome of any deal – real  estate or otherwise.  Florida law requires that I disclose where my income comes from, and who pays it, and I have done so to the fullest extent of both the letter and spirit of the law. 

My net worth is driven by two projects that I have worked on since 2009.  The increased values were a result of successfully rezoning the land for development and arrangements to sell the improved parcels.  Mr. Maxwell wonders why they were not disclosed on my 2009 form.  It’s simple, there was no new value added to the projects until the 2010 calendar year. 

Finally, Mr. Maxwell wonders in his column why I don’t reply to his questions.
It’s simple.

I consider Mr. Maxwell a gossip columnist, not a serious journalist, a point I made to his editor in explaining why I would no longer have any dealings with Mr. Maxwell. He is not bound by the same rules as legitimate journalists, who need to provide facts to back up the claims that they make.

Any legitimate review of his writings would reveal that the targets of his attacks are almost universally elected officials from the Republican Party.  Further review would show that his political views are almost always liberal to the extreme.  I’m just the latest in a long line of conservative Republicans that has become a subject of Mr. Maxwell’s obsession.

Scrutiny is part of the job for elected officials, and I believe the constituents who I serve have a right to know certain things about those of us who have been placed in a position of trust. I owe it to them to be transparent and accountable, and I will continue to be, but I won’t allow Scott Maxwell to continue to make up lies about me.

To paraphrase the late Patrick Daniel Moniyhan, Mr. Maxwell is entitled to his opinions, but he is not entitled to his own facts.

Florida: Kind of a Big Deal

You stay classy, Orlando!

Ron Burgundy liked to say that he was "kind of a big deal," but the reality is that as the 2012 election cycle heats up, it's Florida that really is a big deal.

Last week, CNN and the Tea Party Express hosted a Republican presidential debate in Tampa, and now this week will see both CPAC Florida and the Presidency 5 debate and straw poll.

Governor Rick Scott was interviewed on Fox & Friends yesterday, and remarked that Ronald Reagan, George Bush, and Bob Dole all won Florida's straw poll and then went on to win the Republican presidential nomination, so he believes that whoever wins the Presidency 5 straw poll will be the 2012 Republican nominee:

Creative ideas to save some Orlando history

The "round building" today

The City of Orlando recently had a groundbreaking ceremony for the new performing arts center. The new location on the south side of downtown near City Hall, will require the demolition of several older buildings.

One of the buildings to be removed is the former American Federal Savings & Loan Building, also known as "the round building." The building is a few blocks from where my family goes to church, and it definitely has a unique look. When I was little, I thought it looked like an air filter for a car or the carousel slide projector my mother, a high school Latin teacher used in her classroom (Am I dating myself? Proud Child of the 1980s here!). 

The original two stories and its pre-cast concrete facade was instantly a downtown Orlando landmark when completed in 1963, and the upper glass tower section was added a few years later. Scott Maxwell at the Orlando Sentinel wrote an article about the building earlier this week, noting that while the building is a "mishmash of styles" and not quite an "architectural gem," it is a part of Orlando's history.

Scott Maxwell: When round building goes, so does part of O-Town's history - OrlandoSentinel.com

The building as it originally appeared in 1963

Over the past few years, there has been a unique effort to protect some of the round building's history: not to prevent the building from being demolished, but to save the concrete facade and reuse it as an art project somewhere else in the city.

A local design group, the Nils M. Schweizer Fellows, conducted a contest to collect submissions called "Round Building Reuse: 360." You can view the contest winners here.

The group is now trying to raise awareness about the design submissions and raise private funds to make one of the ideas reality. City officials are supportive of the project. Commissioner Robert Stuart saying that he hoped that no one would "make a mistake and put a crane on the building yet" before they had a plan in place to save the concrete facade.

As a lifelong Orlando resident, I am glad to hear that people are working to save this quirky piece of Orlando's history, and look forward to seeing which design ends up being used.

 

Adam Hasner: Ryan Plan Preserves Medicare for Seniors

The following op-ed by Senate candidate Adam Hasner appears in today's Orlando Sentinel:

Ryan plan preserves Medicare for seniors
Orlando Sentinel
Adam Hasner

June 17, 2011

Medicare is going broke. That's not Republican spin or Democrat spin. It's a fact.

And it's not far off. Medicare's trustees recently said its eventual collapse has been accelerated. I'm 41. Before I turn 55, the main trust fund in Medicare will be depleted.

Saving Medicare is going to require reforming Medicare, and that means moving past politics as usual.

According to StateHealthFacts.org, Florida has nearly 2 million Medicare beneficiaries under the age of 75. These Floridians face the real possibility of living to see drastic cuts to their benefits. Crueler still, seniors like my mom and dad, who are nearing retirement age, may have Medicare benefits for only a few years before the rug is pulled out from under them.

House Republicans, led by Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan, wrote a plan that balances the budget, pays down the debt, cuts spending and saves Medicare. I support it.

The Ryan plan saves Medicare without making any changes for current beneficiaries or seniors close to enrolling. Future retirees — Americans like me who are 55 or younger — will be offered essentially the same kind of health plan as members of Congress receive, a payment-support system where they pick from approved plans. Poorer and sicker seniors get more money. Wealthy seniors get less.

Dwight Howard is a class act

Orlando loves you, Dwight. Please stay!

Orlando Magic center Dwight Howard has been the subject of a lot of speculation about whether he'll stay with the Magic or jump to another team after he becomes a free agent next year.

I'm a big fan of Dwight Howard - not only is he an amazing player, but he's also a great role model for all those kids wearing #12 jerseys. He does a lot of charity work, more than just the bare minimum expected of professional athletes. He has managed to avoid the troubles and scandals that often plague NBA stars and speaks openly and proudly of his Christian faith. In my opinion, Dwight Howard is an asset, not just for the team, but for the entire Orlando community.

To thank his fans for all their support, and to reassure everyone that he would love to stay in town, Howard sent out a message on Twitter, saying "Ok folks. I wanna have a super BBQ tomorrow in Orlando. I need a big place. Where we can play football and have waterguns and eat. And a Dj. [Need] suggestions." Someone helped him make arrangements for Bill Frederick Park at Turkey Lake and by all accounts, the event was a huge success. Going back and reading Howard's Twitter feed from the past few days, he definitely enjoyed himself and was thrilled to spend the time with his fans.

Dwight Howard with fans at Bill Frederick Park on Monday

In interview after interview, Howard has reiterated how much he loves playing for the Magic and loves Orlando. Remember, he entered the NBA straight out of high school, so Orlando has been his home for his entire career and adult life. Contract negotiations being a vicious game, he would lose his bargaining power if he just came out and agreed to stay forever, but it really looks like the ball is literally in the Magic management's court to make a decent offer for his contract extension. Howard is not looking for an excuse to leave; he's looking to stay.

It sounds like the deciding factor will be if the Magic can build a decent supporting cast around Howard:

Orlando Sentinel | Dwight Howard will watch closely as the Magic structure their roster

Orlando Sentinel | Dwight Howard reiterates his preference is to stay with the Orlando Magic

I don't care if the Magic have to hold a bake sale, they need to do what they can to get some solid players around Howard. Orlando doesn't want to be the next Cleveland.

Schadenfreude

"Schadenfreude" is a German word that has been adopted into English, and is defined as "taking pleasure or satisfaction at someone else's misfortune." ("Schaden" means injury or disadvantage, "Freude" means joy or delight.)

So, here's your Schadenfreude moment of the day:

Orlando Sentinel | Jury in defamation case finds against Doug Guetzloe for a total of $1.61 million

Wow. $1.61 million dollars is a LOT of money. As expected, Guetzloe is showing no remorse and vowing to appeal, but still, this verdict shows that not only did the jury think he was liable, but the large punitive damages component shows they found his conduct especially malicious and reprehensible.



"One meeeee-lion dollars...plus another six hundred and ten thousand!"

Howard Marks, the attorney for the successful plaintiffs said, "This was never, to begin with, a case about money. It was a case to stand up against a bully, to stand up against someone who has intimidated people for years with lawsuits."

Job well done, Mr. Marks. Free speech does not include the right to falsely call someone a pedophile...oh, excuse me, insinuate that someone "might" be a pedophile, or whatever Guetzloe was trying to argue he meant by saying that Richard Mask was "trolling for young boys," etc.

As someone who has also been a target of Guetzloe's fantastical lies and malicious attacks, I am greatly cheered by today's verdict and commend Richard Mask for his bravery and commitment to see this case through to the end.

Guetzloe has never called me a pedophile (golly gee whiz, thanks for that, Dougie), but he's used every word in the thesaurus to call me corrupt and unethical, attempts to attack my reputation every chance he gets, and keeps calling me a Democrat.  (If I'm a Democrat, I'm doing a reeeeeeeally bad job at it.) Entertainingly, during last year's  election he even tried to claim I was a double agent for the Alex Sink campaign. Thanks Dougie, we all got a good laugh over that.

Guetzloe also hasn't sued me in court yet, although he's certainly made the threat several times, but he has filed several complaints against me with the Florida Elections Commission. I just got word from them earlier this month that they had dismissed the latest case against me entirely. Ol' Dougie is now 0-for-3 against me with the FEC: he filed a complaint against me in 2008 which was immediately dismissed, I filed one against him in 2008 which settled with a consent order and a fine earlier this month, and then he filed this one against me in 2010, which was dismissed entirely.

I'm just waiting to get my copy of the written order (I called and checked and the orders were mailed yesterday) and then I'll share the fun little story with all of you. Doug Guetzloe is a bully and a jerk (that's my opinion, Dougie, go ahead and try to sue me for that), but the Florida Statutes and the administrative procedures of the FEC have some major areas that are ripe for improvement.

Stay tuned...

Now that I've met him, here's some more thoughts on Rick Scott

Kudos to the Orange County Republican Executive Committee yesterday on a great Republican Unity Rally yesterday.  It was great to see so many local elected officials, candidates, party activists, volunteers, and supporters.  The room was packed, standing room only.  After talking with my friends who set out the chairs we estimated the crowd at 275-300 people.  

It was great to see incoming Speaker of the House Dean Cannon and Senate President Mike Haridopolos speak so eloquently about party unity and their sincere and honest acknowledgment of Rick Scott's primary victory.

Here's part of Haridopolos' statement to Fox 35 News last night:

[Rick Scott] has done a really good job of focusing on what's most important - creating jobs and opportunities in this state.  He's got a track record of creating jobs, high quality jobs, and that's what we're focused on.

...[T[he Republican Party is unified - Jeb Bush, myself, Dean Cannon, we've all rallied behind Rick Scott.  The voters have spoken, they want Rick Scott to be the Republican nominee, [and] I strongly support him.

...Jeb Bush, the incoming Speaker, the incoming [Florida Senate] President, the party chairman John Thrasher, we're all rallying behind Rick Scott because the voters matter, they're the ones who are the ultimate endorsement.

Well said, Senator.  I strongly believe that one of the major challenges facing RPOF (as well as the Republican Party nationally) stems from a failure to remember that the voters are the ones who matter.  Jim Greer is now 0 for 3 in getting his chosen statewide candidates across the finish line, as his attempts to clear the fields for Bill McCollum, Jeff Kottkamp, and most spectacularly Charlie Crist, have all fallen short.  

As for Scott himself, he gave a warm and heartfelt talk thanking everyone for their support, and pledging dedication to the conservative ideals that Republicans all share.  This was the first time I saw him speak in person, and I'm not easily impressed by politicians,  can smell a canned speech from a million miles away, but it was a solid speech.  He received a lot of applause and even several standing ovations.  

Keep in mind that Orange County is McCollum's home turf.  There were a lot of people in the room that were not just McCollum supporters, but personal friends with Bill and Ingrid.  Scott was respectful of the situation and gracious in his victory.  I believe Scott's positive speech last night went a long way towards speeding up the healing process and unifying the party.

Here's a photo from Scott's speech, with former Governor Martinez, Haridopolos, Cannon, Daniel Webster, and Sandy Adams behind him, and his wife Ann by his side:

After the speech, I had the opportunity to meet Scott, as well as his charming wife Ann.  In person, Scott is warm and genuine, gave me a solid handshake, looked me in the eye, asked my name and thanked me for my support.  Also, in real life he looks a lot less like Voldemort. ;)  Seriously, though, he really does seem to have a natural and charming friendliness about him and a sincere belief in conservative issues.

I think the Democrats are vastly underestimating Rick Scott.  I can't think of anything new Alex Sink can throw at him that McCollum and his backers didn't already try.  It will be very hard to get the voters' attention with the same old message that they didn't seem to buy during the primary.

As I said a few days ago, I'm in the process of reading through Scott's platform and I really like what I'm seeing.  There's a common-sense practicality to his approach to issues that I find refreshing.  You can read for yourself on the "Issues" section of his website.

I must admit too that I really like the idea of an elected official that doesn't owe a darn thing to any of the typical power brokers, isn't held hostage by the media, isn't in debt to the party structure, and is absolutely independent of the lobbyists and special interests.  

Mike Thomas of the Orlando Sentinel summed up Rick Scott's independence well in his commentary in Sunday's paper, noting that "Scott's appeal is based on his separation from the corrupt, rusting machinery of political parties and special-interest groups:"

For those of us in the media, the worrisome thing about Scott...is that he has completely dissed us at a time when we are feeling very insecure about our role as major players.

He treats us like Tiger Woods treats golf reporters.

He doesn't answer our questions or take our advice.

He doesn't pay homage to our editorial boards.

He just blows us off and buys another round of ads.

And it's working. Thirty seconds on "Dancing with the Stars" trumps 30 pages of media rants.

Meanwhile, the guy who played by our rules, Bill McCollum, lost.

Every major newspaper endorsed McCollum, and he lost.

That raises a very disturbing question. What if the other politicians see this and think, "Hey, maybe he's on to something.''

By no means are we the only Lilliputians exposed by Scott.

He treats Republican Party bosses with equal disdain because they are Exhibit A in his crusade against career politicians. They threw every dime and every endorsement at their favorite career politician. And he lost.

Even worse, Jeb Bush campaigned for McCollum. And he lost. Losing a Republican primary with Jeb's endorsement is like being rejected at the pearly gates when you arrive arm in arm with St. Peter.

The Republican special interests turned their backs on Scott — the social conservatives, the business interests, even Big Sugar.

...The fear of a renegade candidate is eclipsed only by the fear of a renegade governor.

The next few months will show whether Rick Scott really deserves the "renegade'" moniker (I must admit I am having reluctant flashbacks to the overuse of "maverick" during McCain's train wreck of a campaign in 2008) but I've got a pretty good feeling about his chances for success in November.  

One thing is certain: politics in the Sunshine State is guaranteed to continue to be interesting for quite a while...

UPDATE: Frank Torres, once again, took great pictures at last night's event...and his commentary is not to be missed.  Check out his blog here.

Republican Unity Rallies

Republican Unity Rally

Monday, August 30, 5:30 pm

Mark Street Senior Center

99 East Marks Street

Orlando, FL 32801

Join our Republican nominees Rick Scott, Daniel Webster, Sandy Adams and others as we prepare for victory in November! UPDATE: and also Marco Rubio!

Rick Scott is also traveling around the state on a unity tour with Senate President Mike Haridopolos and Speaker of the House Dean Cannon for the next few days.  Here are some locations in other cities:

TAMPA

Monday, August 30, 1:30 pm

Tampa Jet Center

4751 Jim Walter Blvd.

MIAMI

Tuesday, August 31st, 11:30 am

Sweetwater Youth Center

250 SW 114th Ave.

JACKSONVILLE

Tuesday, August 31st, 7:00 pm

Republican Party of Duval office

4963 Beach Blvd.

Even Fred Brummer endorses Teresa Jacobs

From the Sentinel blogs today:

Stunner! Brummer: Jacobs "most qualified" for Orange Mayor | Central Florida Political Pulse | Orlando Sentinel

Orange County Commissioner Fred Brummer had plenty of run-ins with fellow Republican Teresa Jacobs when the two served on the same board for a couple years, even once issuing a terse memo that asked her to stop chatting on her cell phone while she sat next to him.

Now Brummer says Jacobs is the best candidate in the county mayor’s race.  Why such a stunner? This is the same man who muttered two years ago, “Thank God,” when Jacobs pointed out that she was about to leave office.

“It’s a real oil and water situation, and I don’t know how you put that aside,” Brummer said of his own “personal issues” with Jacobs. “But you have to face facts: she’s the most qualified candidate in the race.”

It’s no surprise the Apopka Republican would not side with his Democratic colleagues: Linda Stewart and Bill Segal. But the other Republican in the race, Matthew Falconer, makes “wild promises he can never keep” Brummer said, such as  delivering a toll increase repeal, or suggesting sports and arts venues paid for with tourist taxes means less teachers, when currently, those hotel taxes can’t be legally spent on schools.

A stunner indeed.  Fred and Teresa have never been BFFs, so Matty must have really ticked him off.  Falconer should have done some better research on what people in the Apopka area actually thought about the Wekiva Parkway before calling it a "Road to Nowhere."  Oh wait, silly me, Matt Falconer never checks his facts before shooting his mouth off, why would he do that for Apopka?

Why Marco Rubio is the most important Republican this fall

Interesting article from Mike Thomas today about Marco Rubio:

Marco Rubio is most important Republican this fall: here's why | OrlandoSentinel.com

...He still talks so fast that a notepad is practically useless. One minute he is looking at me, then at something behind me, then at the flat-screen TV behind him.

He fidgets like a gifted third-grader with attention deficit disorder. So many things to think about, so little time.

The focus of his energy remains what he believes is President Barack Obama's nation-destroying agenda.

He has a blueprint for undoing the damage. He leaps from one policy initiative to the next, his internal iPod set on shuffle. One minute it is his plan to sunset government programs, the next his plan to reform education.

Saying no to Obama isn't enough, he says. Republicans need alternatives.

It is the gospel of Jeb Bush, his mentor, delivered at warp factor 5.

...There certainly is passion. The difference between Rubio and other Republicans is that he was willing to take his beliefs on a suicide mission.

It began in early 2009 when the Republican Party, both the state and national branches, did not want him in this race. Gov. Charlie Crist was a shoo-in for the Senate, and the Republicans wanted the decks cleared so they could win back their majority.

Rubio would have been given the attorney general's race as compensation. That would have set him up for his first statewide victory before age 40.

...But he would have none of it, not with Obama implementing socialism and Crist heading to Washington to aid and abet him.

Rubio was willing to lose everything for his cause. Crist would change his cause to whatever it took to win.

Well said, Mike.  That's a pretty good summary of why I enthusiastically endorsed Marco over a year ago.  We need more Republicans with specific ideas and the passion and backbone to fight for them.  

More information about Marco Rubio:

Marco Rubio campaign website

@marcorubio on Twitter

Marco Rubio on Facebook

Marco Rubio on YouTube

Don't say I didn't warn you...

I have had several people tell me that they enjoy reading the blog, love the snarky humor, but also said, "I hope I never end up on your bad side!"  Well, fear not.  Nixon had an extensive "enemies list," but it's really easy to stay off my "list," two simple rules:

Rule #1: Don't lie.  If you do say something that's not true, then admit it, say you're sorry, and correct the mistake. 

Rule #2: Don't be a jerk.  Criticizing political opponents based on their voting record, the feasibility of their campaign promises, and their statements and actions is legitimate, and a valid way to illustrate differences between candidates.  Misrepresenting an opponent's record so you can call them a "liberal" or issuing personal attacks, not cool.    

So there you go.  Two simple rules.  Follow them, and you can sleep well at night without worrying I'm going to "target" you.  

Craig Miller got my attention after he misrepresented Karen Diebel's record on taxes and spending, and attempted to distort his own record on immigration.  Matthew Falconer gets attacked frequently here because it seems like every word out of his mouth is either a false attack on someone or a misrepresentation about local government.  As for Doug Guetzloe...wow, where to even begin with him and his Fake Tea Party?  Here's one example: at the recent Central Florida Tiger Bay Club debate between the Orange County Mayoral candidates, one of the few issues upon which all four candidates agreed was that they all publicly denounced Guetzloe and denied that they were working with him or would work with him.        

About two months ago, I wrote a post about Seminole County Commissioner Mike McLean's purchase of about $9,000 of new furniture for his office right after running a campaign claiming he was a "fiscal conservative."  Shortly after the post went up, I got a call from McLean's campaign manager, worried that I was planning a series of "hit pieces" on McLean.  I said, no, I didn't have any major issue with McLean, I actually had never even met him.

I also explained that I had known John Horan since I had a summer internship with his law firm back in 2002, and knew him to be a dedicated Republican and all-around good guy.  I had written the article about the furniture issue because I just thought it was kind of funny and there was a news article that easily verified the facts and details for me.  Doing a detailed "hit piece" on a county commissioner regarding specific votes, statements at county commission meetings, and policy positions requires a lot of time and energy to properly research, and I lacked the time or interest to scour over McLean's record like that.

I have continued to get messages from McLean staffers and supporters, worried about my involvement in the race, trying to argue with me about the minutiae of Seminole County Commission budget issues and McLean's voting history.  I don't know how many more times I can say this without turning blue in the face, but I am not working for the Horan campaign.  I've knocked on some doors once or twice, but that's it. 

It never ceases to amaze me how a certain mythology has risen up regarding me, this blog, and my political activities.  People have accused me of working for candidates I've never even met.  If I was working on even half of the campaigns I've been accused of working for, I'd be a millionaire.  Remember, campaign finance reports are public record.  If I'm working for a candidate, you'll see it eventually.  My work shows up on the reports as either my name or "Caffeinated Campaigns" or "Caffeinated Campaigns & Consulting, LLC." 

Since writing that article, I have met McLean at a recent HobNob event, and he certainly seemed like a friendly and affable fellow, exactly as I have heard him described.  Unfortunately, this nice and friendly-seeming guy has also made some extremely questionable and disappointing decisions regarding his campaign messaging.

The McLean campaign sent out a mailer comparing John Horan with Barack Obama and attempting to paint Horan as an amnesty-loving liberal.  Scott Maxwell doesn't always get his stories straight, but I think he has this one pegged pretty well:

Just by looking at [the McLean mail piece], one obviously assumes Mr. Horan is some sort of liberal, amnesty-loving Democrat who wants to take his open-border, Obama-loving ways to Washington, D.C.

Except he’s not.

Horan is a Republican. And the office he’s seeking isn’t federal. It’s for Seminole County commissioner — one that has virtually nothing to do with immigration.

But who cares? Immigration is the scare tactic and wedge issue of the day. So Seminole County Commissioner Mike McLean (who’s apparently a little nervous about his ability to retain his seat) decided to opt for scare tactics … whether they are relevant or not.

I don’t know John Horan. But I know McLean. He’s an affable enough guy — but also one who has a series of enough bone-headed (and sometimes ethically questionable) moves from his past that he’s right to be nervous.

But I don’t think he’s right to play these silly scare games. County commissioners have about 1,000 things more relevant to their jobs than immigration.  

Want proof? How about the fact that McLean’s been on the board for four years and hasn’t done a single thing regarding immigration. (He said he once tried, but the county attorney said his effort his proposal was unnecessary.)

That means that, if voters in Seminole elect a guy who does absolutely nothing with regards to immigration, they will have selected a guy who’s done precisely what McLean has accomplished when it comes to immigration: nothing.

I asked McLean about his mailer, and he said: “I stand by it and feel it is important for voters in the upcoming Republican Primary to be informed on my opponents views on key Republican issues.”

It’d probably be more important for them to be informed of you and your opponents’ views on Seminole County issues.

...Perhaps McLean’s nervous about the embarrassing headlines he’s made during this past term — including the time he reimbursed himself with almost as much taxpayer money for local mileage as the entire rest of the county commission combined.

There was also the time when — fresh off campaigning as a fiscal conservative — he spent more than $8,000 in taxpayer money redecorating his office … including $1,200 for a high-back chair. (McLean said he felt an obligation to make the office look nice, because it really belongs to the taxpayers.)

And then there was the time McLean  used county records to get the addresses of county employees, so he could solicit them for his insurance business. (His excuse? Just “trying to make a living.”)

Maybe you can see better now why McLean wants to distract voters. The question is: Will they fall for it?

Mike McLean should be ashamed of himself.  This despicable mailer is nothing more than a pathetic attempt to distract from his own record.  The Orlando Sentinel was right to endorse John Horan: 

Mr. McLean's early tenure on the commission was marred by episodes of poor judgment. He ordered more than $8,800 worth of new furniture for his county office. He obtained a list of hundreds of county employees to solicit as customers for his insurance business. He billed the county almost as much for travel in his first year as the other four commissioners combined.

These episodes would be easier to overlook now if Mr. McLean were more contrite. Instead, he dismisses them as having occurred during "different times," when public money wasn't so tight — as if it's OK to gouge a healthy budget.

And Mr. McLean has chosen to go after Mr. Horan for a 2008 guest column in the Sentinel that called on Congress to secure the nation's borders and permit "a market-driven flow of legal immigrants needed for the American economy."

Pretty reasonable stuff. And yet, Mr. McLean's campaign has likened him to President Obama. This is silly, and it's irrelevant in a county commission race.

We endorse John Horan.

So there you go.  Don't lie, and don't be a jerk, and you won't have a problem with me.  If Mike McLean or his campaign has a response to this, please email me or post a comment.  I would hope that the response would come with an apology, but I won't hold my breath.  

Fun with campaign logos

Here's something fun...

I noticed a few months ago that Bill Segal, running for Orange County Mayor, had changed his yard sign logo from a traditional red, white, and blue patriotic look to a more casual green and blue logo where the "Bill" looks like a handwritten signature.  

Normally campaigns try to stay consistent in their logos and color schemes throughout an election cycle, but the red-white-blue look is extremely popular, for obvious reasons, so it's not that weird that the Segal campaign would decide to shift to a more distinctive look.  

Well, apparently Segal's new logo looks a lot like the logo for one of his opponents, Linda Stewart.  Someone associated with the campaign released this:

(click on image to enlarge)

See the Orlando Sentinel's comments here:

Orlando Sentinel | Central Florida Political Pulse Blog | Orange Mayoral hopeful Bill Segal morphing into Billinda Segwart?

Separated at Birth: Rick Scott and Mr. Burns?

The Orlando Sentinel's blog writers are having a little fun at Rick Scott's expense.  I've previously compared him to Voldemort, and Peter at SaintPetersblog has called him Skeletor, but I have to admit that the Sentinel's analogy to Mr. Burns from the Simpsons is pretty darn funny - plus the added professional similarities:

Is Rick Scott channeling Mr. Burns? – Central Florida Political Pulse – Orlando Sentinel

We can’t be the first to note this, but Rick Scott has a Montgomery Burns thing going on. Yes, Mr. Burns from The Simpsons.

They’re both crazy wealthy. They’re both conservative. They’re both political outsiders. They both have — or had — businesses that ran afoul of the law. And, let’s be honest, they kind of look alike.

And Simpsons fans will remember that back in the day — 1990 — Burns ran for governor in the classic episode “Two Cars in Every Garage and Three Eyes on Every Fish.” He lost.

What do you think?  

Rick Scott:

Mr. Burns: 

Even a blind squirrel finds an acorn once in awhile

...and the Orlando Sentinel gets an endorsement right every once in awhile too...

The Orlando Sentinel published a glowing endorsement of Teresa Jacobs for Orange County Mayor this morning, calling her "the best-equipped candidate to take on [Orange County's] challenges as the next mayor" and "[c]reative and courageous, with a budget director's mind and an environmentalist's heart."  

In two terms as county commissioner, Ms. Jacobs pushed Orange County to confront its campaign-finance and ethics shortcomings. She blew the whistle on the county's plans to meet its water needs by drawing from rivers and lakes. And she wisely made sure that if money was tight the popular performing arts center would rise before the Citrus Bowl got upgraded.

As mayor, she'd spare no departments in her pursuit of efficiency (other candidates tremble at trimming public safety departments, but Ms. Jacobs astutely notes a recent decline in prisoners might mean the county needs fewer jail guards); she'd quickly invite other governments to join Orange to consider how they jointly could deliver services more economically; and she'd work to make the county an economic hub for green technology.

She supports Lynx and the coming passenger trains, but would fight to reform the murky bidding and ethics practices at the region's road-building and airport authorities....

Orange County needs Ms. Jacobs' smarts, her savvy and her principles. We endorse her for mayor.

The Sentinel also wisely saw through Matthew Falconer's unachievable and unrealistic ideas, stating that he "would be a detriment to the county and the region." 

Read the entire editorial here (there is also a link to the video of Teresa Jacobs' interview with the Sentinel editorial board).

You know you're in trouble when the Sentinel calls you a liar

From the Sentinel's Mike Lafferty last week:

The Sentinel’s editorial board interviewed Teresa Jacobs Thursday, but I’m not sure that Bill Segal’s campaign was watching the same interview.

The Segal camp sent out a press release Friday, a portion of which isn’t true. Now, the editorial board doesn’t make it a practice of commenting on every misleading campaign claim, and we have not yet made an endorsement in this race. But this claim purports to reflect what was said during our interview, and it does not.

... I think Segal’s folks need to take another look at the video. Because their interpretation of what was said is not even close to correct.

Orlando Opinionators Blog | Segal is wrong about what Jacobs said

See also:

Central Florida Political Pulse | Segal and Jacobs spar over jobs, lies and videostreams | Orlando Sentinel

Matthew Falconer shows his belligerent ignorance, AGAIN

If you haven't already seen this on the Sentinel's blog, it's a must-read:

Orange Comptroller to Falconer: He needs to ‘check his facts’ – Central Florida Political Pulse – Orlando Sentinel

Orange County mayoral candidate Matthew Falconer gets accused of playing with numbers and facts by his opponents, but this time he’s tangled with Comptroller Martha Haynie and what she said is the financial reputation of the government he wants to run.

Haynie is Orange’s fiscal watchdog, so she didn’t just hit delete when she saw Falconer claim in a recent email ad: “Just this week the credit rating of the bonds for Orange County were downgraded because of ‘too much debt.’”

“My office checked directly with the rating agencies after I saw this message, and confirmed that no debt issued by Orange County government has been downgraded,” Haynie said in a statement issued late today. “Our citizens are not well served when misleading information is disseminated in campaign messages. Mr. Falconer owes it to voters to check his facts before sending out inaccurate and potentially damaging statements.”

Falconer could not be immediately reached by phone or email, but later sent a copy of a down-grade notice on bonds issued by the Orlando-Orange County Expressway — which was apparently sent to him by Haynie’s office . Haynie’s top deputy asked Falconer to correct this distinction. The toll authority is a state entity, and not a part of county government. Falconer did not indicate right away whether he planned to issue any such clarification.

Falconer "did not indicate" whether he planned to issue a clarification?  Ha.  Of course not.  I have yet to see a single example where Falconer corrects any of the mistakes, misrepresentations, errors, or outright lies that he's been spouting since he decided to run for Orange County Mayor.  Regarding his despicable lies about Teresa Jacobs, calling her a lobbyist and misrepresenting about her voting record, after he was confronted multiple times about it, he just deleted a few statements from his websites.  Never issued a correction, never apologized, never admitted he was wrong.

This is just the latest example of Falconer not wanting to take the time to learn the facts, rushing to judgment, spouting out some soundbite campaign slogan, and refusing to apologize or correct his errors afterward.  This is a guy who wants to have the highest elected office in Orange County, and he doesn't even understand which government agency controls our Expressway Authority?         

OMG. More flashes of brilliance from the Sentinel. My brain might explode.

Wow, wow, WOW.  More awesomeness from the Sentinel.  If they keep this up, I might have to subscribe to paper delivery again.

Read and enjoy...article from Mike Thomas about Matthew Falconer:

 

Falconer the 'anti'-candidate not being realistic | Mike Thomas | OrlandoSentinel.com

Some highlights:

[Falconer] is anti-rail and anti-taxes, anti-Magic arena and anti-tolls.  He also is, all too often, anti-reality. He is inclined to making up facts. He claims he will do things he won't be able to do.