Replies

BlueNGold, Tom Gallagher isn't a "one horse" show.

Next, regarding my interest in what a Crist Assistant AG was doing via email. We are supposed to have GOVT IN THE SUNSHINE. Her email FLIES IN THE FACE of GOVT IN THE SUNSHINE. I simply followed a link on this very thread and it led me to an email by a Charlie Crist employee to the Trial Lawyers, it was a pledge to help the trial lawyers suppress free speech and grassroots activism. 1. It was beyond stupid for a state employee to email someone without insuring it wouldn't be made public in the internet. 2. The objective of the Trial Lawyers/Fla Bar is the following re: criticism of judges "This must stop." Crist's employee Martha Barreiro agreed with the Fla Bar.

3. What must stop? Right to assemble? Right to criticize Judges? 4. These emails illustrate a dangerous pattern of the Judiciary in the State of Florida usurping the other branches, including Jeb Bush's Office and getting away with it.

NOW HERE ARE TODAY'S POINTS OF INTEREST FROM TOM GALLAGHER'S CAMPAIGN: SATURDAY AUGUST 26, 2006:

“PRO-CHOICE CHARLIE” HITS THE PANIC BUTTON

~New poll shows Republican voters rejecting Charlie Crist’s liberal positions on the issues important to Republican voters~

TALLAHASSEE – After weeks of falsely accusing fellow Republican Tom Gallagher of waging a negative campaign, Charlie Crist has reacted to Gallagher's surge in the latest polls with a desperate and dishonest attack ad. Instead of explaining his liberal support for gay civil unions, amnesty for illegal immigrants, massive spending plans and abortion rights, Charlie Crist has chosen to distort Tom Gallagher’s conservative record.

"Charlie Crist cannot defend his liberal record on huge Tallahassee spending, gay rights and abortion rights, so he is trying to fool people about me and my record", said Gallagher. "I oppose higher taxes and I oppose Charlie's liberal spending plans. I'm the only Jeb Bush conservative in this race and the voters are responding to our positive message."

The Florida Chamber of Commerce released an InsiderAdvantage/Majority Opinion Research poll showing Tom Gallagher has cut the lead to 10 points – a with a whopping 29 percent still undecided. (8/23-24 500 likely Republican voters, moe +/- 4 percent). The last poll commissioned by the Florida Chamber of Commerce was lauded by the Crist for Governor “Chief of Staff” in an email sent to supporters on June 14, 2006. “These polls reflect the hard work and unwavering support that you have given to this campaign,” the email read. (SEE FULL STATEMENT AT BOTTOM)

FACT CHECK ON CHARLIE CRIST’S DESPERATE DECEPTIVE ATTACK AD:

Tom Gallagher is the only pro-life candidate running for Governor and is endorsed by Florida Right to Life and Dr. James Dobson “Gallagher picked up the endorsement of Florida Right to Life, a move aimed at rallying the broad swath of social conservatives his campaign says it commands and whose support is critical to his hopes for a dramatic comeback in the Sept. 5 primary. The successful GOP candidate then will face the winner of the Democratic primary between U.S. Rep. Jim Davis of Tampa and state Sen. Rod Smith of Alachua in the November election. ‘I'm deeply sympathetic with the plight of women who seek an abortion,’ said Gallagher, who appeared with his wife, Laura, to accept the endorsement at the organization's Altamonte Springs office. ‘But my focus will remain on the unborn child who has no choice and no voice.’ Gallagher also worked to turn up the heat on Crist by labeling him soft on abortion. ‘He says he prefers to change hearts rather than change the law,’ Gallagher said. ‘But hearts and minds do not follow leaders who are timid and who do not demonstrate conviction.’ (The Orlando Sentinel, 08/03/06)

Tom Gallagher is a fiscal conservative who has saved taxpayers more than $40 billion dollars throughout his career. Saved taxpayers between $25 and $51 billion by leading the effort to repeal the bullet train.

“Gov. Jeb Bush and legislative leaders oppose the $25 billion price tag, saying it will take away from other transportation programs. Rather than raise taxes or divert spending from other government programs to pay for it, Bush and Chief Financial Officer Tom Gallagher spearheaded the drive to put a measure on the Nov. 2 ballot asking voters to reconsider.” (The Tampa Tribune, 10/24/04)

“Voters approved the bullet train four years ago with little conception of how much it would cost. Now - in part because the bullet-train constitutional amendment passed in 2000 - amendments have to come with a price tag. The Florida Supreme Court last week approved language for an amendment to repeal the bullet train, and the Financial Impact Estimating Conference says Florida taxpayers could save $51 billion over 30 years by killing high-speed rail…The $51 billion in potential savings is the figure to focus on - that and the 488,722 certified signatures DEBT has to collect by Aug. 3 to get the bullet-train repeal on the ballot. Voters would have to be mad - in the sense of crazy - to spend $51 billion on a boondoggle.” (The Palm Beach Post, 07/20/04)

Saved business more than $1 billion by leading the effort to reform Workers Compensation: Tom Gallagher led efforts to reform Florida’s Workers’ Compensation system in 2003, and under Gallagher’s leadership, The Florida Department of Financial Services has aggressively pursued non-compliance and fraud to save Florida's small businesses more than $1 billion in the last two years and ensure coverage for more than 30,000 additional workers.

“Gallagher said workers' compensation insurance rates have dropped and the number of companies offering the coverage has increased because of stepped-up enforcement. A study released earlier this year by the Florida Home Builders Association shows workers' compensation premium rates declined as much as 20 percent in 2005.” (The Tallahassee Democrat, 02/23/06)

Saved property owners more than $700 million by fighting for insurance rate-relief: "Faced with forcing Florida homeowners to shore up the insurance industry's hurricane fund, Gov. Jeb Bush on Tuesday said he supports using state tax dollars to ease consumers' skyrocketing insurance costs.” (The Sun-Sentinel, 04/05/06)

“Gov. Jeb Bush signaled Tuesday that he would embrace a state bailout of Florida's state-run insurance company, a proposal that could save many Florida property owners hundreds of dollars next year on their insurance premiums. Bush had objected to the idea since December, shortly after it was among the insurance overhauls proposed by Chief Financial Officer Tom Gallagher, a Republican gubernatorial candidate.” (The St. Petersburg Times, 04/05/06)

"Offering Floridians some relief from rising home insurance costs, House and Senate leaders said Monday that they will use part of a budget windfall to keep homeowners from paying a steep assessment to cover a deficit for the state-run insurance company…Instead of facing an assessment of close to $200 for every $1,000 they pay in insurance premiums, property owners would then pay about $10.70 per $1,000. Lawmakers would use surplus budget money to help cover a $1.7 billion deficit at Citizens Property Insurance, the state's insurer of last resort…Fiscal Council Chairman Joe Negron, R-Stuart, said Monday he was dropping his proposal for a one-week sales tax holiday in August in favor of the using $920 million to pay down the Citizens' deficit. He said all but eliminating a statewide insurance assessment on property owners would be the equivalent of a major tax cut. ‘I believe it's the most responsible, beneficial tax cut,’ Negron said.” (The Sarasota Herald Tribune, 04/18/06)

Saved property owners at least an additional $20 billion by establishing the Florida Catastrophe Fund.

Since its inception, the Florida Catastrophe Fund has saved Florida home and property owners approximately $400 on every $1000 of their insurance premiums, every year, since 1993.

“…after Hurricane Andrew…Gallagher won raves for his get-tough stance with private insurers and his push to establish a state-backed insurer of last resort. He also supported a state-sponsored reinsurance fund that was credited with keeping Florida's insurance market intact following last year's unprecedented four-hurricane summer.” (The St. Petersburg Times, 10/23/05)

Tom Gallagher is a member of the NRA who supported HB-129 to protect lawful gun owners rights. “When gun owners needed a voice to stand up for concealed weapons permits, Tom Gallagher was there. When the legislature tried to create a three day waiting period before handgun purchases, Tom Gallagher said ‘no.’ This past legislative session, when the rights of lawful gun owners to carry their weapons were threatened, Tom Gallagher was the only Cabinet member to stand firm for the Second Amendment. Throughout his service on the Cabinet, on tough fight after tough fight, I have been able to count on Tom Gallagher to stand up, stand firm, and fight for our Second Amendment freedoms. I know Tom will do the same as Governor and all gun owners can trust him to protect our freedoms.”(Representative Dennis K. Baxley (R-24), 2004 National Rifle Association of America Defender of Freedom Award Recipient)

“Many concealed weapon permit holders, however, agree with the NRA, which lobbied vigorously for the bill's passage. Tom Gallagher, Florida's chief financial officer and the only gubernatorial candidate with a concealed weapon permit, declined to discuss how often he carries a gun, or what kind. ‘It's good to have sensitive information private,’ he said.” (The St. Petersburg Times, 06/17/06)

In 1982, Gallagher voted against a three-day waiting period for handgun purchases (an early version of the Brady Bill). Tom Gallagher also voted to ease restrictions on lawful carrying of weapons in automobiles. In 1986, Tom Gallagher voted for concealed-carry legislation

Tom Gallagher is the only gubernatorial candidate supporting the HB-129, which allows for “Lawful Ownership, Possession, and Use of Firearms and Other Weapons" “Tom Gallagher sent word that he would sign the bill if he were governor now. Charlie Crist said he…would not decide...”(The St. Petersburg Times, 10/23/05)

Marion Hammer, President of the Florida National Rifle Association told the St. Petersburg Times that Tom Gallagher is “good on the issue” of gun owner’s rights. (The St. Petersburg Times, 12/20/05)

Charlie Crist is pro-choice. Charlie Crist supports abortion rights

“But Crist proclaims himself a conservative while still holding to moderate views - accepting abortion rights, civil unions for gays, and stem cell research, for example.” (The Tampa Tribune, 08/09/06)

Charlie Crist refuses to come clean about his pro-choice views: “According to Tampa Tribune reports from 1992, which Crist doesn't deny today, Crist said that he personally opposed abortion but wouldn't oppose women's right to have abortions. Today, he calls himself pro-life, but doesn't advocate any law changes on abortion. ‘What is accurate to say is that I'm pro-life and always have been, but I also respect the view of others,’ he said. ‘I believe we should foster a culture of life. What we ought to do is strive to change hearts, not the law.’” (The Tampa Tribune, 08/09/06)

Charlie Crist has been pro-choice his entire public life was an “obstacle” for pro-life legislation. Crist has been a fervent supporter of abortion rights, even casting the deciding committee vote against informed consent legislation in 1995. (St. Petersburg Times, 4/19/95)

“The Crist campaign calls the ‘pro-choice’ label a lie…But Crist described himself that way eight years ago, when he ran for the U.S. Senate.” (The St. Petersburg Times, 08/18/06)

“The waiting period [for abortions] has been on the agenda of Florida abortion opponents for years. But for a long time, one of their obstacles was Charlie Crist. On April 18, 1995, the proposal failed on a tie vote in the Senate Health Care Committee when then-state Sen. Crist sided with two Democrats, which defeated the bill on a 3-3 vote. In the Legislature, a tie vote defeats a bill.” (The St. Petersburg Times, 08/18/06)

Charlie Crist’s support for his “pro-life” claims have been refuted and dispelled. “Crist defends his claims that he fought for tougher abortion laws and traditional marriage by saying his office defended lawsuits against parental notification of abortion and the state's Defense of Marriage law. In fact, Crist had no choice. As attorney general, failing to defend those laws would have been a dereliction of duty.” (The Miami Herald, 06/28/06)

Charlie Crist opposed informed consent as a Senator: A subsequent version of informed consent passed, but only after being “watered down considerably” by a Crist amendment applying it only top girls younger than 18. (Tampa Tribune, 3/29/96)

Like John Kerry and numerous other pro-choice liberals, Charlie Crist opposes overturning Roe v. Wade

“Crist says he opposes abortion, but he doesn't favor overturning Roe v. Wade, the 1973 U.S. Supreme Court decision that effectively legalized the procedure.” (The Associated Press, 07/16/06)

Still don’t think Charlie Crist is pro-choice? Ask the people who supported him.

“Taris Savell, a longtime Democrat who lives in Pensacola, said she voted for Democrat John Kerry in the 2004 presidential election, but she'll vote for Crist in November if he wins the primary. ‘I like his attitude. I like that he's pro-choice,’ she said. ‘Some of the things that are more controversial, he's not afraid to come out and say he's for.’” (The Sarasota Herald-Tribune, 08/20/06)

“’What you see is what you get,’ said St. Petersburg restaurant owner Maureen Brainard, a Crist friend for 15 years. Brainard was a Democrat who became a Republican because of her friendship with Crist. She said she admires his independent thinking, such as supporting abortion rights and support of environmental issues, and his interest in women's issues.

‘If Charlie wasn't pro-choice, I wouldn't vote for him,’ she said. In 1995, he joined two Democrats to kill a bill requiring a 24-hour waiting period for women seeking abortions. To Crist, his abortion position is consistent for conservatives.” (The Tampa Tribune, 10/11/98).

Charlie Crist supports liberal spending programs that Jeb Bush says will lead to “massive tax increases.”

Charlie Crist has broken ranks with Jeb Bush and conservative Republicans: “Four years after Florida voters told lawmakers to reduce class sizes in public schools, the state has made only minimal investments in new classrooms and remains without a road map for how to fund the multibillion-dollar plan. Now, as the 2010 implementation deadline looms, the question moves to the next governor -- and the uncertainty continues. Three of the candidates running to succeed Gov. Jeb Bush in November -- Republican Charlie Crist and Democrats Jim Davis and Rod Smith -- agree that it's time to find a way to pay for new classrooms and teachers without new taxes. But they offer few, if any, details on how to do that.” (The Miami Herald, 05/30/06).

Like Smith and Davis, Charlie Crist has offered no plans on how he will pay for the class-size amendment without cutting taxes or increasing spending: “…Charlie Crist's biggest commitment is one he spends little time discussing…his biggest-ticket promise thus far has been to end four years of GOP reluctance to fund the multibillion-dollar mandate to shrink class sizes that Florida voters approved in 2002…That position has put him at odds with his primary opponent, Tom Gallagher, and much of the fiscally conservative wing of the party that has steadfastly argued the class-size amendment was a liberal teachers' union invention that will cripple state budgets and worsen educational outcomes.

Both of the Democrats running for governor, Jim Davis and Rod Smith, have also pledged to implement the class-size amendment by 2010…State economists have put the amendment's eight-year costs at anywhere from $12.5 billion to $28 billion. Lawmakers devoted $3.2 billion this year to class size, and a total of $7 billion over the last four years. About $1.9 billion of that was for actual classroom construction…But [Crist, Davis and Smith] have been mum on how they'd pay for it.” (Gannett News Service, 08/19/06)

“[Jeb Bush]: I went to talk to the future leaders of the Legislature, since it's really under their watch that this thing gets ugly. This is the first year where there's a significant commitment required for capital. The ratcheting up to school average for operating costs starts kicking in, and it gets worse as you go from district to school to every class. So there's a general consensus that we need to do something about it. Their proposal to modify has gained support. It passed the House; it didn't pass the Senate, but Sen. [Ken] Pruitt is the sponsor of the bill.” (The Tampa Tribune, 02/26/06)

“Voters first approved the class-size amendment in 2002 as Bush sharply criticized the measure. During his reelection campaign, Bush used the high-end cost estimates of the amendment as a way to peg Democrat Bill McBride, who supported the amendment, as a tax-and-spend liberal who would have to raise taxes to pay for it.” (The Miami Herald, 02/16/05)

"So I believe we must go back to the voters and have them make a decision with all the information in hand, information about the new challenges our state faces, and information about the massive tax increases that will be necessary to pay for them," Bush said. (Bradenton Herald, 03/5/03).

Charlie Crist has not been honest about his support for tax increases.

Charlie Crist’s rhetoric on taxes does not match his record. His claim to have never supported a tax increase is simply not true.

Although Crist likes to brag that he has never voted for a tax increase, his actions and past statements belie his campaign rhetoric. As early as 1986, the St. Petersburg Times observed: Crist “knows the solutions don't always lend themselves to snappy campaign slogans and aren't always consistent with no-tax rhetoric.” (St. Petersburg Times-editorial, 9/24/86) That same year, Crist stated: “The imposition of reasonable impact fees would be a revenue source that I would support…[.]” (St. Petersburg Times, 8/29/86)

In a written 1992 statement to the St. Petersburg Times, Crist said: “Taxes that are in fact fair and are shared are essential if any democratic government is to succeed.” (St. Petersburg Times, 8/29/92)

In a 1992 questionnaire, Crist “said the state's tax base is not adequate and ‘the elimination of unfair and unjustified exclusions and exemptions could assist in the improved revenue base necessary to help improve and maintain our quality of life’” (St. Petersburg Times-editorial, 9/6/92)

Crist “emphasized his concern about Florida’s inadequate tax base…” (St. Petersburg Times-editorial, 10/18/92). Crist voted for a 1996 bill that placed a tax on hospitals for every live birth. (Tampa Tribune, 10/4/96) Crist supported a penny-per-pound tax to be charged to sugar companies and rejected by the voters in 1996. (St. Petersburg Times, 10/30/98).

Charlie Crist has been taken to task for his untrue statements on taxes: ”...But other claims Crist makes in the ad are less firm…Crist says, ‘I'm the only candidate for governor who has never supported a tax increase,’…But Crist also supported a…voter referendum in the 1990s on a proposed tax -- Crist calls it a ‘fee’ -- on sugar companies to pay for Everglades restoration.” (The Lakeland Ledger, 08/17/06)

“The Crist ad also maintains that Crist has never supported a tax increase…But Crist himself supported a constitutional amendment to impose a fee on sugar growers, a measure that was later defeated at the ballot.” (The Miami Herald, 08/17/06).

“Crist's commercial does take some liberties. While Crist says he ‘never supported a tax increase,’ he was a proponent of a failed 1996 effort to make sugar companies pay a ‘penny-per-pound’ tax to help clean the Everglades. Crist has said during this campaign that the penny-per-pound was not a tax but a ‘fee,’ echoing what he said after the tax proposal failed 10 years ago.” (The Palm Beach Post, 08/17/06)

“Although Crist supports the class size amendment and its multibillion dollar price tag, he has not advocated higher spending to pay for it. Crist has not said how he would pay for the amendment.” (The St. Petersburg Times, 08/17/06).

“The topic was taxes, and Charlie Crist distilled his philosophy into a crisp, four-second sound bite. 'I’ve never voted for one, and I've never supported one,’ he told supporters last week. ‘And I won't as governor, either.’…But was Crist rewriting history? As a U.S. Senate candidate in 1998, Crist supported a penny-a-pound tax on sugar companies to clean up the Everglades…Two years earlier, Crist backed a rental car tax for a stadium for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and said he did so because the tax was subject to voter approval in a referendum. As a state Senate candidate in 1992, Crist was asked by the St. Petersburg Times in a questionnaire if Florida's tax base was sufficient to maintain the state's quality of life. ’Probably not; no,’ Crist wrote.” (The St. Petersburg Times, 05/27/06).

Gallagher Saved property owners more than $700 million by fighting for insurance rate-relief, a measure opposed by Charlie Crist.“Faced with forcing Florida homeowners to shore up the insurance industry's hurricane fund, Gov. Jeb Bush on Tuesday said he supports using state tax dollars to ease consumers' skyrocketing insurance costs.” (The Sun-Sentinel, 04/05/06)

“Gallagher…but not Crist, favor[s] using the extra sales tax revenue generated by the rebuilding of hurricane-damaged areas to lower insurance premiums in Florida. Crist said in an interview after the debate that it would amount to ‘a taxpayer bailout of a failed insurance company.’ That was a reference to Citizens Property Insurance, the insurer of last resort set up by the state for those who can't get home insurance on the private market.” (Tampa Tribune, January 21, 2006).

FV SAYS: Pick something you like or copy and paste these talking points and circulate them. CAMP GALLAGHER has a top notch research team.

FINALLY, did Crist's Assistant Attorney General violate Florida in the Sunshine Laws by emailing the Fla Bar Assn. in the first place? IMO, her email was meant to be private but the trial lawyers, bless their hearts, put her email ON THE INTERNET and it was about the judiciary USURPING other branches of Fla govt! We saw that with TERRI SCHIAVO. What else have they done without our knowledge to usurp other branches of govt with CRIST'S blessing?

WHAT YOU SEE IS WHAT YOU GET. Avoid all the hassles of past, present and future transgressions by Charlie Crist and simply VOTE FOR TOM GALLAGHER FOR GOVERNOR!