Career politician vs. energetic newcomer

Hernando Today ^ | July 21, 2010 | Paul Doss

[cc2k]

Sheriff Richard Nugent and Jason Sager are running for Congress, 5th Congressional District, presently represented by Ginny Brown-Waite. I know who both of these men are, but I do not know either of these men personally.

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Actually, the sheriff is a career politician. He was elected sheriff in the year 2000 and is now running for a political position at an age few men venture into politics. Obviously, his decision to run was triggered by Ms. Brown-Waite, who could be called a "career politician."

I have always voted for Ms. Brown-Waite but did not like the chicanery of being a candidate until the last minute, then kind of sliding Mr. Nugent in at literally the last minute to replace her. Did Mr. Nugent's passion for national service suddenly spring to life an hour before registration ended?

I don't know about that whole deal, but it has the odor of "politics as usual" to it.

The position as a member of the House of Representatives carries with it a potential multimillion dollar retirement package. Free health care (the most expensive money can buy) and a 100 percent continuation of the rep's salary — for life. Man, wouldn't we all like to have that package in our present retired status.

At this forum, Mr. Sager promised before a big crowd that when he returns from serving in Washington, he will — "wait for it" — not accept any of those retirement perks. Mr. Nugent should not need those perks, given his expected retirement benefits from his years of public and political service. He made no such pledge.

It appears to me that we can financially afford the energetic Mr. Sager. The rather laconic sheriff — not so much.

Paul Doss

[cc2k]

This is a published letter to the editor from someone who lives in my town.

Sager has discussed retirement and Congress paying Social Security and Medicare taxes. Most recently, Jason Sager promised not to take any "congressional retirement package" at the First Hernando Republican Club forum last week.

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I stand with Jason Sager in Florida's 5th Congressional District.

[ynotjjr]

It was a very good debate tonight and both men did very well. The crowd was mostly Sager supporters but were polite and respectful and enthusiatic. I don't like the attacks on Ginny Brown-Waite, one of the best Representitives we could ever hope for. A true Conservative with integrity who had the courage to vote against TARP when everyone else was crapping their pants. She is in a major battle with her health but God willing, she will be back to take down our Democratic Senator in a couple of years. It does no good for Sager to insinuate anything about how Mr. Nugent got in the race. Thank goodness it went down like it did or a stronger Democrat would have jumped in as well as republican Sen. Fasono, a Crist supporter, would have cleaned Sagers clock. Sager didn't say a single word I disagreed with except when it came to to foreign policy where he seems too isolationist. I came away hoping, win or lose, Sager will stay active and continue to preach the Gospel of our Constitution and our Bill of Rights.

[cc2k]

ynotjjr wrote:

I don't like the attacks on Ginny Brown-Waite, one of the best Representitives we could ever hope for. A true Conservative with integrity who had the courage to vote against TARP when everyone else was crapping their pants. She is in a major battle with her health but God willing, she will be back to take down our Democratic Senator in a couple of years.

Well, my memories of her "conservatism" are a little less impressive.

She did vote against TARP, and I agree with you, more Republicans should have opposed that.

She was unavailable for the Obama "Stimulus" vote. She sometimes says she voted against it (not entirely true), and often says she didn't vote for it (true, but a little short of the full story). However she justified "Cash for Clunkers" and a few other spending proposals by saying she was "using failed stimulus money." That's not exactly against the stimulus. Using the stimulus as the piggy bank for your pet projects means if you were against the stimulus, you were against funding your pet projects.

Ginny also is a "Living constitution" progressive. See http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=elbztIK5rrM for the video of this. She believes that court decisions change the constitution to bring it up to modern standards.

I pray for her health, and I wish her a long and healthy retirement with her new hubby. I would rather see a solid conservative in the Senate, please.

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I stand with Jason Sager in Florida's 5th Congressional District.