The Jeb Bush Nobody Knows - Part 8: Why Some FL Dem Voters May "Never Forget" -- and, vote for Jeb

Various information throughout article, including newest announcement here ^ | Jan. 9, 2001 | summer

[summer]

The Jeb Bush Nobody Knows - Part 8: Why Some FL Dem Voters May "Never Forget" -- and, vote for Jeb

Written by summer - a former Dem, now an independent, and a FL-certified teacher



One of FL's many beautiful rivers

A subject usually taught by elementary teachers throughout this country is state history. And, here in FL, teachers also spend time teaching their students about FL's unique and beautiful natural environment.

I was thinking about this recently, after someone tried to convince me to vote for a Dem candidate for FL governor this year. It seems to me that person's reasoning can be summed up as follows:

Something happened in FL during Election 2000 -- and FL voters should "never forget."

I would like to tell this person something truly did happen only in FL during Election 2000. And, FL voters most concerned about FL's environment may in fact remember such events.

Election 2000 was the year Gov. Jeb Bush announced his controversial decision to restore FL's Ocklawaha River. His announcement followed 25 years of FL voters fighting to remove a dam to restore this river's natural run. As soon as he publicly took a stand, FL environmentalists loudly praised him, according to this Jacksonville newspaper article:

…Environmentalists cheered Bush's recent announcement and said it should speed up their 25-year effort to remove the dam and restore the natural run of the Ocklawaha, a tributary of the St. Johns River.

"With this governor's leadership, we think that will make all the difference," said David White, an attorney with the Center for Marine Conservation….

The aforementioned article also discusses how some members of the FL governor's own political party were against the FL environmentalists on this issue - and, against Gov. Jeb Bush's decision.

But, as is often the case, sometimes an individual has to take a stand. Even if he stands alone.

Meanwhile during 2000, these same FL environmentalists were waiting -- and waiting -- for Al Gore to speak out.

They wanted to hear what Gore had to say about the following controversial environment question: Should the old USA Homestead Airforce Base near Miami be developed into a commercial airport - and, thereby, potentially threaten the Everglades? What was Al Gore's public position?

To the shock and disappointment of FL environmentalists, Al Gore would not take a stand. He offered them nothing but silence. These stunned FL voters realized they could not count on Dem leadership to support FL's environment in this highly publicized battle they'd fought since 1994 against developers and Dade County.

Then came November 2000. And -- big surprise in FL! Why?

Well, according to National Public Radio, some of these FL environmentalists remembered Gore's silence. And, once again, these FL voters took a stand --- and, took their vote elsewhere. Here's how one FL voter interviewed by NPR explained her vote in Election 2000:

"I think that if Al Gore had taken a stand on (the Homestead Airport), I might have considered being part of that 50 percent margin that left Nader at the last minute and went and voted for Gore."

Hillary Gerber
Ralph Nader supporter

This FL voter's comments were originally broadcast on Nov. 24, 2000, as part of NPR's "Living on Earth" series The title of this radio news documentary was:

"Did Al Gore's silence on the controversy over plans to build a major airport near the Everglades cost him crucial votes in Florida?"

According to a FL environmental activist website known as "no airport"you can listen to this archived broadcast by visiting the Living on Earth website.

The longtime controversy over future use of the Homestead Airforce Base came to a close as the legal battles were dropped in 2001. Shortly thereafter, a federal report sided with FL environmentalists, and found the proposed commercial airport would indeed threaten the Everglades. According to this subsequent Dec. 2001 Miami editorial, FL voters can thank the US AirForce for putting the "nail in the coffin" of the Homestead airport proposal. Dade County will now develop the Homestead Airforce base in a different manner-- one that is environmentally sound.

As we move into a new election in 2002, FL voters devoted to preserving FL's natural environment will no doubt take into account Gov. Jeb Bush's on-going, outstanding record on environmental issues. To review his environmental record , click here.

I can't help but wonder if the person who tried to influence my vote will ever realize that some FL voters may also recall Election 2000 in terms of the Dem's non-existent leadership.

By contrast, in another part of FL during that same year, FL's current GOP governor decided to let a river run.
He took a stand.

Perhaps Dem Party leaders should be careful what they wish for in this upcoming 2002 election, as they call on FL voters to remember 2000.

Some FL voters - including environmentalists and educators -- may again take their vote elsewhere if, in fact, they "never forget."

[goldilucky]

welcome.

[summer]

:)!

[Dan from Michigan]

I'll look at it.

[goldilucky]

have a nice evening! Have alot of post to answer. Was out job hunting.

[summer]

Thanks. Please post back on this thread whenever you have a chance, after you read it. I'd love to know what you think! :)

[summer]

Thanks, goldilucky. You, too. And, good luck with the job hunting! :)

[goldilucky]

Thank you! : ) It's a full time job.

[summer]

I happen to know you're right about that! LOL...

[goldilucky]

Yes, I've been up since 6:30 this morning. But I'm just peddling away. We really are in a recession. But that's not because of Bush Jr. The recession stems from the Clinton admin.

[Marauder]

Bump ... good post, summer. ;-)

[summer]

Thanks for checking it out, Marauder! :)

[Sal]

The "goddess's" actual name is Gaia ("Guy'-ah"). It's kind of a New-Age catch all for any kind of feel-good nature-worship, earth-worship, random BS "spirituality" divorced from the paternalistic "evils" of logic and reason. It was a religion before this little movie was made and I think somebody is trying to make it into the universal World-Religion which is supposed to supplant all the traditional religions. You are definitely right that it is being promoted by all the organized groups you listed. I agree with you that there is a difference between a genuine respect and concern for the environment and the whack-job enviroNazis' agendas. The red alert should be going full blast.

Summer, this isn't necessarily aimed at you. I don't know the specifics of your issues and so will not comment on them. My reply was to DO's concerns as raised by this movie and LOTS of other related stuff flowing through our schools and everywhere else. You've probably heard it yourself. IMO it's an attempt to co-opt a reasonable and important area of interest--and to twist it into something else.

[DoughtyOne]

Thanks for the comments Sal.

[nolu chan]

Bump

Well done, Summer.

[summer]

Summer, this isn't necessarily aimed at you. I don't know the specifics of your issues and so will not comment on them. My reply was to DO's concerns as raised by this movie and LOTS of other related stuff flowing through our schools and everywhere else. You've probably heard it yourself. IMO it's an attempt to co-opt a reasonable and important area of interest--and to twist it into something else.

Sal, I appreciate your thoughtful comments on this thread, and I think you and DoughtyOne do make a valid point.

DOughtyOne and Sal, I was trying to think of an analogy though, so you two could see how I am thinking about this.

Right now the best I can do is to say this: I know you and DoughtyOne are correct, in that there ARE fanatics out there in this area -- as there are fanatics in other areas. That film, American Beauty, featured a fanatic not in the area of nature, but in military areas, as this guy collected Nazi war memorobilia. Now, I mention this because to some people, who do not post on this board, EVERYONE HERE is just like that character in that film -- and, you both know that is not true. As I know that.
In terms of education and nature and such, I feel it is similiar -- some less enlightened people think EVERY TEACHER IS A NATURE WACKO -- and, that's not true.

But, there are those people in education and elsewhere, and I would not be surprised to find you have the extreme in other areas here and elsewhere. Those people DO exist.

But, I would like to tell you most teachers I know are not that way. Seriously. They do not have the time to BE that way! IMO, such a fanatic as you are describing is someone who would need a lot more time (to spend on that psuedo-religion of theirs) than they would have if they were teaching. But, I agree you have a point.

[summer]

Thanks so much for reading my editorial, nolu chan! I so appreciate it. :)

[summer]

Well, I think I rambled a bit toward the end of my post #95, but here's all I meant: those people do exist. But, I don't think there are a lot of teachers like that. There are probably some -- just as there are a few fantantics everywhere, in every area. The media makes it seem more so.

[summer]

FYI! :)

[summer]

I meant to type: "fanatics"

[summer]

FYI. :)