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."

[summer]

You might find this info of interest.

This is an excerpt from a news article I linked to in my post #71 on this thread.

The news here is that members of the GOP were the allies of the FL environmentalists in the fight to protect the Everglades and not build an airport.

Meanwhile the Dem leaders, according to other parts of the article, had so many business and finiancial relationships that stood to profit from this airport, that Al Gore, Senator Graham and other Dem leaders consistently FAILED to support the FL environmentalists:

...In 1996, for instance, New Times reported that Graham pressured Sen. John Chaffee (R-Rhode Island) to withdraw a request he had made to the General Accounting Office for an investigation into the Homestead airport proposal.

County Commissioner Katy Sorenson says she also has been disturbed by Graham's actions. "I've been frustrated with Senator Graham's position on this issue," she reports. "I've talked to him myself and met with members of his staff. At first he was noncommittal, then he was more pro-airport. I don't think he's ever been with the environmentalists on this issue."

Adds Alan Farago: "Bob Graham has left a trail of anger and disappointment over the Homestead Air Force Base. It is a terrible disappointment that this issue will now be a lasting part of his legacy and will seriously tarnish his reputation as an environmentalist."

"We've talked to Senator Graham many times," says Ocean Reef's David Ritz, "and we have not been very successful. He is more concerned with the airport issues than he is with the environmental issues. It does surprise me that he is not leading the charge to protect this national resource."

....Environmentalists find it ironic that, with regard to this subject, their strongest allies have often been Republicans while their fiercest opponents have been Democrats. Outgoing Republican Sen. Connie Mack, for example, opposes the development of a commercial airport at the air base. One of Mack's Republican colleagues, Sen. George Voinovich of Ohio, tried to guarantee that the proposed airport would not hinder plans to restore the Everglades.

On the other hand, redeveloping the base as a commercial airport has been supported over the years by Graham and fellow Democrats such as Penelas, Congresswoman Carrie Meek, former Gov. Lawton Chiles, Senator-elect Bill Nelson while he was state insurance commissioner, and State Sen. Daryl Jones...

[summer]

Another interesting point made by the article is in response to the point you raise, Angelique, about how the voters who opposed this proposed airport in FL were in fact not just environmentalists, but included a broader coalition of voters, many of whom were private homeowners and not environmental wackos.

In addition, as explained in the excerpt below (and I repeatred the link from this article, below), things were so bad between this group of voters and Gore that he could not even hold a campaign rally in that area out of fear he would be nationally embarassed by these protesters.

When I think back now to how the Miami-Dade County recount that was started was not going in Gore's favor, it's easy to see why after you read this:

Feature Story published November 23, 2000 in the Miami New Times:

"Collision Course"

by Jim DeFede

Award-winning columnist Jim DeFede chronicles how the Gore campaign tried and failed to muster support from South Florida environmentalists prior to election day due to Gore's political pandering to developers and power-hungry Democrats.



Excerpt from above article:

…McGinty [Gore's environmental issues campaign consultant] revealed that Gore was contemplating a campaign rally in South Florida that would emphasize his lifelong defense of the environment and the Clinton administration's efforts to restore the Everglades. If the vice president were to hold such a rally in South Florida, McGinty wondered, would there be protesters?

The answer she received was unambiguous: You can count on it.

According to those present, McGinty replied, "It breaks the vice president's heart" that he can't schedule an environmental event in South Florida for fear of being embarrassed by protesters over the Homestead issue.

"There were a lot of questions about whether he could risk showing up down here," recalls Chinquina. "And our answer was no. Unless he is coming to announce his position on the air base, don't come."

As the meeting drew to a close, after more than two hours of debate, McGinty tried to end on a positive note. "Win or lose, the vice president wants you to know that he cares about you," she reportedly said.

"Well, take our friendship back to the vice president," Chinquina replied, "and tell him that only a true friend will tell you what you don't want to hear. And what you don't want to hear is that you are going to lose this election because of Homestead. Because no matter what we say, a lot of our folks are going to vote for Nader.

Chinquina was right. Forget about hanging chads and butterfly ballots. Forget about confused voters and missing ballot boxes. Forget about recounts and lawsuits. If Al Gore loses Florida's 25 electoral votes, and with them the presidency, he can blame himself for refusing to stand in opposition to an airport at Homestead Air Force Base.

Ralph Nader received more than 96,000 votes in Florida. In the final week of the campaign, he visited Miami and hammered away at the vice president's silence regarding Homestead. "Al Gore is waffling as usual," Nader exclaimed. "He refuses to take a position as usual."

On the eve of the election, Nader sent out a letter to environmentalists across the state, attacking both Gore and Bush but singling out Gore for particular scorn. "On the Everglades, currently a key issue in a hotly contested state...."Gore has not opposed a proposed commercial airport on the site of the former Homestead Air Force Base, despite the protest of local people working for conservation and his own EPA. There are no airports situated on the border of national parks in America; the Everglades is the last place to consider changing that fact. In general, work to restore the Everglades should be done for the public, and for future generations, not on the basis of debts called in by the sugar industry and local power brokers."

[summer]

BTW, I meant to type: repeated the link..

Also, I agree with your point YaYa123 -- this is the kind of information many voters would be surprised to learn. The GOP gets a bad rap on the environment, but some of those leaders are actually the ones who often do protect the environment. The Dem leaders here in FL, as a group, in addition to Gore, are the ones who really blew it big time on this issue.

[summer]

From Summer's information, I gather Jeb is another of the many Republican office holders who care about the environment. We need to help despel those untrue cultural legends..and getting the word out on Jeb Bush seems a good starting point...

BTTT to that thought, because I do believe Gov, Jeb Bush is one of the more enlightened leaders on the environmental issue.

[Alamo-Girl]

bump!

[KC_for_Freedom]

Perhaps Dem Party leaders should be careful what they wish for in this upcoming 2002 election, as they call on FL voters to remember 200

Of course the next election will be handled without ounch cards, making it harder still on the Dems. (No midnight vote processing allowed.)

[summer]

True -- no more punch cards in FL! Thanks so much for checking out this thread, KC! :)

[Snow Bunny]

Thanks John. Hi to both of you. Summer you are doing so great . I am really proud of you and you have excellent taste too.... three cheers for Jeb Bush!!!!

Tah dah !

:)

[gatorman]

"A greater Florida for me & you . . . re-elect JEB as Governor . . . in Twenty - 02"

It will come sooner than you think:

"It will be great . . . for our state . . . to have JEB as Prez . . . in Twenty - 08?"

FRegards . . .

 

[summer]

"Tah Dah!"? I like that!

Thanks so much for your support here, Snow Bunny! I always enjoy hearing from you! :)

[summer]

gatorman, I think you just wrote TWO great bumper-stickers there! And, thanks so much for pinging this thread! :)

[summer]

This one is about the environment, and I thought you might enjoy it, especially since I kept your suggestion about length in mind ! :)

[ken21]

bump.

[summer]

Thanks, ken21! :)

[summer]

You wrote on a thread you are a Jeb fan. So -- I thought you might enjoy reading this. :)

[summer]

FYI. :)

[SiliconValleyGuy]

Thanks for the ping. Good article. Goes down well with my morning coffee. ;)

[summer]

Hi SiliconValleyGuy, Thanks very much for taking the time to read my editorial! I'm so glad you enjoyed it. :)

[summer]

If you have a moment, please give this thread a bump! Thanks, summer :)

[summer]

If you have a moment, please give this thread a bump! Thanks. :)