Beach Peanuts

Why The GOP "Autopsy" Should Actually Be Called The "Government Outsourcing Project"

David Koch, Fleeing The Press At The RNC, Tampa 2012

(Photo: Martha Jackovics)

If you've read the GOP's "autopsy" of their losses in the 2012 election (re-branded as the "Growth and Opportunity Project") but haven't come to the conclusion that it's mostly nonsense just yet, this could do it for you.

One of the things that stood out for me was a small section buried in the Campaign Finance, and State Campaign and Finance Laws and Regulations recommendations. It's just a couple of sentences, but it's in conflict with a majority of the other recommended policies in the report. Or rather, what they would have people believe they want to do to woo voters.

Here's the snippet, which is listed twice, word for word, on pages 69 and 97:

3. Model legislation should be developed by interested organizations and state legislative leaders to improve state campaign finance laws. Organizations such as the RNC, the RSLC, and ALEC may wish to take a leading role. To turn ideas to action nationwide, experts should develop model statutes that can be replicated across states.

The two paragraphs are identical, almost as if they were a cut and paste job from something like, oh, I don't know, an ALEC "model" maybe?

If you're not already familiar with ALEC, that's the American Legislative Exchange Council, which is the corporate funded group who work with lobbyists and conservative politicians to write the "model legislation" that legislators then bring home to their states and pass into law. They get a large amount of their funding from the Koch brothers. (I've written more about them and their involvement in Florida here, here, here, here, here, and here, just to link a few of those posts.) ALEC has brought Florida laws like the Stand Your Ground gun law, election laws, and were behind many of the Amendments on the 2012 ballot. That's just a small sample.

ALEC largely operated in secret, and many elected officials passing off their cut and paste legislation did too. But when ALEC's behind the scenes operations were exposed to a little sunlight, corporations who had quietly worked with them began getting push back from activists, angry consumers and voters. Many of them quit working with ALEC because of it.

But there are plenty of those who still work with ALEC, lawmakers, and work "for" Koch, and not in the best interest of voters and consumers.

According to the GOP's new recommendations, they're practically saying they are fully prepared to hand over governing to ALEC, and the Koch's for a price. No more secret dealings. They're indicating right there in black and white for everyone to see that they're willing to sell out the country. "ALEC may wish to take a leading role?" There's no "may" about it. They want the whole ball game and the GOP knows that. They've already made a big investment as it is. 

Shamelessly outsourcing "Democracy." Welcome to the GOP's real model for America.

It's not like many of us weren't already aware that it was really the Koch brothers and corporate America who were pulling our elected officials strings, but this is blatant. It's like the GOP is saying: "Yeah, you actually elected the Koch brothers, corporations and lobbyists, and guess what? From now on we're just going to cut to the chase and hand everything over to them for a price. We're going to let them write any old law they want. Hey, it's not like we work for a living anyway, and we certainly don't know what we're doing. Now excuse us while we jet off for another taxpayer funded vacation." Boom. No pretense about it anymore.

And of course, who is behind a lot of the laws and policies that earned the Republican Party losses in the last few elections? That's right, all of the above.

So while they claim they're going to change their ways and tinker with their policies and their messaging, the biggest "message" of all is really contained in that one little paragraph found on pages 69 and 97. Combined with even more leeway in campaign finance laws, that pretty much cancels out the rest of the report as merely window dressing.

Any questions?

Report: ALEC Exerts Unprecedented Influence Over Florida

Today Progress Florida, Florida Watch Action, People for the American Way Foundation, Common Cause and ALEC Exposed released a new report detailing the influence of the corporate front group ALEC (The American Legislative Exchange Council) has over Florida’s policy makers. The report, entitled ALEC in Florida, documents the growing footprint that ALEC has in Florida, including its unprecedented access to elected officials and the drafting of ‘model’ legislation which compliant lawmakers then push into law.

The release of the report coincides with ALEC’s 39th annual meeting being held in Salt Lake City.

It also comes amid the news that two more coporations, General Motors and Walgreens have just cut ties with ALEC, bringing the total to 30 corporations and four non-profits, 34 total private sector members that have cut ties to the right-wing corporate bill mill. (You can see the entire list here.)

ALEC has a huge influence over Florida's legislators who have passed significant "cookie-cutter" legislation in the state, most notably and recently in the news, the Stand Your Ground gun law being used in the Trayvon Martin case.

ALEC's influence also made news when Republican Rep. Rachel Burgin introduced a bill in November of 2011 calling on the federal government to reduce taxes for corporations. She had received the bill from the ALEC, which was written by the Tax Foundation, corporate members of ALEC’s ‘Tax and Fiscal Policy task force” and a group founded and funded by major corporate interests, including the billionaire Koch brothers. She introduced a bill that was the same as the model word-for-word, forgetting to remove the paragraph naming ALEC and describing its principles. Burgin is now involved in an ugly race for the state Senate against Tom Lee.

Some of the key findings from the ALEC in Florida report:

• ALEC model bills introduced across the country have devastating impacts upon public education, consumer protections, environmental protections, workers’ rights, equitable healthcare systems, just tax policy, and voting rights.
• ALEC has a strong and growing presence in Florida. Out of Florida’s 160 state legislators, 60 have had ties with ALEC since 2010. Florida lawmakers’ attendance at ALEC’s 2011 annual conference held in New Orleans was “one of the strongest delegations in years.”
• ALEC’s corporate-funded scholarship fund contained, as of January 1, 2011, $46,467. This fund is used to sponsor ALEC members to attend ALEC conferences, and is also spent – as documented in the report – to wine and dine ALEC Florida members alongside corporate lobbyists. Corporations’ expenditures for the fund can be written off as 501(c)(3) charitable donations on their tax returns.
• ALEC provides Florida members with “issue alerts,” “talking points,” and “press release templates” expressing support or opposition to state legislation, despite its claims that “ALEC does not lobby in any state.” The organization also tracks the status of its model bills in legislatures and bills it does not like, and sends its employees to testify in support of its bills in state houses across the country. ALEC model legislation has been introduced in Florida’s legislature, at times word for word, with devastating results. Last year, ALEC member Rep. Rachel Burgin (R-56) made an embarrassing and revealing mistake when she introduced HM 685 – she forgot to remove ALEC’s insignia on the bill, leaving the ALEC’s footprint fully intact.
• After Florida lawmakers passed the NRA-sponsored Stand Your Ground law in 2005, ALEC took it and ran with it. The dangerous law was made notorious in Florida by the 2012 shooting death of Trayvon Martin. Today, due to the influence of ALEC and the gun lobby, Stand Your Ground laws are on the books in 32 states.
• In response to ALEC’s extreme agenda, 26 for-profit corporations – including Wal-Mart, McDonalds, and Kraft – four non-profit groups and over 50 lawmakers have dropped ALEC in recent months. This report concludes that Florida-based corporations and Florida ALEC members should do the same.

While ALEC prefers to operate in secret, last year several Florida members admitted to participation with ALEC, one saying she was there to meet with lobbyists and fund-raise while charging her expenses to her campaign.

Dennis Baxley, the man behind the Stand Your Ground law at the time said this:

"It's a great place to share model legislation and a great place to learn what's going on in other parts of the country," said Baxley, who sponsored a major rewrite of Florida's election laws that's under challenge in court.

 The report highlights Florida members:

Out of Florida’s 160 state legislators, 60 have had known ties to ALEC since 2010. In the House, 46 representatives have been affiliated with ALEC; in the Senate, 14 Senators. And ALEC’s presence in Florida is on the rise – according to released documents from Representative Jimmy Patronis’ office, Florida lawmakers’ attendance at ALEC’s 2011 annual conference held in New Orleans was “one of the strongest delegations in years.

In keeping with its secretive nature, ALEC does not publicize its membership, thus making complete and accurate membership rolls nearly impossible to obtain. However, we know the following Florida lawmakers paid membership dues or attended at least one ALEC conference since 2010 (lawmakers believed to have been dues paying members at least once from 2010‐12 are denoted with an asterisk):

*Sen. Michael Bennett (R‐21) *Sen. Larcenia J. Bullard (D‐39) Sen. Lee Constantine (R‐22) *Sen. Nancy C. Detert (R‐23) *Sen. Mike Fasano (R‐11)

*Sen. Anitere Flores (R‐38) *Sen. Rene Garcia (R‐40)
Sen. Mike Haridopolos (R‐26) *Sen. Alan Hays (R‐25)

*Sen. Dennis Jones (R‐13) *Sen. Garrett Richter (R‐37) *Sen. David Simmons (R‐22) *Sen. Ronda Storms (R‐10) Rep. Larry Ahern (R‐51) *Rep. Ben Albritton (R‐66) *Rep. Frank Artiles (R‐119) *Rep. Dennis Baxley (R‐24) Rep. Michael Bileca (R‐117) Rep. Jeff Brandes (R‐52) *Rep. Jason Brodeur (R‐33)

*Rep. Rachel Burgin (R‐56) *Rep. Matt Caldwell (R‐73) *Rep. Dean Cannon (R‐35) Rep. Richard Corcoran (R‐45) Rep. Fred Costello (R‐26) Rep. Steve Crisafulli (R‐32) Rep. Daniel Davis (R‐13) *Rep. Jose Diaz (R‐115)

*Rep. Chris Dorworth (R‐34) *Rep. Brad Drake (R‐5) *Rep. Anitere Flores (R‐114) *Rep. Clay Ford (R‐3)

*Rep. James C. Frishe (R‐54) *Rep. Rich Glorioso (R‐62)
Rep. Eduardo Gonzalez (R‐102) *Rep. Denise Grimsley (R‐77) Rep. Gayle Harrell (R‐81)

*Rep. Doug Holder (R‐70) *Rep. Mike Horner (R‐79) *Rep. Matt Hudson (R‐101)

Rep. Clay Ingram (R‐2)
*Rep. Paige Kreegel (R‐72)
*Rep. John Legg (R‐46)
*Rep. Ana Rivas Logan (R‐114) *Rep. Debbie Mayfield (R‐80) Rep. Charles McBurney (R‐16) Rep. Peter Nehr (R‐48)
Rep. Bryan Nelson (R‐38)
*Rep. Jeanette Nunez (R‐112) *Rep. Jimmy T. Patronis, Jr. (R‐6) *Rep. Ray Pilon (R‐69)
*Rep. Scott Plakon (R‐37)
*Rep. Stephen L. Precourt (R‐41) Rep. Lake Ray (R‐17)
*Rep. Ron Saunders (D‐120) *Rep. Kelli Stargel (R‐64)
Rep. John Tobia (R‐31)
Rep. Carlos Trujillo (R‐116)
Rep. Will Weatherford (R‐61) *Rep. John Wood (R‐65)
Rep. Dana Young (R‐57)

You can read the entire report here.

Americans for Prosperity Recruiting, Paying For Signatures At Florida Polls

 
(From the AFP Florida's 2011 Legislative Scorecard)

While Republican lawmakers in Florida passed new election laws last year that equate to voter suppression claiming they want to crack down on non-existent voter fraud, a hearing was held last week in Tampa where Gov. Rick Scott refused to appear and lawmakers who proposed and pushed the laws fought against testifying after they were issued subpoenas. Two of those avoiding depositions were sponsors of the election laws: Sen. Miguel Diaz de la Portilla from Miami, and Rep. Dennis Baxley from Ocala. The other two were  Sen. Paula Dockery and Rep. Seth McKeel, from Lakeland.

Given the so called urgency of such laws, one would think these legislators would be first in line to defend their laws, not to mention Gov. Scott, but then the haste of the matter was about getting the laws on the books ahead of the 2012 elections.

The so-called urgency of voting requirements, ID laws and such magically fell by the wayside in the recent Iowa caucuses where Rick Santorum was shown to be the winner by eight votes, but the Republicans who favored Mitt Romney declared a resounding "meh" and ignored the results.

In short, voting technicalities that might affect results seem to be somewhat selective as far as the Republican Party is concerned, but that shouldn't surprise anyone paying attention to recent events.

Unless.......

Imagine the outrage if members of a certain group showed up at voting precincts on election day to coordinate and recruit members and fund raising while paying for signatures? That might be something the GOP would dream up and project onto the party of opposition like Democrats, after all, recall the faux ACORN outrage where false claims paid off for the GOP.

Well, such a thing is actually happening as the Republican primary is underway in Florida, and the GOP is in fact outraged.  Their imagined scenario is actually being played out against them.

By the "Tea Party."

Now some in the party are crying foul, according to the Sunshine State News:

The conservative group Americans for Prosperity is signing up Florida tea party leaders to serve as regional coordinators, and paying groups $2 per signature to recruit Election Day volunteers.

"It's an opportunity for tea parties to raise dollars for their organizations by helping AFP with an awareness and membership drive on Tuesday," said Slade O'Brien, AFP's Florida director.

But critics say it looks suspiciously like a conservative version of ACORN, buying foot soldiers for election work.

"It's reprehensible," said Apryl Marie Fogel, a former AFP state director. "Slade is doing things we would never have considered doing."

Though O'Brien said AFP does not endorse candidates, Fogel expressed concern about the organization's activities on Tuesday and beyond.

"Incentivizing people with money is no different than what ACORN or other groups are doing," she said.

O'Brien said "about 50" tea party and patriot members have been gathering signatures of volunteers, who, in turn, will wear AFP T-shirts and spread the group's message at precincts on Election Day.

He could not provide a current tally of volunteers, but said they will be working statewide.

"All volunteers are required to sign a release stating that they will only hand out AFP material and will not display, have available or advocate for any candidate while engaged in this project," O'Brien told Sunshine State News.

"Many [tea and patriot] groups struggle to raise money. This is an opportunity for us to boost membership on Election Day."

O'Brien defended the $2-per-head bounties paid to recruiters, saying, "All groups spend money to attract new members. This is an efficient way to have a face-to-face conversation."

But Fogel said the process smacks of "Astroturf."

Smacks of astroturf? Of course it does. That's what the Koch funded Americans for Proseperity is all about. They're in large part responsible for creating the Tea Party monster that Republicans once championed and is now threatening to swallow the Party whole. While some claim the Tea Party is dying a slow death, groups like AFP have an interest in keeping it very much alive. They aren't going anywhere if the AFP has anything to say about it:

O'Brien said he hopes to make the field coordinator jobs permanent, extending beyond November.

"We'll be engaged in Florida in the 2012 cycle, and we're hoping to keep them on board to spread the word of free markets and fiscal restraint," he said.

Now appearing at a polling place near you in a shiny new Americans for Prosperity t-shirt. They're probably there right now.

Cue the Republican outrage?

Transparent No More: The Curtain Has Come Down On The Republican Party

To Believe In The GOP's America, It's Going To Cost You

Today Mitt Romney made a campaign appearance at an empty National Gypsum Company warehouse in Tampa that closed in 2008 and delivered his "prebuttal" to tonight's State Of The Union address. He tried to draw a contrast to the address theme "America, Built To Last."

Romney stated: “The President’s agenda sounds less like ‘built to last’ and more like ‘doomed to fail."

It's somewhat ironic that Romney chose a closed down empty business as a backdrop to slam President Obama, and the location says more about Romney's vision of America than it says about President Obama's.

While last night's GOP debate in Tampa proved to be less of a game changer than advertised, the real news came after the debate was over: The partial release of Mitt Romney's tax returns and Newt Gingrich's contract details with Freddie Mac. Each disclosed just a snapshot of detail and while those disclosures were "bombshells" in themselves, they left more questions than answers.

As Romney made his "prebuttal" he made no mention of those tax returns, which makes perfect sense for him because they show what happened to some of the millions Romney made when he worked for Bain Captial.

Those "job creators" Mitt Romney speaks of so often like Bain Capital buy companies, bankrupt them and make a profit which then gets shuttled off to Swiss bank accounts and tax havens like the Cayman Islands. Those who lost their jobs thanks to companies like Bain, and people like Mitt Romney are now getting a glimpse of where all the money goes. It doesn't go to create jobs, rather it goes into the bank accounts of the job killer at the top like Romney, who lives off his investments and what he saves by paying as little tax as he can get away with. In Romney's case that was a mere 13.9 percent for 2010.

Last night during the debate, when Newt Gingrich brought up Romney's history with Bain, Romney would change the subject to focus on Gingrich's history with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

And what about Newt's history with Freddie Mac?

The consulting firm founded by Newt Gingrich on Monday night released a copy of its 2006 contract with Freddie Mac showing it was paid $300,000 to provide unspecified "consulting and related services" for one of the federally sponsored housing agency's top lobbyists.

But a spokeswoman for the firm said it was unable to find an earlier contract dating to 1999 and renewed until 2002. The spokeswoman, Susan Meyers, also could not say whether Gingrich or any of its employees produced any written reports for Freddie Mac as part of the nearly $1.8 million in consulting fees it was paid.

What we learn by this "disclosure" is that Gingrich made lots of money working for Freddie Mac, but we have little clues about what he did for $300,000. Nice work if you can get it.

When Romney tried to pound Gingrich with questions about his "consulting and related services" with Freddie Mac during the debate, Gingrich would naturally hit back with Bain accusations, and on it went until Brian Williams would call a halt on the subject and move on to something else.

This back and forth between the two was a perfect illustration of everything the Republican Party stands for today, and Romney and Gingrich are the perfect poster boys for what's wrong with those policies. Any argument they make against the other comes back to haunt them. They might as well be arguing with a mirror.

Romney tells voters that "corporations are people, my friends" and to him they are. Romney calls Newt Gingrich an "influence peddler" and, well, it seems he is. Thanks to Citizens Untied, corporations can give boatloads of money to political campaigns without disclosing where it came from, and both men are huge beneficiaries, which they sparred over in earlier debates.

Yesterday the Center For American Progress released a new poll that shows only 17 percent of Americans agree that corporations should be allowed to spend unlimited money on elections. I would guess that this 17 percent in favor of Citizens Untied are the very same big spenders at the top who are "buying" Newt Gingrich and Mitt Romney.

There's no shortage of groups taking advantage of Citizens United to influence elections both nationally and in states like Florida where the Republicans are practically puppets for special interests. I'm probably not the only person in Florida who got a robo call interrupting the debate last night from Americans For Prosperity, the Koch funded front group behind the so called "grassroots Tea Party" movement. They were calling to invite me to join them for their local "Obama Forgets" State Of The Union watch party which is described as part of  "a 7-day effort that will highlight some of the Obama Administration's worst offenses to the principles of limited government and free market enterprise." Some of those "worst offenses" no doubt being things like regulations that protect consumers from big corporations like those owned by the Koch brothers, and demanding that those corporations pay their fair share of taxes and create jobs here in the U.S. rather than shipping them overseas, kind of like Bain and Mitt Romney did. Perhaps things like protecting consumers from big banks that contributed to the housing bubble, and those paid "consultants" during that time like Newt Gingrich?

Which brings us back to Mitt Romney's little "prebuttle" to the State Of The Union address in front of that abandoned warehouse in Tampa, where Romney said this:

“Ours is the party of free enterprise, free markets, and consumer choice. The Republican Party stands for personal responsibility and equal opportunity. We don’t demonize prosperity. We celebrate success.”

The vision of "free enterprise" that Mitt Romney, Newt Gingrich, and yes, the Koch funded Americans For Prosperity groups aspire to isn't the same vision those who might vote for them think it is.

The Republican Party today stands for anything but personal responsibility and equal opportunity. The evidence of that lies in those Swiss accounts and those in the Cayman Islands.

It lies in those missing Freddie Mac documents.

It lies in countless abandoned warehouses like the National Gypsum Company that Romney used for the backdrop of his Obama bashing buzzword-fest in Tampa.

These Republicans are the ones who prosper and achieve success at everyday American's expense, Americans don't "demonize" that prosperity, they just want a fair chance at what used to be the achievable American Dream. It's the Republican Party who puts that very dream out of reach now for the majority of Americans, and it's the Republicans who demonize those Americans who dare to point that out.

The Republican Party is in shambles, and they have no one to blame but themselves. Romney and Gingrich and all the rest can argue and accuse each other of using those "weapons of the left" all they want. The curtain has come down on the party who are essentially their very own "weapons of mass destruction."

Romney and Gingrich are a traveling road show, a political advertisement if there ever was one for the last person you would trust to put in the Oval Office.

The Fight For The Affordable Care Act Is A Fight For Our Lives

Yesterday a report came out that showed the Affordable Care Act is saving millions for Florida seniors, and they're happy with the new law when they see the results and the benefits actually play out.

That's common for those who are facing health problems and working with their insurance companies. It makes perfect sense. Throughout the entire health care reform process, and even now, Americans are fed a steady stream of Republican anti-reform talking points. Republicans who benefit from big contributions from the health care industry want to protect big profits for those same companies, so they come up with catchy terms like "death panels" and "ObamaCare" to scare people while telling you that the President's ACA must be repealed for any number of nonsensical reasons.

Not included in those reasons of course is the real one: Health Insurance means big business and huge profits that feed the Washington revolving door. That translates to millions of Americans who can't afford health care because of the staggering costs. The Republicans want to repeal the ACA, and those in states like Florida are throwing up roadblocks along the way because they know what reports like that show: Once people see the real benefits, they like the health care law. 

If you've watched any of the Republican debates, you know that killing the ACA is a big rallying cry, and their base seems to relish in it. Note early on, when Ron Paul got a hypothetical question about a man in his thirties who has no health insurance but faces an illness. Paul said that choosing to have health insurance, or not, was "what freedom is all about." When the moderator followed up his response by asking: "But congressman, are you saying that society should just let him die?" the audience beat Paul to an answer by cheering, laughing, and shouting "Yeah!" Hypothetically they cheered the potential death of an adult, but in reality, those cheers include children as well.

You could parse this reaction several ways. That these are simply Paul fans who value "freedom" at any cost, that they have indeed fallen for the GOP scare tactics, or they're simply people who could care less if someone lives or dies and have the "I've got mine, so screw you" mentality.

Regardless of the reason for the reaction, this is today's GOP. No health insurance? Tough. Or as former Democratic Congressman Alan Grayson put it in a floor speech in 2010:

“The Republican health care plan: don’t get sick,” he said. But, he added,”The Republicans have a back up plan in case you do get sick … This is what the Republicans want you to do. If you get sick America, the Republican health care plan is this: Die quickly!” 

Grayson was harshly criticized for his comments, but ask yourself, isn't this exactly what Republicans are striving for? Again, all the Republican candidates for President, not to mention all Republicans currently in Washington have vowed in one way or another to kill or weaken the ACA. Rep. Grayson hit the nail on the head, or perhaps the coffin: If you get sick but have no insurance, too bad.

You. Lose.

Unless you're someone who has faced a major illness without insurance, or someone who pays around say $1,000  a month  (not a hypothetical) for health insurance that covers little of your medical bills, Republicans have largely been able to convince many Americans that the ACA is almost as bad for them as the socialist, communist, Kenyan (fill in the blank with any ridiculous GOP label) President in the White House. But as the report I cited above shows, when you see true benefits as a result of the new law, you see the Republicans for what they are: Shills for the insurance companies. Your life meas little to them.

The ACA is facing an upcoming battle in the U.S. Supreme Court which gave us Citizens United, allowing mountains of cash from undisclosed sources that will make it easier for the Republicans to fight against President Obama and Democrats in the next election. Some of those justices who'll be making decisions in the challenge to the ACA are those who ruled in favor of Citizens United. They're also justices who attend fundraisers and speaking engagements with the very lobbyists and groups like the Koch brothers who are fighting against ACA in lockstep with the Republicans. One of those is Justice Clarence Thomas whose wife Ginni has actually earned a nice income by working towards the defeat of health care reform, yet Thomas has no plans to recuse himself from the case.

All these desperate attempts by Republicans show what many who supported health care reform during the battle thought would result: Republicans would begin to lose their message war. It would seem they already are. The proof is in parts of the ACA that are already helping many who would have been out of luck had it not passed. There are real people with names and faces, not hypothetical red meat for debate fodder. 

Take the words of a woman named Spike Dolomite Ward who wrote an Op-Ed last week in the Los Angeles Times. She was one of those Democrats who were disillusioned by the Obama health care battle and was angry enough at the President to change her party registration to Independent. She didn't understand the details of "ObamaCare" until she found herself uninsured, and diagnosed with stage three breast cancer just weeks ago. That was when she was saved by the Pre-existing Condition Insurance Plan, part of Obama's ACA. You can read the entire Op-Ed piece here, and I would encourage you to do so.

It's a real life example of how the ACA is saving lives NOW.

Who among us hasn't either faced an illness like cancer ourselves, have family members or friends who have? How many of those are lucky enough to have insurance that covers it? How many have none at all and could lose their battle (or already have) simply because insurance company profits and scoring political points for power are more important to Republicans in Washington who are fighting against them every step of the way? How many could be saved like Spike Dolomite Ward? Aren't her life and others worth saving? Should Americans have to settle for the likes of those who would cheer over letting an uninsured person die?

Show me a person who does, and I'll show you a person who never had to face what those they condemn are facing.

The Affordable Care Act may not be the best it might have been had it not been for the mountains of opposition from the health care industry and the politicians who did their bidding, but it's one heck of a good start and it'll be improved on in the future. In spite of all that, it's saving lives now.

That's why we have to keep fighting and support the law going forward, because this shouldn't be a fight about politics.

This is a fight for our lives. 

Does Rick Scott Understand What A Government Shutdown Means?

According to the St. Petersburg Times, Rick Scott was asked Thursday about his thoughts on a potential government shutdown due to the debt ceiling negotiations in Washington. 

To anyone who is paying attention, his response might be a little unsettling. Not too surprising considering the source, but unsettling nonetheless:

On a potential federal government shutdown, Scott said he didn't anticipate any halt in the flow of federal money to Florida. Generally speaking, he said, the federal government needs to live within its means and stop borrowing money.

I realize Scott doesn't read the papers, but seriously? He doesn't anticipate any halt in the flow of money to Florida?

We're faced with a catastrophic financial meltdown, and yes, say it with me Gov. Scott, a:

G-o-v-e-r-n-m-e-n-t   S-h-u-t-d-o-w-n

But he doesn't see that as anything but a minor nuisance, and money will magically flow to the state of Florida as the rest of the country grinds to a halt? Perhaps he was speaking of his own personal fortune, that he personally won't have to worry if the debt ceiling isn't raised? Maybe just a hiccup for him, as if the local ATM were out of order? 

It's staggering. Utterly clueless. It's no wonder his approval ratings are currently even worse than those of Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker. 

From there Scott breezed on and talked of his upcoming vacation plans, which will include a day trip to Aspen for another speaking engagement with the Republican Governors Association. The reporter asked if he was going back to Vail, perhaps hinting again about his recent trip there to hang out with the Koch Brothers.

Getting By With A Little Help From His Friends?

That brings to mind another upcoming event, and I have to wonder if he'll be attending this one as well. On August 1-6, the American Legislative Exchange Council, or ALEC as it's more commonly known, will be holding their annual meeting in New Orleans, and I really hope he'll be asked about that one a lot beforehand, since he tried to keep the Koch Summit trip a secret. I doubt he would want Floridians knowing about this one either, especially since ALEC has been in the news a lot, most recently in the past few days.

If you're not familiar with ALEC and what they do, well, you probably should be. They're a corporate funded group who work with conservative politicians and write laws and vote on them on your behalf, in secret. In fact, Gov. Scott and the Republican members of the Florida legislature have worked on and passed laws coincidentally similar to many of the ALEC "templates" that are sent out to states on a kind of "cut & paste" basis. ALEC is also heavily funded by, guess who? The Koch Brothers!

So if you find yourself scratching your head wondering how politicians like, say Gov. Scott, or Florida Senate President Mike Haridopolos can seem so clueless, and yet crank out legislation at such a mind numbing pace as they did this past session, this may be why.

Lawmakers don't have to write the bills or come up with these ideas on their own. ALEC member corporations meet in secret and are all too happy to do the work for them. Lawmakers just do a little minor editing and voila! Laws that favor big businesses, but you? Not so much. 

Cut, paste, repeat.

I'll be writing more about this later on, but for now you might want to have a look at what ALEC does. Recently documents on many of those templates were leaked by a whistleblower and are now posted on this website where you can search for them by subject like, say privatizing education, charter schools, union busting laws, and rigging elections just for starters. Sound familiar?

There's also a series by The Nation that explains in depth how ALEC works and some of the history behind the group, beginning with an article by former health insurance executive and whistleblower Wendall Potter explaining how ALEC worked behind the scenes to make sure that President Obama's health care reform didn't include a public option, and how they set up the laws to make it easier for states to maintain control over your health care. Again: Sound familiar?

So I certainly hope that reporters from the traditional media will start asking Rick Scott, and other local Republicans if they have any travel plans in August. I for one would just love to know. Unless, of course the government does actually shut down. Then someone will have to break it to Rick Scott that things like homeland security and air traffic controllers who help make it easier for people like him to travel on their private possibly unreported gift planes are a couple of the things that might get axed when the government coffers run dry.

But for Governor Clueless, those would be the least of his, and our problems.