St Pete Times - "Governor Sinks Good Water Policy"

Today’s St. Pete Times editorial is a must-read if you’re getting concerned about Florida’s sensitive natural resources and what’s going to happen now that the state’s resource protection laws are being dismantled so methodically, arrogantly and shamelessly.  Find the original piece HERE  (http://www.tampabay.com/opinion/editorials/article1174072.ece) 

Here are some quotes: 

“Governor Sinks Good Water Policy”

Piece by piece, Florida's water policy is being dismantled.

… the Scott administration pressured the Southwest Florida Water Management District to eliminate its local basin boards, and its executive director to resign.

… the administration is overturning decisions by water management districts to buy property to protect water supplies.

… Such political interference by a governor is unprecedented, and it undermines the professional management of the state's water resources.

… Environmental advocates cannot recall a previous administration overruling the technical expertise of water management districts in land-buying decisions.

… Scott's maneuvers also break from the state's decades long, bipartisan commitment to land conservation.

Trey Starkey, grandson of the family patriarch who assembled the (Starkey) ranch and recognized the value in preserving it for future generations, has figured out the state's new policy. "It's, 'Don't buy any more land,' ...

Scott's …  disregard for local control and environmental science has damaging consequences for future generations.

(added hi-lighting is mine)

Let me hasten to mention, this post is not intended to be a diatribe against Governor Scott.  He signed on to accomplish a mission.  It’s only now, though, that we’re getting to see what that apparent mission is and how he plans to go about it.  It is also becoming apparent that it may be time to begin saying what some have already said and many more of us REPUBLICANS need to begin paying attention to.

Forget that his only claim to fame before now was nearly being sent to prison for committing a multi-million dollar fraud against you, your parents, your children, and your nation’s retirement medical program, Medicare.  Never mind that even though he escaped jail time, the company he built, and over which he was the CEO, was fined nearly two billion (BILLION!) for actually carrying out the fraud (“In 2000, the company pleaded guilty to at least 14 corporate felonies and agreed to pay $840 million in criminal fines and civil damages and penalties. The company agreed to further settlements in 2002, paying an additional $881 million in fines.”).  Never mind that even though he built the company and was the CEO, he claims no knowledge of the criminality within his company which was obviously systemic and company-wide.  Never mind that during his trial he plead the fifth amendment 75 times stating in essence that he wasn’t going to answer the prosecutor’s questions because his own words would be used to incriminate him. Never mind that he spent over $73 million of his own money to “win” the election. 

No, just never mind all that.   It has no significance now.  The fact remains, despite these amazing truths which we knew about when we walked into the ballot booth, “we” elected him anyway and gave him the power to do what he’s doing. 

I don’t know about you, my friend, but I have a rising sense of dread, just the same, in the back recesses of my mind and deep in my gut.  The hope I blindly held that he would know what he is doing and that he would make - wisely - the hard decisions that need to be made, is fading and the question replacing my hope is, alas, what have we wrought upon ourselves? 

Those who have specific political or business agendas and believe that this new governor will help achieve them will continue to defend him.  These are the so called party “faithful” who vote not for what is best for the state or country but for what is best for the party, and the power and the favor that comes with being victorious. Doesn’t matter who wins.  The matter is that the Party wins.

There’s something to be said for the tough decisions we need in order to reduce the cost and intrusiveness of our government, but to suggest an ailing economy is adequate reason to sacrifice Florida’s future, as is being offered, is an abomination.