The internet has
given voice to virtually anyone with a computer and an itch to say whatever might
be on his or her mind, and clearly, a lot of us, me included, take advantage of
the opportunity regardless of our credentials.
It is becoming so common that hearing the truly legitimate voices amidst
all the clatter and fog is getting more and more difficult. So, when someone who is truly qualified, credentialed
and universally respected speaks out, it’s important we pause and take the time
to listen.
Former Florida Governor and U. S. Senator Bob Graham is just such a voice.
In 1978, he was
elected the 38th Governor of Florida and served from 1979 to
1987. He served as Florida’s United
States Senator from 1987
to 2005. At retirement in 2003, he had served 38 consecutive years in public
office.
Former Florida Governor and U. S. Senator Bob Graham is just such a voice.
Bob Graham was
first elected to the Florida
House of Representatives
in 1966 and reelected in 1968. He was elected to the Florida
State Senate in 1970 and
reelected in 1972 and 1976.
Here’s what Wikipedia says about his career:
Graham emphasized education, and placed a focus on improvement of the
public universities in the state. By the end of his second term the state
university system was among the first quartile of state systems in America, and
its public schools and community colleges had substantially improved their
academic standing.
In addition, Graham's administration focused on economic diversification
and environmental policies. During his tenure as Governor, the state added
1.2 million jobs, and for the first time in state history the per capita
income of Floridians exceeded the US average. For three of his eight years
Florida was rated by the accounting firm Grant Thornton as having the best
business climate of all states in the union.
Graham also launched the most extensive environmental protection program in
the state's history, focused on preserving endangered lands. During his tenure
thousands of acres of threatened and environmentally important lands were
brought into state ownership for permanent protection. His keystone
accomplishment was the establishment of the Save the Everglades program, which has
now been joined by the federal government in a commitment to restore the
Everglades.
Graham left the Governorship with an 83% approval rating.
Last Tuesday, the South Florida Sun Sentinel published a
letter by Senator Graham
that all of us should read if we have any concern for the future of Florida in
any respect. If you decide not to read
his letter because he is a lifelong Democrat, it is probably safe to suggest
you might just be part of the problem because partisan politics has become the
fundamental cause of most of our problems today, from D.C to Tallahassee. His message should be viewed absent of party
interests, either Democrat or Republican.
Forget about party politics for just a moment and consider what the Senator has
to say. His letter is printed below, in
full, with his permission.Former Governor and US Senator from Florida Bob Graham |
The
Florida Conservation Coalition (FCC) was founded after the devastating
legislative session of 2011 which rolled back 40 years of bi-partisan
environmental stewardship. Since the 1970’s Florida’s Governors and
Legislators, Democrats and Republicans, have believed in the importance of
protecting Florida’s land and water, and understood the connection between a
healthy environment and a healthy economy. As history shows, this period of stewardship
produced some of the best economic years Florida has ever had while improving
natural resource management and land conversation. During the mid-1980’s
Florida was using a deep tool box, in collaboration with private sector and
local government, to manage Florida’s growth. At the same time, Florida was
adding jobs at a rate of over 150,000 per year. And these were quality jobs; for the first
time in the state’s history, Floridian’s per capita income exceeded that of
other Americans.
Since 2011 that
legacy of stewardship has been replaced by the false mantra “environmental
protection hurts the private sector”. Now,
pro-environmental legislation is dead on arrival, and virtually every anti-regulation
bill considered is drafted by special interest industry lawyers and handed off
to willing Senators and Representatives. Florida’s conservation groups, not given an
equal seat at the table when legislation is being crafted or considered, must
fight back bad bills and amendments to hold on to what is left of our
environmental legacy.
Jimmy Petronis Sponsor of the "... the worst bill of the session" |
This
year, we were faced with the best example yet of this system run amok. The
worst bill of the session, House Bill 999 and Senate Bill 1684, was blithely
described by House Sponsor Jimmy Patronis as “a Christmas Tree” for those
private interests who approached him with their special requests. A 40-page bill, drafted by industry
lobbyists, with more than two dozen sections weakening or eliminating
environmental protections.
At one point or
another, these bills contained language that would prevent local governments
from protecting their waters from fertilizers producing algae and killing off
native plants and wildlife; restrict the ability of the state to protect
wetlands; preempt local governments from protecting critical wetlands; and take
Florida a step closer to the privatization of our water resources.
I, and other FCC
leaders, worked on this legislation for weeks and went to the Capitol to speak
up for those who believe in protecting Florida’s environment for the health,
prosperity, and enjoyment of ourselves and our children. Thanks to the thousands of calls and emails
from across the state, excellent coverage by Florida’s newspapers, and the
wisdom of some important Senators, all of the provisions above were removed
from the toxic train before it passed on the final day of legislative session.
Unfortunately, even
with all these improvements, there is nothing in the bill that serves the
public interest. Perhaps the worst
provision remaining in the final bill, annihilates the legal rights of a
citizen or group to challenge the controversial 30 year no-bid leases granted
by the Governor and Cabinet to two sugar companies in the Everglades
Agricultural Area. For those who support consistent and meaningful
environmental policy in this state, HB 999 is still a bad bill; bad politics and
bad policy. Legislation like this does nothing to find solutions to the
problems facing our state, economic or environmental.
There were some
“victories” this session. Two bills proposed early in the session, Senate Bills
584 and 466, attacked public land conservation, our state’s most effective tool
for protecting ecosystems, natural resources, and wildlife. Each of these bills
died in committee following public opposition.
Other limited
victories include a $10 million down payment towards the estimated over $100
million cost of repairing Wekiva, Silver, and scores of other imperiled Florida
springs. Everglades restoration received a $70 million allocation. Funding for
Florida Forever, although greater than recent years, is still dramatically
below the $300,000,000 historically spent by the state on land conservation. Most of the Florida Forever funding is not
likely to become available as it is dependent on the sale of other public
lands.
We should all be
proud of the great work done by Florida’s conservation groups and concerned
citizens this session, but Florida cannot take another special-interest serving
legislative session. We must start
promoting legislation that strengthens environmental protection and fully funds
land conservation and spring and river restoration.
Already, the
response from the people of Florida and subsequent defeat of many of the most
environmentally damaging special interest giveaways and legislation this year
has sent a message our leaders in Tallahassee. Conservation groups are working
well together on priority issues. Next
year we must demand that legislators stop serving the whims of special
interests, and focus on their responsibilities to our, and future, generations
of Floridians.
Senator Bob
Graham
Awesome!
ReplyDeleteI sit and ponder the world conditions at time. I think of how bad it is “at home” and what we have to go through to try and keep the invasion of the Greed Monster at bay. There are times when “us against them” seems like a LOST battle. But I know we must keep on keep’n on. Good vs. evil.
Thanks for your crusade efforts, Sonny. I talk with various friends on occasion and am awed by their ignorance of what is going on in government. Worse yet, blown away that so many exhibit what I call “the great-don’t-give-a-damn” attitude. As long as it’s not costing them ---DIRECTLY, PERSONALLY -– out of their pocket, they just don’t care. It’s “Me, Myself and I.” I fear that the arrival of the worst case scenario is the only cure, but by then it’ll be all over and done for. By then, people will be in bondage and UNABLE to do anything ….. especially if we let them take our guns away from us. We just CAN’T let that happen!!!
Please express to Senator Graham for me my personal appreciation for him giving so unreservedly of his time and influence to help keep Florida LIVEABLE through his work with the Florida Conservation Coalition and whatever other mediums may have his attention.
God Bless.
Clint Schultz