If you don’t think
the Florida Legislature is being bought and sold, you’re naïve. If you think it’s okay how they take money in
exchange for favors, you’re part of the problem (and probably a Republican). If you don’t know what I’m talking about,
heaven help us. This state and country
is in big trouble.
Here’s a graphic
and nauseating example.
Small, so-called
craft beer makers, microbreweries, are now allowed to sell their beer in half-gallon
sized containers and in quart-sized or smaller containers. Recently, they decided they needed to also sell
beer in gallon-sized containers like the big boys do because of its popularity.
A reasonable business strategy - responding
to the needs and wants of their market.
To do so, however,
the law would have to be changed. So
they went to T-Town, of course, expecting it to be a simple and positive thing
to ask of their esteemed elected leaders.
It would help the small guys grow their businesses and the craft beer industry
in general.
Enter some cagey,
less than ethical, competition-hating, opportunists of the dark side of “free” capitalism,
the beer distributors. With fists full
of green they ask their “friend” and president of the senate, Don Gaetz, to help. The outrageousness of what he agreed to do is exceeded
only by his actually doing it. Simply put, it flies squarely in the face of acceptable
ethics, honest free enterprise and the thoroughly American spirit of a competitive, open and free
market place.
President of the
senate, Gaetz, eager to help his friends, sponsored Senate Bill 1714,
that would force the microbrewers to first sell their product to the
distributors and, after they mark it up, buy it back from them regardless of whether or not
they actually distribute the product!
Sound crazy? It’s a true.
Google
it. You’ll find the legislators supporting
this idiocy are those who have received heavy political contributions from the
distributors. It is nothing short of
bald-faced bribery and if you’re not outraged, you need to move to some other
place where such activity is considered part of the culture, because it's not
here … yet.
Thank goodness
there are some house members like Representative
Dana Young (R-Tampa, House Majority Whip) who are calling this what it is, “punitive”
and “absurd.”
She asks, “Why
would the Senate want to do this? It goes against every free market, small
business principle we have?”
We’ll see what
happens.
Meanwhile, it
leaves you with something ofa deficit of warm and fuzzies about the ethics of our elected reps
in T-Town and those governing our lives, doesn’t it?
Now, here’s my
point in telling you about this. Carry
the thought to the topic of water and the state’s dependence upon an adequate
flow of unpolluted, salt-free, and affordable quantities for its future. Without it, we are in very deep trouble. People living here now and in the future;
tourists who want to visit us; current and future businesses large and small
from every sector of our economy; and, fundamentally, a healthy and beautiful
natural environment that makes Florida such a uniquely attractive place to
live, work, and have a bit of fun; all, must have and continue to have, adequate
clean, fresh water to thrive.
I’m confident you
cannot rationally disagree with that last statement. Thus, I urge you place this base display of
failed governance regarding microbreweries in context with what’s happening to
the Senate’s Springs Protection bill, Senate Bill 1576, sponsored by Senators Simpson, Dean and
others. It is in serious trouble. What began as a rational and thoughtful
approach to an aggravated problem that is growing worse by the day, is being
systematically pricked
apart and weakened. If we want to know
by whom, the situation of the microbreweries is instructive. Just follow the money.
It would be my
guess that big agriculture, mining companies, power companies, oil companies and
land developers of all descriptions are tossing big green at those who will openly
or covertly oppose this bill, Senate Bill 1576. Include, if you will, a review of House
members who fit this wrap, especially House Speaker, Will Weatherford.
The fate of this
much needed legislation is unfolding in Tallahassee even as I write
this. The Bill is scheduled to be
considered for further amendments by the Senate Appropriations Committee
sometime between 9 until 6 today, amendments that will render its purpose either
meaningful to the future of the state or just another destroyed opportunity for the legislature to do
something good for Florida and its people rather than the ever-writhing and
slithering moneyed special interests.
If you care, do
something. Call and/or email your
Tallahassee representatives and the Governor today … now.
