The Palm
Beach Post, in its blog yesterday placed this banner above one of
its posts:
"Scott pledges support for Everglades work,
Amendment 1"
The post reads says,
“Gov. Scott’s budget plan would
advance Everglades work.”
And,
“Gov. Rick Scott proposed spending $150 million next year on
continuing Everglades restoration efforts Tuesday, while largely endorsing
land-buying and environmental preservation efforts of voter-approved
Amendment 1.”
And,
“Scott said he is committed to getting the state started on the
$5 billion over 20 years in spending that 75 percent of Florida voters approved
in November.”
Sounded promising! Maybe a new
guy? But then I read,
Scott said “During my first term, we made historic investments
in our springs and Everglades and I am proud to continue to make important
investments in our environment this year,”
Historic investments? He’s
kidding? … No. the man is delusional. Understand this. He has made no
historic investments in our springs and Everglades. It’s sheer
misrepresentation. A hallucination. A revisionist lie. (Uneasiness
stirs in my stomach.)
He is also quoted saying,
“We will keep working to make sure we preserve our natural
treasures so Florida can continue to be a top destination for families,
visitors and businesses,” he added.
Understand this also. Rick
Scott did more to damage this state’s ability to “preserve its natural
treasures” than the volcanic eruption of Mount Vesuvius did to preserve the
natural treasures of Pompeii in 79 AD. (My stomach is churning.)
Then it reports,
“The sugar industry also praised
Scott’s balancing act.”
(My stomach begins to shift the natural direction of its
contents.)
Then, I read some guy named Brian Hughes is said to have said, “speaking”
for the “Florida sugar farmers”
“Governor Rick Scott’s financial
commitment toward real solutions for the Caloosahatchee and St. Lucie rivers
should help cut through the rhetoric and begin building storage and treatment
where the estuaries need it most,”
So, at last we know what’s been holding up Tallahassee's
commitment to restore the Everglades. It’s rhetoric!!!
(Language designed to have a persuasive or impressive effect on its audience,
but often regarded as lacking in sincerity or meaningful content.) Til now,
even the Florida Chamber thought it was just Scott’s hubris and ignorance of
the problem because he's not a scientist. (I’m gagging.)
Then I read,
“…Florida Sugar Farmers applaud
today’s announcement of Florida’s continued commitment to restoration.”
(My stomach is in full revolt. I need to find a latrine.)
So many of these politicians learned that if they repeat a lie often enough a good percent of the populace will believe it's true. Nonetheless, we have to keep trying to expose them no matter how futile it seems sometimes. Keep up the good work! Your articles are really good.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your barf bulletin regarding Scott's lies about his environmental protection efforts.
ReplyDeleteMore was needed, that he is a congenital liar. Why, oh why do good people stay at home and not vote? And why, oh why does SOTUS consider 900 million Koch brothers dollars free speech?
ReplyDeleteWell put, my friend. I can assure you that the river is getting worse by the day.
ReplyDeleteBUT the State is making big bucks putting multitudes on the river through it's entrances and exits that charge the public a fortune!!
Bravo!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful. I thought the same thing when I read it. If I am correct, this is the same tactic as the education funding – cut 1.3 billion and then before election add 1.1 back in. In this case cut 300M from the Florida Forever program per year and now add back in ½ that. That is not delusional , it is down right treacherous.
ReplyDeleteI know it might be a bit early, but a beer might settle your stomach. I heard this same drivel and just couldn't believe the outright lie this two-faced bastard was promoting as HIS environmental legacy. Will see what other lies he spins up. Must have future political intentions in the future???
ReplyDeleteYour points are well made. Not sure general public or those without your years of experience, really understand or recognize the long term consequences of the retro pillage policies of folks who really don't understand the fragile Florida systems, but worship making a fast dollar at the expensive of our priceless Florida eco treasures. Hopefully some of the funds for the Everglades will be spent on protecting the environment and not just sugar and the special development interests.
ReplyDeleteTough to watch the special interests get whatever they want without much checks and balances at the long term expense of the springs.etc. Kind of pay to play approach all over the state. Ignorance and lack of respect for science if inconvenient is the Fox news order of the day. Ironically, if one believes the sea is rising as it seems to be on the Atlantic Coast, one should be asking the questions related to how or if one can protect the everglades long term by natural systems or will artificial barriers need to be built?
Tough to watch much of what goes on in D.C. as well as Tallahassee for all of use. I despair for our children and grandchildren. Hopefully wiser folks will be elected and appointed in the future and can initiate recovery and revise the poor policies. At this point our good old days look like they were the golden years for balancing competing needs while protecting the environment; the goose that lays the golden eggs.
Thank you for exposing the lies!
ReplyDeleteIt goes way beyond Rick Scott, he's merely the "poster child". 70% of the population in Florida isn't Republican, yet 70% of those who claim to represent us in Tallahassee are Republican. Somebody elects these people. Many of them are people who take little time or effort to understand exactly what it is they are voting for when the push the "R" button on their voting machine or mark the "R" box on the absentee ballot.
ReplyDeleteRick Scott gets his way and knows he will get his way because there is a 70% Republican legislature that will enable most anything he wants with any opposition ignored or shouted down. With few exceptions, the average Republican representative, senator, county commissioner, etc does not represent you - he or she represents the party, party leaders and those who pull the strings of the party leaders.
The solution is simple... stop voting Republican and that means any Republican top to bottom. It's not just the guy at the top, it's the whole food chain.
I'm a Republican and I agree with you. The Tallahassee brand of Republican politics is to do the bidding of the moneyed special interests who have taken it over, while ignoring the interests of the general public and the long term interests of the State of Florida. It's pathetic, and one day the Republican Party will pay the price. It makes me embarrassed when I'm not feeling ill about it all.
DeleteAppreciate your response Sandspur. The problem is a combination of many things... rigged districts where the "R"'s mostly win, a not terribly competent or organized opposition party (Democrats) tossing away election after election, money (of course!). Then you also have the demographics - many retirees, mostly Republican, having little contact or concern with anything beyond the boundary of their retirement community or subdivision (i.e. The Villages). Those who profit (or think they're profiting) from the present status quo - believing corporations (business entities) should have more rights than (human) citizens. The sad thing is that the rest of us may pay the price before the Republican party does. Then again, there's karma.
ReplyDeleteTake a number, there be a long line ahead at the latrine.
ReplyDelete