We Are All Environmentalists, Now!

Just a few months ago, as "Democracy" was awakening in Egypt, it was common to hear many Americans proclaim--"We're All Egyptians, Now" to express solidarity with their cause.

If you live in Florida, we need a similar clarion call: "We're All Environmentalists, Now!"

Every day, I pick up the newspaper and read about the continuing onslaught in Tallahassee. Every day there is a slew of radical bills aimed at doing away with regulations that affect planning for growth and protection of our waters (both fresh water for drinking, and our bays and the Gulf). There is actually a bill (HB 991) that says it's ok to allow groundwater pollution to remain underneath a property owner's land, so long as it is contained at the boundaries.

Hmmm.... has anyone in Tallahassee ever studied anything about the Floridan Acquifer and how it works? Here's a hint, it's not a series of underground pipes with shut-off valves coinciding with private property boundary lines. But, alas, now we won't have to clean that up anymore? (So much for clean drinking water...)



Welcome to Florida, the Carcinogenic State....


Articles in the newspapers talk about how “environmentalists” are opposing these bills, as if only people who are members of organized environmental groups, such as the Sierra Club or Audubon Society should care about what poisoning is going on around us.

In case you haven't noticed, any opposition by "environmentalists" is being steamrolled in Tallahassee (and soon will be followed by dredging, filling and paving).

The question is, as Floridians aren’t we really all environmentalists? Don’t we all share a basic human need for clean water to drink and bathe in? Don’t we have a common paramount interest in ensuring that we have enough clean water to drink? Don’t we all want clean bays and a clean Gulf so we can take a swim or eat seafood without fear?

Frankly, having enough mercury in my body so that I can take my own temperature without a thermometer, is not a personal goal of mine.

“Environmentalists” are nothing more than concerned citizens who are paying attention to protecting those things. The bills being passed in Tallahassee are going to make it impossible for anyone to object to things that get in the way of development, regardless of its effects on our state waters (and without regard to any kind of a comprehensive state plan).

History is repeating itself. We did this before in the 60's and 70's in Florida, and it took decades to fix those problems. But, the current "leadership" in Tallahassee isn't too keen on learning from our history.



So, when will you awake your inner environmentalist?

Think about it often--like whenever you take a shower, or turn on your faucet, or take a drink of water.



Then call and write to all of your "Representatives" in Tallahassee and say, Enough!



Tell them: "Stop poisioning me and stop destroying my State!"



After all, isn't this something we can all get behind?



Aren't these bi-partisan values?

Return To Sender!

The 2011 Florida Legislature will go down in history as the most radical ever. They are ramming through every legislative agenda item that has been on the GOP wish list, without any serious debate.

We are told that these things are needed to improve the economy. (Although I’m not sure how limiting the right to register voters or to allow people more time to early vote helps the economy, and I’m not sure how 18 bills targeting women and their reproductive rights are beneficial to the economy, and I’m not sure how deregulating the insurance industry and allowing insurance rates to skyrocket will help the economy, and I'm not sure how cutting public school funding by more than 1 Billion Dollars helps the economy, etc. etc.)

But, most of all, I wonder what we are going to do if all of these changes don’t “fix Florida?”

Can we put the toothpaste back in the tube (or, lest we forget, put the gushing oil back in the ground)? Can we require that all of these new radical bills have a “trigger” attached to them that will make them “sunset” in two years if they don’t work to fix the economy?

Of course not--elections have consequences. They’ve had consequences in Florida for 15 years.

Florida has been under GOP control for 15 years. The current “broken” state of our state government is the GOP’s responsibility. And now they are telling me and you that these radical changes are needed to fix our State (i.e., clean up the mess that they created). Really.... you can't make this up.

Thankfully, all of the members of the Legislature will have to run for election in 2012 because of Redistricting. Here’s a thought. When you see an (R) after a State Legislature candidate’s name on the ballot, remember that it stands for “Return to Sender.”

Remind all of your friends, neighbors and co-workers that it's time to send the GOP legislators back to the private sector before it’s too late to fix Florida.