Category Archives: Pensacola

Florida, Pensacola, Politics

Trial Lawyers' Quid Pro Quo

Here comes the payback for the trial lawyers. When I say that taking away the tax hammer from the politicians in Washington, which is exactly what would happen if the FairTax were to become law, there is one other change for the better that the FairTax would do. It would end the manipulation of the tax code to favor special interests, like what Democrats in Washington are trying to do today for their most favored group of lobbyists, trial lawyers.

It’s about senate bill  S.437. Its purpose is to amend the Internal Revenue Code to allow attorneys a tax deduction in the current taxable year for reimbursable expenses and court costs which they pay or incur in connection with contingency fee cases.

It is not a coincidence that tort reform is not mentioned in Washington by Democrats when it comes to reducing costs of health care. Its absence in the health care bills, both real and imagined, is no accident. S.437 demonstrates just how much the administration is in bed with the slip-and-fall lobby.  And look who they get to sponsor it, Sen. Arlen Specter (D-PA).  Also note that Mel Martinez (R-FL) is one of eight primary sponsors.

Tough economic times are usually no problem for trial lawyers. Pain, suffering and liability abound even in a bad economy. Vioxx, defective products, bad hip replacement joints, video games that “cause” violence, perhaps even foods that “make” people fat — you name it.

Even so, the trial lawyer lobby is looking for a bailout of sorts. In exchange for the billion dollars that the legal profession has contributed to lawmakers since 1990 — the vast majority of it to Democrats — trial lawyers are gunning for a tax break that applies only to them, worth some $1.6 billion.

Their top lobbyist, Linda Lipsen of the American Association for Justice, remarked at a recent conference in San Francisco that the provision would have to be attached to another bill.

“You cannot have a stand-alone bill to help lawyers,” she explained, “so we have to tuck it into something.”{emphasis added}

So watch for the bill that they try to hide it in. It will most likely be a bill, like all others we’ve witnessed since January 20th of this year, that will be touted as an emergency. Another of those that won’t be read and shoved down America’s collective throat.

Everybody gets their payback in Obama’s administration. Especially the  lobbyists he said he would distance himself from when he was a candidate. You simply have to wait your turn. AIG, Freddie and Fannie, Wall Street, the UAW, and now the trial lawyers.

Where is the quid? Well, aside from the billion dollars of donations since 1990, there is this . . .

An Examiner analysis of National Law Journal’s “2008 Plaintiff’s Hot List ” shows that in the first six months of 2009, employees of the top 15 trial firms contributed $636,305 to federal politicians and political action committees.

Only $4,875 of that went to Republicans, meaning that trial lawyers at the nation’s top firms are giving more than 99 percent Democratic this year. Similarly, AAJ’s PAC gave Democrats 96 percent of its $627,000 in contributions in the first half of this year.

Trial lawyers are concentrating on the Senate, with the top 15 firms giving $236,000 to the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee and $54,000 to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., a former trial lawyer who faces a potentially difficult re-election. Reid collected $978,000 from the legal industry as a whole between January and June.

You may have heard a lawyer joke or two. Like 99% of lawyers give the rest of them a bad name. It’s hard to engender any sympathy for the slip-and-fall, mass tort class of attorneys when . . .

Their political standard-bearer, former Sen. John Edwards, admitted to cheating on his cancer-stricken wife, and is being investigated for his presidential campaign’s $100,000 payment to his mistress.

Last spring, four senior partners of Milberg Weiss, formerly New York’s pre-eminent class action securities firm, were fined and imprisoned for bribing plaintiffs in cases that had netted them $250 million in fees. (The firm since reorganized, and its remaining partners and employees have made $36,537 in political contributions this year, all to Democrats.)

And Dickie Scruggs of Mississippi, a master trial lawyer and architect of the billion-dollar tobacco settlement in 1998, received a seven-year prison sentence earlier this year for bribing a judge.

related link:  Trial lawyers’ gun for their own loophole

Pensacola, Politics

Pensacola's Grass Politics

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Under the guise of frugal landscape management, the Pensacola City Council is poised to limit and restrict the use of Plaza Ferdinand VII. In doing so, they are stomping on our constitutional rights to assemble in public places.

There is no shortage of grass seed, sod, or landscapers in the area as far as I know. Just as there is no shortage bums that reside there.  The ‘shortage’ seems to be somewhere in City Hall. It smacks of a more nefarious way to limit public assembly for dissent or any other reason.

The constitutional right to assemble is not dependent upon the amount of money in the bank.

The matter will come before the City Council for a final yes/no vote on August 13. Locals should make plans to attend that council meeting and tell City Council what you think. I think that grass does not trump the constitution.

related link: Council moves to restrict use of Plaza Ferdinand VII

Economy, Fair Tax, Florida, Pensacola, Politics

Fair Tax Advocates At Tea Party

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Though not widely publicized, there was a ‘Tea Party’ at 9th Ave. & Creighton Road today. Lest there be any doubt, I am a supporter of the Fair Tax. It alone would begin a lasting economic recovery on into the future, without adding to or piling on the current national debt.

The crowd of somewhere between 300-400  people were all, at least the ones I saw and spoke to, well behaved and passionate about what they believe, that the country is going in the wrong direction, in so many ways. Trying to spend our way to prosperity and borrow our way out of debt, taking over private companies and industries all add up to economy killers. Markets pull back at the fear of being next on the hit list. Risk-taking and investment stop. Jobs end. Exactly what we are seeing happen right now.

That’s why most people were there, home-made signs and all. They sang patriotic songs along with a PA system that someone had set up. This is what grassroots looks like.

I, and a few other Fair Tax advocates were there to answer questions about the Fair Tax and to enlist Fair Tax supporters. I am happy to report that we picked up 41 new supporters in those two hours today.

Thanks to two of our newest members Mr. Brown and Mr. Doyel, and to Community Coordinator Jim Whatley, for their help and participation at our Fair Tax table. We handed out pamphlets and spoke to a lot of people. Everyone we spoke to that had questions or were just curious, liked the Fair Tax once they learned more about it.

Special thanks to Lee for the umbrella. We were offering FREE SHADE for people that signed up to join us.

Part of building our grassroots support includes recruiting Community Coordinators and County Coordinators. To learn more about the FFTEA and the above positions,  please check out our website.

I was interviewed by PNJ reporter Thyrie Bland for an article that will be in tomorrow’s paper.

Pictures will be posted here as well as on our FFTEA Panhandle website as soon as I get them.

Update 07/05/09: PNJ article, Protesters take aim at taxes, socialism

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Media, Pensacola, Politics

Helen Thomas, The Point Is Control

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‘It’s a pattern of controlling the press.’ The ‘events are pre-packaged.’ This is what Helen Thomas, the Grande Dame of The White House press briefing room, told White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs about the ‘town hall meeting’ that President Obama has planned. Another infomercial. ‘Yes, and if you act now (vote for everything that I think is good for you, you don’t have to read it), you’ll get a second one absolutely FREE.’ Emphasis on ‘free.’

Of course I have to agree with both Chip Reid and Helen Thomas that it is disingenuous to call it something that it is not, where questions solicited over the internet are screened in advance, and they pick and choose the ones they want to answer.

That is not any-one’s definition of a town hall meeting. This is a town hall show. I wonder if someone from Air America radio is advising David Axelrod on how to fool the American people? This is similar to the way that Air America radio host Mike Papantonio and Robert Kennedy Jr run their Ring of Fire radio show. That show is to talk radio as this ‘town hall’ event is to a town hall event.

Frankly, I’m glad to see the media standing up, instead of laying down, to Gibbs (the administration) on the willful deception going on in The White House. They have certainly come a long way since the presidential campaign season when they had enough ‘plants’ in ‘debates’ that were run by them to open up a roadside stand. In either case, it is the same deception. Is this the change you were expecting?

This video is noteworthy just for the sheer incompetence on display in the performance of the White House Press Secretary. This is a real gem.

In responding to Helen Thomas telling Gibbs that the White House screens the questions and calls reporters on the night before to tell them that they will call on them at the ‘town hall’ meeting, Gibbs responds to Thomas with ‘eh, we’ve had this discussion ad nauseum’ and then points to someone else to change the subject. But not before she responds with ‘of course you would, you don’t have any answers.’ Priceless.

See the entire exchange below. Get the kids and some popcorn, you will want to see this again and again.

Pensacola, Race Relations

UWF's Black Employee Association

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I was taken aback just a bit to learn that the University of West Florida has an employee group called a Black Employee Association. This came to light in an article in the Pensacola News Journal about a Juneteenth event one week too late. No, the report wasn’t a week late. UWF’s celebration was a week late.

If you’re going to celebrate the ‘end’ of slavery, at least you could do it on the proper day. A week late sort of smacks of racial pandering. Someone on that campus apparently came under some criticism from the Black Employee Association and the CYA reaction was to ‘honor’ the end of slavery a week late. Maybe someone from the University can end the speculation as to why it was a week late? Right after they explain why they have a Black Employee Association.

It is a myth that the halls of higher education are the  enlightened bunch, above racial prejudice, when they have a racially defined group on their campus. It’s easy to justify say, a Professor’s Club or a Support Staff Club. They are color blind, race neutral, and the way things ought to be.

Where is the justification, in 2009, for endorsing anything based on race? It certainly would not be allowed if it had anything to do with religion. No, that’s not as precise as could be said. If it had anything to do with a Christian religion  it would not be allowed. The ACLU would see to that.

Is it true that the school will begin their winter break, formerly known as Christmas vacation, on December 28th this year?

link: UWF’s Black Employee Association celebrates Juneteenth

Florida, Pensacola, Politics

Who Is Marco Rubio?

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He was the Speaker of the House in the Florida legislature in Florida’s 111th district. Now Marco Rubio is running for the senate seat currently being wasted by Sen. Mel Martinez.

If all I know about Marco Rubio is what I see in these two videos, this is the kind of republican that conservatives appreciate. And as an added bonus, he can communicate conservatism well. And with a passion that does not come from a teleprompter.

The first video is his farewell speech on the floor in the Florida House. The second is a TV interview on MSNBC. In these videos, his principle core beliefs are laid out in a sincere and heart-felt manner. The third video is a big endorsement for Rubio, Gov. Mike Huckabee.

Unlike his challenger and current favorite Gov. Charlie Crist, from what I’ve seen here, I feel I can trust that Rubio will cast votes consistent with those principles.

MSNBC TV interview . . .

Mike Huckabee sees the good in Rubio too and is endorsing his candidacy.

Update 06/25/09: My Rep. Jeff Miller (R-FL) District 1 came out today and also endorced Marco Rubio. And for all the right reasons.

“This race has tremendous implications for the future of Florida and the very foundation of conservatism in America. Marco Rubio possesses an impressive combination of idea-driven, principled leadership and the ability to communicate conservative values in ways that resonate at the kitchen table. Americans deserve better than the current big government, borrow-and-spend road we are on, and I believe Marco Rubio will be a compelling voice to lead us to a stronger and more prosperous America.”

link: PNJ, Jeff Miller backs Rubio

Pensacola, Politics

Rule One Revisited

Of all the political discourse out there, Rahm Emanual’s ‘rule one‘ has received the least amount of attention, while the evidence of it abounds in spades. The synergy between the Obama administration and the social and political activist group ACORN deserves some exposure and scrutiny as well. It’s time we (the American people) had this examination and discussion.

“Never allow a crisis to go to waste, they are opportunities to do big things.” This is “rule one” as explained by President Obama’s Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel on national television last fall.

What does that mean to you? Just look at what President Obama is doing, as opposed to what he is saying.

To me it means President Obama is not going to rebuild the economy until he first transforms it into his socialist version, complete with a “youth corps” that will include ACORN.

ACORN, you will recall, is the community activist group that he represented as a Chicago lawyer to expand the toxic sub-prime mortgages that started this economic mess. All in the name of “social justice.”

It means that plans to rebuild the economy come last, not first. That is rule one. Or to put it another way, “the chickens are coming home to roost.”

links:

H/T to the Pensacola News Journal for taking the risk of printing my letter to the editor on this subject.

Rule One, What It Means

Economy, Media, Pensacola, Politics, Venezuela

aSide Order

Alfonzo Rachel’s Zo Nation on the Economy

Chavez Trims 4 Day TV Anniversary Special In Half

The hemisphere’s idiot, Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, is not having a good week. According to all the government controlled media hype about Chavez’s special 10th anniversary Chavez-a-thon, the planned 4-day TV special was quietly and mysteriously cut in half.

For the second consecutive day, Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has cancelled his TV show Alo Presidente. In the end, his four-day TV anniversary extravaganza was reduced to a handful of transmissions over just two days.

And on an unrelated related matter, have you noticed fewer Citgo gas stations around town? Hip Hip Horay! One can only hope that the Citgo employees are able to find employment at a real American oil company.

Hardin, Montana, A Place To Hold Guantanamo Terrorists

Never mind the mis-use of the ‘redneck‘ moniker, but you have to consider the source. The British media apparently is confused between the ‘wild west’ and rednecks. On the flip-side, would you have known of this if it weren’t for the foreign media? That aside, there is a town in America that wants to keep the detainees in their new prison, which is vacant. What?

I’d much prefer that GITMO and its residents stay right where they are. However, the idea of  solving a logistical problem and providing an economic stimulus in one fell swoop does sound interesting.

Media, Pensacola, Politics

Media Doesn't Care About The Constitution Either

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I had a discussion with a local columnist, Reginald T. Dogan, over my amazement at the silence from the media in how our President is running roughshod over the U.S. Constitution.

Here’s the premise. The election is over, and what we are seeing is the fastest slide from freedom and free-market capitalism in history. Through legislation, this administration has trashed the very documents it is sworn to protect and defend. In less than 100 days, President Obama (the Constitutional lawyer) has managed to re-write the Constitution without laying a pen on it.

My question to him was simple. How can the administration be doing all of this with NOT ONE question from the media as to whether it is constitutional?

His answer was just as simple. He said, ‘nobody cares about the Constitution.’ To which I said, EXACTLY. After 233 years of constitutional government, this shift to expand government control by this administration isn’t news?

Surely the media sees this, likes it, and thinks nothing else of it. It’s Journalistic malpractice to watch this happen while half the country is either unaware or does not care. Whether they’re all idiots doesn’t matter. What should matter to the media, which has special protection under the Constitution, is to inform the people what this administration is doing, and to put it in the context of the last 233 years of our history. Not the last 100 days. Unfortunately for America, this shift to socialism isn’t Obama’s fix for our economic troubles. It is his plan.

Since ‘nobody cares about the Constitution’ any more, do you think the media would mind losing the constitutional protections given it?

related links: Obama’s First 100 Days | No Conflict Of Interest For Obama

Fair Tax, Media, Pensacola

FairTax In Print And Online

Sunday’s opinion page of the Pensacola News Journal was like a page here explaining the Fair Tax. Then there’s this great video answering the question ‘What the FairTax would mean to you?’

Am hopeful the article will open some eyes and possibly attract more supporters locally. Must see, and share, this video.

They chose Paul Wizikowski and–wow!–does he know how to make a FairTax video. Paul’s an Oklahoma-based FairTax grassroots activist and his winning entry brilliantly answers our challenge question, “What the FairTax would mean to you.” As the top video in our contest, Paul’s work was shown to thousands at both “Save the Nation” FairTax rallies for Tax Day 2009.

My FairTax Story

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