Mike LaFevers - Dubai Ports Part of Larger Bush Disconnect

FL-13: Dubai Ports Part of Larger Bush Disconnect
by BigDog, Fri Mar 10, 2006 at 04:51:31 PM EST

It isn't often that I find a candidates release worth providing as a whole. In this case, I think Mike LaFevers, a grassroots candidate in FL-13, has authored a great piece on The Dubai Ports Scandal and tied it into something much larger.

Mike is a tough cookie facing a life-threatening illness and still fighting strong for his seat. He faces two better funded opponents but neither seem to have clicked with the people, or so I'm told...I'm not in the District.

I do know that the 'leader' in the Primary was testy at an AFL-CIO interview when pressed on some issues and that's never a good sign in a candidate.

When he sent me this release I thought this was a dead on analysis of the situation.

Dubai Ports:Bush and His Continuing Public DisconnectOn this issue, President Bush, Michael Chertoff, CFIUS and the Spin Teams at the White House should have surrendered immediately to a genuine swelling of public opinion. All of this should have been done quietly, and with genuine humility by a group who knows they have taken a huge misstep and betrayed the public trust. But a genuine disconnect exists in the Bush Administration's view of the world, one that has grown so great not a single member of his staff was able to for see the impending, and inevitable, back lash.

Sadly, the entire brain trust at the White House has been drained, (every pun intended), and they are bound to miss the even bigger issue simmering in the church halls, diners and bars across the land. This issue is the growing lack of trust in this man we call our President, Mr. Bush. Our President, the self-proclaimed Super Patriot that he is, has paid no attention to our needs and when it comes to this issue or any issue he continues to remain lost in the forest of self-deception.

In this time of national insecurity President Bush fails to understand our nation's need for comfort. In this time of national challenge, his inattention to our needs for comfort and security fails to calm an already frightened country whose minds are filled with images of an enemy he himself has created and placed into our minds. In this time of great national debt, President Bush in his eagerness to promote Global Markets appears as if his desires are to sell America to the highest bidder!

Just once the people of America would like to know President Bush through a set of honest actions, not words that are censored through the press, the press corps or a hired hit list of propagandist paid with tax dollars to prop up his image and those of his programs.

As a nation we long for a President that is willing inspire hope; create a clear vision for all Americans and is capable of claiming his Presidency in word, deed and with a clear conscience. We want to know he is on our side; the side of all Americans.

I say that Dubai Ports is merely a symptom, one of many, which ails this Administrations failed policies. While it may have been stopped, each has added much of the fuel that fires the many increasingly divisive issues that have influenced our national political process and keeps Congress from progressing on important Domestic Issues.

We have created a great polarization about the way we address important issues facing our nation and if we don't stick Congressional Members feet into the fire nothing is going to change. And, change we must. Change is only the process which will cure what ails our government, our elected officials and stop the disease that has become pandemic; politics as usual, all of this in the land we call Washington.

Change or more of the same; those are our choices.I'm for Change and that's why I'm a Candidate in Florida -13.

Christine Jennings, Claude Pepper and Jan Schneider

Get a clue...

There is no way that Jan Schneider can win the 13th District Congressional race. If she can't win against Katherine Harris, who generated at least a 20% backlash vote for certifying the results of the 2000 presidential election, she will be obliterated by Vern Buchanan, who is the likely Republican candidate. Schneider ostensibly is a well-educated woman who should be a policy wonk in someone else's administration. I have seen for myself that she does not have the campaign skills to get elected. She practically disappears in a crowd. At Democratic campaign events in 2004 she was a virtual wallflower while her supporters worked the crowd. She does not present well in debates or on television. At recent events she has seemed almost manic comparing herself to Claude Pepper. And on policy, her positions are too liberal to appeal to a traditionally conservative, but moving toward moderate, constituency. Anyone who can take a hard, objective look at her candidacy can easily see that she doesnEt have a chance in the general election. What she does have a chance of doing, however, is spoiling the primary for the one viable candidate for the 13th seat for the Democrats - Christine Jennings. Here is a true fiscal conservative with traditional Democratic values. Stop whining about a candidate who could never get elected and support one who can!

by Realitychick on Feb 4th, 2006

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[re: Get a clue]

Your perspective is valid.
But it is far from being the only valid one.

The upcoming FL-13 Democratic Primary ought to be about the issues (period). By this I mean, substance - not form.

As I write this... my mind happens to jump to Eleanor Roosevelt. My gut feeling is that (in those days), based on the sound of her voice and way she spoke, Eleanor, early-on, wouldn't have been able to run successfully for dog catcher.

But most of the civilized world accords her the highest admiration for her unique and (veritably) homeric successes on behalf of human rights and human freedom. I think that few among us would take issue with my statement that, because of Eleanor, our World is far better-off. Again, because of her substance.

It was the substance of her mind, with its bedrock selfless values, perspectives, hopes, visions and dreams for all those who are truly disadvantaged... everywhere and always, that kept her firmly on the moral high-ground.

That said, Jan Schneider has a deeply passionate, equally clear, selfless and poignant agenda. A life-long Democrat, for sure! But she is clearly neither a "Party Animal" nor would she aspire to become one.

A bit more on Jan:

Jan Schneider (FL-13) - (Katherine Harris 2004 opponent) is a straight- shooting Yale-educated lawyer with a Ph.D. in political science from Yale. Schneider has three decades of experience as a practicing lawyer, educator and author. She also has a 30-year history of fighting for public interest causes, particularly in the areas of environmental protection, women's rights, the arts and public housing. Among other things, Schneider is the author of two books and dozens of articles on environmental protection, and she currently provides pro bono legal services to residents of Sarasota public housing projects.

Jan has (by far) the best name recognition, qualifications and strength on the issues. In 2004 Jan's grassroots campaign held incumbent Congresswoman Katherine Harris to the smallest margin in any Congressional race in Florida. Despite being outspent by millions of dollars, we captured 45% of the vote -- in the midst of a Republican landslide and in a district with an overwhelming Republican majority (52% Republican to 32% Democratic to 16% other registration). In 2006, the only way a Democrat can win here is on the issues - and we must take back our distict and country in 2006.

Thanks for reading this,

Bullwinkle