So last week I wrote a lot about the Pacific Legal Foundation.
https://cyndi-lenz.com/2015/07/09/panthers-manatees-and-bears-oh-my/
Here we learned about the connection between our Florida Bear, Florida Panther and Manatees and the work these people to protect nothing.
https://cyndi-lenz.com/2015/07/11/bring-it-on-home-the-pacific-legal-foundation-and-martin-county/
Here we able to see that not only are they here in the universe but also very good friends with our Economic Council of Martin County.
Then I wrote this about our local liberty caucus and apparently outed someone that was sort of kept under wraps.
https://cyndi-lenz.com/2015/07/11/the-very-funny-local-liberty-caucus-striped-men-in-tights/
None of this made me happy. In fact it just made me sad. What is worse than a bunch hypocrites?
Then I wrote this.
https://cyndi-lenz.com/2015/07/13/burts-bees-the-documentary/
Who was the true libertarian.
Burt was of course. He was the only one that talked the talk and walked the walk. He said ““A good day is when no one comes over and I don’t have to go anywhere.” He wanted to be left alone BUT he also left everyone else alone.
To me the rest are a bunch of hypocrites because you can’t say you want to be left alone and have freedom but then intrude on other people.
The Pacific Legal Foundation is actually exploiting libertarianism if you think about it.
Why can’t they stay home and leave us alone?
Because they are not true libertarians. They are wolves in sheep’s clothing.
So what happens is they start something and we have to send our Big Guns out like David Guest from Earthjustice. What it becomes is a battle between the lawyers. (Thank goodness for David. If not for him and all the other dedicated people we would be screwed)
Even the bible warns us
http://biblehub.com/matthew/7-15.htm
“Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves.
Which, just like our friends the vultures is really an insult to the wolves.
So enough of that you get the picture. Where do we go from here?
We could rail back and yell and scream and be vindictive but does that really get you anywhere?
They, like us, have a right to be.
I think the people are trying to take care this by changing to no party affiliation. I think we’re sick of all of it.
I found this
http://www.no-party-affiliation.com/
and this
http://ivn.us/2013/07/28/who-are-no-party-affiliated-npa-voters-in-florida/
- Over 25% of registered voters in Florida are NPAs or minor party members
- Over 33% of these voters show up at the polls on election day
- Over 60% are under age 50
- Over 25% of voters under 30 register as NPAs
- Over 50% of these voters are in the age group 30 – 49
- Young NPAs are turned off by major parties because of negative campaigns
Things have got to change. It cannot be business as usual.
The Democratic advantage among registered voters in Florida continues to narrow slowly, according to the latest figures from the state Division of Elections.
But the closing of the party gap comes as the overall numbers of registered Democrats and Republicans are down from 2012 election levels. Meanwhile, there has been an uptick in voters who declare themselves free agents from the major parties and sign up as “no party affiliation.”
Age and negative perceptions that many new voters have of both major parties are credited for the shifts in registration.
We have talk and we have to find things we agree on. If not, i doubt we have any panthers, black bears or manatees and we certainly will not have clean water.
What do you think? How can we move forward?
cyndi lenz 
Cyndi You are making very, I repeat, VERY valid points…the game of getting elected is such a profession that it takes away from the nobility of doing what you think is right for the people…and that goes for pro-economic growth or environmental protection. This needs to be taken on by both parties and yes there is compromise and hurt feelings, but there has to be a way to come together!
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Here’s the comment I left under your post in Save the Indian River Lagoon:
“Sorry Cyndi, but NPAs only make a bad situation worse. For starters, they are not eligible to vote in most important primaries. If you allow other people to choose the candidates for you, of course you’re not going to like the choices in the general election. In Martin County in 2014, approximately 68% of registered Republicans voted, 57% of Democrats, and only 41% of NPAs. The numbers are even worse for younger NPAs. All the people who didn’t vote in 2014 because they didn’t like Charlie Crist either- allowed other people to elect Rick Scott for them and for us. People can opt out of voting but they can’t opt out of responsibility for the results.”
The harsh truth is that none of the available choices are easy or pleasant and the worst choices are supported by big money. Because we can’t compete with money, we have to compete with effort. Our efforts will be more effective if we focus on realistic options.
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I think what I was trying to get across that if we are going accomplish anything we are going to need not only all parties but the NPA’s who seem to want to look as issues rather than partisan party politics. That in this situation we all count no matter what.
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We need to have this discussion.
I have a harsh attitude toward the NPA “option” because I think the solutions to many of our big problems are political and the NPA option, in practice, is a giant step toward non-participation. For younger people, the combination of not registering and not voting results in a participation rate around 20%. 70-year olds, by contrast, participate at a close to 80% rate. When a politician listens to a 20-year old constituent and a 70-year old constituent, he is hearing one voice that is 4 times more important than the other.
The NPA option sounds appealing because both major parties are imperfect vehicles for needed change..If you’re not going to work to reform one of the major parties, your remaining option is issue advocacy. Our recent experience with Amendment 1 shows the limits of that approach in the absence of reformed political parties.
I stopped in at the Treasure Coast Regional Planning Council’s legislative update today. I got there late, but I did get there in time to hear a little discussion on the $400 million tax cut in this year’s state budget. A Commissioner from Indian River County (Solari?) pointed out that the tax cut amounted to about $20 a person and that person would probably go to Wal-Mart, buy a cheap t-shirt and “a month later it will be clogging our landfills.” The obvious context here is that the $400 million was about enough to buy the US Sugar land this year and several times the amount needed to buy it using bonding authority.
Representative Mark Pafford (D) said that tax cuts are good when it’s appropriate, but first we need to take care of our important needs and the recent budget didn’t do that. He voted against the budget and also against separate legislation for the tax holiday. Then it was Republican Representative Magar’s turn to speak. She said that she favored the tax cut. She said that maybe a family would be able to go out one extra night and have a nice pizza dinner…”and I think that’s important too.” No, I’m not making this up. Pizza or clean water? Pizza or clean water? Pizza, pizza! I realized afterwards that “ML” was wearing her seersucker suit today.
This is what we got after 800,000 signatures and 75% approval from the voters of Florida. As you know, I have chosen a path of trying to strengthen the Democratic Party and I think that is the least bad option. I would also encourage people who want to revamp the Republican Party on the state level but I think that’s a much taller order
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You know I love you and totally respect you. I wouldn’t have a hard attitude towards anyone. The NPA’s I know are very involved with the issues they want to be involved with. Not many of our Dems even cared about the water issues and here we stand today in a severe drought. Many of them voted for the water bill. Wow I bet a reservoir is looking really good to SFWMD.
If you want people to register to vote you have to make them part of the process. They have to find something they are passionate about but they also have to believe in the system which in FLorida right now sucks.
The way it put to me is why would any one want to be a part of the dysfunction? I don’t have an answer for that. It was good question.
Not many of Dems care about clean water.
In the US Congress Debbi Wasserman Schulz is too busy taking sugar money and she really does not care about our water woes. She’s as much in the pockets of the fanjets as the GOP.
Clean water is a bipartisan issue. Everyone should want clean water. Everyone should want the discharges to stop. Right now today everyone must be saying “Holy crap! we wasted a lot water sending it out to tide. We sure could use that water now.”
I’m not sure what happened with amendment one. I mean I know what happened but I’m not convinced there is not something going on way beyond our Florida legislators.
MaryLynn Magar is a disgrace. Pizza. She really needs to go.
David I’m always happy to post a blog. Your always welcome here and I’d be happy to post a blog about MaryLynn Magar inadequacies.
I appreciate all your hard work and what you are trying to do. I think its amazing. But you know me and I have a very low bullshit tolerance.
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Cyndi:
Good stuff but one major point left out. While we tend to think of NPAs as independents who actually think before voting, a large percentage of NPAs are TEA Partyers who do not register as Rs because the think the party is too progressive. If you look at recent election results, many right wingnut electees would not have made it if the NPAs either split or voted Democrat. The large number of NPAs who are TEA Party are turning us red, especially in Florida.
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lol charles. I know that I am and i know a lot of people who are. I total love David and you and all our Dems and as you know very supportive. I just can’t jump into that boiling pot again. OUCH!
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