Immigration duels in Tampa

Yesterday, a pro-immigration crowd gathered at Marco Rubio's Tampa office, followed shortly by a press conference to encourage Senator Rubio to walk away from the current bill he is co-sponsoring in the Senate.

From TBO,

TAMPA ­­- Neatly illustrating the political tightrope Florida Sen. Marco Rubio is walking on immigration reform, pro- and anti-immigration reform advocates both held demonstrations outside his office Wednesday.

In an ironic reversal, the pro-reform crowd of immigrant advocacy groups, usually Rubio's political opponents, praised him for pushing the "gang of eight" reform bill and urged him to stay the course. The anti-reform crowd of tea party activists, including some of Rubio's earliest backers, complained bitterly that he has betrayed them by supporting the bill.

"I believed Sen. Rubio in 2010 when he said we've got to secure the borders first ... (and that) an earned path to citizenship is code for amnesty," Tampa Tea Party chairwoman Sharon Calvert said.

"We're here to hold him accountable," said Barbara Haselden of the South Pinellas 9-12 Project.

Rubio was not there, he was in DC, where he read part of Sharon's email to him on the Senate floor.  You can read that full letter here.

Here is a video of the full press conference of the Tea Party and Tampa 912.

The first pro-immigration demonstration, around 9:30  included Mi Familia Vota, Rainbow Push Coalition, "and the politically active Service Employees International Union."

According to one attendee, there were 33 total attendees, including 9  "media" (cameramen, reporters, videographers), 7 "organizers", and 8 (at least) interns.

One of the two speakers of the 2 was upset because when his father, here illegally, had a heart attack, and went to the emergency room to get free healthcare. Tthey (the rest of his family, apparently also all here illegally) were looking over their shoulders the entire time because there was a police officer nearby. Thankfully, it all worked out fine in the end, he's back to work  in South Carolina.

Photos from the pro-immigration rally

The pro-immigration event lasted about 20 minutes.

They offer free pizza if you come to make phone calls at their office.

They opened and closed with a prayer.

Who leads Mi Familia Vota?  Several have ties to organized labor.

• Eliseo Medina, Treasurer International Executive Vice President, the Service Employees International Union
• Cindy Estrada, Vice President, United Auto Workers
• Rocio Sáenz , President of SEIU Local 615

Just thought you may want to know who their leaders are.

My email to Rubio

Several days ago I sent an email to Senator Marco Rubio requesting that the Senator please walk away from the Gang of 8 Immigration bill. I confirmed he personally received the email and was asked if he could read some parts of it on the floor of the Senate, which he did today. Below is my email in its entirety.

Honorable Senator Rubio: 

I write to you today to request that you please walk away from the Corker-Hoeven Amendment and the Gang of 8 immigration bill.  

I first heard you speak in the late fall of 2009 at an event in Tampa hosted by the New Tampa Republican Club. I was so impressed by your Conservatism, your optimism and your message that America is exceptional and that we must remain so. I became an ardent supporter that evening and worked to do my best in 2010 to get you elected. I trusted that you would do the right thing and stand up to Washington's status quo establishment of either party that has created such a mess over the last decades.  

I understand, empathized and truly believed that you had the best of intentions when you decided to get out in front and take on the immigration issue. However, today, June 2013, we are in a very different political climate than we were even after last November's election. We are in the political climate of Distrust. Distrust of government and elected representatives is at it's highest. That is not a good sign for any nation. Trust has broken down due to too many broken promises of major comprehensive bills passed - Stimulus, Farm Bills, Dodd-Frank, Sarbanes Oxley, Patriot Act and, of course, ObamaCare. And distrust has risen as a result of the recent scandals and government officials of this administration lying to Americans. Do we want to trust this Administration to faithfully enforce a bill to the best interests of All Americans with a bill that few have read?  

Americans are fatigued of 1000 plus page comprehensive bills that are rushed through a process that lacks transparency and consists of back room deals and buy offs. Very few Senators and Americans will have had the time to fully read and digest the Corker-Heuven 1200 page amendment that is to be voted on today. All Senators, whether they support this bill or not, should at the very least know exactly what they are voting. All Americans deserve the time to read and digest this bill as well. You are not voting on 5 broad talking points but a huge complex bill. The devil is always in the details. I understand the bill includes pork, payoff to special interests, conflicting statements and will increase unemployment and decrease wages. Worst of all, I do not believe this bill will resolve the issue of illegals. 

Trust is earned and when it's lost can be hard to win back. I believed you in 2010 when you stated "we've got to secure the borders in our existing system first before we can even begin to have a conversation about the other elements of immigration and that "earned path to citizenship is basically code for amnesty." Most Americans, I believe, are appalled and find it unacceptable that 12 years after 9/11 we still have not secured our borders. If Senators Schumer, Durbin and Reid were serious about securing our borders, they would not have stopped building the fence and they would help pass a border security bill separate from the immigration issue.  

I do not believe the face of the future Republican party is Senators McCain and Graham. I do believe this issue is splitting the Republican party and may cause irreparable damage if the Conservative base pulls away. You have a great, appealing message that can win the hearts and minds of many Americans. I believe you can be a champion for Conservative principles without pandering to any segment or ethnicity. Remember when the government gives something to one group, they must take something from someone else. 

I ask that you reconsider your position and please walk away from the Gang of 8 bill. We need to secure our borders first and then we can address immigration in a transparent, piece by piece manner. I pray you will do the right thing. 

Thank you. 

Sharon Calvert
Tampa Tea Party

Scroll to the end to watch the video of Rubio's Senate floor speech here.  Unfortunately, it appears Senator Rubio will not walk away from this immigration bill.  But the bill has not passed yet and hopefully it will never see the light of day in the House.

Crony beer

Our political leaders talk all the time about the virtues of small business and the incubator... event the driver of our economy.  You would think they would be doing whatever they can to help small business thrive and grow.

Unless some big business wants to squash competition and can find a willing lawmaker to carry their water beer.

TALLAHASSEE - A battle is brewing between Florida's craft beermakers, including Tampa's popular Cigar City, and the Big Beer lobby, representing the state's distributors.

It came to a head in this spring's legislative session when the Florida Beer Wholesalers Association opposed a bill that would have allowed craft brewers to sell their suds direct to consumers by the half-gallon, in 64-ounce jugs known as "growlers."

Can someone help me understand why we need regulations on the size of beer servings?  What is the magic of 64 ounces over 60 ounces or 72 ounces?

Lots of flavorful craft beers

Tampa is gaining recognition among craft brew aficionados as a top 5 craft beer destination, including Cigar City, among several others, such as Tampa Bay Brewing Company, Tampa Cold Storage, Barley Mow Brewing Company in Largo, Saint Somewhere Brewing Company in Tarpon Springs, Peg's Cantina & Brew Pub in Gulfport, New World Brewery in Ybor City and Mr. Dunderbak's and Four Green Fields in Tampa.

Seems like this could  be some small businesses we can all support and enjoy.

Do we have some Bloombergology moving from the soda wars now invading beer?

[Adam Rubin, executive director of the Florida Beer Wholesalers Association... "Big Beer"] points to a bill that passed this year, allowing the state's craft liquor distillers to directly sell two bottles per customer per year, as "conscious policy making."

"If you're going to have an exception, the question becomes, what is the nature and extent of that exception?" he said. "This is a legitimate public policy debate."

Well maybe... 2 bottles of beer a year?!  Hold me back!

But no, this is really not a new temperance movement.

So what's up?

The Florida Brewers Guild, which represents craft brewers and brewpubs, this year supported the half-gallon growler bill (HB 715/SB 1344).

In March, Sen. Maria Sachs, a Delray Beach Democrat, offered an amendment to the Senate bill. The Florida Beer Wholesalers Association had contributed $2,000 to Sachs' 2012 campaign, according to the National Institute on Money in State Politics.

The amendment would have allowed half-gallon growlers, as well as take-home sales by "startup breweries."

But it also would have required breweries taking advantage of the exception to have "at least 25 enclosed acres of land," "a controlled entrance and exit," "permanent exhibitions and a variety of recreational activities" and "at least 1 million visitors annually (who) pay admission fees."

In other words, the legal exception-which had never explicitly mentioned theme parks-would almost certainly apply only to them and not to craft brewers.

So, Sen Maria Sachs (D), bought off by Big Beer, craftily offers some legislature to eliminate local craft brewers options to sell more of the product.  She's against small business.

At least nothing was passed restricting craft brewers this year in Tallahassee.  But there's always next year!

What is Big Beer afraid of?

Are they afraid of their consumers discovery the mass marketed, heavily advertised bland, watered down, flavorless beer they've offered all these years really does not hold a candle against a well crafted micro-brew?

Are they afraid people will actually like the new brew?

Are they afraid of the competition?

Cigar City's beers, which have won national and global awards, have gained a national following since debuting in 2009, including its 'Jai Alai' India pale ale and 'Maduro' brown ale. About 1,500 people a week visit the Spruce Street brewery. Its yearly beer release party-Hunahpu's Day, named after the Mayan god of chocolate-attracts thousands, and [Joey] Redner now employs 52 people.

Both sides expect to butt heads again next session. And retail sales and tasting rooms at breweries will continue to be a sore point for Big Beer.

"That's where we can tell our story," Redner said. "And if our story wasn't compelling - and our product wasn't so good - we wouldn't be here."

Thanks.  I'll have another round.

Common Sense Reverses Bad Policy Change by BOCC

Apparently, some "ire" was raised with the Hillsborough County Commissioners regarding a policy change to prohibit candidates form serving on volunteer committees and boards. As a result, the Commissioners voted yesterday to reverse that policy change they voted on at the previous Commission meeting. According to the Tampa Bay Times:

Reversing a vote from two weeks ago, county commissioners Wednesday dropped a proposal to deny candidates for elected office from serving on appointed boards.

The Commissioners were reminded they serve on numerous important commissions and agencies with significant and direct influence and remain on them even when they are candidates. It was also pointed out the true intent of the policy change was targeted at Conservative School Board candidate Terry Kemple to specifically prohibit him from serving on the so-called Diversity Panel and remove him from the committee he currently serves on. 

Kemple strongly believes in those "radical" traditional family values, we know them as those values our country was founded on. Believers in traditional values are now the 21st Century insurgents and according to some they must not be tolerated. But smarter heads prevailed yesterday and the result of this reversal according to the Times:

Conservative activist and School Board candidate Terry Kemple will retain his eligibility to serve on appointed Hillsborough County panels.

Terry Kemple, Candidate for School Board

Here at the Eye we always believed this policy change was a solution looking for a problem where none exists. We saw this policy as creating a double standard that elevated "them" above everyday citizens - you and me and we oppose the targeting of any constituents solely because of their beliefs. We've witnessed enough of that recently. We are glad that common sense prevailed yesterday and we thank the Commissioners for reversing bad policy.

Tampa Bay Times 2nd swing, gets it half right

The Tampa Bay Times was shamed enough to at least update in their blog the article I referenced in my post on Friday.  However, Bill Varian still got things only half right in his post on TBT's Political Buzz blog "Calvert objects to claims she misused committee appointment".

A primary challenger to Republican Victor Crist's Hillsborough County Commission reelection campaign last year says she objects to accusations she used an appointment to the county's Citizens Advisory Committee as a soapbox for her campaign. 

First, it should be noted, Crist appointed Calvert after hearing rumors she might challenge his reelection in 2012, which the Times has previously reported.

First, let's look at the timeline. Crist appointed me at the beginning of 2011, long before I was thinking of running for office. After the 2010 rail tax referendum and what I saw from some of our county agencies, I wanted to learn more about how our county government operated and serve in a capacity to make it operate better.  On January 28, 2012, the Tampa Bay Times wrote this (whatever "whispered" means....):

Calvert, of Lutz, is whispered as a prospective challenger to Crist for the County Commission, though she's not saying if she will pursue his seat or another.

I was appointed and served on the Citizens Advisory Committee over a year before I decided to run. Crist could not have appointed me after hearing rumors I might challenge him in 2012 because there were no such rumors in 2011. I filed to run in March 2012.

Second, Bill Varian adds a small reference to Terry Kemple at the end of his update:

The move is seen as a move by some commissioners to keepTerry Kemple, an anti-gay-rights activist and school board candidate, from serving on a proposed diversity committee to which he has sought appointment.

However, Bill misses the real story regarding Commissioner Miller using me as his scapegoat for his "ire" against Kemple.  As stated in my previous post:

Instead of Commissioner Miller admitting that his proposal to prohibit candidates from serving on voluntary committees was specifically aimed at Terry Kemple, he deceptively used me as the example. Commissioner Miller proposed an end around to his own previous procedural maneuver to prohibit Terry Kemple from serving on any committee.

Instead of pointing to me, Bill Varian should have asked Commissioner Miller why he used me as his scapegoat to target Terry Kemple? And why didn't Bill ask Commissioner Miller why he was doing an end around his previous procedural maneuver to keep Terry Kemple off of the Diversity Panel and also to throw Terry off a committee he has been serving on for years?

Third, County Commissioners themselves comprise the entire board of the Environmental Protection Commission and they serve individually on many agency boards, committees and authorities.  Do they ever try to promote "their" agenda while serving?  So the County Commissioners want to prohibit and remove citizens who currently serve or want to serve on volunteer citizen committees and decide to become a candidate. Then the Commissioners too need to be removed from their committee assignments when they file to run for re-election and become a candidate.  Think they use their committee assignment influence during their campaigns? 

Time to start taking away the benefits of "incumbency"!

The Times: Transit talks must ignore the facts

Rail cheerleaders Tampa Bay Times recycled yet another pro-rail editorial.

Three years have passed since voters rejected a transit referendum in Hillsborough County, and since then rail advocates have all but apologized and promised not to bring back another package anytime soon. That was the wrong reaction, but the elected leadership from the county and its cities are taking a positive step by reviving transportation talks. Now those talks need direction and a sense of urgency. Mass transit, including rail, must be part of the discussion if Hillsborough hopes to compete for business and improve its quality of life.

Emphasis mine.  They conveniently overlook costs associated with rail.  In fact, they never deal with the costs, and who pays issues.

This history matters, because some officials are drawing the wrong lessons from 2010 as an excuse to dial back the extent that mass transit and new revenue need to play. That completely misreads the message from voters, who suggested they wanted another crack at an improved transit package down the road.

Who's misreading... misrepresenting... the message from the voters, who rejected the Hillsborough County referendum by a 60% - 40% margin?  What they are likely referring to is a MPO survey, that was touted for some 58% may consider some light rail projects (but no costs were mentioned as part of the survey).  And what they don't tell you, is that light rail was #12 on the list... way behind priorities roads, bridges, road improvements... favored by 96% of the survey respondents.

MPO Survey

And that timidity is drawing new fire from young professionals and entrepreneurs — the very talent the county and city are spending public money to attract — who see the stalling as a larger problem of weak and uninspired leadership.

Granted, there is an emerging activist thread in the younger, professional community this days to have the taxpayers subsidized their preferred mode of transportation. But its also true that these same "younger, professional community" are burdened by high college debt, a poor job market, and if they want to live downtown, high rents.  Perhaps when the economy improves, or settle down and raise a family, move to the suburbs, they can afford a car, and they'll drive more.  That's the history.  But I really don't understand why we need to dramatically subsidize their transportation now, and you weren't for subsidizing my transportation.

However unpopular a discussion over taxes might be, the reality is that Hillsborough doesn't have enough revenue to address even the backlog in road projects. And while the transit system has deteriorated since 2010, the political climate for fixing it has improved. These talks need to seize the moment.

Emphasis mine.  So help me understand...  We don't have enough money to address the current backlog in road, bridges, and safety improvements that 96% of us want fixed, yet they want us to spend more and commit much more future tax revenues on a rail system that will not be operational for a decade or more, and will do nothing to relieve congestion?   We understand the roads backlog issue, and it needs to be resolved, and it may indeed  require additional tax revenues to address.  But lets not add more big spending we don't need in these uncertain economic times.

The younger, professional community is depending on an improving economy.  Taking more money out of their pockets is not a good start.

Bullying ... by the principal

More abuse by the bureaucracy, this time at Wharton High School.

Wharton High salutatorian Harold Shaw Jr. spent weeks writing a graduation speech he hoped would inspire his classmates to pursue their lifelong dreams.

Unfortunately, his farewell address to the Wharton Class of 2013 will likely be remembered more for the remarks he didn't get a chance to make.

Wharton Principal Brad Woods pulled the plug on Shaw about halfway through his speech at the graduation ceremony in the Florida State Fairgrounds' Expo Hall on Monday.

Shaw, who graduated with a 7.31 grade point average, was forced to sit down and did not receive his diploma at the ceremony like the other graduates.

A 7.31 GPA?! Holy Sh$#!

He was asked to leave the Expo Hall after the graduation, Shaw said. He was escorted out by two Hillsborough County sheriff's deputies who worked security at the event.

Who was threatened? Was Harold Shaw violent?  Or where they protecting him?

But besides that, what did he do to deserve getting yanked?  Tell dirty jokes? Talk too long? Say a prayer?

Well, it's really not clear in the article.

Though he was allowed to pick up his diploma at Wharton two days later, Shaw, 17, is still not sure why he was cut off.

...

Shaw believes it may be retaliation for a short film he produced and posted on his personal Facebook page to draw attention what he described as unsanitary conditions in the boys' bathrooms at the high school.

"I think it's revenge," Shaw said during an interview at his attorney's office Wednesday. 

He's a dirty bathroom counter-revolutionary!  Sanitary conditions shall not be tolerated!

Woods, who declined to comment, asked a reporter to contact the Hillsborough County School District's communications office for a statement.

Woods directed Shaw's microphone be shut off because he had diverted from his speech, Hillsborough County schools spokesman Stephen Hegarty said. It was a decision the principal made to keep the ceremony on track, he said.

 Mr. Big, hiding behind the bureaucracy.  Could Woods not find his Momma's skirt to hide behind?  Not feeling so tough now?

Shaw and his attorney Tom Parnell said Shaw did not stray from the prepared address.

"I watched the video and read the speech," Parnell said. "It was fantastic.

"He didn't go off topic; he just stumbled a little."

Read the whole thing.

Just when you thought it couldn't get any more stupider...