Jeb says to Everglades Cleanup - "Screw you !"

April 3, 2003

What sticks out at you in the above article ? Key phrases like "sugar industry-backed proposal that would soften environmental regulations".
Yep, that sticks out, what else ? "Governor Bush's environemntal secretary says he agrees with a 20 year delay to enforce pollution caps. What a surprise -

Aren't these the same guys that received MILLIONS in dollars of support from the sugar industry ? And now they're willing to look the other way for 20 years ?

Boy, if that ain't quid pro quo, I don't know what is. Remember how all those sugar employees were protesting about environmental regulations strangling them and cheering Bush ?

Yeah, sugar sure seems to be suffering, huh ? Aren't they one of the biggest businesses here ? Yep - that's Jeb, taking care of our environment - or maybe not. In fact, maybe he's ruining it for the next 20 years.

GO JEB ! Screw the environment !! You have our support - oh no, wait, no you don't - but you do have the support of the sugar industry and really, that's all that matters to you.

April 25, 2002

Legislature tries to shut activists up

Amendment would make it difficult to protest permit cases - A News-Press editorial

The right of citizen organizations to challenge Florida government decisions would be seriously impaired under an amendment hurriedly slipped through the Legislature in the waning hours of the last session. Gov. Jeb Bush should be urged to veto this abomination, which was mischievously tacked on to an Everglades restoration funding bill, using a tactic traditionally reserved for legislation that would never pass if fairly considered.

The Everglades funding can be dealt with again next week when the Legislature reconvenes. The amendment needs to be killed now, which requires vetoing HB 813. Under the legislation, citizens who want to challenge a state permit for a project would have to show they are directly affected by the decision.

Establishing someone's standing to be involved in a court proceeding is legitimate, but it is an old ploy to try to import this process into other government arenas in an effort to exclude citizen activists. In this case, it is aimed at limiting the ability of groups to intervene in permit cases, challenging the 30-year-old principle that Floridians, individually or in groups, have the right to get involved in such cases anywhere in the state. The bill would require groups wishing to contest state agency decisions to have at least 25 members in the county where the project at issue is located. The groups would also have to be incorporated in Florida for at least a year before being allowed to challenge a permit. That not only affects national organizations such as the Sierra Club, which is incorporated in California, but would exclude homeowner groups which often organize in response to a particular issue and need to get involved quickly.

This amendment is said to be aimed at those who harass permit applicants with frivolous protests, but it has nothing to do with that. It wouldn't even prevent it when it comes from individuals.

What it would do is protect special interests from the democratic process.

That's Jeb - always looking out for the special interests. What a guy.

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