Meet Don Gaetz

Don Gaetz, R-Niceville, will be the next Florida Senate President. How does one get such a lofty position? Answer: by raising money for other Republicans. Gaetz runs the Florida Conservative Majority PAC. The Republican Party of Florida received $41,000 from FCM. The Don Gaetz Campaign Account raised $30,000 for the RPOF.

The Florida Leadership Alliance raised $12,500 for Republican candidates. Below is a list of recipients.

ALTMAN, THAD
ATWATER, JEFF
BENACQUISTO, LIZBETH
BOGDANOFF, ELLYN
BRANDES, JEFF
BRODEUR, JASON HOUSE
CANNON, DEAN HOUSE
DIAZ DE LA PORTILLA, MIGUEL
FLORES, ANITERE
FORD, C V (CLAY)
GAETZ, MATT HOUSE
GARCIA, RENE SENATE
HARIDOPOLOS, MIKE
HAYS, ALAN SENATE
INGRAM, CLAY
LATVALA, JACK SENATE
METZ, LARRY
MORAITIS, GEORGE
NEGRON, JOE
NORMAN, JIM
NUNEZ, JEANETTE
OELRICH, STEVE
ROONEY, PAT HOUSE
SIMMONS, DAVID
STORMS, RONDA R

Gaetz ran as a self-financed candidate. He became a multi-millionaire as a hospice provider. Gaetz does not back Obama's health care reform.

Under the federal health care reform – commonly called “ObamaCare” – individuals could be penalized financially for not purchasing the kind of health care insurance dictated by the federal government. SJR 72 would amend the state constitution to protect any Florida citizen from being punished by the federal government if that individual refuses to obtain government-approved insurance. SJR 72 does not take Florida out of federal health care reform, but gives individuals the right to make their own health care choices.

Like SJR 2, this provision can only be added to the constitution if 60 percent of voters agree.

This is bogus. Citizens can choose the private health care plan that is right. People that don't fall below the required poverty line will be taxed if they don't get health coverage. I am not a fan of Obama's health reform but the distinction is important.

Gaetz backed a tax increase when he was chairman for the School Board of Okaloosa County Schools. I wonder how that will sit with the tea party.