Most Bogus Rick Scott Poll Ever

I looked at the Florida Chamber of Commerce poll showing Mitt Romney at 35 percent with some skepticism. I don't doubt that Romney leads with Florida Republican voters. I do doubt that Romney is polling at 35 percent. The numbers are similar to a Quinnipiac poll. The problem the Florida Chamber of Commerce uses the less than credible Republican polling firm Cherry Communications. You will not find a single Democratic politician or organization on Cherry Communications' list of clients. The fact the the Florida Chamber used this polling firm should tell you about where its loyalties lie.

I then saw Peter Schorsch run this headline.

Shocking! Florida Chamber says its poll shows Governor Scott’s job approval on the rise

The Florida Chamber and Cherry Communications are claiming that Go. Rick Scott has a 48.31% approval rating. I couldn't type that last sentence and keep a straight face. There is a greater chance of the Indianapolis Colts building their team around Curtis Painter than Scott polling near 50 percent.

The Florida Chamber puts out this poll to give Scott the appearance of popularity. The media runs the poll without actually fact-checking the numbers. Which is exactly what The Buzz did. The media needs to properly vet polls. If a polling service has been repeatedly unreliable than news organizations should not mention those polls. Instead, The Buzz treats the Chamber poll as if it is the gospel truth.

The Florida Chamber of Commerce is a Person

The Florida Chamber of Commerce is a person. The Supreme Court ruled so in Citizens United v. FEC. The person known as the Florida Chamber of Commerce has created the Florida Jobs CCE. The CCE has been used by other people such as AutoNation, Florida Power & Light, and Publix Supermarkets.

Here is how much these corporations people have donated to Florida Jobs CCE.

AutoNation
$100,000

Florida Power & Light
$250,000

Publix Supermarkets
$400,000

The Florida Chamber of Commerce gave $175,000 to incoming Florida Senate President Andy Gardiner. What does the Chamber of Commerce want Gardner and other Republicans to do? Chamber President Mark Wilson has fought to cut unemployment compensation, increase homeowner insurance and bust unions. These are hardly populist positions in a time of economic woe.

If the Florida Chamber of Commerce is a person would you want to hang out with him?

Horrible SunRail Project Approved

Florida state Sen. Paula Dockery comes out against Gov. Rick Scott's decision to move SunRail forward.

“This morning, Governor Scott had his Secretary of Transportation announce that he will betray the trust of the conservative electorate who put him in office by moving forward with the least cost-efficient commuter rail project in the nation. This decision has completed the governor’s transformation from businessman to political insider. When the SunRail/CSX commuter project is viewed from a purely business vantage point, the project falls so far below what a savvy business owner would accept that it is somewhat baffling. It is unclear if when making the decision the governor had a change of heart, if he simply succumbed to the desires of the big money special interests, or if he has a severe case of amnesia and thought that he was supposed to be representing CSX instead of Florida’s taxpayers. Governor Scott’s general counsel, a former CSX executive, admitted to giving blatantly false financial facts regarding High Speed Rail in front of the Florida Supreme Court. For that reason, it is overwhelmingly disappointing but not altogether surprising that the facts about SunRail, a sacred cow of special interests, would be ignored and the decision would be based upon arguments put forward by highly paid public relations consultants, using Floridians tax dollars. The facts are as follows: nationwide, this is the lowest rated project for cost-effectiveness by the federal government, low ridership estimates, excessive liability is transferred from a for-profit corporation onto all Florida citizens, and it is a blank check waiting to be written by the taxpayers for any and all cost-overruns and operating subsidies. While ‘warnings’ were given to the local governments during Tuesday’s dog and pony show, this fact remains: the agreement between the federal government and the State of Florida clearly places the financial responsibility for all but $300 million of a $2.6 billion project squarely on the backs of Florida taxpayers.”

Dockery is correct. SunRail is rated the least cost effective rail project. I wrote that I had problem with the fact that Florida pays CSX for the tracks. CSX is also off the hook for any liability, if CSX is responsible for faulty upkeep of the tracks.

I noted the Sen. J.D. Alexander pushed for SunRail because he stood to financially gain.

The blog Stop CSX in Polk County broke the story that Alexander's was purchasing Phoenix Industries. Alexander owns Altantic Blue. The company bought Phoenix Industries, a frozen food vender that does business with CSX. The transporation bill would have placed CSX's new hub near Alexander's warehouse. One needs a scorecard to track Alexander's conflicts of interest.

Below is a cost comparison between SunRail and high speed rail. The maximum cost of the federally funded high speed rail project for Florida would be $280 million. The maximum cost of the SunRail project would cost Florida taxpayers $901 million. The counties that would have been involved with the high speed rail project would have zero tax obligation. Volusia, Seminole, Orange and Osceola counties would have to pay $526 million. Scott's idea of fiscal conservatism is turning down federal money and making Floridians pay for a rail project few people wanted.

23,000 would have been created from the high speed rail project. Only 8,000 jobs would have been created from SunRail. There are no private investors involved with SunRail. The high speed rail project has secured $400 million. Scott hates President Obama so much that he took the better deal. It also puts the rest the bogus claim that Scott has a brilliant business mind. No smart business man would take SunRail over the high speed rail project. It makes no fiscal sense.

High Speed Rail v. SunRail

Update: A very big reason SunRail was approved by Scott. Florida Chamber of Commerce President Mark Wilson approves of the project.

“SunRail is a smart infrastructure investment. This is another example of Gov. Scott and the legislature putting Florida’s long-term goals ahead of the short-term interests of a few.”

Scott gives a reason for approving SunRail that I don't buy.

Scott said his lawyers told him there was a “significant risk” he would have lost a similar court challenge had he tried to block the commuter project.

Scott's Florida Supreme Court victory set a (very bad) legal precedent. Scott was given legal authority to ignore legislation approved by his predecessor Charlie Crist. Scott claims that the legal ramifications of high speed rail and SunRail are totally different. Scott fails to cite how that is so. I call bullshit on Scott's legal claim.

Saint Petersblog's Bromance With the Florida Chamber of Commerce II

Peter Schorsch ran another Florida Chamber of Commerce press release. You can hit the link to find out what the post is about. It isn't my job to do media relations for the Florida Chamber of Commerce. I will say that what Peter published should not even be considered blogging. It is copying and pasting an entire Florida Chamber of Commerce press release. I have openly asked Schorsch why he is allowing his blog to be a media relations office for the Florida Chamber of Commerce.

SCHORSCH: For the record, at this time, I do not have, nor have I had an advertising relationship with the Florida Chamber. They just supply a lot of content of interest to my readers.

Glenn Reynolds usually uses that defense when linking to the posts of racists bloggers. Schorsch has an opinion on just about every major and minor player in Florida politics. Schorsch has no opinion about the lobbying organization responsible for the legislation that Gov. Rick Scott signed. Has the cat really got Schorsch's tongue? This must be a first.

Schorsch is either scared of the Florida Chamber of Commerce or wants to do business with them. The one thing I don't buy is Schorsch not having an opinion. Saint Petersblog is Schorsch's creation. If he wants to copy and paste the Florida Chamber's press releases then he can have at it. However, progressives should be aware that Schorsch will not join the ranks to fight the Florida Chamber.

Florida Corporate Tax Cut Madness

Scott Maxwell details how given Darden Restaurants a corporate tax cut would be more than what the company pays in taxes.

Legislators were trying to help Darden Restaurants get a tax break.

Their problem was this: The Fortune 500 company was paying so little in corporate-income taxes on its headquarters in Orange County that the break was bigger than its tax bill.

And it's hard to find a way to let the company to pay less … than nothing.

This, my friends, is the state of corporate taxation in Florida.

Florida has a 5.5 percent corporate tax rate. Which is one of the lowest in the country. There are also the endless loopholes in the tax code. Gov. Rick Scott plans to eventually eliminate Florida's corporate tax. Contrary to what Scott and other Republicans say, eliminating corporate taxes isn't about creating more jobs. It is about maximizing profits.

Corporations are in the business of money. It is understandable that they would want more profits. I just wish people like Mark Wilson, of the Florida Chamber of Commerce, would be honest and stop saying eliminating corporate taxes is about job creation.

Saint Petersblog's Bromance With the Florida Chamber of Commerce

Can anyone remember Peter Schorsch of Saint Petersblog writing a negative post on the Florida Chamber of Commerce? Going through Saint Petersblog's archives finds many posts that read like free presses for the Florida Chamber. Let's take a look at some of the less than hard-hitting posts.

Florida Chamber crows about getting 31 of 36 priories passed by the Legislature

Schorsch' comment:

Well, it looks like Wilson wasn’t kidding around. Check out this presser from the Florida Chamber crowing about getting 31 of its 36 legislative priorities passed this Session:

Schorsch doesn't say whether the Florida Chamber passing such things as limiting unemployment compensation or deregulating telecom companies is a good or bad thing.

Let's look at another post.

New FL Chamber poll shows voters support legislative action to curtail PIP legal fees

Schorsch has made his career as being a political strategist. Schorsch understands polls. Schorsch never offers his own opinion of whether the poll is skewed the favor the Florida Chamber's goal of tort reform. If you think the Florida Chamber would put out a poll showing people favoring a position the Florida Chamber is against then you likely believe Dennis Kucinich and Ron Paul will be their party's presidential nominees. The post is likely a press release Schorsch ran without comment.

Saint Petersblog's latest Florida Chamber of Commerce post.

Florida Chamber releases 2011 Legislative Report Card

The post is about the Florida Chamber putting out a report card on which members of the Florida legislature were the biggest suck-ups to the Chamber. You will be less than shocked to learn the JD Alexander and Charlie Van Zant scored a perfect 100. Democrat Arthenia Joyner scored a 17. Which gives me a greater respect for her. Schorsch never says if the scoring system is fair or unfair. He does run this quoted paragraph.

“This legislative session was a contentious one, putting those who were protecting the status quo against those of us leading Florida forward,” said Bense. “The Florida Chamber’s Legislative Report Card is the best way for business leaders to see whose side their legislators voted with and how those votes will impact their bottom line.”

Schorsch works with numerous organizations with his political consulting and his blog's advertising sales. I have no idea if Schorsch has a business relationship with the Florida Chamber of Commerce. I do know the Florida Chamber doesn't send me press releases. I do know Schorsch is capable of better coverage of the Florida Chamber. He is too good of a blogger to be giving the Florida Chamber a free pass.

Update: Schorsch responds to my post.

For the record, at this time, I do not have, nor have I had an advertising relationship with the Florida Chamber. They just supply a lot of content of interest to my readers.

I'm sure Schorsch's readers (I'm one of them) are interested in the Florida Chamber of Commerce's press releases and lobbying of the Florida legislature. I'm interested in what Schorsch thinks about this. Peter is not lacking in opinions.

Rick Scott Signs SB 408

Gov. Rick Scott's office has been flooded with emails and phone calls urging him to not sign SB 408. Florida Sen. Mike Fasano said homeowners would see their insurance increase if Scott signed the legislation.

“On behalf of the constituents I represent, and all homeowners in Florida, I am disappointed that this bad piece of legislation has been signed into law,” Senator Fasano states. “For an administration which vowed not to support new taxes or fees, this bill virtually guarantees a 15% premium “reinsurance” increase for Florida policy holders. This is a backdoor tax and fee increase that will hurt most homeowners with a mortgage, consumers and small business owners at a time with very high foreclosure and unemployment rates, all during a fragile economic recovery.”

Of course, Scott signed SB 408.

When Florida Gov. Rick Scott signed SB 408 today, he said, “A healthy, stable and competitive private insurance market is critical to the success of Florida, given the hazards we face. I commend the Florida Legislature, especially Sen. Richter and Rep. Wood, for bringing this important legislation forward.”

The new law allows insurers to raise rate without the approval of the Florida legislature. Homeowners will have to pay for their own repairs before insurance companies will offer reimbursements. If you can't pay for your own repairs then insurance companies won't reimbursement. Homeowners previously were allowed five years to file a claim. The new law shortens the time to three years.

The man who pushed for this legislation is Mark Wilson, president of the Florida Chamber of Commerce.

“Despite what the critics say, signing this bill into law is the first step toward stabilizing Florida’s property insurance market. It will increase competition by attracting insurance companies that currently do not write property insurance policies in Florida,” said Mark Wilson, president Florida Chamber of Commerce.

Wilson fails to mention the 15 percent cost increase homeowners will likely face yearly. Insurance companies claim that they are losing money. Fact: State farm made $2.6 billion profit during the past decade. State Farm is involved with the offshore company DaVinci Reinsurance Ltd. Since DaVinci is not based in the Florida it can charged the highest rates. State Farm claims not to own DaVinci. Yet DaVinci has picked up its clients from State Farm and refuses to disclose who is on its board. A Google Map search of DaVinci's Burmurda address reveals it to be located at a yacht club.

The insurance industry isn't hurting in Florida. They are rigging the system to its advantage.

Florida Republicans Equate Unemployed With Pigs.

Florida Sen. Nancy Detert sent out this gag-inducing press release.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Senator Nancy Detert, R-Venice, released the following statement today on the passage of Unemployment Compensation reform:

“As Chair of the Senate Committee on Commerce and Tourism, I worked with and included provisions requested by my colleagues in the House, the business community, the Governor and his agencies, and advocates for the unemployed, to ensure our state’s unemployment compensation system remains a solvent safety net for those in need.

“The proposed reforms provide relief to employers by weeding out individuals taking undue advantage of the system and provide relief to the unemployed by offering additional assistance to help them get back to work. The bill also saves administrative costs which can be reallocated to make sure those receiving benefits are meeting the requirements of the program. By modernizing and streamlining the current system we will be able to help more Floridians who are struggling to find work.

“Through an innovative concept of using a sliding scale to adjust the available weeks of unemployment compensation benefits based on the unemployment rate, the reforms include tax relief for businesses while ensuring we continue to provide for those actively seeking employment.

“Unemployed Floridians are hurting, and so is our state’s business community, which finances our state’s Unemployment Compensation Trust Fund. We have a responsibility to uphold our commitment to out-of-work Floridians while providing tax relief to our state’s businesses as they continue to weather the difficult economy.

“I want to thank Chair Dorothy Hukill and Rep. Doug Holder for the joint package. This is a big step toward helping our small businesses to stay in business and to hire more employees.”

Before the passage of this legislation Florida had one of the worst unemployment systems in the country.Getting unemployment compensation is a paperwork nightmare. The National Employment Law Project ranked Florida's weekly $275 check as the 46th lowest in the country. Detert's legislation does not increase weekly unemployment checks.

Deter had a
uncompassionate answer to her critics.

“Pigs get fed, hogs get slaughtered,” Detert said. “Learn to like it or get nothing.”

Detert feels that the unemployed are pigs. Detert desribed her bill as "gift of the year" to the business community. It isn't hard to figure out where Detert's priorities lie.

Florida has one of the nation's highest unemployment rates at 11.5 percent. Mark Wilson of the Florida Chamber of Commerce pushed this bill through the Florida legislature. Wilson's reason is the less unemployment compensation businesses have to pay the more profits can be held onto. Wilson has fought for businesses to pay less for unemployment insurance and the workers to pay a bigger share. Wilson succeeded in getting the legislature to make Florida the only state with a sliding unemployment scale.

Under the House version, the national standard of 26 weeks of benefits would no longer be available to unemployed Florida workers. Instead, the maximum number of weeks would vary from 23 weeks when the state’s unemployment rate is as high as 10.5 percent to as low as 12 weeks when the rate drops to 5 percent.

What the Florida legislature is doing is creating a homeless stimulus program. The Florida economy has been in the tank for several years. Homelessness increased by 11 percent from 2008 to 2009. The national average during that time was 3 percent.

In Florida, unemployment increased by 67 percent from 2008 to 2009. Similarly, foreclosures went up by 34 percent and the number of households below the federal poverty line and paying more than half their income for rent went up by 18 percent. These rates were all higher than the national average.

"Not only did Florida have these increases, but it also had levels of risk factors that were high to begin with," Sermons said. "And that resulted in increased homelessness."

If people have no form of income coming in they are headed towards homelessness. Like Sen. Detert said, "Pigs get fed, hogs get slaughtered." The people in Florida getting slaughtered are the unemployed. As long as Mark Wilson is happy the Republicans in the Florida legislature are happy.

HB 1231 Harms Net Neutrality

Shame on Peter Schorsch for running a Florida Chamber of Commerce press release without doing the due diligence of researching it first. Commerce president Mark Wilson is backing HB 1231. Wilson is selling the legislation as a way to create jobs and modernize internet and telecommunications.

The first version of HB 1231 has telecom companies removed from the oversight of the Florida Public Service Commission. The word "monopoly service" would be removed. The legislation is moving back to the days of Ma Bell. Telecom monopolies are against federal laws. That was the whole point of breaking up Bell.

The legislation is anti-transparency and net neutrality. The FPSC or any other state agency would have

364.04, F.S.; providing that the commission has no jurisdiction over the content, form, or format of 32 rate schedules published by a telecommunications company; providing that a telecommunications company may undertake certain activities... and 36 364.08, F.S., relating to price regulation, regulatory methods for small local exchange telecommunications companies, experimental and transitional rates

Are you looking forward to being billed for those "experimental and transitional rates." You wouldn't know since, under the legislation, no state agency would be allowed to ask what those experimental rates are. The state would have a harder time investigating a telecom company of criminal wrongdoing since the FPSC wouldn't be allowed to see documents or obtain a search warrant.

revising provisions relating to access of the commission to certain records of a telecommunications company; repealing ss. 364.185, 364.19, and 364.27, F.S., relating to powers of the commission to investigate and inspect any premises of a telecommunications company, regulation of telecommunication contracts, and powers and duties as to interstate rates, respectively;

I like to hear Mark Wilson explain how keeping the FPSC from investigating telecom companies for price fixing is going to help create jobs.

Republican Union Busting

Mark Wilson, president of the Florida Chamber of Commerce wants union leaders to take an economics course.

"This is a sincere offer," he said. "I'm willing to pay for 100 union leaders to go through an Economics 101 class so that they have a basic understanding of how this economy works."

Unions are withdrawing money out of Regions Bank, Bank of America, PNC Bank, SunTrust Bank and Wachovia. The banks are member of the Chamber of Commerce. Unions are doing this in protest of the Paycheck Protection Act.

What unions are doing is classic political activism. After Rosa Parks was arrested for not giving up her seat on a Alabama bus. A boycott ensued. On June 4, 1956, the segregation of buses was ruled unconstitutional. The boycott also financially hurt white Montgomery, Alabama businesses. I doubt the union protests will be as successful. Unions are doing this because Wilson supports legislation that would financially destroy the right to collectively bargain. Unions don't need an economics lesson to understand that Wilson wants to lower wages and benefits.

The Palm Beach Post correctly pointed out that Republicans in the Florida legislature are using the legislation has political payback. Republicans don't want unions to be able to collect dues to engage in political purposes. Yet Republicans in Tallahassee have no problems in restarting the once banned Leadership Funds. The hypocrisy is staggering. Grover Norquist publicly said Republicans will break groups that don't back the GOP.

GROVER NORQUIST: "We plan to pick up another five seats in the Senate and hold the House through redistricting through 2012. And rather than negotiate with the teachers' unions' and the trial lawyers and the various leftist interest groups, we intend to break them."

Legally, the Payment Protection Act makes no sense. Laws are suppose to protect life, liberty and property. Who is harmed from a union member giving a voluntary deduction to the AFL-CIO? The Supreme Court ruled in Citizen United v. Federal Election Commission that government can not limit profit or non-profit corporate expenditures on political activity. The Payment Protection Act is designed strictly to limit union expenditures on political activity.

The Payment Protection Act will eventually be signed by Gov. Rick Scott. The legal challenges will begin after that.

Meet Mark Wilson: FL Chamber of Commerce President

Florida Chamber of Commerce president Mark Wilson made the claim that unions were busing in protesters from around the country.

"We've see the images on television: government unions from around America staging protests in Wisconsin," chamber president Mark Wilson says in a radio ad that began airing March 3, 2011. "They're not fighting for ordinary citizens, but grappling for power and money. Unfortunately, Florida is next on the union bosses' hit list. They're busing protesters to Central Florida right now to harass your courageous representatives."

Politifact rating this claim a pants on fire lie. Florida unions are not busing in protesters. Progress Florida and Susan Smith are organizing the Awake the State rallies and I doubt they could buy pizza for the protesters. This may come as a shock to Mr. Wilson but progressive activism doesn't pay as well as being the president of the Florida Chamber of Commerce.

What I was struck most was by this portion of Wilson's statement.

"They're not fighting for ordinary citizens, but grappling for power and money."

That begs the question: what is Mr Wilson fighting for. Excuse me but when did the president of the Florida Chamber of Commerce become a working class hero. Remember these comments Wilson made to the St. Petersburg Times after the Chamber was successful in funding the 2010 Florida Republican victories.

"If we don't have a good three or four years … then we've blown it," Wilson said during a legislative briefing before 50 area business leaders in Tampa on Tuesday morning. "This is our time in the business community to do what we do best."

It doesn't sound like Mr. Wilson is fighting for Tom Joad. Wilson is fighting to cut (the already low) state corporate tax and make employees pay a bigger portion into unemployment insurance. Wilson wants to pass on a tax increase to working class people to pay for a tax cut in unemployment taxes to corporations. I ask again, whose interest is Mr. Wilson fighting for.

Florida Chamber of Commerce Not Interested In Reform

Mark Wilson of the Florida Chamber of Commerce couldn't hide his glee to the St. Petersburg Times editorial board. Wilson knows that the Florida Chamber of Commerce owns the Florida legislature and Gov. Rick Scott.

"If we don't have a good three or four years … then we've blown it," Wilson said during a legislative briefing before 50 area business leaders in Tampa on Tuesday morning. "This is our time in the business community to do what we do best."

Wilson laid out what the Chamber wanted Scott and the legislature to make law.

• Spreading the risk on businesses that have to shore up the state's depleted unemployment insurance trust fund. Florida has been borrowing $300 million a month from the federal government to keep unemployment benefits flowing. One option the chamber floated: having employees pay a portion of the unemployment tax now paid by employers.

• Passing an education package that includes cutting back on teacher tenure, establishing teacher pay-for-performance, expanding access to virtual schools and creating education savings accounts.

• Tightening medical malpractice suits and venue-shopping for judges.

• Making Internet retailers responsible for collecting sales taxes on Florida transactions to capture an estimated $3 billion a year in lost state revenue.

• Pushing a property insurance system overhaul that was vetoed a year ago.

It is against federal law for states to tax internet businesses. That is good idea but dead on arrival. The rest of what the Chamber wants would screw over Floridians at the expense of the Commerce's self-interest. The proposal of taking unemployment taxes off of corporations and onto employees is horrible. This is nothing more than a tax shift.

What kind of education are students from internet classes and not being able to interact with teachers? Students would have less access and teachers wouldn't be able to keep a disengaged student from slacking off. Conservatives aren't suggesting that Harvard or MIT have only internet classes. Republicans want to kill public schooling and tort reform because teachers and trial lawyers have been longtime donors to the Democratic Party. This has been a longtime strategy by Grover Norquist.

"We plan to pick up another five seats in the Senate and hold the House through redistricting through 2012," he says. "And rather than negotiate with the teachers' unions and the trial lawyers and the various leftist interest groups, we intend to break them."

The Chamber of Commerce's proposals aren't about reform. This is financial and political self-interest placed ahead of Floridians. That is why Wilson refused to be critical of Scott to the Times editorial board.

In a meeting with the Times' editorial board later in the day, Wilson was hard pressed to find fault with any of Gov. Rick Scott's early moves in office — including controversial parts of the governor's proposed $66 billion budget that call for cutting per-pupil spending by 10 percent and laying off about 6,700 state workers.

Though some state legislators were sharply critical of Scott's budget, Wilson predicted that "80 percent" of the proposal will pass.

The Florida Republican establishment and Chamber of Commerce is the marriage made in policy hell.

Republicans v. Unemployed Continues

A bill cutting unemployment compensation from 26 weeks to 20 weeks has past its first hurdle. Florida has one of the highest unemployment rates in the country.

A bill that would cut that state unemployment program from 26 weeks to 20 weeks and make it easier for businesses to deny benefits to laid-off workers has passed successfully out of the House Economic Development & Tourism Subcommittee.

No surprise there given that the Republican-controlled Legislature is looking to rein in unemployment costs and the business lobby is a big supporter of the bill.

The Florida Chamber of Commerce has lobbied the Florida legislature to cut unemployment benefits.

"At first glance it appears to be good for business," said Edie Ousley of the Florida Chamber. "We're looking forward to working with the lawmakers as the issue moves forward."

Gov. Rick Scott has told the Florida Chamber of Commerce he plans to cut unemployment benefits. Florida Republicans will be making more people homeless. The newly added people to Florida's homeless population will not get assistance from the state because Scott plans on eliminating the Office of Homelessness. Money for those corporate tax cuts have to come from somewhere.

Chamber of Commerce v. Unemployed

Sen. Nancy Detert, R-Venice is going ahead with her plan to cut unemployment compensation from 26 weeks to 20 weeks.

"The purpose is not to punish the unemployed, it's to replenish the fund," said Sen. Nancy Detert, R-Venice, sponsor of the Senate's main unemployment bill.

Apparently, Detert forgot her comments to Tom Clendenning of Florida Agency for Workforce Innovation.

Chairwoman Nancy Detert, R-Venice, said unemployment becomes a "lifestyle" after six months. "We'd like your department to get rid of the slackers and malingerers," she told Clendenning.

Florida is suffering from 12 percent unemployment. Gov. Rick Scott will add to the unemployment rolls if he follows through with laying off 5 percent of Florida's state government workforce. The maximum weekly unemployment payment is $275 a week. That is not enough for the average person to live on. Yet Detert on Scott think the unemployed are living like Donald Trump. Scott couldn't prove his assertion so he misquoted Princeton University Prof. Alan Krueger's research.

"The unemployed in the U.S. devote more time searching for a job than unemployed workers in other countries," Krueger wrote in an e-mail, "yet they [Scott's team] make it seem that the unemployed put little effort into finding a job."

The team, he said, "misspelled my name and misused my study!"

The reason Detert and other Republicans are pushing this forward because the Florida Chamber of Commerce doesn't want compnies to have to pay unemployment compensation.

"At first glance it appears to be good for business," said Edie Ousley of the Florida Chamber. "We're looking forward to working with the lawmakers as the issue moves forward."

Translation: the Florida Chamber of Commerce is looking forward to writing the bill for the Florida legislature.

Scott told the Florida Chamber of Commerce he wants to eliminate the 5.5 corporate tax. Scott admits that Florida's corporate tax is one of the lowest in the country. The Florida tax code has loopholes that allow many corporations not to pay state taxes. This isn't enough for the Florida Chamber of Commerce. The FCOC is using unemployment to justify corporations getting tax cuts.

Businesses would like to spread the repayment of those loans over seven or eight years and want the state to pick up $61 million in interest due in June. Chambers of Commerce around the country are also weighing whether to ask the White House to delay the tax hikes by extending interest-free loans to 32 indebted states.

"We had a great system. It wasn't built for 12-percent unemployment," said Florida Chamber of Commerce president Mark Wilson. "Now the system is broken, and we have to get it back to where it was before."

Wilson suggested one solution would be to cut the corporate income-tax rate as a way to offset the unemployment insurance hike.

Floridian are looking at cuts in Medicaid and other services because of the $3.5 billion budget shortfall. The Florida Chamber of Commerce's solution is taxpayers to cover corporate loans at zero percent interest. The Chamber of Commerce also wants corporate tax cuts with no promises of businesses hiring the unemployed. This is a horrible deal for the taxpayers. Odds are Scott will agree to this deal.

How Lobbyists Control Florida Legislature

I saw this headline at Saint Petersblog.

Former House Speaker Larry Cretul joins Florida Chamber staff

My first thought was wasn't Cretul already working for the Florida Chamber of Commerce when he was the Speaker of the Florida House. I mean that snarlingly and not literally. Republican elected officials have no original ideas. Unless you count less regulations and more tax cuts as outside the box Republican thinking.

Republicans have no original ideas to jump start business. These elected Republicans merely craft legislation that way lobbyists tell them to. Members of the Florida Public Commission rejected a rate increase for Florida Power & Light. Republicans booted those members off the commission. So much for the interest of the little guy.

New Definition For Consumer Groups

There is a reason Charlie Crist's office doesn't send me press releases. The list of "consumer groups" Crist met with is rather amusing.

But a few paragraphs down comes the explanation that Crist met “with representatives of the following consumer groups: Associated Industries of Florida, Florida Association of Realtors, Florida Bankers Association, Florida Chamber of Commerce, Florida Home Builders Association, Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association and Florida Retail Federation.”

That is the first time I have ever heard of the business-friendly Florida Chamber of Commerce mistaken for a consumer advocacy group

Press spokeswoman Erin Isaac contacted the Tampa Tribune's William March and said, "That’s my mistake. Those are business groups."

The imporatnce of a good PR person doing damage control.