Florida Members of Congress Voting For Government Shutdown

Via Stogie: here is a list of Republicans who voted for a CR bill that would delay Obamacare. This is a nonstarter in the Senate and President Barack Obama would never sign it into law. This vote is just to appease the tea party base of the GOP.

Rep. Jeff Miller [R-D1]

Rep. Steve Southerland [R-D2]

Rep. Ted Yoho [R-D3]

Rep. Ander Crenshaw [R-D4]

Rep. Ron DeSantis [R-D6]

Rep. John Mica [R-D7]

Rep. Bill Posey [R-D8]

Rep. Daniel Webster [R-D10]

Rep. Richard Nugent [R-D11]

Rep. Gus Bilirakis [R-D12]

Rep. W. Bill Young [R-D13]

Rep. Dennis Ross [R-D15]

Rep. Vern Buchanan [R-D16]

Rep. Thomas Rooney [R-D17]

Rep. Trey Radel [R-D19]

Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart [R-D25]

Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen [R-D27]

Florida Republicans Voting Against the Violence Against Women Act

This should be used as a helpful reminder to voters. I don't want congressional members of the Florida delegation to duck voting against the Violence Against Women Act. Here is a list of Florida elective officials voting nay on VAWA.

House of Representative

Gus Bilirakis, Ron DeSantis, John Mica, Jeff Miller, Bill Posey, Trey Radel, Tom Rooney, Dennis Ross, Steve Southerland, Ted Yoho

Senate

Marco Rubio

Remember this next time you head into the voting booth.

John Mica Hearts Water Pollution

Rep. John Mica is the sponsor of the Clean Water for Cooperative Federalism Act of 2011. What the bill does is strips the Environmental Protection Agency's ability to regulate clean water standards. Mica is doing this under the pretense of state rights.

To amend the Federal Water Pollution Control Act to preserve the authority of each State to make determinations relating to the State’s water quality standards, and for other purposes.

Clean Water for Cooperative Federalism Act passed in the House of Representatives.

As it is written, the bill would roll back several provisions of the Clean Water Act, and essentially bans the EPA from noting whether or not a proposed project would be detrimental to lakes, streams or wetlands. The bill would also significantly impact the agency’s ability to comment on federal permits affecting water quality or public health.

Mica's bill will probably never get a vote. I don't say that because I am confident that Senate Democrats will stand up for environmental rights. The current Senate is so dysfunctional that nothing gets passed. Even when there is bipartisan consensus, Sen. Jim DeMint will place a hold on a bill.

Mica's bill does point out how radical the Republican Party has become on environmental protection. The GOP is no longer the conservationist party of Teddy Roosevelt.

Rick Scott Rejects High-Speed Rail Money

Gov. Rick Scott has rejected $2.4 billion in federal money for the Orlando to Tampa high-speed rail project.

Scott said he was not sure high-speed rail would bring taxpayers a return on their investment and he felt money would be better spent on state highway and seaport improvements.

The problem is the Obama administration is not going to give the $2.4 billion to Florida for highways and seaports. The federal funds have been allotted for rail projects. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood will give the money to another state for a rail project. The $2.4 billion comes from federal money budgeted for rail projects.

Scott gave his explanation for refusing the funds in a poorly planned press conference. As usual, Scott sounded like a talking points robot.

"Government has become addicted to spending beyond its means and we cannot continue this flawed policy," Scott said at a hastily-called press conference this morning.

Scott continued his political tone deaf ways by alienating Republicans. I wonder how many allies Scott is going to have near the end of term.

"I am deeply disappointed in the decision to not move forward with the Orlando to Tampa passenger rail project.

"This is a huge setback for the state of Florida, our transportation, economic development, and important tourism industry.

"I have urged the Governor to reconsider going forward and allow the private sector to assume the risk and any future costs for the project. I made this appeal to the Governor this morning. With the federal government assuming 90% of the cost of the project, I am disappointed the private sector will not have an opportunity to even offer innovative proposals to help finance the balance of the costs and to construct and operate this system.

"I will continue to work with the Governor and all those interested in developing cost-effective 21st century transportation alternatives for Florida and the nation, with systems that can improve quality of life and help meet our future transportation needs."

John Mica, U.S. House Transportation chair

"I am deeply disappointed in the decision to not move forward with the Orlando to Tampa passenger rail project.

"This is a huge setback for the state of Florida, our transportation, economic development, and important tourism industry.

"I have urged the Governor to reconsider going forward and allow the private sector to assume the risk and any future costs for the project. I made this appeal to the Governor this morning. With the federal government assuming 90% of the cost of the project, I am disappointed the private sector will not have an opportunity to even offer innovative proposals to help finance the balance of the costs and to construct and operate this system.

Sen. Jack Latvala

"Making this decision, at this point, on a project that could mean 12,000 to 14,000 jobs is very premature,'' said Latvala, R-St. Petersburg. "I have been consistent in saying we ought to at least let the private companies go to bid and let it play out."

"It's in his court and I'm very disappointed he made this decision without consulting the Legislative branch,'' he said. "I visited with him yesterday and I had no inkling that they were heading in this direction. It shows kind of a lack of understanding and respect for the Legislative process. It's supposed to be a collaborative process -- where the governor and Legislature work together -- and this is not an example of working together."

J.D. Alexander, Senate budget chairman

"The Constitution doesn't allow the governor to not-spend appropriations funds" and there is $300 million appropriated in the budget to put into development of the rail line between Orlando and Tampa, Alexander said.

He said he agrees there is widespread doubt as to whether the project would have succeeded in drawing enough riders. "I think the governor is making the right choice on this rail system,'' he said."I personally would like to have seen the bids come in to see where they really were."

Alexander said that if the legislature puts it in the transportation budget, he expects Scott to veto it and "I don't believe there would be the support to override a veto." The question now is, "where do we go from here" and if the governor wants to cancel it, he will need the approval of the Legislative Budget Commission. "We'll certainly encourage him to pay more attention to the Constitution and budgeting rules," Alexander said.

Sen. Thad Altman

"He's using government to short-change the private sector's opportunity to bid and show case how this can work. Don't use your position as governor to stand in the way of the private sector to show what it can do."

Sen. Paula Dockery

"Florida is a donor state for transportation dollars receiving only 62 cents on every transit dollars and 87 cents on every highway dollar we send to Washington, and this $2.4 billion in federal transportation dollars would have brought Florida in line with other states,'' Dockery said in a statement. "It appears that Secretary LaHood will direct these billions lost by Florida to California where true high speed rail has the next best opportunity to succeed."

Scott based his decision on killing the high-speed rail project on a 2011 Reason Foundation study> All you need to know about the libertarian think tank is that Drew Carey is on the Board of Trustees. David H. Koch is another member of Reason's board and the think tank's main source of revenue. Koch has advocated for abolishing Social Security and the Federal Reserve, minimum-wage laws and federal government agencies. Florida has a governor getting his ideas from a game show host and a business man with radical ideas.

The Hypocrisy of John Mica

John Mica is now running from the very Transportation Security Administration he helped created.

Jim DeMint placed killing unionization of TSA employees above national security by placing a hold on President Obama's appontment of a new TSA chief administrator. Mica disingenuously blames Obama for DeMint's hold.

MICA: We didn't have a TSA administrator for over a year. It was one of the last appointments the Obama administration made. (Cross talk) So you had an out of control agency... a rudderless agency which is difficult to manage even if you had it all together.

Mica's plan is to kick TSA out and have private companies do the screening. It is painfully obvious to me that Mica never read the 9/11 commission report. Private screener failed miserably and let the hijackers aboard the planes. Furthermore, is Mica suggesting that private companies be given the same authority to use x-ray scans and pat down private body parts? Mica is just ranting about the wonders of private companies after such security measures have failed before.

Mica supported the TSA pat-downs in 2004.

The patdowns could be made obsolete by new machines being tested at six airports nationwide that suck in air around passengers and quickly detect explosive material. But that project is two years behind schedule, said Florida Rep. John Mica, a Republican who chairs the House aviation subcommittee.

“My biggest fear is suicide bombers on an aircraft,” he said. “We just don’t have too many other options than to pat people down to try and detect the explosives.”

Mica did not support pat-downs for travelers on private planes.

"We're concerned," Mica said, "but you can't protect yourself against every single small aircraft or every vehicle."

Translation: Mica's response is hell no to pat-downs to people rich enough to afford their own planes. In Tampa, 15 year-old Charles J. Bishop slammed a private plane into the Bank of America Plaza building. Bishop voiced his supported Osama bin Laden. Bishop was killed in the crash. Bishop's act of terrorism in 2002 shows Mica does not take national security seriously.

Update: Mica is urging travelers not to participate in Opt-Out Day.

“I think the public needs to work with us. We will get it right,” Mica said on CNN’s "State of the Union." “I’m not going to support that but we need to get it right and we will.”

Mica support the pat-downs during the Bush administration. Mica now feels differently that there is a Democratic administration and heat on him for helping to create the TSA. A true profile in courage.

Mica criticized John Pistole, administrator of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), for signing off the new invasive pat-down procedures. He said Pistole needs to change course because of the public outcry against the pat-downs.

“I don’t think the rollout has been good and the application is even worse. This needs to be refined,” Mica said. “He says this is the only tool and I believe he’s wrong.”

Really? Mica himself said in 2004 that the pat-downs were necessary.

“My biggest fear is suicide bombers on an aircraft,” he said. “We just don’t have too many other options than to pat people down to try and detect the explosives.”

TSA Update

Image via Lomesomerobot.com.

Breast cancer survivor Cathy Bossi went through a humiliating body search conducted by T.S.A. agents. Bossi was forced to remove for bra in front of agents.

She says two female Charlotte T.S.A. agents took her to a private room and began what she calls an aggressive pat down. She says they stopped when they got around to feeling her right breast… the one where she'd had surgery.

Pat-down Backlash: Child groped during pat-down? What are the rules?

"She put her full hand on my breast and said, 'What is this?'. And I said, 'It's my prosthesis because I've had breast cancer.' And she said, 'Well, you'll need to show me that'."

Cathy was asked to show her prosthetic breast, removing it from her bra.

"I did not take the name of the person at the time because it was just so horrific of an experience, I couldn't believe someone had done that to me. I'm a flight attendant. I was just trying to get to work."

The original goal of the T.S.A. screenings was to make flying safer from potential terrorist attacks. What we are seeing now is citizens being humiliated and having legally questionable searches conducted on their bodies. People have had enough of having to be accosted in airports.

John Mica is the ranking Republican on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. A CBS News story reports that Mica is a longtime critic of the Transportation Security Administration. That is interesting considering that Mica's committee oversees TSA. Mica also crafted the legislation that created TSA. It is interesting that Mica is an opponent of something he helped create.

Mica is using the TSA controversy to privatize TSA. This would personally benefit Mica and his campaign contributors.

Companies that could gain business if airports heed Mica's call have helped fill his campaign coffers. In the past 13 years, Mica has received almost $81,000 in campaign donations from political action committees and executives connected to some of the private contractors already at 16 U.S. airports.

What is interesting is Mica has written no legislation requiring people traveling on private planes to go through screenings, no showing of ID and patdowns.

Mica was at the forefront of the legislative effort to create the Transportation Security Administration. He placed the risks associated with private air travel in the context of an entire spectrum of risk. In other words, he reminded me, the United States has more urgent vulnerabilities than spring flights aboard Cessnas.

"We're concerned," Mica told me, "but you can't protect yourself against every single small aircraft or every vehicle. So you look at the biggest risk, the terrorist plot that can do the most damage. They're not interested in taking out a few folks, as we've seen. They're interested in taking out thousands and doing a lot of psychological damage, which also affects our economic stability. Again, you just can't protect yourself against every eventuality."

Short version: Mica isn't going to require wealthy people go through intrusive patdowns or long waits. Mica's reasoning is "but you can't protect yourself against every single small aircraft or every vehicle." If Mica really feels that way then why even have screenings.

New Heather Beaven Ad

Democratic Congressional candidate Heather Beaven has released the ad "Three Facts." The ad is a negative attack against opponent John Mica. The ad is okay, but not great. Beaven has run a good campaign in what has been a safely conservative district. Beaven has the backing of the Democratic Party establishment. Does anybody have recent poll numbers of the Beaven/Mica 7th district race. I can't find recent poll numbers.

Heather Beaven Endorsed by AFL-CIO

Heather Beaven is a Democratic Congressional candidate running against incumbant John Mica. Beaven has been endorsed by the AFL-CIO.

From the press release:

“I am honored to stand beside working Americans, both in the public and private sectors, who are striving to prime our economic engine in a way that puts people to work, prepares our youth for their future and demand our military return home to a healthy, thriving America.” said Heather Beaven.

Florida Sotomayor Ad

Presente Action put out an ad pressuring Rep. John Mica to condemn Rush Limbaugh's comments against Sonia Sotomayor. It is fascinating how Republicans are terrified of a talk radio host and convicted drug addict. Republican elected officials would rather appear weak than stand up to Limbaugh.

The ad presents the problem facing the GOP. America is not a center right country. The Gallup poll trends from 1991 to 2007 are proof. Republicans can continue running the Southern Strategy and lose ethnic voters. Younger voters are turned off by the anti-gay and racial message the GOP is selling. The other choice is show a spine and stand up to Limbaugh.

Hat tip to Liza Sabater.

Majority of Congressional Delegation Opposes Offshore Drilling

Senator Bill Nelson got 24 of 27 members of the Florida Congressional delegation to oppose offshore drilling. The delegation signed a letter addressed to Harry Reid, Nancy Pelosi, Mitch McConnell and John Boehner. Members not signing the letter are John Mica, Bill "Gator" Posey and Ileana Ros-Lehtinen.

According to a Nelson spokesman, that would mean not altering the current limits that forbid drilling within at least 100 miles of Florida’s Gulf coast, and farther out—more than 200 hundred miles—from Tampa Bay.

A Nicholas School of the Environment at Duke University discovered lifting all oil bans would produced only 18 billions barrels of oil. The bans include Alaska and Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.

Nelson explained, on the Senate floor, the oil companies want the leases not necessary to drill. The lease values will potentially boost stock prices. F-22 pilots will train in the Gulf. Nelson explains rigs will pose potential safety hazards to pilots.