Why Palin is poison in FL
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| Also listed in: Florida Bloggers | 2008 Rapid Response | Florida Democratic Party |
The spin is that "Palin fought the oil companies" and that "her husband is a commercial fisherman."
Her husband, Todd Palin, is a production operator and/or supervisor for BP oil company.
Gov. Palin fought the oil companies over money, NOT the environment. If anything, Gov. Palin wanted MORE drilling for gas on land owned by the State of Alaska. Gov. Palin FAVORS drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR). Floridians will understand the difference between fighting over money and fighting for the environment.
In Florida, for example, elected officials fight with the tourism industry about the size of the "bed tax" on hotel bills and how the money can be spent, but at the end of the day, once the deal is cut, the elected officials know the amount of the revenues is tied to the success of the industry and so they are likely to vote pro-industry on a number of other issues to protect the revenue source. Thus, the elected officials are co-opted by the revenue source.
Alaskan elected officials, of which Gov. Palin is one,will be very protective of the oil industry, because that is their goose that lays the golden eggs.
Florida is opposed to offshore drilling because Florida is a tourism and retirement state. While here at inland City of Orlando we have Disney World, the rest of the state (primarily coastal regions) relies on beautiful beaches. Tourism all over the state relies on warm weather and fresh (less polluted) air. Oil drilling would not just threaten the hotels, but the condos and the coastal subdivisions. Not just the tourism industry, but the finance, insurance, real estate, retail trade and construction industries' ways of doing business. Almost all retirees bring Social Security income and some pensions, wealthier retirees have large pensions and investments. Palm Beach County, with little industry, is an oasis built on wealthy retiree money. Oil soaked beaches with oil soaked birds would ruin the party and kill the goose.
Sure we could buy mineral oil to clean our bare feet at the beach and have for smaller spills from freighters, but paradise lost is paradise lost. Ask Louisiana.
Jim Callahan
Orlando, FL
Her husband, Todd Palin, is a production operator and/or supervisor for BP oil company.
Gov. Palin fought the oil companies over money, NOT the environment. If anything, Gov. Palin wanted MORE drilling for gas on land owned by the State of Alaska. Gov. Palin FAVORS drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR). Floridians will understand the difference between fighting over money and fighting for the environment.
In Florida, for example, elected officials fight with the tourism industry about the size of the "bed tax" on hotel bills and how the money can be spent, but at the end of the day, once the deal is cut, the elected officials know the amount of the revenues is tied to the success of the industry and so they are likely to vote pro-industry on a number of other issues to protect the revenue source. Thus, the elected officials are co-opted by the revenue source.
Alaskan elected officials, of which Gov. Palin is one,will be very protective of the oil industry, because that is their goose that lays the golden eggs.
Florida is opposed to offshore drilling because Florida is a tourism and retirement state. While here at inland City of Orlando we have Disney World, the rest of the state (primarily coastal regions) relies on beautiful beaches. Tourism all over the state relies on warm weather and fresh (less polluted) air. Oil drilling would not just threaten the hotels, but the condos and the coastal subdivisions. Not just the tourism industry, but the finance, insurance, real estate, retail trade and construction industries' ways of doing business. Almost all retirees bring Social Security income and some pensions, wealthier retirees have large pensions and investments. Palm Beach County, with little industry, is an oasis built on wealthy retiree money. Oil soaked beaches with oil soaked birds would ruin the party and kill the goose.
Sure we could buy mineral oil to clean our bare feet at the beach and have for smaller spills from freighters, but paradise lost is paradise lost. Ask Louisiana.
Jim Callahan
Orlando, FL
