Crackin' the Whip

It's futile trying to convince individual members of the Florida Legislature that the redistricting plans they've come up with to ensure that they each have a good seat at their own Party is devastating for cities like Lake Worth. It's time to take this to both Party's leadership and by leadership, I mean they who are charged with keeping their Party members toeing the Party line. It is they who Crack the Whip.

These are the Electeds in the Florida Legislature that crack the whips in the House of Representatives and in the Florida Senate. These are who the little guys (our elected representatives) have chosen to listen to and follow blindly. These are the Electeds that need to hear NOW that just because they got away with carving Lake Worth into four meaningless House Districts, we're not just going to fold up and say nothing about their plan to carve Lake Worth into three meaningless Senate Districts. The Florida Supremes approved the House Map but for some inexplicable happy reason, sent the Senate map back to be redrawn in a Special Session that starts NOW. 

In the House of Representatives:

Democrats - Ron Saunders and Joe Gibbons
House Minority Office (850) 488-9622


Republicans - Carlos Lopez-Cantera and James C. Frishe
House Majority Office (850) 488-1993


In the Florida Senate:
Democrat Nan Rich
Senate Minority Office (850) 487-5833


Republican Andy Gardiner
Senate Majority Office (850) 487-5184 


These are the people who make the decisions for the people we elect. These are the Grand PoohBahs who threaten, cajole, and otherwise persuade the people we elect to put Party loyalty first and always above the voters' interest. These are the people who hold the strings and play the tunes that our representatives dance to.


And let me be VERY clear - BOTH the Republican and Democratic Parties play this stupid game and they do so to further their one and only agenda - to hold or increase their own Party's power and influence over the $70 Billion budget that Oh By the Frickin' Way, WE provide.


I seem to recall that when I vote, there are actual names attached to each of those ballots. I don't recall filling in the little arrow for Whoever the Florida Democratic Party Wants or Whoever the Florida Republican Party Wants. So how is it that after enough of us filled in the little arrows to get those actual names elected, all they ever do is what the Democratic Party and the Republican Party leadership tells them to do!


Both Parties' leadership said DO NOT engage the public in discussion on the re-districting maps that refers in any way to keeping cities and communities together. This is about keeping Our Party (or the Other Party) in (or out of) power. Period.


Fine! If we have to live with that why waste any more time expressing our thoughts to individual, ineffective, feckless Representatives. If all they hear is their Masters' Voice, then let's speak to those Masters! 


And if we're really feeling ambitious, let's have a word or two with the Florida Supremes. They have the biggest whip of all.