Moral fabric

After watching last night's spectacle in Denver, only one term comes to mind and that is "Bread and Circus". Seeing the crowd nominate Barrack Obama was like watching a rock concert. I wonder if this crowd was served beer like the crowd was in Germany when Obama made his "We are the world" statement?

The textbook definition of "bread and circus" is an ancient Roman metaphor for people choosing food and fun over freedom. It also refers to commentary that accuses people of giving up their civic duty by voting for the political leader that offers to satisfy their decadent desires. This description fits the Obama campaign to a tee.

How can we stand back as the American people and watch the very moral fabric of the United States be destroyed by this democrat nominee and his running mate?

It is time that the entire Nation stand up to support the solid foundation of the McCain/Palin ticket. We, as Americans, need to embrace this duo for their solid backgrounds, their love of country, and their commitment to our future, as they move into next week's Republican convention.

Go McCain and Palin!

Energized!

Governor Sarah Palin from Alaska was just chosen as the vice presidential pick for Senator John McCain and the women of the Republican Party are energized with his choice of a running mate. Wow, what more could you ask for in a vice presidential pick? As a strong Republican, Governor Palin will make an outstanding vice president. Governor Palin is the first female Republican running mate for the highest office in America. Women in the United States need to stand up and cheer for this historic moment!

Warm & fuzzy...

After spending over year verbally trashing Commissioner Jeff Stabins on the radio, in emails and at public forums, the chairwoman of the Hernando County Republican Executive Committee, Ana Trinque is now calling for unity within the party. Ms. Trinque stated on local talk radio this morning that Mr. Stabins has a lot of work to do to win in the November General election. Ms. Trinque glossed over Mr. Stabins 43% win over two opponents to promote more of her personal agenda. Comments like these by Ms. Trinque, in reference to Commissioner Stabins, are less than encouraging for Republicans in the general election outlook, especially when the party is promoting unity. Ms. Trinque went on in her statements to generally infer that Mr. Stabins would have to come around to her way of thinking to get local Republican support. How's that for a "warm and fuzzy, Hilliary moment" by the HCREC chairwoman for our local candidates?

Family values

Last night, while standing in the atrium of the government center watching the election results, I was informed that the Hernando County Republican Executive Committee has chosen a guest speaker for their Unity Rally on September 12th at the fairgrounds. The speech will be on "family values" given by the organizer of the Government Gone Wild series. This individual also is a financial backer of this rally. The well-respected individual that gave me this information could not understand how a professional gambler would be allowed to speak on family values within our local party. Go figure...

Victories

Congratulations go out to Ginny Brown-Waite,

Jeff Stabins and John Druzbick

for their Primary Election victories!

You All Rock!

Big day

Well, tomorrow is the big day for all the republican candidates competing in the primary election. The competition has been fierce this year but we all know only one winner per race will prevail to move on to the General Election. All the candidates need to be thanked for this "thankless" task of campaigning for public office. Good luck to all the candidates tomorrow and may the best person win in each race!

Tropical storm

Hernando County Community Coordinator, Brenda Frazier has sent out approximately 15 updates for Tropical Storm Fay by email over the last week. These detailed updates were quite helpful for the public about this tropical storm. Brenda should be commended for her hard work keeping the public informed during this storm. If you would like to receive these updates on future storms, please register at the Hernando County Government website located at http://www.hernandocounty.us/bocc/

Rag

Well, it looks like business as usual at the Hernando Today with the new editor, Chris Wessel taking over for the retiring editor, with his staff endorsements for county commission this morning. To refresh your memory, the previous editor nearly ran this newspaper into the ground with his personal vendetta to attack everything, and everyone in county government. This previous editor was not content with writing the news, only making the news with his articles and editorials that reeked of half truths and innuendos to sell his "rag" on the street.

Let's all calm down and take a real deep breath to analyze the endorsements of Zydenbos and Adkins for county commission. We will take a analytical approach to understanding the spurious ramblings of this editorial staff for these, almost comical, endorsements of Adkins and Zydenbos.

Let's play a little word game with these endorsements.

Which candidate for county commission most comes to mind when you think of words like sub-prime mortgage failures, foreclosures and personal bankruptcy. If you guessed Jaz Zydenbos, please pat yourself on the back.

It is really amazing that Mr. Zydenbos is being offered as the best choice for county commissioner with his past failures in the business world. Mr. Zydenbos blamed his 2002 bankruptcy on the collapse of online businesses in the Hernando Times on August 10, 2008. Jaz Zydenbos stated that he recovered well and able to buy and invest. So in 2005, Mr. Zydenbos started a new career as a real estate agent and mortgage broker. Zydenbos now blames the Hernando County for out-of-control spending during the height of the building boom when soaring home values brought in a windfall of property tax money and this is where the words sub-prime failure and foreclosure should bring you back to reality for this morning's endorsements. These numerous failures for this candidate in the private sector certainly do not provide adequate qualifications to oversee our county budget. We, as citizens, do not need Mr. Jaz Zydenbos' ambition to be a county commissioner to become just "another failed business opportunity" for our community.

A few word hints about the other candidate include sleight of hand, talking out of both sides of his mouth, hypocrisy, lackey and boot-licker for the REC chairwoman and state republican committeeman for Hernando County. If you guessed Jim Adkins, please yell bingo right now.

As a former fire chief for the city of Brooksville, Mr. Jim Adkins certainly was not a penny pincher by any stretch of the imagination and that's where the terms sleight of hand, and talking our of both sides of his mouth, come into this discussion. James Adkins has a long history in Hernando County “with this spare no expense approach” in the name of fire departments. A large, unnecessary capital expenditure built by this former fire chief Adkins was Brooksville Fire House #2 at 600 S. Brooksville Avenue that now sits abandoned in the city DPW parking lot. Mr. Adkins is the same individual that stood silent in the atrium of the county building last year when the Hernando County Fire Rescue asked for, and received, as 28% fee increase and this is where the term sleight of hand term applies once again. You see, he boosted about his presence at the budget hearings last year with his "ax the tax" mantra while secretly promoting massive fee increases for the HCFR.

The textbook definition of lackey and boot-licker is a person who tries to please someone in order to gain a personal advantage which fits Mr. Adkins to a tee when it come to his association with the state republican committeeman and the REC chairwoman. While these two republican party representatives have been personally promoting their "puppet" for over four years with their actions and pocketbooks, Mr. Adkins has ingratiated himself with his menial tasks like a marionette dancing to the music.

It's time to end the era of "good-old-boy politics, as usual" in Hernando County by overwhelmingly rejecting these two negative candidates at the polls next Tuesday.

Fair tax meeting

I received this notice from Charlie Keller, press secretary for Congresswoman Ginny Brown-Waite's Washington office, in reference to the Fair Tax town hall meeting scheduled for today in Pasco County:

Today's scheduled Fair Tax town hall meeting is still on schedule. However, due to the passing of her husband, Congresswoman Brown-Waite has asked Florida State Representative Will Weatherford to act as her surrogate to emcee the event and introduce U.S. Representative John Linder. The Congresswoman will not be at this event.

Services

Harvey Waite's Funeral Services:

Visitation
3:00 – 6:00 pm
Friday, August 22, 2008
St. Anthony’s Catholic Church
20428 Cortez Blvd
Brooksville, FL 34601


Funeral Services
6:00 – 7:30 pm
Friday, August 22, 2008
St. Anthony’s Catholic Church
20428 Cortez Blvd
Brooksville, FL 34601

Note: There will be a gathering following the service at Heffernan Hall adjacent to the Church


Flowers may be sent to:

Turner Funeral Home
504 East Jefferson Street
Brooksville, FL

If people would prefer to make a donation, the family asks that you send all gifts to Hernando Pasco Hospice.

http://www.hphospice.org/
Hernando-Pasco Hospice
12107 Majestic Blvd.
Hudson, FL 34667
Ph: 800-486-8784
Fx: 727-868-9261

Harvey Waite

August 19, 2008

HARVEY F. WAITE PASSES AWAY

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) – Sadly, the office of Rep. Ginny Brown-Waite announces that the Congresswoman’s husband of thirty years, Harvey Waite, passed away today following a bout with pancreatic cancer. At the time of his passing Harvey was surrounded by his loved ones at their home in Brooksville, Florida.

Harvey was born in Bayshore on Long Island, New York on January 2, 1940. He served in the United States Army from 1958 to 1961, doing part of his tour stationed overseas in Japan. Returning to New York after his military service, Harvey joined the New York State Police, where he enjoyed a long and distinguished career as a State Trooper.

Following his retirement from the State, Harvey and Ginny moved to Florida, eventually settling in Hernando County in 1995. Active in many local organizations, Harvey was particularly proud of his service to St. Anthony’s Catholic Church, his membership in the Nature Coast British Car Club, and the 10-13 Club of Hernando County. Prior to his cancer diagnosis, Harvey also worked as an Investigator in the Public Defenders Office.

As an usher at St. Anthony’s Church, Harvey was able to continue his service to God. A lifelong Catholic, Harvey’s funeral service will be held at St. Anthony’s. Harvey was also an active member of the Nature Coast British Car Club. He and Ginny would show their red 1959 MGA at Club meetings, and Harvey would often be seen tooling around town with the top down.

Always described as the handsomest man on the block wherever he lived, Harvey was a friend to everyone he met and always had a kind word and a quick smile. Known for being handy with his tools, when Harvey reaches the gates of Heaven, St. Peter will probably say, “Welcome Harve...it is good to finally have someone who can fix the Gates.”

Harvey is survived by his loving spouse, Virginia “Ginny” Brown-Waite, sister Barbara Webber of North Carolina, and brother Wayne Waite of New York. He is also survived by their three children Danene Mitchell and her husband Joe, Lorie Busiere and her husband Randy, and Jeannine O’Neill, as well as their four grandchildren Shawn Solomon, Justin Busiere, Christopher Busiere and Autumn Mitchell.

Please keep Congresswoman Ginny Brown-Waite and her family in your thoughts and prayers.

Real people

In the mail yesterday, I received my residential TRIM notice. I'm pleased to say that my Ad Valorem rate is expected to be reduced by $170.17 for this year. After shuffling through the rest of my mail, I found a very nice campaign flyer from Jeff Stabins. The inside subtitle from Commissioner Stabins' flyer really fit the mood which said, "Commissioner Jeff Stabins...A regular guy trying to help real people solve their problems with common sense solutions". Well, Jeff, you sure helped our household with lowering our property taxes. Thank you.

Rock

This morning's Hernando Times had an article that highlighted the judicial candidates f0r Group 11 of 5th Judicial Circuit. Candidates, Ric Howard and Rhonda Portwood apparently have turned an usually quiet judicial race into a real confrontation for this seat.

Apparently, Ric Howard threw the first proverbial "rock" by minimizing Ms. Portwood professional credentials early in the race. Rhonda Portwood then criticized Ric Howard for what she perceives as harsh and undo punishment in his courtroom.

After watching Ric Howard in action at last week's Hernando County Chamber Forum, it is very apparent that the tensions in this race run very high. Ms. Portwood was unable to attend this event and was strongly condemned by Ric Howard during his remarks. Mr. Howard's appearance at this forum took on the tone of arrogance and reeked of a self-serving attitude that did not appear to bode well with many in the public.

Dynamic

The Greater Hernando Chamber of Commerce candidate forum last night was a major success. All candidates with primary opponents featured in this forum were fairly questioned by editors of the two local newspapers. Editor, Mike Konrad represented the Hernando Times at the forum, with his count-part from the Hernando Today, Chris Wessel, asking pertinent questions of the candidates.

Hernando County School Board candidate, Gene Magrini had the opportunity to enlighten the public about his extensive professional background in human resources and the management of budgets in the excess of $180 million. Gene has three children enrolled in Hernando County schools, unlike his opponents, which gives him real insight on the inner-workings of the school system. His professional world experience in management and coaching is a plus for this position.

Although judicial candidates are restricted under non-partisan rules, Denise Lyn gave a powerful presentation for her bid in the 5th Circuit Judge, Group 3. Ms. Lyn is even an Air Force veteran who received a commendation medal for her service.

It was rather amusing to watch the candidates for the congressional seat, 5th district. Mr. Werder arrived late and fumbled with his presentation. John Russell is now trying the softer, gentler approach trying to convince the public he is not an angry individual. Grandma Carol should have used the money she paid to have her name placed on the ballot for a fantasy, vacation cruise.

The three candidates for county commission that stood out above all the rest in the forum were Jeff Stabins / district 1, John Druzbick / district 3 and Billy Healis /district 5.

Jeff Stabins clearly pointed out the fiscal conservative nature of his current term while illustrating 25% reduction in Ad Valorem taxes to the homeowners of this county under his tenure. Mr. Stabins briefly pointed out his economic incentive plan to jump start the economy in his presentation and explained that any reduction in impact fees was not feasible due to necessary capital improvements. Mr. Stabins indicated that all taxpayers would have to make up the short fall in impact fees if the impact fees were temporally reduced for builders. Jeff clearly shined in his positive presentation at this forum.

John Druzbick's campaign pledge included his desire to have true zero-based budgeting in Hernando County. Mr. Druzbick strongly stated that the county government should be a "pay as you go" system and indicated that he would continue with the consolidation of departments when elected commissioner. John's dynamic presentation that gave him a distinctive edge over his opponents.

As a newcomer to the political scene, Billy Healis started off slightly nervous in his presentation but it was obvious that he clearly relaxed after he mentioned his wife and children in the audience. Mr. Healis' articulate presentation was the highlight of the district 5 race discussion, with his pledge to work for the betterment of the entire county, unlike his opponents that have played to the special interests in the community. Billy presented a refreshing change from the far, right wing, fringe element of his counterparts in this race.

Laurie Pizzo and Anthony Palmieri, along with Morris Porton of the governmental affairs committee of the Chamber, worked tirelessly so the public had the opportunity to become informed on the candidates. All the volunteers at the Chamber of Commerce should be commended for this forum which gave the public a real-life peek at the candidates in the primary election on August 26, 2008.

Amendment 5 pulled...

Amendment 5 has been removed from the ballot by U.S. Circuit Court Judge John C. Cooper from Leon County. Judge Cooper wrote in his opinion, “The court finds that the ballot title and summary provided in the proposition for Amendment 5 fail to fairly inform the voter, in a clear and unambiguous language, of the chief purposes of the amendment and the language of the title and summary, as written, is misleading in the foregoing respects".

Survey

The Greater Hernando Chamber of Commerce sent out a questionnaire for county commission candidates that can be viewed on their website.

Even though this candidate survey was geared toward the business community, it gives a clear prospective to the public about the professional manner of each candidate. Most candidates answers were clear and concise, typed in a neat, business-like manner. Several exceptions to these answers were that of Mr. Jim Adkins who chose to hand write short, incomplete answers to his questions, compared to the long, drawn-out response of Chris Kingsley that never really got to the point.

Anyway, check it out for yourself and drawn your own conclusions at:

http://www.hernandochamber.com/?page=survey

***Don't forget about the candidate forum being presented by the Chamber of Commerce tonight (6 p.m) in the County Commission Chambers.

Enjoy

Billy Healis, candidate for county commission, district 5 will be having a meet & greet in downtown Brooksville tomorrow, August `15th, from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Main Street Eatery. Billy will be on hand to welcome the public and discuss his campaign for county commissioner. So stop in, ask your questions, and enjoy a free desert and beverage on Billy!

Safety sake

Did anyone read Frances Earl's drivel in the Hernando Today this morning? Ms. Earl's delusional ranting was a lame attempt to justify the past, irrational actions of John Russell who is candidate for House Of Representative, district 5. This is the same John Russell that has been banned for life from ever visiting Mickie Mouse at Disney World because of his aggressive behavior several years ago. What part of lunatic does Ms. Earl not comprehend with her self-proclaimed warrior of peace? Ms. Earl should have noted that any one attending a campaign event where Mr. Russell is appearing should be inoculated for safety sake. Watching Mr. John Russell in action is like witnessing a pit bull with rabies...

Journey to Ireland

In the wee hours Sunday morning, I disembarked a flight home from JFK Airport. This was the last leg of my nine day journey to Ireland. If I had to use a one word description of my trip it would be spectacular!

This trip of a life time was made even better because my daughter went with me. We traveled by car from Dublin though Wexford, Waterford, Cobh, Killarney, and concluded our trip in Shannon. Having never driven on the left had side, this journey was even more exciting because the roads are barely wide enough for one vehicle. The entire country uses a system of roundabouts, instead of traffic signals, which makes for very interesting travel. Even though we were driving a small, fuel-efficient diesel vehicle, the approximately $11.00 per gallon would make any one stand up and take notice.

One stop at the Waterford Crystal Factory gave my credit card a real work-out. The tour included the entire manufacturing process of their fine crystal making process. Even though I am apprehensive about heights, my daughter and I climbed the 108 steep, spiral steps at the Blarney Castle and the views were nothing less than superior. The Cliffs of Moher presented another challenge to tackling heights but the photos we took were well worth our efforts.

The most memorable stop on our journey was at the Dunbrody Abbey School of Cookery. Proprietors, Pierce and Valerie McAuliffe, were marvelous hosts for our afternoon of Irish-inspired cooking lessons. My daughter and I thoroughly enjoyed this Irish couple's warmth and hospitality. Their cooking lessons provided an in-depth look at the foods of Ireland. We came away from their school loaded with recipes of brown bread, scones and savory tarts.

All in all, the most treasured memory of my visit to Ireland was the quality time spent with my daughter whom I miss having close because she lives in Seattle. This vacation will be always be ingrained in our memories. We will forever remember seeing the Leprechaun in Killareny that rainy afternoon that brought us the luck of the Irish!

GBW Fair Tax talk

**Media Advisory**
REP. BROWN-WAITE TO HOST FAIR TAX TOWN HALL MEETING IN PASCO COUNTY
Rep. John Linder, Author of the FAIR Tax Legislation, to Attend as Special Guest Speaker

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) – U.S. Congresswoman Ginny Brown-Waite (FL-05) today announced that she will host U.S. Rep. John Linder (GA-07) for a town hall meeting on Wednesday, August 20th designed to help area residents learn more about the issue of tax reform, specifically the Fair Tax proposal. At the event, attendees will be able to ask questions on tax reform, learn more about various reform measures pending in Congress, and share their views on the topic. Rep. Linder is the author of the Fair Tax legislation, and the bestselling co-author of The Fair Tax – Saying Goodbye to the Income Tax and the IRS.

Rep. Brown-Waite is a co-sponsor of H.R. 25, the Fair Tax of 2007 and an advocate of fundamental tax reform as a catalyst for economic growth and job creation. At the event, Rep. Linder will discuss the Fair Tax, an innovative proposal he introduced that calls for the elimination of the federal income tax and the creation of a national sales tax. For more information about the legislation, please visit www.fairtax.org.

DATE: Wednesday, August 20, 2008

TIME: 2:00 – 3:30 pm

LOCATION: Our Lady of the Rosary Catholic Church
Rosary Hall
2348 Collier Parkway
Land O’ Lakes, FL

WHO: Rep. Ginny Brown-Waite (FL-05)
Rep. John Linder (GA-07)