Dave Rauschkolb
Beach Fanatic
It is clear the Senate and House is determined to push this through this session. The Senate just filed a companion bill that would allow for drilling. They kept saying there would be no movement this year in order to lull us into a trance. I felt this was a smokescreen from the start. That is why I chose Feb 13 to do HANDS to keep the attention on the issue and keep pressure on the Legislators who are running for office this election year.
They know now is probably the only opportunity for this to pass because it is likely the overall climate will become less favorable because of growing negative sentiment on drilling in Florida. We will plan another huge HANDS event at a later date with warm weather when many more thousands of people will be on the beaches. I think that is the last thing they would want; especially in an election year.
The main focus now is to encourage every person you know in Florida to write our Policy Makers in Tallahassee. This is already happening all over the State. They are hearing us but I fear they are ignoring us. I will be posting on the Hands Site a list of those who voted for OIL and those who voted for Florida in the House bill last summer and the "Memorial resolution recently passed regarding lifting the Federal Ban". I am working on a website redesign now.
Right now, we need to hammer on Don Gaetz's, Marti Coley's and Jimmy Patronis's door every day with emails and phone calls. I don't believe any of Don Gaetz's earlier statements saying he won't vote for oil if it affects the military mission. The Base commander of Eglin came out and said it would affect the mission and Don still said he was not convinced. Basically Marti Coley and Patronis parrot what Don says about the military with little consideration for our tourism and coastline and waterways. I have hope for Jimmy Patronis though. He is a good guy with solid roots in our coastal economy and beaches. Hope springs eternal. I don't disagree with all of Gaetz's initiatives, in fact I have never had reason to think negatively about him until I found him clearly on the wrong side of this issue. As our Coastal Senator I believe he should come out strongly against oil drilling as a protector of our coastal interests. This really should be a no brainer for him in my opinion. I shake my head every day in disbelief.
I would not be surprised if there are some heavy back room negotiations going on with the military otherwise this "disclaimer" would not be repeated over and over by Gaetz and company. I would not be surprised if some announcement came out some time soon that will state a deal has been struck with the military giving an "out" for our local politicians. They will be able to say "we saved the military mission so let's drill baby drill!
The truth is his son his son, Matt Gaetz who is running for District 4 House has received thousands of dollars from the very interests that are lobbying to lift the oil drilling ban in our waters. Jeb Bush's endorsement of Matt is lockstep with this notion as well. Would it surprise anyone if Jeb's brother was one of the anonymous Texas oil interests behind all this? I would find it very odd if Father Gaetz does not vote with his son on this issue. But again, hope springs eternal. Don Gaetz has received little on no contributions from the oil interests but his net worth is $22 million so I doubt he needs it.
The first time I spoke with Don Gaetz about this was when he called me on my cel phone 3 hours after I posted on SoWal what I felt to be true that he was in support of oil. He was very upset that I "mischaracterized" his position. I retracted the statement and he sent me his position on oil drilling at the time. (Read his written response posted in the original thread I started on HANDS on October 2 2009. http://www.sowal.com/bb/politics-current-events/40906-hands-across-sand-join-us-stop-near-shore-oil-drilling-florida-waters.html) Based on his reaction in the call, I knew I was on to something. His carefully worded response cemented my belief that all concerned would have been happy for this issue to continue flying under Floridian's radar. Well, we changed all that didn't we? After thousands of Floridian's on 80 beaches statewide joined hands everybody is talking about oil. And now that oil is on the lips of Floridian's, they don't like the taste of it. And with every call and email to our Legislators they are being heard.
Senator's and House Members and Governor Christ? If you can hear me: We will never let Florida forget who sold out our beautiful treasured coastline and waterways. We will never forget. Are you listening now?
Yes, in answer to your question, there is much, much more to be done. Aside from calling and writing your Senators, House members and Governor, Now, we just need to sit back and watch and wait and see which Senators and House Members vote for oil and which ones vote for Florida. Florida's leaders, flush with Oil Lobby contributions, we will see just who sells out our coastal legacy.
We may be the last generation of Floridians who remember an unbroken horizon free of oil rigs. We may be the last generation to breath clean air free of diesel fuel from increased traffic from tankers and crew boats. We may be the last generation of Floridians who remember pristine white beaches free of oil from busted pipelines and rigs. No Senators, House Members and Governor Christ we will never forget and I promise, those who vote for oil instead of Florida vote in peril of their political futures in Florida. That's a promise from this generation of Floridians.
Dave Rauschkolb
They know now is probably the only opportunity for this to pass because it is likely the overall climate will become less favorable because of growing negative sentiment on drilling in Florida. We will plan another huge HANDS event at a later date with warm weather when many more thousands of people will be on the beaches. I think that is the last thing they would want; especially in an election year.
The main focus now is to encourage every person you know in Florida to write our Policy Makers in Tallahassee. This is already happening all over the State. They are hearing us but I fear they are ignoring us. I will be posting on the Hands Site a list of those who voted for OIL and those who voted for Florida in the House bill last summer and the "Memorial resolution recently passed regarding lifting the Federal Ban". I am working on a website redesign now.
Right now, we need to hammer on Don Gaetz's, Marti Coley's and Jimmy Patronis's door every day with emails and phone calls. I don't believe any of Don Gaetz's earlier statements saying he won't vote for oil if it affects the military mission. The Base commander of Eglin came out and said it would affect the mission and Don still said he was not convinced. Basically Marti Coley and Patronis parrot what Don says about the military with little consideration for our tourism and coastline and waterways. I have hope for Jimmy Patronis though. He is a good guy with solid roots in our coastal economy and beaches. Hope springs eternal. I don't disagree with all of Gaetz's initiatives, in fact I have never had reason to think negatively about him until I found him clearly on the wrong side of this issue. As our Coastal Senator I believe he should come out strongly against oil drilling as a protector of our coastal interests. This really should be a no brainer for him in my opinion. I shake my head every day in disbelief.
I would not be surprised if there are some heavy back room negotiations going on with the military otherwise this "disclaimer" would not be repeated over and over by Gaetz and company. I would not be surprised if some announcement came out some time soon that will state a deal has been struck with the military giving an "out" for our local politicians. They will be able to say "we saved the military mission so let's drill baby drill!
The truth is his son his son, Matt Gaetz who is running for District 4 House has received thousands of dollars from the very interests that are lobbying to lift the oil drilling ban in our waters. Jeb Bush's endorsement of Matt is lockstep with this notion as well. Would it surprise anyone if Jeb's brother was one of the anonymous Texas oil interests behind all this? I would find it very odd if Father Gaetz does not vote with his son on this issue. But again, hope springs eternal. Don Gaetz has received little on no contributions from the oil interests but his net worth is $22 million so I doubt he needs it.
The first time I spoke with Don Gaetz about this was when he called me on my cel phone 3 hours after I posted on SoWal what I felt to be true that he was in support of oil. He was very upset that I "mischaracterized" his position. I retracted the statement and he sent me his position on oil drilling at the time. (Read his written response posted in the original thread I started on HANDS on October 2 2009. http://www.sowal.com/bb/politics-current-events/40906-hands-across-sand-join-us-stop-near-shore-oil-drilling-florida-waters.html) Based on his reaction in the call, I knew I was on to something. His carefully worded response cemented my belief that all concerned would have been happy for this issue to continue flying under Floridian's radar. Well, we changed all that didn't we? After thousands of Floridian's on 80 beaches statewide joined hands everybody is talking about oil. And now that oil is on the lips of Floridian's, they don't like the taste of it. And with every call and email to our Legislators they are being heard.
Senator's and House Members and Governor Christ? If you can hear me: We will never let Florida forget who sold out our beautiful treasured coastline and waterways. We will never forget. Are you listening now?
Yes, in answer to your question, there is much, much more to be done. Aside from calling and writing your Senators, House members and Governor, Now, we just need to sit back and watch and wait and see which Senators and House Members vote for oil and which ones vote for Florida. Florida's leaders, flush with Oil Lobby contributions, we will see just who sells out our coastal legacy.
We may be the last generation of Floridians who remember an unbroken horizon free of oil rigs. We may be the last generation to breath clean air free of diesel fuel from increased traffic from tankers and crew boats. We may be the last generation of Floridians who remember pristine white beaches free of oil from busted pipelines and rigs. No Senators, House Members and Governor Christ we will never forget and I promise, those who vote for oil instead of Florida vote in peril of their political futures in Florida. That's a promise from this generation of Floridians.
Dave Rauschkolb
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