In a notice to his supporters Florida Representative Alan Grayson (D), 8th District, seeks backing for his “Public Option Act”, H.B. 4789, in an effort to pass the Health Care Reform bill this bill establishes Medicare as a pay-as-you-go Public Option plan.

To garner support for his proposed bill Grayson falsely accuses Insurance CEO’s of receiving billion dollar bonuses. However, in a May 2009 HealthCareforAmericaNow.org report these alleged billion dollar bonuses are actually identified as the total compensation paid to 10 Major Private Health Insurance CEO’s in 2007. This total compensation includes salaries, bonuses, benefits, etc. equating to $118.6 million, a mere .005% of the total U.S. health care expenditure of $2.2 Trillion. Yet Grayson still believes Medicare is the answer.

However, Medicare itself is hardly without payment control issues; in June 2009, Lori Robertson and Justin Bank of FactCheck.org pointed out, “The Government Accountability Office reported that in 2008 half of improper payments made by the federal government came from Medicare and Medicaid. The Medicare fee-for-service program had an estimated $10.4 billion in improper payments, plus Medicare Advantage doled out $6.8 billion that it shouldn’t have. Medicaid’s improper payments totaled $18.6 billion for the year. Those figures surpass the profits reaped by insurance companies and the pay their CEOs took home.”

Douglas W. Elmendorf, director of the Congressional Budget Office, stated that the Obama administration’s cost-control proposals do not “reduce the trajectory of federal health spending by a significant amount.” Combining the improper Medicare payments with opening Medicare enrollment to all Americans will result in exponentially compounding our country’s deficit and deepening our current economic peril, extending the recession, limiting job creation and growth, and bankrupting the Social Security system within the next ten years according to the CBO.

Federal spending is out of control. Members of Congress who continue to “spend the country into prosperity” are quickly spending us into adversity; they must be removed, and replaced with fiscally responsible legislators. This issue inspired Patricia Sullivan to organize a local TEA Party in March of 2009 and now to run for Congress in the eighth Congressional District of Florida.

They must be stopped in Florida's District 8 and across America. Time for a change of carreer for Mr. Grayson.

I just read a column in the Sarasota Herald-Tribune titled, "GOP happily on the sidelines of tax fight". The title of the article struck me because I thought the GOP was against higher taxes. In the column the Chairman of the Republican Party of Sarasota (RPOS) states, "I’m glad we stayed out of it.”

Well not only did the local GOP stay out of it, the four Republican members of the School Board were either openly for this tax or silent in opposing it. At least
Shirley Brown, the lone Democrat on the School Board, was true to her convictions and more than happy to raise taxes on Sarasota County residents and said so.

The Republican Party of Sarasota is not the party of less government, lower taxes and more liberty. This referendum proves it.

As pointed out in the SH-T column, "It almost didn’t work out. In January a group of anti-tax Republicans made a motion for the county Republican Executive Committee to formally oppose the tax. The measure passed with over 66 percent of the vote, but because there were not enough Republicans in the room that night, the motion failed on a technicality."

Does this sound familiar? You know the healthcare bill being voted on in Congress this Sunday. Over 66% of Americans are against the healthcare bill but the party in power is pushing it through anyway by any means. Does this not reflect why Americans are fed up with both parties? The local GOP is no different than those pushing for more government, higher taxes and less liberty at the national level. Again, this referendum proves it.

At the local level you had the opposition consisting of a few people with less than $1,000 against the Republican controlled School Board, School District administration, Sarasota Classified Teachers Association (the union), and most of the local business organizations, even the supposedly conservative Argus Foundation. They had tens of thousands of dollars, used the Districts children, e-mail system and Connect-ED robo call system to pass out pro-referendum flyers and make GOTV robo calls.

Why would anyone be amazed at the margin? With 5,200 union members and their families voting yes, with 41,000 students parents voting "yes" that easily adds up to 45,000 votes. Consider this was a special election with only 18% of those registered in Sarasota County voting, what other result could be expected?

With the Republican Party of Sarasota sitting on the sidelines it was bound to pass.

This was not a just vote for more taxes it was a deliberate, well organized and planned campaign by members of both parties to set up a win. The Democrats by commission and the Republicans by omission.

Never did the RPOS address some of the questionable election tactics used by the Republican controlled School Board. Never did the RPOS ask why the Republican Supervisor of Elections did not audit this election as required by a referendum passed by the people. Never did the RPOS question the size of this government entity, the largest employer in Sarasota County with a salary schedule that exceeds the private sector's by up to 50%.

Silence means affirmation.

Clearly this is the more government, higher taxes, and less liberty Republican Party of Sarasota. If the party leaders are happy they stayed out of this vote then they are in the wrong party.

This tax was a referendum on the Republican Party of Sarasota. When it passed they failed as a party.

The Florida Security Council is hosting a national security briefing on Progressive Islam in Sarasota, Florida. The briefing is being held on Thursday, March 25th at 1:00 p.m. at Concordia Lutheran Church. See the event flyer here.

The briefing will consist of the showing of two videos on Progressive Islam and the infiltration by the Muslim Brotherhood into Florida's politics, universities, businesses and non-profit organizations. An expert panel will be discussing Progressive Islam in Florida, Israeli/American relations, and the Iranian threat. The panel members are:

Dr. Terri Wonder, Ph.D.:

Dr. Wonder recently returned from Iraq after serving there for two years in support of our combat military forces. Dr. Wonder's work as an Army civilian social scientist, produced between 2004 and 2008 a doctoral thesis about terrorist subversion in public universities in the Middle East and North America. In addition, Dr. Wonder co-founded a non-profit organization, The Afghanistan Schools Project, in 2007. Dr. Wonder received high commendation in 2008 from the Army for her case study analysis of mosque leadership coups. Dr. Wonder has studied at the University of Cairo and is an expert on Progressive Islam in the United States and Florida.

Lieutenant John Kost:

Lieutenant Kost is the former commander of the Sarasota County Sheriff's Homeland Security Unit and was a member of the FBI Terrorism Task Force, District 6. John is an expert on local terrorist activities. Lieutenant Kost has conducted numerous investigations of terrorist activities in Sarasota County and was instrumental in providing the Department Homeland Security, Justice Department, and FBI with key evidence leading to the successful prosecution of terrorism originating in our area. John has numerous credentials as a law enforcement officer and received training in Israel on terrorism prevention and investigation.

Dr. Rich Swier:

Dr. Swier is a retired Army Lieutenant Colonel who was responsible for the U.S. Army's doctrine in Anti-terrorism and Terrorism Counter Action. Dr. Swier served on the a Presidential Commission that established the policy that the United States would not negotiate with terrorists under the Reagan Administration. Dr. Swier is the co-Director of the Florida Security Council, which is dedicated to the defense of the U.S. Constitution, the State of Israel, and the defeat of Progressive Islam.

Concerned citizens are encouraged to attend this compelling presentation which includes an extended Q&A session (event flyer is here).

Readings: 

The Masscare Massacre - The American Spectator

Health Care Debate Or Proxy Fight Over Government's Rightful Role? - Investors Business Daily

Fed Forced Felon Voting: Another Leftist Assault On The Constitution - The Heritage Foundation

Obama Team Takes Heat Over Unemployment - The Washington Times

Allies Everywhere Feeling Snubbed By President Obama - The Washington Post

Rectal - Cranial Inversion - Neal Boortz, Nealz Nuze

What Ailes Raines - Investor's Business Daily

Videos of the Day:

Video #1:

Video #2:

Cartoon of the Day:

I had the opportunity to sit down with Mark Smith, Candidate for Sarasota County Commission - District 4, for a second time. I asked Mark some tough questions about county government and got some very candid answers.

I appreciate Mark taking on the real issues that are of concern to citizens such as reducing not only the size of government but its control of our lives and property. Mark has a unique perspective to County government as an architect. He and his clients have been on the receiving end of onerous county regulations and processes designed to reject progress rather than embrace it. As Mark says, "The County starts from a position of NO and it is a costly and unsure path to get to a yes". Mark told me the story of a local developer who had invested over $1 million and nearly a year on a local project and it had yet to even get to the County Commission for a vote.

Mark believes government is not the solution. He believes private enterprise has the solutions to government's problems.

Mark understands our local economy is in shambles and will remain so unless local government has a sea-change in its attitude about truly diversifying our economy. Mark believes a recovery can only take place if we elect economy friendly county commissioners, who look at businesses as friends and not the enemy or simply as a source tax revenues to sustain government.

Mark is what I call an Ayn Rand style or third party Republican candidate.

Issues discussed during my interview with Mark included: the County running its own bank, the County funding non-profits for services that many believe are not the functions of government, and how local environmentalist policies, Sarasota County's a national reputation as both anti-growth and anti-business, the cost of mass transit in the county, county salaries and taking federal stimulus dollars.

Mark deserves great credit for answering these tough questions. He is clearly a man of great personal conviction and rock solid values. That is lacking in many politicians at every level.

It is important you take the time to listen to Mark's answers and make your own decision about his qualifications to serve as a County Commissioner.

Interview with Mark Smith, Candidate for Sarasota County Commission, District 4:

About Mark Smith:

Mark grew up in Sarasota when his family moved from Detroit, Michigan in 1963. He graduated from Riverview High School in 1973. Mark received both his Masters in Architecture and Bachelor of Science from the Georgia Institute of Technology. He and his family moved back to Sarasota in 1990 and to Siesta Key in 1994. Mark has two daughters, Liz 22 and Jackie, 20. Mark is an architect and president of Smith Architects, P.A. in Sarasota, Florida. He is a LEED Accredited Professional as designated by the U.S. Green Building Council. Mark’s office is located in the Siesta Key Village.

Mark has been long active in his professional association and in his community. He has been President of the Siesta Key Village Association since 2005, leading the association through the design and construction of the Siesta Key Village Beautification Project. The Siesta Key Village Association was awarded the 2009 Keep Sarasota County Beautiful Award. Mark is currently on the Siesta Key Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, the Siesta Key Presidents Council, and is a past board member of the Siesta Key Association.

He is also on the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Advisory Board, Vice President of the Board of Directors of All Faiths Food Bank, and a past board member of the Girl Scouts of Gulfcoast Florida, where he received the “Thanks Badge” - the highest recognition the National Girl Scouts award a volunteer. Mark served as President of the Florida Association of the American Institute of Architects in 2007 where he created a new vice president’s position to head up the Commission on the Environment (COTE). He is currently on the Board of Trustees for the Florida Foundation for Architecture. Mark received the 2009 AIA Florida Silver Medal in recognition of his years of leadership and service that has been a direct benefit to the profession and the community.

To get involved in Mark's campaign please visit: www.VoteMarkSmith.com

FAU PROFESSOR AND BOCA MOSQUE DIRECTOR, BASSEM ALHALABI, SUBJECT TO ARREST

(Tallahassee, FL) A warrant has been filed for Bassem Abdo Alhalabi, the individual who attacked Americans Against Hate (AAH) Chairman Joe Kaufman and another individual earlier this month, during Muslim Capitol Day in Tallahassee, Florida.

Alhalabi, an associate professor at Florida Atlantic University (FAU) and a director of the Islamic Center of Boca Raton (ICBR), was charged with one count of battery.

According to an official from the Leon County State Attorney’s office, Alhalabi needs to turn himself in or he is subject to arrest.

On March 11, 2010, Alhalabi grabbed Kaufman’s arm in the Rotunda (lobby) of the Florida State Capitol Building. The incident was caught on camera.

Alhalabi was in Tallahassee as a member of United Voices for America (UVA), a political front for the Hamas-related Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR). UVA’s event was titled ‘Muslim Capitol Day.’

The other attack perpetrated by Alhalabi, which happened about an hour after the assault on Kaufman, is still pending. During that attack, Alhalabi violently grabbed the video camera of cameraman Mark Campbell.

Prior to these incidents, Alhalabi, in June 2003, was found guilty of illegally exporting a $13,000 military-grade thermal imaging device to Syria, a state sponsor of terrorism.

Additionally, when Alhalabi applied for a position at FAU, he used convicted terrorist Sami al-Arian as a reference.

Joe Kaufman is available for interview. E-mail: info@americansagainsthate.org.