We have a new president at Manatee Community College (MCC) in Bradenton, Florida. His name is Lars A. Hafner, Ph.D. I congratulate Dr. Hafner on his appointment.

The Sarasota Herald-Tribune in it's editorial, "New leader and new challenges for MCC" talks about the wonderful ceremony and the importance of higher education to Florida's economy. The editorial notes that students from 41 countries attend MCC.

The editorial notes, "Before joining MCC, Hafner held positions at St. Petersburg College, including provost. Hafner spent 12 years in the Legislature -- experience that will serve him well in his new role..."

So what did Dr. Hafner do in the Florida legislature that will "serve him well". Dr. Hafner was for a time the State House Democratic Caucus Chairman. He was a signatory of The Hyde Park Declaration created by the Democratic Leadership Council on August 1, 2000. To read the full declaration go here.

There is much in the Declaration I embrace as a conservative.

For example the Declaration states:

In keeping with our party's grand tradition, we reaffirm Jefferson's belief in individual liberty and capacity for self-government. We endorse Jackson's credo of equal opportunity for all, special privileges for none. We embrace Roosevelt's thirst for innovation and Kennedy's summons to civic duty.

I agree in principle with these Hyde Park Declarations:

We believe that fiscal discipline is fundamental to sustained economic growth as well as responsible government.

We believe the Democratic Party's mission is to expand opportunity, not government.

We believe in preventing crime and punishing criminals and that America's criminal justice system should be rooted in and responsive to the communities it serves.

We believe that public policies should reinforce marriage, promote family, demand parental responsibility, and discourage out-of-wedlock births.

We believe in shifting the focus of America's anti-poverty and social insurance programs from transferring wealth to creating wealth.

We believe in enhancing the role that civic entrepreneurs, voluntary groups, and religious institutions play in tackling America's social ills.

We believe in strengthening environmental protection by giving communities the flexibility to tackle new challenges that cannot be solved with top-down mandates.

I disagree in part or in whole with these Declarations:

...And we intend to carry on Clinton's insistence upon new means to achieve progressive ideals.

We believe that global markets demand global rules and institutions to ensure fair competition and to provide checks and balances on private power.

We believe that a progressive tax system is the only fair way to pay for government.

We believe that education must be America's great equalizer, and we will not abandon our public schools or tolerate their failure.

We believe that all Americans must have access to health insurance in a system that balances governmental and individual responsibility.

We believe in a new social compact that requires and rewards work in exchange for public assistance and that ensures that no family with a full-time worker will live in poverty.

We believe in replacing top-down bureaucracy with more flexible public institutions that enable citizens and communities to solve their own problems.

We believe government should harness the forces of choice and competition to achieve public goals.

We believe government must combat discrimination on the basis of race, creed, gender, or sexual orientation; defend civil liberties; and stay out of our private lives.

We believe that the common civic ideals Americans share transcend group differences and forge unity from diversity.

We believe that abortion should be safe, legal, and rare.

We believe in progressive internationalism -- the bold exercise of U.S. leadership to foster peace, prosperity, and democracy.

Additionally, Dr. Hafner signed a petition in May 2000, along with 140 other Democrats, asking Congress to grant China Permanent Normal Trade Relations (PNTR). The petition states in part,

"As state and local officials, we understand that today's strong and stable economy depends on expanding markets around the world for the goods and services our communities produce," the petition reads. "Expanded trade has been a critical component of the unprecedented economic prosperity of the past six years . . . We call on Congress to do its part and approve Permanent Normal Trade Relations with China.

...We call on Democrats to put aside past conflicts over trade and come together on a dual strategy of expanding markets while expanding the 'winner's circle'?to join President Clinton in his campaign to put a human face on the global economy, enabling workers both at home and abroad to improve their lives."

Dr. Hafner is clearly a free trader and holds many of the conservative values I do. On these we agree. I wish Dr. Hafner well in his new position.