Legislative Update - January 2010
Déjà vu all over again?
More than a generation ago, President Ronald Reagan set the stage for an ideological with a renewed push for “trickle down” economic policies. Dubbed at that time “voodoo economics” by George H. W. Bush, Reagan’s attempts to vilify government in order to please the titans of industry marked one of the single biggest shifts of wealth in this country. The demise of the middle class - along with stagnating wages, disappearing pensions and health benefits, and rising tax burdens - had begun. By contrast, the fortunes of CEO’s rose along with reckless behavior as government regulations were lifted. Notably, it took the ascendancy of George W. Bush and his expansion of that same voodoo that landed us in the economic crisis Florida faces today.
And so it was interesting to read that some Republican lawmakers are convening this week “A Florida Jobs Summit,” ostensibly to solicit new ideas to turn around Florida’s economy. The fine print, though, suggests its real aim is a resurrection of the same old failed policies as a cure for Florida’s financial woes and staggering unemployment rate.
Déjà vu all over again?
Make no mistake, the creation of jobs in Florida is critically important. But not the kind that Senator Mike Haridopolos and Representative Dean Cannon would beget under more-of-the-same trickle-down policies. And certainly not the kind spawned by corporations once government restrictions are removed, growth management and environmental protections are gutted, and industry regulations are lifted.
The kind of jobs we need are not the minimum-wage variety, that would force families onto welfare or Medicaid, or destroy Florida’s inherent beauty – which is exactly what this approach would do.
Florida is already one of the most business friendly states in the nation when it comes to taxes. A renewed push to dole out more tax loopholes is not going to jumpstart the economy. Where we lag is in the supply of a skilled workforce. The people of this state know that. That’s why so many unemployed Floridians have flocked to community colleges and state universities to upgrade skills or learn new trades. If we’re serious about creating jobs, we might begin with restoring funding to our educational institutions that train the professionals of tomorrow.
So while I applaud the efforts of Republican lawmakers who say they want to seek new solutions to our state’s economic crisis, I fear from the rhetoric I’m hearing that they merely plan to maintain the status quo that got us into this mess in the first place.
I’m sure the incoming Republican legislative leaders remember the public hearings they organized just two years ago, so that property taxes would “drop like a rock.” But the only thing that dropped was the state’s ability to provide Floridians the services they need most in tough economic times – educational opportunity, access to health care and social services.
And I’m sure they also remember their pledges not to increase taxes – but that’s exactly what they did last year by passing one of the biggest tax increases ever on mainstream Floridians, hiking fees and fines on everything from drivers’ licenses and registration renewals to bankruptcy filings.
Harvesting innovative ideas from the people of this great state is a wonderful idea, and if that’s what really comes out of the “Florida’s Job Summit,” then we might really make progress on turning our state’s economy around. But to use such an event to recycle the same old ideas is simply inexcusable.
Albert Einstein once defined insanity as doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. It’s high time Florida broke free of the asylum.
As always, I welcome your comments and questions on this issue – or on any issue related to Florida government. Feel free to contact my office at (954) 747-7933 or by e-mail at rich.nan.web@flsenate.gov.
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Senator Rich Addressing Seniors at the Daniel Canter Senior Center |
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Senator Rich with the Final Graduting Class of Weston University 2010 |
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| Political advertisement paid for and approved by Nan Rich, Democrat for State Senate, District 34. Website by Impact Politics |