Chief Financial Officer Alex Sink, the presumptive Democratic gubernatorial candidate, gave her likely GOP opponent Attorney General Bill McCollum a taste of his own medicine by calling him out on his Congressional voting record on health care.

Sink’s campaign issued a press release responding to McCollum’s challenge this morning to join him in opposition to President Barack Obama’s and Congressional Democrats’ health care plan.

“During his twenty years in Congress, McCollum voted eight times to cut Medicare by at least $650 billion, voted to raise the eligibility age for Medicare and Social Security, and voted to make it harder for government to crack down on health care fraud,” Sink’s campaign manager Paul Dunn wrote.

“Bill McCollum is in no position to question anyone else until he answers for his decades-long record undermining Medicare, Social Security, and affordable health care,” Dunn concluded.

Attorney General Bill McCollum bashed the “public option” included in President Barack Obama’s and Congressional Democrats’ proposed health care reforms, saying it would ration health care.

McCollum, the presumptive GOP candidate for governor, held a campaign event this morning in which he trashed the government-backed option to health insurance and challenged his presumptive Democratic opponent Chief Financial Officer Alex Sink to do the same.

McCollum, who served in Congress for more than two decades, announced the creation of a health care advisory board and dragged out a six-year-old report issued by businesses and the insurance industry as a guideline for health care fixes in Florida.

The best way to fix health care maladies in the Sunshine State, according to McCollum: more tort reform.

Medical malpractice premiums are the main cause for the state’s escalating health care costs, he said.

He asked Sink to join him in opposing the health care reforms now being considered by Congress if the plan includes:
- the public option or any government-run insurance;
- a $500 billion reduction in Medicare that would be passed on to the states;
- any expansion of Medicaid.
McCollum also asked her to reject the plan if it does not include significant tort reform.

McCollum showed more tolerance towards Obama’s speech to schoolchildren, which Republican Party of Florida Chairman Jim Greer has publicly pounded on national television.

“I have no problem with the president addressing schoolchildren,” he said when asked about it. McCollum also said he would allow his own children to watch it if they were school-age.

Gov. Charlie Crist performed as the Sunshine State’s chief pitch-man, blowing off Florida’s historic population loss and touting the fine weather in a CNBC interview this morning.

Florida saw a drop of 58,000 residents last year, the first population decrease since military residents left the state after World War II.

“It’s not that big a deal, to be honest with you,” Crist shrugged off the decline on CNBC’s “Squawk Box” show today.

The governor then launched into a Sunshine State sales pitch, touting declines in property taxes and property insurance rates and the weather.

“And it’s Florida. It’s a beautiful place. It’s a gorgeous day today down here in South Florida. You just can’t beat the Sunshine State,” said Crist, who is in Miami. Florida I really think is on the rise and it’s a great deal for an awful lot of people, too.”

Although Florida’s unemployment rate is nearly 11 percent, Crist was upbeat about the job market and pointed to Palm Beach County as a shining example.

Palm Beach County’s unemployment rate was 11.7 percent in July, one percentage point above the state average.

“Even in the Palm Beach County area where Scripps and Torrey Pines and some of these other scientific institutes have located, Max Planck…it’s been great for that area of the state,” Crist said. “We’re very pleased with the direction things are going. We wish they were better, don’t misunderstand me. But we’re not sitting still. We’re on the move. And I continue to be optimistic and encouraged about where we’re going.”

Crist, who drew the wrath of fellow Republicans by urging Congress to pass President Barack Obama’s economic stimulus plan, reversed that position on the health care reforms now being considered in Washington.

(more…)

As a demonstration of grass-roots support for health care reform by “Floridians from all walks of life,” Washington, D.C.-based Organizing For America, the post-election version of Barack Obama’s 2008 campaign, announced that it will deliver declarations of support for reform this morning in Fort Myers to “U.S. Sen. Ben Nelson.”

Ben Nelson is a Democratic U.S. Senator from Nebraska.

Florida’s Democratic U.S. Senator is Bill Nelson.

A copy of the press release is after the jump….

(more…)

Call it the Klein-Craft Axiom: In Palm Beach County and the Treasure Coast, Democratic enthusiasm for a government-run public health insurance plan to compete with private insurers is inversely proportional to the percentage of Republicans in one’s congressional district.

Liberal U.S. Reps. Robert Wexler, D-Boca Raton, and Alcee Hastings, D-Miramar, are vocal cheerleaders for the “public option” that is a centerpiece of the health care overhaul pushed by House Democratic leaders.

Wexler and Hastings represent slam-dunk Democratic districts.

But in nearby Palm Beach-Broward District 22, which has slightly more Republican voters than Dems, U.S. Rep. Ron Klein, D-Boca Raton, approached the topic cautiously in a “telephone town hall” with constituents last week.

During the teleconference, Klein sounded as if he’s leaning toward the public option and rejected the argument that putting the federal government in the market would drive out private insurers.

But he stopped short of embracing it.

“I’m still looking at it. I haven’t committed to it yet,” Klein said of the public option. And as for the entire 10-year, $1 trillion House plan, Klein said he has problems with the price tag and described himself as “not quite there yet on saying I’m supporting the bill.”

Striking a similarly cautious tone is Democrat Chris Craft, the St. Lucie County commissioner drafted by national Dems to try to unseat freshman U.S. Rep. Tom Rooney, R-Tequesta, in Republican-leaning congressional District 16.

The public option, says Craft, “is an option that’s on the table. I’m not 100 percent sold on it.”

* * *

Marcia Andrews, a former teacher and principal and school district administrator, is considering a run for the school board seat of veteran incumbent Sandra Richmond.

School board seats are nonpartisan. But here’s what makes Andrews’ potential bid interesting: she’s a member of the Palm Beach County Democratic Party’s executive board. And Richmond, elected six times since 1988, is one of the county’s longest-serving Democratic elected officials.

Party leaders traditionally discourage challenges of incumbents from within the party. County Democratic Chairman Mark Alan Siegel says he’s not backing Andrews, but hasn’t discouraged her, either, because “I don’t know if Sandi’s running again.”

Richmond says she’ll “probably” seek reelection next year.

* * *

Cedrick Thomas, who lost to Mack Bernard in last week’s special state House election, has to give up his Riviera Beach council seat Sept. 22 because he ran for the House.

But he doesn’t rule out seeking reappointment by the council.

Thomas is also weighing a 2010 challenge of Bernard or taking on County Commissioner Priscilla Taylor, who was a key Bernard backer.

Final figures are in from the “telephone town hall” on health care that U.S. Rep. Ron Klein, D-Boca Raton, hosted Wednesday night.

The 70-minute event drew 6,350 callers and cost $12,964. That’s $2.04 per participant.

The expenditure comes out of the $1.5 million office budget Klein gets as a member of Congress for staff salaries, travel and constituent-service costs.

U.S. Rep. Alcee Hastings, D-Miramar, will appear with a pair of Republican congressional candidates from other districts at a health care forum next week organized by the Palm Beach County GOP.

Hastings contacted county GOP Chairman Sid Dinerstein after seeing a Dinerstein quote accusing Democrats of ducking public meetings with constituents on health care. Hastings is scheduled to appear with Republican Allen West, who challenged Democratic U.S. Rep. Ron Klein of Boca Raton last year and is gearing for a 2010 rematch, and Ed Lynch, who challenged Democratic U.S. Rep. Robert Wexler of Boca Raton last year and is planning on another challenge next year.

Dinerstein said he’s trying to line up another supporter of Democratic health care reform proposals to join Hastings on the panel.

The event is scheduled for Thursday, Sept. 3, at 1 p.m. at the county commission chambers in the Governmental Center in West Palm Beach. Seating is limited and those wishing to attend should call the county GOP headquarters at 561-686-1616 to reserve a spot.

The event carries almost zero political risk for Hastings. He represents a district that’s more than 4-to-1 Democratic and he was reelected with 82.2 percent of the vote last year.

During his “telephone town hall” meeting on health insurance reform Wednesday night, U.S. Rep. Ron Klein, D-Boca Raton, fielded questions on abortion, illegal immigrants, whether there should be a government-run “public option” and whether the proposed overhaul would constitute a drift toward Marxism or socialism.

Klein’s office said about 6,460 people listened in. Seventeen people asked questions during the 70-minute teleconference.

Click here to read an article on the event.

More detailed excerpts are available after the jump….

(more…)

U.S. Rep. Ron Klein, D-Boca Raton, told a “telephone town hall” meeting tonight that he likes some aspects of Democratic health care reform proposals, but has concerns about costs and other areas that he called “not quite ready for prime time yet.”

“I’m not quite there yet on saying I’m supporting the bill,” Klein said early in the 70-minute teleconference. Klein’s office said about 6,460 callers participated.

Klein, who represents a Palm Beach-Broward district with slightly more Republicans than Democrats, said he hasn’t taken a position yet on a government-run “public option” for health insurance that is a key issue for many Democrats.

“I’m still looking at it. I haven’t committed to it,” Klein said when a caller asked for his position on the public option. Later, he told another caller he would not support a public option that relied on taxpayer subsidy.

(more…)

Don’t bother making signs, hiring a high school marching band or bringing a video camera in hopes of creating a YouTube sensation. Tonight’s town hall meeting on health care hosted by U.S. Rep. Ron Klein, D-Boca Raton, is a telephone-only affair.

Those who wish to participate must call Klein’s office toll-free at 1-866-713-7303 by noon today to register. Otherwise, those who live in Klein’s Palm Beach-Broward congressional district can hope they have one of the 50,000 or more phone numbers that receives an automated call around 7:45 p.m. tonight inviting them to join in the teleconference.

Klein’s foes have accused him of being afraid to face his constituents on an issue that has sparked some heated exchanges as well as some viral video in other congressional districts this summer. But Klein, who drew about 75 people to a town hall meeting on health care in June, says the teleconference method is a more effective way to reach thousands of constituents. He’s pledging an “open dialogue” and no ducking of tough questions.

Disputing critics who say he’s trying to avoid constituents on the heated health care issue, U.S. Rep. Ron Klein, D-Boca Raton, said he expects to reach thousands of people Wednesday night with a “telephone town hall.”

Klein described his position on health care overhaul as “a work in progress.” He said he’s interested in the idea of a government-run “public option” for health insurance and doesn’t believe such an option would drive private insurers out of business. But he added he has not committed to a position yet.

People who want to participate in the teleconference must register with Klein’s office by calling a toll-free number, 1-866-713-7303, before noon Wednesday. Those people will receive a call around 7:45 p.m. Wednesday when the teleconference is ready to begin. On the call, people will be able to press a key to ask a question, Klein said.

(more…)

Actblue.com launched a website to urge contributors to give to Democratic Congressmen who back a public health care option despite the toll the health care reforms have taken on President Barack Obama’s popularity here in Florida.

The organization’s website Actblue.com claims to have raised nearly $250,000 from more than 4,000 supporters for Democrats.

“Democratic members of Congress need to understand that a healthcare reform bill with a Public Option is simply not an option– it’s a requirement. The congressmembers on this list have said in no uncertain terms that they will not vote for a bill without a public option all the way through Conference. That takes courage, and we need to show them how much we appreciate them for doing so,” the website urges.

Recipients include Floridian U.S. Reps. Robert Wexler of Delray Beach, Corrine Brown of Jacksonville and Alcee Hastings of Miramar. Wexler and Hastings held a jam-packed health care town hall meeting in Delray Beach today.

Wexler received $3,610 from the site. Brown pulled in $3,306 and Hastings $3,195.

Worries about President Obama’s health-care proposals have contributed to his plummeting popularity among Floridians, according to poll results released Thursday, leaving him in a virtual tie between those who approve and disapprove of his performance.

Obama’s 47-percent approval rating among likely Florida voters was the lowest in the nation of any poll conducted by Quinnipiac University. The president’s approval rating in Florida dropped 11 points since June, the poll found.

In Thursday’s results, 48 percent of likely Florida voters disapproved of Obama’s performance. The survey had a margin of error of 3 percent.

The poll also found that nearly three out of four Floridians don’t trust Obama to keep his promise to reform health care without increasing the federal budget deficit.

On the other hand, the poll found that a majority of voters — 58 to 36 percent — support creating a government-backed health insurance plan to compete with private insurers, despite protests from opponents who liken the concept to socialism.

(more…)

You can add another political bigwig to Thursday’s health care forum at the South County Civic Center near Delray Beach, which is already attracting lots of attention from both supporters and opponents of Democratic health-care proposals: U.S. Rep. Alcee Hastings, a Democrat from Miramar, says he’s going to join the already-announced Robert Wexler.

According to an e-mail from Hastings chief of staff Lale M. Mamaux:

“I just wanted to give you the heads up that Congressman Hastings will be participating in the town hall meeting tomorrow hosted by the Florida Alliance for Retired Americans. During the August recess he has met with physicians, home health care representatives, health underwriters, hospital officials, nurses, patients, and representatives from a community health center to discuss health care reform.”

Once again, this is an event put on by the Florida Alliance for Retired Americans, which said it was requiring tickets and giving preference to members. Feel free to contact them for more information.

STUART — What began as a semi-friendly discussion outside a health care forum tonight quickly turned ugly with nearly a dozen people shouting at each other and one spitting on another.

Everett Wilkinson, chairman of the anti-tax South Florida Tea Party, found himself the unsuspecting victim of a spittle attack just minutes after joining the argument.

The altercation had begun with just two people having a semi-friendly discussion outside tonight’s health care forum at Indian River State College’s Chastain campus on Salerno Road. U.S. Rep. Tom Rooney, R-Tequesta, is holding the forum inside The Wolf High-Technology Center.

Trying to make himself heard as proponents and opponents yelled about socialized medicine, Wilkinson raised his arms over his head and shouted: “It’s a great flight to Cuba!”

He turned then and found himself in the middle of an already heated argument between two men. One of the men questioned whether the second man, who was wearing a camouflage jacket, was a veteran.

The second man stepped up to the first and yelled: “I joined after Sept. 11. Do you remember Sept. 11, you ***?!”

Wilkinson and another man, John Fels, of Port St. Lucie, tried to intervene, fending off shoves from the man in camo. Both turned to leave, but the man followed and spit on Wilkinson’s arm.

Deputies arrived just as the crowd split up.

“It’s pretty sad that we can’t have discussion,” Wilkinson said.

Allen West, the Republican challenger to U.S. Rep. Ron Klein, D-Boca Raton, said the government needs to fix its current health care programs before rolling out a new one.

West will host his own town hall meeting on health care tonight at 7 p.m. at South Florida Bible College in Deerfield Beach.

West says reform efforts should begin by properly identifying what inflates costs in the current system. He said reforms should reduce lawsuits, encourage employers to offer coverage to workers and address coverage for illegal immigrants, whose trips to emergency rooms incur costs that are ultimately passed on to the rest of us.

“When people talk about a public option, we already have a public option - in Medicare, Medicaid and the SCHIP option,” said West. “The federal government needs to show that it can effectively run those programs.”

Something’s going on when organizers of a health care forum on a summer weekday wonder if they’ll have enough room in the 500-seat South County Civic Center.

As members of Palm Beach County’s congressional delegation prepare to hear from constituents on health care reforms this week, click here to read how groups on the left and right are urging their activists to turn out and be heard on the issue.

Read details about the public forums.

The first television ad in a competitive state Senate special election race in Duval County attempts to capitalize on the energy surrounding the health care debate in Florida and across the country.

In the 30-second spot above, conservative activist Dan Quiggle pulls a clip from his April speech at a local tea party. “We are up against stimulus packages, socialized health care, bailouts. My friends, freedom and liberty are under attack and our politicians are out of control.”

The election, called after the passing of Republican Sen. Jim King, will be worth watching if only for the fact that it is unfolding during such a highly-charged moment in state and national politics. Plus, the GOP primary for this seat in 2010 was already competitive: King’s would-be successors had combined to raise more than $750,000 for the race by June 30.

Now that a special election is needed, the Republican race — featuring Quiggle, former House Speaker John Thrasher, Jacksonville Commissioner Art Graham and former state Rep. Stan Jordan — will be take days, not months, to unfold: The primary is Sept. 15.

Thrasher’s campaign says it will join Quiggle on North Florida airwaves “very shortly.” today.

Meanwhile, Jordan, who only entered the race on Tuesday, said he wasn’t too concerned about the financial gap he faces: His three opponents already have six-figure campaign accounts.

“I’ve done this many times,” he said. “I’m probably the most economical candidate in the state.”

And if you thought the health care battle hasn’t reached North Florida, think again. On Wednesday, 400 people packed into a Live Oak room designed for 136 people. And while there was no violence, it wasn’t pretty: video from ActionNewsJax.com here.

U.S. Rep. Tom Rooney, R-Tequesta, will host a health care forum in Stuart on Tuesday with a lineup of physicians, hospital administrators and local business leaders.

Rooney opposes the option of a government-run insurance plan and other key aspects of Democratic health care plans.

The forum will be from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. in the Wolf High Technology Center at the Stuart campus of Indian River State College at 2400 SE Salerno Road.

RPOF Chairman Jim Greer stood by his assertion that President Barack Obama’s health care reforms could lead to “forced, taxpayer-funded abortions.”

Greer held a roundtable with reporters at GOP headquarters this morning, covering a range of issues including the hijinks at town hall meetings throughout the country, including one in Tampa that erupted in physical violence.

Opponents of Obama’s health care package claim that the changes would create “death panels” that would pull the plug on Grandma to save government spending.

“I don’t like the term death panels,” Greer said.

But, he added, “I do believe that trying to pass legislation such as this will provide opportunity for certain types of medical procedures that in some cases Americans would not be aware of or in most cases Americans would not want taxpayer funds to help facilitate.”

The chairman was apparently referring to abortions. Greer yesterday circulated a memo questioning the health care bill and whether it would “work to systematically ‘increase birth intervals between pregnancies,’ opening the very real probability of forced, tax-payer funded abortions.”

He stood by his characterization of the bill this morning.

“If the procedure is financed by taxpayer funds, then in fact the word forced or mandated would be appropriate,” Greer said.

The portion of the bill Greer refers to deals with home visitation services.

The full text follows:

“The term ‘nurse home visitation services’ means home visits by trained nurses to families with a first-time pregnant woman, or a child (under 2 years of age), who is eligible for medical assistance under this title, but only, to the extent determined by the Secretary based upon evidence, that such services are effective in one or more of the following:
(1) Improving maternal or child health and pregnancy outcomes or increasing birth intervals between pregnancies.”

Greer decried the outbursts at town hall meetings but blamed Democrats for spinning the events and not being able to answer questions about the health care bill.

(more…)