This Week’s Rambling Thoughts

By Tom Tillison
Orlando Political Press

Babs and I attended the Laura Ingraham book signing event today at the Plaza Theater in Orlando, had a book signed – yes, she addressed it to TomT – and also got the chance to speak briefly with Ms. Ingraham, who is a very real, down to earth person.  She’s very passionate about what is happening in America and just as passionate in her support of Marco Rubio.  We conservatives are very fortunate that we have individuals such as her out there with the courage to continue speaking out on the issues and taking the fire for doing so!

Also had the opportunity to hear Marco Rubio speak at the event and it was an inspiring message.  Don’t recall a candidate that speaks so often about the greatness of America.  Having parents that were born in Cuba, Rubio understands firsthand the crossroad we now find ourselves at in this country.  It leaves me to wonder why the ‘shine’ seems to have worn off his candidacy a bit.  Did he peaked too soon, is it indecision or just too much effort to control his exposure, similar to what we saw happen with Sarah Palin?

One thing is certain, even though there now seems to be some discontent within the tea party movement toward Rubio, this Senatorial election is a referendum on the movement itself.  A Charlie Crist victory will be a slap in the face to the values and principles that so many people have worked so hard for over the past year and a half.  It sends a message, loud and clear, to all involved that moderation is the key to success.  It also reinforces the big government, entitlement agenda of Barack Obama.  For these two reasons alone, the tea party movement had better pick the Rubio banner back up and drag him across the finish line!

With exactly one month to go until the primary, it has already been a long, grueling campaign season.  It doesn’t take much effort to see the toll it has taken on some.  I hope the handlers are paying attention to the limitations of the candidates, as we enter the home stretch.  At the end of the day, health is more important than election results.

Speaking of grueling, in the gubernatorial race, Bill McCollum’s campaign is getting a fresh influx of desperately needed cash, courtesy of the taxpayers of Florida.  Based on an existing law, when Rick Scott surpassed a pre-determined limit of spending, the state will now match Scott dollar for dollar in aid to McCollum.  A fine law, huh?  We’ve all heard the saying that elections have consequences, well, so too does public apathy.

The result of this ‘wonderful’ law is that we now get to watch Scott and McCollum destroy one another even more over the air waves.  Ironically, it seems than Alex Sink is the key benefactor of all the vile ads going back and forth between the two Republican candidates, as her poll numbers continue to rise.

While having a conversation with a candidate today, it was suggested that being a month out from the primary, we have now entered the ‘airing of dirty laundry’ window.  Todd Long, candidate for congressional district 8, has called a press conference Monday morning, in front of Alan Grayson’s office in the Lynx Building downtown.  One supposes that this is the purpose for that event.  In the end, may the best man, or woman, win, not the best shot.

This will not make me very popular, but it needs to be said.  Listening to a local conservative talk show this weekend, Larry Walters from Fair Tax was on listing those candidates that were deemed ‘advocates’ and ‘supporters’ of Fair Tax.  The criteria for being labeled a supporter?  The candidate had to have Fair Tax listed on their web site.  Not sure how others feel about that, but it doesn’t strike me as a very scientific way of measuring such a thing.  Particularly when I have heard multiple candidates that were labeled as non-supporters on the show speak at length in favor of Fair Tax.

Perhaps, if Fair Tax had a more welcoming tone toward those who show an interest, and were less insistent on what is ”required’ from supporters, the measure just may move along a little quicker.  Just a thought! 

Speaking of the Fair Tax, at many of the candidate forums, when asked about this country’s current economic challenges, some candidates are quick to rattle off the benefits of enacting Fair Tax.  However, realistically speaking, in a best case scenario Fair Tax is 2-3 years out from being passed into law, so the natural question is what solutions do you have in the meantime, is it not?  Failing to answer this, the candidate is taking a pass on the question.

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Tom Tillison

Senior Staff Writer
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The longest-tenured writer at BizPac Review, Tom grew up in Maryland before moving to Central Florida as a young teen. It is in the Sunshine State that he honed both his passion for politics and his writing skills.

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