Governor Crist is urging his newly formed Federal Stimulus Working Group (FSWG), which he chairs, to prepare all state agencies for the impending $13.3 billion Florida “hopes” to receive from the House passed Pork Package, aka Spending Bill.
Crist, Florida’s first Socialist governor, lobbied Congressional members of both parties to support the (alleged) stimulus bill, where his efforts convinced every socialist, and none of the conservatives. Nevertheless, Crist and the FSWG are planning the best way to utilize the “stimulus” dollars, which will certainly find their way southeast from the wintry weather blanketing our nation’s capitol, to the warmer climes of Al Gore’s beloved Florida, home of his hanging chad.
Assuming the Senate will pass a spending bill, wouldn’t it seem prudent for Crist to think in smaller dollar terms? Why be disappointed when $13.3 billion is not forthcoming? Plan for what is clearly going to be smaller change.
Next, exactly who is providing Crist with the agency names to receive the taxpayer’s largess. It’s certainly not anyone affiliated with the business community. Have you read how Crist intends to spend these dollars? Of the $13.3 billion Crist hopes to find under his pillow, $4.5 billion is scheduled for Education, another $4.25 billion for Medicaid, while Transportation and Environmental projects are to receive $1.78 billion. There goes 90% of any funds to be received from Obama.
Does anybody see a “stimulus” within those agencies? Tell me where I’m wrong, but didn’t Polk County’s school Superintendent McKenzie declare, “Not a single teacher has been released.” (Perhaps much of this money is scheduled for members of the school’s Construction Department.) Medicaid is certainly a laudable effort, but the sick and unemployed stand little chance of finding work in the doctor’s waiting room. Transportation includes roads, bridges and other stuff that we drive over, or around, but Crist’s claim that he’s “shovel-ready” (who came up with that cute characterization? Disney?) I understand much of this takes years to just pass environmental muster. Wastewater projects were also high on Crist’s list, but somehow the totality of his spending plans must leave Florida’s unemployed scratching their heads.
On the bright side, I believe that our first Socialist governor has made good progress on his road to Obama’s next Cabinet appointment. Good luck, Chuck!
