THE DEMOCRATIC AGENDA: PUTTING FLORIDIANS FIRST

Date: May 30, 2006

Dear Fellow Floridian,

There is a clear choice in this election: Do we continue down the road of the George W. Bush Republicans? Or do we go in a better direction?

In recent years, the public has learned that the G.O.P. governs mostly for the few and the powerful.

Republicans have shown us time and again that they have the wrong priorities – whether it’s blocking smaller classes for our children, guaranteeing insurance companies raise rates on Florida’s homeowners, selling our vulnerable ports to foreign entities or protecting the profits of pharmaceutical companies instead of helping senior citizens get the medicine they need and deserve.

Republicans in Washington continue to drive the national deficit closer to $10 trillion and gas prices over $3.00/gallon while giving tax breaks to big oil companies. Republicans in Tallahassee allowed an out-of-state company to ship private records to India, failed to take quick action in the death of a child at a state-run boot camp, and failed to enact crucial homeowners insurance reform.

Republicans’ misplaced priorities and failed policies aren’t working for the people of Florida For too long, Republicans have ignored the real needs of Floridians in order to pursue their special-interest agenda. Floridians know that security begins at home.

Democrats provide better security in 2006. We put Floridians first because both you and I know that security begins at home. Democrats will ensure that Florida has a government that is both effective and efficient and that works for everyone at all levels. People know government should respond to the needs of the citizens first, and that’s the way Democrats plan to lead.

Democrats have the ideas, the ethics and the focus to lead our state in the right direction. To build a better Florida, Democrats are fighting for affordable health care, better education, a strong economy that works for everyone, and real security.

The bottom line: Democrats put Floridians first because security begins at home. Enclosed please find our “Floridians First” agenda. Thank you for your consideration.

Karen Thurman
Chair, Florida Democratic Party

HEALTH CARE

Democrats Support Funding and Expanding Health Care for Kids
We believe every child in Florida deserves quality health care. Right now, more than 500,000 children in Florida lack basic health insurance, and because of Republican changes to the state’s highly successful KidCare health insurance program, another 100,000 have been added to the ranks of the uninsured. KidCare is a national model for delivering health insurance to the children of working families through affordable premiums. It should be expanded, not cut.

Florida’s children are among our state’s most vulnerable citizens, and they deserve access to quality health care. For the past decade, Democrats have fought to provide affordable and quality health care to children, while Republicans have obstructed our efforts, instead choosing to favor giveaways to special interests and the mega-rich at the expense of the youngest and most vulnerable.

Democrats Support Increasing Access to Affordable Health Care
We believe that access to health care should be a right, not a privilege. For the past decade, Republicans have done little to lower the cost of health care, and due to their lack of action, roughly 3.5 million Floridians live without health insurance. At the same time, we have supported efforts to provide small businesses with tax incentives and other options to help lower the cost of health insurance. Unlike the Republicans, we believe companies receiving tax breaks should use those incentives to provide their employees with health care, rather than providing golden parachutes for their executives and padding their profit margins.

Democrats Support a Simpler Medicare Prescription Drug Plan
We believe that people should come before drug companies. For too long, seniors have been waiting for relief from the rising cost of prescription drugs. Now, if they wish to sign up for the new Medicare prescription drug benefit, Florida’s seniors face a bureaucratic nightmare and are forced to jump through multiple hoops and fear arbitrary penalties.

The George W. Bush administration botched the new plan from the start, and seniors are paying the price – a higher price than if the government allowed Medicare to negotiate costs with drug companies. Democrats place the needs of our seniors over the profit margins of the pharmaceutical industry, and that philosophy will guide better policy and a better program for seniors.

Democrats Support Medical Research
We believe that the long-term answer to the crisis of rising health care costs lies in better prevention and early treatment. Democrats support increasing the state’s investment to university-supported ethical medical research, including biomedical and stem cell research.
 

EDUCATION

Democrats Unite for Smaller Classes
We know a smaller class means a better educational environment, increased discipline, and more individual attention for students. For the past decade, Republicans have opposed efforts to reduce classroom size, and since 2002, have been trying to overturn the Class Size Initiative. We believe every child has a right to learn in a safe, high-quality neighborhood school, which is why Democrats have consistently fought for smaller classes, and continue to lead bipartisan coalitions to preserve the Class Size Amendment.

For more information on this issue, visit www.FloridaWantsSmallerClasses.com.

Democrats Propose a Better FCAT
We support high academic standards and increased accountability, and we believe standardized testing is an important tool to help parents and teachers work with each individual student to identify areas that need improvement. For the past decade, Republicans have used the FCAT as a hammer to punish students, parents and teachers. They even blocked our efforts to increase tutoring, summer and after-school programs, as well as our attempts to unlock the mystery of the FCAT’s relationship to school funding priorities.

Democrats Support Improving Low-Performing Schools
We believe that every child in Florida should have the opportunity to succeed in a public school in their neighborhood, which is why we support investing in proven strategies to help struggling schools, not siphoning money away to pay for private school vouchers. Republican-led voucher programs offer little accountability, have been poorly run, and lack the high-standards of our public schools. We support increasing our investment in public education, not draining money away to pay for risky experiments like vouchers.

Democrats Support Better Pay for Teachers
We believe that every child deserves an education provided by world-class teachers, which is why we support initiatives to pay teachers the professional salaries they deserve. For the past decade, Republicans have consistently opposed our efforts to improve teacher pay in Florida. Today, Florida’s teachers earn $6,000 less than the national average and less than our neighbors to the north, Georgia and Alabama. Our teachers are everyday heroes and they deserve to be paid like the professionals they are. Even this year, despite a budget flush with cash, Republicans have once again decreased the education share of the budget, rather than working with us to give teachers their well-deserved raise.
 

ECONOMY

Democrats Support Small Business Owners
We believe that our state’s economic policies should address the needs of small businesses and not just the special interests of Wal-Mart, Halliburton and other large, out-of-state corporations. For the past decade, Republicans have made government a roadblock for small business growth, saddling small business owners with higher taxes, higher insurance premiums and more red tape. Our state’s economy is built on the backs of small business owners. Democrats support investments that help small businesses grow and provide assistance to start-up companies. Our plans increase access to health insurance, which will give small business owners the freedom to invest in economic growth.

Democrats Support A Higher Minimum Wage
Because no one should have to work three jobs just to make ends meet, we support living wages that help Floridians care for their families. Working hard and full-time should enable people to move up out of poverty. For the last decade, Republicans have opposed efforts to raise the minimum wage, and now they are trying to repeal 2004’s voter-mandated higher wages.

Democrats Support Sunshine Laws, Government Integrity & Efficiency
Simply put, Democrats believe in government that is open and honest with the people. Which company gets a state contract shouldn’t be a secret, and all government business should be conducted efficiently and with integrity. Republicans’ corrupt and incompetent management has cost the taxpayers money and hurt our economic security.

Democrats Support Affordable Housing Initiatives
We believe that every American should have the opportunity to live the American Dream of homeownership. For the past decade, as housing prices have skyrocketed, Republicans have drained Florida’s affordable housing assistance fund to pay for their individual pet projects in the budget. Democrats understand that the affordable housing assistance fund exists to help Florida’s teachers, police officers, seniors and first-time homebuyers who wish to purchase their own home. Democrats fight to preserve the affordable housing assistance program and work to enhance opportunities for Floridians to buy their own home.

Democrats Support Affordable Hurricane Insurance
Democrats believe that Florida’s homeowners deserve affordable insurance. Despite the skyrocketing premium and assessment insurance increases for millions of Floridians, Republicans have ignored the current crisis and passed inadequate legislation – making it easier for insurance companies to raise rates, removing important consumer protections and potentially leaving more than a million Floridians trapped in the doomed Republican-run Citizens Insurance.

Florida Democrats have designed the “Storming Mad” initiative to address the urgent need to reform the insurance system. Democrats are keenly focused on both the availability and affordability of insurance for homeowners, while Republicans passed a plan that does nothing to make insurance more affordable. In short, the Democratic plan to reform the hurricane insurance market will: 1) Stabilize the Insurance Market; 2) Lower Rates and Increase Competition; and 3) Increase Efficiency & Reward Floridians for Mitigation Efforts.

For further details on the plan, visit www.StormingMad.org.

REAL SECURITY

Democrats Support Increasing Funding for the Florida National Guard
We believe that the brave men and women that serve in the Florida National Guard should be honored for their service and treated with the utmost respect that they deserve. Democrats know that our military service men and women put their lives on the line every day. Our heroes in the National Guard protect us from terrorist attacks, assist us in dealing with natural disasters, and fight in the wars overseas. For the past decade, Republicans in Washington and Tallahassee have stood in the way of improved benefits for our soldiers and our veterans. Democrats successfully created the Citizen-Soldier Grant program, offering businesses tax credits to help make up the difference between their employee-soldiers’ civilian and military pay. We also successfully passed legislation to pay for the life insurance policies of our National Guardsmen who selflessly fight to protect our country. Despite Republican opposition, we continue to support increasing educational benefits for all soldiers who return to Florida after their service.

Democrats Support Improving Port and Border Security
We believe government has no greater role than protecting the homeland. Democrats have led the fight to properly invest in port and border security in order to keep American families safe. Unfortunately, Republicans have been unwilling to join us. Instead, George W. Bush Republicans have a record of dangerous incompetence that has made America less safe, and they support policies that leave our ports and our borders helpless in detecting harmful and destructive materials. America needs a change and wants policies that are tough and smart. Americans deserve the real security that will keep America safe, not more of the Bush Republican incompetence. Democrats believe that homeland and hometown security begin with the full implementation of the recommendations of the independent, bipartisan 9/11 Commission.

Democrats Support Responsible, Comprehensive Immigration Reform
America’s immigration system is broken, and our national and economic security is put at risk by the government’s refusal to fix it. Democrats have been consistent in calling for comprehensive immigration reform that strengthens our border security, protects U.S. workers and their wages, reunites families, and allows hard working immigrants who pay taxes and obey the law the opportunity to apply for citizenship. The 9/11 Commission gave Republicans failing grades across the board, including a “D” on border security, because they failed to secure the borders and have not enforced immigration laws. Republicans have done nothing to secure our borders for five years, but are using immigrants as scapegoats to divide Americans for political gain. Bush may have finally conceded that Democrats have a comprehensive plan, but if he truly wants reform he must stop his own party from blocking it.

Democrats Support Protecting Our Beaches from Offshore Drilling
Democrats are united in opposition to any expansion or exploration for natural gas or oil in Florida waters. We believe in doing everything possible to protect the beaches that are so critical to our tourism economy. For the past decade, Republicans have been trying to find ways to open our shores to oil drilling. This year, several Republicans, including Gov. Bush, caved to the demands of the big oil industry and flip-flopped on their stances regarding oil drilling. These George W. Bush Republicans agreed to expand drilling just south of the Florida Panhandle. Thankfully, united Democrats in Congress were able to block the drilling for the time being. Some Republicans stalled our efforts to constitutionally prohibit all oil drilling in Florida waters, but Florida Democrats will not cease in our efforts to protect our shores.