I admit it. I wasn't paying attention. I was never politically active. I was one of those low-information voters. My method was simple. I handed the sample ballot to my husband, who was more politically aware, and he would mark it for me. Not this time. In fact, I'm more informed than he is these days and often he'll say, "Did you hear about ..." and I am able to tell him more than he already knows. It's my turn to mark his sample ballot.
The first time I paid attention to anything Adam Putnam had to say was after the 2006 election when he went on a Republican political crusade to demonize House Speaker Nancy Pelosi for "requesting" a military jet to fly back and forth to her district in California. Up until that point, I didn't think much one way or another about my representative in Congress.
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ADAM PUTNAM PUTS PARTY BEFORE CONSTITUENTS
It was later revealed that Pelosi had never requested the jet. Worse yet, it was Rep. Adam Putnam, the third ranking member in the GOP hierarchy in the House of Representatives, that pushed the bogus story:
Today's Tampa Tribue [sic] is carrying a profile of one of the key drivers of this tale: Florida GOP Rep. Adam Putnam. As chairman of the House Republican conference committee, Putnam plays a key role in pushing the GOP's message in the media, and he aggressively pushed the plane story from the start. But now he's cheerfully admitted to the Tribune that not only did he have no idea whether the plane story was true, he didn't particularly care, either.
(snip)
I'm not sure it gets any clearer than that. Putnam had no idea whether the story was true or not. Yet based on an anonymously sourced Washington Times story (and allegedly based on CNN, though what exactly CNN had added to the story at that point is unclear), he happily attacked Pelosi for "arrogance" and "extravagance." More important, he is still "unapologetic" about the fact that the story turned out to be false, because, well, it's not his job to care about such things. It's his job to "drive" the GOP's "message."
GOP Rep. Who Pushed Pelosi Plane Story Admits He Didn't Know -- Or Care -- If It Was True, February 20, 2007
This one instance told me that the person elected to represented me in Congress, puts his party first and foremost above all else, including the concerns and needs of his constituents. The controversy was also reported by Media Matters at the time: Will media report Putnam's admission that his Pelosi allegations were baseless?
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ADAM PUTNAM'S DOUBLESPEAK ON SUPPORTING THE TROOPS
The DCCC has launched a multimedia campaign to highlight House Republicans' hypocrisy in claiming to support our troops and veterans, but then playing politics with funding them.
Despite Republicans' claims to fund our troops, Rep. Adam Putnam refused to vote "yes" or "no" on critical funding.
House Republicans knocked the carefully choreographed Iraq war funding process into chaos Thursday when they declined to vote for $162.5 billion for combat operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.
The vote was a GOP protest against the tactics of Democrats, who added hard-to-veto domestic spending to the measure and bypassed the committee process. Instead of voting "yes" or "no" on the funding measure, 132 Republicans instead voted "present."
Because of that, the measure failed by eight votes. In the final tally, 141 members voted yes, 149 voted no, 132 voted present and 12 did not vote.
(snip)
"What you saw is certainly an aggressive, imaginative floor tactic," said House Republican Conference Chairman Adam Putnam (Fla.). "What you see is that a majority of the majority doesn’t support this spending bill for the troops."
Puzzled Democrats said Republicans had committed an offense most often pinned on Democrats — failure to support the troops.
House GOP throws Iraq funding into chaos
In addition, Adam Putnam voted against Jim Webb's G.I. Bill. Here is the Roll Call Vote.
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FL-12 HAS A CHOICE THIS ELECTION!
Unlike in 2006 when Adam Putnam had no Democratic challenger in his bid for re-election, there is a viable alternative this election! His name is Doug Tudor. He is a 20-year Navy veteran who retired on March 1, 2008, as a Master Chief Petty Officer, the senior enlisted grade of E-9. In his last six years of active duty, Doug Tudor served as the administrative aide for three Commanders, U.S. Central Command -- General Tommy Franks, General John Abizaid, and Admiral William Fallon. He has traveled to the combat zones of Afghanistan and Iraq on over 30 occasions.
Doug Tudor Supports:
● Bringing Our Troops Home From Iraq
● Ensuring Access to Affordable Healthcare for all Americans
● Shifting the Tax Burden Off of the Backs of Working-Class Americans
● Making the Improvement of America's Public School System the #1 Long Term Domestic Priority, Including the Repeal of No Child Left Behind
● Funding the Research and Development Needed to Find Alternative Fuel Sources
● Finding A Workable Solution for Non-Documented Workers
● Sensible Measures to Protect Our Environment
● The Revocation of The Patriot Act
Doug Tudor Opposes:
● Tax Credit and Exemptions for Corporations Which Send Jobs Overseas
● Privatization of Social Security Benefits
● Domestic Wiretapping and Other Patriot Act Provisions
● Permanent Military Bases in Iraq
● Further Oil Drilling in the Territorial Waters of the Gulf of Mexico
● The Militarization of the America/Mexico Border
Doug Tudor Will Vote for Bills that Promote Economic Justice, Fiscal Responsibility, Energy Independence, Ecological Sense, Civil Rights, and Military Restraint
Doug Tudor is running for Congress to give working families a voice: a voice that Adam Putnam has sacrificed in his never-ending submissiveness to party politics. Doug was interviewed by the local newspaper:
"I can win," he says.
"People have absolutely had it with the status quo in Washington," Tudor said.
"I was working at the national level, serving our country in uniform while watching our civilian leaders run the country off a cliff. So I decided rather than complain, I'd take a stand. I'm running for the same reason most people do. I got (mad)."
Tudor said his opponent is a rich guy who can afford to lose a few million on the stock market, isn't fazed by $4 gas, "is bought and paid for by big business" and who voted with President George W. Bush 98.7 percent of the time.
Navy Veteran Challenging Putnam
In a previous article announcing Tudor's candidacy in May, we learned more about Putnam's challenger:
He and his wife, Paula, who is on active duty with the Air Force, have three children, Hannah, Alec and Elle.
Born in Cincinnati, Ohio, he grew up in Danville, Va. He received a bachelor of science degree in political science from the University of Maryland in 1995 and an executive juris doctorate degree from Concord University School of Law in Athens, W. Va., in 2007. The degree is an alternative to a regular law degree and is for people who want to study law without becoming lawyers.
Tudor said he is not concerned about the odds of running against a powerful Republican with deep family roots in Polk County, where most of the district's voters live.
"The Republican brand has failed miserably, and people are going to vote their pocketbooks in this election,'' Tudor said. "He is a nice guy, but being the number three Republican in the House, he has so closely tied himself to this president that there is no way he can separate himself. He votes wrong, and as a multimillionaire, he can't see how working families are suffering."
Navy Veteran Challenges Putnam for U.S. House
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Florida District 12 covers east Hillsborough (where Tampa is located), most of Polk and west Osceola counties. The Tampa Tribune in an article endorsing the re-election of Republicans, including Putnam, stated:
Putnam, 34, is being challenged by Democrat Doug Tudor of Riverview, a retired Master Chief Petty Officer and 20-year Navy veteran. In his last six years at U.S. Central Command, he served as administrative aide to Gen. Tommy Franks, Gen. John Abizaid and Admiral William Fallon.
Tudor is rightly proud of his military experience, and his familiarity with the world's hotspots. The Kentucky native criticizes Putnam for being submissive to party politics and failing to watch out for the working man. He makes the point that Putnam served on the House Financial Services Committee (along with Brown-Waite,) which oversees the nation's housing and financial services sectors.
Still, Putnam, who is seeking his fifth term, understands the complexities of the global financial markets and was among the architects of the Wall Street rescue plan.
Return Incumbents To U.S. House
While claiming that Putnam was an architect of the rescue plan, the Tampa Tribune neglects to tell its readers that while other members of Congress were working day and night to solve the economic crisis, Adam Putnam, Chairman of the House Republican Conference and member of the House Financial Services Committee, was busy doing other things. He was hosting a $2,500 fundraiser in Nantucket, Massachusetts, September 19-21, 2008. Seriously! Here's the Invitation to the Event to raise money for his RED PAC, so named because President Bush nicknamed Putnam "Red."
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While the Tampa Tribune may heart Adam Putnam, readers of Lakeland's newspaper in Polk County have other things to say when writing letters to the editor:
I have never believed that Adam Putnam represents me or the people whom I know: the working class people who are trying to keep a home and food on the table for our families, and gas in our cars to get to work.
Putnam represents the pharmaceutical companies that charge exorbitant prices for medications that we need. Putnam represents the big oil companies that are raking in billions in profit. Putnam represents the agricultural industry - and they all make sure they get their tax exemptions, while Putnam gets contributions from them to keep him in office. One hand washes the other, as they say.
(snip)
I believe Doug Tudor is a man who will represent me and the people of the 12th District when he gets to Washington and will remember who we are, back here in Polk County.
We need to support Doug Tudor and make him the next congressman from the 12th District of Florida in November.
Doug Tudor, August 16, 2008
The wealthy Putnam, who has never held a meaningful job other than to work on the family citrus-and-cattle farm, and to serve in the Florida and federal legislatures, has no understanding of the needs of the people. He only represents the Republican Party.
His job has been to "make noise" and block all progressive legislation. The new Obama administration will bring hope and change, but the changes will be easier without the third-ranking Republican obstructionist in charge, Putnam.
We as voters in the 12th Congressional District have the opportunity to say we don't need you Adam Putnam to cause problems in our government anymore. Doug Tudor will also be on the ballot this November and, with our support, could unseat Putnam. Please look at the background of Doug Tudor and see if you believe, as I do, that he would truly better represent the people of the 12th District.
Doug Tudor, September 9, 2008
Adam Putnam is an embarrassment whom we no longer have to endure. Vote the whinny little kid out of office and replace him with an adult.
Putnam, GOP Put Fragile Feelings Ahead National Financial Need, September 30, 2008
If the nation is turning to socialist solutions, it is because of the excesses of "anything goes" capitalism. Putnam and his party are responsible.
Rep. Adam Putnam, October 12, 2008
Rep. Putnam, please run a campaign on what - if anything - you plan to do differently so we won't have to endure the same lied-about war, economy and border insecurity we have incurred in the past eight years. We are all anxiously awaiting to hear about your new plans.
Your congressional record is not very impressive and perhaps it is time for you to rejoin the real world for awhile, and get some real-life experience.
I hear the Armed Forces have some openings.
Rep. Adam Putnam, October 17, 2008
Putnam supported President Bush's policies on war in Iraq, secret prisons, torture, deficit spending, an interventionist foreign policy that costs nearly $1 trillion a year (more than the rest of the world spends combined) and spying on U.S. citizens.
Neoconservatives such as Putnam cannot be trusted. They promised us they would only spy on suspected terrorists without a court order. Recently it was revealed that American spies eavesdropped on the private conversations our soldiers in Iraq with family and friends back home. It was further reported that, on many occasions, these American spies shared the recorded conversations with each other for their own entertainment.
Doug Tudor, October 17, 2008
Amazingly, in all the Letters to the Editor I was able to locate, not one of them supported Adam Putnam. The closest anybody came was to say that we shouldn't be pointing fingers right now during the financial crisis.
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And that's not all! On Thursday night there was a Politics in the Park event in Lakeland where both candidates spoke:
There was lots of chatter under an almost clear sky and slight breeze in what Rep. Adam Putnam called "as close to fall as we get here."
Another veteran taking the Democrat's side was Doug Tudor, a recent Navy retiree who is running against Putnam, the third ranking Republican in the U.S. House, for his 12th Congressional District seat.
"I'm not a veteran politician," he said, "I am a veteran who is becoming a politician.
"This is the most important election because of the trouble we are in. We can't keep sending career politicians back to Washington," he said. "In the military if you foul up, you get disciplined. If you foul up enough, you get kicked out."
Putnam ignored the jab and spoke about getting the nation off foreign fuel sources.
"We have to stop sending $700 billion a year to people who hate our guts," he said.
He also took a slight turn at Tudor's opposition to the war in Iraq. "We have to support our forces and bring freedom to the dark corners of the world," Putnam said.
Enthusiastic Crowd Hears Politicians Give Speeches
My husband and I attended this event. We arrived too late to hear the candidates speak, but we did have an opportunity to meet Doug and his lovely wife, Paula. Judging from the comments, posted at the article, it looks like Doug Tudor made a big impression when he spoke Thursday night:
Last night gave Lakeland an opportunity to hear Doug Tudor. And they were impressed! Voters can see the difference between Adam, who is a Washington insider posing as a good ol boy from Bartow - and Doug, a military veteran, very much interesting in serving his countrymen.
October 17, 2008 5:58:52 am
You are correct. Putnam is a spoiled brat who was born with a silver spoon in his mouth and has had everything in life handed to him on a silver platter, including his specially gerrymandered congressional district.
October 17, 2008 7:16:38 am
Doug Tudor got it right last night. You can't be one of the leaders and not be held accountable for the outcomes we now see in America. Wall Street cronyism gets bailed out, but the average Joe just gets stiffed.
Mr. Putnam's primary committee assignment is on the very committee whose mission is to oversee Fannie and Freddie, the Stock Market, etc. But how much oversght will he provide when those same enterprises provide him with over 1/2 million dollars in campaign contributions?
I'm voting for Tudor. A strong military record, degrees in Government and Law, family man, a working man. Let's change the disastrous course we're on. Vote for Doug!
October 17, 2008 8:11:54 am
He will get my vote. Anything to put shady Opie Bush out of business.
October 17, 2008 8:13:58 am
Doug Tudor will give us the representation we have been lacking for the past 8 years. He is not a politician but he IS a Patriot and has the courage to fight for us here in District 12. Our vote is for Doug Tudor!
October 17, 2008 8:20:58 am
My favorite politician is whoever is running against Adam Putnam. My other favorite politician is whoever is running against J.D. Alexander. Vote Obama, Tudor, Thompson.
October 17, 2008 8:34:27 am
Doug Tudor Has this old watch dog's vote!
It is time for Putnam to move up in the world of high pay from his Petroleum interests that stole district 12's people's voice!
Let's let Bush's "little trailer" take his brown nosing closeup association with The Bush-whack gang and cut him lose!
He and we the people will be better for it!
October 17, 2008 8:43:33 am
I heard that during the Republicans choosing a person to represent them in the Presidential election, that Putnam said that he thought McCain was unstable. If you ride by his house he does have a McCain sign. I wonder why? Vote him out, Go Tudor, Go Obama
October 17, 2008 9:38:40 am
Note: It may have something to do with the fact the Putnam initially endorsed Fred Thompson.
I would vote for anyone running against Adam Putnam, but to be able to do so for such a class-act as Doug Tudor is surely a treat.
Go home, Adam! It's time to let an adult take charge.
October 17, 2008 12:02:12 pm
What in the world would Adam Putnam know about "supporting our troops" other than applying a magnet saying so, but made in China?
What does he know about supporting the people of Lakeland? What?
Adam was a mere lad, of all 8 or 9 years old, when Doug Tudor was going into Beirut to bring back the bodies of OUR troops. Adam was in bed before this was even covered on the evening news.
So long Adam Putnam, we will not be missing you. You have been sent hom for a failure to do your job. Lakeland residents should be proud and happy of your representation. rather than scratching our heads and asking ... what's he done for me?
October 17, 2008 12:21:31 pm
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What does Adam Putnam think of his opponent, Doug Tudor?
I respect my opponent's past military service. Politically, however, I think he's running in the wrong district. He is more in step with Nancy Pelosi and her San Francisco district than with our Polk County values.
Incumbent Leaves Nothing to Chance
First of all, I'm insulted by that the man who represents me in Congress assumes that I agree with his opinions and that he knows what my "values" are. The article claims that Putnam isn't leaving anything to chance, but we can change all that!
To learn more about the Real Adam Putnam, check out these vidoes at YouTube:
The Real Adam Putnam Part I -- shows who Adam Putnam's political allies are, and pictures him with some of them: Katherine Harris, George Bush, other House Republicans. He is the 3rd most powerful Republican in the US Congress who has voted 98% of the time with George Bush.
The Real Adam Putnam Part II -- This one particular hits home because it points out all the times Adam Putnam has voted against Energy, and today we received a campaign mailing entitled, "Adam Putnam: An Energy Plan to Strengthen Our Economy." Ironic considering: Protest Targets Putnam back in 2006.
The Real Adam Putnam Part III -- Points out that when Putnam first ran for Congress, he said "I am one of you." In 2000 he was worth $781,000. In 2006, Adam Putnam's estimated fortune had climbed to $7.9 Million. The Average American family is worth $93,000. That's 1% of what Adam Putnam is worth.
The Real Adam Putnam Part IV -- Reviews the legislation that Adam Putnam voted "Yes" on to the tune of It's Howdy Doody Time.
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Adam Putnam has $1.5 Million to spend defending his seat. He had already Raised $341,000 in the 1st quarter of 2007, and that doesn't even include money raised by his PAC. This was before he even had a challenger for his seat.
Doug Tudor has raised $65,000. With just a little bit more help from us, we can get Doug Tudor elected to Congress, and kick career-politican Adam Putnam out of Congress. Please Help!
SUPPORT DOUG TUDOR FOR CONGRESS!
Yesterday, brownsox posted a frontpage article about our chances of picking up seats in the House of Representatives this election:
We have unique opportunities to run up the score this year. We have the chance to post numbers as a party on election day that will never be forgotten - we have a shot at the kind of electoral avalanche that will haunt the Republicans' nightmares for decades, the way that 1980 and 1994 have haunted ours.
Cook Political Report Upgrades 25 House Races
With some help from us, Doug Tudor can add one more House seat to the Democrat's column! I don't have polling numbers to prove it, but I firmly believe this is possible! We just need to give Doug Tudor some help!
To learn more about Doug Tudor's campaign, your visit website here: Doug Tudor for Congress! If you can afford to donate $5, $10, or $20 to Doug Tudor, it could mean the difference between kicking Adam Putnam out of Congress, or not! If this community can come together help El Tinklenberg kick Michele Bachmann out of Congress, we can help Doug Tudor do the same thing against Adam Putnam, the Number 3 Ranked Republican in Congress.
SUPPORT DOUG TUDOR FOR CONGRESS!
Update: Here's a Commercial for Doug:
H/T to mdmslle who also had a diary supporting Doug Tudor with more video of him on several subjects: Crush their Spirits...3rd Ranking House Republican Seat CHALLENGED.
Update II: From Rozi Dodger in the comments:
Insider information
We (me and my gossipy friends) have it confirmed that after Adam heard the results of the straw poll in Lakeland, he grunted, "F***!" and stomped off. I know it is wrong of me, but I laugh every time I think about that. I laugh out loud.
Rozi Dodger
As I noted after this comment, to an outsider the results probably don't look so good, but considering this event is traditionally heavy Republican participation the results are really good for this area and also promisingly indicative of a potential win for Doug Tudor:
US Rep Dist 12
Putnam 366
Tudor 223
Total 589
Lakeland in the Park Straw Poll, October 16, 2008
This year's straw poll also has McCain/Palin over Obama/Biden, 345 to 237. Trust me. It is not representative of the local population. This event was heavily attended by Republicans, and not represented by the black community.
This is the same straw poll event that Katherine Harris bragged about winning against Senator Bill Nelson in 2006, and we all remember how well she did in the actual election. The article shows Katherine Harris helping a 6-year-old filling out her ballot.