In my state there are also two types of Red Tide and like Chronic Inundation, both are equally devastating. We have climate change that created the climatic one and ALEC to blame for the political one by helping elect climate deniers into key state positions.
ALEC (American Legislative Exchange Council) has found fertile ground over the last two decades of a GOP held trifecta here in Florida, but there are signs that those days may be numbered. In November 2016 Floridians pulled off a David vs Goliath defeat of a misleading solar amendment, sponsored by investor-owned utilities giants, which had been described as “one of the most egregious and underhanded attempts at voter manipulation in this state’s history.” ~source
This election cycle these same voters are focused on the climate.
Red Tides, Nuisance flooding, Sunny day Flooding, and King Tides have become everyday terms for Floridians and when you add in the monster hurricanes, residents are beginning to wake up to the fact that their current politicians are not good stewards of this state.
Rafe Pomerance, long time climate change warrior and consultant for RethinkEnergyFlorida told the Palm Beach Post:
If the national politics on climate change is ever to shift from denial to action — in time to stop the disgorging of carbon dioxide beyond the point of no return — Florida is the key. This is the largest purple state in the country. If the state takes a new attitude on climate change, the national impact can be very powerful. ~ source
In order to make that happen, what we need most of all are state leaders who have the courage to enact climate change policies and I happen to know one who most assuredly would. My friend, Billee Bussard who is running for Florida State Senate District 4.
She is working to unseat Aaron Bean who has enjoyed funding from ALEC, the Koch brothers and other benefactors that find ways to profit from privatizing schools and state prisons as well as attempting to profit from state-run hospitals and government health care and safety net programs. Last year, Bean sponsored legislation allowing utility companies to recover costs, by raising rates on consumers, on out of state projects which included fracking. Fortunately, the House speaker pulled the bill. "This is a good step in the right direction for the grass roots, anti-fracking movement in Florida," Jorge Aguilar, a representative with the environmental group Food & Water Watch, said. ~ source
On the surface, the above proposed legislation is typical republicans being republicans, but not when a year later we learned that Bean used a two page talking points document — that he received from a Florida Power & Light lobbyist to his personal email address — to craft his bill. Perhaps Bean thought it was his duty since he is the chair of the Communications, Energy and Public Utilities committee. His duty, that is, to protect the utilities and NOT his constituents. Oh, and just so you get the full feel of the GOP held legislature’s sense of humor, Aaron Bean is also sits on the Environmental Preservation and Conservation committee. How’s that for a one finger salute to voters?
Please help Billee Bussard win this important race and help Floridians by unseating this ALEC and Koch brothers’ climate denier. You can — DONATE HERE
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* I am not a paid volunteer on this campaign, nor do I hold any title, office or position of influence related to this campaign.