Florida's GOP Senate hopefuls hold cordial debate

[JohnLocke]

GOP Senate hopefuls hold cordial debate
By Brian E. Crowley -- Palm Beach Post
Thursday, June 17, 2004
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WEST PALM BEACH -- It was a tough night for trial lawyers, teacher unions, oil companies and the IRS, but the seven Republican U.S. Senate candidates took it easy on each other during a 90-minute talk fest Wednesday where they agreed on nearly every issue.
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Trial lawyers, who many Republicans say are responsible for frivolous lawsuits and higher medical costs, caught much of the flak. Florida House Speaker Johnnie Byrd called trial lawyers a "predatory lawsuit industry." (:eyes:)
Former Congressman Bill McCollum called for reducing the size of the IRS and replacing the income tax with "a flat tax or a national sales tax." Clearwater attorney Sonya March and Coral Gables businessman Doug Gallagher said they would "get rid" of the IRS.
Teacher unions did not fare much better. Mel Martinez, the former Housing and Urban Development secretary, said tax dollars must be spent to "make sure our educational system is working for the benefit of children and not teacher unions." (:eyes:) And Gallagher called for ending teacher tenure because "all tenure brings is mediocrity." (:eyes:)
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Byrd said we need to take stronger action to oust Castro. Klayman said the United States should invade. "If we can do if for the Iraqis, if we can do it for the Afghans, why not the Cuban people?" he said. (:eyes:)
Martinez and McCollum both oppose amnesty for illegal immigrants. March said she would deny them Social Security benefits.
Presidents Bush and Reagan at times seemed as if they were in the room as their names were mentioned often by the candidates.
Martinez answered nearly every question with some reference to his work "beside President Bush." McCollum repeatedly described himself as a "Ronald Reagan Republican." And Byrd said all problems could be solved because "as long as you have Reaganomics, things will work out." (:eyes:)
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Read the rest here.
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Whichever Democrat is nominated I'll work for, but if Johnny Byrd is nominated, I'll just work night and day to stop him. He is truely frighting; he's a radical right-winger with a regressive plan. Even Republicans think he's radical. If elected he'll probably be the worst member of the Senate. :scared: :scared: :scared: