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Democratic Socialist Party

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: October 22, 2008

Updated: 10/22/2008 05:53 pm

Democratic Socialist Party

The Democrat Party's philosophy appears to me to be one of converting our country from a capitalist or consumer economy to a socialist or communist economy.

In the entire world, those countries using a communist or socialist economic system are changing as fast as possible from that system to one embodying a consumer or semi-capitalist model. Russia dropped the communist system as fast as it could. China, although still exhibiting all the trappings and communist paraphernalia, is almost a capitalist economy. Smaller countries - Poland, Ukraine, Georgia - are all in the same category. They move to capitalism as fast as they can.

The most notable holdouts are Cuba and North Korea. Looking at those situations, one can see that China supports North Korea almost entirely. Because of its atomic weaponry, North Korea's position is deemed more important than is warranted. Cuba has no weapons and since Russia stopped supporting it several years ago, it is the slum of the Caribbean.

Is this what Sen. Barack Obama and the rest of the Democrats want? Is this what the American people want?

If Obama and the Democrats succeed and make us an oversized and impoverished Cuba, who will support us? France, Germany, Italy?

Will the red, left-wing trio of Obama, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid be able to sustain themselves in their present persona? After all, the tailor-made suits Obama wears overshadow those worn by the communist leaders of yesteryear. Khrushchev wore what looked like re-made potato sacks. Stalin and Mao wore either military garb or similar nondescript clothing.

With capitalism out of the way, members of government will have to tone down their thievery. Lobbyists' may become extinct. The bribes used in the past will either become less or nonexistent.

The population will depend on government transportation, buses or streetcars. Private autos will be allowed only to politburo members.

Hey, this may not be such a bad idea. I remember that politicians stealing from the state were shot or hanged in Soviet Russia!

Don W. Plezia

Spring Hill

Getting It Right

I would like to provide some additional "facts" regarding Supervisor of Elections Annie Williams.

First off, I am the owner of Action Mailroom Services, a local Hernando County company, and my company provided the service of addressing and tabbing the sample ballots that were just mailed out.

We processed the mailing list provided by her office and found the list to be one of the best prepared mailing lists my company has done. We also prepared the mailing reports submitted to the USPS, and the total postage paid was $5,692.86 for mailing 66,165 ballots to residences with registered voters. She saved the taxpayers $22,070.82 by using her non-profit permit.

I am passing this information on to you because it seems all we hear are the things that were done wrong. I thought it was time to hear about things done right. She used a local Hernando County business to prepare and mail the ballots, and in today's tough economic times it means a lot to a small local business. She also saved the taxpayers more than $22,000. I believe she did a great job and feel it should be mentioned.

Jeff Magill

Action Mailroom Services

Wake Up Call

Taxpayers throughout Hernando County will soon have the opportunity to mandate much needed changes for more efficient government leadership and responsibility, as well as our economic survival.

Hopefully on Election Day, the taxpayers will remember "The Gang Of Three:" incumbent County Commissioners Chris Kingsley, Jeff Stabins and Diane Rowden, who are seeking re-election for an additional four-year term at a salary with lucrative benefits in excess of $61,000 annually.

As a fresh reminder, during the 2007 fall county budgetary hearing, the above commissioners practically thumbed their noses at the attending taxpayers and rammed through a lucrative salary increase for the total complement of county employees regardless of their respective pay-grade status and then, to further compound their recklessness, they proceeded to initiate a miniscule decrease of property taxes, completely ignoring the pleas of their constituents considering the financial hardships that many families are experiencing throughout Hernando County.

Now let us examine the conduct, integrity and character of each of the "Gang-Of-Three" and honestly decide if they are worthy to be re-elected to govern and efficiently lead our county for another four years:

• Chris Kingsley, commonly known as "The Carpetbagger" and more identified as Hernando County Legend (In-His-Own-Mind) continues to be up to his old tricks again at the expense of the taxpayers. Let us first examine his first tenure as a commissioner seven years ago when he had the reputation to jump onto any and every bandwagon to pander to any group regardless of their ridiculous and/or wasteful requests.

As a result of his apparent unsatisfactory performance during his first term, he was soundly defeated in his bid for re-election in his home district. Then, lo and behold, what plan did Kingsley formulate for another attempt for re-election as a commissioner for another four years as a part-time employee on the taxpayers dole? He packed his bags and swiftly moved to another county district, where he again somehow conned the electorate to re-elect him to another four-year term.

He continually demonstrates a complete lack of concern for the taxpayers by his inefficient and wasteful spending of our tax dollars. He again demonstrated his true character, conduct and integrity when he was exposed in the press with his hands in the taxpayers' cookie jar, by milking additional thousands of dollars from the county coffers to allegedly enhance his personal academic credentials; for what he alluded was for the benefit of his constituency. It was only after he was exposed by other county officials that he was not legally entitled to receive any county funds as an elected official that he was forced to reimburse said funds to the county coffers. He was also required to repay the county additional educational funding he received during his first term in office.

• Jeff Stabins, who is now in his first term as commissioner, was also exposed by the press during his tenure revealing that he was tutoring students in his county office and facilities for an hourly fee per student. Upon being exposed, as someone with an alleged advanced educational degree, he feigned ignorance as to utilizing the county facilities for personal monetary gain. He also has the deserved reputation that he will pander any group or cause to be re-elected this coming November.

• Diane Rowden, an outspoken candidate who will pander to any group or cause regardless of their ridiculous requests and/or proposals to the detriment of logical reasoning and reckless regard for the taxpayers' coffers. She is the least qualified of the Gang. Other than being employed as a service worker in the airline industry, I don't believe she possess the necessary academic prerequisites to accurately comprehend and administer a multi-million dollar budget. This opinion is being based upon her previous comments, proposals and overall voting record.

As taxpayers and serious-minded voters, if we desire to end this onslaught of inefficiency, questionable conduct and wasteful spending of our tax dollars and hopefully bring a sense of responsibility and professional leadership to our county government, do not re-elect the incumbent "Gang-Of-Three" Kingsley, Stabins and Rowden.

Consider their past behaviors, character, honesty, integrity and conduct, which will certainly predict their future performance - the continued detriment to the taxpayers.

Ron Dixon

Weeki Wachee

Votes Shouldn't Count

I am one of the 80 residents in Windward Village who received two ballots in the mail. When I received the second ballot, a slip of paper was enclosed that had the following headline, "What if I already voted and returned the first ballot?"

Then it read, "That is OK. Vote the new ballot and return it in the envelope provided. We will only count one ballot. If we receive the first ballot, it will be set aside and we'll wait to receive the new ballot. If we do not receive the new ballot, the canvassing board will verify the first ballot and your selections will be transferred to a new ballot and then counted."

What I have a problem with, on the first ballot, is the "yes" or "no" vote for independence of the Spring Hill Fire Rescue District in Hernando County that was not on the ballot. How can they transfer votes to the second ballot if that is not on the first ballot? These votes should not be counted in the election.

Another mistake for the voters in Hernando County. Time for a change.

Loretta Scott

Spring Hill

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