Sarasota H-T Political Reporter Jeremy Wallace reported on his Political Insider blog recently that the Siesta Key Chamber of Commerce recently decided to endorse Doug Holder for State House Representative District 70.
I’m not sure what they’re smoking over there — but seriously? Holder voted last year for a bill that would allow oil drilling just beyond the three-mile mark off of areas like our gorgeous Siesta Key Beach.
Are the Chamber members forgetting that? The beaches are Siesta Key’s bread and butter — not to mention the horror of what we saw last summer further up the gulf. I can’t begin to fathom their decision and though they probably don’t read this blog — I’m asking them to make a complete turnabout, admit they made a mistake and endorse Nancy Feehan for that District instead. Feehan knows the people of District 70 don’t want near or off-shore drilling and she’ll vote according to their wishes.
The Exec Director of the Chamber said they decided to go with Holder because he promised to not support similar bills in the future. But here’s the kicker and I’m surprised Wallace didn’t mention it in his piece — Holder’s campaign donors include (look for the link further down this page, to check this information out for yourself) — guess who? — the national law firm hired by British Petroleum Oil to represent them against claims filed in Florida, and Greenberg-Traurig — the law firm hired by Cameron International, the maker of that failed blowout protector mechanism on BP’s Deepwater Horizon rig. I just wonder how committed Holder will be down the road to keeping his promise.
It’s interesting to note further that Feehan has raised close to $35,000 from about 280 donors from WITHIN Sarasota County. Care to know how much of Doug Holder’s $100,000 raised comes from within his own county? I believe it’s less than $1,000, as of a recent filing with the state. (Check out this site to look for yourself.) This was information I reviewed at the end of September — it may have changed since then.
Did the Chamber even bother looking into things like this? Did they do their homework? Inquiring minds would like to know.
p.s. If you want to follow comments to this posting … just click on the RSS Comments feed button below. It’s easy!
Gina
October 8, 2010 at 10:33 amMC,
What is your problem with Doug Holder? He is a good man and has done a great job! Obviously, because the Chamber endorsed him. Who do you think you are to criticize their choice?!?!?
#1) Your information is flawed… He NEVER voted to allow rigs off of any beach. NEVER, EVER!!! Get that through your head! He has also out raised her in the county. You see, people want him to win, so over and over again they max out their donation. No one is willing to take a serious risk on her. That’s why no one wants her stupid signs out, so she resorts to putting them outside of the district. Also, don’t forget she put in 15K of her own to try to be competitive, and now she’s probably wishing she hadn’t.
#2) You don’t live in District 70. So, why don’t you go help Keith Fatzogerald keep his seat because the Ray-train is coming through and its coming on strong!!!
#3) I met Mrs. Feehan. At first I thought she was pleasant but everyone in my neighborhood she visited thought she was overly aggressive, abrasive, full of herself and false information and absolutely not the kind of person worth our vote.
#4) What are you smoking? Maybe you’d like Doug to support that. Maybe then you’d get off your pedestal, open your eyes and realize that
#5) Your blogg maybe reaches 50 people countywide. And they are all crazy like you! You are the type that doesn’t have the stomach to confront anyone face to face so you hide behind your website. No one cares what you have to say. You are a disgrace to this community. If you are so miserable here, leave. We don’t want any more CHANGE and that’s all Feehan promises!
MC
October 8, 2010 at 10:45 amGina — thanks for visiting my blog and commenting. I’m glad to know you are one of the 50 people county-wide who read mccoolidge.com! So, thank you.
I appreciate you sharing your perspective on the Holder/Feehan campaign, though I’m less enamored with the tenor of some of your comments. But that’s what this blog is for — reasonable, not-too-ugly dialogue among adults about things that matter to our community.
As for your accusation that I hide behind a website, I do want to correct you — a blog such as this is highly public — hence your awareness of it; I am invited to give talks inside and outside of the County — most of which are public and where I welcome Q&A; and I’m run in the print op/ed pages of the Sarasota Herald Tribune, Tampa Tribune, and other papers as well, where readers can, and often do, write letters to the editor about my work. So, I’m pretty willing to be “out there” and hear from folks who enjoy but also those such as yourself who do not enjoy or agree with my perspective. Hence — again, our current conversation.
Thanks Gina, for reading and sharing your thoughts. Even though you say no one cares what I have to say — I’m glad you cared enough to comment.
All best,
MC
John W. Perkins
October 10, 2010 at 2:29 pm“#5) Your blogg maybe reaches 50 people countywide. And they are all crazy like you!”
Mine is the most pleasant form of insanity.. Yours sounds hostile and petty.