Siberia in Florida: GOP Senator Gets the Cold Shoulder

It used to be you'd have to start every debate thinking: compromise. Now, the only constraint is their good judgment.''

Former Rep. Tom Feeney, R-Orlando, who Speaker of the Florida House from 2000 to 200.


Today’s Miami Herald article “Veteran senator won’t toe the line,” http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/11/25/1943608_p2/veteran-senator-wont-toe-the-line.html clearly points out the power shift in Tallahassee. The new GOP leadership is flexing its ideological muscles. No one will be allowed to think or act independently. Its the party line or political exile. Senator Fasano, a strong supporter of Governor’s Christ Senate campaign, had to endure the punishment straying from the ideological talking points. Fasano took to the Senate floor during last week's half-day special session and railed against a GOP blueprint for fixing Medicaid. The symbolic ``memorial'' resolution informs Congress that Florida plans to steer its Medicaid patients into managed care networks, an idea that has gained popularity in the state House. ``This is more than intent. We are setting policy today by doing this,'' scolded Fasano, a 16-year legislative veteran. ``This should have gone through committees. If you think you got a few phone calls last year, put people in an HMO and the phones will be ringing off the hook.''

But Fasano's protests were quickly drowned out by a GOP stampede in favor of the bill. In the new Senate, where newcomers value business and economic development over Fasano's populist consumerism, he has morphed from conservative stalwart to moderate maverick.

Lets not forget that Senator Fasano was also the sponsor of the pain clinic legislation that cracked down on facilities freely dispensing medications that are being used by drug abusers who were doctor-shopping. Fasano also was critical of the Legislature for passing the new rule-making bill, arguing it needed more study. As a result the state Department of Health now must determine whether the new rules exceed the threshold and require a legislative sign-off -- if they have a $1 million adverse impact over five years on economic growth, competitiveness, employment, investment, job creation or regulatory costs. For now, the upshot is that the rules are stalled. What will happen in the meantime? "What's going to happen is nothing," said Sen. Mike Fasano, R-New Port Richey. "And seven more people will die each and every day until the Legislature ratifies these rules that are being approved by the Board of Medicine and the Department of Health."

I wish we would have more outspoken politicians in Florida like Senator Fasano who think and act according to their conscience and not according to party discipline.

History provides a treasure trove of failed attempts to scuttle dissent and to impose rigorous party discipline. I hope that Floridian’s learn soon to regret their electoral choices. Otherwise we will be in big trouble.



Yours truly,

Bernd