By the authority vested in me…(Kendrick Meek vs Jeff Greene)
By Authority vested in me…
In a Democratic primary debate taped Sunday and televised in the St. Petersburg area last night, US Senate hopefuls Jeff Greene and Kendrick Meek forgot all about the hot-button issues of the day and engaged each other in a disgraceful race to the bottom, arguing over who has the most corrupt credentials.
Billionaire and self-described ‘outsider’ Greene, derided the incumbent Meek as a Washington insider and part of the “culture of corruption”, elaborating with “He’s a career politician, involved in some corruption scandals, taking special interest money”. Citing Meek’s record on earmarks and acceptance of political contributions from companies representing Big Tobacco and Big Oil, amongst others, Greene’s pointed criticism appeared to strike home. Meek, alluding to Greene’s involvement in the Medicaid / Medicare industrial complex and associated fraud investigations aimed at Greene’s corporate holdings, responded “you are a special interest” later adding “It’s ridiculous that someone would even question my ethics when he has so many issues himself.”
Some outsiders question Greene’s motives after he spent millions from his own personal fortune on TV ads attacking Greene, in an effort to gain the Democratic nomination for a Senate seat that will return a fraction of the expense over time, if the bid is successful. Invoking the wrath of God over the truthfulness of Greene’s defense of a yacht trip to Cuba, Meek declared “I don’t know if I need to slide my chair over, because a bolt of lightning may come in and hit Jeff.” The irony of Meek considering himself possible ‘collateral damage’ due to an act of God was a moment of hilarity in an otherwise disappointing debate.
Predictably falling into lockstep with the national party line, both agreed that Arizona’s tough immigration law is a mistake, the TARP bailout program was necessary, and that offshore drilling should be banned near Florida, all three points clearly demonstrate either candidates’ total lack of respect for the constitution that Meek has sworn to uphold and defend, a lack of respect and faithfulness that Greene has made a large personal fortune exploiting.
Read more of the Examiner article here: http://www.examiner.com/x-53966-MiamiDade-County-Libertarian-Examiner~y2010m8d3-By-the-authority-vested-in-me
For all of Larry Warrick’s articles on Examiner: http://www.examiner.com/x-53966-MiamiDade-County-Libertarian-Examiner
Larry’s older blog can be found here: http://www.nolanchart.com/author87.html
