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It's time for us to look beyond the two-party system

Re: Florida Republicans see trouble brewing, by Adam Smith; and Democrats need a lot more than just a message, by Philip Gailey, March 19.

Adam C. Smith and Philip Gailey's columns only highlight how more independent candidates and third parties are needed in elective politics.

At the first sign of political trouble for Florida Republicans, Smith turns to the only other major political party in the state, the Democrats, as an alternative choice, whether it is earned or not. Gailey, in his column, comes right out and contends that the Democrats have failed in their efforts for both solutions and alternative ideas.

If there was public financing of elections, then there would be a wider array of political parties, independent candidates and alternative ideas for the electorate to choose from. Since that does not exist, the press and the media continue to rely on their "establishment" answers, of only turning to the two major political parties, whether both parties' platforms ever help the state or just make matters worse for its citizens.

And worse yet, despite the columnists' disillusionment with both parties, the press and media continue to reinforce this faulty system by giving more serious consideration to candidates with either money, incumbency or some kind of wide recognition via family name, scandal, TV and movies, or, god help us, military experience.

An anti-"status quo" landscape is the conclusion your columnists should have arrived at, otherwise, they continue to be part of the problem. And the citizens of Florida end up being the losers.

Democrats are not that bad

Times reporter Bill Varian asks "Why are the Democrats, who once ran the state top to bottom, so hapless? Or why are the Republicans so dominant?" (March 19). Editor of editorials Philip Gailey says, Democrats need a lot more than just a message. As a Democrat working hard in the precincts and in the policy committees, I have to tell you that neither one of these writers does justice to the problems of the state and nation. Maybe we Democrats are not perfect, but we are not nearly as bad as you have painted us.

Varian leaves the impression that most of the January executive committee meeting was spent in churlish argument. He mentions only in passing that "members broke up into groups to talk about ideas for a county platform on education" but that "much of that discussion involved reacting to Republican measures."

If we seem to be reacting to Republican measures perhaps it is because the Republicans have controlled both houses of the Legislature for the last eight years, doing the bidding of a governor who has turned what was a mediocre system into a teachers' nightmare.

Varian could have reported on a set of 16 Democratic issues on education, local, state, and national. As chair of the Platform and Issues Committee, I will be happy to supply reports on this or any of the other subjects we work on.

Even with that, however, we would not satisfy Gailey, who says we need more than "just a message."

We need candidates with backbone

Re: Democrats need a lot more than just a message.

I don't always agree with Philip Gailey, but I think this column was right on. I'm a long-time Democrat who is very disappointed in the "finger to the wind" way of developing "convictions." I'm most disappointed in Hillary Clinton. I would love to have a strong woman to vote for for president. Her recent "stands" on issues in my opinion have cost her her base.

Hopefully there are some candidates out there, of either party, who do have some backbone and will take some honest stands. Enough of the hypocrisy and pandering.

Media a problem for Democrats

I agree with some of what Philip Gailey writes in his March 19 column Democrats need a lot more than just a message. The overall thrust of the column - that Democrats need to show more backbone on Iraq and other issues - makes sense. But the details are dubious, and Gailey does not mention the elephant in the room: the media.

The Slate editor's snarky assessment of the leadership is only about one-third accurate. Howard Dean and Nancy Pelosi are both articulate and forceful, if you listen to them. But you can only hear them on C-SPAN.

No, the big problem for the Democrats continues to be an increasingly conservative media with a double standard toward Republicans and Democrats. Toward Republicans, it's "Approach with (extreme) caution." Toward Democrats, it's "Damned if you do, damned if you don't."

Since 1980, as the independent media watchdog FAIR (Fairness & Accuracy in Reporting) has reported, Republicans have outnumbered Democrats on the Sunday talk shows by 2 to 1, while conservative talking heads have outnumbered liberals by 5 to 1.

So, not all the Democrats' wounds are self-inflicted - far from it.

Redistricting difficulties

Re: Safe in their districts, editorial, March 24.

I can't help wondering if this story would have been the same if the Democrats were in power. After all, they were the champions at gerrymandering.

I fully agree that carving out special districts is unfair, yet if the districts were established strictly on population, gross inequities would still exist. Also, certain groups would still claim unequal representation.

The better goal would be to push harder for legislators who remain true to their purpose. Even those who intend to represent us properly, once elected, often get caught up in the job's politics. Then being re-elected becomes their primary goal.

If there were a way to choose a redistricting board that could not be bought, it would be great. The suggested make up in the rejected amendment petition certainly did not meet the criteria in my judgment.

A Florida hero

Re: The love of his life, March 19.

Jeff Klinkenberg's article was so refreshing to read. It is nice to know that there are some native Florida land owners who aren't willing sell out to developers.

Freddie Wood may not think he is a hero, but he is in my mind. I wish I had the land to do what he is doing. And he's doing it with a couple hundred acres. I wish he was one of those ranchers/farmers with thousands of acres who insist that they have to sell out to developers. Freddie Wood's philosophy kinda blows huge holes in their motives.

I hope that others will follow his lead. Thank you, Mr. Wood, for saving a piece of Florida forever.

[Last modified March 25, 2006, 03:15:07]