TCPalm Endorses Bill Posey
Monday, August 04, 2008
Editorial Endorsement: U.S. Congress 15th District Republicans
By TCPalm Staff
Friday, August 1, 2008
RACE: U.S. House District 15
PARTY: Republican
INCUMBENT: David Weldon (retiring)
CANDIDATES:
•Alan Bergman, 61, Indialantic
•Kevin Lehoullier, 37, Fellsmere
•Bill Posey, 60, Melbourne
KEY ISSUES: Accountability and fiscal conservatism, experience, environment, economic development
WHY WE ENDORSED: If there’s one candidate who stands out in this race, it’s Lehoullier. At 37, he’s young enough to be his opponents’ son. He’s also a certified public accountant. Who better than an accountant to fix the fiscal mess in Washington? And when was the last time you saw a solid congressional candidate from Fellsmere?
That said, the executive vice president of one of the nation’s leading cheese companies, has some outstanding business experience, but he’s short on the legislative side. After all, few people can match Posey’s 26 years of political experience –—including the past 16 in the state House and Senate.
In many ways that experience is as much of a liability as it is an asset. The Beltway is full of career politicians who have left the country in worse shape than it was in to start with. And while Posey has had success in Tallahassee, he’s also been on the wrong side.
Some of his biggest leadership errors the past few years: putting taxpayers on the hooks for billions of dollars in damages by subsidizing Citizens property insurance; allowing special-interest groups to persuade citizens to revoke their signatures in petition drives; prohibiting the public from being able to question medical examiners by exempting autopsy photos from the state’s open-records law.
That said, Posey has been an effective bipartisan legislator, working to fund programs that would keep NASA strong, eliminating fraud and lowering workers’ compensation rates, trying to keep children under 7 safe by mandating booster seats, helping to kill a tax (increase) on services.
First elected to the Senate in a district that included Indian River County, Posey was redistricted out after fighting for the county to keep from being carved up into two congressional districts. The county retains more power in one district.
Despite his defense of earmarks, which he says can be effectively used by legislators to help his constituents, Posey generally has a conservative fiscal record. That’s what’s needed in Washington.
WHY WE DIDN’T ENDORSE: Lehoullier needs more community-based experience. He should use his talent on the local level.
Bergman says he cares about seniors and their care, but ultimately, he says, the responsibility for social programs — such as Medicare and Social Security — should be the responsibility of states. Different plans might work for different states.
He, too, lacks legislative experience. The chip he carries on his shoulder — warranted, perhaps — when his party anointed Posey as Weldon’s successor — is enough to make one wonder whether he’ll be able to get along with anyone in Washington.
VEEP DISAGREEMENT: While Bergman and Lehoullier think John McCain should pick Mitt Romney as his running mate, Posey gives the nod to Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal.
FIRE UP THE DRILLS: Scary, but all three candidates are wrong on the issue of drilling off the coast of Florida –—they want to fire up the drills.
WE RECOMMEND BILL POSEY
Posey says: “(I have) A record of success in representing the values of my constituents, experience in getting things done, and achieving difficult tasks in government that others said couldn’t get done.”
