Trail Talk
THIS Is Why I Am Running For Congress
The article below spells out exactly why I am running for Congress. Most people believe that Washington is “broken”, but they may not realize how deep the problem goes. This survey of government CFOs and other financial directors shows that even they feel the system is broken. The current government accounting system is inefficient and must be fixed.
The article mentions that “The survey pointed to a number of things CFOs and senior executives can do to improve the relationship between financial reporting and mission performance, such as using more activity-based costing and requiring more integration between financial and acquisition systems.”
Activity-based costing – that reminds me of a book I wrote called Activity-Based Total Accountability (ABTA) which you can read right here on my website. ABTA is a method of activity-based full cost accounting. EXACTLY what these CFOs said they need to do to improve!
As a State Senator, I passed the legislation that required ABTA in Florida and it set new standards for accountability in state government. The non-partisan American Legislative Exchange Council called the legislation “The best piece of legislation to come out of any state legislature in over 10 years” and awarded me their Legislator of the Year award for my efforts.
I am running for Congress to bring just this type of accountability to our government spending practices, cut bureaucratic red-tape, and streamline government regulations.
Please read the following article from GovernmentExecutive.com:
Federal financial reporting system is broken, CFOs say
Great Video
I saw this video the other day and I felt I just had to share it with everyone. The National Republican Congressional Committee created this fake movie trailer to bring attention to the inaction of Congress relating to energy. It’s titled “Democrats: An Agenda Americans Just Can’t Afford”, but I really like the tag line — “the not-quite-in-motion picture”. Considering that Congress just decided to go on recess for 5 weeks without so much as debating a comprehensive energy plan, it’s the perfect time to share this video too!
Florida Consumer Action Network Endorsement
You may have read about Florida Consumer Action Network (FCAN) endorsing me on the “In the News” section of this website. I can’t begin to tell you how excited I am about this! To be recognized by FCAN for all of the hard work I put into insurance reform as Chairman of the Committee on Banking & Insurance really means a lot to me.
All too often, the newspapers and opponents alike try to insinuate that since I am Chairman of that committee I am somehow “in the pockets” of the insurance companies. I believe that people judge others by their own standards; meaning that just because they are for sale doesn’t mean I am!
I am very proud of my record on the committee and worked extremely hard to do what was best for the citizens of Florida. That is why I am honored and excited to be endorsed by FCAN. Their whole reason for existence is to look out for you, the consumer. They said they are endorsing me for my “outstanding work on behalf of consumers as Chair of the Senate Insurance Committee”.
I have always put my constituents first because that is what I expect from my representatives in government and I know it is what you expect of me. And that will never change!!
To learn more about FCAN, please visit their website: www.fcan.org.
A Landmark Ruling
Last week, the United States Supreme Court, in their ruling on District of Columbia v. Heller, overturned the Washington, D.C. gun ban.
I am thrilled that the Supreme Court has overturned the DC gun ban. It is a landmark decision for gun owners and the constitution - after years of liberal laws encroaching on the Second Amendment, the Supreme Court has confirmed that it is, in fact, every individual’s right to keep and bear arms.
The Supreme Court had not decided a Second Amendment related case since 1939 (United States v. Miller) making this ruling the most important Second Amendment decision of our time.
The District of Columbia’s ban on handguns had been in effect for the last 32 years.
Gun owners in Florida recently had a big victory as well. The Florida Legislature passed a bill that allows gun owners to keep a firearm locked in their vehicles while at work or visiting another business.
Successful Discovery
Another successful mission!! Space Shuttle Discovery landed safely at the Kennedy Space Center today after a 14 day mission to the International Space Station. I get such a thrill each time that a shuttle launches and returns safely! It takes me back to the days that I spent working at the Kennedy Space Center.
During the Apollo days, I worked for McDonnell Douglas Astronautics at the Kennedy Space Center. It was an exhilarating time in the space program. In 1961, John F. Kennedy announced his goal of landing a man on the moon and returning him to earth safely by the end of the decade. On July 20, 1969 that goal became a reality when Apollo 11 landed safely on the surface of the moon. At the time, I was working on the third stage of the Saturn rocket, the rocket that launched the Apollo spacecraft into space, so you can imagine the pride and joy I experienced after that successful mission. I even received a letter from Dr. Debus, Director of Kennedy Space Center, thanking me for my efforts. That joy was short lived, however.
Just a couple of weeks after that momentous occasion, many space center employees, including myself, were laid off. We had accomplished President Kennedy’s goal and our jobs were no longer necessary. That puts me in the somewhat unique position today of being able to relate to what many of the current workers at the Kennedy Space Center are feeling. Although today’s workers do have the benefit of advanced warning, with the shuttle program ending in 2010 and the next generation spacecraft not forecasted to be ready until 2015, many feel that gap will result in lost jobs.
That is why if I am elected to Congress, I will fight to keep NASA fully funded and our space program fully capable of meeting the next frontier.
Until then, we all need to support space and let the current congress know how deeply their actions affect our local community and our national security. In the next week I will be passing on information about an upcoming opportunity to let your voices be heard – so stay tuned!