Strange as the contrast between Representative Meek's rhetoric, voting record, might be, these are nothing in comparison to the silence heard from the Greene campaign. When asked of the war in Afghanistan, Jeff Greene endorsed an eternal devotion to Israel. (Meek agreed.) Mister Greene assured the audience, military engagements in the Middle East would not diminish his dedication.
Jeff Greene (and Kendrick Meek) avowed loyalty to war and peace as though the two divergent possibilities could be one. The Progressive populace, on the other hand, is more definitive.
ForeignPolicy Self-identified progressives appear to have a strong commitment to diplomacy in international relations and are predisposed to think of immigrants in a positive light. Zogby reports that 77% of progressives say that it is not America's job to promote its values around the world and 97% think that our efforts in the war on terror should focus on reducing anti-American sentiment rather than on military force. . .Activist progressives identified by Pew are even more likely to be dovish in their approach to military affairs than liberals. For instance, 96% of activist progressives think that diplomacy is the best way to ensure peace compared to 76% of liberals. About 78% of activist progressives believe that the United States should take its allies' interests into account even if it means making compromises with them and 93% agreed that it is acceptable to refuse to fight in a war one believes to be morally wrong..
Then there is the issue of tax and spend. Did the candidates think it wise to allocate Federal funds to forward America's future? As a United States Senator, would Mister Meek or Mister Greene vote to invest even more money in a Military Industrial Complex? Would either work to endow the infrastructure, education, environmental research, or expand the development of renewable fuels? Perhaps the answer is revealed in personal realities. Historically, how have Kendrick Meek and Jeff Greene handled their own taxes? Obfuscation and again the role of reputation reign in the Greene rhetoric . Representative Meek returns to his theme, the record.
Tax and Spend
Traditionally, a "Progressive" tax structure is one that charges those with higher incomes. This is, usually, a prospect that Democrats endorse. As one would expect, Florida Democrat and candidate for the United States Senate, Kendrick Meek supports such a system. On this issue, Citizens for Tax Justice with an established thirty-year mission of "working for a fair and sustainable tax system" rated Congressman Meek's record 100% in support of a Progressive tax. Citizens for Tax Justice and Congressman Meek advocate for "Taxation that minimizes distortion of economic markets," CTJ and Kendrick Meek also think it necessary to "Require the wealthy to pay their fair share."
Neither are philosophies reformed Reagan Republican Greene, from his actions, would favor. The fiscally very flush candidate nay his wife, think such an agenda serves them well. When asked Will Jeff Greene release his tax returns? they exclaimed in chorus, "Hell no!"
Ah; the paradox. For Democrats, and or Progressives this is truly a strange time, a strange place and these two men are in the strangest place, or they are but a reflection of a novel reality. For me, personally, favoritism for other than the greater good is extraordinary. In a country where all men are believed to be equal I struggle to understand. Thus, as I cast my ballot for the candidate that offers a chance at meaningful reforms, Congressman Meek, I could not help but think of America and the newly adopted ballad; Look What They've Done to My Song.
Reformers and References . . .
- It's About Time.
- Meek and Greene on the issues - and each other, Palm Beach Post. June 22, 2010
- Jeff Greene's Party Yacht: The Insider's Tale From His Former Stewardess, By Sharyn Peach. Broward, Palm Beach New Times. August 17, 2010
- Jeff Greene assails rival Kendrick Meek as 'failed career politician', By Jim Stratton. Orlando Sentinel. August 3, 2010
- Jeff Greene's path to Senate campaign shows he is uncompromising, sometimes to a fault, By Adam=m Smith. Miami Herald. August 1, 2010
- A Party of Lemmings. Beware of the Progressive Democrat. By Helen Redmond. CounterPunch. December 23, 2009
- Meek says developer scandal taught him a lesson, By Beth Reinhard. Miami Herald. June 2, 2010
- Jeff Greene corrects course, remembers yachting to Cuba, but not the partying, By Beth Reinhard and Adam C. Smith. Miami Herald. August 4, 2010
- Rep. Kendrick B. Meek's Regressive Action Score: 8. That's My Congress. Updated; August 3, 200
- Kendrick Meek From Haiti. Fox News. YouTube. January 18, 2010
- Haiti tragedy puts Kendrick Meek in spotlight, By Beth Reinhard. Naked Politics. Miami Herald. January 13, 2010
- Representative Kendrick B. Meek, Sr. (FL). Project Vote Smart.
- Kendrick Meek. On the Issues.
- Ex-Meek aide received money from troubled develop,Miami Herald. May 14, 2010
- House Resolution 310 The Library of Congress.
- The Man Who Shorted Subprime, Commercial Real Estate Not a Buy, By Christina Cheddar Berk. CNBC. Thursday, May 14, 2009
- Congressman Kendrick Meek. representing the 17th District of Florida.
- Meet Kendrick. Kendrick Meek for U.S. Senate.
- Citizens for Tax Justice
- Many Paths to Victory: Florida, By Tim Fernholz. The American Prospect., August 2, 2010
- Election campaigns, agenda setting and electoral outcomes*, By Manfred J. Holler, Department of Economics, University of Hamburg and Peter Skott, Department of Economics, University of Massachusetts, Amherst. October 2004
- Trends in Political Values and Core Attitudes: 1987-2007. Pew Research. March 22, 2007
- Senate Democratic candidate Jeff Greene 'misspoke' about trip to Cuba, By Beth Reinhard. Miami Herald. August 3, 2010
- Rep. Kendrick Meek [D-FL17]. Gov.Trak.US.
- Voters Database. Kendrick Meek. Washington Post.
- Neek Greene Debate. Palm Beach Post. June 22, 2010
- Strategies of the Political Opposition, By Amihai Glazer. Department of Economics. University of Irvine. 2007 through 2004
- Meek: Don't touch class size amendment, By Shannon Colavecchio. Naked Politics. January 26, 2010
- Alex Sink disagrees with Kendrick Meek on class size, By Adam Smith. The Miami Herald. June 13, 2010
- About. History and Background. Citizens for Tax Justice
- Carrie Meek. Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.
- Will Jeff Greene release his tax returns? "Hell no!", says wife, By Michael C. Bender. Palm Beach Post. June 22, 2010
- Who's funding the wealthy people's campaigns? By David Hunt. The Florida Times=Union. June 30, 2010
- Meek, Greene aggressive in first Democratic debate for Florida's U.S. Senate seat, By Michael C. Bender. Palm Beach Post. June 24, 2010
- Billionaire Jeff Greene, Florida Wildcard, Is on the Air, By Chris Good. The Atlantic. May 20, 2010
- What Do "Progressives" Believe? A report for the Commonweal Institute prepared by Trounstine Research Associates. By Jessica Trounstine, Ph.D. Princeton University, Principal Author
- Funding for military withdraw from Afghanistan.. Peace Action West. July 1, 2010
- Kendrick Meek Encouraged Floridians to Take Risky Unregulated Subprime Home Loans. By Luis Vizcaino. Jeff Greene Campaign.
- Kendrick Meek and Jeff Greene trade barbs in Democratic U.S. Senate debate, By Beth Reinhard and Adam C. Smith. St. Petersburg Times. TampaBay.com June 23, 2010
- The Reluctant Billionaire, By Susan Kitchens. Forbes. October 6, 2008
- Billionaire Jeff Greene Will Face a Slew of Attacks in Florida's Senate Race, By Chris Good . The Atlantic. April 30, 2010
- Can Kendrick Meek win the Florida Senate race? By Chris Cillizza. Washington Post. March 29, 2010
- Meek says developer scandal taught him a lesson, Beth Reinhard. Miami Herald. June 2, 2010
- Greene-Meek debate starts nasty, and stays that way, By Anthony Mann. Sun Sentential. June 22, 2010
- Republicans: Conservative-Progressive-Liberal, Time.July. 01, 1966
- Socially Progressive/Fiscally Conservative, By Brandon Shaffer. Huffington Post. August 20, 2010
- Look What They've Done to My Song. YouTube.
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