Charles Parker: Why Jeb Won't Run

I got to know Jeb Bush back in the early 1990’s when he first ran for Florida governor against Lawton Chiles. He lost that one, but went on to win two consecutive terms in the statehouse.

By all measures, he had a good run. He cut taxes, cut spending, reformed education, and attracted a lot of business Florida’s way. 

Since his time in office, he has been barnstorming the country promoting school choice and student/teacher evaluations.  He has now written a book about immigration.  Some say it is his re-entry into politics – a trial balloon for the presidency.  But I do not think it is.

Jeb Bush will not run for president.

When he was young and on the campaign trail during that first go-round, he had one rule: he always made it home on Sundays to be with his wife and kids.  Often, he had one or more of them with him on the bus.  But he always went home.

His two sons came out of those campaigning and governing years seemingly unscathed – they might even be better for it.  But his daughter had problems: drugs, fraudulent prescriptions, rehabs. 

I got to see the anguish of Jeb and his wife firsthand one day in the Governor’s Mansion.

I had not been a part of his first winning campaign as I had become a pastor and eschewed politics.  However, I was invited to attend an education conference in Tallahassee that concluded with a reception at the governor’s temporary home.  There were snacks and drinks – and a receiving line.

 As I made my way toward Jeb and Columba, he saw me above the crowd (we’re both well over six feet) and smiled and nodded.  He remembered me from the first campaign – the loss that stung.

When I reached him, he greeted me warmly.  We quickly caught up. We talked about mutual friends.  And then I moved on to the First Lady.  She dutifully smiled and shook my hand.

I leaned down to her ear (she is well below six feet) – and the pastor in me spoke to her. “Mrs. Bush, I know the troubles your family has been through.  I am a recovering addict and I know how difficult it all is. I’m a pastor now and doing very well.  If you ever need to talk to someone, please feel free to call.”  I handed her a card with my number.

She looked up at me and began to shake.  Tears began to fall. She buried her face in my chest. 

It would normally have been a very private moment, but it was in a very public place. 

The governor looked at me quizzically.  I mouthed his daughter’s name.  He nodded in acknowledgement.  I walked Mrs. Bush to an aide.  They disappeared into another room.  I walked back and quietly apologized to him.  He nodded again.  I then moved on.

Politics can be tough on family.

But that’s not the only reason Jeb won’t run.

There’s another Bush that has the “fire in the belly” – Jeb’s son, George P.  He’s young and smart and handsome and Hispanic.  He’s the heir apparent to the Bush legacy. He’s running for statewide office in Texas.  It’s the springboard for bigger things.  Of course, it is - it’s Texas. 

Jeb will not want to muddy the waters for his son’s future.  Too many Bushes spoil the broth.

He would have made a pretty good president I believe.  He is a strong executive and he has a solid set of principles. He’s good at politics.  He would get things accomplished.

But – just as he has been the good son and the good brother – Jeb will now be the good father.  And he should be commended for all of that.

Charles Parker: "..brotherhood..."

I am not a Catholic.  But as the white smoke emerged and the bells tolled, I welled up…my stomach fluttered…I got goose bumps.

It is a momentous moment – when the College of Cardinals picks a Pope.

John Paul II became pope when I was 19 or so.  I don’t remember that day, but I have a vivid recollection in 1981 of the day he was shot. He was pope for 28 years.  He was not Italian, but Polish – first time in 600 years the pope wasn’t Italian.  He had personally known the oppression of the Nazis.  He spread the Gospel around the world – being the most-travelled pope in history.  He attracted the youth.  But, in all, he maintained his conservatism.  He didn’t waiver in the face of moral relativism and secularism.

When Pope John Paul II died in 2005, they chose a German who called himself Benedict XVI.  He was the odds-on-favorite – a disciple of Christ and a disciple of John Paul II.   He was always to be a transitional leader.  His reign would be shorter, his influence less.  He resigned before his term was up.  That will probably be his legacy.

As I waited for the announcement, the pundits speculated and spoke of his mission – attract new members, clean up the Vatican, reform.

But would they revert to an Italian pope? Or would they look to America (North or Latin)…or Asia…or Africa?

 “Habemas Papum!”  Jorge Mario Begoglio.  Pope Francis.  “Viva il Papa!”

Latin America. 

76.

He came in second last time.

But in one of his first acts, he showed his humbleness.  He asked the people to pray for him before he prayed for them.  Theirs was spontaneous – his was written.  They both were special.

He has been described as a man of the people.  He is now The Father of the Church.

Pope Francis – this man from “the end of the earth” - called for a “worldwide brotherhood.”

May God bless him as he takes that message to all.

 

 

 

Charles Parker: BlueWare, Rose Harr, and Me

I’m not much for the kind of parties where you hold a drink in one hand, hold a little plate with some little sandwiches on it in the other hand, and spend time talking to someone as they gaze over your shoulder seeing who else is there.  Been there…done that.

But I was looking forward to the BlueWare soiree.

I received an announcement through email last week – granted it wasn’t from BlueWare – but it did say there would be an “Open House” at their new scanning facility in Melbourne.  It included an email address for an RSVP.

I at first thought it odd that an “Open House” would have an RSVP, but then I thought that maybe they were being prudent – you know, they needed to know how many canapés to have at the ready.

So – I RSVP’d to [email protected].

Within a day, I heard back – not from a sales hack but from the owner herself – the elusive Rose Harr.

I was excited when I saw her name and face pop on my Gmail on my phone.  I have been trying to communicate with Ms. Harr since last summer.  I have emailed her, I have called her, I even requested she “Friend” me on Facebook.  No answer – not one.

Until Saturday.

“By invitation only and you are not invite.” (She forgot the “d” – not me.)

I laughed – out loud.  Not at the grammatical error, but at the pettiness.

I have been reporting on BlueWare and the Clerk’s scanning contract for six months.  All of the news stories I have written have been objective.  In fact, I have requested comment from BlueWare nearly every time – and have rarely heard back.  It’s hard to give their side when they won’t give their side.

So I responded to Ms. Harr.  In part I said, “Ms. Harr - it is nice to finally hear from you.  I'm not sure why this animus is directed toward me. I have consistently written objective stories about your contract. If some other stories have seemed one-sided at times, it is because you and/or your representatives have refused comment.  I would certainly offer to you an opportunity to give your side of all of this. I apologize for being presumptuous about the invitation. I was under the assumption that an "open house" was "open" to the public.”

I don’t expect to hear back.  So I guess I’ll miss out on the boxed wine and cubed cheese.  I’ll have dinner with my family instead.  At least I know they won’t be looking past me to see who else might show up.

 

 

Charles Parker: Rubio and Nelson - Two Peas...

It’s not often that I disagree with liberal Senator Bill Nelson and conservative Senator Marco Rubio regarding the same governing principle.  But now I do.

Let’s deal with Rubio first.

Immediately after his frankly uninspiring and same-old, same-old rebuttal of the State of the Union speech, Rubio introduced an education bill, which would allow taxpayers to subsidize private-school education for poor kids.

According to media reports, “Under Rubio’s legislation, corporations or individuals could annually donate a maximum $100,000 or $4,500, respectively. The money, for which the donor receives a dollar-for-dollar tax credit, flows to a nonprofit “Scholarship Grant Organization,” which then distributes money to private schools on behalf of thousands of students.”

Now, on to Nelson.

He is promoting an effort with other Democrat senators called the LINE Act.  This bill would require the Attorney General to issue new national standards regarding the number of voting machines, election workers and other resources necessary to conduct federal elections.

Nelson signed on after citizens in Florida waited up to seven hours to vote on Election Day.  The legislation sets to make sure voters do not wait in line for more than one hour to cast a ballot.

So what’s my beef?

You got it – federalism.  Both of these men are proposing federal policies to deal with state and local problems.

If Florida wants to set up a tax exempt fund for folks to assist Florida’s poor children to get vouchers for better schools, let Florida set up the fund.

If Florida voters want shorter lines and more voting machines and more poll workers – well, let Florida voters in each county demand this for their respective precincts.

We need to call our senators on this abuse of power. 

If only we elected US senators the way the founders intended – by the vote of state legislatures – we would have more local control and less federal meddling.

 

Charles Parker: Learning from Mr. Jefferson

I received The Art of Power by Jon Meacham for Christmas.  As the back of the book says, “This terrific book allows us to see the political genius of Thomas Jefferson better than we have ever seen it before.”

I am just on page 89, but is has already spoken volumes to me about our present-day politicians and politics. I would probably be further along, but I keep re-reading.

Particularly, it has led me to initial thoughts about our age of hyper-partisanship and real-time political messaging. 

Jefferson and John Adams – for much of their lives – did not really get along.  And many times they had fundamental disagreements as to how the country should be formed and run.  But they knew there was a bigger picture – much bigger than they would ever be.

And their peers knew it too.

“’I consider you and him as the North and South Poles of the American Revolution,’ their fellow Revolutionary Benjamin Rush wrote to Adams in February 1812. ‘Some talked, some wrote, and some fought to promote and establish it, but you and Mr. Jefferson thought for us all.’”

It is clearly time for a left-of-center Democrat and a right-of-center Republican to come together and think for us.  Lord, are there but two statesmen in America who can bubble up and begin a thoughtful dialogue about the present and future of this land that Jefferson called “the world’s best hope?”

As well, these two people – be they men or women – need to be ones who are not lime-lighters.  Their thoughts and discussions need to be private – at least as they commence.  Again Jefferson’s peers knew this about politics as well.

Adams said, “A public speaker who inserts himself, or is urged by others into the conduct of affairs, by daily exertions to justify his measures and answer the objections of opponents, makes himself too familiar with the public, and unavoidably makes himself enemies.”

Mr. President, Speaker Boehner, Leader Reid – do you hear this?  Stop the daily jaunts in front of the microphones, stop the tweeting by smarmy aides, stop the post-election political rallies.

It is time that we give two people some space to forge a great compromise regarding taxing and spending.  It is time that we let them think and urge them not to speak.  It is time…the edge of the cliff nears…

Charles Parker: School Budget Cuts and Their Consequences

Brevard Public Schools has spoken.  The proposed $30.7 million budget reductions have been released. 

Let’s look at some of the high ticket items on the 62-item list.  Let’s also remember that I am a high school teacher, but have tried to be objective and honest in this assessment.

The elimination of one planning period for secondary teachers will save $11 million and reduce the teacher workforce by nearly 200 people.  Even though this is a major blow to the workforce, this was a no-brainer for school officials.  Elementary teachers have rightly complained for years that they barely have time to go the bathroom while secondary teachers have 90 minutes a day without students. 

The increase in class size could affect students and families through unintended consequences.  Yes - it will save $4.8 million and eliminate another 68 teachers. However, BPS notes that this “may eliminate high performing district status and early start calendar.” 

This means first semester exams will be in January.  This means conscientious students will be studying over Christmas break. This means less conscientious students will have several weeks between their last lesson and a test that is 20% of their semester grade.

Eliminating corridor busing will save $1.2 million.  Students attending choice schools by choice will have to find their own way to school.  This leads to more unintended consequences, however.

Since fewer out-of-area students – particularly poor ones – will be able to attend choice schools, more high-performing neighborhood students will be allowed to enter choice schools. 

This will then deplete neighborhood schools of more high-performing students.  Add to this to the fact that secondary summer school is being targeted for elimination.  These things combined mean it will be tougher for neighborhood schools to meet more strict graduation requirements.

Seems to me a more practical approach would be to eliminate choice schools altogether.  To accommodate high-performing students in traditional high schools, more career and technical academies could be offered.  Students would still have choice – just within their neighborhood schools.

There are more jobs eliminations on the list – the arts: music and art programs in elementary schools (116 teachers); research: media center assistants (69 positions); and safety and security: high school campus monitors (10 positions).

Plus there are more ways to generate revenue – advertising, pay-for-choice applications and pay-to-play sports.

All-in-all, it is as Dr. Brian Binggeli said, “sad and discouraging.”

But, also, it is what it is.  This economy has forced many to do more with less.  We’ll see if Brevard Public Schools can too.

For more Brevard Times stories on this topic:

http://news.brevardtimes.com/2012/12/brevard-public-schools-proposed-budget.html

http://cpnews.brevardtimes.com/2012/12/school-cuts-to-be-sad-and-discouraging.html

http://cpnews.brevardtimes.com/2012/12/gardendale-community-forum-raises.html

http://cpnews.brevardtimes.com/2012/11/superintendent-faces-opposition-over.html

Charles Parker: Divergent Views on Clerk's Contract Continue

Within a 20-minute timespan on Monday, I received two emails whose contrast could not be starker.

The subject of both is the controversial contract between the Clerk’s office and BlueGem Technologies to digitize court records.  The contract has been under scrutiny since its signing during the summer.

Clerk of Courts-In-Waiting Scott Ellis sent out a missive that he entitled “Clerk Loots $6.1 Million for Blueware: Hewlett Packard Left Holding the Bag.”  In it, he once again calls the BlueGem digitizing contract a “scam” and claims that Hewlett Packard has loaned money to the Clerk’s Office to pay-off the contract.

Shortly after, Clerk of Courts-In-Limbo Mitch Needelman issued a press release that begins, “On Friday, December 07, 2012, a milestone event took place in Brevard County that will change the way the Clerk of Courts does business from now into the future.”

The English teacher in me cries out, “…two roads diverged in a yellow wood…”

The contract has raised questions many questions.  I am still waiting for the answer to a few of them: Who is working, how much are they being paid, what property/equipment was bought, and what are the contract deliverables?

I have asked the Clerk’s Office, BlueWare/BlueGem, Matt DuPree, the Economic Development Commission, all five county commissioners, and the Melbourne Regional Chamber of Commerce.

None have answered.  However, I think I already know the answer.  These basic criteria – present in most government contracts – are not written down anywhere. 

The contract is basically this: Here’s the money.  We don’t care how you get thejob done or how you spend the money, you have to get the job done by 2017.  Oh – and if you don’t – we’re covered by insurance that we paid for.  So really – we don’t care whether you get the job done or not.

And evidently the terms of the contract have changed from the original one signed this summer. 

Incoming Clerk Ellis lays out the wide-ranging and winding road-like scenario this way:

Needelman contracts with BlueWare.  Needelman realizes Ellis will cancel the contract and tries to sell it.  HP lends money to Needelman – who in turn gives some of the money to BlueWare, buys an insurance bond, and evidently purchases bowling balls (what else does Brunswick Corporation do?).

Also, in October BlueWare chief Rose Harr is given a cushy spot on the Brevard Workforce Board of Directors and then in November is given $760,000 by the same board for job training.

In this scenario, Ellis assumes the motive of Needelman – to keep Ellis from stopping payments to BlueWare and cancelling the contract when he takes office in January 2013.

But there is a problem with assuming the motive: there is no proof.  I am sure if Needelman did not write down contract terms and deliverables, he did not write down the terms of a nefarious plot.

As well, I am sure Needleman would say his motive to change the terms of the contract – which went from $8.5 million to $6.1 million - was solely to save taxpayers’ money. 

Ellis claims, “Clerks cannot enter into promissory notes and borrow money.  Legal opinions will be forthcoming when I get into office.”  At the same time, I would be shocked if Needelman didn’t have attorneys who gave him the “okay.”

And so the beat goes on.  Taxpayer money is being spent on a noble project, but the taxpayers don’t really know whether their money is being spent legally and efficiently.  For government projects, both should be the standard.