Please forward this to every listserv. -----Original Message----- From: Nick Wynne [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Tuesday, February 18, 2003 11:30 AM To: [email protected] Subject: A FOLLOW UP ON YESTERDAY'S MEETING IN TALLAHASSEE As I mentioned in my e-mail last night, I attended the public hearing of the Florida Historical Commission in the R. A. Gray Building. What a strange experience! Ying and yang! * It was delightful to see a large number of professional colleagues assembled for the purpose of protesting this assault against the historical programs of Florida. * It was appalling to hear Anna Estes, the Legislative Analyst from the Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability, whose agency reviewed the operations of the various cultural programs in the State Department, state that, with the exception of a few minor efficiencies, APPAGA saw no need for drastic or dramatic changes in the operations of these agencies. * It was appalling to hear Teresa Tinker, Bush's Policy Coordinator, from the Growth Management and Strategic Policy Unit in the governor's office, announce that the Bush administration would be concluding a deal Monday or Tuesday to transfer the State Library to some other institution (read Nova Southeastern). * It was appalling to hear Ms. Tinker casually say that the State Museum would be allowed to stay under the Department of State for one more year, but offer nothing positive about the lost positions or about the future of the Museum after this one-year delay. * It was delightful to hear the audience respond with boos and hisses at some of the most outrageous and logically distorted claims by Ms. Tinker were put forward. For example, leaving the State Museum in place for one year. * It was unusual (and to some state employees, intimidating) to have the entire procedure carefully monitored by the acting Secretary of State and his number 2 person. * It was discouraging to sit through a thirty minute discourse on how bills are passed in the Legislature and to realize that the Legislature has constructed a number of dead-ends for citizen input and that any real chance of influencing legislation does not come at the ballot box, but at the expense of hiring professional lobbyists who can dedicate themselves to a 24-hour-a-day monitoring of the complex apparatus that is the legislative process. * It was discouraging to hear the refrain that "everything is up to the Legislature" and to realize that the process (see above) is too cumbersome for average citizens with real issues to negotiate. * It was appalling to see apparently bright men and women abandon their consciences and do the "Jeb dance" for justification of the most immoral and unjust assault on cultural institutions and programs ever witnessed in the Sunshine State. (For a possible alternative to the Bush party line, consult e.e. cummings' "I Sing of Olaf" and repeat the refrain.) * It was delightful to get to the end of the carefully choregraphed presentations by members of the governor's team and hear from people like Bob Austin, Marion Almy, John Daniels and Ken Hardin explore the financial hardships that the proposed Bush plan will have on tourism, historic preservation, development and archaeology. Millions, possibly billions, of lost dollars are at stake! * It was delightful to hear the real anger of the "citizens" come out when the public portion of the hearing was opened. More than thirty citizens gave vent to their feelings toward the proposed programmatic, personnel and budget cuts of the Bush administration. If their reactions are any real judge, there will be "hell to pay" at the next election. * It was appalling to see the absence of any Democrat representative at the hearing to respond to these proposed changes. * It was appalling to learn that proposed legislation is "confidential" and cannot be reviewed or commented on by citizens until AFTER it has been placed on the legislative docket! Keep the people in the dark! * It was delightful to see people like Florida Historical Commission member Lex MeKeithen of Wellborn express dismay and anger at the entire process. That is my quick take. I was not present when the "white paper" was agreed upon, but I would be willing to bet that it will be accommodating to the governor's rape of the historical/cultural programs. It is a commission appointed by the governor, the Speaker and the President of the Senate. Its membership has two Department of State employees. The hearing was held in a government building and was carefully monitored by the Secretary of State, the Director of the State Library, and by other employees of the Department. Only incoming Secretary of State Glenda Hood was absent, BUT her imminence was invoked reverentially by Ms. Tinker on several occasions. I can only assure each of you that the upcoming meeting in Cocoa on Wednesday, February 19, will be certified 100% government-spokesperson FREE. Come if you can.

Many thanks to Pam for forwarding and to Mr. Wynne for the very enlightening synopsis of the Tallahassee meeting. There may be "heck" to pay at the next election, but Jeb is not concerned about FLORIDA voters....he thinks he no longer needs them ... he has shown contempt for the citizens of this state over the last 6 years; we are nothing more than a stepping stone.... What we need to target is the Florida Republican Executive Committee, with a solid promise to withdraw support from any of their candidates ..... [I am a republican and former REC member for our county] ........ Bush does need the FL REC for any future goals AND his brother certainly does now......The lack of Democratic involvement is no surprise .....they want him to do as much damage as possible, which in turn, will turn the tide from the Republican cause and toward their own .... they WILL capitalize on it next election..... too late for our Archives and Library........[have seen this shell game before] Every local news station in NE Florida has been contacted about this issue and NOT one has bothered to cover this story..... too many special interests in the Bush pocket...... The perfect definition of Politics = Poly + Tics = "Many Bloodsuckers" We must keep fighting ...... Deborah ~~~~~~~~~~~~~<>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ SAVE OUR FLORIDA STATE ARCHIVES ~~~~~~~~~~~~~<>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ -----Original Message----- From: Pam Cooper [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Tuesday, February 18, 2003 11:47 AM To: [email protected] Subject: [FLORIDA] FW: A FOLLOW UP ON YESTERDAY'S MEETING IN TALLAHASSEE Please forward this to every listserv. -----Original Message----- From: Nick Wynne [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Tuesday, February 18, 2003 11:30 AM To: [email protected] Subject: A FOLLOW UP ON YESTERDAY'S MEETING IN TALLAHASSEE As I mentioned in my e-mail last night, I attended the public hearing of the Florida Historical Commission in the R. A. Gray Building. What a strange experience! Ying and yang! * It was delightful to see a large number of professional colleagues assembled for the purpose of protesting this assault against the historical programs of Florida. * It was appalling to hear Anna Estes, the Legislative Analyst from the Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability, whose agency reviewed the operations of the various cultural programs in the State Department, state that, with the exception of a few minor efficiencies, APPAGA saw no need for drastic or dramatic changes in the operations of these agencies. * It was appalling to hear Teresa Tinker, Bush's Policy Coordinator, from the Growth Management and Strategic Policy Unit in the governor's office, announce that the Bush administration would be concluding a deal Monday or Tuesday to transfer the State Library to some other institution (read Nova Southeastern). * It was appalling to hear Ms. Tinker casually say that the State Museum would be allowed to stay under the Department of State for one more year, but offer nothing positive about the lost positions or about the future of the Museum after this one-year delay. * It was delightful to hear the audience respond with boos and hisses at some of the most outrageous and logically distorted claims by Ms. Tinker were put forward. For example, leaving the State Museum in place for one year. * It was unusual (and to some state employees, intimidating) to have the entire procedure carefully monitored by the acting Secretary of State and his number 2 person. * It was discouraging to sit through a thirty minute discourse on how bills are passed in the Legislature and to realize that the Legislature has constructed a number of dead-ends for citizen input and that any real chance of influencing legislation does not come at the ballot box, but at the expense of hiring professional lobbyists who can dedicate themselves to a 24-hour-a-day monitoring of the complex apparatus that is the legislative process. * It was discouraging to hear the refrain that "everything is up to the Legislature" and to realize that the process (see above) is too cumbersome for average citizens with real issues to negotiate. * It was appalling to see apparently bright men and women abandon their consciences and do the "Jeb dance" for justification of the most immoral and unjust assault on cultural institutions and programs ever witnessed in the Sunshine State. (For a possible alternative to the Bush party line, consult e.e. cummings' "I Sing of Olaf" and repeat the refrain.) * It was delightful to get to the end of the carefully choregraphed presentations by members of the governor's team and hear from people like Bob Austin, Marion Almy, John Daniels and Ken Hardin explore the financial hardships that the proposed Bush plan will have on tourism, historic preservation, development and archaeology. Millions, possibly billions, of lost dollars are at stake! * It was delightful to hear the real anger of the "citizens" come out when the public portion of the hearing was opened. More than thirty citizens gave vent to their feelings toward the proposed programmatic, personnel and budget cuts of the Bush administration. If their reactions are any real judge, there will be "hell to pay" at the next election. * It was appalling to see the absence of any Democrat representative at the hearing to respond to these proposed changes. * It was appalling to learn that proposed legislation is "confidential" and cannot be reviewed or commented on by citizens until AFTER it has been placed on the legislative docket! Keep the people in the dark! * It was delightful to see people like Florida Historical Commission member Lex MeKeithen of Wellborn express dismay and anger at the entire process. That is my quick take. I was not present when the "white paper" was agreed upon, but I would be willing to bet that it will be accommodating to the governor's rape of the historical/cultural programs. It is a commission appointed by the governor, the Speaker and the President of the Senate. Its membership has two Department of State employees. The hearing was held in a government building and was carefully monitored by the Secretary of State, the Director of the State Library, and by other employees of the Department. Only incoming Secretary of State Glenda Hood was absent, BUT her imminence was invoked reverentially by Ms. Tinker on several occasions. I can only assure each of you that the upcoming meeting in Cocoa on Wednesday, February 19, will be certified 100% government-spokesperson FREE. Come if you can.