The Way I See ItBy cj pollickClearwater City Election - If citizens in Clearwater believe all is well, then the next city election might become another low (12%) voter turnout. On the other hand, if citizens in Clearwater believe that things have not improved, and are likely to not improve, then the next city election might result in a higher voter turn-out. Is change needed in Clearwater? In the last Clearwater city election, current city Councilmember Paul Gibson upset some city officials by beating an opponent who would have avoided asking tough questions about the city budget and city projects. Gibson won, in great part, due to voter unhappiness with the direction of the city and Gibson stated that he would ask tough questions regarding the city budget and city projects. High city taxes, fewer tourists, a lower economy, and an ever increasing city budget raised concerns of many Clearwater city voters in 2006. Paul Gibson's election victory in 2006 is an indication that the taxpayers in Clearwater are willing to elect someone that is not handicapped with special interest group demands. Since the Clearwater city election is to take place in January, there is not much time for election campaigning by city candidates. Thus, it is not known if there are any interested candidates for city office. The Gazette will follow this city election matter as candidates file their election papers. Opus South - In downtown Clearwater there is a development called Water's Edge One built by Opus South. Opus South bought the property from Calvary Baptist Church and, as the development project was being built, asked the Property Appraiser for a description of the land (questioning the value of the property.) To Opus' surprise, the Appraiser's property description was different than what they thought they had bought. A sliver of land is being questioned by the City of Clearwater as being city-owned property. The good news? Opus might win and simply move forward. The bad news? The project stops while a referendum is held to hear from Clearwater taxpayers that own the small sliver of land. Ridiculous. Opus South has done noting but act in god faith since buying the property from Calvary Church. Let's hope Judge James Case rules in favor of Opus regarding this 23-foot wide piece of land that was once stairs to the church property. Is this another example of buyer beware? How About Those Bulls? - If you are a fan of Tampa Bay's USF football program, then you are incredibly proud of the USF win last Friday evening over (then) fifth ranked West Virginia. The win helped to push the USF Bulls to a top-ten (sixth) AP NCAA division I college football ranking. The Raymond James Stadium was rocking with over 67,000 screaming USF fans. With national ESPN televised coverage of the game, USF gained much needed national presence. Kudos to everyone who was, and is, a part of helping to build one of Florida's top division I football programs in Tampa Bay. USF win over West Virginia was the good news, the bad news was Florida losing to Auburn. Of course, the Gators can redeem themselves this weekend by beating top-ranked LSU at LSU. GO GATORS. Lastly, Notre Dame lost again. Some folks are wondering if Notre Dame could win more than two football games this year. No bowl game for Notre Dame. Big game this weekend? Gators vs LSU. This is a must-win game for the Gators in a hostile stadium. GOP Must Decide On A Candidate - Republicans must decide whether they favor Mitt Romney, Rudy Guiliani or Fred Thompson. It is clear that one of these three talented men will become the GOP candidate in the 2008 presidential election. People that waited to see if Newt Gingrich would run for office now know that Newt is not running for elected office in 2008. All of this means that Republicans must decide whether they favor the former mayor of New York who had supported abortion rights, a former US senator who is also a movie actor, or a governor of Massachusetts who is of the Morman faith. Democrats have their selection issues. Would the Democrats support Hillary Clinton over Barack Obama and John Edwards? Democrats must decide whether a woman with little elected office experience, who can't get past 48 percent national voter support, can beat a political newcomer who, many people in the Democrat party believe, is popular with the younger generation of voters. Excluding a popular and well-dressed John Edwards who may win both Democrat primary elections in New Hampshire and Iowa. Most independent voters can't believe the list of choices for our next president. Prognosticators can mix and match the above mentioned choices from each political party any way they want to favor their best candidates. Hillary vs. Rudy? Obama vs. Thompson? Edwards vs. Romney? Rudy vs. Edwards? Obama vs. Mitt? Regardless of the outcome there will be some discontent in each major political party. There is grumbling already in each political party if so-and-so wins the party primary. Politics, it stinks. Democrat Presidential Candidates Snub Florida Voters - Just when you might have thought the Democrats would fight to reclaim recent voter losses in Florida they shoot themselves in the foot. The Democrat National Party has refused to accept the statewide official voting date in Florida. Thus, Democrat leaders (such as John Dean of Vermont) have decided to snub Florida voters. "The Florida vote won't count," says DNC leaders. Of course, Democrat leaders in Florida still hope the DNC would ultimately support Florida voters and not reject them. The internal battle between Democrats appears to be causing some voters to wonder if Democrats could lead the nation if they can't lead their own political party. Even though Democrat presidential hopefuls will not support Florida voters in this "Political Party" controversy, they all appear to smile as they visit Florida and take Florida campaign funds at private get-togethers. In a campaign year when Democrats should be sticking together, they end-up fighting with one another. I Pledge Allegiance To The Flag - Seems as though the trend towards more liberalism continues in America thanks to certain legal groups such as the ACLU and liberal politicians funded by radical special interest organizations that attack our US generals. Consider this recent event in Boulder, Colorado: Over 50 high school students walked-out of school protesting the Pledge Of Allegiance (which they had the right to not say at Boulder.) Rather than just avoid saying The Pledge, the students walked-out of school. Call it a form of protesting America. These students have created their own "pledge" and it allows for diversity, etc., etc. If these students are, without permission, allowed to walk-out of high school using a ridiculous form of protest, then any small group of high school students could cut school claiming some form of protest. Where would this nonsense end? More liberalism in America? Tell that to the many young people that have served our great nation on the battlefields. Pledge to America? Most citizens believe it should be mandatory in our schools and prior to government meetings . . . "One nation under God" (student protestors in Colorado also do not like those words to be repeated.)
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