Last election, I posted my summary of the Editorial opinions of the Miami Herald and the Sun Sentinel. So, for my readers, allow me to provide their opinions on the state-wide contests and then a post on the Florida Amendments and the Broward County Charter Amendments/Questions.
Summary of Election Editorial opinions – the Miami Herald and the Sun-Sentinel.
Florida Governor
Editorial Opinion
Miami Herald – Alex Sink (click for editorial)
Voters who believe elections should be decided on merit have a clear choice in the race for governor. Democrat Alex Sink, the state’s chief financial officer, stands head and shoulders above Republican Rick Scott in terms of experience, familiarity with issues, and responsiveness to the public.
Fort Lauderdale Sun Sentinel – no answer yet
My opinion – I have been a fan of Alex Sink from when she ran for CFO years ago. And I am intrigued to see a person with real skill and experience in the Governor’s seat. Will we finally get things done in Tallahassee to lift Florida out of the doldrums it has been in?
US Senate
Editorial Opinion
Miami Herald – Mario Rubio (click for editorial)
Nevertheless, at 39, Mr. Rubio has the potential to be the kind of statesman Floridians can be proud to call a native son — much like another conservative, former Sen. Connie Mack, who became a defender of Haitian immigrants’ rights and led bipartisan initiatives that doubled federal spending on bio-medical research.
Like a lot of voters, we’ve struggled with the choices in this race, and our pick may surprise some readers. We do not agree with many of Mr. Rubio’s positions — certainly not the far-right stance he has taken on immigration or his position against healthcare reform.
Yet his persistence in taking on a popular governor 18 months ago to run for the U.S. Senate says something about Mr. Rubio’s passion to fix what’s wrong in Washington. At this critical juncture in the nation’s economy, Mr. Rubio offers a welcome dose of fiscal restraint. He has exhibited common sense on Social Security, where he proposes raising the retirement age as a way of keeping the program solvent. Neither Mr. Crist nor Mr. Meek has dared to make take such a clear stand.
Mr. Rubio has been the driving force in this race. His leadership skills were evident as House Speaker, but in Washington he will need to work across the aisle — a virtue not abundant in Tallahassee. Smart and committed, Mr. Rubio can grow into a consensus-seeker in the Senate, benefiting all Floridians.
Fort Lauderdale Sun Sentinel – Mario Rubio (click for editorial)
The Sun Sentinel Editorial Board recommends voters choose Marco Rubio. Of three candidates in the race, it is Rubio, a former Speaker of the Florida House of Representatives, who best and most articulately makes a case for a needed change in the country’s fiscal direction.
By contrast, Rubio’s opponents, Gov. Charlie Crist, running as an independent, and U.S. Rep. Kendrick Meek, the Democratic nominee, don’t make a strong enough case that they would be able to force a change in the country’s fiscal direction.
…
That said, let’s be clear. The Sun Sentinel Editorial Board disagrees with Rubio’s positions on many social issues.
But in this election, and for the foreseeable future, the most critical issues facing America are rooted in massive federal spending, a national debt that is growing at dangerous rates and persistently high unemployment.
It is our hope that Rubio’s fiscal conservative stances will move the Democrats to the center, much as the Republican congressional victory in November 1994 forced the Clinton administration to address fiscal issues. The GOP’s win 16 years ago ushered an era of much bickering and division in Washington, to be sure, but it paved the way for reduced government spending and balanced budgets — a direction that fueled the late 1990s economic boom.
Of the three candidates, Rubio seems most willing to take on tough decisions on entitlement spending. For example, he’s willing to consider raising the retirement age for new workers entering the system to pare costs in the future.
My opinion – I am torn between the candidates. Meek is a Democrat and I am staunchly one. Crist has been an interesting Governor and I feel for his campaign and how the Tea Party and political winds have blown poorly (along with the bad pitch). Rubio – I have not taken a serious look since he was a Republican. Reading the editorials, I would have to agree with some of the concepts discussed, but wonder if we have too much constraint (in terms of slowing down our Administration’s efforts to revive the economy), will we slide into the inflation or depression that is threatened with a double-dip recession?
I can not recommend one versus another – I will have to decide at the voting booth.
Pingback: Summary of 2010 Broward County Charter Amendments | Political Gastronomica