The Way I See ItBy cj pollickIndian Rocks Beach Election - It is time for the citizens of Indian Rocks Beach to vote for the people who have ideas to make Indian Rocks Beach a better place to live and work. Regardless of some of the "mudslinging" that unfortunately happens when people run for elected office, the folks at Indian Rocks Beach should focus on important issues that confront the city and the people who might best help solve those problems. Focus on facts and not unfounded ads or flyers. Most importantly, vote. Clearwater Beach Parking Issues - There is one City of Clearwater topic that seems to arise from the dead every year and make its way to the top of the City Council agenda - additional Clearwater Beach parking space. Of course, and if the past eleven years is any indicator, the topic will somehow work its way back to a non-City Council topic. In other words, it becomes a "tabled" City Council agenda item. However, perhaps this is the year that something substantive will be voted upon by the Clearwater City Council. One Clearwater Beach citizen mentioned the following to a group of other local citizens while having coffee, "Most folks agree that we have a public parking issue on Clearwater Beach. We taxpayers also know that the city must cut its budget due to the passage of property tax reforms in Tallahassee. So, why are some of our elected officials talking about buying more land to build a new Clearwater Beach parking garage, why not just use currently owned city land?" The statement is, of course, being echoed by many Clearwater Beach taxpayers. In summary: There is a need for more public parking on Clearwater Beach. There are no extra city funds to pay for more private land on Clearwater Beach. There is current city-owned land on Clearwater Beach that could be used to build a city-owned public parking garage. Some city officials have stated that they do not support using city land that faces the ocean. They refer to such parking space use as destroying our remaining ocean vista. Therefore, those city officials support buying more beach land (non-waterfront) or they would also consider using other city-owned land that is non-waterfront. However, with a financial shortfall soon to hit Clearwater's budget due to lower tax revenues, it makes you wonder why any city official would support buying land instead of using current city-owned land. The Clearwater Beach parking issue, therefore, could become one of city officials reviewing the few taxpayer-owned parcels of land that could be used. The needed parking space issue could become more focused on only reviewing the current city-owned parcels of land and eliminate thoughts of buying more Clearwater Beach land from private landowners. If this type of thinking is agreed upon by the elected officials, then the planning process for a new beach garage could be focused upon the use of only a few beach locations. More public parking for Clearwater Beach? Time will tell, but if the past eleven years is an indicator, this issue is likely to be "tabled" for another year and another City Council. Texas And Ohio Vote For Hillary - Hillary Clinton needed to win both Texas and Ohio to have a chance on winning the Democrat Primary. She won. Now the Democrat primary will continue to Pennsylvania and the convention. On the other hand, John McCain won the Republican Primary and is now the GOP candidate. Sen. John McCain And The Liberal Media - Sen. John McCain was a favorite son of the liberal media until January 2008, when he became the GOP presidential frontrunner. In the past, Sen. McCain was viewed by the media as someone who acted independently of GOP dogma. Someone who, when a vote was taken, might vote for or against Republican Party wishes. Someone who, from time-to-time, seemed to oppose the GOP leadership and President Bush. Thus, when people observed Sen. Joe Lieberman (D-Conn.) changing political parties and becoming an Independent when running for re-election (after losing the Democrat Party primary), many folks thought that this act was something Sen. John McCain would do if put in the same situation. Democrats, at the time, felt they could not trust Lieberman's vote in the Senate, much like Republicans felt they could not trust McCain's vote in the Senate. Both men clearly voted as "independent" of major political party platforms. Moderate and Independent voters welcomed Sen. Joe Lieberman and that is why he won re-election after losing the Democrat primary. The same is probably true for Sen. John McCain - he will attract moderate and Independent voters and lose some GOP conservatives. However, Sen. John McCain did not think the liberal press, once his friends, would turn on him and print ad hominem attack articles, as though he was George W. Bush. McCain has learned much the past few weeks. On the other hand, the same is true for Hillary Clinton, once thought of as the presidential frontrunner for the Democrat ticket in November. Bill and Hillary Clinton are probably shocked to see many newspapers throughout the country have endorsed her opponent Sen. Barack Obama instead of her. Who does the national media want as president? Sen. Barack Obama. The liberal media would grudgingly accept Sen. Hillary Clinton, but their first choice is Obama. Someone more liberal than Hillary? Yes, it is Barack Obama. Iran Launches Rocket - According to national news reports, the government of Iran recently launched a rocket into space (about150 miles high) and transferred data back to its control station in Iran. What is surprising about this report is that Iran only started this rocket project nine months ago. Iran also stated it had no help from any other group of rocket scientists. Yes, Iran did all of this in nine months that has taken other countries many years to accomplish. Yes, we are to believe Iran had no help from North Korea, China or other countries. The really bad news? With nuclear weapons and rockets it is only a matter of time before Iran says they also have nuclear warheads on rockets pointed in our direction. And, yes, Sen. Obama has stated he would meet with all these types of radical anti-American nations regardless of their intentions. Obama would, therefore, act like former President Jimmy Carter.
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