I don't understand why FL state employees claim to be so unhappy with Gov. Bush. They have devoted a web site to their misery, called www.whoseflorida.com

He just gave a pay raise to those earning $90K or less a year, while taking a pay cut himself -- and, he ordered a pay cut for all other state employees making more than $90K a year.

And, he recently provided more options for state employees to invest their retirment earnings.

Are they so upset about his "Service First" Plan, cutting some state jobs and changing others? What's the deal with them? Is it just because they're all in a union and he's in the GOP? I don't understand their gripes.

Maybe you guys can enlighten me on this one.

You know I used to think Florida was ok, then I found out those whacko Libs from NJ/NY and points north move down there. No wonder they don't like JB.

Summer, these state employees are government moochers. They hate everything our wonderful governor does. Watch, they'll gripe that their pay raise isn't big enough. It's what this state gets though for electing so many democrats to office for so long. Can you believe that 50% of us aren't being represented by our senators? It disgusts me that we elected two Democrats to represent us. Yuck.

Well, thank you for your posts. I don't know; I think their complaints may just be partisian politics.

I'm sure plenty of other people would be quite happy to find out they got a raise at this time.

I wonder if they'll even bother to mention this raise on their web site.

Bumping for index

FYI.

I don't understand why FL state employees claim to be so unhappy with Gov. Bush. They have devoted a web site to their misery, called www.whoseflorida.com

I really wonder if the majority of Fla state employees really don't like the Gov., or if a vocal minority is trying to sway opinions.

I'm viewing from outside and from out of state, but my recollection is that Jeb Bush won his position with a sound majority of voters. My guess is that this stuff is just sour grapes from those who are on the left due to the fact that "W" won. I wouldn't be surprised to see the democrats behind these "greivances" since they all follow the generally accepted liberal practices.

Lets see, Jeb helped clear out some of the deadwood, made a weak but forward attempt at eliminating racial quotas, and attempted to attract business (and productive jobs) to Florida. What's the gripe?

...since they all follow the generally accepted liberal practices.

Perhaps I should have said "Generally Unacceptable Liberal Practices" or GULP for short. :)

He did win in 1998 with a sound majority, beating a Dem Lt Governor with dozens of years experience in government, Buddy MacKay.

And, in 1994, the first time Jeb Bush ran for governor, he lost by the smallest margin of loss in FL history -- something like 65,000 (sixty-five thousand) votes out of over 6 million votes cast in the state. So, you may have a point -- it could be a small but vocal minority.

Also, here's a newsflash for those people -- the private sector cuts jobs too. So, IMO, there's not a whole lot of sympathy right now for complaining government employees who are getting raises.

Finally, one fact not often mentioned is that while everyone outside of FL heard about things like the march on Tallahassee after One Florida was announced, not many people outside of Florida seem to remember that a short 2-3 months later, Gov. Bush had record-breaking job approval ratings in this state.

People unhappy with One Florida did not seem to bother protesting this governor again after that poll came out, as it showed the rest of the state was backing him in record numbers.

You are trying to make my life miserable. I know that.

I'm out hustling to buy my mom Lamisol at $9 a pill. Along with her other medications which runs $300+ a month. Plus her medicare sup which is $2,500 a year. Every dime of this is paid from taxed income. My income. What is left after I pay for health care, vacations, pensions and the salaries of govvernment workers who "earn" far more than I make.

Yes I am not happy with this. I am depressed. Very depressed. Only thing which keeps me going is that one must take care of family. No matter how much government workers screw us. But someday, probably soon, my mom will die. And then I can spent every dime I am spending now keeping her alive to defeat the bastards who are hurting me and her now.

They just do not like Jeb - they don't like any Republican. Here in Tallahassee Lawton Chiles is still beloved, and the state workers will never forget being called "lard bricks" - an apt description if I ever heard one - by Bob Martinez.
They are oblivious to anything in the world but their own comfort, Jeb scares them ,they think they might have to actually do their job to keep it!

True story:
At about noon on September 11th, still in a total state of shock, I had to run to Publix to grab something for lunch. I ended up in line between two state workers. Did they voice any emotion at all about the highjackings, the deaths, the collapse of the WTC? No way - they bitched about Jeb, and how they were screwing the state to keep their jobs till full retirement. It was all I could do to keep from slapping their smug faces.

Larry, thanks for your post. Sorry to hear about your mom. I know medical care is very expensive.
Sincerely, summer

Well. They do not sound like dedicated public servants. But, I do know such people also exist, though they were certainly not near you on line at Publix on 9-11.

Not that I discussed it with a bunch of people, but I would say that the people where I work were very happy and grateful to get that 2.5% raise in light of the current situation.

Sorry to hear about your mom. I know medical care is very expensive.

Such is life. I'll handle it. I don't mind digging ditches, doing without to take care of someone who gave me birth. That is what moral people do. I do resent government workers whining and crying for more money, more money when they have medical benfits I will never have, my family will never have for the simple reason we can't afford them. Because I'm paying taxes to pay for the medical care of others. Government workers mainly. This really sucks.

That's good to hear -- let's see if the state workers on the web site www.whoseflorida.com bother posting the news that they got a raise. To read that site, you'd think they were all starving to death.

Larry, I am just curious -- what kind of changes would help you in your situation with your mom? I mean, what do you think should happen, that isn't happening right now, in terms of, let's say, health care for elders? Or, however you see it?

I can't complain about the freebies. My mom, at 80, has probably had a million bucks plus of care. In two months she had 2 carotid surgeries, two heart caths, two blood clot surgeries, one bovine valve implant, one triple bypass, five local lung surgeries and one pacemaker-defib implant.

All mostly free.

Some SOB at the DMV however thought I was blind because I have lazy eye and their cheap machines could not account for it (every other state knew).

So I had to pay $325 in after tax money for an eye exam so I could drive to work. While I was waiting, the receptionist was on the phone with a medicaid patent who was bitching about a $12 charge for contacts. She thought they should be free as are eyeglasses.

I'm fed up as you can see.

Yes, I see -- and, since you're driving around, I'm glad you can see too! :)