Jeb's One Florida program is a winner for minorities [The Tampa Tribune's editors praise Jeb]

The Tampa Tribune via www.jeb.org ^ | May 2, 2002 | Editors of The Tampa Tribune

[summer]

Gov. Bush meets with a FL middle school teacher.

Thursday, May 2, 2002

Tampa Tribune Editorial

Jeb's One Florida program is a winner for minorities

The hard numbers continue to show that despite all protests, Gov. Jeb Bush's One Florida plan is notably helping minorities.

The governor took a lot of grief when he abruptly adopted the plan to eliminate racial quotas. The move was aimed at defusing a referendum campaign to eliminate affirmative action, which would have greatly restricted the state's ability to aid minorities.

So the governor adopted a plan that guarantees the top 20 percent of students in every high school senior class are accepted into a state university if those students have taken preparatory classes.

The plan also eliminated set-aside hiring of minority contractors by agencies that report to the governor. Instead, the governor gave a clear directive to the agencies: Minority businesses should be hired when possible, records will be kept on minority hiring and agency heads will be held accountable for the department's performance.

For his good efforts, the governor was accused of abandoning minorities. Two lawmakers protested in his office. Opponents still depict him as unsympathetic to minorities.

This is simply not true. The governor is committed to diversity, as his appointments and policies show. If he made a mistake with One Florida, it was rushing ahead without waiting to build support.

One Florida was designed to help minorities. Statistics show it is working. Consider how it has affected state contracts:

Since One Florida was adopted, state spending with certified minority businesses has more than doubled and most of that increase has come in the governor's agencies. These departments, which fall under his One Florida rule, have nearly tripled their annual certified minority spending, compared to that of the prior administration.

In fiscal year 1998-1999, the governor's agencies spent $151 million with minority businesses. By 2000-2001, that figure had increased 160 percent to $392 million. And the figure is on track to be even higher this fiscal year.

[summer]

There is really some very positive change happening here in FL, thanks to Gov. Bush, and as evidenced by a newspaper like The Tampa Tribune now praising Gov. Bush for One FL, which has been labeled by some as his most controversial policy.

BTW, for more info in how Gov. Bush has improved student achievement in FL, click here

[summer]

For index.

[Clemenza]

Of course, we know hell has frozen over when the Sun Sentinal and Miami Herald praise Jeb. SE Florida is REALLY BAD when it comes to local media.

[summer]

LOL...

[katherineisgreat]

Get this in the Palm Beach Post and I'll eat dirt.

[warchild9]

The important point is that this Bush, like the others, is committed to the devisive, illegal, and immoral policy of affirmative action.

[summer]

It sounds like you don't know anything at all about Gov. Bush's actual policies.

[summer]

LOL!

[mhking]

You've gotta love Joe Brown's editorials.

I'm pretty sure this is one of his.

[warchild9]

It said in the article that he was running interference for affirmative action. His brother and father have done nothing to back it into a corner. What's to know further?

[lodwick]

Good job Summer! Way to go Jeb! bttt

[FreeTally]

The important point is that this Bush, like the others, is committed to the devisive, illegal, and immoral policy of affirmative action.

Which is why he is trying to eliminate it as best he can? You make no sense.

[warchild9]

Florida law has reduced affirmative action as an overt method of reducing the number of whites entering public universities. The covert methods--code fraternities and sororities, rebalancing SAT scores, etc.--still wait to be challenged in court. We'll see how Florida state supports these policies then. But you Bushites are ignoring Jeb's continued support for hiring minorities over qualified whites, and spreading tax money around in an unfair manner. (And please let me note that I am an out-of-stater and think Jeb would make a better president than his brother.)

[FreeTally]

But you Bushites are ignoring Jeb's continued support

LOL!! Please familiarize yourself with posters before calling them "Bushites". You look pretty silly labeling me like that. I am one of the most vocal criticizers of all things "Bush" on FR. I just think the "One Florida" plan was a step in the right direction. Other than that, Jeb can kiss my arse for taking down the Confederate Flag.

[warchild9]

I'll admit to being oversensitive to Bushite irrationality, and apologize. While it may be an incremental assault on affirmative action, One Florida still smells fishy to me. However, because of his opposition to abortion and support for the Second Amendment, I still think he'd make a decent president. (And I invite you to read my profile as to my stand on Southern Nationalism. His assault on our flag makes me really doubt his One Florida aims. Ahem.)

[summer]

I just think the "One Florida" plan was a step in the right direction. Other than that, Jeb can kiss my arse for taking down the Confederate Flag.

LOL....FreeTally, let's just remember that he did NOT remove that flag and stick it in a box and hide it in the basement -- he MOVED it to a MUSEUM in Tallahassee where there is a flag display of FL flags, and in all honesty, I think that is an appropriate place for anyone in the public to view it. Other people, and I won't say who, DID remove a Confederate flag or said symbol, outside of FL, and they stuffed it away in a box somewhere. Gov. Bush did not do that. He moved it -- and, presevered that part of FL history. You can still it whenever you want, in a museum.

[summer]

I meant: preserved

[summer]

BTW, Gov. Bush signed into FL law a bill prohibiting partial birth abortion, at the height of national hysteria over such laws. He did it anyway because he said he would do it - and, he did. He is very straightforward in that respect.

[summer]

still see it...

[summer]

And, I disgagree with your post #13 - I think gov. Bush hires the most qualified people he can find, but he is also open to hiring the best people whether white, black, whatever. He does have more minorities working on his staff than the last Dem gov, and to me, that has something to do with the hypocrisy of Dem leaders.