The GOP Class of 2002 Will Be Missed
Term limits have had a devastating consequence. The Florida Legislature has gotten worse and worse as we have gotten deeper into the term limits era. This year five moderate GOP Senators will be term limited and the inevitable consequence is that the upper chamber will look more like the reactionary lower chamber unless the 2012 elections go incredibly well.
The Associated Industries of Florida (AIF) ratings that were released this week once again confirmed the House’s right wing views towards business, labor and insurance. The House contains 78 members that scored at least a 95% rating from AIF. The average rating for the entire House was 89%, meaning in many cases Democratic “leaders” are functioning as proxies for the GOP agenda. In the past this was cause for great consternation. The assumption was that much of the reactionary “pro-business” legislation passed by the House would either die in the Senate or face the veto pen of the Governor. But the Senate, already more conservative in 2012 than anytime since Dempsey Barron was running the chamber, will be a different place in 2013. Further complicating matters is that the Governor is not Charlie Crist, a populist who took on big business when he felt it would help him politically, but right wing ideologue Rick Scott.
In fairness, we thought we were at this point once before. In the 2002 session when AIF took it on the chin from a well organized House Democratic Caucus led by Lois Frankel and a Senate led by President John McKay (who scored 13% on AIFs annual scorecard, the lowest score ever recorded by a Republican since AIF started scoring the Legislature in 1979) shut down the reactionary anti-consumer agenda of AIF and its allies. But the combination of term limits for moderate GOP members of the Senate and a heavily partisan reapportionment map coupled with Jeb Bush’s reelection made us think the worst times were around the corner.
The Senate was losing its moderates. John McKay, the Senate President, had pushed his own version of ESE school vouchers and some social issue legislation but on economics had essentially governed for two years like a liberal Democrat. McKay had stacked committee chairmanships with term limited or loyal moderate Republicans (such as Lisa Carlton, his former aide who had been one of the most moderate GOP members of the House before becoming a Senator) and several senior Democrats, effectively creating a buffer against the right wing agenda of Jeb Bush and his former running mate, House Speaker Tom Feeney. The overall Senate score average from AIF in 2002 was 42%, featuring a 13% for Senate President McKay, 26% for future Democratic Party Chairman Rod Smith and 28% for future Senate President Ken Pruitt. Among leadership types only former Senate Democratic Leader Buddy Dyer scored over 50%. In 2002, the people truly won the battle with monied business interests. (Keep in mind from where I sit the lower an AIF score, the better)
Despite the gloom entering 2003, it proved to be a frustrating year for the business and insurance lobbies. While they got Medical Malpractice Reform eventually through the Senate it took three Special Sessions and lots of compromise. The center had held because several former House members had moderated their views after crossing to the other side of the Capitol. In 2005 we saw the centrist Republicans show the courage lacking in the national GOP to take on the religious conservatives in the Terry Schiavo matter. As a Floridian I am forever proud that more Republicans in the 40 member State Senate voted against Randall Terry and crazies on the right than in the entire 435 member US House of Representatives.
The trend continued through Charlie Crist’s Governorship. Mike Fasano, who had been one of the most conservative House members (except on issues related to Tort/Product Liability Reform) gradually became an economic populist, who took heroic stands on several pieces of terrible legislation. Paula Dockery, who amassed a partisan record in the House, became a fierce critic of Governor Bush and became a de-facto Democrat on many issues. J.D. Alexander, always temperamentally moderate, became an effective leader on spending issues, curtailing the excessive cuts from the House. Evelyn Lynn, always an outspoken advocate on education issues, continued her moderation in the Senate. Dennis Jones, the longest serving legislator in Tallahassee, has had so much courage in his convictions through the years he often would not even give Governor’s Bush or Scott the time of day when they tried to buy his vote for school vouchers or prison privatization legislation. All five aforementioned Senators are term limited this year.
The passing of Jim King, the appointment to the PSC of Nancy Argenziano, and the term limits placed on Ken Pruitt and Lisa Carlton, in addition to the five members mentioned above means the Senate is gradually moving right. The question is whether this year’s session will be last where the Senate continues to act as a buffer against reactionary right wing policy or will the new members fulfill their responsibility as senior legislators to move to the middle?
U make the best point here. Not much was expected of the Class of 2002 when they cane to the Senate but in time they proved they were worthy Senators. Will the Class of 2012 do the same?
Unless the Ds pick up several seats, like 3-4 we’re doomed because the straight swaps of Dockery, Fasano and Lynn for new GOP senators is a swap for a moderate to a conservative.
You are too kind to Alexander in this piece by the way. This year he was horrible.
Jones may be replaced by a moderate given St Petersburg is not exactly a right wing bastion.
Under the new map it should be 25-15 at worst. Still finding 5 moderate Rs not easy.
The Dems are spineless in the Senate. The only members willing to stand up and risk the wrath of the leadership are actually Republicans. These Senators will be sorely missed.
I am generally a fan of K2 but this is a ridiculous post
Lois Frankel was not a good leader at all. She created divisions in the caucus and could not stop almost a quarter of the caucus for voting yea on redistricting which was the most partisan gerrymander ever.
She also staged a show walkout of a vote. Less than half the caucus followed her out the door. Her peers hated her.
As for McKay, his selection of Denocrats as chairs of key committees was insane. It was good for us but it is part of the reason bush and feeney hated him so much. He attacked Bush right after the state of the state in 2001.
You can eulogize these GOPers leaving. But I am sure the republicans feel about then the way we do about so many legislators who get attacked here.
Very nice blog here.
I think Dockery in particular will be missed. She always carried a great deal of weight with her colleagues.
I do think the Senate has a moderating influence over all things extreme. The chamber itself is club by with only 40 members so it becomes more non-confrontational and moderate by nature.
Not entirely true but yes we have too many Heremy Ring’s and too few Arthenia Joyner’s.
Frankel at least gave the House Dens an identity. Contrast that with Ron
Saunders, Franklin Sands, Les Miller etc who did nothing but cut deals.
Ring is a good voice for the Dems on business isuess. Helps to change the image of the party. It was outstanding when Robert Wexler helped shape up the Senate caucus putting Deutch and Ring in office.
The senate dems were so impressed with Deutch they almost made him leader right away.
Relationships are the key to the Senate. That’s why Skip Campbell and Robert Wexler who both served with Charlie Crist liked him enough to lend support for US Senate. Meek is a good guy but could not win statewide.
Too many relationships while we are in
The minority means we continue to lose. Wexler should have known better. So should have Skip. Supporting Crist so openly damaged the party for years to come.
Sorry, not happy about Meek being screwed Morning Star!
Any House members running for the Senste who may be okay?
Losing five moderates would be bad
Do you want appropriate consensus oriented legislators or bomb throwers?
Bomb throwers win headlines but we need democrats who could meet the republicans mentioned halfway.
We have Jeremy Ring and Montford but that is about it.
Latvala from my area was a moderate in the day. but now is voting the party line.
Ah fiddlesticks
He was a big environmentalist but still very partisan always.
Every time we try “consensus” we get rolled over. Screw that.
WE NEED LOUD VOCAL LIBERALS IN THE SENATE!!!!!
I wonder how these senators will be rated in the scorecard? For all the talk of moderation, Fasano has never once cast a decent vote on female reproductive rights in 15 plus legislative years. Dockery was involved in pushing the High Speed Rail because her and her husband were bound to make a killing off of land sales from it.
We are proud that Burt Aaronson, Ron Klein and other palm beach county democrats worked to kill an expensive, needed boondoggle that would have benefited Dockery directly.
Fasano sucked on women’s health but he will be back in the House pushing insurance reform without question. Who is proud of Burt Aaronson? Ron Klein? He was in Congress and the Ds were all pushing for the high speed rail. I miss Ron Klein. I wish he was running against West instead of the stupid rich kid who is clueless. Ron is seperate from the rest of PBC delegation. Smart guy.