Where's Bill McCollum When Tough Economic Times Call For Tough Leaders?

From FDP:

Tough economic times call for tough leaders. But when leadership on the bread-and-butter issue of job growth and job creation has arisen, Bill McCollum has failed Florida.

More than 300,000 Floridians have lost their jobs. The state faces a record-high 11.9 percent unemployment rate. Over 600,000 home foreclosures have beset the Sunshine State. Florida faces a $3.2 billion budget shortfall. And what's Bill McCollum's answer to the economic crisis facing Florida?
Answer: Nothing.

Former Congressman Bill McCollum epitomizes a "career politician" and nothing more than "the status quo." McCollum has yet to propose "a single budget-cutting or job-creating idea," even as his gubernatorial rival Alex Sink announces her business plan for Florida. (Orlando Sentinel, 02/19/10; Editorial, Orlando Sentinel, 01/31/10)

"Tough economic times call for tough leadership. But where's Bill McCollum?" Florida Democratic Party spokesman Eric Jotkoff asked. "Florida can't afford another Washington politician like Bill McCollum. He loves to spend your money but won't help foster the growth of good jobs to help you earn it."

In fact, McCollum helped "turn our lemonade economy into lemon," dangerously pushing the deregulation of the financial industry that led to the economic meltdown. Now, he wants to be governor, in which capacity he'd likely turn Florida's economy into a "permanent bust." (Column, Sun-Sentinel, 01/15/10)

"The race for governor sets a clear choice for the people of our state: a leader that offers a clear vision and business plan for Florida, or a Washington politician offering more of the same," Jotkoff added.

BACKGROUND:

McCollum Epitomizes A "Career Politician" and the "Status Quo". Republicans "should give serious thought to how badly they want to hold on to the governor's mansion. If they do, they may want to rethink their decision to pin all their chances on two-time loser Bill McCollum. This is, after all, a time when residents are sick of the status quo, career politicians and toe-the-line partisanship. McCollum epitomizes all three." (Orlando Sentinel, 02/19/10)

Orlando Sentinel: McCollum Has Yet To Propose "A Single Budget-Cutting Or Job-Creating Idea". A column in the Orlando Sentinel opined: "The Republican running, Attorney General Bill McCollum, has been seizing on big, national issues that the Governor's Office has little direct involvement in - primarily, the national health-care debate - and lambasting Democratic positions on them." And, "McCollum hasn't yet proposed a single budget-cutting or job-creating idea, focusing instead on his virulent opposition to the Democrats' health-care expansion." (Editorial, Orlando Sentinel, 01/31/10)

Sun-Sentinel: In Congress McCollum Helped Turn Our "Lemonade Into A Lemon"-As Governor McCollum Would Likely Turn Florida's Economy Into A "Permanent Bust". "In Congress, McCollum helped turn our lemonade economy into a lemon. In 1999, he co-sponsored the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act to repeal the Glass-Steagall Act, which prevented banks from taking on riskier investments that could precipitate the very financial crisis Obama inherited. According to the St. Petersburg Times, 'After he left Congress, McCollum lobbied for the Mortgage Bankers Association of America and for a nonprofit with a down payment assistance program that was later outlawed by Congress after the Internal Revenue Service dubbed it a 'scam.'' As governor, McCollum would likely turn Florida's economy into a permanent bust." (Column, Sun-Sentinel, 01/15/10)

Bill McCollum is "...So lacking In Perspective, So Caught Up In The Washington Beltway Lifestyle That He Has Forgotten The Reality Of America." "At a time of a huge budget deficit, at a time when Congress and the president are laying billions of new taxes on the American people in the name of deficit reduction, Mr. McCollum voted to raise his salary from $89,000 to $125,000," wrote Orlando Sentinel columnist Charley Reese in 1990. "When I asked him why, he said he was just unwilling to sacrifice the lifestyle to which he had become accustomed. Well, I appreciate his candor, and I hope he appreciates mine. I am just unwilling to vote for a man who is so lacking in perspective, so caught up in the Washington Beltway lifestyle that he has forgotten the reality of America." (Orlando Sentinel, 11/04/90)