Transparency, shmansparency

Want to know who's forking over the millions of dollars for the recent onslaught of television ads in the Charlie Crist-Jim Davis race for governor? Too bad, because for the fourth year in a row, the Florida Legislature has not required the state's political parties to tell you. More here.

Comments

Sylvia Martinez another example of "party before the people" republican.

I bet she votes against her personal circumstances and for those circumstances she wishes for.

Can anyone say koolaide drinker - and she swallowed.

is that the correct linK? because I'm not reading so much about transparency.

i think this is the article you wanted to link to

Big political ad buyers can hide in a loophole

Want to learn who's donating millions for those party ads for Crist and Davis? Thanks to the Legislature, you can't, till days before the election.

wrong link Adam - the link takes you to the same link the next diary links to,

thanks Adam

its kind of funny to hear the republicans hemm and haw about "oh nobody noticed this" and jeb to assure us that it'll be taken care of AFTER THE ELECTION.

Who controls the FL Senate and Cabinet? oh yeah, the Republicans. again, party before the people and a transparent govt..

so the republcans think revealing the clergyman who preyed on mark foley as a child is evidence of transparencyl. interesting.

has mark been released from the scientology clinic in clearwter? is he cured? wonder who will be the first to offer him a job as a lobbyist?

7:29

What the hell does Mark Foley have to do with this article on transparency. NOTHING. Man you are an idiot.

http://www.pollster.com/polls/?state=FL&race=governor_race

Average of last 5 polls:

Crist 52%
Davis 36%

Read it and weep liberals. Prepare for GOVERNOR CRIST.

Mark Foley and the Republican legislativce leaders and their ignoring and covering up - is just another example of the REPUBLICANS and their lack of a transparent government.

what does the Crist/Davis poll have to do with transparency? idiot.

what a stupid article. there is transparency. and yes, the parties report BEFORE the election. hey, SP. Times, where is the insightful reporting of days gone by??

[TB Blue Dog]

Sheesh, nobody can win with this group.

[Super Voter]

May I interrupt this blog's thread to talk about a totally unrelated subject to transparency in government? Really? OK great. Katherine Harris is mean. No, wait, YOU GO KATHERINE! Umm, Gus has no stance on Foley. Oh wait, that was was a misunderstanding. Is Charlie Crist really gay? Hmmmm, I should talk about swiftboats somewhere in here.... Maybe I will cut and paste an entire unrelated article instead of providing a link to it. So many decisions, so little time!

[Gene Smith]

Voters need time to absorb information about who is behind the massive wave of advertising that is poring over them. Even the media needs time to digest this stuff so they can attempt to make some sense of it. The current reporting system makes any of that next to impossible to achieve BEFORE the election.

If anybody believes this never occurred to the Rs, I want to talk to you about a land deal.

I for one Super Voter am tired of the "shut the books and tell them nothing" kind of legislature that we've seen in our county, school board, state and federal government.

Our government is "OF THE PEOPLE" and I'm of the people - I want to see who is spending who's money. If K Street has taught us nothing - its disgusting how the republican party has continued this plight even after AbrahamoffGate

dumb article

Where have you been, blue?

We sure didn't hear a peep from Gelber about this before now. Or any of the other Democrat legislators. Because they like it just the way it is too.

That being said, it is a whole hell of a lot more transparent now that it has ever been before, but the media won't be happy until all donations are banned so they will be the only ones able to get information out to the voters.

hey 9:58 get a clue bud. What party has all the power in the FL Congress? What party has all the power in the Florida cabinet? duh. Maybe you just moved to Florida from a state with transparent governing practices - big splash of water on face now baby 'cus you're in Florida where things are not as they appear.

10:47, dust off your civics book. Congress is in DC, the Florida LEGISLATURE is in Tallahassee. And yes, Republicans have all the power here because they were voted into power by the people of Florida who thankfully have a lot more intelligence than you do.

Those Republicans have implemented more transparency in campaign finance than ever before. If you don't believe that you're just blinded by your partisanship. Check some of those so-called 'watchdog' groups and you will see that Florida has steadily improved its ratings.

However, to my original point, Gelber could have brought this up during Session, ran an amendment to change it, called a press conference to draw attention to the issue or at least sent out one his his rambling press statements about it but he didn't - because he likes it just the way it is. Dont' kid yourself that he wants more transparency - he relies on donations from lobbyists who really don't want their names out there until the last possible moment.

republican-led government is an ongoing disaster for this state and for the country. look at all the mess everywhere.

11:56, congratulations! You are one of a very small minority of people who think Florida is on the wrong track. I guess you're just smarter than everyone else - glad we're not all that "smart"

12:52, you are correct. you are not all that smart.

But you sure are, 12:58, you're smarter than everyone else - that's why you know that despite all the great things happening in Florida from education improvements to low unemployment to low crime, we're all doomed and we should be miserable. Everyone else is just a bumbling idiot without the sense to come in out of the rain - but you - you are a friggin genius. EIther that, or you are just so incredibly arrogant that you can't imagine you might possibly be wrong.

[Gene Smith]

1:04

It's apparent you don't talk to many voters. You remind me of W and the boys crying, "but the economy is doing so well, you should be happy."

Well, Skippy, the voters know what's going on in their lives and they know what is going on in Florida too.

You should like, actually talk to some voters. You might find out they are hopping mad about the property insurance fiasco that happened on your watch. They are steamed about rising property taxes that you helped to cause. And they really aren't all that ewxcited about the high stakes FCAT.

So, Please, please, please, keep thinking that the Florida voters are all fat, dumb and happy.

You'll probably wake up November 8th wondering what hit you.

[Liberal nut!]

I had a “transparency” once. Then I found out that dad was really mom and mom was really dad. I got freaked out and moved in with my grandparencies!

OK Gene, You're right - there are some things people aren't happy with (although I think you overestimate the average person's concern for the FCAT). But OVERALL people are pretty happy, and those things you listed (taxes, insurance) aren't things they trust Democrats to fix. Sure, they're pissed, but they trust Republicans to fix the problems more than your tax hiking buddy Jim Davis.

WHen I wake up on the 8th, I'll be wondering why I had that last celebratory tequila shot. You'll be trying to think of somehting else to do with your time since you'll be too embarassed to show up here again.

Ouch, that hurt you Gene. Then again, you use your real name. Hmmmmmmm, who embarrased now?

yes, Gene has the courage to post his name. If I was a washed up democratic communications hack, with nothing to lose, I would too.

So I take it that you're a future "washed up democratic communications hack, with nothing to lose"

Ok.

2:38 (grandparencies)

That's a freaking riot, LOL!