Today, Rep. Corrine Brown introduced legislation that would ban all off-shore drilling and exploration for oil. Her ban would:

“permanently prohibit the conduct of offshore drilling on the outer Continental Shelf of the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico.”

Mike would like to remind Rep. Brown that the Department of Energy was created for the sole purpose of “Eliminating the Dependence of Foreign Oil” in the United States. In spite of the fact that is its purpose, it has obviously FAILED miserably in its objective.

Yes, we have a massive oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, but to have this type of knee-jerk reaction to this disaster is far from what is needed to achieve the goals of the Department of Energy.

Mike believes in 3 basic goals that must be achieved and drilling resumed:

1. Determine the cause of this disaster and make sure that proper safeguards and controls are in place to assure that it will not happen again.
2. Clean up this disaster using all available private and public resources to do so.
3. Open other areas of this nation like the Bakken Reserves in N. Dakota and Montana for drilling.

Rep. Brown seems to forget that until there is available alternative energy sources that can fully meet the demands of this nations energy needs, oil will remain a needed resource for our nations survival. Even her “precious” rail transportation system she wishes to spend even MORE of taxpayers dollars on and continue to subsidize with even MORE taxpayers dollars, requires DIESEL FUEL to operate. Rep. Brown, THAT is an “oil based” product and to restrict the supply of DOMESTIC oil is going to be even MORE costly for Americans.

Instead of more legislation that will cost the people of this District even more in energy dollars, Rep. Brown would be better off working to create JOBS for the people and bring OPPORTUNITY to this District. Taking train rides to Miami to bring even more “high speed rail” to areas OUTSIDE this District is not making “Corrine Delivers” a truthful statement.

Dear Rep. Corrine Brown,

First, I want to say “Thank you” for your expenditure on a High Speed rail junket. I am sure that taxpayers dollars for a trip to New York, and the northeast ending in Chicago was very beneficial to your campaign contributions. Your statement to the Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials regarding this trip was actually pretty amazing from a Congresswoman from Florida:

Just the other week I led a Whistle Stop Rail Tour to promote high-speed and intercity passenger rail in the United States. We started in Washington, traveled to Upstate New York, and ended up in Chicago, where we conducted a major hearing on rail issues. All along the way we saw stimulus dollars going towards improving our transportation infrastructure and creating jobs for the local workforce. And in that particular region in upstate New York, rail manufacturing could very well replace the many good jobs in those towns that were sent overseas. Everywhere we went there was very strong support for both Amtrak service and high-speed rail. The only complaints I heard was that there wasn’t enough money for rail and that it wasn’t coming fast enough.

Now Representative Brown, when is the economic growth and the JOBS coming to your part of Florida that YOU represent??

Oh, wait, you are hosting a JOB FAIR! So let’s see what you had to say about that:

Rep. Corrine Brown (D-Fla.), is hosting the 18th annual Job and Resource Fair at the Prime F. Osborn Convention Center from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday, May 17.

More than 50 companies have been invited, representing a wide variety of employers.

As Brown said, “Come prepared…bring your resumes and dress your best!”

Let me ask but ONE question if I may. How many JOBS will your High Speed Rail project be bringing to Jacksonville and the 3rd District?

I think I have the answer- NONE. $8 Billion and not ONE single job in the 3rd Congressional District. But lots in New York!

This Congressional District represents the worse of the worse in terms of economics. It has one of the highest unemployment rates in the nation and the Black community is suffering with over 25% unemployment. It has the lowest level of economic growth in the nation simply because it has a VERY high Crime Rate. It also has some of the lowest housing values in the nation and the lowest graduation rate of High School students in the State of Florida. It has one of the lowest per capita income rates in the nation as well.

So, Rep. Brown, you have been “delivering” to this District. What did you deliver?

Again, I have the answer- a SunRail Project from Orlando to Tampa that over 95% is outside your District and that taxpayers will be subsidizing in Florida forever. Already, the TriRail project in South Florida is costing taxpayers a whopping $12 million a year, so let’s add another $12 million to make sure we bankrupt our State too. The rest- well has pretty much been earmarks that has resulted in projects well outside this District. I guess $384 MILLION in earmarks buys you a LOT of votes? or at least a LOT of campaign contributions from those people who stand to gain the most from your earmarks. I think that is the TRUE definition of “crony capitalism” that you so desperately claim to despise- until it works for Corrine Brown’s re-election bid.

Instead of making you the real benefactor of money appropriated to this District, let’s make the PEOPLE of this District the ones who benefit. That is the job you were hired to do. Look around Ms. Brown. There are empty homes, empty businesses, and empty pocketbooks all throughout this District. Do you want to know how I know that?

Because I have WALKED among the PEOPLE of this District and I know what they are saying. I think I summed it up best when I said “Corrine Brown promises the Moon and hasn’t even delivered a MOONPIE” to the people living here.

I want to bring Small Business initiatives that will bring JOBS to this District. I believe that by working with the existing businesses and bring a “Small Business Incubator” to this region, without the need for Government funding, a complete revitalization of the 3rd District will happen. It will be the model for the nation to follow in job creation.

I believe that by enacting the FairTax, we can see real economic growth because it brings back the foundation of creating wealth to our nation- our manufacturing sector that you were instrumental in sending overseas.

I believe in an education system that is best served with LOCAL decisions, not Federal Mandates that are unfunded and destructive to the education of our young people.

I believe that when you give people their Liberty and Freedoms as promised, you have people who no longer see “color” as an obstacle, but an asset to the communities they live in. You have seemed to forget what Dr. Martin Luther King marched for- it was LIBERTY for ALL people and that means that a man should be judged solely on the content of his character, not the color of his skin. People of this District want opportunity to achieve, not more government they have to pay for. You have succeeded in being instrumental in a $14 TRILLION debt that is being left to ALL people and we are no longer going to take your failed programs as the solution. Get out of the way and let the PEOPLE solve the problems and start protecting the Liberty of the people and not keep trying to tell us how to live our lives.

You see Ms. Brown, I am running for Congress to win. Not for me, but to represent the people of this District like they have been needing to be represented for 18 years. It is time for your “false claims” of delivering to be exposed for what they are- beneficial to ONLY Corrine Brown. It is time to either step aside or get beat this year. The people have awakened and will no longer tolerate your brand of governing.

Sincerely,

Michael “Mike Yost

Candidate for the 3rd Congressional District of Florida

“Taking YOUR Voice to D.C.”

As the Florida Legislature debates the future of Florida’s high speed rail development, often referred to as SunRail, one has to wonder why Rep. Corrine Brown is assuring the State of Florida that funding from the Federal government will be available. I have to ask, is this going to be another Amtrak in the making? or another Florida rail system, Tri-Rail in south Florida, currently being subsidized by taxpayers?

Last year, 2008, Amtrak routes running in Florida lost over $145 per passenger for the Silver Star, and the Auto Train, $69 per passenger. Both of these trains combined routes serve the Tampa-Orlando and the Orlando/Sanford-Miami corridors, yet both have constantly lost money. Ridership is at a near all-time low and dropping monthly.

Tri-Rail, the South Florida commuter rail service, is in need today of between $13 and $15 MILLION in subsidies just to keep running. Their ridership currently is around 13,000 per day and even at that level of ridership, has lost money since it’s inception. The Sunrail project is going to be another annual commitment for Florida taxpayers to fund.

What is at issue is the $2.6 billion in Federal Stimulus funding of the Sun Rail project for the Tampa to Orlando route for initial construction. In 2004, once Florida voters understood the real costs of building a high speed rail system, it was flatly rejected. With the Obama administration once again providing the funding with the Stimulus Bill, it seems that everyone is clamoring once again for another slice of that taxpayer funded pie. Again, no one seems to be asking the tough questions about the continual need to subsidize these rail services once built and operational. Because these systems are running on tracks currently owned by private railways, the funding is also going to subsidize their freight services with special tax considerations for those subsidies. CSX stands to gain millions in property acquisition and roadbed leasing costs alone.

It is these types of projects that are proving to do nothing but continue to add to the Federal Deficits each and every year and subsequently add to the already $12 Trillion in debt that is continually rising. It is a burden on taxpayers that will continue in perpetuity unless it is ended once and for all. Keep the profitable routes and end the rest. No amount of funding is going to change the fact that an Amtrak trip from Jacksonville to Washington, D.C. is going to take 14 hours and cost upwards of $120 one way. The drive by automobile is less time and for far less money and a 4 hour airline flight isn’t going to cost that much more either.

No doubt, these projects are going to be infused with further Federal funding through additional earmarks from Rep. Corrine Brown. Her latest press release already indicates her desire to fund this losing proposition and no doubt through the earmark process for future budget items brought before Congress.

Mike believes it is time to stop this fiscal irresponsibility  and call an end to Federal funding of the abject failure in the high speed rail model. The private railroads ended passenger service in the late 1950′s for a reason- they could no longer continue to break even or generate a single cent of profit on an annual basis. No amount of nostalgic appeal, “wishing” for a successful venture in rail transportation, or “built it and they will ride” mentality is going to change the facts- the taxpayers must subsidize these ventures just to keep them running.

You can help Mike bring about an end to this type of government waste and fiscal irresponsibility. Volunteer, tell others, and donate to his campaign today.