Wednesday, May 20, 2015

Floridalobbyist.gov ... who is representing Big Sugar? ... by gimleteye

There are 56 lobbyists registered in the Florida database to represent Big Sugar in Tallahassee. There are 40 state senators. By that number alone, we can see who runs the shadow government of Florida. But we can't see what they do.

The database maintained by the State of Florida does not show issues and legislation that motivate corporations to spend hundreds of millions a year in Tallahassee. Why not?

With only a little effort, a mobile APP could be developed to fix that omission. As a requirement of lobbyists registration, each lobbyist would have an app connected to an online database showing every time they discuss a new bill or issue with a legislator.

By requiring lobbyists to show bills they are lobbying for or against (this information/data is not in the Floridalobbyist database, presumably because lobbyists find managing this data too "burdensome"), citizens would at least have details of the corporations-are-people legislature.

While we are on the subject of using technology to track our own government, our government-in-the-sunshine state, how about requiring lobbyists to be restricted to a single large waiting area -- like arrivals outside security for international flights at MIA. This would be a low tech solution to making visible the shadow government of Florida.

Extending this fantasy, the lobbyist waiting area would be videotaped as they meet "in the open" with legislators. The lobbyist waiting area could be surveilled by drones fitted out with GoPro cameras broadcasting directly to the web.

Forget about using drones to find terrorists: how about using drones just to see our own government "at work"?

US Sugar Corporation

Brian D. Ballard
Gregory K. Black
Carol L. Bracy
Matt A. Bryan
Chip Case
Robert E. Coker
Carlos M. Cruz
David T. Daniel
James R. Daughton Jr.
Charles F. Dudley
Stephen D. Dyal
Cory Guzzo
Jeff Hartley
Richard J. Heffley
James P. (Jim) Magill
Frank P. Mayernick Jr.
Tracy Hogan Mayernick
Kimberly F. McGlynn
Jim A. Naff
Andrea B. Reilly
John M. (Mac) Stipanovich
Margaret M. Timmins
William Gregory Turbeville
Malcolm S. Wade Jr.
Screven H. Watson
Derek A. Whitis
Amy J. Young

Sugarcane Growers Cooperative of Florida

CHARLES David Goodlett JR
Mohammad O. Jazil
Frank E. Matthews

Florida Crystals Corporation

Melissa Akeson
Albert Balido
Frank S. Bernardino
Michael G. Cantens
Kevin Cleary
Michael C. Corcoran
David R. Custin
Isaac H. Dean
Julie H. Fess
T. Martin Fiorentino Jr.
Richard E. Gentry
Thomas Griffin
Meghan A. Hoza
Gary K. Hunter
Jeffrey M. Johnston
Lee M. Killinger
Darrick D. McGhee
Joseph G. Mobley
Rhett E. O'Doski
Mark Pinto
Ken Pruitt
William D. Rubin
Jeffrey T Ryan
Sean C. Stafford
Amanda Stewart
Heather L. Turnbull

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