Election Guide; Democratic Party Primary, United States Senator

This guide is for the Democratic Party Primary, United States Senator.

The four candidates and their platforms:

1) Glenn Burkett.

• Vietnam War Veteran.
  
• Opened up his own health club.
  
• "Florida should be the world leader in the production of solar energy."
  
• Against nuclear power plants.
  
• "People are not prescription drug deficient, they are nutrient deficient."
  
• "We should continue to follow the current laws for citizenship."
• Pro Choice.
  
• Supporter of the 2d Amendment.
  
• Favors "eliminating or drastically cutting subsidiaries for farming, oil companies, and transportation."
  
• Supports "keeping the military in Afghanistan and Iraq, but favors cutting defense spending elsewhere."
  

Sources: http://www.glennburkett.com/
Video of Burkett.
"About the Candidate."


2) Maurice Ferre.

• Supports early education.
  
• Supports Obama's Race to the Top fund and student loan reforms.
  
• "T. Boone Pickens' plan of shifting to natural gas fueled vehicles should be promoted."
• "Gay, heterosexual, or bi-racial couples should be allowed to enter a union just like anybody else."
  
• Against "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy.
  
• Advocates the 2009 Hate Crime Bill.
  
• "There is no Chapter 11 for big banks, that's what's needed."
  
• "We need to return to simplified banking."
  
• Supports the Florida Hometown Democracy Amendment (Amendment 4).
  
• Supports sanctions against Iran.
  
• "The two state solution of Israel-Palestine is essential for peace in the Middle East."
  
• Those who are "financially solvent" and have "the ability to care for their needs" shouldn't get as much Social Security benefits as those who are not.
  
• "By 2030 the retirement age [should] be capped at 67."
• Opposes lifting Florida ban to allow oil drilling off the coast.
  
• Supporter of the original Health Care plan for reform.
  
• Does not support escalation in Afghanistan as it is "doomed to failure based on history."
  
• The U.S. "should gradually move to a universal health care system in which the government controls costs by setting prices for medical procedures."
  
• Former mayor of Miami.
  

Sources: http://mymauriceferre.com/
Palm Beach Post article.


3) Jeff Greene.

• "An incredible entrepreneur, Jeff has successfully built businesses and created jobs for more than 30 years."
• Moved to Florida in 1970.
  
• He is the "only candidate running for Senator who is an outsider, independent from the political system."
  
• Supports tax cuts for small businesses as well as expansion of the Small Business Administration's loan program.
  
• Supports expansion of federal R&D tax credits.
  
• "I will not take a penny from any special interest - or a contribution over $100 from anyone."
  
• Supports Financial Reform, specifically strengthening the Financial Consumer Protection Agency and the Federal Reserve.
  
• Supports green energy, however, "any plan adopted by the Senate will need to rebate money raised to the taxpayers in the form of direct rebates or tax cuts."
  
• Advocates expanding early childhood education as well as college tax credits for middle-class families.
  
• Supports Obama's current plan for Afghanistan and Iraq.
  
• "I support Roe v. Wade."
  
• He is a billionaire.
• The FBI is currently investigating his real estate deals in California "featuring the conversion of old apartments to condos, inflated sales prices to straw buyers and defaults."

Sources: http://www.jeffgreene.com/?no_splash=1
Forbes article.
"Who the Hell is Jeff Greene" article.
"Real Estate Dealings Need Explaining" article.


4) Kendrick Meek.

• Supported the Florida initiative to reduce class sizes in Florida's public schools.
  
• Began his career as a Trooper with the Florida Highway Patrol.
  
• Served in the Florida House from 1995 to 1998 and then in the Florida Senate from 1999 to 2002.
  
• Worked with Republicans to provide compensation for two Floridians who had been wrongly convicted of murder.
  
• Led a 25-hour sit-in "to protest the [FL] Governor's plan to roll back state policies that made sure all Floridians had equal education and workplace opportunities."
  
• "Voted for a $23 billion increase in VA funding."
  
• He co-sponsored HR 1211, which passed in 2009, to "fund and require gender-specific VA health care for our women vets for the first time."
  
• Co-sponsor of the End Veteran Homelessness Act of 2010, "which increases support for successful VA programs."
  
• Co-sponsor of HR 1513 which "provides for an annual, automatic cost of living adjustments for veterans' compensation."
  
• Graduated from Florida A&M University.
  
• Has "received an A rating from the National Educator's Association every year since 2003.
  
• Supports the Recovery Act that passed in 2009.
  
• Supporter of the Employee Free Choice Act.
  
• Against "any new offshore drilling."
  
• Advocates the use of U.S. forces to "protect civilians in Darfur."
  
• "Will help to ensure that we work with our allies to finish the job our military started in 2001" in Afghanistan.
  
• "Iran must not be allowed to secure nuclear weapons capability."
  
• The "only pro-choice candidate" in the race.
• Supported the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, which ensures equal pay for equal work regardless of age, race, gender, religion, or national origin. It was signed by Obama into law in 2009.
  
• The "only candidate that has supported the repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell since day one."
  
• Believes that Florida's adoption ban for LGBT citizens is "wrong."
  
• Has sponsored legislation to expand access to the State Children's Health Insurance Program.
  
• Voted for the Affordable Care Act.
  
• Supports measures that would lower interest rates and mortgage payments for families at risk of foreclosure.
  
• Endorsed by Obama, Bill Clinton, Bob Graham, Bill Nelson, Alex Sink, and Corrine Brown.
  

Sources: http://www.kendrickmeek.com/
Meek's Voting Record.