As I was driving home last night, I heard a WUSF report in which Sen. JD Alexander, R-Lake Wales, waxed patriotic about how it’s our duty to support our troops by approving Sunrail. Yes, really. The idea is that the 3,000 daily riders of SunRail will help us wean ourselves from foreign oil, thus making it less likely that our soldiers will need to fight in the Middle East. I wish I could find a link because the actual statement, in his trembling voice, is moving.
Given Alexander’s obvious deep feeling for the common good of our state and soldiers and his solemn belief that the CSX/SunRail deal is so vital to both, I expect an announcement any day that he’s divesting his vast personal business interests in this deal. See them detailed here. Of course, it’s just a coincidence that the Winter Haven rail hub CSX will build as part of this deal with $23 million or so of your money will serve JD’s personal business interests and those of his partners. With a deal this important to our future, this important to our troops, I’m sure that JD will want to remove any taint that might surround it. That’s what a patriot does.
Bio: Billy Townsend was a longtime government, political and general assignment reporter in Polk County and the wider I-4 corridor. He wrote extensively about Polk's unique regional identity and the issues shaping it, including USF Polytechnic, the Heartland Parkway and the CSX rail deal. Billy recently left professional reporting to take a corporate writing job, but he keeps close tabs on news of all stripes (especially political news) and the changes in modern journalism. Billy's wife is Julie Townsend, executive director of the Downtown Lakeland Partnership.They live with their three children in the Lake Morton area. His work at Lakeland Local is his first as an amateur hyperlocal writer.
Al
2 months ago
There’s very little more obscene or insulting than two-bit politicians wrapping themselves in the Flag and distorting the sacrifices that our magnificent troops make daily for personal or special interest gain.
But, we keep electing them — go figure!