THE HIGHLANDS TEA PARTYTHE HIGHLANDS TEA PARTY Sebring, FloridaSebring, Florida

http://thehighlandsteaparty.com/http://thehighlandsteaparty.com/

Lawton “bud” ChilesLawton “bud” Chilesfor Govenor of Floridafor Govenor of Florida

Party AffiliationParty Affiliation NONENONE

http://walkwithbud.com/http://walkwithbud.com/

Lawton “Bud” ChilesLawton “Bud” Chiles

About Lawton “Bud” About Lawton “Bud” ChilesChiles

• I was raised in Polk County, central Florida. My I was raised in Polk County, central Florida. My dad taught me to hunt and fish in the woods and dad taught me to hunt and fish in the woods and lakes of this great state.  lakes of this great state.  

• I was 5 when I started working in my dad’s I was 5 when I started working in my dad’s campaigns, putting bumper stickers on cars and campaigns, putting bumper stickers on cars and handing out brochures.  handing out brochures. 

• I remember his walk in 1970, when I was a I remember his walk in 1970, when I was a teenager. When I got in trouble in school, my mom teenager. When I got in trouble in school, my mom would send me to walk with him in the Florida would send me to walk with him in the Florida heat. It had a profound impact on me, seeing the heat. It had a profound impact on me, seeing the connections he made with people out walking. connections he made with people out walking.

• I saw the burden he felt to live up to that bond of I saw the burden he felt to live up to that bond of trust with the people. trust with the people.

About Lawton “Bud” About Lawton “Bud” ChilesChiles

• Faith and family are the cornerstones of my life.Faith and family are the cornerstones of my life.

• I am committed to my wife of 35 years,I am committed to my wife of 35 years, Kitty, Kitty, my children Lawton, Katie and Geoffrey, my faith my children Lawton, Katie and Geoffrey, my faith in God, and my love for this great state. in God, and my love for this great state. 

• Florida has changed in many ways over the Florida has changed in many ways over the course of my life, but I believe that the best days course of my life, but I believe that the best days lay ahead of us. I believe that together, we can lay ahead of us. I believe that together, we can restore the Florida that we all love: a place of restore the Florida that we all love: a place of opportunity where our communities can prosper opportunity where our communities can prosper and our children can thrive. and our children can thrive. 

• Come walk with me. Come walk with me.

ISSUESISSUESPutting Florida’s Communities Putting Florida’s Communities

FirstFirst • Florida is a state of rich resources. However, Florida is a state of rich resources. However,

our communities are our greatest asset; and our communities are our greatest asset; and our can-do spirit as Floridians is what sets our can-do spirit as Floridians is what sets us apart as we are driven by a better vision us apart as we are driven by a better vision for our neighborhoods, towns and cities.for our neighborhoods, towns and cities.

• There are communities all over Florida that There are communities all over Florida that are accomplishing where Washington and are accomplishing where Washington and Tallahassee have failed:  leaving party at Tallahassee have failed:  leaving party at the door and finding bipartisan, common the door and finding bipartisan, common sense solutions. sense solutions.

COMMUNITIESCOMMUNITIES• From my walks across Florida, I’ve seen From my walks across Florida, I’ve seen

firsthand that government closest to the firsthand that government closest to the people works best for the people. people works best for the people.

• The solutions to Florida’s toughest The solutions to Florida’s toughest problems can be found in our problems can be found in our communities- where Floridians are already communities- where Floridians are already doing what Washington and Tallahassee doing what Washington and Tallahassee can’t: finding consensus, investing in can’t: finding consensus, investing in common sense, bringing people together common sense, bringing people together to strengthen the places we live, learn to strengthen the places we live, learn and work.and work.

EDUCATIONEDUCATION

• Too many of our children are failing in Too many of our children are failing in schools because Florida is failing our schools because Florida is failing our children – and blaming our teachers. children – and blaming our teachers.  Every prison cell we build is an  Every prison cell we build is an investment in that failure. Why are investment in that failure. Why are Florida’s politicians spending more on Florida’s politicians spending more on prisons and less on our children’s schools?prisons and less on our children’s schools?

• These backward policies defy all common These backward policies defy all common sense. I believe we need to invest in sense. I believe we need to invest in success up front – in the success of our success up front – in the success of our students and in the success of our students and in the success of our teachers..teachers..

HEALTH CAREHEALTH CAREPromoting Healthy Families and Promoting Healthy Families and

Preventing Preventing Medicaid FraudMedicaid Fraud• Nearly a million children in Florida have no health Nearly a million children in Florida have no health

insurance, yet the Medicaid system is bleeding insurance, yet the Medicaid system is bleeding money through fraud and abuse.  money through fraud and abuse. 

• That’s just plain wrong, and it will end under my That’s just plain wrong, and it will end under my administration.  administration. 

• We will work with local communities to develop a We will work with local communities to develop a plan for getting children the care they need – and plan for getting children the care they need – and stop the criminal misuse of funds that is happening stop the criminal misuse of funds that is happening now. now. 

• We need a system that will eliminate fraud before We need a system that will eliminate fraud before companies can rack up almost $2 billion in fines.companies can rack up almost $2 billion in fines.

HEALTH CAREHEALTH CAREPromoting Healthy Families and Promoting Healthy Families and

Preventing Medicaid FraudPreventing Medicaid Fraud• I am committed to expanding health I am committed to expanding health

care access and coverage by working care access and coverage by working with healthcare providers in local with healthcare providers in local communities. communities.

• This starts with our not for profit This starts with our not for profit community hospitals and health community hospitals and health centers being better supported so centers being better supported so that they can continue to expand and that they can continue to expand and fulfill the vital role they play in our fulfill the vital role they play in our towns and cities.towns and cities.

HEALTH CAREHEALTH CAREPromoting Healthy Families and Promoting Healthy Families and

Preventing Medicaid FraudPreventing Medicaid Fraud

• While I do this, the political parties will While I do this, the political parties will continue taking enormous contributions continue taking enormous contributions from large health care providers, crippling from large health care providers, crippling their ability to fight for you, the guy on their ability to fight for you, the guy on the other end of the deal. the other end of the deal. 

• I’m turning down money funneled from I’m turning down money funneled from parties and PACs. I won’t take a single parties and PACs. I won’t take a single dollar of that money. I am determined to dollar of that money. I am determined to make health care affordable for families make health care affordable for families and small businesses again. and small businesses again.

HEALTH CAREHEALTH CARE

• In the last decade, through In the last decade, through inattention and neglect, Florida has inattention and neglect, Florida has lost ground in health care. Florida lost ground in health care. Florida has added several hundred thousand has added several hundred thousand working folks and their families to working folks and their families to the ranks of the uninsured, all the ranks of the uninsured, all because the small businesses where because the small businesses where they work can no longer afford the they work can no longer afford the cost of premiumscost of premiums

IMMIGRATIONIMMIGRATION • Florida doesn’t have a Coast Guard or a Border Patrol Florida doesn’t have a Coast Guard or a Border Patrol

at its disposal. at its disposal.

• Controlling America’s borders is a federal Controlling America’s borders is a federal responsibility.responsibility.

• We need a national policy on immigration, and as We need a national policy on immigration, and as Governor I’ll push Washington to act. Governor I’ll push Washington to act.

• And I will always do what’s necessary to protect our And I will always do what’s necessary to protect our state. state.

• But I won’t support a law that makes citizens of But I won’t support a law that makes citizens of Florida feel like suspects just because of the color of Florida feel like suspects just because of the color of their skin. their skin.

IMMIGRATIONIMMIGRATION • I don’t support Arizona’s law and don’t think I don’t support Arizona’s law and don’t think

we should pass a similar one in Florida.  we should pass a similar one in Florida.  Protecting our borders is one of the most Protecting our borders is one of the most fundamental duties the federal government fundamental duties the federal government has, and we should not let them off the hook has, and we should not let them off the hook when they don’t enforce it.  One of the when they don’t enforce it.  One of the biggest problems associated with illegal biggest problems associated with illegal immigration is the cost it imposes on our immigration is the cost it imposes on our state.  Our emergency rooms, police state.  Our emergency rooms, police departments, jails, and social services departments, jails, and social services agencies all have to carry an additional agencies all have to carry an additional burden because of illegal immigration.  burden because of illegal immigration. 

• The solution isn’t to start treating all of our The solution isn’t to start treating all of our citizens like suspects. citizens like suspects.

Bring Jobs To FloridaBring Jobs To Florida• Every candidate is supposed to say that they’ll Every candidate is supposed to say that they’ll

bring jobs to Florida. bring jobs to Florida.

• Bud Chiles is the only one who can get the job done. Bud Chiles is the only one who can get the job done.

• The other candidates will spend their time in office The other candidates will spend their time in office

• Appeasing the interest groups that got them there. Appeasing the interest groups that got them there.

• At a time when one million Floridians are without At a time when one million Floridians are without jobs, we can’t afford a candidate who is anything jobs, we can’t afford a candidate who is anything less than 100 percent committed to supporting the less than 100 percent committed to supporting the working people of our state.working people of our state.

Bring Jobs To FloridaBring Jobs To Florida

• Bud will begin Day 1 ready and able Bud will begin Day 1 ready and able to bring the best industries and jobs to bring the best industries and jobs to Florida- those that are best for to Florida- those that are best for you, your family and your state. you, your family and your state.

• So when Bud says he’ll stand up for So when Bud says he’ll stand up for Florida’s workers, Florida’s workers, he means he means business.business.. .

Bring Jobs To FloridaBring Jobs To Florida• With a million of our friends, neighbors and With a million of our friends, neighbors and

family members out of work, Florida has got family members out of work, Florida has got to work to keep and attract sustainable, to work to keep and attract sustainable, high-wage industries.  That means investing high-wage industries.  That means investing in our workforce and honoring our existing in our workforce and honoring our existing businesses by buying goods and services businesses by buying goods and services locally. locally.

• We need to export goods, We need to export goods, NOT JOBS!NOT JOBS!

• We need to stand up for our small We need to stand up for our small businesses – the ones that didn’t get the businesses – the ones that didn’t get the bail outs and can’t afford big lobbyists.bail outs and can’t afford big lobbyists.

Public SafetyPublic Safety

• I believe in tough punishments for criminals.  I believe in tough punishments for criminals.  I don’t believe in taxpayers paying tens of I don’t believe in taxpayers paying tens of thousands of dollars each year to house and thousands of dollars each year to house and feed an able-bodied, non-violent offender feed an able-bodied, non-violent offender who should be working for a living. who should be working for a living.

• We’ve got to be smarter about how we’re We’ve got to be smarter about how we’re using taxpayer money. using taxpayer money.

• Let’s stop using a prison cell to solve Let’s stop using a prison cell to solve problems when an ankle bracelet and drug problems when an ankle bracelet and drug counseling is proven to be more effective. counseling is proven to be more effective. Let’s get resources to communities so that Let’s get resources to communities so that they can provide services locally at less they can provide services locally at less taxpayer expense, creating local jobs and real taxpayer expense, creating local jobs and real results.results.

NO SPIN DISCLAIMERNO SPIN DISCLAIMER

• There has been no “SPIN” put on this There has been no “SPIN” put on this information by the creator or any member information by the creator or any member of the Tea Party. of the Tea Party.

• All information is obtained from the web All information is obtained from the web site “ON THE ISSUES” at issues2000.org and site “ON THE ISSUES” at issues2000.org and from the Candidates own web sites.from the Candidates own web sites.