Republican U.S. Senate contender George LeMieux stumped on his new campaign platform Wednesday during a visit to the Florida Press Center in Tallahassee -- and his main primary opponents camp was quick to label the plan as not being anything new or particularly imaginative.
LeMieuxs Four Freedoms Plan combines many of his earlier positions, separating them into employment, debt reduction, foreign investments and homeownership.
We are in a situation right now where our economy is depressed. This is (the) worst recession since the Great Depression," LeMieux said. "Floridians are struggling, weve got to put people back to work, and weve got to cut federal spending."
LeMieuxs 26-point plan includes:
Repealing the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, known as Obamacare, and eliminating countless Environmental Protection Agency regulations.
Reducing the corporate tax rate to 25 percent.
Returning federal government spending to 2007 levels.
Raising the retirement age for Social Security and Medicare to 69 for those now 55 and younger.
Lifting bans on oil and natural gas drilling in Alaska and 100 miles from the Gulf Coast of Florida.
Building more nuclear plants.
Establishing a national right-to-work law.
Abolishing Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
The campaign for GOP Senate contender Adam Hasner noted that Four Freedoms echoes in many areas what the Boca Raton Republican announced when he joined the race in April.
George LeMieux isnt saying anything new or interesting; in fact, a lot of these policies seemed borrowed from the 10 principles Adam announced on the first day of his campaign, Hasners spokesman Doug Mayer stated in a release. But this race is about who voters trust. And voters cannot trust a politician who just last year was a Charlie Crist Republican advocating against the very policies he now claims to defend. Supporting President Obamas failed $30 billion Small Business Jobs Act, advocating for the original $787 billion stimulus, and voting in favor of the Durbin Tax, these are the facts of George LeMieuxs career and they simply dont mesh with his Four Freedoms Plan."
Democrats were equally quick to question LeMieux's proposal to increase the retirement age for Social Security and Medicare.
Florida Republican Senate candidates keep ramping up their full-on assault on Social Security, Medicare and the Floridians who are counting on the benefits they have spent decades paying for, Florida Democratic Party spokeswoman Brannon Jordan stated in a release. Its bad enough each Florida Republican has vowed to force cuts in Social Security, Medicare and veterans' benefits in order to preserve big tax breaks for the rich and special interests. George LeMieuxs new plan is the worst of all, potentially forcing millions of Floridians to delay their retirement until they are nearly 70 years old, all while allowing Big Oil companies to endanger Florida beaches and giving millionaires big tax breaks.
Reach Jim Turner at jturner@sunshinestatenews.com or at (850) 727-0859 or (772) 215-9889.
