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CLEARWATER The Libertarian activist who is challenging state Sen. Jack Latvala, a veteran GOP lawmaker, launched his challenge from well to the right.

Tony Caso, a conservative activist and small business owner from Palm Harbor, is running on a pro-small government, anti-tax platform in his bid for the District 20 seat, which covers north Pinellas County from Largo to Palm Harbor.

Caso criticizes Latvala as an establishment Republican tied to monied interests and supporting causes some view as liberal, such as championing legislation to grant in-state tuition to the children of undocumented immigrants.

Latvala is taking it in stride.

Im always expecting a challenge, Latvala said. I take controversial positions and call them like I see them.

The controversy is part of what makes Latvala, 62, popular among centrist Republicans and Democrats. Latvala first was elected to the Senate in 1994 and served for eight years. He successfully ran again in 2010 and has served since.

He is described as outspoken and at times cantankerous. He has gone against his party repeatedly during his tenure, which Democrats, who did not run a candidate against him, can appreciate. He supports Medicaid expansion, environmental measures such as Florida Forever, and the Greenlight Pinellas transit initiative.

Sen. Latvala is one who has always been very outspoken with his political views, said University of South Florida political science professor emeritus Darryl Paulson. A lot of people like that maverick sort of image that Sen. Latvala projects. Many see that as a quality of leadership.

Caso, 65, was at the forefront of a tea party-spawned movement in 2011 that ultimately pressured the Pinellas County Commission to discontinue fluoridating the countys water supply.

Who in their right mind wants any toxic substance put into their body, Caso said during an October 2011 county commission meeting. This is all part of an agenda thats being pushed forth by the so-called globalists in our government and the world government to keep the people stupid so they dont realize whats going on.

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It's Caso vs. Latvala in District 20

How Money Influences American Politics Differences Between Liberals and Conservatives 1997 3

By: Z7

Original post:
How Money Influences American Politics Differences Between Liberals and Conservatives 1997 3 - Video

Liberalism is an attitude rather than a set of dogmasan attitude that insists upon questioning all plausible and self-evident propositions, seeking not to reject them but to find out what evidence there is to support them rather than their possible alternatives. This open eye for possible alternatives which need to be scrutinized before we can determine which is the best grounded is profoundly disconcerting to all conservatives.... Conservatism clings to what has been established, fearing that, once we begin to question the beliefs we have inherited, all the values of life will be destroyed.

MORRIS RAPHAEL COHEN, The Faith of a Liberal

Conservatives believe in equality of opportunity. Liberals believe in equality of outcome.

MIKE ROSEN, Rocky Mountain News, Mar. 31, 2000

Somehow liberals have been unable to acquire from life what conservatives seem to be endowed with at birth: namely, a healthy skepticism of the powers of government agencies to do good.

DANIEL P. MOYNIHAN, New York Post, May 14, 1969

Being a liberal is the best thing on earth you can be. You are welcoming to everyone when you're a liberal. You do not have a small mind... I'm total, total, total liberal and proud of it. And I think it's outrageous to say "The L word". I mean, excuse me. They should be damn lucky that they were liberals here. Liberals gave more to the population of the United States than any other group.

LAUREN BACALL, Larry King Live, May 6, 2005

Liberals and conservatives disagree over what are the most important sins. For conservatives, the sins that matter are personal irresponsibility, the flight from family life, sexual permissiveness, the failure of individuals to work hard. For liberals, the gravest sins are intolerance, a lack of generosity toward the needy, narrow-mindedness toward social and racial minorities.

E.J. DIONNE, JR., The War Against Public Life

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Quotes on Liberals

A Barrel of Bad News for Democrats
Panel discusses the barrel of bad news for Democrats and whether the government and CDC are in control of Ebola.

By: CNN

Originally posted here:
A Barrel of Bad News for Democrats - Video

VoteMatch Responses (Click here for VoteMatch quiz) VoteMatch Question & Answer (Click on question for explanation and background) Based on these stances: (Click on topic for excerpt & citation) Strongly Favors topic 1: Abortion is a woman's unrestricted right (+5 points on Social scale) Strongly and unequivocally support Roe v. Wade: Strongly Favors topic 1 Invest in stem cell and other medical research: Favors topic 1 Pursue embryonic stem cell research: Favors topic 1 Support right to choose even if mother cannot pay: Strongly Favors topic 1 Put science ahead of ideology in research and policymaking: Favors topic 1 Choice is a fundamental, constitutional right: Strongly Favors topic 1 Strongly Favors topic 2: Legally require hiring women & minorities (-5 points on Economic scale) Enable disability access; plus 100,000 federal jobs: Strongly Favors topic 2 Racial and religious profiling is wrong: Favors topic 2 Support affirmative action to redress discrimination: Strongly Favors topic 2 Police should have zero tolerance of racial profiling: Neutral on topic 2 Democrats lead fight for ERA and equal employment: Strongly Favors topic 2 Strongly Favors topic 3: Comfortable with same-sex marriage (+5 points on Social scale) Equal treatment under law for same-sex couples: Strongly Favors topic 3 Keep marriage at state level; no federal gay marriage ban: Strongly Favors topic 3 Pass hate crime legislation including gays: Favors topic 3 Strongly Favors topic 4: Keep God in the public sphere (-5 points on Social scale) Support fatherhood via faith-based groups: Favors topic 4 Partner with faith-based organizations to serve the needy: Strongly Favors topic 4 Character education is an important aspect of education: Favors topic 4 Harness power of faith-based organizations PLUS govt: Favors topic 4 Strongly Favors topic 5: Expand ObamaCare (-5 points on Economic scale) No arbitrary insurer cancelation; yes pre-existing condition: Strongly Favors topic 5 Preserve promise of Medicare; don't privatize or voucherize: Strongly Favors topic 5 Make sure everyone has access to affordable health care: Strongly Favors topic 5 Expand coverage and cut healthcare costs: Favors topic 5 Every American should have affordable health insurance: Strongly Favors topic 5 Add prescription drug benefit to Medicare: Favors topic 5 Opposes topic 6: Privatize Social Security (-3 points on Economic scale) Preserve promise of Social Security; don't privatize: Strongly Opposes topic 6 Protecting the promise of Social Security is absolute: Strongly Favors topic 6 Oppose privatization and oppose raising retirement age: Strongly Opposes topic 6 Strengthen Social Security for Baby Boomers: Opposes topic 6 Strongly Opposes topic 7: Vouchers for school choice (-5 points on Economic scale) OpEd: anti-school choice policy alienates Hispanics: Strongly Opposes topic 7 Turn around struggling public schools; expand public options: Strongly Opposes topic 7 Charter schools OK, vouchers not: Favors topic 7 Democrats are the party of public education: Strongly Opposes topic 7 U.S. needs public school accountability, not vouchers: Strongly Opposes topic 7 Strongly Opposes topic 8: Clean air and water are property rights (-5 points on Social scale) Restore wilderness & watersheds for generations to come: Strongly Opposes topic 8 Reject choice of healthy economy vs. healthy environment: Opposes topic 8 No opinion on topic 9: Stricter punishment reduces crime (0 points on Social scale) Death penalty must not be arbitrary: Favors topic 9 Reduce racial disparities in sentencing for drug crimes: Opposes topic 9 Fight crime with prevention, community police: Opposes topic 9 Tougher punishments, including the death penalty: Strongly Favors topic 9 DNA testing & post-conviction reviews in death penalty cases: Opposes topic 9 Strongly Opposes topic 10: Absolute right to gun ownership (-5 points on Economic scale) Right to own firearms is subject to reasonable regulation: Strongly Opposes topic 10 Reauthorize assault weapons ban, close gun show loophole: Opposes topic 10 Strengthen gun control to reduce violence: Strongly Opposes topic 10 Strongly Favors topic 11: Higher taxes on the wealthy (-5 points on Economic scale) Cut taxes for every working family, but not millionaires: Strongly Favors topic 11 Cut taxes for middle class, not the wealthy: Strongly Favors topic 11 G.O.P. creates debt, Dems create surpluses: Neutral on topic 11 Democrats will eliminate publicly held debt by 2012: Favors topic 11 Cut taxes for working families, not richest 1%: Strongly Favors topic 11 Strongly Favors topic 12: Pathway to citizenship for illegal aliens (+5 points on Social scale) DREAM Act for now; comprehensive reform next: Strongly Favors topic 12 Path for undocumented aliens to earn citizenship: Favors topic 12 Reform the INS; reduce immigrant backlog: Favors topic 12 Protect immigrants from exploitation by employers: Strongly Favors topic 12 Favors topic 13: Support & expand free trade (+2 points on Economic scale) Double our exports by 2015 with new trade agreements: Strongly Favors topic 13 Create jobs that stay in America: Opposes topic 13 Knock down barriers to free, fair and balanced trade: Opposes topic 13 Free trade with safeguards will benefit all: Favors topic 13 Opposes topic 14: Maintain US sovereignty from UN (-3 points on Economic scale) US leadership at UN, including respectful disagreement: Opposes topic 14 Favors topic 15: Expand the military (-3 points on Social scale) Excessive use of our military breeds more terrorists: Strongly Opposes topic 15 Add 40,000 new soldiers and keep military all-volunteer: Favors topic 15 Equip military for new threats and missions: Strongly Favors topic 15 Encourage military careers with better pay & benefits: Favors topic 15 Prepare military with advanced military and technology: Strongly Favors topic 15 Strongly Favors topic 16: Stricter limits on voting rights (-5 points on Social scale) Curb the influence of lobbyists; no to Citizens United: Strongly Favors topic 16 Your vote should count; no voter ID laws: Favors topic 16 Meaningful campaign finance reform to restore public trust: Strongly Favors topic 16 Support McCain-Feingold bill for campaign finance reform: Favors topic 16 Strongly Favors topic 17: Stay out of Iran (+5 points on Social scale) No US forces in Iraq; no US bases in Iraq: Favors topic 17 Bring our troops home from Afghanistan by 2014: Favors topic 17 New vision for America: strong at home, respected abroad: Favors topic 17 Internationalize Iraqi military and political presence: Favors topic 17 Granting open-ended authority for Iraq war lost '02 election: Favors topic 17 Forward Engagement must guide proactive foreign policy: Strongly Favors topic 17 Work to close gap between richest and poorest nations: Favors topic 17 Commitment to Israel is unshakable: Strongly Favors topic 17 Strongly Favors topic 18: Prioritize green energy (-5 points on Economic scale) Preserve ANWR but explore for oil responsibly elsewhere: Favors topic 18 Transfer billions in oil & gas subsidies to alternative R&D: Strongly Favors topic 18 We cannot drill our way to energy independence: Favors topic 18 Develop renewable energy and efficient vehicles: Favors topic 18 Invest in technology & transportation friendly to earth: Strongly Favors topic 18 Encourage open space and rail travel: Strongly Favors topic 18 We do not have to choose between economy and environment: Favors topic 18 Favors topic 19: Never legalize marijuana (-3 points on Social scale) Join Central American governments to combat narco-traffic: Favors topic 19 Crack down on gangs and drugs: Favors topic 19 Bring to justice those bringing drugs to America: Favors topic 19 Drugs in prison: get clean to get out: Favors topic 19 Dry up drug demand via more enforcement plus more treatment: Favors topic 19 Fight drugs and economic hopelessness that fuels it: Favors topic 19 No opinion on topic 20: Stimulus better than market-led recovery (0 points on Economic scale) (No votes on which to base response)

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