Ex-GOP Majority Leader in FL: "I will not sell my soul"

[derby378]

Wow!!

Only a couple of months ago Alex Villalobos was on the cusp of making history as a future president of the state Senate, the first Cuban American who would hold the post.

But the Miami senator's long history as a moderate and independent cost him the leadership post. Then, Monday night, it led to his firing as Senate majority leader minutes after he cast a deciding vote to kill Gov. Jeb Bush's efforts to revive one of his prized education jewels: giving parents public money vouchers to send their kids to private school.

...

Villalobos said he didn't understand. He said he has been "consistent" all along.

"My legacy, whatever it is, was not going to be that I helped bring down public education in the state of Florida," he said. "And if I have to lose my position in the Senate because of that, then that's fine. And if I don't get to come back as a senator, then that's fine, too. I will not sell my soul or sell my vote."

http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/news/14485634.htm

[Horse with no Name]

1. Wow.

Now that is an honorable man, regardless of what side of the aisle he sits on.:applause:

[Cha]

2. WOW! A repuke in

Florida or anywhere who has a "soul"..I'm impressed beyond mere words!

[Dudley_DUright]

5. Shocked the hell out of me Zidzi

I am so used to Republicans kowtowing to Jeb down here that I did not even realize any of them had souls left to sell.

[Cha]

7. Naturally , we're in shock.. it really

is a rare thing to behold. I hope this guy doesn't lose more than his Senate Presidency.

:hi: Dudley!

[seabeyond]

3. hooo yaaaa. pat this man on the back. both parties we need

more,..... not going to sell my soul. florida is so f*ed up he will probably be voted out, but he needs a resounding victory next election

[1monster]

9. Florida is so "f*ed up" only because the GOP has managed to

manipulate the voting machines. They stole Florida in 2000 and they did it again in 2004. Make no mistate, GWB did not legitmately win Florida in 2000 and again in 2004, his "win" was illegitmate.

The Supreme Court Five (along with Jebby, Harris, and Tom Feeney) stole the election for Bush in 2000 and Diebold and ilk stole it in 2004.

Stop blaming Florida for what has been a national GOP operation. They have the done the same thing in other states. Remember Georgia 2002 when a Vietnam veterin triple amputee was defeated supposedly on the grounds that he was unpatriotic? There was plenty of evidence that touch screen voting machine counts had been manipulated and that certification standards were not met. New Mexico had some problems in 2000 at the same time Florida was in dispute, but they didn't get as much press. I'm sure most of us still remember Ohio, 2004. Texas had problems in 2004 and has been having huge problems in 2006 with the elctronic vote machine counting.

My guess is that this sort of thing has been going on ALL over the United States on the QT.

Don't blame Florida. Florida made them fight and brought a lot of the problems out into the public eye. If not for the outrageous and egregious actions taken by the GOP in Florida and the fight over it, would anyone have noticed how skewed the the vote counting was in subsequent elections?

[seabeyond]

16. and jeb???????? kathleen harris voted in after election theft???

not to mention some of the recent laws passed in florida.

i love florida, visit it often. have friends who live there and they love it so. but they are f"ed up.

so is texas. i live in texas. they are f*ed up too

oh, and ohio.

i think those are the three that are the most f*ed up.

do you feel better now that i have included two other states, one of them being mine

doesnt mean i want to abandon, just means there is a lot of work to be done

jeb was voted in because he is a popular governor, as much as i dont understand that. and he is still popular, as much as i dont understand that. but i did hoo yaaaa the senator that didnt sell his soul. that is a good start.

oh and your whole area of christian warriors, scary

ah and the girls gone wild

lol lol

i know they probably missed with the reno primary and yes i know about rob georgia. they also had a rob california i believe.

not to mention your child services. dont even get me started.

[Robbien]

4. This highlights how the GOP works

Either you follow the GOP line or the GOP works to get you out of office.

[Ian David]

11. Maybe they're on to something...

Why are we still stuck with Byrd, LIEberman, etc?

What does a Democrat have to do to get fired?

How are afield are they allowed to go? Into Zell Miller territory?

[warrens]

6. *clutching chest*

There's gotta be more to the story. A decent Republican????

[Dr.Phool]

8. Not to mention that vouchers in FL have been declared

Unconstitutional at least 3 times.

8 more months, we'll be rid of the Jebster and Katherine Harris for good!

[Zodiak]

10. Rare as a hen's tooth

is the elected Republican with a conscience. I miss these guys.

[peacetalksforall]

12. Hero du Jour?! n/t

[myrna minx]

13. Wow!

Wow! A Republican with integrity. Can we hope that republicans like Mr. Villalobos will once again become the norm? It's too bad that he's a rarity. Good on you, Mr. Villalobos.

[fishnfla]

14. There's more to this, its a power struggle

This issue is peripheral to the real one: they are fighting tooth and nail over the senate leadership for next term. Word is that most business was shut down this session because of the dogfight.

[derby378]

15. Power struggle or no, I'll take the result

FL has been spared the use of vouchers for a little while longer.