COMMENTARY
MILT THOMAS
I have a friend in Egypt who is involved in politics and when it comes to the subject of democracy, he feels it could never happen in Egypt. Why? Because the majority of voters are poor, uneducated farmers, inclined to vote for whomever promises them the most, whether or not it is realistic. He said, “If a candidate promised everyone $100,000, they would believe him.” A democracy cannot exist, he says, where candidates make unfulfillable promises and voters believe them.
We have certainly seen our share of unfulfilled promises by candidates and we are supposed to be a highly educated electorate, unlike the Egyptians. Like the Egyptians though, we hold out hope that the promises will be fulfilled. We are waiting for Godot in effect, a person who will solve all our problems, but who never comes along.
In the case of our upcoming Vero Beach City Council election, the primary issues are – or rather should be – saving our lagoon and making the best preparations for All Aboard Florida if and when it becomes a reality. Instead, it seems that every candidate who wants to resonate with voters promises they will “close the deal” with FPL so all of Indian River County can finally enjoy lower electric bills.
Those candidates hope they can sway the Egyptian voters among us to put aside concern for the truly major issues and vote for the FPL “deal,” which like Godot, will never come.
Surely, these candidates know that deal can never happen. So by promising it, aren’t they showing little respect for Vero Beach voters? Aren’t they acting as though we are an uneducated electorate who will vote for unfulfillable promises?
Unfortunately, those candidates have at least the tacit support of what our Founding Fathers wrote into the Constitution, a free press. Is the press truly free if they continually criticize candidates who work to lower electric rates and support those who promise the unfulfillable? Surely, they too, know the FPL deal is dead. The facts are available for all to see.
One of the two primary newspapers in Vero Beach, the beachside and mainland editions of 32963, has made it a corporate policy to criticize just about anything to do with Vero Beach city government. Is that because they feel there is no need for a Vero Beach city government?
The other primary newspaper, the Indian River Press Journal, formerly the Vero Beach Press Journal owned by Scripps, then Journal Media Group and now Gannett, all in one year. The president of this ever-evolving ownership is married to an executive of FPL, so however he denies there is no editorial connection between them, we have a difficult time believing him. In Egypt, even the most uneducated are resigned to media reflecting the will of those in power.
So who are you to believe among the candidates in this upcoming election? That is the $100,000 question.
Indian River Guardian 
To my knowledge no one from the SELL AT ANY COST group has come up with a plan on how to accomplish that goal, except Pilar Turner who would have us pay $26,000,000 to FPL for the “privilege.” No Thanks”,Pilar. The sale at any cost candidates like Howle and Moss have not specified any concrete plan on how to do this ,but just keep spouting “I’m for the sale.” They have no plan ,have presented no plan, and cannot offer a plan because OUC, FMPA, BONDHOLDERS, CONTRACTS, AND SUPREME COURT DECISIONS make it an impossible task.
Our IQ scores will be tabulated on 3 November.
Brad Marshall
Does Vero Beach really want Laura Moss—Charliei Wison in a skirt?
It seems the Laura Moss/ Charlie Wilson combo is alive and doing their predicable routine at public meetings. She has no ideas of her own and has to rely on Wilson’s discredited arguments. If she wants to get elected she must disavow him, his tactics ,and come up with ideas on her own ,not Wilson’s. She reads real well from her pre-written statements,but beyond that NOTHING. Reports have surfaced that Wilson has been seen passing her a note at one recent public meeting. Need I say more?
All of her questions to Attorney Wright were written by Charlie Wilson. You can see her reading them in the video. Charlie doesn’t live in the City, but don’t worry, he’s still running for Vero Beach City Council.
Since the electric sale is impossible the next best thing is to negotiate lower rates. Stradley’s strategy has a two pronged goal. His first goal is to ask for so much that OUC walks away from the negotiating table. His next goal is to delay until after the election a vote to lower rates so that the current administration can not get credit for the savings of $750,000 a month. Remember Stradley is a political operative in league with Charlie Wilson. Both support Moss and Howle.