The kind of bomb-throwing politics being practiced by Mary Barley and her minions on the Everglades-bill controversy is appallingly bad public discourse. It threatens Everglades' restoration far more than anything proposed in even the original House version of the bill. Barley and her gang allege that the entire Legislature of Florida (both parties), the Republican governor, secretary of the Department of Environmental Protection and now Democrat U.S. Sen. Bob Graham, are the blind stooges of polluters. She even put up a billboard in the Keys near the home of a Water Management District Board member accusing him of being a toady to polluters, with his home telephone number. (This for a man who has spent the past 15 years, on his own time, in faithful pursuit of Everglades restoration.) Great theater, if it wasn't so mean-spirited. I was Jeb Bush's Everglades czar during the finalization of the restoration plan and state funding for it. Some folks, including me, honestly believe that the bill is aimed at advancing the cleanup of the Everglades. It seeks to deal with thorny scientific issues acknowledged by all those familiar with Everglades issues, whatever faction. I also trust the governor, not based upon his words, but rather his actions over the past four years. These actions have advanced restoration years beyond anything proposed before. Supporters of the bill may be wrong. But, if so, this is better pointed out by civil political discourse than by poisoned politics. J. Allison DeFoor,
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