Editor’s note: Mark Sharpe is a candidate for Congress in Florida’s 11th congressional district, currently represented by Kathy Castor who is running for a fourth term

Statement from Mark Sharpe

Let me be clear.  I am not running for Congress to join the insiders and eat bean soup at the Capital Club.  I am running to divert America from its present treacherous course.

Mark Sharpe

This week’s news that the congressional “super committee” has failed should surprise no one. It was designed to fail. Washington is little more than an insider’s club where good public policy takes a back seat to crony capitalism and partisan gain.

That is why I am determined to Read the rest of this entry »

Silver spoon lands plum job in shrinking news industry without paying dues

(Editor’s note: The following was submitted by my friend Victor Epstein, a veteran newspaper reporter. Victor, like a lot of professional journalists is out of a job due to the economy and the newspaper industry still trying to figure out how to make money in the age of Twitter and The Daily Show. His column focuses on how ridiculous it is that Chelsea Clinton was recently hired by NBC News – and his (understandable) frustrations. But the column doesn’t stop there. It gives an insightful first-person account of what it is like to be a journalist with real world accounts about covering the news. Those examples demonstrate how being a “real journalist” translates into better reporting and story telling. The column is longer than what we normally publish here, but if you’re interested in the news and journalism as I am, you wont be able to stop reading it.  — Chris Ingram, Publisher, Irreverent View)

By Victor Epstein

A pair of headlights cut through the darkness behind me on a two-lane road outside Claxton, Ga., one night in 1994. They closed swiftly on my pickup before matching my speed at about 200 yards.

That almost never happens on country roads. Cars either pass you or you pass them. They don’t race toward you before trailing  from a fixed distance. So, I slowed down to protect the identity of my source – a black high school student who had been warned to stop dating a white classmate in a town plagued by institutionalized racism.

The mystery car drew closer each time I downshifted, before matching my speed. We drove along in this manner for a stretch at 150 yards, then 100, then 50. We were separated by less than 10 feet by the time I brought my pickup to a complete halt.

The vehicle now visible in my rear-view mirror was a Claxton police cruiser. Read the rest of this entry »

New candidate emerges in election to replace Cox-Roush tomorrow night

By Chris Ingram

This is inside baseball no doubt, but finally, it seems as though someone of merit has stepped up to the plate to run for Hillsborough County Republican Execuctive Commitee chair. His name is Chris Shalosky, and he is president of the Fishhawk GOP club. (See e-mail of support from Kelly Clem for more details on his background).

I am told by a reputable source in the county GOP organization that Carol Carter said she would not run if someone else with credibility (and someone other than Art Wood  — who is running) got into the race. So here is Carol’s chance to bow out, save face, and avoid embarrassing herself and the party.

As I previously wrote, Art “Bob Dole” Wood is a nice guy — and so is my plumber, but I don’t want him being county party chairman. We can do better than handing off this important position in a critical election year (nevermind the fact that the convention is in our backyard) to someone just because “it’s his turn.”

Wood: Bob Dole

Shalosky: not Bob Dole

Lastly, I still say Read the rest of this entry »

Does Les Miller think the rest of the BOCC is that stupid?

By Chris Ingram

Just when you thought the antics of former Hillsborough County Commissioner Kevin White were in the commission’s past, the commission has begun to digress back to its dysfunctional ways.

Ironically, the commission’s new antics are being lead by the man who disposed of its former biggest clown, Mr. White – who was recently convicted of seven counts related to public corruption. (Editor’s note: Please don’t send compassion packets with things like soap on a rope to inmate Kevin White c/o Federal Bureau of Prisons until after his sentencing in January).

Les Miller's plan is a partisan power play.

White’s replacement of course is none other than Commissioner Les “double-dippin’” Miller. It seems when Mr. Miller isn’t busy doing whatever it is he is being paid $96,000 a year to do as “student ombudsman and public liaison at USF” he does stuff related to being a county commissioner – for which he is paid $92,000 a year.

That “stuff” has amounted to a very strategic plan of Mr. Miller’s to totally change the way commissioners are elected as well as how the commission annually selects its chairman. Both are what political operatives would call a “power play by the minority to regain the majority.”

Here are Les Miller’s $188,000 plans: Read the rest of this entry »

And a few things his opponents would rather you forget

By Chris Ingram

Republican presidential candidate Jon Huntsman was in Florida yesterday. A light day of campaigning was preceded by a coveted appearance on NBC’s Meet the Press in which Huntsman raised the issue of GOP frontrunner Mitt Romney’s electability and his repeated flip-flops.

From CEO’s like Welch to the few everyday Americans who are actually paying attention to the race, voters are still looking for a believable leader who lacks the baggage of candidates like Caine and Gingrich and the poll-tested and plastic nature of Mitt Romney. Huntsman may be the answer, but a lot of stars will have to line up in a row for Huntsman to become the nominee.

Live free or die

Metaphorically speaking, Huntsman has Read the rest of this entry »

By Chris Ingram

Following my column in the Tampa Tribune today, a reader sent an e-mail regarding a fundraiser for Jon Huntsman in Dunedin, Fla. on Sunday, November 4, 2011. The general reception starts at 4:30 with a suggested contribution of $150 or $75.00 for young professionals. There is a private round table event beforehand with a suggested contribution of $500.

For more information, click here: Huntsman invite (PDF) to view a PDF of the invitation.

Read the rest of this entry »

By Chris Ingram

The Tampa Tribune

Published November 4, 2011

OK, I admit it. I like Republican presidential candidate Jon Huntsman. If you haven’t heard of him, it’s because his campaign has yet to catch on with Republicans. Among GOP primary voters Huntsman is wrongly perceived as something of a squish — that’s a conservative code word for moderate. It’s also the kiss of death if you’re running in a Republican presidential primary.

But the facts are, as governor he was a fiscal conservative and a tax-cutter. He supports the Ryan budget plan, and he has said repealing Obamacare is a top priority if elected.

On social issues Huntsman is Read the rest of this entry »

A fellow Cuban-American’s perspective on Florida’s junior senator’s latest tall tale

(Editor’s note: The following commentary was written by Patrick Monteiga, editor of Tampa’s La Gaceta newspaper, the only tri-lingual newspaper in the United States. The column appeared in today’s edition. Monteiga and his family are of Cuban ancestory. The column is reprinted with permission).

Sen. Marco Rubio at CPAC. Photo by Gage Skidmore.

The revelations from Marc Rubio’s family history have brought us closer to the U.S. Senator than we’ve ever been before. You see, the real version of Rubio’s heritage closely resembles the Manteiga heritage.

My grandfather Victoriano, like Rubio’s dad and mom, came from Cuba to the U.S. for a job and a better life. My grandfather came in 1913 (at least that’s the story) and was hired by the workers at the Morgan Cigar Factory as the lector. Rubio’s father, Mario, came over in 1956 and found a bartending job.

Victoriano wanted to stay here permanently and become a U.S. citizen, but he was still interested in the family and friends left behind in Cuba. Mario seemed to follow the same creed.

Cuban dictator Fulgencio Batista was hated by my grandfather who hoped Fidel Castro would bring better days to Cuba. Mario left in 1956 during the reign of Batista supposedly because of the violence and uncertainty. It seems he also hoped that Castro would change things for the better.

In 1961, after Castro resumed relations with the USSR and nationalized American oil companies and  sugar interests, Rubio’s mom, Oriales, went back to either look after a relative or to see if things were better in Cuba so her family could move back depending on the version of the story. Odd, considering that most observers could see Cuba slipping towards Soviet-style communism by then. Read the rest of this entry »

By Chris Ingram

The Tampa Tribune

Published October 27, 2011

Last weekend I took my family out in the boat for a sunset cruise. On our return, my spotlight went out, and we got off course heading into the channel as I slightly misread the compass bearing. It was dark, the tide was low, and we were hitting bottom. So I called my friends Tommy and Ronnie, who are avid boaters and retired firefighters and live in the same neighborhood as I do. I asked for some points of reference — however limited at night — which they provided.

A few minutes later we were still off course and in shallow water when Tommy called to check on us. I told him we were still under way, looking for channel markers, though still in very shallow water. He offered to come to our aid, which I declined, telling him I’d call him back in a half hour if we needed help.

When I called Tommy back, he was already in his boat, and Ronnie was with him. An hour later we were all back home safe and sound, thanks to their help.

My selfless friends showed me and the girls in my life what being neighborly is all about.

This little misadventure got me thinking about whom among the GOP presidential candidates I would call as a “lifeline” if I needed their help in a similar situation. Read the rest of this entry »

In desperate move for relevance, disgraced former party leader says she will run

By Chris Ingram

A couple of years ago, Carol Carter was on minute fourteen of her fifteen minutes of fame, serving as Hillsborough County’s Republican Party State Committeewoman. Then the clock started ticking on the fifteenth minute when Ms. Carter sent the following e-mail:

From: Carol Carter

Friday, January 30, 9:30 AM

Subject: FW: Amazing!

I’m confused.

How can 2,000,000 blacks get into Washington, DC in 1 day in sub zero temps when 200,000 couldn’t get out of New Orleans in 85 degree temps with four days notice?

Carol Carter

Local media got a hold of the e-mail and before Carol could repaint her lawn jockey the heat was on for her to resign, which she begrudgingly did. (See local press story here).

"I've got to go paint my lawn jockey!"

Fast forward to 2011, Read the rest of this entry »