Here is how it works. Tuesday I wrote about Ron Book's client list. Included was Aventura City which has the cash cow red light cameras (before this bill, that Charlie Crist is seen signing into law above, court's said Aventura did not have the authority to collect camera fees under State Law). This bill nullifies the court ruling against Aventura - Book's client. To make these godawful tickets more palatable to we the idiots, Book and others gives a pittance to a charity as a carrot - in this case to cure paralysis. The rest goes to the cities and State of Florida. You lose, because you have to pay the fine. As you can see in the photo above at the signing of the bill, there is Ron Book all smiles at his win for his client. BTW, all his other municipal clients are happy as clams because now they can install the cameras and make extra bucks without hiring police. Big brother is alive and well. Some believe the cameras are a good thing reducing accidents and injuries.How do lobbyists get paid for these feats of questionable benefit to everyman? First they usually have a monthly retainer of approximately $5,000. In Ron's case that would mean his fees could possibly add up to as much as $6,000,000 a year (he has about 90 clients in the State and Miami-Dade County, also another 20 in Broward County). There are no success fees for Lobbyists but a bonus could legally be added to their fee in the form of a raise for the next year, in appreciation for their success. Sometimes in addition to the retainer, they also get an hourly fee in the neighborhood of $500.
What does a lobbyist do for all that dough? Talk people into stuff, even stuff that is not beneficial to those he/she has coerced, because a lobbyist always finds a hook - that is their forte. I think a more accurate term for what a lobbyist does is 'bullshit' around an issue, but then I am not the most tactful of people.
29 comments:
If you don't want to pay the fine associated with one of these tickets, I have a way you can avoid it.
DON'T BREAK THE LAW!
M
Some day all these cameras for our 'safety' will come back to bite you M. Reread 1984.
It is not as if Lobbyists like Ron Book can farm out lunches with lawmakers to underlings. If you think about him working 300 days a year, he could make $20,000 a day. Is that possible? Maybe the unions should hire him.
As relative of a starving artist with great talent, why is Romero Brito involved...just aksing.
anonymouse wrote,
DON'T BREAK THE LAW!
Note to authoritarian follower:
If ron crook had his way, soon there would be a law with a fat-fine for NOT breaking the law...
...and you would likely pay it gladly.
Britto I would suppose is involved with the charity getting money from this law.
OK, so the guy might be good at what he does; or maybe, as long as we keep electing the weak minded and those suseptible to corruption, it makes his job even easier. So, either he is good or very adept at "shooting fish in a barrel."
There is no question but that Ron Book is good at what he does. There are times when I hate what he pushed through, but the red light cameras will save lives and only effect those who willingly break the law. Way to go Ron.
Genius, or should I say Mr. Despair, your obsession with Ron Book borders on the bizarre. Did it ever occur to you that the more you publish his list of clients, and the more comments you receive that he has those clients because he is the best at what he does, the more money he will make? And, after all, isn't it the money that really drives you up the wall?
Don't care. I am educating the public on what the Miami Herald ignores.
How could anyone speak out against such needed legislation. If they could only make lights with radar detectors that would automatically ticket speeding drivers maybe us law abidding drivers in South Florida would feel a little safer driving down the road. Who cares whether or not you were the driver, your the owner of that tagged vehicle being issued a sitation. Wake up and accept some responsibility as an adult. If your worried about someone else getting a ticket on your behalf don't lend out your ride!
I hate this "blame the lobbyists" mentality that has pervaded our political thought recently. When I call a congressman and ask them to vote a certain way, I'm lobbying them, pure and simple. Same when you write, email, fax, whatever.
Any major group you belong to, Sierra Club, Bar Association, Amnesty Intl, NRA, whatever, their primary purpose is that the people who join believe in a cause and want to see it promoted and supported. These people who join don't necessarily have the time or money to go to Capitol Hill themselves, or Tally, or wherever, and work on these issues. By pooling money together, they hire advocates for their cause (lobbyists) who will fight for them, and know how to do so effectively with the least amount of wasted time possible.
As for lobbyists, there are certainly those that are "in-house" with multiple companies, including most major cities and corporations. However, they also need people who are outside the governmental system to work on their behalf, people who have been in the legislative side and know how it works, or the executive branch.
Now as for what Ron Book specifically lobbies for? I don't agree with a lot of what he has, and I do agree with a lot of what he has, but that's not my job to agree or disagree with him. Much the same way it's just as wrong to blame a lawyer for defending KSM as it is to praise a lawyer for defending a wrongful prosecution, the same rules should apply. Lobbyists are professionals who happen to be very good at their jobs, and instead of directing anger at them, direct your anger at who they represent (if you so choose). But railroading Ron Book just detracts from whatever cause you may have.
Having worked fairly extensively in government, I can tell you that the whole "lobbying culture" you think exists with corruption and bribes is FAR from the norm, and on par with what you'd find in most other businesses. Lobbyists serve a crucial role in getting information to legislators, from BOTH sides of every issue, which gives the legislators' staffs background materials and ideas with which to do their own, independent research, and then present briefing memos and formulate an analysis before presenting those to the legislator, who makes the ultimate decision.
The day that lobbyists are completely removed from the system is the day we'll have more trouble than ever before.
Actually, as followup to above (and I apologize for such), we had lobbyists in our office today for the Everglades Summit you were praising in your previous post. Would you prefer they not come and offer us information/discuss that issue? I can guarantee you at some point they have lobbied for causes completely antithetical to this.
You are out of your mind Miacane. Lobbyists cost us all and no one is talking about non professionals here.
I love Lobbyist especially with a side of alfalfa sprouts, some ginger sauce and a Bloody Mary to wash them down.
Policticians can be a bit tough and hard to chew but lobbyist are always such a treat.
I've learned a lot from reading these posts on Book, but I still don't understand why it is that the legislators listen to this guy and do what he wants?
Some are saying 'he's good at what he does". what does he do?
The DeFede article talked about him running back and forth between legislators. Does he just talk their ears off? Why does he carry the influence? Especially if I know he's being paid the big bucks by whoever he's representing, why would I as a legisltor want to listen and do what he wants?
Because as a legislator you are mindless and don't have original thought??...look at the Barreiro video above to see an example of the THINKING POWER we have been electing. Many don't know how to think and Lobbyists make up arguments that sound plausible to the untrained voter watching the TV.
Book is good at what he does. Good lobbyists are smart - a lot smarter than those they advise, but lobbyists who are playing both sides of the issues...that isn't really ethical even for a lobbyist with some pretty low standards.
don't always blame the lobbyists. that's the easy way out. blame the ignorant public who refuses to educate him or herself before they continue to re-elect the officials we have that are so distasteful.
We are trying to educate the public. That is our main mission.
by blaming lobbyists? or by exploring issues for their policy value?
I got myself such a "ticket" at Collins Avenue and Harbour Way, in Bal Harbour heading north just before the bridge to Haulover. I got it on May 5th, and I think it was illegal for them to issue such a ticket at the time. It was after the judge threw these out and before Chris signed it into law.
What's worse, is that the green to yellow was short... I was 3 meters from crossing when it turned yellow -- not enough time to stop without risking the car behind me crashing into me and throwing my passengers out of their seat. The yellow to red was even shorter, so I ended up in the middle of the crossing on red.
Not fair. Not fair, not fair. I NEVER GOT A TICKET and I'm an elder lady with 30 years driving experience who drives like a snail!
SHAME ON BAL HARBOUR!!!!!!!!!
In response to "still curious," I would say that Ron Book is generally acknowledged to be the very best because of his ability, year in and year out, to gather, analyze and provide information on an ever widening range of complex topics. To do that I have read that he works 20 hour days, and has done so for decades. His institutional knowledge is probably unmatched; and, besides being smart as a whip, he simply outworks everyone else. Finally, it is ridiculous to suggest, as our site host has, that lobbyists are needed because legislators are mindless. Lobbyists are needed because information is needed, and no unit of government could possibly afford to hire in-house staff to analyze all of the complex issues which are simply part of life in the 21st century. As the number and complexity of issues increase the lobbyist will become more, not less, important.
....thanks Ron. And all they tell you is the facts and 'other' of the issue that helps their client. It is not unadulterated information, therefore, it is suspect. The city manager should be the source of info or city dept. heads NOT lobbyists.
Finally- there is an unhealthy bond with lobbyists and government officials--you can see it when citizens are talking and commissioners will actually leave the dais to hug and chat with their puppet-masters, in other words, their lobbyist pal! Garl above is a lobbyist that is for sure.
Genius, I guess my association with your site will be just once and done, as you have suggested that I am impersonating one of your favorite targets. Quite frankly, I am just vain enough to expect respect and credit for my own thoughts. For the record, I am NOT Ron Book, I am NOT one of his children, I am NOT one of his employees, I am NOT a client and, finally, I am NOT anyone who has ever worked with him in any capacity. I offer the above merely to close off your next accusation. I also am NOT a lobbyist, but thank you for believing that I could be. As you yourself said, good lobbyists are smart, and were I ever to become one, I would hope to be a good one. In fact, I have spent a lifetime in and around politics and government, and if my description of the role lobbyists play led you to believe that I am one of them, well, so be it. By the way, you and Chaz Stevens both carry the name "genius." Am I to conclude that you are first cousins? Brothers? Life partners? Father and son?
One of my favorite targets??? Not by a long shot.
Thank you for writing your thoughts. However, I really don't care who you are nor do I care who your friend chaz is.
Genius, since you do not care who I am I find it curious that you posted, not once but twice, a comment as to my identity. My apologies for responding to what you said rather than to what you meant?
I know this story is more about seedy lobbyists than the red light camera law, but on the issue of red light cameras, check out this story:
Rear-end collisions jump at red-light camera intersections in West Palm Beach
From the Defede Article:
This past September 21, Book pleaded guilty to four misdemeanor charges and was fined $2000. He also agreed to donate $40,000 to charity as an additional punishment. But rather than express remorse at having cynically subverted the public trust, Book asks for sympathy and says he should be given some credit for being man enough to plead guilty and admit his mistakes: "Anyone who says the decision to stand up and accept responsibility was an easy one, I tell them: 'Get in my shoes, get in my clothes and feel it.' I have been pained and I have been hurt. It hasn't been easy. Not at all."
The fact is that Book confessed to his crimes not as an act of contrition, not out of a sense of shame, and not because he understood that what he did was wrong. No, Ron Book confessed because the investigation into his criminal activities was about to be exposed in the media.
Even after being confronted with overwhelming evidence of his guilt, Book for months had attempted to manipulate the legal system to his advantage. Prosecutors say Book and his high-priced attorneys abandoned the effort only after they learned that a local television station was about to reveal that Book was under criminal investigation. "He was fighting two battles," says Dennis Bedard, the assistant state attorney who prosecuted Book. "First he was fighting a legal battle against us. But just as important to him, he was fighting a public-relations battle as well. Once this became public, if this had dragged out, it potentially could have destroyed his ability to work as an effective lobbyist."
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