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Newer Florida Archives: FCRI 2000! ***Also See: U.S. Civil Rights Commission attacks racial equality. (Posted 4/13/00) See also: Fla. Gov. Jeb Bush Ends Quotas Nov. 9, 1999? Fla. Gov. Jeb
Bush Allegedly ENDS Racial Quotas and Preferences (11/09/99)
Affirmative
action supporters outnumbered 2-to-1 (11/08/99) "Results from other poll questions aimed at testing voters' attitudes about race, gender and affirmative action are even more striking. …The responses indicate it would be difficult for affirmative action supporters to keep the proposed amendment from passing if it appears on the November 2000 ballot, said Rob Schroth, a Washington-based pollster who conducted the poll for the newspapers. "Looking at this poll, it is difficult for me to conjure up a political strategy" that would defeat the amendment, he said. "It seems to me what they are saying is that the best way to truly level the playing field is to simply make a person's ability the only issue that should matter." "The poll numbers are about the same in Florida as they were in California at roughly the same point before voters there approved a similar 1996 referendum also backed by Connerly. Washington state voters approved a similar initiative in 1998. "…Florida NAACP president Leon Russell, leader of an advocacy group for affirmative action called FREE, said he is not surprised by the poll results. "It says what we already know; there has to be a lot of education," he said. "We think we know where our work is. It is among white moderate voters. It's explaining what affirmative action is and what affirmative action is not." But the poll indicates that any description of affirmative action as programs that consider race or gender have little support, particularly among white voters. "Everybody should be treated just about equally," said Maurice Burger, a 62-year-old Hillsborough County Democrat.
"Russell and other supporters of affirmative action say voters will always say they
are for equal opportunity. The key, they say, is explaining to them what it takes to
ensure those opportunities exist. 'It's not language that gets people to vote for this,'
Connerly said, 'it's attitude, it's that the time has passed to try to compensate blacks
for past history.'" (St. Petersburg Times-Miami 11/08/99 by Tim Nickens) Poll shows most Floridians would do
away with affirmative action (posted 11/08/99 - dead link) In heavily Hispanic Miami-Dade County, the margin is slightly narrower. The poll results may mean the state's affirmative action programs could be in trouble. The Florida Supreme Court is preparing to review an initiative to bring about a constitutional amendment to end race- and gender-based preferences in state contracting, hiring and higher education. Sixty percent of the survey respondents answered that they would favor such a proposal. Only 26 percent said they would oppose the measure, with 14 percent undecided.
The high court also is set to decide whether Ward Connerly, the California businessman
leading the anti-affirmative action campaign, can carry on his drive to gather the 435,329
Florida voters' signatures needed to place the measure on the November 2000 ballot. ``If
the election were held tomorrow, it's clear to me that voters would support the passage of
this referendum,'' said Rob Schroth, a veteran Washington pollster who conducted the
survey. ``Those who are organizing to defeat this certainly have their work cut out for
them.'' Asked specifically about affirmative action, 52 percent of blacks said they
favored it, while 37 percent were opposed." (Associated Press via The Tampa Tribune
11/08/99) Bush vows to
increase diversity (11/05/99) "Even as Bush vowed to increase diversity, he would not rule out using his authority to eliminate what he considers preferences or quotas in state government. "If we have those things, we will change them," he said. Cory Tilley, the governor's deputy chief of staff, said Bush is not trying to find a politically convenient middle ground in the affirmative action debate. He said the governor sees merit in both sides. "If there's a way to accomplish the well-intended goals (of affirmative action) without using preferences and set-asides, then that's what we want to do," Tilley said. "[Florida Gov. Jeb Bush] could announce policy changes as early as next week. Bush's stance neither surprised nor upset state Sen. Daryl Jones, a Miami Democrat who plans to fight the Connerly amendment with a pro-affirmative action amendment. "…Connerly said he plans to resume gathering signatures for the amendments while he awaits a ruling from the Florida Supreme Court on the wording of the initiatives. The Florida Civil Rights Initiative will build an organization of paid workers and volunteers to gather signatures, he said. "We are going to roll the dice a little bit and get back out there," he said. Connerly said he planned to visit New York today to collect money from supporters who have pledged to contribute to the effort.
"Florida NAACP President Leon Russell, a leader of an advocacy group for affirmative
action called FREE, said no Bush proposal would be the final word. FREE also is planning
to gather signatures for its own constitutional amendment on affirmative action."
(St. Petersburg Times 11/05/99 by William Yardley and Tim Nickens) [Florida Gov. Jeb] Bush may end
racial preference (11/04/99 - dead link) "Affirmative-action foes are eagerly awaiting an expected executive order from Gov. Jeb Bush that would ban racial preferences or quotas in state employment, contracting and higher education. "The move might make it unnecessary for the organizers of the Florida Civil Rights Initiative to gather more signatures to put an anti-affirmative action referendum on the 2000 ballot. "But an executive order would be another strike against affirmative action proponents FREE, a statewide coalition which lately has been on the defensive. "Bush, who was in Orlando Wednesday, said an executive order could come in a matter of weeks, and it could encompass points similar to the anti-affirmative action petition. "It might do that, but that's not the intent," Bush said Wednesday. "We want to be sure that we are not supporting policies that discriminate, and that's what the review is about." "The governor ordered a review of affirmative action policies in August with an eye to making changes where needed. Herb Harmon, campaign manager for the civil rights initiative, welcomed the news as a sign of support. "The timing of the governor's expected announcement is crucial to Harmon. "We've publicly stated that it is important for the governor to announce what recommendations he's going to make. Once we've expended the energy and time to go through a Supreme Court review it will be difficult for us to cease," Harmon said. "Last month Harmon submitted four petitions to the state Attorney General's Office, each with more than 40,000 signatures. Three of the petitions would ban racial preferences in public employment, contracting and higher education, while a fourth would ban racial and gender preferences in all three areas.
"Meanwhile, the coalition supporting affirmation action efforts has been suffering
setbacks. Recently, Veronica Anderson, a FREE board member, resigned as head of the
state's minority business program after an inspector general's report said she had used
her office to aid the group, which stands for Floridians Representing Equity and
Equality." (Orlando Sentinel 11/04/99 by Maria T. Padilla)
Head of minority office
resigns after report (10/23/99) "The resignation came two days after a report by the inspector general for the Department of Labor and Employment Security concluded that Anderson used state employees, tax money and public property to help support the activities of Floridians Representing Equity and Equality. [FREE is a group which strongly opposes the color-blind and gender-blind policies sought by the Florida Civil Rights Initiative.]
"[Florida] Labor Secretary Mary Hooks said she though Anderson's resignation was in
the best interest of the department." (Associated Press, via The Naples Daily
News 10/23/99) Foes of
preferences lack cash (10/15/99) "We'd be lying to you if we said it didn't concern us whatsoever," said Kevin Nguyen, spokesman for the American Civil Rights Coalition. "We anticipate that the fundraising will pick up once the court gives us the green light." ... Nguyen said recent endorsements by the Associated Builders and Contractors of Florida and the state Libertarian Party will generate more contributions. "The Florida Civil Rights Initiative, a group Connerly formed to campaign for the amendment to the state Constitution, raised $39,673.70 from July through September -- a significant drop from the $77,000 raised in the previous three months. "In the meantime, FCRI also received a $12,000 in-kind donation from its parent organization, the American Civil Rights Coalition based in California.
"While the money is coming in more slowly, FCRI officials have said they needed to
raise $100,000 for what they call "phase one" of the campaign. Of the
$117,325.70 total cash raised, FCRI has spent $101,500." (St. Petersburg Times
10/15/99 by William Yardley) Leader
of anti-race-preference push targets Fla. (10/11/99) "So it's time for government-sponsored employment, college admissions and contract awards based on race to be outlawed, Ward Connerly said. "Connerly led successful ballot initiatives to ban such racial preferences in California and Washington. On Sunday, he won the Libertarian's overwhelming endorsement for a similar initiative in Florida. "He wants to put the initiative before Florida voters in November 2000. Success could spell the end of multimillion-dollar state and municipal programs giving preferences to minorities and women in employment and procurement -- including programs run by Palm Beach County and West Palm Beach, such as CityPlace. "Assisted by Republicans rebelling against their party's leadership, Connerly said his Florida Civil Rights Initiative has collected about 60,000 signatures -- enough to get the state Supreme Court to consider his proposed constitutional amendments for the ballot. Getting court approval will be his toughest hurdle, he said.
"Altogether, he must collect 435,329 signatures to get a constitutional amendment on
the ballot. It's a number Connerly said he'll reach, even though Gov. Jeb Bush has said
the effort could be too divisive." (Palm Beach Post 10/11/99 by Sanjay Bhatt) Racial Rules Hit in Speech to
Libertarian Party (10/11/99 - dead link) "'It doesn't matter what our skin color is. Everybody ought to be treated equally in the state of Florida,' said Ward Connerly, a conservative black businessman who was visiting from Sacramento.
"Connerly, 60, led successful drives to ban race- and sex-based preference programs
in California and Washington state, and now seeks to do the same in Florida. ``Yes,
we have racists, but this is not a racist society,'' Connerly said, drawing several rounds
of applause from a crowd of almost 200 members of the Libertarian Party of
Florida." (Miami Herald 10/11/99 by Brad Bennett)
Fla. Pro-Quota
Minority Office Investigated for Opposing Civil Rights Initiative (10/03/99 - dead link) "Veronica Anderson, an attorney who is director of the Minority Business Advocacy and Assistance Office, was also accused of steering a $10,000 consulting contract to a non-profit organization of "minority business enterprise" [pro-quota] advocates in which she was a vice president. "That organization, the Florida Association of Minority Business Enterprise Officials, is a major player in the [discriminatory, pro-quota] coalition known [misleadingly] as "Floridians Representing Equity and Equality (FREE)." FREE is opposing a petition drive to put a voter initiative on the 2000 Florida ballot that would end racial preferences in state government. "[The anti-white, pro-quota organization] FREE is combatting the Florida Civil Rights Initiative, a package of constitutional amendments that would end race [and gender] preferences in state contracting, college admissions and employment. Supporters of the initiative are gathering voter signatures to get the amendments on the ballot next year.
"California businessman Ward Connerly, who led successful [anti-quota and
anti-preferences] drives in his home state and Washington, heads the FCRI effort -- with
the announced intention of injecting the issue into next year's presidential campaign in a
key state." (The Tallahassee Democrat 10/03/99 by Bill Cotterell) Florida Quota Supporters Organize
Opposition to Race/Gender Blind Policies (09/01/99 - dead link) ``It's not just about black folks and white folks,'' said Leon Russell, president of the state NAACP, to a multicultural group of 115 civic and community leaders gathered at the Wyndham Hotel in downtown Miami. ``We want to work together,'' said Russell, who is also leader of a group called Floridians Representing Equity and Equality, or FREE. "In the past two weeks, the group has met with supporters of preference programs for minorities and women in Orlando and Fort Lauderdale, seeking to raise opposition to an anti-affirmative action measure proposed by conservative black businessman Ward Connerly and his associates.
"The National Conference for Community and Justice, formerly known as the National
Coalition of Christians and Jews, was host of Tuesday's meeting. ``We will be
talking about how we can succeed where California and Washington state have failed in
preserving affirmative action measures needed to overcome the economic disparity which
continues to undercut the equality of women and minorities,'' said Nelson Adams, chairman
of the executive committee of the NCCJ." (Miami Herald 09/01/99 by Brad
Bennett) Anti-quota Initiative Volatile
Political Issue in Florida (08/24/99 - dead link) "The referendum initiative is aimed at amending Florida’s constitution to ban racial or gender preferences throughout the state in public employment, education, and contracting. Patterned on similar measures passed in California and Washington State, it’s the kind of measure the Republican Party generally supports. "But Florida Republicans, particularly Gov. Jeb Bush, are worried that such a racially divisive issue on the Florida ballot in November 2000 would undercut efforts by the state GOP to woo minority voters. And in the worst case, it could spark a huge pro-Democratic backlash among women and minority voters that would undermine the campaign of the Republican presidential nominee, who could be Governor Bush’s brother, George W. Bush. "If the issue qualifies for a spot on the ballot, the affirmative-action debate is sure to play a role in the presidential election. And it will give Connerly and his pet issue national exposure and a possible high-profile victory in the fourth most-populous state.
"On a more basic level, if the initiative is approved, it would spell the end for
affirmative-action programs that helped boost minority enrollment in once-segregated
Florida colleges. It would end programs that set aside public contracts exclusively for
minority or women-owned companies. And it would prohibit the state government from
offering employment to workers on the basis of their race or sex. ... Opponents say
programs that require quotas and set-asides are themselves a form of
discrimination." (via ABC News 08/24/99 from the Christian Science Monitor by
Warren Richey) Foes line up against proposal to
scrap affirmative action (08/22/99 - dead link) "If the intent of the petitions is murky, one thing is abundantly clear: a lot of people are signing them -- 55,000 at last count. A laughably partisan, pro-quota group known as FREE which stands for (are you ready?) Floridians Representing Equity and Equality actually stands for neither equity nor for equality. The group is comprised of pro-quota special interests such as the Florida chapters of the National Organization for Women, the National Bar Association, the Hispanic Bar Association, the Florida Association of Minority Business Enterprises and others. They allege that they have partnered in an effort to preserve affirmative action. Which is funny, because the FCRI does not seek to end affirmative action. "'The initiative was started by the original spirit of the civil rights act and the civil rights movement,' said Kevin Nguyen, a spokesman for the American Civil Rights Coalition, the Sacramento, Calif.-based, nonprofit association that successfully lobbied voters to approve affirmative action bans in California and Washington state." [Miami Herald writer Brad Bennett is deliberately dishonest on this point: ACRI and Prop. 209 did not seek to end affirmative action in California.] The Miami Herald goes on to say "Ward Connerly, a conservative black businessman who is the nation's leading foe of affirmative action, is the coalition's chairman." [More obvious dishonesty on the part of the Miami Herald: Connerly does not oppose affirmative action.] "'If someone has a problem with the initiative's wording, then they will have to re-evaluate their support for the 1964 civil rights act,' Nguyen said, referring to the federal legislation that outlawed race-based discrimination in the United States."
In this mostly fictional Miami Herald story by Brad Bennett, the pro-quota racial special
interests have made much of the fact that Florida law has forced the FCRI to circulate
four petitions, only one of which seeks to ban both race and gender preferences.
This is purely an artifact of the unique Florida judicial climate in which the Florida
Supreme Court has a strong tendency to strike down "overly broad" ballot
initiatives. In other words, it is a means for the State of Florida to severely
limit direct, democratic ballot input by its citizens. See especially Florida Initiative: Four Petitions? for the complete
and accurate explanation. (Based on The Miami Herald story 08/22/99 by Brad Bennett) Review [of quota programs] worries
affirmative action proponents (08/18/99 - dead link) "Defenders of affirmative action worry that Gov. Jeb Bush's review of minority and gender preferences may lead to the same result as a petition drive by Ward Connerly: abolishing the programs in Florida. "Based partly on press reports about the governor's intended review, leading defenders of affirmative action said Tuesday that they want to meet with Bush and find out what his intentions are. Some defended the governor. "But one said that Bush aims to abolish affirmative action programs to blunt efforts to put the issue to a statewide vote, thus avoiding a political backlash while George W. Bush, his brother, is a Republican candidate for president. Jeb Bush has denied that.
"In an interview Tuesday, Bush said he expects to eliminate any programs that involve
'overt forms of preferential treatment ... that discriminate.' That's not abolishing
affirmative action, he said." (The Tampa Tribune 08/18/99 by William March and
Michelle Pellemans) [Gov. Jeb] Bush to look at
affirmative action plans (08/14/99 - dead link) "The governor has appointed his legal office to look at the state's affirmative-action laws, section by section, and suggest possible changes, said Bush spokeswoman Lucia Ross.... ``[Bush] said that he will be looking at the state's affirmative-action policies within the next month or two, and if there are things wrong, he'd fix them,'' Republican State Chairman Al Cardenas said Friday. "Some observers say Bush's efforts could help the Republican Party avoid a split, seeking a more mainstream proposal for altering the state's affirmative-action laws. Yet, even with the latest gesture, Connerly's supporters are vowing to continue with their petition drive for a ballot measure in 2000. ... Democrats on Friday charged that Bush is wavering on affirmative action to keep from angering black voters while pleasing his traditionally conservative supporters. ... Republican Party members are ``shaking in their boots for fear of energizing and motivating the pro-affirmative action Floridians,'' said Charles Whitehead, chairman of the Florida Democratic Party. ``They've got themselves in a box over affirmative action, and I'm glad it's them and not me,'' he said. "Bush and the state Republican Party have denounced Connerly's effort to push through a ballot measure banning most preferential hiring, with some party members worrying about how Connerly's initiative may affect the presidential election in 2000. ``I personally feel that these referendum questions get mean-spirited and divisive, and I don't like them,'' said Cardenas. Having a controversial issue like affirmative action on the November 2000 ballot could cost Republicans crucial votes in the presidential election. A stand against affirmative action could bring out large numbers of black voters, who tend to be Democrats.
"Meanwhile, conservatives are also questioning Bush's position. ... Ross, Bush's
spokeswoman, said Bush could issue an executive order ending some of the policies and
practices in place to comply with state law. Connerly's supporters are saying that is not
enough. ``A constitutional amendment would be much more permanent than anything [Bush]
could do,'' said Allen Douglas, executive director of the Florida Associated General
Contractors Council, which is financing the bulk of Connerly's campaign. ``We're moving
forward.'' (Miami Herald 08/14/99 by Brad Bennett)
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