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Mike Haridopolos: Another Corrupt Overly Coiffed
Politician Running For The U.S. Senate

From the diaries by Erick

Question: What do you call a man who is in his just beginning his tenure as the President of the Florida State Senate at a time where the State is facing dire economic times and is already making plans to run for the U.S. Senate when he is term limited out in 2012?

Answer: A GUY WHO SHOULDN’T BE RUNNING FOR U.S. SENATE.

Question: What do you call a College Professor (who also was also an Elected member of the State Legislature) who got 152 grand of Taxpayer’s money  to write a 175 double-spaced book on “politics” in Florida that, until the scandal broke, had only one copy published?

Answer: A rip-off artist and lousy guardian of the Public Treasury. If a regular person had done such a deed, he would have gone to jail.  This act alone should disqualify Haridopolis from the Senate and a CRIMINAL INQUIRY needs to be set in motion over this. PERIOD.  Enough is Enough.

Question: When said above Politician gets caught RIPPING OFF the taxpayer and then, in a desperate effort to prove he really wrote a book worthy of the 152 grand, now has it for sale for 9.99 on Amazon Kindle, what does that tell you about his attitude towards voters in Florida?

Answer: He thinks we are fools who will buy into this crap. Anybody can publish a book on Kindle. For example, here are some books currently outselling Haridopolos’s “Book”.

1) The New Maid by Carly Douglas

2) Office Mating by Esmeralda Greene

3) Midnight Craving by Zoe M. Bates

4) Massage Parlour Novice also by Carly Douglas

and finally, that international bestseller and possible required reading at Northwestern University: Quickie: with the Busty Babysitter! by Lillian Snow.

Mike Haridopolis is a creature of the inbred Tallahassee Republican Machine.  He represents the “The Getting Elected Trumps Principle” school of politics. For example, He was for High Speed rail before he was against it. (BTW Kudo’s to Governor Scott….So far He walks the talk)

This is the type of guy, who, if he makes it to the U.S. Senate will immediately embrace the inbred political Culture of Washington in order to advance his own political career in the Senate, while, at the same time (like a lot of Senators) start having delusions of grandeur and  think of winning the White House.  Remember…all he has really ever accomplished is run for the next highest political office.

We cannot afford to keep electing these creatures to run  OUR Government.  The stakes now are WAY too high.

Finally, there needs to be a law enacted that states that no Male should be allowed to run for the U.S Senate that has his hair “Styled” vice cut.  I suggest that all potential male candidates For the Florida U.S. Senate be required to go enter into a MEN’S barbershop, get a #3 or #4 buzz cut (I’m a #1 and #2 cut man myself, but I’m hardcore),  give the barber a five dollar tip and then walk out the barbershop, all under 5 minutes.  Make it a Pay-Per-View special with proceeds going towards our wounded warriors, you know, the people who shave their heads and put it ALL ON THE LINE for their Country. Such a rule would have meant John Edwards would have never made it to the Senate and therefore be taken for a LEGITIMATE candidate for President.

This Rule should not can never apply to Women, because they get to do their hair anyway they want and their Husbands have to pay for it, because Women were the ones who get pregnant and endure chidbirth.  This is the “You don’t know what I went through to have our Children Argument” and can be used in any marital argument because there is no counter-argument except for getting kicked in the balls and the wives say that doesn’t count.  (I don’t make the rules folks, I just report themAs I tell my Son: There is nothing that says life has to be fair)

My advice to Senator Haridopolos is to

a) Quit running for U.S. Senate and concentrate on the job you are getting paid for by the People of Florida.

b) Once your term is up, Go into the private sector and see how the real world lives (My God, the man only knows academia or elected politics)  and

c) If you are going to write a tome for academia, for pete’s sake put some effort into it.  You latest example doesn’t even meet the standards of a paper written by a Freshman on a Florida State Football Full Athletic Scholarship who got his Girlfriend to write it for him the night before it was due.

My advice to Florida Republicans:  Do not elect this man.  His book deal stinks, all he has done in his life is run for the next highest political office and he spends way too much time on combing his hair.  Let’s face it: He belongs in the “Charlie Crist and John Edwards Hair Club For Men” school of politics.

COMMENTS

  • IJB

    Would you rather have Connie Mack?

    ‘Cos I sure as heck wouldn’t.

    • http://twitter.com/DinaFraioli Dina

      I’d rather not have The Hair or Connie Mack. I want someone who’s been with Rubio since day one and who’s criticized Crist and his scummy ways openly. I want the real deal.

    • proudgop

      please tell me why your against Congressman Mac

      right now he looks like best candidate to go up against Nelson

      • IJB
  • junkbondtrader41

    I have no idea if this guy’s honest or dishonest, a solid conservative or an opportunistic squish, and I don’t learn that in this post or the underwhelming links therein. Oh, and I could care less about his damn hair.

    I do know that the hysterical denunciations here don’t look yet justified. But these knee-jerk attacks on all but the most kamikaze-variety righties in primaries around here is getting a little old.

    No wonder Erik promoted this.

    • Vegas_Rick

      But the diary was the man’s opinion. He’s authorized an opinion. Right? Obama hasn’t outlawed that yet has he? The links do support his contentions about the book and the flip-flop on high speed rail. If that’s not sufficient for you, I think it’s up to you to do more research, not slam the author.

      And what’s wit hall the juveniles who think it’s just so cool to misspell Erick’s name? Grow up.

    • fpete13527

      If Haridopolis wants to truly make a positive difference for Florida, then he can steer the Senate extensively in the direction that Gov Scott is taking Florida. (And not just do a quick feint-switch against rail to gain points)

      If time shows that he has remained in that direction and not vacillated I would re-look at his aspirations…but not for this Senate term.

      Let’s see Haridoplois and Cannon do some VIGOROUS support to Gov Scott’s agenda with respect to public pension reform, education reform, empowerment of small private business, and abolishment of radical “green Florida legislative agenda.”

      Bloggy Bayou, IMO, has been insightful and accurate in his take on Florida politics from day one.

      Erick has empowered the grass roots Tea Parties movement in Florida to realize results even against overwhelming opposition.

      McCallister may be the best candidate thus far however he needs to make himself known more.

      • fpete13527
        • http://www.practicalstate.com Bloggy Bayou
  • smagar

    How can you elect hair like that?

  • smagar

    Maybe that’s OK for Florida—I’m from Arizona, and we have plenty of kooky-looking people here.

    Putting them on a national stage…well, that’s another thing.

    • smagar
      • rickbull
  • Tbone

    I don’t know much about this guy but at least I googled his name.

    Maybe you should have as well.

    • http://www.practicalstate.com Bloggy Bayou

      Mild case of Dyslexia… As My sister once commented when I was in elementary School, I was the first person she had ever met who spelled “Oasis” ten different ways on single page and not get one of them spelled right…

  • Darin_H

    I see more red flags than a May Day Parade.

    Yeah, he finally came out on the right side of ‘high speed” rail, only after Scott took the heat and killed it (he voted for it previously, but was lukewarm in support).

    That book deal stinks to high heaven. The absolute biggest negative that I read. I would pass him over just for it, the situation says a lot about his character.

    I do like his opposition to spending, but I don’t know how much of that is conviction and how much is pandering – don’t get me wrong, pandering in my direction is better than not. That’s not a deal breaker with me.

    And I don’t mind at all about the running early for 2012 senate seat, he’s going to need to build a lot of name recognition and raise a lot of dough. Marco Rubio wouldn’t be Senator Rubio today if he hadn’t started as early in his cycle as he did – luckily for him, the timing was better than this.

    I’m going to see who else is running, but count me currently as a “no” vote in the primary for Haridopolis.

  • sinbad13

    That is your ticket Florida. How great does that sound.

    • lgbpop

      The House of Representatives controls the purse strings, and that’s where I want to see Col. West build his bully pulpit. The Senate may have prestige (undeserved, since the ratification of the Seventeenth Amendment) but the House controls the spending.

      If West stays in the House four years without losing his moral compass he could be Speaker. Take that, Nancy!

  • Christine (Trelaina)

    …but I have to ask….is this on the front page as an example of what shouldn’t make the front page?

    The misspellings and poor grammar alone are making me cringe, not to mention the random capitalizations.

    I hope this isn’t a sign of things to come.

  • http://www.floridapoliticalpress.com/ tomtflorida

    So much for ‘streiff’s recent Secrets Of A Front Page Diary…as this entry has more than it’s share on don’ts!

    Regarding Mike Haridopolos, here’s an interesting take – the tea party movement has harangued our elected officials to listen to our voices and respect the will of the people, yet, when a politician makes the transition, he’s then chastised as being disingenuous and merely capitulating for votes.

    As of late, Haridopolos played a significant role in defeating high speed rail and has shepherded a Smart Cap spending cap throught he committee process in the Florida Senate.

    Could it be that politicians are damned if they do and damned if they don’t?

  • monkeysauce

    First, the book was the college’s idea, and even the liberal Florida Today said while the deal was unique, it wasn’t unethical or really unfair. And he worked for the college even before he went to politics.

    And the book was posted by Amazon by the college he wrote the book for. They and Amazon are the only ones getting any money from the book. Haridopolos doesn’t get a dime out of any sales of the book.

    Haridopolos came to opposing tax dollars for high speed rail well before Rick Scott turned down the federal rail money. Yes, he voted for the SunRail bill, but he’s been front and center in the effort to kill high speed rail since then. It’s never too late to fix something, and he took a step in that right direction. That shouldn’t be something to get pissy about.

    As for the Rubio comparisons, Mike was hosting fundraisers for Marco even before Crist left the GOP. He even held one at his house, and it was one of Marco’s best in-state events.

    There’s a long time before primary day. Let’s drop the ridiculous rhetoric and see if he keeps his promises on balancing the budget with no new taxes, passes SmartCap, Health Care Freedom Act and the other small government reforms he’s working on. I’m willing to see what this guy can do with the time he’s given to lead, and so should the rest of us.

    • acat

      Took down Jim Wright in Texas, IIRC.

      The deal used to be colleges couldn’t pay fees to political speakers or donate to their campaigns so .. what they’d do was to buy books, published by the speaker, and .. well ..

      IIRC, and it’s been a while, nobody was ever quite clear what happened to the actual, physical books… a few showed up in the college library, some signed copies went to the true believers on the faculty, sometimes the attendees of the speechifying got “free copies” (paid for out of their tuition..) but the bulk were just .. funny money.

      If anything, the Kindle makes this even easier, there are no physical books…

      So. If you’re willing to give this guy a pass on receiving a share of the tuition of all Florida State students, that’s your call – but please at least be honest about it… this stinks on ice.

      Mew

      • http://www.practicalstate.com Bloggy Bayou

        It only hit Amazon once the scandal erupted…I’m sure there are buyers lining up to buy it in bulk and in effect “repay” the money in order to cover his rear.

        Just you wait and see….

        Haridopolos career path is that of an academic and politician. A double dose of “sense of entitlement”

        Like I said..What FSU, the State of Florida and Haridopolos did would have meant a criminal charge for us “lesser mortals”….

        If he can be bought in 2003, why can’t he be be bought after he is elected in 2012?

  • citruscon

    It would be up to school to take legal action if there was anything that actually was wrong with what happened. They haven’t done that. And like ‘sauce said, Florida Today hates Mike H and even their investigative reporter said there said this:

    “Someone owes you an explanation.

    That’s why I’ve been examining Haridopolos’ personnel files from Cocoa and Gainesville. I reviewed his applications, resumes and contracts. I picked over his time logs. His student evaluations. His memos back and forth with administrators (you’d freak if I went through your file this way). On Friday, I inspected and read the mysterious book, delivered last year.

    And I’m still looking — for a breach of contract, policy violation or even something unfair.”

    To compare that with saying that writing a short book is a jailable thing is a little much. Mike has a really conservative agenda on deck this year. Cutting $3.62 bill in spending/taxes, reforming pensions and Medicaid, capping spending, going all out in opposing Obamacare (basically killing the individual mandate in the state), and more tort reform. He accomplishes all that this year, I think he deserves a good hard look.

  • http://www.practicalstate.com Bloggy Bayou

    http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=hariopolos&x=0&y=0

    The Ebook on Amazon is Copyrighted on Feb 27 2011!

    The Book was written in 2003!

    Already it has “sold” over 10,000 copies at $9.99. Was this a bulk sale? Who bought this admittedly ill researched, 175 page double space excuse for a Scholastic Tome?

    This stinks folks. Haridopolos gets caught with his hand in the cookie jar (from 8 years ago) and rapidly does a CYA on Amazon and a BUNCH of guys (over 10, 000 – #31 on the Kindle list!) shell out money for this? And you buy that it is all on the up and up?

    This is the same old corrupt values that got us politicians like Crist and Clinton and other Good ole boys running the show.

    Same old crap, just a different name…

    • http://www.practicalstate.com Bloggy Bayou

      Hit send too soon. I confused the rank with sales. It’s around 10000 rank over all on Amazon and #31 in Government books…

      My bad..deserve hoots… etc Mea Culpa

      HOWEVER: The Copyright issue is valid…It hit Amazon when this started to go south on the Senator…

      This WILL be an issue in the GOP Primary.

  • pantera

    just beat him in the primary….

    shouldnt be that hard…

    maybe charlie crist should run instead….

  • rightwingmom52
  • gawken

    FWIW, I suspect that Mike is a placeholder for Jeb. Jeb could announce for the Senate tomorrow, everyone else in the field would endorse him, and he’d win by 15-20 pts..Heck..Nelson would probably retire.

    So why hasn’t Jeb done exactly that. Well, I suspect that he’s lookig over the GOP field for 2012, noticing that no one hasn’t exactly caught fire, and wants to keep his options open…

  • jomo2009

    At least when he’s on the campaign trail he’ll have Sofia Vergara by his side. Va-Va-Voom!!