Who's Against The CSX Deal? Why, Nobody!

By DANIEL RUTH The Tampa Tribune

Published: May 3, 2008

Judging from the solid waste generated by some first-rate public relations flackery, you would think the good citizens of Central Florida arise every morning and gaze longingly out their windows in the unrequited hope that someday soon a CSX choo-choo will come blowing by to turn their pastureland into a teaming hub of locomotion.

As the Florida Legislature contemplated forking over nearly $700 million to CSX in a cooked-up-in-secret game of spin the pol to purchase some 61 miles of rail line in the Orlando area, the Central Florida Partnership attempted to make the whole thing look like the Treaty of Versailles meets the Louisiana Purchase.

In a breathless news release, which was full of more barnyard poo-poo-pa-doo than "Little House on the Prairie," the swells at the Central Florida Partnership endeavored to argue the residents between Orlando and Tampa couldn't possibly think of a better use of nearly a billion dollars in public money than to give it to a Fortune 500 company.

Air Kisses

Indeed, if the out-of-the-sunshine giveaway to CSX survives, a huge swath of Polk County, including the city of Lakeland would be turned into a Chinese fire drill of increased rail traffic.

But that, apparently, is swell with everybody, including those about to have their communities convulsed by the $650 million air kiss from Tallahassee to CSX, according to the poll released by the partnership hotsy-tots.

Respondents were asked whether they supported state investment in rail infrastructure: "If railroads are the most fuel-efficient form of ground transportation"?

Incredibly, the answer was overwhelmingly: yes.

As well 75 percent of those polled in Central Florida endorsed greater use of freight lines if it would reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Duh.

The poll also noted if "railroads are the most fuel-efficient form of ground transportation, would you support government investment in rail infrastructure?" You'll never believe the answer: yes, yes, yes, a thousand times, YES!

Oozing Boils?

In political circles this is called a "push poll" where responses are influenced with a prejudicial question. For example: "Would you prefer to be riddled with oozing boils and tumors, or have increased state-supported rail traffic?"

Of course, in the manner in which the questions were posed, a favorable response was assured.

But suppose the questions had been: "Do you favor a $650 million giveaway of public money, hatched in secret, to a private, investor-owned company which will have a deleterious effect on the quality of life in Polk County?"

"Do you support $4 billion in budget reductions in schools, public safety, health care and infrastructure needs so that a powerful corporation can get $650 million in public money to make it even more profitable?"

"Do you support absolving a private railroad company of liability for any accidents that might occur, even is CSX is at fault?"

Finally, "How do you feel being deceived by Central Florida Partnership propagandists who make it look like you've been played for a chump by CSX and its lotion boys in the Florida Legislature?"

Keyword, Book of Ruth, to read and comment on Dan's blog. And tune into "Road To The White House," on News Channel 8, Sunday at 9:30 a.m., for Dan's political insights.