[Magnulus]

I honestly don't see a solution. They have been saying Florida is going to be the next Silicon Valley for years and it hasn't happened. There are many, many more states that are more competitive in that area. Many states have better graduation rates, for instance, or lower costs of living.

The state does need to find something besides tourism because housing is not sustainable. Perhaps Florida cannot support any more growth, maybe that's not such a bad thing?

The watersheds and aquifer are already being taxed enough, the roads are getting more crowded, perhaps Florida shouldn't be so "growth" oriented, and instead focus on improving the state through better infrastructure. Better infrastructure is what will attract those high paying jobs. They should be improving the existing road networks, particularly the smaller streets, and they should be investing in fiber optic broadband.

[MrTudo]

Government needs to get OUT of our lives and that will spur investment and entrepreneuralship. However while the government continues to spend spend spend money that we do NOT have, it will continue to result in printing more money, finding new TAXES to rip us off with and borrowing more therefore devaluing what's left of the dollar, which raises the cost of living ( inflation ) .

While this is happening there can be no fundamental reason for a turn around of any significance.

Here's another guy who apparently knows this

Moderator delete



but of course the mainstream press seems to continue chasing essentially the same type of politician while expecting different results.

[bale002]

Originally Posted by MrTudo

Government needs to get OUT of our lives and that will spur investment and entrepreneuralship. However while the government continues to spend spend spend money that we do NOT have, it will continue to result in printing more money, finding new TAXES to rip us off with and borrowing more therefore devaluing what's left of the dollar, which raises the cost of living ( inflation ) .

While this is happening there can be no fundamental reason for a turn around of any significance.

Here's another guy who apparently knows this





but of course the mainstream press seems to continue chasing essentially the same type of politician while expecting different results.

Could a grassroots movement, even an internet-based grassroots movement, actually get Ron Paul on the ballot at the national level and similar figures on ballots at town and county levels in Florida?

[LewLew]

Originally Posted by Wild Style

1. thank you for posting this

2. so that report I heard on NPR is true, there is a flight out of Florida

3. People realized Florida needed to diversify its economy after 9/11. We are tourism based and when people stop traveling our economy tanks.

4. foreign investors are declining and so is foreign visits to the state. There goes Miami's theory that people are going to go buy up all those condos (not good)

I am trying to think of private sector markets Florida could possibly get here to help fill in the gaps but I can't. What can we offer over Texas, Atlanta, Nashville etc. to get business here. I am not really sure on this one. Maybe try cultivate a relationship with China, that would help.

I don't want to get in a political battle, so I will just say that I am glad there is flight out of Florida. The rush of people, and the tidelwave of "funny money" put us here in the first place. Exodus is good at this point. Let them go to NC, and Texas...they can screw up their economy and markets. It will happen...mark my words. Grass root programs or no....there is no way for a city to wholly prepare for ,ahead of time, the gross influx of people etc. without pissing away money that could be allocated elsewhere. It's kind of a catch 22. In terms of how we grow from here...I'll leave that up to you guys to battle out

[chisoxfan]

Some GREAT discussion here and excellent points raised!

What's obvious is that Florida must identify areas in which it can deal from strength and leverage them. Also, perhaps target some "niche" areas in which the state can become a leader.

Unfortunately, with the state no longer a "low-cost" leader, I fear the best opportunity for these types of transformations may have come and gone. Doing business here is more expensive now, and we're now forced to be reactive, rather than proactive. "Quick fixes" are likely to be favored over visionary, long-term thinking. I hope I'm wrong about that.

As an aside, while I don't mean to hijack this thread and turn this into an anti-media rant, I was disappointed about the way the Sun-Sentinel played the story that serves as the starting point for this discussion. It was in the business section (section D) rather than on page 1A, which instead featured a huge package on video games. It almost seems like a microcosm of the way the state's leaders think -- let's bury our long-term problems.

[MrTudo]

Originally Posted by bale002

Could a grassroots movement, even an internet-based grassroots movement, actually get Ron Paul on the ballot at the national level and similar figures on ballots at town and county levels in Florida?

He is on the ballot nationally.

Far as Fla is concerned, it's as corrupt politically as every other state in the country.

[bale002]

Originally Posted by MrTudo

He is on the ballot nationally.

Far as Fla is concerned, it's as corrupt politically as every other state in the country.

Well, he's a candidate in the Republican primaries. I mean, will voters have a chance to actually vote for him next November and would he have a real chance to win?

Judging from the second comment and others on this thread, it seems like any attempt at a real initiative is a waste of time, I'm afraid to say.

As someone mentioned above, it seems we have to live defensively, then, each one seeking to save his own skin: we're already being sheared.

[Wild Style]

Originally Posted by LewLew

I don't want to get in a political battle, so I will just say that I am glad there is flight out of Florida. The rush of people, and the tidelwave of "funny money" put us here in the first place. Exodus is good at this point. Let them go to NC, and Texas...they can screw up their economy and markets. It will happen...mark my words. Grass root programs or no....there is no way for a city to wholly prepare for ,ahead of time, the gross influx of people etc. without pissing away money that could be allocated elsewhere. It's kind of a catch 22. In terms of how we grow from here...I'll leave that up to you guys to battle out

you and I sir are 100% in agreement

[hiknapster]

Unfortunately or fortunately, with the market the way it is across the country, very few people are moving anywhere.

[LewLew]

Originally Posted by hiknapster

Unfortunately or fortunately, with the market the way it is across the country, very few people are moving anywhere.

Touch'e.........