Guest AuthorWe now know that more than half of Florida’s voters are deciding not to vote this year. Your vote matters more than ever.
Like you, I have faith in our state and believe Florida is moving in the right direction again. I believe if we focus less on the left, the right, or who’s right and wrong, and instead have strong faith, protect our freedoms, fight for free enterprise and focus on policies that support strong families, that Florida’s best days are ahead of us.
For many families and small businesses, the news is good. Families are finding greater job opportunities. Florida’s education reforms are working, and our housing market is growing stronger. But there are forces standing in the way of free enterprise, opportunities for families and Florida’s competitiveness.
Out-of-state and special interest groups are working to make Florida more like California and New York. A California-based former hedge fund billionaire has pumped $12 million into ads attacking Gov. Rick Scott, while George Soros, trial lawyers and labor unions have poured millions into groups to help prop up their policies of less freedom and less competition.
Despite the unlimited resources of special interest groups, I have faith in Florida’s business community and know that free enterprise has created more jobs and opportunities and prosperity for families than any other system in history.
While free enterprise is never free, I believe it is one of the key ingredients to winning the future. A future where the solutions we are striving for — growing the private sector, preparing today’s learners to be tomorrow’s leaders, and solving Florida’s water challenges and energy needs for the 6 million new residents who will soon call Florida home — are essential.
I believe that Florida’s opportunity is nothing short of leading by example and paving the way for America to be that shining city upon a hill.
But we must continue our focus on securing Florida’s future. That means capitalizing on Florida’s position to become the premier hub for trade in this hemisphere, and fighting for education that breaks the cycle of generational poverty and replaces it with opportunities for generational prosperity, and rekindling the spirit of optimism and confidence in the American dream.
When it comes to securing Florida’s future, the stakes couldn’t be higher. We either win the war for free enterprise by growing the private sector, creating jobs and getting government programs, regulations and unsustainable entitlements out of the way, or we lose it and go the way of California, New York and other failing economies.
As Teddy Roosevelt once said, “To be neutral when there is a great battle going on between good and evil, is to serve evil.”
Florida’s future is in your hands. I encourage you to continue the fight. Vote for Florida Chamber-backed candidates that are committed to free enterprise principles and solutions.
The non-partisan election news and information website FloridaWins.org is helping hundreds of employers and employees across Florida learn more about what will appear on their ballot. Log onto www.FloridaWins.org for election information.
Mark Wilson is president and CEO of the Florida Chamber of Commerce. Column courtesy of Context Florida.
