WASHINGTON, D.C. - Kendrick Meek addressed the America's Future Now Conference today during the conference's closing session. Kendrick offered sharp criticism of BP and its corporate irresponsibility and used the oil spill crisis to make the case for strong clean energy reform.
Here are some of the key lines from Kendrick's speech:
"Where are the conservatives, the 'Drill, Baby, Drill' people, now?"
"Every last dividend should go into this cleanup effort... Corporate greed should not go unpunished. Individuals should go to jail, and people should pay the price for this disaster they have caused."
"BP will not sleep well because they know there's a 6' 3" 250-pound member of Congress that's thinking about them and will make them accountable in this disaster."
Kendrick Meek is the only major candidate in the U.S. Senate race to consistently oppose drilling off of Florida's beaches both before and after the spill. Both of his Republican opponents were in favor of drilling off Florida's beaches. Governor Crist even stood with Sarah Palin as she told a cheering crowd in New Port Richey, "We will drill here, drill now safely and effectively" in 2008. Even in December, Crist told the Orlando Sentinel that he supported drilling off Florida beaches. You can watch Governor Crist and Palin campaign for oil drilling here (http://blogs.tampabay.com/buzz/2010/05/flashback-charlie-drill-here-drill-now-crist.html) and Crist explain his support for drilling here (http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/orlando_opinionators/2010/05/the-governors-oil-flip-flop.html).
The America's Future Now Conference is put on by the Campaign for America's Future, a strategy center for the progressive movement.
Posted By: Kendrick Meek
Wednesday, June 9th 2010 at 1:09PM
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