We just heard from Bill Young, and Kathy Castor is Pinellas’ other representative in Congress, with a district that includes most of south St. Petersburg as well as all of Tampa and a slice of Manatee County. With control of the presidency and big majorities in both houses of Congress, Democrats figured to be running up the score in the Super Bowl of legislation about now. But it hasn’t worked out that way.
Ms. Castor, on her party’s steering and policy committee, may offer some ideas on how to change the game plan in 2010. Health care has been one of her issues since her days as a Hillsborough County Commissioner. Is there still a way to salvage the President’s plan? The Congresswoman worked with Young and other Florida Republicans on offshore drilling and other issues in her first term. But do her mates and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi need to learn to play better with the other kids? Or are those other kids obstructionists? Ms. Castor, still in her early 40s, is (pardon the cliche) a rising star in the House. While on the fast track with plum committee assignments both terms, she occasionally breaks party ranks — for instance, voting twice against the financial industry bailout.
Come hear what she has to say on energy policy, the economic stimulus — and the future of Tampa Bay.
Oh, and mark your calendars now, St. Pete Mayor Bill Foster will be speaking to Tiger Bay on February 23.
