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Fla Dems join Obama’s public relations drive on budget negotiations

Posted Nov 28, 2012 by William March

Updated Nov 28, 2012 at 03:08 PM

Democratic elected officials in Florida will hold a day of public appearances outside Republican Congress members’ offices Thursday as part of President Barack Obama’s campaign-style public relations drive on budget and fiscal cliff negotiations.

Democratic state legislators and the Florida head of the government employees’ union will hold news conferences in Miami, Palm Beach, Orlando, Tallahassee and St. Petersburg.

They’ll be outside the offices of Rep. C.W. Bill Young, R-Indian Shores; Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, R-Miami; outgoing Rep. Allen West, R-Palm Beach Gardens; outgoing Rep. Sandy Adams, R-Orlando; and Rep. Steve Southerland, R-Panama City.

Their goal, according to a news release, is “to send a clear message to members of Florida’s Congressional delegation: put the middle class ahead of millionaires and end tax breaks for the top 2 percent.”

House Republicans, the Democrats contend, “have held the middle-class hostage to tax cuts for the wealthiest 2 percent of Americans.”

State Rep. Dwight Dudley, D-St. Petersburg, will appear at the event at 2 p.m. outside Young’s office at the St. Petersburg Senior Center at 330 5th St N.

Obama is doing a week of outreach meetings in the White House and campaign-style appearances on the road to pressure Republicans in negotiations on a budget deal to avoid the looming “fiscal cliff” of tax increases and budget cuts. Republicans have panned the tactic, saying Obama should instead negotiate with Republicans in Washington and pressure members of his own party to reach an agreement.