Max Linn
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Max Linn is an American politician from the U.S. state of Florida. He was the Reform Party nominee for governor of Florida in the 2006 election. He was defeated by Republican Charlie Crist.
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[edit] Background
In 2003, Linn sold his financial management company to a major New York Stock Exchange firm and retired at age 43. During his 22 year career as a Certified Financial Planner, Max established Linn and Associates, one the most successful independent financial firms in Florida. His firm specialized in providing financial management advice to corporations, non-profit organizations and individuals. Linn has also written a book entitled, Florida: Leading the Transformation of American Politics.
Linn spearheaded a movement call 8 is Enough that succeeded in passing legislation to limit Florida's governors to only two term limits.
[edit] 2006 election
Linn's campaign was managed by Doug Friedline, best known for successful rocketing professional wrestler Jesse Ventura into the Minnesota governor's office. Friedline, with the help of artist and writer Mark Farinas of Bad Monkey Studios, engineered a campaign based on casting Linn as a superhero who saves little people from the clutches of corrupt government. Several newpaper ads, and television spot, and two viral internet videos were created - all of which matched Linn against rival Republican candidate (and now governor) Charlie Crist in the role of a supervillain. Linn's campaign will probably be best known as Frieline's last as he passed away two days after the election from a heart attack.
Despite his unorthodox media blitz, Linn gained most of his notoriety among the Florida electorate for an emergency landing he made on an Orlando, Florida highway in October 2006 when a plane he rented had engine difficulties. Linn was not hurt, although he spent a day in the hospital under observation.
Linn was hit hard by the press when, during a radio interview with WFLA-AM's Bud Hedinger, he claimed opponent Charlie Crist was a homosexual. Linn said he knew Crist during their college days and Crist confided in Linn. Those claims were never substantiated and are considered fabricated.
Linn filed a lawsuit in state court on October 23, over his exclusion from a debate being sponsored in part by Public Television. The US Supreme Court ruled in 1998 that candidate debates sponsored by Public TV cannot exclude candidates with a substantial campaign. Linn states that he has a real campaign, and has spent hundreds of thousands of dollars already on TV advertising, and furthermore has a staff and a campaign headquarters. The case is Linn v Florida Public Broadcasting Service, filed in lower state court in Broward County.
Linn's first attempt to enter the debates was granted by a lower court only to be rejected on appeal 20 minutes before the debate. Linn was successful, however, in participating in the second round of debates.
[edit] Platform
According to his campaign website, Linn would have taken the following positions as governor:
- Education: Supports an additional $4 billion for education. Also states that teachers should be paid a minimum of $50,000 a year with benefits. Pushes for outsourcing of public school transportation, food service, and janitorial responsibilities. Proposes a two-tiered school system including both college preparatory schools and technical schools.
- Immigration: Supports federal funding to eliminate illegal immigration.
- Development: Supports a three-year moratorium on condo development to allow Florida's infrastructure to catch up with the pace of development.
- Prison Reform: Proposes two-tiered prison system to separate violent criminals from non-violent offenders through strict segregation of the two classes. Also proposes possibility of outsourcing violent criminals to Mexico.
- Environment: Supports ban on oil drilling near Florida's coastline. Also supports research into utilization of solar energy.
- Gun Rights: Supports right to own and carry firearms with a permit.
