Floridians have one week left in which to fully shake off the seductive influence of the Politics of Bribery and take a stand. Then it's Judgment Day, next Tuesday, August 24th.

Voters who haven't already done so can start taking a stand this week, realizing that two ultra-rich dudes have swooped down on Florida like villains in an action flick, using ill-gotten riches to bribe the electorate into believing that simply being rich qualifies one for public service, even if those riches are gained in filthy ways.

The questionable rich dudes in question are Rick Scott, Republican candidate for Governor, and Jeff Greene, Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate. They have spent many, many millions of dollars on eye-catching and persuasive TV advertising and Direct Mail campaigns in recent months, pulling out all the stops to give voters reasons to believe they are legitimate, credible and qualified aspirants to public service.

But they are not.

If ever there were a couple of classic cases of putting cologne and cool clothes on stinky, arrogant guys desperate to be popular and powerful, these are the cases and Greene and Scott are the guys.

For voters who have swooned to varying degrees at the smell of their cologne and the look of their trendy outfits, now is the time to wake up and shake off the effects of their hard sell cover-up campaigns. With a week left before Primary Day, it's time to put aside style and seduction and refocus on substance and commitment.

It’s time to stand up and be counted as a voter of conscience, rather than as an unconscious voter.

While you can wait until next Tuesday,  you can also vote anytime this week at any number of locations, and you still have time to ask your local Elections office to send you a ballot in the mail, then send it back or drop it off before nightfall on the 24th.

What is vitally important is that you do not vote to endorse the Politics Of Bribery. Do not vote for the Power Of Money or the Politics of Bribery.

Do not vote for Rick Scott for Governor or Jeff Greene for U.S. Senator. The former is a corrupt businessman whose former health care company stole billions from the government and taxpayers. The latter is an unethical businessman who made his fortune betting that the foreclosure crisis would hit.

Even putting aside the questionable ways in which both men got rich, the simple truth is that both lack any history public service experience or commitment. Neither of these rich dudes is ready to serve the public interest at any level of public office, much less at these high levels they are audacious enough to reach for right out of the box - which in and of itself should tell you something about their impatience, poor judgment and lust for power.

The recommendations here are: Sit out the Republican gubernatorial primary and wait till you can vote for Democratic candidate Alex Sink in the general election. And vote for experienced and committed U.S. congressman Kendrick Meek in the Democratic U.S. Senate primary.