Pro-reform AARP has planned a town hall meeting for Wednesday afternoon in Lakeland, and the big question is: Will it feature the same kind of testiness, shouting, shoving and calamity that has befell other town halls, including one last week in Tampa’s Ybor City?

Organizers don’t think so. A Florida AARP spokesman told March on Politics that the organization has already held some of these town halls (part of a grassroots-TV ad blitz to support the president’s initiative) and while some got heated none reached the level of the Ybor event. UPDATE: Florida AARP spokesman Dave Bruns tells me this afternoon that while the AARP events have seen some “very pointed exchanges” (and, in Leesburg, one woman who came forward and dumped her cut-up AARP card in front of the speaker) that they have not seen the kind of disruptions that have plagued other town halls. “There’s been some backlash about what happened in Tampa,” Bruns said.

The town hall is on the radar screen of the Lakeland 9-12 Project, an offshoot of Fox host Glenn Beck’s right-wing fomenting. But RedCounty — a conservative blog that chronicles various counties across the nation, including Hillsborough — is urging civility:

Before attending this meeting or any other, keep in mind that calling people names and screaming will get you nothing more than bad publicity.  Many Democrats have flooded politics with incorrect attacks and have often demonstrated their bad manners in public forums over the years.  That is no reason for those against their current plans to act like them. They should have plenty of room inside a church to have a sizable crowd.  It’s great to have signs and even be a little loud outside.  Decorum and civility should always be in mind while inside the meeting.

Be polite and read up as much as you can about the health care legislation, from credible sources, before attending a town hall.  Make sure your words are defendable and clear. If Democrats and their allies really want to debate, then lets give them a real debate!

It is likewise on the radar screen at Conservatives for Patient Rights, which is also urging civility from its members who want to attend.

My best guess is that they will be testy but violence-free. Two reasons: the lack of a congressperson on hand to direct anger at, and the lack of the SEIU, which is always a target of conservative criticism and stereotyping (yeah, we know, all union members are goons, thugs and mobsters, just like everyone who is against the current health care reform bills are knuckle-draggers and naysayers.)

The town hall is set for 1-3 pm at Faith Lutheran Church, 211 Easton Drive in Lakeland.
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By Dan Sullivan
PoHo contributor

Dear Attorney General Bill McCollum,

There’s no easy way to tell you this, so I think I’ll just go ahead and say it: I think we should see other people. Don’t get me wrong, you’re a great guy and all, but I’m just not so sure I can handle a serious relationship with you for governor. It’s not you, it’s me. Well, actually, it’s just you.

If you really want to know the truth, my heart has been stolen by another. Her name is Paula Dockery. She’s a delightful girl who lives in Lakeland. I only just recently became friends with her on Facebook, but the more I hear about her, the more I really want to see her make a run for governor in 2010.

I don’t doubt that Republican Party of Florida Chairman Jim Greer had good intentions when he fixed me up with you. And you really are a great guy. But as my buddy Marco Rubio has been repeating in his speeches lately as he travels the state, Floridians (i.e., me) deserve a choice in this election season.

I’m not saying I don’t want anything to do with you. You’ve done an admirable job in your many laps around the political racetrack. Heck, we all know you were a better man for the U.S. Senate in 2004 than Mel Martinez. You were robbed, there, Bill. But we gave you the AG spot as a consolation prize in ‘06. That ought to be good enough — a nice way to cap off a long and eventful career in politics. After all, did you really want the Clinton impeachment hearings to be the main highlight of your career?

Don’t take this too hard, Bill. You should be proud of all you’ve done. As AG, you’ve done great work in getting tough on cyber-criminals. Of course, I must admit all this talk about you paying millions to a former campaign consultant to produce anti-cyber crime ads right before you start your campaign does rub me the wrong way. The whole thing gave me a weird Buddy Johnson vibe when I heard about it.

At this point, Bill, I think we should just be friends. You’ve paid your dues and done your time. Now you and the wife can have a nice quiet retirement back in Brooksville.

When it comes to the governor’s race, my fellow voters and I simply prefer someone younger and more eloquent. Someone more of us can relate to on a personal level. Paula is all of those things.

Her most recent claim to fame of course was her single-handed blockage of the SunRail-CSX deal – which would have been a shameless waste of taxpayer dollars had it been allowed to pass. In the face of extreme pressure from fellow state Senate Republicans to back down on her opposition to SunRail, Paula stood her ground. She told the whole story at the most recent Polk County Republican Executive Committee meeting.

Paula is the kind of politician who can get the state out of the economic mess that too-tan Charlie is leaving behind. She also has all of the most important bases covered – pro-life, anti-tax, pro-family. Granted, I was a little concerned when some of my Ron Paul-worshipping friends took a liking to her. But from what I can tell, Paula is no libertarian nutball. She’s a sensible conservative who knows that the taxpayers are the boss, not big corporations or lobbyists or political bigwigs.

Simply put, Bill, we can’t have just another old white guy whose been in politics for nearly 30 years going up against Alex Sink. We need someone principled and down-to-earth. If given the choice, I choose Paula.

Don’t take this too hard, Bill. You really are a great guy.

All the best,
Dan

Headlines after the jump …

• Serial adulterer Cong. Mahoney’s unique house-sharing arrangement with his wife.
• Gov. Charlie is still popular.
• The slow gutting of Florida’s higher ed continues.
• Gelber: Fighting the fiscal crisis with one hand behind our backs.
• Lakeland, the next Phoenix.
• Safety Harbor commission ready for some election politicking.
• Run, Kendrick, run.
• Making another run at gay marriage in New Hampshire.
• Closer to home, making a run at gay adoption in Pinellas County.
• Muslim family tossed off an AirTran flight.
• Some Bush aides say Cheney wasn’t a “puppetmaster.”
• The GOP diaspora begins.
• Not much changed in Pasco County government in 2008.

Watch out for falling debris.*

• The Florida connection to the Northern Illinois University shooting? The gunman’s dad lives in Lakeland.
• M&M Twins: Mitt endorses McCain.
• The Supers are starting to shift to Barack, as are the giant labor unions. Plus, he’s got the lead in a new poll out of Texas.
• More prognostications of Hillary’s demise, this time from Peggy Noonan in the WSJ.
• Will Obama’s Chicago ties derail his electoral chances?
• Today’s friend of torture: Joe Lieberman.
• Hot Rumor: Al Pacino’s on board for a cameo as the head baddie in the next Bond flick. Hoo-Ah!
• Alicia Keys = Prince?

*Satellite depicted is not the one being blown out of the sky by the Pentagon. Photo credit: PRNewsFoto/Space Systems/Loral.