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Another "Jeb!" Flip Flop
Although the pre-K legislation is almost the same as the crummy bill "Jeb!" sanctimoniously vetoed in the last session, he has (post election) flip flopped yet again:Gov. Jeb Bush called it a "first-class proposal" that he would "absolutely" sign into law. Surely the media will call "Jeb!" on his continual reversal of positions for purely political purposes?
Florida Taliban on the March
Conservative Christians fighting to put Christ back in public Christmas displays have two new weapons in their arsenal this holiday season: President Bush's re-election and conservative commentator Bill O'Reilly.
Mathew Staver, president of the Orlando-based Liberty Counsel, a conservative civil liberties legal group, said the role that religious values played in the presidential election boosted the confidence of conservative Christians, some of whom are also tuned into O'Reilly's media campaign against the secularization of Christmas. "Conservatives aim to put Christ back in Christmas".
This is What We Have Come To
"Unprincipled" Cellophane Man replaces 'Legend". "Goodbye, hello".
GOoPers to "'Purify' the Constitution"?
Gov. Jeb Bush said Thursday he does not support amending the state constitution to ban same-sex marriage in Florida because he believes a 1977 state law already does that.
"As we stand right now, we're on pretty solid ground," Bush said. "Marriage is defined as between a man and a woman."
But Sen. Daniel Webster, who chairs the Senate Judiciary Committee, said he thinks the statute may not be enough to preserve the traditional institution of marriage.
Voters in 11 states overwhelmingly approved constitutional gay marriage bans last month, an indication of broad public support for such a measure, Webster said.
Webster, a conservative Republican from Winter Garden, said he is considering pursuing ballot initiatives banning gay marriage and removing the separation of church and state from the state constitution.
But those changes would not accomplish the ultimate goal of the former state House Speaker, the first Republican elected to that post in 122 years.
Webster said he wants to "purify" the constitution by removing what he sees as clutter that belongs instead in state law. "Bush: Gay marriage ban may be in place".
Who are these people?
Pre-K Failure
Admitting they have more work to do, state legislators set up a program guaranteeing 4-year-olds pre-kindergarten instruction next fall. Critics say it favors existing private programs. "Three-hour pre-K plan gets the OK". See also "Pre-K plan sails to governor". See also "First class or baby step: Pre-K passes".
Despite being unable to reach the level of the pre-k programs in Georgia, or even Oklahoma, the GOoPer sycophants are working overtime spinning this crummy legislation.
In the meantime, at least one editorial board is urging a veto:If Gov. Bush is committed to a high-quality statewide prekindergarten program, he will veto the bill the Legislature passed Thursday for the same reason he squashed a similarly weak bill this summer: "They did not go far enough." "Inadequate pre-K bill demands veto by Jeb[!] ".
Outa Here
Lawmakers Thursday approved a new pre-kindergarten program for the state's 4-year-olds, passed tax breaks and cash payments for hurricane victims, made it easier to get subsidized health care for poor children and then wrapped up their special session a day early. "Launch of state pre-K passes". See also "Leaders Show They Can Unite", "Under new leadership, Capitol finds new attitude" and "Session ends without much fuss".
Florida Taliban on the March
Conservatives want to help religious schools get tax money by launching a statewide initiative campaign to change the state's Constitution....
The rallying cry: The provision was rooted in anti-Catholic prejudice of the late 1800s, a message that Keough said will be shared with the state's 2.3 million Catholics. Bush, a devout Catholic, is already mentioning it.
The emotional nature of a campaign to undo "anti-Catholic" language is something that Democrats aren't really embracing. "It's definitely a wedge issue," said Screven Watson, past executive director for Florida's Democratic Party.
Although acknowledging the partisan political gain, Webster said he just wants to go back to the days when religious institutions aren't discriminated against when it comes to public funds. "Initiative could open state funds for religious schools". See also "Voters may be asked to remove Florida's church-state ban".
"On the Cheap" (Again)
The big lie in this week's affront to prekindergarten is that this is the best Florida can do, that a lack of certified teachers and a shortage of public school classrooms prevent anything more. The fact that lawmakers have wasted the last two years since voters approved pre-K certainly limits their options, but Florida TaxWatch has built an impressive case that the availability of qualified teachers and classroom capacity is primarily a function of money. The reality is that lawmakers simply are trying to get off cheap with pre-K, even as they face a budget next year with a projected $2.9-billion in new revenues and plenty of tax exemptions that could be justifiably removed. "'A Defining Choice'".
Trust Us, We're a Religious School
Fears of fraud have state legislators arguing about the need for accountability standards in the new education program. "Debate on pre-K shifts to oversight".
Death Penalty
There is no doubt about Michael Roman's guilt. Mr. Krischer says this case is "unique." But when a pro-death penalty prosecutor who says he doesn't use the punishment as a bargaining chip is satisfied to sign off on a deal that spares the life of a mass murderer, those "unique" circumstances indict every death case in Florida. "Five murders, life term; so scrap death penalty".
Starting Discrimination Early
In "Lawmakers near deal on pre-K program Students", we read that the GOoPers insisted that private schools funded with public money are free to discriminate on the basis of religion; the rationale:[Rep. Dudley Goodlette, R-Naples, who sponsored the House legislation] defended the bill, saying private schools would refuse to offer the pre-kindergarten classes if they couldn't control who would attend their schools. That's odd, because many if not most private schools don't seem to care about the religion of their students:
"There seems to be a great emphasis placed on accommodating the private sector so they can meet the demand," said Keough, who added that Catholic schools take students of all religions and that as much as 12 percent of students in Florida's Catholic schools are not Catholic.
Gayle Denny, director of the Evangelical Lutheran Education Association, said her member schools also freely admit students of other religions and would offer free pre-kindergarten even if the law prohibited them from discriminating based on religion.
Regan Hall, director of Lake Worth's Suncoast Christian Academy, said about 25 percent of his 83 students are not regular churchgoers and a handful are of other faiths.
"We have children of very diverse backgrounds," Hall said. "Muslim, Jewish, evangelical." The GOoPer argument that there wont be enough schools doesn't hold water. Apparently, the GOoPers real motive is to benefit that group of wacky private schools that want to discriminate. Imagine that; what kind of "value" is that?
Hasterok: Scorning Public Schools
When Floridians voted to require the state to educate 4-year-olds, they didn't know they were approving a publicly financed program for private and religious schools.
They believed their mandate would apply to public schools, forcing them to offer instruction for the state's children a year earlier than they do now. They were wrong.
The bill tentatively passed by the Florida House Wednesday would create a prekindergarten system run almost exclusively by private and religious schools.
That's not all voters didn't know.
They didn't know that essentially anyone who isn't a convicted criminal could teach their children. Instructors need only the most minimal of training, similar to day care workers.
They didn't know their children could attend class for only three hours a day during a full school year.
They didn't know 18 children could be crammed into a classroom. In classes with more than 11 children, a second adult would be on hand, but that person wouldn't have to have any educational training.
While they didn't know that private and religious institutions would form the bulk of schools offering pre-K, they couldn't have imagined those schools could reject students they didn't want and teach 4-year-olds the school's religious beliefs. "Pre-K bill scorns public schools".
Miami Arrest
Suspended Miami City Commissioner Arthur Teele, already accused of trying to run a police officer off a road and then threatening to shoot him, was arrested Wednesday on charges of public corruption. "Miami politician arrested".
DJJ Drug Tests Violate Constitution
A Department of Juvenile Justice policy that subjects all employees to random drug testing is unconstitutional and a 17-year state employee shouldn't have been fired when he refused to be tested, a federal judge ruled Wednesday.
Roderick Wenzel, who worked as a long-term planner at the department's Tallahassee headquarters before being fired in September 2003, can't be forced to take a drug test because his position didn't bring him into contact with children nor was directly related to law enforcement, U.S. District Judge Robert Hinkle ruled.
"Random drug testing is for people who do dangerous work, employees who carry guns or fly planes," said Wenzel's lawyer, Rick Johnson. "People who are number crunchers like Roderick Wenzel do important work, but it's not dangerous work."
The department, however, said it will continue testing all employees, whether or not they deal directly with children, said spokesman Tom Denham. Asked if Secretary Anthony Schembri would fire employees if they refuse tests, Denham said, "We'll cross that bridge when we get to it." "Drug test policy unconstitutional".
Funding Worries
Tapping it will raise insurance rates on Floridians already shell-shocked by the high cost of homeowners insurance, and there are fears among state lawmakers it will set a bad precedent. "Tapping insurer-aid fund worries some lawmakers".
You Mean I Can't Violate the Constitution?
But McKinley [Ellen McKinley of the Child Development Education Alliance represents about 700 Christian-based providers in Florida] said she was surprised and dismayed Tuesday to hear Sen. Lisa Carlton, R-Sarasota, one of the pre-K bill's architects, say, "This bill does not allow you to violate the constitution." "Lawmakers weigh religious tone of pre-K". See also "Pre-K faces religious dilemma".
Darn That Pesky Constitution
Two years after voters demanded pre-K instruction, state lawmakers are stumbling over a 136-year-old constitutional provision that could bar religious schools from participating. "Pre-K may face battle in courts".
Update: In "Religious bias sanctioned in pre-K legislation before lawmakers" (via Blogwood here and here), we learn:Under Florida's proposed pre-kindergarten program, a Baptist school taking state money could give admissions preference to Baptist children. A Jewish school could refuse to let in non-Jews.
The voluntary pre-kindergarten proposal lacks any prohibition against religious discrimination - and lawmakers want it that way. More here.
In the Footsteps of "Segregationist Politicians"
Gov. Bush wants Floridians to believe that he's done something significant toward restoring to felons the right to vote and obtain certain jobs after they complete prison sentences. But ex-felons in the state still will have to wait years to get rights that 43 other states restore automatically.
The governor acts as though continuing to deny ex-felons their rights somehow makes him tough on crime. "Don't make me wrong," he told one ex-con after granting clemency. But this issue isn't about punishment. That's best left to the criminal courts. This is about giving ex-felons a reason to become law-abiding citizens....
Continuing a policy that segregationist politicians put in place may make the governor and the two fellow Republican members of the clemency board who are likely to run for governor in 2006 — Attorney General Charlie Crist and Chief Financial Officer Tom Gallagher — look tough on crime. But the motive is more likely political. A disproportionate number of ex-felons are African-Americans, who tend to vote Democratic. By blocking rights that truly had been automatic under Gov. Reubin Askew, Gov. Bush blocks predominantly Democratic voters from the polls. "Florida still Jim Crow on ex-felons' civil rights".
Spotted in Tally: A Spine!
Eager to erase stains from a contracting scandal that has vexed Florida's social services agency, the new head of the state Department of Children & Families vowed Monday to usher in reforms that could put her at odds with Gov. Jeb Bush.
Bush has whittled away at the number of state employees who enjoy civil service protections. But DCF Secretary Lucy Hadi said she may advise Bush to restore civil-service job protections -- or what she called "a safety net" against political pressure -- for certain state workers handling corporate contracts. "DCF's new boss pledges reforms on contracting".
Let's see how long this lasts (see "The Three Hour Spine").
Two Peas in a Pod
With Congress adjourned and the state legislature in session, two Washington lawmakers — newly elected Sen. Mel Martinez and Rep. Tom Feeney — made the rounds in the state Capitol on Tuesday.
Martinez, a Republican who will assume retiring Democratic Sen. Bob Graham's seat in January, joined Gov. Jeb Bush for a brief chat with reporters following a late afternoon meeting. The pair said they discussed a number of federal issues, including health care, the Medicare prescription drug card, and military base closures. Martinez said he plans to open a Tallahassee office soon. "Martinez, Feeney make meet-and-greet rounds".
It's Easier to Qualify for Vouchers . . .
. . . than KidCare. Go figure. "A Fairer Way To Apply For KidCare". See also "KidCare repair".
Your Tax Dollars at Work
The latest ruling that Florida's original school voucher law is unconstitutional has been appealed to the Florida Supreme Court by Gov. Jeb Bush and other voucher supporters.
The Supreme Court announced Tuesday it had received the appeal notices late Monday. Because the issue is the status of a state law that has been found unconstitutional by a lower court, the court is required to take the case.
The state has been allowed to issue vouchers since the first ruling, nearly five years ago, that the law was unconstitutional.
Last month, the 1st District Court of Appeal agreed with a trial judge who said the 1999 law violates the state constitution because it lets tax dollars be spent on religious schools.
That decision was the third against the law, which lets students attending public schools that earn failing grades two years out of four attend private schools on state vouchers. "Bush, voucher backers appeal ruling".
Castor
Good to read that, "at the state meeting, Castor sounded very much like she was still on the campaign trail."
Fla. Dems
"Loss of state role by local Democrat is hint of a rift". In the meantime, did you know that Scott Maddox is "Hispanic, along with Democratic National Committee members Hialeah Mayor Raul Martinez and Cathy Bartolotti, who works for the city of Tampa. Maddox, the former Tallahassee mayor, is largely thought of as a North Florida Democrat, but he grew up in Hialeah and his mother is Cuban."
W.D.
The 71-year-old Pensacola Republican was released early for good behavior after serving a total of 49 days of his 60-day sentence. He is the first person jailed for violating the sunshine law's open-meetings section. He also has been sentenced to 3 1/2 years in state prison for bribery but will remain free pending an appeal of that conviction. "Former Fla. Senate president released from jail".
Slots
Voters will likely be asked early next year to allow slot machines at Broward County's racetracks and jai-alai fronton even though state legislators will not have decided yet how to regulate the gambling. "Broward County studies special election on slot issue".
Off Topic: Books
If you're looking for a gift, check out Critical Consensus, The Best Books of 2004 Meta-List.
"Sleaze Bags"
If I recall, columnist Mike Thomas voted for "Jeb!"; he is not happy with him now:Restrictions on the use of profanity in this column limit me to terms such as sleaze bags when describing those now gathered in Tallahassee.
As you read this, the state's politicians are up there sipping cocktails with lobbyists, enjoying their power, all while helping to condemn countless kids to a second-class life....
Republican lawmakers are gutting the kind of quality [Pre-K] program voters demanded, even though they have more than enough money for it.
They'd rather spend the cash on special interests. Just wait and see what kind of pork-barrel projects these lizards try to fund next year.
Many answer to so-called Christians who operate lesser pre-school programs. They have a vested interest in dumbing down the public-education version of pre-K because they can't compete.
And as is usually the case, Jeb Bush would rather roll over than risk a political defeat. If Lawton Chiles lost on this, at least there would have been blood on the floor from the battle.
But Jeb always lives to fight another day because he never fights in the first place. "Capital crowd won't give kids what they need".
Update: The Feeny Allegations
The allegations are now being reported in some "mainstream" media, in this case "Wired":Programmer Clint Curtis claims that four years ago Rep. Tom Feeney (R-Florida) asked his then-employer to write software to alter votes on electronic voting machines in Florida. "More Questions for Florida". The story is fairly long and balanced; it is worth a read.
Remember, the allegations against Feeny are at this point uncorroborated, and apparently have been denied by Feeny (through surrogates); moreover, the allegations, at this juncture, pertain only to a single conversation, with no follow up (that we know of), and certainly no evidence that any such software was ever used. Having said that, the allegations, if true, are quite telling.
In the meantime, the story remains hot in the blogosphere, primarily at Brad Blog, which due to heavy trafffic has moved the material to a supplementary site, aptly titled Brad Blog Too. The site links to a number of posts, including:
- Curtis Testimony;
- YEI & Attorneys Respond; and
- Curtis' Affidavit [PDF].
Here is the main Daily Kos post on the issue: "Clint Curtis' "show stopper" testimony causes "gasps" at hearing"; one of the Kos commenters has transcribed the testimony and linked to the video made of Curtis' sworn testimony: "Curtis Testimony Transcript". The most recent allegations apparently were made under oath before a government committee.
"Jeb!": God Interceded For Dubya
Gov. Jeb Bush, a devout Catholic [except when he's signing death warrants], credited the Virgin of Guadaloupe with interceding on his brother George's behalf during the 2000 presidential election.
Exactly 469 years after the Virgin of Guadalupe was said to have appeared in Mexico, Gov. Jeb Bush was marveling at another act of higher intervention: The U.S. Supreme Court's decision to make his brother president....
"Four years ago was the culmination, if you recall. . . of a lot of anguish, a lot of tension that isn't my style. I didn't really appreciate all the satellite dishes out here. And the night of the appearance of the Virgin of Guadalupe, on Dec. 12, was the day. That night the Supreme Court ruled in favor of the president," the governor said. "Governor recalls political miracle".
A Pleasant Little Gathering
Florida's Republican presidential electors convened at noon Monday and peacefully cast 27 electoral votes for President Bush.
The president's younger brother, Gov. Jeb Bush, happily presided.
One by one, 27 well-connected Republican activists signed ballots that will be unsealed in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 6, 2005.
The electors included Republican fundraisers such as Gary Morse, developer of the Villages retirement community near Ocala, and party stalwarts such as former state GOP chairman Al Cardenas and Tallahassee lobbyist John Thrasher.
They lined up in alphabetical order, from Tampa developer Al Austin to Fort Lauderdale heart surgeon Zachariah Zachariah. "Florida electors vote in Nov. 2's peaceful sequel". See also "It's official: State's presidential election is finally over".
The Three Hour Spine
Senate President Tom Lee said Monday that religious schools that participate in Florida's new pre-kindergarten program should not be teaching religious doctrine using state money — only to back away from the position hours later. "Senate president abandons stance to bar religion in pre-K".
Wouldn't Want A "Holy War", Would We?
The question is whether the state cooperating with churches and other religious groups to provide services will pose a legal quandary. Already, courts have ruled a state program allowing some students to attend religious schools on taxpayer dollars violates the state constitution....
Senate President Tom Lee, R-Brandon, said trying to go around private providers would have meant a "holy war." "State Use Of Faith-Based Pre-Ks Murky".
Lobbyists Loosen Leashes a Bit
They tried:Early childhood advocates hammered away at the Republican proposal for universal pre-kindergarten Monday but had limited success on the first day of a special legislative session. "GOP balks at pre-K demands". The lobbyists did loosen up and gave their minions a little room to work; not much, just a little:Legislators agreed Monday to address worries about teacher staffing in the state pre-kindergarten plan....
Rep. Dudley Goodlette, a Naples Republican and one of the main sponsors of the House's pre-K bill, said his chamber would consider changing the staff requirement. But it was apparent that lawmakers plan few other changes to the K legislation.
The House version passed out of the House Pre-K-12 Committee, despite the objections of Democrats, who were upset about the lower staffing, a limit of three hours of instruction daily in the year-round program, and the lack of a requirement that pre-K teachers have college degrees.
"I don't expect a sea change," said House Speaker Allan Bense about the pre-K legislation. "Lawmakers vow to add more staff to pre-K plan". See also "Lawmakers look at plan to tweak KidCare program".
Other Special Session Issues
- Insurance: "Legislature offers relief from multiple deductibles". However, theplan to provide cash help to homeowners hit by more than one hurricane started to sputter Monday.
And a proposal to change state insurance law so companies can charge only one deductible per hurricane season ran into opposition, despite support from most of the insurance industry.
One day into a special legislative session called on hurricane issues, Senate President Tom Lee gave the plans only a "50-50 chance" of passing. "Dissent may delay bills to fix insurance".
- KidCare: "KidCare gets state's attention", "KidCare enrollment change added to Legislature's agenda" and "Lawmakers to re-examine KidCare rules". About the KidCare thing:To discourage families from enrolling in Florida's health insurance program for children, legislators created a paperwork maze for parents. But the onerous application process that requires submission of tax returns, pay stubs and other documents has proven not only burdensome for parents but unwieldy for Florida KidCare. The Legislature can simplify the application process before open enrollment begins Jan. 1. "Lower KidCare hurdles".
Open Hostility to the Courts
The PB Post reminds us thatBush and some legislators have been openly hostile to the courts. By denying new judges, however, they deny Floridians the chance for a speedy resolution of their disputes. "Approve all new judges". Of course, that's precisely "Jeb!"'s purpose: to deny speedy resolution of legal disputes.
Another way to show hostility, is to appoint "ill-suited" political lawyers to the bench (see the following post).
"Ill-Suited"
Had the old system been in place, it is unlikely that someone with Thomas' lackluster credentials would have been seriously considered for a position on the appellate bench. He has no prior judicial experience and has worked in recent years primarily inside the Republican-controlled House and the governor's office.
Bradford Thomas, who was chosen over a field of more qualified candidates, is known in legal circles as an attorney whose intemperance makes him ill-suited for the judiciary.
Thomas is perhaps best known as the governor's policy adviser on the death penalty. In that role he pushed to have the appeals process shortened regardless of its impact on due process. In early 2000, he spoke to th e St. Petersburg Times on his support for lethal injection: "What I hope is that we become like Texas: Bring in the witnesses, put them on a gurney and let's rock and roll."
That callous statement should have gotten Thomas fired, not elevated to the bench. "Gov. Bush's partisan appointment".
Reedy Creek
The Reedy Creek Improvement District was the ultimate act of outsourcing; heck, the government outsourced itself:The Florida Legislature established the 39-square-mile district in 1967 to lure Disney to the state. It gives Disney, a private business that owns almost all the land within the district, powers generally reserved for governments -- including the ability to issue municipal bonds.
The district also exempts major new projects within its boundaries from Development of Regional Impact reviews, known as DRI reviews, by state growth-management officials. Those reviews force developers to mitigate the effects of large projects on surrounding communities. However,[t]o prepare for another takeover bid for Walt Disney Co., state lawmakers could consider taking away that perk, the research arm of the Legislature said in a report published Monday.
The report, prepared by the Legislature's Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability, represents the first state review of Disney World's government -- the Reedy Creek Improvement District -- in nearly four decades.
The Legislature requested the review in April, shortly after Comcast Corp. launched an unsuccessful takeover bid for Disney. At the time, some lawmakers questioned whether Disney's government powers should transfer to a new owner with little history in Central Florida. "Disney powers could be cut, panel says". Now that the takeover threat has passed, it appears there will not be any changes:State Rep. Andy Gardiner, an Orlando Republican who requested the report, said that he had no plans to push for such a change. If you're wondering why Gardiner reached that conclusion:Officials with Reedy Creek and Disney agreed that no changes were needed. Ahem, it seems to me that it was Gardiner agreeing with his corporate patrons, not the other way around.
A National Loss
Defining moments catapulted Sen. Bob Graham, a thoughtful Florida icon, into a national figure with a lasting political legacy. "Graham goes softly". See also "Graham bids Senate goodbye".
"A Joke"
Gov. Jeb Bush's new proposal to help restore civil rights to former felons is -- as one advocate put it -- a joke. His administration has been brutal in its treatment of people who have completed prison sentences and paid their debts to society, and the lame plan approved last week by the Bush-controlled Executive Clemency Board falls far short of the action needed to bring Florida in line with the rest of the country on this important issue. "Too little, too late".
"Jeb!" Plays Politics with Kids
The timing of Gov. Bush's push to repeal the class-size amendment suggests once again that he's focused too much on politics and not enough on education....
["Jeb!"] doesn't think an education idea is good unless he can say that it was his idea. Still, the best way for the governor to show that the amendment isn't needed is by showing how he would meet the need. "Show class (size), Jeb".
"Not So Fast"
Bush is moving too quickly to put brakes on high-speed rail for Florida. "Not so fast".
Special Session
During a five-day special session of the Legislature starting today, lawmakers likely will adopt a framework for pre-K and take modest steps toward solving insurance and tax issues in the aftermath of the record four hurricanes. But the heaviest lifting -- including hundreds of millions of dollars in state cash needed for these measures -- might have to wait until spring, when lawmakers return to the Capitol for the two-month regular session.
The state's reluctance to act boldly comes at a time when money really isn't a problem, a rare occurrence in the state's recent cash-strapped history. Florida's annual budget will be fattened by $3 billion this year and next by a robust economy and booming sales-tax receipts stemming from hurricane reconstruction. "Legislators tackle dual frustrations". See also "Lawmakers to start special session today".
"Pre-K Program was Designed to Appease Private and Religious Day-care Centers"
Before the ink dries on a law creating a statewide pre-kindergarten program, it will bear the hallmark of a Republican-led Legislature that would rather tighten public purse strings than regulate private and religious schools.
The voter-mandated pre-K program, the centerpiece of this week's special lawmaking session, likely won't meet the number of instruction hours or qualified teachers called for by early-childhood development advocates. The proposal, expected to pass with few changes, doesn't bar religious discrimination, either.
The loose regulations benefit private and religious schools and day-care centers, and they expose the roots of the battle over pre-K: money, and who gets it once the state begins to pay for the $300 million to $400 million voluntary program for more than 150,000 4-year-olds in the fall.
Skeptical of education bureaucracies, Republican lawmakers have long favored private schools. They created the nation's largest private school voucher program, which helped turn the classroom into an extension of the marketplace or even, critics say, a house of worship. "Pre-K bill pits private vs. public concerns for care". See also "Down to the wire on high-quality pre-K" ("This week, lawmakers will consider a watered-down plan that fails to satisfy the mandate for universal pre-K that voters overwhelmingly approved by constitutional amendment in 2002.")
Jeez, What About Health Insurance Options?
"Eight new plates to choose from".
Pay Up
One item on the agenda for this week's special legislative session should take very little time, if legislators own up to their responsibility.
For this budget year, which began July 1, the Legislature stuck counties with the cost of juvenile detention centers, even though the state Department of Juvenile Justice runs the facilities. The move was a bit of revenge for the counties having pushed so hard to have to state pay its share to operate the courts. "Pay the juvenile bill".
This Is Why We Have Unions . . .
. . .and labor arbitration: "Unfairly fired? Forget about reinstatement".
As the article explains, career service protections for public employees were emasculated by "Service First" (not that they weren't pathetic prior to Service First being enacted). Why would any public employee (or any employee for that matter) not join a union which has (legally binding) labor arbitration to provide job security? I understand that unions win more than half of their arbitration cases, compared to the tiny fraction of career service cases where the employee wins.
GOoper "Sheep"
Tallahassee's most famous sheepherder, former House Speaker Johnnie Byrd, may be gone and not-too-fondly remembered by his chagrined flock, who bristled at his suggestion that lawmakers blindly followed his ideological lead.
Even so, they still seem unwilling to rise above the ruck. "The sheep return?
Red State Patriotism
This is the essence of GOoPer patriotism- form over substance:Potential problems with state Sen. Mike Fasano's law mandating that the Star-Spangled Banner hang in every public school and state college classroom should have been easy to spot. But lawmakers were in such a fever to prove their patriotism that nobody flagged them....
Enforced display undermines the freedom America's flag stands for. Specifying a politically correct size is laughable — if it weren't for the harm — and exposes Sen. Fasano's petty, bureaucratic impulses. The next time he, or someone like him, runs a similarly brilliant idea up the flagpole, maybe others won't be so quick to salute. "Star-spangled bungle".
"Transparently Political Appointee"
This judicial appointment reflects "Jeb!"'s view of human life and his disdain for the judicial system:Brad Thomas, Gov. Jeb Bush's long-time public safety policy coordinator, is leaving to take a judgeship on the 1st District Court of Appeal in Tallahassee. He was named Thursday to the appellate court to fill the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Anne Booth.
Thomas' previous attempts to secure a circuit and county court judgeship were unsuccessful. Thomas, who has advised Bush on the death penalty, crime policy and other issues, caused a stir in 2000 when he urged a more streamlined system of appeals for death row inmates, telling the St. Petersburg Times, "Bring in the witnesses, put them on a gurney, and let's rock and roll." He later apologized for the comment. This ought to be a scandal - jerks like this have absolutely no place on the bench. Instead, the story is buried in a political "buzz" column.
UPDATE:There is a good Dyckman column on this pathetic appointment:What happened is that the Bar's directorate and lobbyists played the three-monkey role, seeing, hearing and speaking no evil, when Gov. Jeb Bush was getting the Legislature to let him appoint all nine members of every judicial nominating commission.
The court-packing purpose that Bush had in mind was achieved yet again Thursday when he appointed Bradford Thomas, his public safety coordinator, to a vacancy on the 1st District Court of Appeal. He's the fourth such appointee whom Bush has chosen primarily for his conservative politics....
Thomas is Bush's second transparently political appointee to that court. The first, two years ago, was Paul Hawkes, a political hatchet-man for the House speaker who voted predictably in dissenting to the court's ruling against Bush's school voucher law. Earlier, Bush appointed his general counsel, ex-Congressman Charles Canady, to the 2nd District, and last year he named Frank Shepherd, a conservative ideologue from the Pacific Legal Foundation, to the 3rd. Will the media pick up on this? Don't count on it.
Governor Shalala?
With the list of potential Democratic gubernatorial candidates growing (Rep. Jim Davis; former Senate candidate Betty Castor; Bud Chiles, son of the late governor; Democratic Party chairman Scott Maddox; and state Sen. Rod Smith of Gainesville), here's another: Donna Shalala, University of Miami president and past secretary of the Health and Human Services Department under former President Clinton. "The Buzz".
Drilling Off Florida Coast?
With natural gas supplies lagging, some senators raise the possibility of lifting bans on drilling. "Senators push for gas drilling off Florida coast".
GOoPer Felon Scheme: "More Change is Needed"
"Stop punishments that continue without end".
Special Session
Senate President Tom Lee and House Speak Allan G. Bense have called legislators to Tallahassee on Monday. They'll tackle an intense agenda dealing mostly with hurricane relief, preschool education and juvenile detention. "5 Uneasy Days".
Rate Hikes?
As lawmakers tackle homeowners insurance during a special legislative session this week, a big challenge looms: How to keep rates from skyrocketing in the aftermath of four hurricanes. "Officials to debate insurance rate hikes". See also "Special Session To Puzzle Out Hurricane Issues".
Yet Another (Red State) Fla. Value
Money spent on mental health in Florida among lowest in country. "Suffering Minds".
Troxler
Of course, there's a small "but." Now the law probably is going to be delayed.
You might have seen that the Florida Legislature will be meeting in a special session this week. Some of the big items on the agenda are hurricane relief and the state's prekindergarten program.
But an item in the proclamation calling this week's special session is a proposal to delay the effective date of the law regulating medical discount cards. "Lawmakers must rein in medical card tomfoolery".
Insurance Crisis
Here we go again. The perennial insurance crisis will be on the agenda when the Legislature convenes in special session tomorrow. The four storms that hit Florida back to back last summer peeled off the thin veneer of protection that covers thousands of Floridians and exposed the deficiencies in the system. Some legislators claim to be surprised, but people in South Florida are fully justified in saying, "I told you so." They've been paying the price for a weak and unfair system ever since Hurricane Andrew in 1992. "Legislature faces state's insurance crisis -- again". See also "Insurance crisis for Florida homeowners".
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