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FLORIDA POLITICS
Since 2002, daily Florida political news and commentary

 

UPDATE: Every morning we review and individually digest Florida political news articles, editorials and punditry. Our sister site, FLA Politics was selected by Campaigns & Elections as one of only ten state blogs in the nation
"every political insider should be reading right now."

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Welcome To Florida Politics

Thanks for visiting. On a semi-daily basis we scan Florida's major daily newspapers for significant Florida political news and punditry. We also review the editorial pages and political columnists/pundits for Florida political commentary. The papers we review include: the Miami Herald, Sun-Sentinel, Palm Beach Post, Naples News, Sarasota Herald Tribune, St Pete Times, Tampa Tribune, Orlando Sentinel, the Daytona Beach News-Journal, Tallahassee Democrat, and, occasionally, the Florida Times Union; we also review the political news blogs associated with these newspapers.

For each story, column, article or editorial we deem significant, we post at least the headline and link to the piece; the linked headline always appears in quotes. We quote the headline for two reasons: first, to allow researchers looking for the cited piece to find it (if the link has expired) by searching for the original title/headline via a commercial research service. Second, quotation of the original headline permits readers to appreciate the spin from the original piece, as opposed to our spin.

Not that we don't provide spin; we do, and plenty of it. Our perspective appears in post headlines, the subtitles within the post (in bold), and the excerpts from the linked stories we select to quote; we also occasionally provide other links and commentary about certain stories. While our bias should be immediately apparent to any reader, we nevertheless attempt to link to every article, column or editorial about Florida politics in every major online Florida newspaper.

 

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The Blog for Saturday, December 24, 2005

This Morning's Political News

    A slightly different format today. Let me know if you like it or not.


    Privatization Follies

    State employees have been complaining about privacy lapses for more than a year; yet only now something is being done about it: "The security of the state's new privately operated personnel system is being beefed up after a complaint that confidential information on Gov. Jeb Bush, other top officials and law-enforcement officers had been compromised." "Access to personal data tightened" ("The unsigned complaint from a former Convergys worker, made through an attorney who did not identify his client, alleged company employees for no legitimate reason had repeatedly accessed confidential information in files on Bush, Attorney General Charlie Crist, Chief Financial Officer Tom Gallagher and others.")



    A Cheap Shot

    The Tribune Company always quick to bash labor; today's Sun Sentinel:
    The same can't be said for the labor movement's bruised image. TV shots of the nation's mightiest city left in a lurch by striking transport workers, not to mention the $1 million daily fines imposed and jail time threatened by an irate judge, aren't the best marketing tool when unions are already suffering declining membership and influence.
    Yeah, and labor had a good image in the pages of the Sun Sentinel (and other Tribune Company papers) prior to their recently "bruised image"? And I suspect that unions' "declining membership and influence" isn't remotely as precipitious as the "declining [readership] and influence" of the Sun Sentinel and its sister companies.



    Slosberg

    "Rep. Slosberg, who is vice chairman of the House Civil Justice Committee, which oversees condo legislation, is threatening to push a bill that would allow him access [to the gated Kings Point community's clubhouse]. That would be an abuse of his office. While Rep. Slosberg is awaiting a response to his complaint from the Department of Business and Professional Regulation, he has a standing invitation to focus his attention on the upcoming legislative session." "Schlep off to the courts".



    Consumer Warrior

    "Crist's office joins Sony BMG spyware probe".



    Social Promotion

    "Florida Education Commissioner John Winn bewildered many educators last week by urging high schools to stop retaining ninth-grade students. His stance seemingly conflicted with the state Board of Education's goal of ending "social promotion." It does only if you accept retention as the alternative to social promotion." "In high school reform, end 9th-grade retention".



    School Budgets Looking Up?

    "Florida's public schools will have millions more dollars to spend on construction and renovation projects next year if legislators give the nod to a revised budget request approved Friday by the State Board of Education." "Changes in budget might help schools".



    Will Florida rise to the occasion?

    Don't count on it: "DNA results call for new trial". See also "No DNA deadline".



    Who's He Backing?

    From The Buzz - Prominently
    featured on the campaign web site of Greg Rublee, a Democrat running to succeed Mike Bilirakis in Congress, are
    kind words from Rahm Emanuel, an Illinois congressman and chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee:

    "As a dedicated public servant with an impressive national security background,Greg is a strong Democratic candidate for Congress. His commitment to serving his community and preserving our moral values will mean a tremendous challenge to Republicans running in Florida's 9th Congressional District.''

    So Emanuel's backing Rublee? Not exactly. The nice words about Rublee notwithstanding, Emanuel has been actively helping Democratic former Hillsborough County Commissioner Phyllis Busansky raise money for that congressional race. He has hosted two fundraisers for Busansky, in Tampa and Washington, and helped her raise more than $100,000 in just over a month.
    "Rahm's Affection".

6:50 AM

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