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
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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.

 

Older posts [back to 2002]

Previous Articles by Derek Newton: Ten Things Fox on Line 1 Stem Cells are Intelligent Design Katrina Spin No Can't Win Perhaps the Most Important Race Senate Outlook The Nelson Thing Deep, Dark Secret Smart Boy Bringing Guns to a Knife Fight Playing to our Strength  

The Blog for Friday, April 07, 2006

Budget

    "The state House and Senate passed their respective budgets for the 2006-07 year Thursday, setting up the end-of-session bargaining that will likely end with a budget topping $71 billion." "Senate, House complete budgets". See also "Senate, House pass budgets around $70 billion with little debate"' "House, Senate OK 2 versions of state budget", "Windfall helps House, Senate merge budgets" and "State set to spend $70 billion". But the "Specifics of school budget increases still hazy".

    All hardball all the time: "They patched things up quickly, but a Senate spat over a short-lived budget amendment gave a rare glimpse Thursday into the arm-twisting that goes on behind the scenes in a legislative session. Sen. David Aronberg, D-Greenacres, said Republican Sen. Mike Fasano of New Port Richey threatened to punish him for voting against a Fasano bill by jerking $1.8 million out of the budget for economic development in poverty-stricken Belle Glade. " "Senate budget spat ends amicably"


    GOoPers Reject Stem Cell Research

    "The Florida House of Representatives and state Senate easily rejected budget amendments Thursday that called for spending $1 million of taxpayer money for research on adult, umbilical cord and embryonic stem cells. " "House, Senate reject stem cell research funds". See also "State money for stem cell research debated".


    Session News

    - "Legislature 2006: Developments from day 31, April 6". See also "Legislature briefs".

    - "House approves bills to limit governments' property seizures". See also "Eminent domain limits are approved" and "House passes limits on power to condemn property".

    - "Senior advocates seek more nursing care in budget".


    Jebbie Worried

    "Bush said he's concerned Republican Katherine Harris' U.S. Senate campaign has faltered in recent weeks, despite his advice that she should focus on Democratic incumbent Sen. Bill Nelson's record and not on herself." "Governor worried about GOP's chances in Senate race with Harris".


    Class Size Poll

    "Seventy percent polled by the Times want to keep the 2002 reductions." "Smaller classes popular in poll".


    Mel's "Milestone Fading

    The "milestone in my career" of "Karl Rove's Florida Frankenstein" as "snags soon surfaced among both Democrats and Republicans -- each apparently concerned about substantive details of the overhaul plan and potential political fallout from voting on an issue that has provoked strong feelings as well as mass protests across the country." "Deal on migrants may be stalled". See also "Deport those choices" ("Martinez-brokered compromise still fails immigrants").

    Back in the Sunshine State: "Poll: Floridians conflicted about illegal immigrants".


    Love For Sale

    "Eye-Popping Total: Crist Campaign Hits $9.6 Million". See also "Another $1.92-Million For Crist".


    Jebbie Likes Those "Slush Funds"

    "Senate President Tom Lee's campaign finance reform package passed its first hurdle Thursday, but election law experts and Gov. Jeb Bush questioned the constitutionality of the measure." "Finance reform measure advances". See also "Senate Panel OKs Campaign Finance Reform", "'Real ethics reform' fundraising bill advances in Senate" and "Committee aims to slice slush funds used for campaigning".


    Another Jebbie Flip-Flop

    "Several weeks too late, Gov. Bush has acknowledged the severity of Florida's insurance crisis and how the state should respond. This week, the governor reversed himself and said he would support using the projected budget surplus to make up what probably will be a roughly $3 billion shortage in Florida's system of hurricane coverage." "Insurance storm finally gets governor's attention".


    Window Dressing

    "Oil drilling listening tour hits last stop". See also "Debate over offshore drilling incites passions on both sides", "Gulf oil drilling debated in a city far from shore" and "Concerns about offshore drilling aired at hearing".


    "Jeb!" Worried

    "Bush said he’s concerned Republican Katherine Harris’ U.S. Senate campaign has faltered in recent weeks, despite his advice that she should focus on Democratic incumbent Sen. Bill Nelson’s record and not on herself." And this is hardly a vote of confidence:

    "I'm not saying anything," Bush responded when asked if he'd like to see another candidate in the Senate contest.
    "Governor worried about GOP's chances in Senate race with Harris". See also "Bush has bleak view of Harris campaign", "Jeb on Harris: 'It's Gotten Worse'" and "Bush voices concern about Harris".

    However, over in La-La Land, "Harris puts own spin on governor's doubts" ("Less than four hours after Gov. Jeb Bush said he had 'concerns' about her bid to unseat Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson, Harris issued an upbeat retort. Then reporters began asking about alleged campaign-finance violations by her assistant treasurer in a previous race. So she sacked him.") For more on that see "New Harris Employee Said He Disguised Contributions In '95".

    See also "Harris responds to Jeb".


    Choice Politics

    "The Florida Supreme Court unanimously upheld part of a 1997 law that requires doctors to explain the medical risks of abortion and get a signed consent form from women seeking the procedure, reversing lower courts' rulings." "Informed consent law for abortions upheld by court". It isn't all bad for choice advocates, as "both sides claim victory in the Florida Supreme Court decision,"

    Part of the reason the Supreme Court so strongly agreed to uphold informed consent for abortions is that government attorneys changed their strategy when they got before the court, Pariente noted. The state had made concessions, including saying the law requires doctors to discuss only medical risks, not other risks.

    And the justices gave doctors the authority to use their judgment to decide how much information a woman needs to be informed about abortion risks.
    Id. See also "Fla. Supreme Court puts limits on information in abortion law".


    Is There A Cause of Action For "Legislative malpractice"?

    "Medical experts are a necessary part of medical malpractice lawsuits. The Legislature should not be taking steps to discourage them from testifying." "Legislative malpractice".


    "Some Republican Bloggers Turn On Harris"

    "It comes as no surprise that Katherine Harris is frequently lampooned on liberal blogs and web sites. But, now, conservative web sites and blogs have turned on Harris pleading with her to end her campaign for the senate." "Some Republican Bloggers Turn On Harris".


    Reinsurance

    "With the hurricane season fast approaching, Florida's small insurance companies are facing a stormy reinsurance market where coverage is either too expensive or simply unavailable." "Small insurers face big problem".


    "Bush, GOP approval ratings find new lows"

    "President Bush's approval ratings hit a series of new lows in an AP-Ipsos poll that also shows Republicans surrendering their advantage on national security - grim election-year news for a party struggling to stay in power." "Bush, GOP approval ratings find new lows".


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