Village(s) idiots

"Retirees zip around in personalized golf carts from polo matches to the basket-weaving club to Wal-Mart."

Days of the week are denoted by tee times. Sunset is washed down with a cold beer or margarita at outdoor happy hour. The backdrop is a town square, where a faux-rustic facade and classic oldies pumping from speakers festooned on street lamp posts make visitors wonder if Gene Kelly might emerge for an encore of "Singin' in the Rain."

This 26,000-acre enclave set in Central Florida is one of the largest retirement communities in the United States.

It is also a GOP oasis. As Republicans survey the state, looking for optimism in the 2008 presidential election, it is no wonder their gaze falls hopefully on The Villages.

The developer of the retirement community, Gary Morse, is one of Florida's top Republican donors. His community spares no red-carpet treatment or local media coverage when candidates come to town. Most of The Villages' 67,000 residents are Republicans -- and some of the most reliable voters in the state, with a turnout rate of nearly 80 percent.

"Retirement community is poised to play crucial role in state's Republican primary".




Ethics charge

"A New Port Richey man said he has filed a complaint against state Sen. Mike Fasano with the Florida Ethics Commission, alleging Fasano misused his position in a flap over state's driver safety handbooks." "Fasano targeted in ethics complaint".




"A regular guy" (who married his cousin)

"Republican presidential hopeful Rudy Giuliani burnished his regular-guy credentials and held forth on topics ranging from religious liberty to alternative fuels to baseball star Alex Rodriguez's new contract before Sunday's season-ending NASCAR Nextel Cup Ford 400 race. Giuliani, at his third NASCAR race this year, called racing 'the quintessential American sport' in brief remarks to drivers before the race." "Giuliani a regular guy at NASCAR race". See also "Giuliani looks for voters at NASCAR finale" and "Giuliani attends Ford 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway".




Meet the new (elections) boss

"Crist tapped Miami attorney Jorge Cruz-Bustillo of the law firm Diaz, Reus, Rolff & Targ for the job that had been held by former state Rep. Chance Irvine." "Crist chooses elections panel chairman".




FCAT follies

"FCAT gets an exam of its own".




That took long enough

"The centerpiece of the new strategy is spending a little extra money up front to bring community-based mental health resources to those who need them before they wind up cycling in and out of the criminal justice system. This will serve the dual goals of enhancing public safety as well as helping a large percentage of the mentally ill who can function relatively well with proper care and medication." "End wasteful, cruel policies on mentally ill".




The other Jim Smith

"Jim Smith finally got one thing at least half right. The embattled Pinellas County property appraiser has decided he won't run for re-election next year." "Smith's galling exit from office".




No "true 'good guy'"

The Palm Beach Post editors: "A fight already is breaking out over the agreement Gov. Crist and the Seminoles signed last week to expand gambling at seven tribal properties in Florida. But the odds of finding a true 'good guy' in this fight are slim." "Given bad set of options, best bet is on Seminoles". Yesterday, Scott Maxwell wrote that "I'd bet on it: New gambling deal will go through".




"Florida Hometown Democracy"

"Fla. businesses unite to fight 'Hometown Democracy' referendum". See also "'Hometown Democracy' would give Fla. residents power over development".