Huckabee's win increases the chances that there will be no clear Republican front-runner when Floridians vote 24 days from now. Mitt Romney's second-place Iowa finish damages his hopes of reducing the Republican race to a Giuliani-Romney duel by the time Florida Republicans cast their ballots.

Obama's Iowa victory and John Edwards' second-place finish remove the air of inevitability that has surrounded Clinton, who has consistently led in national polls and enjoyed better than a 2-to-1 polling edge over Obama in Florida.

Giuliani also has led most Florida polls, though his margin has been shrinking and one December poll showed Huckabee ahead in the state.

"A big reason for the high numbers you see for Hillary and Rudy in Florida is they are the candidates people know," said Democratic Florida political consultant Robin Rorapaugh. "But Florida voters are about to learn a whole lot about a guy named Barack Obama and a guy named Mike Huckabee. That will definitely have an effect."

A longtime state senator from Jacksonville said Friday that Obama's Iowa win could swing some Clinton supporters over to Obama.

"Probably those who were just supporting both of them at the same time will come over now," said Sen. Tony Hill, D-Jacksonville, who is backing Obama.

"We do not anticipate that impacting the results in Florida at all," said David Goldenberg, a spokesman for Rep. Alcee Hastings, D-Miramar, one of three members of Florida's black congressional delegation who is backing Clinton. "Sen. Clinton has been beloved by Democrats in Florida and many Republicans and independents as well."

State Sen. Al Lawson, D-Tallahassee, had supported Clinton over Obama, even though he wanted to back Obama.

But he said his endorsement is up for grabs for either candidate if they decide to break the campaign boycott in the weeks before the Florida primary.

"I was supporting her, but I just stopped supporting any of the candidates until they campaign in Florida," he said.

Sentinel editors "confounded"

The Orlando Sentinel editors today: "The SBA's own auditors warned managers last year that risky investments weren't being watched closely. After studying investments between 2003 and 2004, the auditors raised a host of concerns. Had former SBA Executive Director Coleman Stipanovich responded more quickly to the audit, maybe the panic that nearly wiped out the important $27 billion local-government investment pool could have been avoided." "Our position: The state investment fund still doesn't have enough controls in place".

The editors also find it "confounding that some of the riskier investments backed by subprime mortgages were made after experts reported problems with the subprime meltdown."

Shouldn't the media - to avoid being "confounded" - be asking questions regarding the July and August sales of $842 million in mortgage bonds from Lehman, a month after Jebbie (in June) was hired as a consultant for Lehman:

- Did conversations take place, between state investment managers and Bush after he was hired by Lehman as to investments?

- Did those investments comprise mortgages sourced by Florida developers who contribute to Republican campaigns?

- How was Jeb Bush compensated by Lehman: was it a monthly retainer, a "success" fee, or was he paid a commission on the sale of those bonds?

- Did Lehman in 2007 make contributions to charities or organizations related to Jeb Bush or his loyalists?

"Graham reserved his biggest praise for Republican Sen. John McCain"

"Four years after his failed bid for president, former U.S. Sen. Bob Graham is joining a group of moderate Democrats and Republicans to urge the current field to renounce partisan bickering and end Washington gridlock."

Some participants in Monday's meeting, hosted by University of Oklahoma President David Boren, have suggested they might go so far as to back an independent, third-party candidate, such as New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg.

But Graham, one of Florida's best-known and most successful Democrats, said he's never met Bloomberg and hasn't ruled out endorsing one of the Democratic presidential candidates.

''I want to make it absolutely clear this is not a rally for any independent candidate,'' Graham said. ``We're trying to fix the two-party system.'' ...

An endorsement from Graham would be a coup for a presidential contender seeking to shore up support in the anti-war wing of the party. But when asked to analyze the current field, Graham reserved his biggest praise for Republican Sen. John McCain of Arizona.

And your point is?

This Trib piece today begins with this shot at the Dems: "Thousands of Bay area voters have switched their party affiliations since Aug. 25, when the Democratic National Committee voted to strip Florida of its delegates to the nominating convention."

You'd never know, until you got deeper into the article that Dems actually got more party switchers: "In all, 5,634 Hillsborough, Pasco and Pinellas voters have switched to the Republican Party since Aug. 25. An additional 6,369 switched to the Democratic Party". "Thousands Of Voters Change Party Affiliation".

HD 27

Daytona Beach City Commissioner Dwayne Taylor has opened an account and is raising money for the "Democratic nomination to represent District 27 in the Florida House of Representatives. The district stretches across Volusia County from Daytona Beach to DeLand. DeLand Democrat Joyce Cusack, now in her fourth term representing District 27, is prevented by term limits from running again. Also seeking the Democratic nomination is Terry Dilligard, a former DeLand city commissioner. Dilligard and Taylor will square off in the Aug. 26 primary." "Commissioner announces run for state seat".

The fruits of privatization

"A new survey suggests Florida has done a poor job of equipping foster children for life out of care." Surely there is a reason for this?

Some advocates insist, though, that DCF and its contracted private foster care agencies -- called community-based care agencies, or CBCs -- have done poorly with the few dollars they have received.

Florida's Verdun

"400 pounds of bombs unearthed at Odyssey Middle School in Orlando". Well, not quite Verdun: "it is estimated that 12 million unexploded shells still lie in the soil around Verdun.".

Tanner

Volusia County "State Attorney John Tanner's claims that an appointed prosecutor ran a biased probe against him may be heard in court sometime next month, according to a court schedule discussed Friday. Attorneys discussed the handling of this last loose end from Tanner's legal effort to keep a grand-jury report about him sealed." "Hearing is possible for State Attorney John Tanner". See also "New deposition ordered in state attorney battle".

"Dan, Ken, Marco and Steve"

The Sun-Sentinel editors write a letter - "Dear Dan, Ken, Marco and Steve:

It seems like yesterday when you guys had just assumed your leadership positions in the Florida Legislature. ...

Instead of stepping up, though, you guys stepped in it.

The Legislature had a dismal year in 2007, having spent endless sessions flubbing the year's most pressing issues — property insurance relief and tax reform. Granted, the stakes, and expectations, were high, but many Floridians simply didn't think you guys acquitted yourselves well. Their local tax notices and property insurance cancellations told them that much.

The Fantastic 4, you guys weren't.

The outlook for 2008 isn't much better.

Off topic

"South Florida so cold that iguanas fell out of trees".

Tough day

"In the nearly 20 years since Victoria Sando was paralyzed by a suicidal ex-boss who shot her five times in a parking lot, the 55-year-old Dania Beach woman has had days when she thought life could not get any tougher." It did: "Desire for change could affect Florida presidential primaries".

McCollum' flops

"Florida Attorney General Bill McCollum's last-minute push to delay the approval of Gov. Charlie Crist's gambling deal with the Seminole Tribe fell short Friday when a federal district judge in Washington refused to block the deal" "Seminoles' gambling deal clears another hurdle".

"How some shallow politicians judge public school"

The Tampa Trib editors: "Some lawmakers are questioning the 10 percent bonus - worth more than $4,000 - that is awarded to teachers who earn their national certification. The reason? The legislators don't think there is enough evidence certified teachers produce students with higher test scores"

.It is further evidence of how some shallow politicians judge public schools solely by test scores, without any regard for the challenges teachers face. ...

Earning certification from the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards is a long, rigorous process that makes teachers intently examine their teaching methods and demonstrate their skill. It is widely viewed as the most prestigious credential a teacher can earn. ...

But state lawmakers seem to be looking for an excuse to cut the program. State Sen. Stephen Wise, R-Jacksonville and chairman of the Senate's education appropriations committee, is among those questioning whether the teachers should get the bonus if it can't be directly tied to higher FCAT scores. ... this is misusing FCAT and making it the only mark of a good teacher.

That was never the intent of the test.

Whatever

"He's called the Maestro, the shadow governor, the brains behind Charlie Crist. For George LeMieux, Crist's chief of staff, it has been a long and exhilarating ride, and on Thursday it was over. ... He had left Crist's side and it now was time to say goodbye, even though LeMieux isn't going anywhere." "Crist's shadow steps away".

Oh, well ...

The headline reads "Class-size rules could sap billions", although it is unclear why the word "sap" is (mis)used by the headline writer.

Pruitt rears his ugly head

"When the Legislature was forced to cut $1 billion from the state budget last October, state Sen. J.D. Alexander rammed through a requirement that the state sell one of its three airplanes to save $200,000 a year. His argument was simple: The aircraft used by the governor, Cabinet and legislators to fly across the state shouldn't take priority over education and social-services spending."

But a week later, he heard from his boss, Senate President Ken Pruitt. ...

Pruitt ... the Port St. Lucie Republican flew on the planes more than any other lawmaker in 2007.

The secret decision to keep the plane runs counter to what Pruitt said publicly that week in October.

As lawmakers were raising tuition for college students, cutting Medicaid payments to nursing homes and hospitals and scaling back environmental initiatives, Alexander urged the sale of the plane.

Asked for comment, Pruitt told the Orlando Sentinel, "I've driven [from Port. St. Lucie to Tallahassee] for 17 years, and I'll drive again. It doesn't matter to me."

"Liberal media" slams firefighters "outlandish benefits" and "sweet pay plans"

This morning the Palm Beach Post editors breathlessly report, and duly complain, that "more than 200 [Palm Beach County] fire-rescue workers logged more than $10,000 in overtime last year." Outrageous! Next thing you know, some of these lazy slugs* might have the audacity to send their bratty kids to college.

Worse still, a handful of firefighters-paramedics-special ops teams members have worked so much needed overtime (you know, playing checkers and chasing Dalmatians around the stations), that their pay in rare cases was actually "rivaling top county administrators". What is this world coming to!?

The Post editors apparently think there's something profoundly wrong with fire-rescue workers working so many extra hours that their pay might actually "rival" that of sainted "county administrators". After all, it is only fair that paper pushing administrators be paid more than the idiots who pick severed heads off the road at car accidents; get up to their elbows in blood, vomit, urine and feces at emergency medical scenes; make in the street life and death medical decisions; deliver babies; and, oh yeah, run into burning buildings to save the lives of complete strangers.

And, dontcha love it when the "liberal media" manages to slam both unions and firefighters in the same breath; the Post editors: "Firefighters have sweet pay plans, mostly because of politically connected unions." "Priority is public safety, not firefighter overtime".

The Post's views also happen to comport with the views of the local wingnuts: "Sid Dinerstein, chairman of the Palm Beach County Republican Party and critic of the county's budget, said ... 'That's the scam,' he said. 'It's a rip-off of the taxpayers.'"

Believe it or not, there's more; after slamming Palm Beach County firefighters, the Post turns to neighboring Martin County, scowling: "Martin leaders must do a better job of negotiating with firefighters. A hard look at the amount of paid vacation time, 10 percent raises and other benefits is needed to ensure that the county is not providing its firefighters outlandish benefits far beyond those provided in neighboring counties." "A new burning issue: Martin's firefighter pay".

That's Florida's "liberal" media for 'ya.
----------
*We say "lazy slugs", because some may recall these sage words from the "liberal": Post:

Sitting at home on the couch, finishing off a six-pack of beer and a pack of cigarettes and having a heart attack? It's considered an on-the-job injury for firefighters ...

1. This race isn't ending any time soon.

2. Democrats are much more energized than Republicans.

3. Money isn't everything.

Republican Party of Florida Chairman Jim Greer issued a statement late last night that predictably accused New York Sen. Hillary Clinton, considered the national front runner going into Iowa, of being a tax-and-spend liberal, weak on defense and a promoter of socialized medicine. ...

Greer accused the entire Democratic slate of being "out of touch with Floridians." ...

Greer couldn't ignore Obama's win and he couldn't resist taking a shot at him, as well.

“Republican voters in Iowa, meanwhile, demonstrated their continued commitment to the core Republican principles of limited government, lower taxes, and personal responsibility. Floridians will embrace this Republican message, while rejecting rookie Democrat candidate Barack Obama’s alarming lack of executive experience," Greer said.

Another Jebacy

Talbot D'Alemberte puts the blame for Florida's financial troubles precisely where it belongs:

Jeb Bush left office proud that there had been $14-billion in tax cuts, mostly to the benefit of wealthy citizens and corporate interests. During this period, efforts to close tax exemptions and loopholes in the corporate income tax were blocked.

These cuts in taxes and continued tolerance of exemptions and loopholes have left the Florida tax system a shambles.

Stop the presses!

"Word 'evolution' may be added to Fla. curriculum": "Florida public school educators are considering revisions in state science standards that would substitute the word evolution for 'biological changes over time,' a subject sure to cause intense debate during the coming six weeks."

Legislature wins round one

"Florida lawmakers maintained authority to set tuition at state universities Thursday following a judge's ruling that bans the Board of Governors from suing for control of higher-education costs." "Legislature can set tuition, judge says". "The Florida Board of Governors and several private plaintiffs, led by former Gov. Bob Graham, indicated Thursday that they intend to refile their lawsuit." "State board dealt legal blow over setting tuition rates". See also "Judge backs Legislature in tuition-setting debate" and "Suit on Florida college tuition is dismissed".

The News-Journal editorial board urges the plaintiffs to press on:

The issue of constitutional authority badly needs to be clarified. Although the language of the amendment is ambiguous, the intent of the constitutional amendment was clear. Voters wanted a university governing board to insulate -- at least in part -- universities from harmful political meddling. ...

As an example of legislative meddling, lawmakers in 2006 banned public universities from spending any money -- including private grants and federal dollars -- to travel to Cuba for any purpose. Legislators also banned travel to Iran, North Korea, Sudan and Syria -- but that was more or less for show. The apparent motive was to placate anti-Castro constituencies at the cost of academic freedom, not to mention common sense.

"Come clean"

"Come clean. Florida Atlantic University President Frank Brogan should have done that back in March when he gave the university's former chief fund-raiser almost $600,000 in severance. Instead, Mr. Brogan and FAU's trustees have tried to finesse any public accounting of the public money for Lawrence Davenport - who isn't eligible for it if, as the university says, he resigned on his own." "Time for Brogan's tell-all".

There goes that "liberal media" again

The Sun-Sentinel editors share their wisdom with us this morning:

There are those who have moral qualms about the the death penalty. Others raise additional concerns, including fears it is applied to certain groups more frequently than others, and that there is always the risk of executing someone who is innocent.

But what those concerns really point to is the frequency and conditions under which the death penalty is applied.

Those qualms can be ameliorated by limiting the death penalty's application to instances where the crime is particularly heinous and the body of evidence is overwhelming.

That's why the death penalty ought to remain on the punishment menu. The state and its citizens ought to have the right to institute it in those cases where they deem it is the punishment that best fits the crime.

Susan Stanton f/k/a Steve Stanton

"The former Largo city manager fired after his sex change plans were made public wants to be Islamorada's next village manager." "Fired transsexual city manager applies for Islamorada top job".

Investment pool

"Local government officials across Florida were told Thursday that by the end of the month they can expect to freely remove up to 21 percent of their balance from a state-run investment pool that is either frozen or subject to withdrawal penalties." "State to make more money in investment pool liquid". See also "Local governments could get access to $2.7B in investment pool".

The Tampa Trib editors: "State Must Cover Local Losses To Restore Confidence In Risk Pool".

AP follows up on yesterday's story, "The lights were blinking red", with this today: "Audit warned about investment risk; local govts still nervous".

"Fast-approaching"

"Caucuses remind Brevard of reality" ("the Iowa caucuses could begin to focus more local attention on Florida's
fast-approaching primaries.")

You might think ...

... that this cleverly headlined Tampa Trib editorial might extend at least a little criticisim to Jebbie:"Boot Camp Bush Leaguers, Begone" You'd be wrong.

Siplin bashing

Sadly, the Palm Beach Post joins the Orlando Sentinel ("Siplin acquitted, Sentinel editors sulk") in Siplin bashing:

A harsher but more realistic reading of the ruling is that Sen. Siplin didn't care enough to make sure that his staff members were following the rules. His campaign mattered more. In the clubby world of the Florida Senate, that may be good enough for vindication. But since, as the Orlando Sentinel noted, Sen. Siplin passed just two ceremonial bills last year, you wonder what he did to justify the time in office his colleagues gave him.

The court has tossed out Siplin's grand-theft conviction, clearing the Orlando Democrat's record and making his persecutors look rather silly.

Chief among them was Orange-Osceola State Attorney Lawson Lamar, whose crusade against public corruption continues to unravel. ...

Following Lamar were those who demanded the state Senate expel Siplin. That group included our editorial board.

They were wrong, and the Senate leaders who allowed Siplin to stay were right. Tossing out Siplin, only to have the charge that precipitated the action tossed out, would have been the real crime. ...

How can you steal when there is no proof you had intent to steal and no proof you gained anything?

And, legalities aside, politicians in Washington and Tallahassee spend millions of taxpayer dollars on staff salaries that serve no other purpose than getting them re-elected.

But it was easy to overlook all this in going after Siplin. He is controversial, disliked and even despised. ...

But what it did do was cause a lot of us to assume guilt, including me.

That Siplin is black, while those who went after him are white, brought in the element of race.

The Rev. Randolph Bracy Jr., president of the Orange County NAACP, questioned "whether the judicial system is unjust and unfair to black men who speak for the downtrodden, disinherited and dispossessed."

... look at state Sen. Lee Constantine's two DUIs, Mayor Rich Crotty's lucrative dealings with a developer, Orange Sheriff Kevin Beary's lucrative dealings as a security consultant, U.S. Rep. Ric Keller's use of his office to promote his re-election and the sweetheart contracts paid out at the expressway authority.

Look at all that and tell me Siplin's misdeeds stand out in this crowd.

He may not be the most effective lawmaker. But he works his district hard, and his constituents apparently like what they see. And it's their call.

Freeze

"Crist puts freeze on crop-shipping rules in response to cold weather".

They said it

"That could be good news for Romney, who has been counting on this being a primary that is dominated by base Republicans." "Obama, Huckabee Sweep to Iowa Victories".

The audit said it was SBA practice to deal with a handful of firms -- and criticized those close-knit relationships.

"Heavy concentration of trades with a few brokers may be exposing the SBA to unacceptable credit exposure," it said.

Lehman has been a magnet for criticism largely because of the company's ties to former Gov. Jeb Bush. Lehman hired Bush in June as a consultant, although he and the company told the Orlando Sentinel last month that his services were unrelated to Lehman's sales to the state.

A fly by night operation

"He answers to the title of Senate president, but Ken Pruitt earned another one in 2007: frequent flier."

As four special sessions tested the Legislature's part-time status, Pruitt led the pack of lawmakers who used the state's air fleet to avoid long drives or infrequent and expensive commercial flights.

The Port St. Lucie Republican flew on state planes 111 times at a total cost of about $24,000, according to Bureau of Aircraft records.

That icky "evolution" word

Why are we still debating this? "Evolution is scientific theory. Creationism is religious belief. Only one of them should be taught in Florida's science classrooms."

The state Department of Education holds hearings today in Jacksonville and Tuesday in Miramar on a proposal to explicitly acknowledge that Florida's public schools will teach evolution. That would be one change among many designed to improve science education.

The curriculum already requires science teachers in the state's public schools to teach their students that forms of life change over time. That's evolution in all but name. Still, some groups object to specifying evolution. Inevitably, critics of the change will argue that students who learn about evolution also should study intelligent design, which is creationism that has been repackaged and rebranded. ...

Florida hopes to become a leader in scientific discoveries. ... To have any chance of achieving those goals, Florida has to teach science in its science classrooms. The state Board of Education votes next month on whether to require students to be taught evolution. If Florida can't do that, the state has little hope of evolving into a world leader in science.

From the "values" crowd

"The collision of a statewide campaign to cut property taxes with Florida's worst budget crunch in decades could give hospitals that treat the poor and uninsured a double dose of trouble next fiscal year. At risk is the state's Medicaid safety net, a $1.95 billion 'low-income pool' of local as well as state tax dollars that Florida uses to bring in federal matching funds. ... The problem: Of the more than $730 million that counties and other local taxing authorities pour into the pool, $526 million is ad valorem property tax revenue - the very taxes that lawmakers and Gov. Charlie Crist are pushing to cut this year." "Health Care Pool May Face Cuts".

Gambling

"US. approves expanded gambling at tribal casinos".

But Saudi Arabia - where gang raped women are terrorized - is OK

"Florida universities could again make academic field trips to Cuba if a federal judge agrees with a motion filed last month to partly overturn a state law banning school travel to 'terrorist states.' The Dec. 17 motion, made by the Florida Board of Governors, says schools should be free to use money obtained through federal grants or private donations for study in countries deemed sponsors of terrorism by the U.S. Department of State."

A 2006 state law bans the use of taxpayer dollars and non-state money for travel to Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Sudan and Syria. ...

The federal government has a complex web of laws and regulations governing foreign policy and commercial relations with the listed countries, but it encourages and funds certain types of travel to Cuba.

The University of Florida, Florida International University and the University of South Florida all hold institutional licenses issued by the federal government that specifically authorize travel to Cuba for educational and research purposes.

Citrus cool

"Florida's citrus growers reported only minor damage early Thursday as the state thawed out from an overnight cold snap." "Fla. citrus crops escape severe damage despite freezing weather".

County appraisers

"Across Florida, county appraisers are becoming symbols for what critics say is a broken tax system." "A tax meltdown, and him at the molten core".

AirTran

"AirTran Airways will keep its corporate headquarters in Florida and add jobs, the low-cost carrier and Gov. Charlie Crist said Wednesday." "AirTran Airways will remain in Orlando, add jobs".

"Then, she moved to Iowa"

"Iowa's importance and small size let one Floridian-turned-Iowan comparison shop among candidates who make many appearances."

As a longtime Democratic activist, former Hollywood resident Cindy Sherr is accustomed to Florida elections decided by fundraisers, television advertisements and candidates' brief visits to South Florida's condo canyons.

Then, she moved to Iowa

Hillsborough County Dem shakeup

"The top leaders of the Hillsborough County Democratic Party have resigned after an incident involving what the chairman and vice chairman called incorrect handling of party money by the treasurer. In a meeting Wednesday night, the remaining party officials scheduled an election to pick new party leaders for Jan. 22. Former state Rep. Bob Henriquez is considered likely to seek the chairman's post, and confirmed Wednesday that he would be interested." "Hillsborough Democratic Leaders Resign, But Treasurer Will Stay".

Now, had this been white collar crime ... ?

"In February, Berger sentenced Jimmie Gaines, 44, to 18 months in prison following his conviction on charges of fleeing or attempting to elude a marked police car, possession of cocaine and habitual driving with a revoked license." "Ruling tosses man's light sentence".

"Clear in contempt for Florida and 16 other states' environment"

"California's clean-air standards have almost always been stronger than the federal government's. Because California's standards predate the federal government's, California has been granted more than 50 federal waivers since 1966 to go its own way. The Federal Clean Air Act also allowed other states to piggyback on California's standards as long as they exceeded the EPA's."

In 2004, the waivers stopped. ...

The Bush administration wasn't denying them. It just wasn't issuing them one way or the other. ...

Last month, however, the Bush administration finally issued its ruling on the California waiver. It denied it and, with it, the 16 other states' planned standards. ... Schwarzenegger was right to sue the first time to compel the administration to rule on the waiver. Fourteen states joined that lawsuit, but not Florida. He filed suit again Wednesday to fight the denial. Florida should join the lawsuit this time and fight the most toxic element in America's environment today -- White House ideology."

Southern strategy

"Republican presidential candidate Rudy Giuliani, who is pinning his campaign on a big win in Florida's Jan. 29 primary, will make his 26th trip to the state." "Giuliani will be in Hialeah as others campaign in Iowa".

What do "Florida legislators have in common with Britney Spears?"

"Quick, what do term-limited Florida legislators have in common with Britney Spears?"

An inability to learn from mistakes, House Minority Leader Dan Gelber said.

"We've become the 'Oops, I did it again' Legislature," said Gelber, D-Miami Beach, making reference to Spears' hit song. "We keep having do-overs with stuff like insurance and taxes."

Gelber is one of 30 House members about to hit the eight-year wall of term limits installed in 1992 by a public petition campaign. Now he's running for the state Senate. His campaign illustrates two quirks of the "Eight is Enough" idea that nearly 77 percent of the voters eagerly embraced 15 years ago.

On the cheap

Florida "ranked last in ratio of public payroll expenditures per resident. The state spent $36 per resident last year. The national average was $56, the study said." Hence, Florida's "Report: State workers' wages lag behind jobs in private sector".

Laff riot

To be sure, Charlie is "a media-savvy, charismatic leader whose sunny [with a] can-do attitude"; but this is plain silly:

"What I hope for is that this property tax cut is passed Jan. 29 and refires the Florida economy," he said in a recent interview. "If the [average savings] is $240... it's that much more money that can be spent by the Florida family on going out for a meal, going out to a movie, buying an extra pair of shoes for your kids... to stimulate this thoroughbred we call Florida's economy and keep her going."

'Ya reckon?

"Fla. no longer a paradise".

"Menacing cold"

"Menacing cold prompts the governor to declare a state of emergency." "Icy air prompts governor to declare state of emergency".

Sea turtles

"Kirt Rusenko could very well be person of the year, to sea turtles at least." "Turtle expert saving nests".

"Mr. Crist is frustrated"

"As Gov. Charlie Crist prepares to take on the insurance industry over still sky-high home hurricane premiums, it's important that Floridians don't get reckless with their coverage. Insurance prices haven't come down, even after two calm storm seasons and a state law that was supposed to help insurance companies cut costs and share those savings with consumers. The companies, by and large, have not done that, even though their profits have soared. Mr. Crist is frustrated and says he's determined to get to the bottom of it." "While insurance battle plays out, homeowners shouldn't take chances with coverage".

Illegals

"In the two years since immigration legislation stalled in Congress, many states have passed their own laws targeting illegal immigrants."

Soon Florida could join them.

Legislators have filed six bills that would, among other things, penalize farms and government contractors that hire undocumented immigrants or require local officials to report their arrests to federal authorities. Come spring, legislators could debate whether to make it harder for an estimated 850,000 illegal immigrants to live and work in Florida.

"Creating homeless colonies"

"Because of its perverse laws against sex offenders -- laws that permanently brand offenders and forbid them to live in many parts of the state -- Florida is actively creating homeless colonies." "State fosters homelessness with offender registry law".

"Florida and Michigan, two states that look more like America"

"Ideally, the parties will go to a system of rotating regional primaries held at least a few weeks apart. That will let voters in different parts of the country take turns at the head of the line, instead of reserve that privilege for Iowa and New Hampshire and any other states the party bosses have deigned to favor. This year they are punishing Florida and Michigan, two states that look more like America, for seeking some say in the process by moving up their primaries." "Campaign 2008's mad dash for votes and cash is hurting the political process".

Drawing lines

"Despite a holiday lull, businesses continued to line up behind Gov. Charlie Crist’s 'Yes on 1' property tax-cutting campaign." "Fla. businesses throw weight behind property tax measure". On the other side, "Unions Take On Tax Cut Issue".

Backfire

"When Florida's Legislature voted to move up the state's presidential primaries to Jan. 29, it hoped to attract candidates earlier in the campaign and thrust issues important to the state into the national spotlight. That has not happened. " "An Iowa campaign, even after Florida shuffle".

Rudy fixed

"Rudy Giuliani's ties to the cigar community is a Miami tale that epitomizes the city's appeal to old Havana and New York personalities." "Herald: Giuliani gets cigar fix in Miami".

How will business survive?

"Florida's minimum wage rises to $6.79 per hour from $6.67 today." "Florida's Minimum Wage Goes Up to $6.79".

One man's "earmark", ...

"U.S. Rep. Connie Mack IV, R-Fort Myers, is touting hometown pet projects for which he secured federal funding — more than $5.4 million worth for his constituents. But President Bush decried 'Congress' addiction to earmarks' when he signed a $555 billion spending bill into law this week." "Mack secures earful of funding".

Florida's booming economy

"The problems rippling out from the investment fund are the latest in a series of economic setbacks for Florida, which is already coping with a weakening housing market and slowing population growth. The economic malaise forced lawmakers in the fall to trim $1.1 billion from the state’s $71 billion budget, and economists are predicting that the state might have to cut an additional $2.5 billion over the next 18 months. Given those cutbacks, local officials said they do not expect the state to bail out the investment pool, meaning they are likely to bear the losses. " "Fund Frozen, Florida Towns Feel the Pinch".

The times ... they are a changin'

"In another sign of its growing independence, the panel that runs Florida's university system has told a federal judge to throw out part of a state law that bans colleges from spending money to send professors to Cuba and other ''state sponsors'' of terrorism."

The move by Florida's Board of Governors aligns the appointed board closer with the ACLU, which last year filed a lawsuit on behalf of a group of university professors and the Florida International University faculty senate challenging the ban.

In its filing in U.S. federal court last month, lawyers for the Board of Governors contend that while state lawmakers can tell universities how to spend state taxpayer money, the Legislature does not have the authority to order universities on how they can spend private donations or federal research grants.

''Where nonstate funds are concerned, the travel act's prohibition runs afoul of the academic freedom accorded to universities under the First Amendment,'' the board states.

The panel maintains that Florida's Constitution gives the Board of Governors, which was created by voters in 2002, autonomy over university research and educational activities. That is the same argument that the board is using in a separate lawsuit challenging the Legislature's authority to control university tuition rates.

"Abstinence"

"Most parents want a balanced curriculum in sex-education classes. A Kaiser Foundation survey found 65 percent of parents believe sex education should encourage young people to delay sexual activity, but also prepare them to use birth control and practice safe sex once they become sexually active. Florida administers its abstinence programs through the state Department of Health, passing some federal dollars to groups that promote abstinence education or support the state's Web site, www.greattowait.com. Florida school districts are given substantial leeway in deciding what to present in sex education programs. And while some counties continue to teach abstinence only, most districts are moving toward a more complete curriculum." "Chastity Is The Ideal, But School Sex Ed Must Recognize Reality".

"Gov. Jeb Bush | Sentinel Staff Writer"

Whatever

"The slight, silver-haired gentleman shops at Publix, eats at Subway, drives his yellow Mustang with the top down alone along the St. Petersburg waterfront, and parties with the frat crowd in the capital city of Tallahassee." "Unfinished business remains for first-term 'people's governor'".

"No-fault"

"Mandatory no-fault auto insurance is back today, and the million-plus Florida drivers who've been pocketing hundreds of dollars in premium savings since October because they elected to go without the coverage will soon be hit with surcharges to resume the coverage." "No-fault coverage required again".

Make what you will ...

... of this:

The Democratic National Committee voted Aug. 25 to punish Florida for scheduling its Jan. 29 primary earlier than party rules allow, and stripped all its convention delegates.

Since then, 17,808 Hillsborough voters switched political parties, a Tribune analysis of party-switching data shows.

About 2,500 more switched their party affiliation in Pasco County.

Are they upset with the DNC move?

Some may be. Both in Hillsborough and Pasco, more than 600 voters switched out of the Democratic Party.

The national party penalty didn't seem to influence a number of others. In the same period, 4,082 Hillsborough voters switched their party affiliation to Democrat. (As did 751 Pasco voters.)

A similar action by the Republican National Committee – nixing half of Florida's convention delegates – also doesn't seem to have had much impact.

In Hillsborough, 399 voters switched from Republican to something else; 3,417 switched to the GOP.

Joe Martinez challenger

"The first contested race for next year's Miami-Dade County Commission elections was set up earlier this month when event-marketing entrepreneur Whilmer ''Whilly'' Bermudez opened a campaign to challenge incumbent Joe Martinez. Bermudez said he was encouraged to run by former Miami Mayor Xavier Suarez." "Businessman steps up to challenge Joe Martinez".

"The quality of life in Florida is on a downhill slide"

After a decade of GOPer rule: "Life in Florida has changed in ways many residents don't like."

Higher costs of living are sending folks elsewhere to retire. Some property owners are paying the tax collector far too much. Yet the state faces big shortfalls in revenue for education, roads and a variety of services. ...

Taxes now rank as the state's single biggest concern, with little relief on the way. The constitutional amendment on the ballot Jan. 29 does very little to help newcomers, who pay a disproportionate share of property taxes. Lawmakers can and must do better if Florida is to become an agreeable home for the wealthy, middle class, retirees and those on limited incomes.

The Census Bureau just reported that the state's population growth in 2006 was below 200,000, the lowest of the new century. Growth in 2007 may prove even slower because word is out about the skyrocketing cost of living here ...

The quality of life in Florida is on a downhill slide, say 43 percent of those polled in the annual Sunshine State Survey. That's a big jump in pessimism from the 36 percent who felt that way in 2006. Only a third think things will keep getting worse, but that's cold comfort when only 24 percent see a more rosy future. ...

Florida residents identify taxes as the most important issue facing the state, surpassing last year's leader - education. Twenty percent put it atop a long list of concerns, well ahead of public schools at 15 percent.

Taken together, all the pocketbook issues - taxes, government spending, insurance, the economy, jobs and the cost of housing - are what an overwhelming majority of us are most concerned about.

Siplin

"State Sen. Gary Siplin celebrates reversed conviction".

Is this what the Trib means when it says "government should be run as a business"?

"Florida has one of the lowest ratios of state employees per capita in the nation. In 2006 it had 106 full-time state workers per 10,000 population - above only Illinois (103) and Nevada (104). The national average that year was 142. The state also ranked last in ratio of public payroll expenditures per resident. The state spent $36 per resident last year. The national average was $56, the study said." "State government grows for first time in eight years".

Dyer

"Mike Thomas: Buddy Dyer takes 2007 honor pulling Orlando toward 2020 despite setbacks, money woes".

Rudy's Southern strategy

"Rudy Giuliani will watch Thursday's Iowa caucus results from Florida, underscoring the Sunshine State's importance to his hopes of winning the Republican presidential nomination. While GOP rivals Mike Huckabee, Mitt Romney and Fred Thompson are blanketing Iowa this week in preparation for Thursday's first-in-the-nation caucuses, Giuliani made his final pre-caucus visit to the Hawkeye State on Saturday and is focusing his attention this week on New Hampshire and Florida." "Giuliani to concentrate on Florida".

Off topic

"Florida crooks, cops, common folks kept the state weird, wacky and wired in 2007".

Enough with the photo ops, Charlie

"Florida last year ... looked despairingly on the federal government's continued foot-dragging on Everglades restoration."

In 2007, Gov. Crist appeared in a lot of photo ops declaring his intent to lead in environmental matters. This year, he needs to take the state beyond photo ops into more concrete action, such as suing to allow the states to set higher vehicle emissions standards.

Miller sells his soul to Bushco

"According to a database compiled by the Washington Post, Miller voted with a majority of his Republican colleagues 89.4 percent of the time during the 110th Congress. On the Congressional Quarterly Politics database, his score was 98 percent, based on votes through Aug. 4." "Miller: I won't sell my soul".

Florida's booming economy

"More families face home foreclosure in Orlando area in 2008".

Castro

"Ailing leader Fidel Castro saluted the Cuban people for their "50 years of resistance" against the United States in a written message read on state television shortly before the first minutes of the new year." "Fidel Castro salutes Cuban people for '50 years of resistance'".

Garbage in ...

... garbage out. "Jeb!" shows us why he is such a (self proclaimed) "deep thinker": "Florida's students are shining". "Raise bar, don't backpedal, on school standards".

'Bout time

"Hundreds of felons imprisoned in Florida for crack cocaine convictions could be released early after recent changes in federal sentencing guidelines." "Crack felons could get out early".

Crist's administration quietly reinstated two measurements that Bush had deleted from the annual personnel report, ranking Florida third from the bottom in its ratio of state employees, per capita, and last in cost of personnel per taxpayer.

Besides slumping salaries, the state also short-changes its staff on training, said Linda South, head of the Department of Management Services. DMS is required to compile the annual compendium of facts and figures on state personnel.

"To me, that is a credible threat to the ongoing operation of state government," she said. "If we are not competitive in our salaries, we won't be able to attract and retain the kind of people we need."

Freshman year

Steve Bousquet: "Crist's first-year successes included a crackdown on probation violators, a streamlined system for felons to regain civil rights and a switch from touch screen voting to paper ballots. His record at the end of his first year, however, often doesn't match his soaring rhetoric." "Crist earns mixed marks". More: "PDF: Crist's report card".

Just another day in GOPer-world

On the heels of many South Carolina Republicans receiving "a bogus Christmas card citing controversial passages from the Book of Mormon", some Florida Republicans are getting this delightful piece in their mail boxes:

"Help me sound the alarm that one day the Mormon Church plans to replace the Constitution with a Mormon theocracy. Mitt Romney's political success indicates this may be sooner than most have thought," reads part of the 11-page letter that reached a Plant City Romney supporter Saturday.

"Do you really want a president who believes he will someday become a god? Is that who you want occupying the most powerful position in the world . . . the United States presidency?"

The letter, also inviting people to buy anti-Mormon DVDs, was signed by John Boyd of Freedom Defense Advocates, which calls itself a Virginia-based political action committee. No record of such a group was found Sunday on the Federal Election Commission and Internal Revenue Service Web sites.

Making "it harder, not easier, to vote"

The Miami Herald editors are happy to criticize Florida's newest roadblocks (pun intended) to voting, but can't bring themselves to call it what it is: RPOF sponsored voter suppression, which is part of a larger, nationwide GOP effort to restrict access to the ballot box in the guise of preventing nonexistent "voter fraud".

"When it comes to elections, the first principle in a democracy should be to encourage, not discourage, voting. This basic rule sometimes seems to elude Florida lawmakers [Republican controlled Legislature] and [Republican state] elections officials. The principle was certainly missing last spring when the Legislature approved a handful of new election rules under review by the U.S. Justice Department. If Justice follows the spirit of the law, it will reject these provisions on the grounds that they make it harder, not easier, to vote here."

• Why does the state want to eliminate two of the nine forms of photo identification -- a buyers' club card and employee badges -- that voters can use when voting?

• Why reduce to two days from three the time that voters have to prove their identity if they vote by provisional ballot?

• What would be the impact of imposing fines on groups that hold voter-registration drives?

• What are the merits of Florida's ''no match'' law that requires information on a voter-registration application to match either a driver's license or Social Security numbers kept by the state and federal governments. ... The ''no match'' law overlooks clerical errors -- a common mistake in government bureaucracies -- that create discrepancies in ID numbers.

Good luck

"A step remains to be taken, and most civilized countries have taken it. As the New Jersey commission said, "There is increasing evidence that the death penalty is inconsistent with evolving standards of decency." Next year would be a good time for Florida to get out of the revenge business." "Getting out of the revenge business".

Investigate

Recall this story? "The House Transportation chairman in 2005, Alaska Republican Don Young, slipped $10 million into the highway bill to widen Interstate 75 in Collier and Lee counties. That's odd enough; members normally steer projects to their own districts."

Mr. Young whose campaign collected $40,000 from a 2005 fund-raiser organized by a developer who owned land on Coconut Road.

"Payback"

"Florida lawmakers and Gov. Charlie Crist started the year off promising property owners big breaks on their insurance rates. Those discounts never materialized for many, despite the Legislature's decision to pledge billions of dollars' worth of reinsurance to back companies against major losses in the event of a big storm."

And now Crist -- exhibiting once again the finely tuned sense of populism that keeps his likability ratings high -- says he's ready to get tough. He's consulting a "dream team" of trial attorneys in preparation for filing a class-action lawsuit against the insurers.

The governor's frustration is understandable. The new law allowed companies to buy state-backed coverage for about one-fourth of the cost they'd spend buying reinsurance in the private market -- putting taxpayers on the hook for $12 billion more in losses in a major storm. Because Floridians were bearing the risk, the law required that they reap the benefits in the form of reasonable savings on property-insurance premiums. Yet most companies refused to provide significant discounts, and several large insurers defiantly filed requests for massive rate increases.

Running government like a business

"Hillsboro Beach will use state tax dollars to restore the north end of its private beach ... The 3.2-mile-long barrier island is an exclusive enclave with no public parking, lifeguards, restrooms or walkways that would enable day-trippers to enjoy its ocean access." "Tax dollars to help rebuild Hillsboro Beach's private shore".

You might say that this is another example of what GOPers call "running government like a business". See, e.g. "Scandalous $10 Million Bat Mitzvah" ("Brooks is accused of getting his company to pay for his ex-wife's facelift, a $200,000 Bentley, and even a $100,000 belt buckle.")

Slots

"Miami-Dade slots proponents will try again in 2008, telling voters to consider Broward County's example." "Decision nears on Dade slots".

[A]fter making his now-infamous pledge about taxes dropping like a rock, Crist will pay the price politically if relief doesn't come soon, said Susan MacManus, a political scientist at the University of South Florida.

"I think the public is very much on the edge of really getting angry at him," she said. "They haven't yet, but they're not seeing the results they think he promised."

There are rumblings on the Republican right wing, a likely $2 billion budget deficit and a growing disaffection within the business community that pumped a record $20 million into his campaign last year.

Even worse, in the sharp-elbowed world of Tallahassee politics, legislators and lobbyists are finding they can ignore him -- and not pay a price.

The silver-haired, rail-thin governor may have fueled this anger with his own overstatements. He declared victory over the property-insurance industry following a special legislative session in January, only to find that the revisions enacted by lawmakers did little to ease high insurance costs.

His pledge to make property taxes "drop like a rock" also continues to haunt him, with polls showing many Floridians discouraged by the January measure's projected $240-a-year savings for the average homeowner.

"The problem with the Crist administration is that he's built expectations so high that people are bound to be disappointed," said Jim Kane, a Fort Lauderdale pollster.

"Whether it's with homeowners' insurance, property taxes or how he is looking to fund state programs, the second year holds tremendous risks for him."

In an interview assessing his first year as governor, Crist offered the bland response "sure" when asked if he considered himself a "conservative Republican." Asked what being "conservative" meant to him, he grew vague.

"I don't know," he said. "It doesn't really matter to me. I'm not really absorbed much by labels others might put on me." ...

the governor's political message is best summed up as a desire to make everyone happy.

"It's in the Declaration of Independence: 'Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness,'" Crist said. "Those words aren't in there in error. I take them very seriously. If the people are happy, it makes me happy. I want them to have joy in their heart. I want them to be hopeful."

'Ya reckon?

The Orlando Sentinel editors: "Florida needs a retooled economy because growth can't last forever".

Pruitt, bought and paid for?

The Palm Beach Post today: "Florida's most powerful state senator collected nearly $400,000 for behind-the-scenes assistance to a real estate company that included a central figure in Palm Beach County's unfolding political corruption scandal."

The payments to Senate President Ken Pruitt of Port St. Lucie accounted for nearly three-quarters of the Republican lawmaker's private income in 2004 and 2005. The company's partners say he was hired as a consultant and collected a commission on a $38 million land deal in St. Lucie County.

Pruitt, a St. Lucie real estate agent, didn't have a written contract and didn't find the buyer, they said. Pruitt won't talk about what he did for the money.

Pruitt, 50, has been in politics for nearly 20 years. A former member of the St. Lucie County Planning and Zoning Board, he served as a state representative from 1990 to 2000, when he was elected to the Senate. He quickly consolidated political power in the Republican-dominated government, in part by stumping though the state in a yellow school bus for his "Partnership for Better School Funding" campaign.

The tour, largely financed by lobbying groups, ended with a big rally in Tallahassee. After the tour, Pruitt went to work for Venture Four.

In November 2006, Pruitt began his two-year term as president, a politically potent post in which he assigns the chairs and membership of all Senate committees. He also has considerable influence within the state Republican Party. Term limits require him to leave the Senate in 2010.

Pruitt has supplemented his roughly $30,000-a-year government salary with a number of real estate pursuits. He hasn't said much about any of them.

In 2003, Pruitt was paid $56,966 from Carmac Realty, a West Palm Beach company owned by Richard Johnston, who does political consulting for the senator. In a 2006 interview, Pruitt wouldn't explain why he was paid. He added that the money coming from Johnston would raise eyebrows "only to the cynical."

From 2003 through 2006, Pruitt collected $2,000 a month from Wally Sanger, a Royal Palm Beach home builder. Sanger also gave Pruitt an $8,345 discount on a house built in Port St. Lucie.

In 1997, Pruitt had inserted language into a school construction bill that helped Johnston, Sanger and other partners line up $120'million in contracts with school districts to build concrete portable classrooms.

Red tide

"Wildlife officials are trying to determine whether red tide killed six manatees last week in Brevard County." "Red tide suspected in manatee deaths".

"If Florida's fortunes continue sliding ..."

The Sun-Sentinel editors: "The Florida presidential primary is fast approaching. Up to now, there's been a lot of presidential campaign bickering about Iraq, 'values,' immigration reform and other national issues. If Florida's fortunes continue sliding, it's the state's economy that should prove pivotal in determining whether Florida goes blue or red." "Housing price downturn should make economy a "hot-button" issue next year".

Billy McCollum a closet Marxist?

"Shortly before Christmas, McCollum sent a memo to Crist and the other Cabinet members, advising them that 'the science is not all in' on the subject. He urged them to view the enclosed DVD, a British television documentary called The Great Global Warming Swindle. (It costs $19.99, and this is not exactly It's a Wonderful Life.) ... McCollum has butted heads with Crist before, over civil rights for felons who have completed their sentences." "Global warming ... or just a lot of hot air?".

As for Billy's sources: "The makers of the program include Martin Durkin ... The Guardian newspaper in London reported in 1997 that Durkin considered himself a Marxist."

2007

"Michael Mayo: Memories of 2007: An up-and-down (but mostly down) year". See also "Mike Thomas: The best and worst of 2007".

"Frankel's obstinacy"

"Two grand jury reports leave no doubt that West Palm Beach Mayor Lois Frankel is willing to take extraordinary measures to deny the public information it has a right to know."

Both reports reached the same conclusion: On Oct. 26, 2004, Mayor Frankel tried to prevent a replay of a contentious city commission meeting from airing on the city's cable television channel. As deplorable as the mayor's behavior was that night, the coverup and stonewalling afterward were just as bad.

On Wednesday, two groups filed suit claiming that a new city ordinance that bans feeding the poor at several downtown sites is unconstitutional. It was the mayor who pushed through the ordinance. She ignored pleas from charity groups to allow them to find a compromise that would avoid a legal confrontation.

News flash!

"Insurance stays at top of Floridians' concerns".

Send this guy a box of diapers

"It seems Florida Republican Don Phillips has a deep fear of homeless people and Democrats. Phillips, a developer, Republican donor and John McCain supporter, sent a letter to Tampa Mayor Pam Iorio and police Chief Steve Hogue asking for protection from both." "Homeless, protesters unsettle GOP stalwart".

Panhandle justice

"Longtime Panhandle lawman Guy Tunnell took fire from critics statewide in 2006 when he compared the Rev. Jesse Jackson to outlaw Jesse James and Barak Obama to terrorist Osama bin Laden."And when did Tunnell share these delightful insights with us? Why,

at the time he headed Florida's Department of Law Enforcement.

He resigned amid accusations of racism, but found refuge back home in Bay County. By hiring him within 31 days of his leaving another state job, State Attorney Steve Meadows salvaged for Tunnell more than $230,000 in a lump-sum retirement payment.

Meadow's decision to hire Tunnell, allowing him to complete his five-year eligibility in DROP, upset civil rights leaders who considered it further insult by Bay County elected officials. Bay County is where 14-year-old Martin Lee Anderson died after a videotaped altercation with seven guards at a sheriff's office boot camp. Tunnell, who established the boot camp as sheriff, made his comments about Jackson and Obama while preparing for protests at the state Capitol over the handling of the black teen's death by state and local officials.

Tunnell will receive a $520,000 lump-sum payment when he retires Monday after completing four and half years in DROP.

The Panama City News Herald speculated in a recent editorial that Tunnell, who served as Bay County Sheriff from 1988 to 2003, is leaving six months early to seek to unseat popular Sheriff Frank McKeithen.

More panhandle justice

As Guy Tunnell slithers out from under a rock (see also), we are reminded of yet another panhandle story: "A state panel voted unanimously not to keep embattled medical examiner Charles Siebert on the job Saturday, even though he was the only one to apply for the post. Siebert was the medical examiner who conducted the disputed autopsy on a teenager who died after an altercation with guards at a juvenile boot camp last year."

Siebert conducted the autopsy of 14-year-old Martin Lee Anderson, who died in January 2006 after an altercation with guards at a Bay County sheriff's boot camp.

Siebert ruled Anderson's death was caused by natural complications of sickle-cell trait, a genetic blood disorder. Anderson's body was exhumed, and a second autopsy by another doctor found the guards suffocated him.

Yawner

"Scott Maxwell: The 25 most powerful people in Central Florida".

Stop the presses!

"A state compact reached last month to allow Las Vegas-style gambling at the Seminole Tribe's casinos could spur major development on and around tribal reservations." "Sun-Sentinel: State gambling deal with Seminoles may be boon for landowners".