Game on

"The day after the Illinois senator is expected to win a majority of the delegates for the nomination, he is planning to make up for lost time by kicking off a three-day Florida campaign swing". "It's time for Obama to shout hello, Fla.".

"After months of virtually ignoring Florida, Barack Obama plans to come to Hollywood to raise money on May 22 and to rally supporters in other parts of South Florida. Obama's Florida plans indicate he is preparing for the general election campaign against Republican John McCain while trying to wrap up the Democratic presidential nomination." "Obama plans Hollywood fundraiser during S. Florida swing".

"Barack Obama is looking ahead to the general election in November, and that means a visit next week to Palm Beach County." "Obama to court county voters". See also "Obama Coming To Tampa".




Time to cut Firefighters' "platinum", "lavish", "outlandish" and "sweet pay plans"

"Relentless wildfires burned into the early morning Tuesday across Florida's Atlantic coast, taxing firefighters and overwhelming residents ... Hundreds of firefighters worked the state's blazes, bulldozing highly flammable brush and vegetation and leaving behind less flammable dirt to keep the fires from advancing. At least three firefighters were injured Monday, according to the Florida Division of Emergency Management." "Dozens of homes lost as Florida battles wildfires". See also "Crist declares state of emergency for Florida wildfires".





Overpaid firefighters with "platinum" and "lavish" benefits battle a house fire in Malabar, Florida early Monday morning

Nice to see the occasional fat fire fighter break away from his dalmatian and game of checkers, all while laying back on "couch, finishing off a six-pack of beer and a pack of cigarettes", and do a little work for a change: "Florida Brush Fires Destroy Homes - Thousand of Residents Evacuated, Blazes Only 20% Contained", " Wildfires force evacuations in central Florida", "Brush fires choke Florida", "Nine Brush Fires in Brevard Kept Firefighters Busy", "Dozens of Florida homes lost to wildfires", "Marco firefighters battle Florida blazes", "Firefighters working three hotspots in Palm Bay; 50 to 75 homes damaged", "Florida County Evacuated on Fear of Merged Fires - New York Times", "Shades of 1998 fires?", "Firefighters Battle to Protect Homes Along Stretch of Florida Coast", "Blazes burden firefighters in Florida" and "Fires Force Hundreds to Flee Homes".

"More than 2,200 wildfires have burned over 44,000 acres in Florida since Jan. 1, according to the state Division of Forestry." "Florida Brush Fires Destroy Homes".


Florida firefighter "fattening up" on "overly generous" benefits as he makes his way through brush to battle a blaze near Daytona Beach



For more on those greedy government slugs who get paid to sleep while the rest of us risk everything on the hard-charging, entreprenural endeavors that made America great, see "Fattening Up: Local and state governments are overly generous to employees".

Closing note: These lazy jerks will do anything for attention: "Central Florida Firefighters Save Dogs With Mouth-To-Mouth CPR".




Another privatization disaster

"One of the two companies that feed state prisoners has racked up nearly $250,000 in fines since the beginning of the year for violations including not having enough food and staffing shortages. That brings the total fines for Aramark to more than $864,000 since 2001 when the state hired private companies to take over feeding the more than 92,000 inmates in Florida prisons."

Have no fear, privatization gurus: "More than $300,000 of Aramark fines have been rescinded by the Department of Corrections." There is a reason for that:

The department let Aramark off the hook for hundreds of thousands of dollars in fines under former Corrections Secretary Jimmy Crosby, now in prison for taking kickbacks from contractors.

"Company fined over prison food".

This is just the "latest question into the performance of Aramark Corp., which took over prison food service in 2001 as part of former Gov. Jeb Bush's privatization push." "Inmates say prison food made them sick".

To which we can only say, thanks "Jeb!"




Before you vote ...

"Know your Florida constitutional amendments".




C-plus?

"Study gives Florida C-plus for reading, math test standards". And this is courtesy of the open-minded folks at the "Hoover Institution, a well-funded conservative think tank".




Budget blues

Can't argue with the The Orlando Sentinel editorial board's assertion that Crist shouldn't veto some projects that can help stimulate the economy". But I have a hard time picturing the "yam-colored man" "por[ing] over the budget approved by lawmakers".




The delegate thing

"U.S. Rep. Allen Boyd, an uncommitted superdelegate to the Democratic National Convention, Monday suggested that Florida's 211 presidential nominating delegates should be seated in Denver next summer with a half-vote each." "Party leaders weigh Florida primary delegation". See also "Florida Democrats working toward '50-percent solution' for convention delegates".




Thomas on gays

Maitland housewives can be "liberal" on some issues:

The only state where gays can tie the knot, Massachusetts, has the lowest divorce rate in the nation, whereas Florida ranks in the top 10.

It's like our restriction on gay adoptions. Supporters of Amendment 2 say it will be enhanced by their initiative. Save the children!

But when you look at various measures of child welfare in the 50 states, we rank near the bottom while states with liberal gay-adoption laws are at the top.

There is a marriage problem in Florida as well as a child-welfare problem.

And neither has anything to do with gays.

"Gay marriage? You'll see flying manatees first".




It depends on what you mean by "public service"

"The wife of former Rep. Bob Allen, is one of four Republican contenders for the Brevard County Elections Supervisor. ... Beth Allen says 'I'm the one running for Supervisor of Elections. I am absolutely committed to public service.'" "Wife of former Rep. Bob Allen running for elections supervisor".




"Free trade"

The Tampa Tribune editorial board complains that "U.S. trade unions have lobbied against more trade with Colombia until Colombia offers better protection to union workers there. Last year, 26 union members were murdered."

And do we need a "free trade" deal to stop this: "The wholesale price of many of the U.S. products Colombia buys are increased by a third by tariffs while most Colombian goods enter U.S. ports tax free"? Of course, the traditional media, and their corporate owners, want the "deal": "Political Games Freeze Trade Deal With Good Partner Colombia".




As Florida burns ...

The South Florida Sun-Sentinel editorial board: "Last year, a bill that would charge renters a new fee for breaking their leases didn't make it past Gov. Charlie Crist's desk. Now a fairer, more balanced version of the legislation is back, and the governor should sign it. The bill would permit landlords to collect up to two months rent from tenants who leave rental properties prematurely. That means tenants would pay an average of $2,000 in South Florida." "Florida's tenant bill is a good compromise".