Now the deal, which appears to have followed standard protocol and has been reported by local media, has drawn new criticism from the Florida Democratic Party, which questions why Carlton didn't note a conflict of interest with the Senate president.

The criticism comes as Carlton, who is term limited, is playing an active role in the District 23 Republican primary. Democrats hope to win the seat.

"As Senate appropriations chair, we trusted Sen. Carlton with our tax dollars, and she turned around to write herself a check for millions of dollars," said Eric Jotkoff, Florida Democratic Party spokesman.

Carlton, 44, disagrees. ...

She said she saw the land deal as an extension of a decade long relationship her family's company has had with the district.

Woo Hoo

"Pitted in a heated race, U.S. Rep Mario Diaz-Balart and Democratic challenger Joe Garcia reached out to young voters Friday night." "Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart, Democrat Joe Garcia square off in debate".

CD 23

"U.S. Rep. Alcee Hastings, who was first elected to his seat in 1992, is being challenged by former Belle Glade Mayor Ray Torres Sanchez in the Democratic primary in sprawling Congressional District 23." "Ex-mayor challenging U.S. Rep. Hastings for District 23 seat".

"An old financial skeleton"

"The battle between two Democratic lawyers fighting for the chance to unseat U.S. Rep. Gus Bilirakis heated up Thursday, with one hauling an old financial skeleton out of the other's closet."

Bill Mitchell, a candidate in District 9, coordinated a conference call linking reporters with a New Jersey man who said a 1989 financial seminar led by primary opponent John Dicks enticed him to invest $55,000, which soon was lost.

The seminar was sponsored by a firm tied to financial adviser Charles J. Givens, author of the 1988 bestseller "Wealth Without Risk," known nationwide in the 1980s and early 1990s for his seminars, infomercials and, eventually, scandals. He died in 1998.

Dicks' affiliation with Givens' Delta First Financial was raised by political foes in 1996 when the former Plant City mayor ran for the Florida Senate. A recent Mitchell campaign mailing uses snippets of a Tampa Tribune article published that October.

Yawn ...

"For two years, their brothers — House Speaker Marco Rubio and Senate President Ken Pruitt — have dominated state politics. Now, they hope to launch their own political careers. Mario Rubio of Jacksonville and Will Pruitt of Lady Lake are both running for the Florida House." "Brothers of political bigwigs Marco Rubio and Ken Pruitt seek office".

"'Lost votes'"

"The timing had nothing to do with Florida's upcoming primary and everything to do with a lawsuit a voting-machine manufacturer faces in Ohio, where officials discovered at least 1,000 votes were dropped in nine counties in various elections. The errors were caught and corrected within hours. After Premier Elections Solutions Inc. blamed antivirus software solely for the problem, officials in Ohio's Butler County insisted there was a problem with the machines themselves. The state has sued the company for breach of contract."

Terms like "programming glitch" and "lost votes" returned this week to haunt Florida voters days before Tuesday's primary.

Plus ... they're reading books and stuff ...

"Young conservatives are feeling the squeeze. Just ask David Kowalczyk, a member of the College Republicans, an on-campus student organization at the University of Florida. Kowalczyk said he has seen a steady increase in liberalism among UF students over the past two years." "Sun: UF’s conservatives feel outnumbered".

Good luck

"The labor union representing more than 1,000 Florida sugar workers has requested a meeting with Gov. Charlie Crist over the state's plans to purchase U.S. Sugar Corp. The union is in favor of Everglades restoration but would like to see U.S. Sugar's mill and refinery in Clewiston remain in operation, union spokesman Bob Wood said Thursday. 'We think it's important that somebody stands up and tries to preserve those jobs,' Wood said. Sterling Ivey [his real name], the governor's press secretary, said there was not a meeting scheduled with the machinists, but their request would be reviewed in the scheduling office once it is received." "Union seeks meeting with Crist".

Poor Vern

"U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan is one of the richest men in Congress thanks in part to his car dealerships."

But those businesses have also made the Sarasota Republican the target of lawsuits in his own county. Ex-employees allege that his dealerships fabricated tax returns, falsified incomes to get loan applications approved and "powerbooked" — faked options to pump up the sales price.

Now those same allegations have been made against Buchanan's dealership in Pasco County: Suncoast Ford Mitsubishi* on U.S. 19 in Port Richey.

The congressman's dealership bilked customers, employees and even Ford Motor Co.

It rained hard ... so we need federal assistance

Please spare us politicians and their photo ops, followed by begging for money:

Getting a break from a daily drumbeat of grim economic news, Gov. Charlie Crist assumed a new role this week: leading pitchman for storm safety, as slow-moving Tropical Storm Fay made a wobbly, watery trek around the state.

In his first turn as Florida's chief executive in a storm, Crist jettisoned his suit and tie for short-sleeve shirts bearing the state's emergency-management logo, and repeatedly urged Floridians not to take Fay lightly. ...

At one briefing, Crist said he'd been up at 4:30 a.m. reading online reports about the storm.

Laff riot

We agree with the headline to this The Orlando Sentinel editorial board piece this morning: "We think: Special interests have too much influence at the political conventions"

At the Democratic convention, Visa and US Bank are throwing a bash for the party's freshman class in the House. The Human Rights Campaign, a gay and lesbian advocacy group, is hosting an affair for black, Hispanic and Asian-American lawmakers. AT&T is feting the Republican Main Street Partnership, a group of moderates, at the GOP convention.

"The headwaters of the Kissimmee River"

The Orlando Sentinel editorial board: "Orange County's decision this week to abandon its reckless legal fight to siphon water from the headwaters of the Kissimmee River amounts to a reprieve." "Conservation should follow in water fight's wake".

Broward Sheriff's race

"Less than a week before Tuesday's elections, two front-runners in the Broward Sheriff's race are accusing each other's supporters of making inaccurate statements, with fliers and words that are the most biting since the campaigns began." "Broward Sheriff's race heats up as unknown group sends e-mails".

Charlie to announce that it is raining

"Crist having news conference at 10 a.m.": " Crist is having a news conference at 10 a.m. to give the latest information on Tropical Storm Fay. ".

Surely it is the professors' union's fault

"The University of Florida’s quest to rise in the national rankings has stalled." "UF’s bid to rise in rankings stalls".

"Flying under false colors"?

"If voters read its ballot title and summary together, they will understand the proposed tax-swap amendment, attorneys fighting to salvage the plan told the Florida Supreme Court Thursday. 'Nothing in the ballot title and summary, when read together, can be categorized as hiding the ball or flying under false colors,' said a 37-page brief filed by the state and supporters of Amendment 5." "Tax-swap boosters make case in Florida Supreme Court".

Fay much bigger than it looks, feels or sounds

The Miami Herald editorial board: "Television weather forecasters and newspaper headline writers have tried to resist the temptation to make alliterative references to Tropical Storm Fay -- but they're not trying hard enough. The word 'fickle' has definitely been overused, for instance. Still, what else to call this slow-moving storm intent on rambling all over Florida before leaving for points north?" "Soggy, slow-moving Fay offers lessons".

Hill-help

"Hillary Clinton appealed in person Thursday to hundreds of her staunchest South Florida supporters to end grieving about her lost presidential bid and help send Barack Obama to the White House." "Stumping for Obama, Hillary Clinton calls for unity".

"It took nearly until the end of Clinton's 25-minute speech at Florida Atlantic University's sports arena Thursday for the crowd, more than 1,000, mostly women, to offer standing-ovation approval for her appeal: Elect the guy who beat me." "Salute Hillary, but vote Obama".

More: "Hillary Clinton campaigned throughout Florida for Barack Obama on Thursday, urging her supporters to throw their backing behind her former rival. 'I believe our country is worth fighting for, don't you?' she said to an applauding crowd of union workers gathered for a conference at Disney's Contemporary Resort." "Hillary Clinton touts Obama to union crowd at Disney".

Ew ... a "union crowd", and at Disney no less ... what is this world coming to?*


- - - - - - - - - -
*In seeking to appear "balanced" and, more importantly, to drive home the prescribed GOP (Sam Zell) meme - that Obama isn't really "American" like us - the Orlando Sentinel employee included the following in her story:

But not all Clinton supporters have made the switch to Obama. Suzanne DeBartolo, 44, of Toms River, N.J., said before Clinton's speech that she wants to do more research on Obama before casting her vote.

"He's really going to have to support the American ways and the American people," said DeBartolo

Way to show a spine, dude

"Last week, Christian publisher Cameron Strang said he was headed to the Democratic National Convention to give an invocation."

At the time, Strang said he didn't think it was a big deal. He wasn't endorsing any candidate, he said; he was simply going to pray. But now the founder of Relevant magazine, who is part of a young evangelical movement, has had second thoughts.

Strang said he accepted the invitation because he wanted to show that today's "values voters" don't choose political sides as their predecessors did. Though a registered Republican, he said he was more than willing to consider voting for a Democrat. ...

But Strang, whose father is one of the country's most influential Christian publishers, said many people misinterpreted his acceptance of the invitation. They thought he was endorsing Barack Obama. ...

So the 32-year-old Orlando resident told the DNC he had changed his mind.

Little known to outsiders, the Strang name carries weight with evangelicals, especially in the fast-growing charismatic and Pentecostal branches. Cameron's father, Steven, who like his son is based in the Orlando, Fla., area, founded a magazine, Charisma, that spawned a publishing empire. The elder Strang [a/k/a daddy] has endorsed Republican Sen. John McCain. ...

He was on the guest list when religious leaders met with Obama in June in Chicago, consulted the campaign on Christian issues and interviewed Obama for his magazine, which claims a print circulation of 80,000 and 450,000 unique Web site visitors per month.

Yet Strang's reticence to play such a high-profile role shows such relationships are a work in progress: While Democratic leaders are reaching out to more diverse religious groups, many younger evangelicals are striving for political independence and common ground without compromising on core issues like abortion

"Excessive Union Demands"

The Tampa Tribune editorial board: "The council should heed the advice of a special magistrate who listened to both sides and made a nonbinding recommendation." "Council Should Protect Taxpayers From Excessive Union Demands".

This is hilarious. Question: when was the last time the The Tampa Tribune editorial board urged any city council or county commission to accept a special magistrate's recommendation (after all, union arguments prevail in a substantial number of these cases.

Florida needs a Limbaugh Law

pThe Palm Beach Post editorial Board: "Thirty-five states have created computer databases to track prescriptions for powerful, addictive painkillers such as oxycodone and methodone. The databases keep a patient from going to five different doctors in the same week complaining of pain and obtaining a prescription from each."

Florida has refused to create a database. That failure leads to addictions. That failure leads to accidental overdoses. It leads to suicides. It provides pushers with pills to sell on the streets.

Former state Rep. Joe Negron fought to kill a prescription database bill in 2006. "I fundamentally believe medical care is a private matter," he told The Post this month. ...

In fact, the Legislature made doctor-shopping a felony in 2002. Two years later, trying to capitalize on the publicity from Rush Limbaugh's doctor-shopping case, then-Attorney General Charlie Crist and other Republicans urged the Legislature to create the database. One reason: Painkiller abuse was costing the Medicaid program $1 billion a year.

By blocking a prescription-drug database, lawmakers are enabling criminals [like Limbaugh] and hurting people who aren't as well-informed about their prescriptions as they need to be.

Threat

"Florida authorities are investigating a threatening letter sent to Gov. Charlie Crist that contained a suspicious but nontoxic white powder." "Threat letter with powder sent to Gov. Crist". See also "Is Crist threat letter linked to McCain's?"

More Hill

"Clinton avoids VP questions during Fla. visit".

"Bloody mistake"?

The Palm Beach Post editorial Board: "What does it mean that overall traffic deaths are down but motorcycle fatalities are up? That shouldn't be a hard question, but it sure stumps members of the Legislature. The answer, by the way, is that motorcycle deaths are up because Florida and other states don't make everybody who rides a motorcycle wear a helmet. Florida deaths have been rising since legislators repealed mandatory helmets in 2000. " "Make bikers wear helmets".

BTW, it is yet another Jebacy: "When Jeb Bush signed the repeal of Florida's helmet law, he called it an issue of individual freedom and personal responsibility. In fact, it's about personal irresponsibility. Motorcyclists are required to carry only $10,000 of insurance, so everyone else ends up subsidizing their medical care after a crash."

And how many trailer homes do you own?

"Governor to tour flooded Brevard trailer park".

Both LeMieux and Ballard suggested that had the Sargeant-related contributions come from people with names like "Smith" or "Jones," rather than through a Sargeant associate named Mustafa Abu Naba the media wouldn't be as interested.

Ibrahim A. Marabeh has never been to Florida and has "absolutely" no interest in Florida politics.

But the district manager for Rite Aid in the Temecula area of California was among three dozen in a California Muslim community who contributed $500 each to Gov. Charlie Crist's 2006 gubernatorial campaign.

Marabeh's contribution was among some $20,000 raised on June 19, 2006, by a business relation of Harry Sargeant III, an oil company executive, a formal naval officer and longtime friend and fundraiser for Crist.

• At least 30 companies owned by Ken Underwood of Ponte Vedra Beach gave the maximum $500 to Crist, for a total of $15,000, and half of the checks were written within days of the firms' creation. Underwood holds a state contract to publish driver safety handbooks.

•Crist received some $6,500 from Miami companies owned by Sergio Pino, a prominent builder and developer and supporter of Republican candidates. Pino was the subject of a federal public corruption investigation along with Miami-Dade County Commissioner Jose "Pepe" Diaz.

FlaDem circular firing squad

"South Florida's most competitive state Senate primary is rapidly becoming its nastiest thanks to shadowy third-party groups with a reputation for stealth attacks. Heading into Tuesday's primary, voters in state Senate District 31 have been inundated with mailings and robo-calls blasting Democrats Ken Gottlieb, Eleanor Sobel and Tim Ryan -- three former state representatives locked in a tight contest to replace term-limited Senate Democratic Leader Steve Geller." "State Senate 'stealth' campaign ads getting nasty".

'Ya think?

The Tallahassee Democrat editorial board: "The long-term solution — which only a state with strong political leadership could craft — is comprehensive tax reform. Meaningful reform goes far beyond promises of lower property taxes, which scores political points but fails to solve Florida's fundamental financial challenge, which isn't simply a result of the current downturn. Whether that reform will ever come about is uncertain. But in the meantime, public education can't be allowed to wither on the vine." "Save our schools".

Off topic

The St. Petersburg Times editorial board: "In a little-noticed speech, Defense Secretary Robert Gates offered some unusually clear-headed thinking about the role of the military in a changing world. He suggested that concerns about 'creeping militarization' of American foreign policy are not unreasonable, and he emphasized the benefits of negotiation and diplomacy in a tone refreshingly different from the Bush administration’s usual rhetoric." "Wisdom, candor at the Pentagon".

"Legislative leaders have ruled out tax hikes to close the gap"

The Orlando Sentinel editorial board: "Bleak tax-revenue forecasts for Florida have become depressingly familiar."

So have stopgap responses from the governor and legislators. They prefer the path of least resistance -- cutting programs indiscriminately or raiding reserves -- to the tougher but smarter course of running government more efficiently.

State economists, citing the weak economy, recently predicted Florida's tax revenues in this budget year would fall $1.8 billion short of earlier estimates. That would open a new gap in a budget already cut by $6 billion from last year.

FCAT trap

The Palm Beach Post editorial Board: "State sets FCAT trap".

Yet another empty suit

Steve Bousquet: "To the Republican lawmaker from Indialantic, who hopes to become Senate president in 2010, Amendment 5 is a hidden tax increase. That goes against the mantra he has preached during eight years in the Legislature: Government must shrink, not grow."

But what Haridopolos — the most visible opponent of Amendment 5 — doesn't mention on the road is that he is a longtime government employee, who in February got a big promotion to lecturer and internship coordinator at the University of Florida's Bob Graham Center for Public Service. He is paid $75,000 a year.

Before that, Haridopolos was a Brevard Community College instructor. And for the past four years, his $38,000 salary didn't require teaching, only that he write a book, still unpublished, about his political experiences and legislative history called Florida Legislative History and Processes. During those years he also collected his legislative salary, now $31,000.

Haridopolos sees no contradiction between multiple government salaries and his charges of runaway government spending.

64,000 deep thinkers

"Overall, Florida now has nearly 1.1 million black Democrats, compared to just under 64,000 black Republicans. Louisiana has about 704,000 black Democrats and 26,000 black Republicans, and North Carolina has more than 1 million black Democrats and just under 44,000 black Republicans."

"The only three states that track voting registration by party and race show black Republican registration dropping slightly since the beginning of the year. Florida has 81,512 more black Democrats compared to a loss of 784 black Republicans; Louisiana has 34,325 more black Democrats, while the number of black Republicans dropped by 907; North Carolina has 92,356 more black Democrats and 2,850 fewer black Republicans." "Obama inspires black Republicans to switch parties".

Florida's finest

Daniel Ruth - "This is always the best way to begin a political career:"

simply having someone hand you an elective office, which spares one the indignity of having to bother with all those icky-poo-poo details of a campaign such as shaking hands with total strangers, asking people for money, eating bad food, showing up.

A few days ago, young Rachel Burgin was a lass working in Washington, just like thousands of other young people yearning to have some sort of politically-juiced job.

Now Burgin, 26, for all practical purposes has to be considered the presumptive heir to the State House District 56 seat, which has been unexpectedly vacated by Rep. Trey Traviesa, who apparently decided making money in the private sector sure beat having to sit around Tallahassee for months at a time.

Burgin was Traviesa's aide until landing some sort of vague White House job she declined to clarify. What is it about people who think bringing Dick Cheney his Sanka somehow qualifies for a "For Your Eyes Only" national security clearance?

Before working as Traviesa's apparatchik and sharpening Laura Bush's pencils, Burgin cut her political teeth as a minion-in-waiting for Hillsborough County Commissioner Brian Blair, which had to be a bit like learning the ropes on the proper application of cosmetics from Rudy Giuliani.

So the Star Chamber of Republican Muckety-Mucks could afford to be magnanimous in selecting a 12-year-old for Traviesa's seat. And why not? Adam Putnam served in the Florida Legislature as an embryo, before getting elected to the U.S. House of Representatives when he was 7 - or so it seemed, to the odd old fogey here and there.

It never hurts for a political party to develop bench strength for the future, which the Republicans have done here in serving up a political career on a platter to a relatively inexperienced but apparently bright young woman[*].

She would never admit this, because it's considered very bad form among professional pols, but given her new status, Burgin could be forgiven if in her private moments, she's tried out the sound of: "Senator Burgin," "Gov. Burgin," and yes even (very, very quietly) "President Burgin."

Who knew?

"[D]espite their obvious destructiveness, hurricanes are highly beneficial — benefits that never get big play in the news. In a word, the hurricane is also 'good.'" "Tropical ill winds blow some good".

Hill

"Sen. Hillary Clinton will meet with senior citizens at the Kings Point community in Tamarac today following her appearance at a rally for Barack Obama in Boca Raton." "Hillary Clinton to talk with seniors in Tamarac".

"One of Florida's greater flood-plain follies"

Mike Thomas: "Three months ago, Palm Bay was burning up in a wildfire fueled by drought. And now it's drowning in a flood. This is a cursed city, almost perfectly designed for the disasters that have befallen it. Palm Bay was one of Florida's greater flood-plain follies, conceived by one of the state's premier swampland scam artists -- General Development Corp." "Palm Bay's floods, fires a case study in Florida's flood-plain follies".

What do "minor violations" go for?

$4,000 for a "serious violation" causing a death?

Tennessee "has fined a Florida-based company in an accident that killed a bridge worker. Antonios Diassakos, an employee of Tarpon Springs, Fla.-based Seminole Equipment, was killed May 16 when he was hit in the head by a cable while working on a bridge over Interstate 24 in Chattanooga." "Company fined in accident that killed worker".

"Thanks a lot, Jeb!"

A mere citizen - one Andrew Balee - bemoans Jebbie's damage to public education:

But still, to rank 48th, only above Mississippi in the Old South (no offense to you, Misissippi) and below Alabama (see above; you have a beautiful state), but even below Louisiana, whose only superlative among states is this: It ranks 1st in rate of prison incarceration.

Thanks a lot, Jeb! Privatizing schools was a good way to start killing state government, piece by piece. Privatizing prisons was a good idea too, (except for that time the Wackenhut Corp. gave 24 hours notice that they were abandoning a jail, due to its lack of profitability, and the state had to quickly mobilize other resources to guard the doors, lest there be an "incident.") That's the real problem with privatization, you know: Private comapnies need to make a profit, even if it's off the public.

I suppose the greatest thing we owe you, Jeb, is the way you have educated the people of this state to keep voting Republican, so that nothing goes wrong. God knows what would have happened under another Lawton Chiles or Bob Graham. (You newcomers can skip that last sentence. I haven't time to educate you. Just accept the fact that it was sarcastic.)

Probably a good idea

"Democratic Party leaders want to regain control of the primary calendar and reduce the number of superdelegates through a new commission announced Wednesday." "Party leaders plan to review Democratic primary calendar".

A connection or two wouldn't hurt ...

"Florida State University's incoming freshman class is unlike any in the school's history. Its members have the best credentials of any other freshman class, and it's the smallest in at least a decade." "FSU's new class 'best prepared' in years".

No mention of his Vietnam "service"

"Forget the lame-duck status and bad poll numbers. President Bush got a warm reception today when he spoke to the Veterans of Foreign Wars' national convention [in Orlando]. ... He was greeted with a standing ovation and interrupted several times by applause." "Veterans cheer Bush's call for 'offense' against terror".

Another headline: "Veterans give mixed reaction to Bush's speech in Orlando".

Is it me? ...

... but shouldn't we rugged, independent entrepreneurial types stop running to the feds (read the rest of the Country) for help every time it rains? "Fay's refusal to leave the state has prompted Gov. Charlie Crist to seek federal money for cleanup when the storm finally disappears." "Storm slows to crawl, may douse entire state".

Who cares

"Jeb backs Dade Children's Trust ballot initiative".

Poor Vern

"Congressman Vern Buchanan's 2005 campaign violated campaign finance law by pressuring employees at his car dealerships for money and reimbursing some for contributions, a watchdog group alleges in a complaint filed Tuesday with the Federal Election Commission." "Watchdog group blasts Buchanan on campaign finance".

Poor Charlie ...

... he's handing out the door prizes. "Crist to speak on final day of GOP convention".

First elected to Congress in 2006 by only 369 votes after a controversial recount, Buchanan is currently in a tight rematch with Democrat Christine Jennings.

But this former co-chair of the Republican National Finance Committee and top fundraiser for Jeb Bush and Senator Mel Martinez may find his career derailed by seven civil suits that were filed against him, his executives, and his dealerships over the past three months in Sarasota County and Pasco County courts.

The explosive allegations indicate that Buchanan and his dealership employees may have taken part in conspiracy, fraud, and retaliatory personnel actions. The plaintiffs, mainly former employees, describe incidents in which Buchanan and his staff appear to have violated campaign finance laws, hired undocumented workers, bilked customers, threatened employees, sent fraudulent information to banks, and misappropriated funds. Additional lawsuits are expected soon.

Hill to help

"Hillary Clinton is coming to Palm Beach County on Thursday in an attempt to mend infighting between her fans and those of Barack Obama, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee." "Hillary Clinton to rally for Obama in Boca".

Stoopid

The Palm Beach Post editorial Board: "McCain used the arrival of Tropical Storm Fay to demonstrate that he still doesn't support or even understand one of the most important campaign issues for Florida. That would be national disaster insurance, which the House has passed in the form of legislation sponsored by Reps. Ron Klein, D-Boca Raton, and Tim Mahoney, D-Palm Beach Gardens. Before the January presidential primary, Sen. McCain wrongly stated that the Klein-Mahoney bill would cost taxpayers $200 billion. He also stated wrongly that a better option for repaying big insurance claims would be the Federal Emergency Management Agency, whose mission does not include insurance claims." "Tropical Storm McCain has returned to Florida".

Never forget that Mr. McBush is ... well ... you know ... "stoopid.

Mr. happy face "unfazed"

"Florida's economy has declined more quickly and deeply than the economists have anticipated. That history, though, doesn't faze Crist." "Crist looks to reserves, tobacco settlement to fund part of deficit".

More: "Crist To Throw Reserves At $1.5 Billion Budget Hole" and "Crist to tap reserves to cut budget shortfall".

Deep "doubts"

The Tallahassee Democrat editorial board: "If there were no question that lowering the legal drinking age from 21 to 18 would significantly reduce the incidence of binge-drinking and encourage more responsible alcohol consumption we would wholeheartedly endorse the idea.
Advertisement But with all due respect to the 100 or so college and university presidents who have signed on to a national initiative that proposes lowering the legal drinking age, we have our doubts — and they're deep." "Not so simple: With alcohol abuse, age isn't the main issue".

Charges

"Herald Today: Buchanan, Jennings face complaints on finances".

Race to take down Ric

"With less than a week before the primary election, two Democrats vying for Congress are flooding the airwaves to reach Central Florida voters. Alan Grayson and Charlie Stuart, two of the five candidates seeking the Democratic nomination for the U.S. House seat now held by Republican Rep. Ric Keller, each have TV spots scheduled to run in heavy rotation right up until the polls close Tuesday." "Sentinel: Grayson, Stuart spend big on TV ads in U.S. House race".

A FlaDem thing

"Florida Democrats may seek to remove the Democratic candidate who filed for the state House seat being vacated by Trey Traviesa, so they can replace him with a stronger candidate. The reason: When the candidate, Lewis Laricchia, qualified to run for the office he wasn't a Democrat, even though he signed a legally required, sworn statement saying he was." "District 56 Democratic Candidate May Get Boot".

Never mind

"Fla. man pleads not guilty to Bush, Obama threat".

Back to work

"It's back to the polls today for early voting, the state-required program costing Broward taxpayers about $200,000 for the Aug. 26 primary. Early voting was canceled Monday and Tuesday as officials battened down the hatches to prepare for Tropical Storm Fay. It's not as if many people were inconvenienced. Total voters during the first seven days of early voting, through Sunday: 8,800." "Suspension of early voting didn't affect many people".

"Credit for coming"? You'd think it was a meeting of the Knights of the White Camellia

"They were respectful and polite -- applauding at the appropriate times -- but afterward, there was no rush to buy the new guy a drink."

"This just really isn't his crowd," said a conventioneer from Pennsylvania who declined to give his name. "But I give him credit for coming."

'Some of the people who were enthusiastic and demonstrated support for what McCain was saying refused to clap when Obama said things that are in line with veterans' interests,'' he said. ``They demonstrated their indifference to Obama in a visible manner, even though this convention is supposed to be nonpolitical.''

Mail ballot deadline

"The deadline to request an absentee ballot is 5 p.m. Wednesday. The request has to be at the Supervisor of Elections Office by phone, mail or in person by 5 p.m. that day." "Absentee ballot deadline today".

It even has words and stuff

If you can bear it, Scott Maxwell has the scoop on "Mel's memoir."

Address change?

"While it can be done at the polls, 'it's inconvenient for [voters],' said Mary Cooney, director of public services at the Broward Supervisor of Elections Office." "Moved? Update your address with elections office".

Enough with Mica

"Two first-time candidates are vying in the Democratic primary Tuesday for a shot at unseating 15-year incumbent John Mica, R- Winter Park. Faye Armitage, 50, of St. Johns County is an economics professor-turned-grass-roots activist. Clyde Malloy, 48, is a retired law-enforcement officer living in Ormond Beach, where he and his wife rehabilitate houses." "Political newcomers vie to topple GOP's entrenched John Mica in U.S. House District 7 race".

"'Crazy'"

"Tom Feeney eager to make sure his foe is the 'crazy' one".".

Waitin'

"The Florida Supreme Court will judge the legality of three proposed constitutional amendments early next month as county elections supervisors anxiously wait to see which ones will survive to Election Day. The 1st District Court of Appeal bumped up consideration of the challenged tax-swap amendment to the state's highest court on Tuesday. The state is appealing Circuit Judge John Cooper's ruling that threw Amendment 5 off the Nov. 4 ballot because he said its title and summary language are misleading." "Florida Supreme Court to review legality of proposed amendments".

Huh?

The Miami Herald editorial board: "One might be tempted to dismiss State Farm Insurance Co.'s latest rate-hike request as a not-so-funny joke, except that the request is serious and not at all funny. If granted, the average yearly premium on a $300,000 home built before 2001 in Broward, Miami-Dade and Monroe counties would be, respectively: $23,414; $21,514; and $42,919. Yikes! " "Heads, I win; tails, you lose".

Judge for sale

"Miami-Dade's judicial races are more subdued -- and stingier -- this election than in the past, with fewer candidates raising less money. There are only nine contested races, compared to 16 in 2006, and only one three-way contest, meaning there are 19 candidates versus the 35 who ran two years ago." "Money, primaries cool races for Miami-Dade bench".

Fool

"Republican presidential candidate John McCain visited this oil platform in the Gulf of Mexico on Tuesday to call for increased offshore drilling that he claims would lower the cost of food and heating homes." "McCain touts drilling agenda from oil platform".

DNA testing the "bag of urine"?

Sally Swartz: "Campaign vandals are hitting the Martin County Commission candidates who support controlled [sic] growth: Ian Pollack in District 5 (Palm City) and Henry Copeland in District 1 (Jensen Beach and Sewall's Point). Someone chopped down their signs, including some that were on private property in North Stuart and in Hobe Sound, and used the wood to break a businessman's window. Other vandals left a bag of urine on the doorstep of Dave Shore, spokesman for Witham Airport Action Majority, a group that fights to restrict the number of jet landings at the airport and thus make life easier for those who live near Witham. WAAM supports Mr. Pollack and Mr. Copeland." "Martin's campaign posse".

"Command center" phonies

Daniel Ruth writes that "the dirty little secret of public service is: All governors love even the merest hint of impending doom."

Jeb Bush was in his element during hurricane season, taking time out from posing for holy pictures to appear at the "command center," to show off by speaking Spanish.

Charlie Crist, too, can find a respite from his budget woes to appear in the "command center" looking like he is - well, in command.

The golf shirt is a nice touch, as well.

Florida Clintonistas holding out for inaugural ball ticks

Adam C. Smith reminds us that "a lot of Democrats are still holding out hope for a Clinton-Obama ticket."

"He can win Florida with Hillary Clinton on the ticket, and I don't think he can win it without her,'' said Miami lawyer Ira Leesfield, a top Clinton money raiser. "With Hillary Clinton, he gets a bump in the Hispanic community and a bump in the Jewish community and a huge bump among women."

But there's that pesky problem of how to deal with Bill Clinton, who recently declined to say in a TV interview that Obama is ready to be president and raised eyebrows Monday by praising John McCain on energy issues.

Helmets

The Orlando Sentinel editorial board: "America's streets and highways are getting safer for motorists, unless your choice of transportation has two wheels." "The Legislature needs to again make motorcycle helmets mandatory".

Of course

The St. Petersburg Times editorial board: "Tampa's firefighters asking for too much".

Labels: "Fresh investigation" uncovers "explosive allegations" against Vern

Beyond the pale

In Orlando, what used to be a decent person actually "said Obama placed his political self-interest ahead of his country's." "McCain says rival sought to 'legislate failure' in Iraq". See also "McCain: Obama legislated Iraqi failure".

McCain is apparently willing to say or do anything: "McCain in Orlando: Obama lacks judgment to command nation". More on McSame's embarrassing display here: "McCain tells vets he's more prepared".

In turn, the white faces who run the VFW were abjectly rude to the uppity Obama, apparently upset that the boy doesn't recognize the role of performing KP duty for Johnnie - top gun - McCain (recall that "John Sidney McCain III, came from a well-bred line of American military elites. McCain’s father, John Jr., and grandfather, John Sr., were both full Admirals. A destroyer, the USS John S. McCain, is named after both of them. While his son was held captive in Hanoi, John McCain Jr., from 1968 to 1972, was the Commander-in-Chief of U.S. Pacific Command; Admiral McCain was in charge of all US forces in the Pacific including those fighting in Vietnam.")

Consider this: "Addressing a racially divided audience of veterans Tuesday, Barack Obama" said

''Let me be clear: I will let no one question my love of this country,'' Obama said, drawing a mixed reaction, as many black veterans clapped passionately and most of their white colleagues listened politely [sic]. ...

''I have never suggested that Sen. McCain picks his positions on national security based on politics or personal ambition . . . because I believe that he genuinely wants to serve America's national interest,'' Obama said. ``Now, it's time for him to acknowledge that I want to do the same. ''

Who knew?

The The Tampa Tribune reminds us that "when Florida voters adopted the alien land law in 1926, it targeted Asian immigrants, who were barred from becoming naturalized citizens purely because of their race."

Florida is one of two states where an "alien land law" remains on the books. Proposals to ask Florida voters to eliminate the restriction failed in the Legislature for three years before Geller successfully shepherded it through in 2007 with the help of Rep. Ronald Brise, D-North Miami.

NCLB

"Florida's education board approved a federal pilot program on Tuesday to give the state more flexibility dealing with troubled schools. ... Under the federal Differential Accountability Program, schools that fail to meet standards under the federal No Child Left Behind program will receive targeted help from education experts. The new program is a softening of the current program. In the past, schools were required to take specific, federally mandated steps at specific times if they failed to make adequate yearly progress under the law." "Florida board considers No Child Left Behind changes". See also "Fla. board considers No Child Left Behind changes".

CD 24

"For six years, U.S. Rep. Tom Feeney, R-Oviedo, has easily held on to the congressional district he helped draw while he was a state legislator. This year, though, he faces Democrat Suzanne Kosmas, who can match him in fundraising and has name recognition from her time as a state representative. Democrats nationally are hoping she'll take the seat. But although both Feeney and Kosmas are the presumptive nominees, they must fend off primary challenges next week by Republican Jason Davis, a decorated war veteran, and Democrat Clint Curtis, a computer programmer who also ran in 2006." "U.S. House race for District 24 is a run for the money".

Gross

W. Marc Hardesty, a board member of St. Johns Riverkeeper, a privately funded ombudsman monitoring the ecological health of the river in northeast Florida, writes that

The Georgia Pacific toilet paper plant located in Palatka is running a pollution pipe into the middle of the St. Johns River, which will belch 23 million gallons of water of questionable quality into the river each and every day. Amazingly, the state Department of "Environmental" Protection is in agreement with this scheme.

Unfortunately, the Georgia Pacific Corp. is not alone. The St. Johns River Water Management District, another agency with board members who live in our area, is attempting to issue permits to drain up to 262 million gallons of water a day for other uses in Seminole County and adjoining counties in Central Florida. District officials claim that the aquifer groundwater is being depleted, yet ironically, they issued a permit for an out-of-state company to pump 177 million gallons of water a day from this same aquifer to sell as bottled water out of state. Go figure!

Poor Vern

"A third complaint has been filed by a former employee of U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan's car dealership, Sarasota Ford, claiming the company employed at least eight illegal immigrants. Richard Thomas, a former director of fixed operations at Sarasota Ford, alleges in a lawsuit filed in Sarasota County Circuit Court that Buchanan had illegal immigrants working both at his dealership and at the congressman's home." "Third lawsuit filed against Buchanan".

Welcome to Florida

"McCain and Democrat Barack Obama got a crash course in hurricane politics Monday as they reached the nation's largest battleground state at the same time as Tropical Storm Fay. " "Storm's wind, rain upstage McCain, Obama campaigns".

Mail ballots

"You can vote early. You can vote on Election Day, Aug. 26. You can even vote from your living room. That's easier than it used to be because absentee ballots no longer require a reason, such as being out of town on Election Day. The deadline to request an absentee ballot is 5 p.m. Wednesday. The request has to be at the Supervisor of Elections Office by phone, mail or in person by 5 p.m. that day." "Absentee ballot deadline Wednesday".

Wanna bet on this one?

"Among the finalists for a Florida Supreme Court vacancy this fall is a key player in the 2000 presidential recount, Circuit Judge Jorge Labarga, 55, of West Palm Beach."

In the heat of the 2000 recount, with the world's attention on the county's butterfly ballot, Labarga threw out the county canvassing's board's rule that dimpled ballots -- where the punch hole indicating a candidate wasn't poked all the way through -- shouldn't count. Instead, he allowed the canvassing board to review each ballot.

And later, he denied a bid by a conservative law group, Judicial Watch, to keep examining Palm Beach County's presidential ballots. Some 3,300 ballots were in Al Gore's sights for a recount.

"I think these ballots need to be up in Tallahassee now so whatever needs to be done can be done quickly," Labarga said at the time.

He is among five finalists for the seat occupied by the retiring Raoul G. Cantero, culled from a list of 50 applicants for Cantero's seat and one other spot on the seven-member high court. Applicants were reviewed by the Judicial Nominating Commission.

Busy bees

"Only four of the eight incumbents invited to appear on recent televised forums sponsored by the League of Women Voters in Hillsborough County bothered to show. State Rep. Darryl Rouson, D-St. Petersburg, whose district crosses the bay, confirmed but did not appear. Other no-shows: State Rep. Betty Reed, D-Tampa, and Republican Hillsborough County Commissioners Ken Hagan and Brian Blair. None had the time. Tampa's Tiger Bay Club, the leading bipartisan political club in the county, has had the same problem, club president April Schiff said. " "Incumbent arrogance".

Condolences

"Husband of congresswoman dies at 68".

When you wear $520 loafers and own 10 homes ...

... it is funny to hear McBush claims he "sympathizes with homeowners battered by soaring insurance costs, but he was not prepared to endorse a national risk pool as a way to bring those prices down." "McCain: No to storm fund; yes to NASA money".

Substandard health care bids

"Nine firms want to market low-cost health care plans to about 4-million uninsured adults in Florida under Gov. Charlie Crist's new "Cover Florida" program." "Nine firms submit health care plans to cover 4-million adults in state".

What makes it "substandard"? To begin with, "Insurers can offer lower premiums under the program because it exempts the insurance coverage from more than 50 state-mandated benefits." "Crist's health insurance plan draws low-cost bid".

Did he really need the shoe that badly?

"A shoe lost by a Florida man while fighting off a bear that hurt his 8-year-old son has been found in the stomach of the bear authorities killed because they suspected it in the attack." And isn't this classy:

said in an e-mail to The Associated Press that rangers called him Friday to say they'd found his other shoe "inside the bear's stomach." The boys "really got a kick to hear that," he wrote.

He doesn't expect to see the shoe again. "I don't think there is much left of the shoe to send back," he said.

But Evan has hopes for his own memento. "They do have the bloody Lynyrd Skynyrd T-shirt that Evan had on and plan to send that back," Pala said.

The Fay effect

"One-third of Florida schools to close because of Fay".

Ready?

"Florida's largest property insurance company — state-run Citizens Property — is in good financial shape as Tropical Storm Fay threatens the peninsula. " "Insurer says it's prepared for hurricane".

"Stunning settlement"

The St. Petersburg Times editorial board: "Here's the take-away message from the stunning settlement struck between Allstate Corp. and Florida insurance regulators: Getting tough works. It is why Allstate, the state's fourth-largest property insurer, went from claiming it needed a 42 percent rate hike in homeowners insurance to agreeing to a 5.6 percent premium reduction." "Score one for consumers". The Miami Herald editorial board: "Win for homeowners".

The old "colored blocks" argument

"An influential legislative money manager used colored blocks Monday to illustrate his argument that an imperiled tax-swap amendment would wind up costing Floridians a lot more than they save. " "Haridopolos: Tax-swap would cost Floridians".

Wouldn't want to upset the country clubbers

The South Florida Sun-Sentinel editorial board: "New rules exempting golf courses and athletic fields from year-round water limits may seem unfair, but the policy is really not as pro-business as it appears. Most large water users are already conserving water through caps, recyclable waste water and other measures. It's homeowners who are the real water guzzlers, and that's where the South Florida Water Management District's efforts should focus. The proposed rules would make twice-a-week watering restrictions for homeowners permanent. Sure, that may irk some homeowners, but most residents are unaware that golf courses and other businesses already operate under strict limits." "Certain exemptions from water restrictions OK".

At the trough

"Leon County Commissioner Ed DePuy worked briefly two years ago as a $3,000-a-month consultant for Booth Properties, the developer of the Centerville Farms project that is at the heart of a recent ethics complaint filed against him by the Florida Police Benevolent Association. " "Leon County Commissioner DePuy worked for developer named in ethics complaint".

Florida's rugged infrastructure

"FPL reports power outages across the state".

'Glades

Joel Engelhardt: "Palm Beach County Administrator Bob Weisman fears that the fight brewing over an inland port in the cane fields south of Lake Okeechobee has many of the same elements as the fight over where to build The Scripps Research Institute."

No county administrator in his right mind would welcome that comparison. The dispute over Scripps' location devoured years of staff time, pitted commissioners against one another, polarized the community and wasted millions. It ended when a federal judge blocked construction at Mecca Farms and commissioners bickered their way to building Scripps at Florida Atlantic University in Jupiter.

From the start, the scientists were pawns in a bigger game to assure that development would continue its inexorable western rush. To many environmentalists, hidden agendas are again at work to assure an influential landowner, the Fanjul family-owned Florida Crystals, a cut from the state's planned $1.75 billion buyout of U.S. Sugar.

Was it a union contractor?

The Tampa Tribune editorial board: "Tropical Storm Fay should be filling up Tampa Bay Water's 15-billion gallon reservoir and drowning any chance of a regional water shortage next year. But the region won't get that one benefit from the storm's path because of another troubling miscue at Tampa Bay Water, the regional water supplier. The utility is keeping the C.W. Bill Young Regional Reservoir in south Hillsborough at half-capacity because cracks - some six inches wide and several inches deep - have developed in the walls. And next spring the utility will have to drain the reservoir even further for a closer look at what's causing the concrete to fail." "Public Needs Straight Answers On A Reservoir That Can't Be Filled".

"The cause of the cracks so far remains uncertain. But divers have found that near the base of the reservoir's walls, the concrete is only three inches thick, though engineering specifications required 12 inches."

Florida snow

"Meth lab falls on Pensacola hotel guest's head".

"The old-fashioned is still very much new-fashion"

You can twitter the night away, but face-to-face is what works:

"The old-fashioned is still very much new-fashion, it's still very much what works," said Kristen Psaki, the Obama campaign's new media director for Florida. That's why supporters' MyBO pages contain "activity indexes" that track the numbers of events attended, doors knocked on, calls made and money raised, among other things.

Early voting suspended

"Crist also signed an executive order [Sunday] allowing local supervisors of elections to suspend early voting in areas affected by the storm. Early voting sites in Monroe will be closed Monday and Tuesday, Secretary of State Kurt Browning said, Miami-Dade County elections officials will decide this evening if they will close early voting sites. Collier County early voting sites will close early tomorrow but will be open in the morning." "Crist: Storm-affected areas can suspend early voting".

Florida's "undecideds"

"After one of the longest and most unpredictable presidential campaigns, about eight in 10 voters have made up their minds between Sens. Barack Obama and John McCain."

This is about as "unscientific" as you can get:

Last week, the St. Petersburg Times convened a group of nine undecided Tampa Bay voters for a free-wheeling discussion on the presidential election. Dutiful, well-informed and paying close attention to the campaigns, most of the voters in the focus group saw little to be excited about in either major candidate.

Maybe it was because he was on an European vacation?

The Tallahassee Democrat editorial board: "the question isn't whether Mr. Crist is on the right track with a plan to fast-track already-approved state-funded construction projects. The question is, why wasn't he more aggressive sooner?" "Better late than ...".

Plus, I think Darwin was a Commie who wanted to raise taxes

It is always a joy to see RPOFers grovel for their base, particularly in this

rancorous Republican primary in Palm Beach County in which the victor will try to oust Rep. Tim Mahoney, a Democrat who narrowly won the Republican-leaning district after Rep. Mark Foley stepped down in disgrace. Mahoney's seat is a major target for Republicans, who are otherwise on the defensive in several Florida districts.

Gov. Charlie Crist stepped into the race Friday in an effort to tamp down some of the rancor, endorsing Tom Rooney, an attorney whose family owns the Palm Beach Kennel Club and the Pittsburgh Steelers.

''When Charlie speaks, the people of Florida listen,'' said Joe Negron, who narrowly lost to Mahoney in 2006.

Rooney is running against state Rep. Gayle Harrell and businessman Hal Valeche, who has attacked Rooney's ties to the dog track and ripped into both rivals with a TV ad claiming that they ''don't share our conservative values'' on abortion.

Valeche and Harrell each attacked Crist's endorsement Friday, suggesting that gambling interests had played a role and portraying themselves as the true conservatives in the race.

Luv 4 sale

"State Rep. Ellyn Bogdanoff, a special target of Democrats because she's the only Broward-based Republican in the state Legislature, is already running television advertising. ... Money isn't a big issue for the incumbent. As of Aug. 1, finance reports show she's taken in $307,706 during the campaign. Bogdanoff has spent $125,244 of that." "On TV early, Bogdanoff says it isn't a sign she's in trouble in election".

U.S. House update

House race update from Lesley Clark

- "Democrats have aggressively put three Republican seats in Miami into play for the first time in years, but none of the races involve primaries. The party is targeting at least six seats in Florida. Republicans are hoping to take Mahoney's seat away from the majority party, and retain the seat now held by retiring Republican Rep. Dave Weldon."

- "In Orlando, five Democrats are running in the primary for the chance to challenge Republican Rep. Ric Keller, a top Democratic target. They include businessman Charlie Stuart, who lost to Keller in the general election in 2006, attorney Mike Smith and Alan Grayson, who lost to Stuart in the Democratic primary in 2006."

- "On the Space Coast, Republicans and Democrats are in primaries to succeed outgoing Republican Rep. Dave Weldon, whose retirement created the only open seat in the state. Republican state Sen. Bill Posey, who has two opponents in the primary, has been considered the favorite to win the Republican-leaning seat, but Democrats are enthusiastic about the candidacy of Paul Rancatore, an Air Force Reserve officer. He faces physician Stephen Blythe in the primary."

- "On the west coast, three Democrats, including Bill Dicks, the former mayor of Plant City, employment attorney Bill Mitchell and activist Anita dePalma, are vying to take on freshman Republican Rep. Gus Bilirakis, now in the seat that his father, Michael, had held since 1982."

- "In a race drawing national attention in Orlando, Rep. Tom Feeney, R-Oviedo, a key Democratic target, and his expected challenger, former Democratic state Rep. Suzanne Kosmas, have both drawn primary challengers they are expected to defeat. Democrats have sought to link Feeney to disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff, whom he accompanied on a 2003 golf trip to Scotland; Feeney has said he did nothing wrong."

That's our Billy

Billy boy really wants that knuckle-dragger vote. The Tampa Tribune editorial board:

When the Clemency Board last year approved Gov. Charlie Crist's proposal to automatically restore the voting rights of most felons, Attorney General Bill McCollum was the lone holdout. Now in the wake of the state's mortgage-broker scandal, McCollum is again painting all ex-offenders with a broad brush.

The attorney general says anyone convicted of a felony should be prohibited from working as a mortgage broker, no matter whether their conviction stemmed from a DUI or a custody dispute. McCollum may feel he is being tough on crime, but his hard-line stance comes off as vindictive.

Off topic

Tom Blackburn takes Corsi down:

Sen. Obama may have only until the end of the convention next week to prove that he isn't a Manchurian candidate who starts forest fires, eats children, morphs into The Joker off the campaign trail and hides a Muslim black power agenda and a keffiyeh in his jacket pocket. So many negatives, so little time.

For saying that, I will get letters calling me a shill for Democrats. The writers will show their faith in the ideology that trumps truth, but they will not notice that they thereby make my point. Whatever. For the record, I don't do suicide pacts, which seems to be what the Democrats are working on. All I am trying to say is that clowns playing pin the tale - any silly old tale - on the donkey may be funny, but they are no help.

Huh?

"A Hispanic specialty plate for Florida is still in the works. That is, if you still consider it a Hispanic specialty plate even though it makes no mention of anything Hispanic except for a cryptic Web site. In an earlier incarnation the plate boasted a Spanish-style galleon and proclaimed that Hispanics discovered Florida. Other versions were emblazoned with the words 'Latin pride.' But then Danny Ramos and his group, Hispanic Achievers, reworked it to feature a large American flag with smaller Hispanic flags and the words 'Proud to be an American Citizen.'" "New Hispanic specialty plate goes low-key".

McCain in Orlando: accuses Obama of treason before VFW crowd

Update: McCain is out of control: "'Not content to merely predict failure in Iraq, my opponent tried to legislate failure.'" "McCain: Obama tried to legislate Iraqi failure".

"John McCain is here to speak to the Veterans of Foreign Wars national convention this morning and Barack Obama is scheduled to speak to the same group Tuesday. It's the second time this month that the presumptive Republican and Democratic presidential nominees have appeared in Florida to speak to a national group." "McCain to address veterans in Orlando today". See also "McCain to speak in Orlando".

No more "Mr. nice guy"

"So much for hugging in church. A day after Barack Obama and John McCain exchanged an embrace during a faith forum at a California megachurch, Obama called the U.S. economy a disaster thanks to 'John McCain's president, George W. Bush,' and chided his Republican rival's campaign team for trying to make him look unpatriotic and weak."

"McCain says 'Here's my plan, I'm going to drill here, drill now which is something he only came up with two months ago when he started looking at polling," Obama said of McCain's energy policy.

The GOP hopeful has become a vocal proponent of offshore oil drilling as a way to ease U.S. dependence on foreign oil and has criticized Obama for failing to embrace it as a way to help bring down oil prices. Obama noted that McCain had long opposed lifting the moratorium on offshore drilling.

"The all-FCAT-all-the-time culture"

"As students start a new school year today, they'll find the all-FCAT-all-the-time culture in Florida schools is outlawed by a new state statute."

Principals no longer are allowed to drop science curriculum to allow juniors to brush up on FCAT skills, as some in Palm Beach County did last year. And the FCAT workbooks, omnipresent during the frenzied weeks and even months before the spring tests, should see minimal daylight this year.

Off topic

"The Iraqis have the Bush administration over a barrel." Which Bush administration?

Oh No! Another "unwanted bio-invader"

The Orlando Sentinel editorial board: "With its warm climate, Florida is an ideal breeding ground for exotic species. Lawmakers need to deal with the problem before another unwanted bio-invader becomes part of the landscape." "Florida hasn't done enough to stop exotic species".

"Lieberman for Lieberman"

Dan Moffett: "Get ready to see a lot of Joe Lieberman in Florida from now until November. ... Floridians will hear him talk a lot about John McCain here in the weeks ahead, but make no mistake. This is really a Lieberman for Lieberman crusade in the works." "'Loserman' is still sore".

RPOF sounding desperate

"Florida Republican Party Chairman Jim Greer told GOP activists Saturday not to worry about voter-registration trends favoring the Democrats or claims that Sen. John McCain represents "a third term" for President Bush."

Ya gotta feel sorry for the guy:

"America has not been attacked again since 2001 and that's something that this president should be commended for every day," Greer said. "I'll tell you one thing — I'll take a third term for George Bush any day, over a second term for Jimmy Carter, and that's what Barack Obama is going to be."

The "nuclear option" - "A state income tax"

Mike Thomas hints that Jebbie may have been, you know ... at teeny bit culpable for the state's current economic disaster. He notes this morning:

The tax revenues that poured into Tallahassee during Jeb's final years were as real as the economy that created them. But Bush used the bounty to slash billions in taxes.

And now Charlie Crist finds himself billions in the hole, facing the greatest budget meltdown since the Great Depression.

The only way to create a stable and fair tax system is a state income tax backed by responsible spending.

Fifth time's a charm.

This is the same bunch that trumpeted its visionary "Cornerstone" report last year, laying out a long-term strategy to ensure Florida's future prosperity. It included a call for "significant infrastructure investments" that would total tens of billions of dollars. ...

When asked to reconcile this with its call for more budget cuts, a chamber spokesman talked about focusing on these priorities instead of building "dog parks and water parks." ...

From the "values" crowd

"Across Central Florida, school districts have had to cut spending deeply -- Orange alone faces a $70 million loss from the state -- and shed thousands of teachers." "Now teachers in Central Florida have to 'claw at pennies'".

On the other side of the ledger, millionaires no longer have to pay that "insidious" state intangibles tax on investments.

"The Barack Obama strategy to win Florida"

Update: It's working - "Herald-Tribune: Obama gains on McCain in state".

Adam C. Smith: "The Barack Obama strategy to win Florida in 2008 is pretty basic and relies on big spending and big enthusiasm among supporters:"

1. A massive voter mobilization effort to register and turn out a good chunk of the 5.1-million eligible, unregistered voters, and mobilize the nearly 1-million registered African-Americans and 18- to 29-year-olds who did not vote four years ago.

2. An equally huge, volunteer-driven effort to win over the roughly 20 percent of undecided Florida voters who won't make up their minds until well into the fall.

"John McCain is going to own the George Bush economy around his neck in this election. He was central to its architecture, he was one of its fiercest defenders in America. Florida has lost more jobs over the last year than any other state in the country," Obama's national campaign manager, David Plouffe, said Friday in Tallahassee, sounding decidedly unintimidated by the Florida GOP's proven get-out-the-vote machine, given the intensity of Obama's support.

Party time

"Last year, Michigan and Florida Democrats were being told they would lose all their votes at the Democratic National Convention if they moved up their presidential primaries. Now, the same committee that stripped Florida and Michigan of their delegates for violating party rules by holding early primaries is poised to suggest those delegates regain their full voting powers when the Denver convention starts in eight days." "Florida, Michigan May Get Full Votes At Convention".

"The murky ride that's taking us to the privatization of Alligator Alley"

Michael Mayo: "Last week brought one of the weirder public meetings I've seen. Finished in 22 minutes, no questions or discussion, just some transportation bureaucrats obliquely briefing other transportation bureaucrats about documents the public and media couldn't see. Welcome to the murky ride that's taking us to the privatization of Alligator Alley." "Time to throw the brakes on Alligator Alley lease plan".

What's wrong with Florida?

"We're very confident that Florida continues to trend as Republican, going back to Jeb Bush, Mel Martinez, Charlie Crist, of course the President Bush elections." "History on our side, Republican leader says".

"Unholy alliance"

The St. Petersburg Times editorial board: "Florida Attorney General Bill McCollum is right to be asking questions about the unholy alliance between credit card companies and some state universities. Any time a public institution is granting market exclusivity in exchange for millions of dollars, the deal deserves scrutiny." "College credit offers overstep".

Charlie's timing

Aaron Deslatte: "If last week's economic predictions bear out, Crist will be well into his 2010 re-election campaign before Florida's sales- and housing-dependent economy starts to dig itself out." "Crist accelerates construction projects to revive economy".

"The Legislature sued; the governor lost"

Steve Geller in The South Florida Sun-Sentinel:

"Crist signed a controversial gaming compact with the Seminole Tribe. Despite requests from me and other lawmakers to include the Florida Legislature in the negotiations, the governor claimed the exclusive right to negotiate and enter into the agreement with the Seminoles.

The Legislature sued; the governor lost.

The Florida Supreme Court opinion is not final, but once it is, the Seminoles would be forced to stop their new card games and Class III slot machines. The matter should not end there."

McCain

"McCain's campaign says he will land in Orlando Sunday night. He will be speaking at the 109th Annual Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States National Convention in Orlando Monday at 9 a.m." "McCain to travel to Florida for event".

'Glades

The Palm Beach Post editorial Board: "The idea that eco-tourism could compensate for the loss of 1,700 jobs is unrealistic. Eco-tourism can't happen in the Glades until Lake Okeechobee gets healthy. A better, if far from certain, idea is an inland port - a warehouse and distribution hub, fed by shipping. A state study identified a need in South Florida based on cooperation among the Port of Palm Beach, which proposed it, the Port of Miami and Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale."

The editors argue, however, that "Palm Beach County commiting now to the Florida Crystals proposal would set up a premature and possibly needless competition between the Florida environment and the Glades economy. Only a longer, closer look will determine if Florida Crystals has the best site for an inland port." "Avoid a confrontation over Everglades' future".

Amendment 5

The Miami Herald editorial board: "Leon County Circuit Judge John C. Cooper did the voters of Florida a favor last week when he struck down the so-called ''tax-swap'' amendment from the Nov. 4 ballot. Proposed Amendment 5 is a legislative ruse, a deal under which Florida voters are given a property-tax reduction in exchange for the promise that the Legislature would somehow make up the loss in revenue for secondary education in Florida. Such a deal. " "Right call on Amendment 5".

"[W]ithin minutes of the Amendment 5 ruling, the Florida Chamber of Commerce called for a special legislative session to consider property-tax cuts. A rival business group, Associated Industries of Florida, said that was the last thing Florida should do."

"None of us want a special session right now on property taxes," AIF President Barney Bishop said.

The biggest reason: Lawmakers have zero interest in what feels like the 345th special session on property taxes. "You couldn't get a special session in the Florida Legislature right now if you paid every one of them $1,000," Bishop said.

Lawmakers also have punted budget management to the governor, giving him responsibility for tapping into reserves to try to balance the state's books -- and assure that they themselves don't have to do anything before the Nov. 4 election.

That leaves Crist with the capital stage to himself. And by week's end, there were few signs that he had anything big up his sleeve.

News paper company employees biting the dust

Randy Schultz: "For several months, those of us at The Post have had the sense of watching an approaching hurricane, knowing that the track wouldn't change. Last week, it hit. On Tuesday, lots of our friends and colleagues walked out the door after taking buyouts. There were handshakes, hugs and tears." "Cranky, wonderful readers". Letters to the editor: "Longtime readers upset as familiar names go".

Wex

"Wexler, D-Delray Beach, who went against the prevailing sentiment for Hillary Clinton in his congressional district to be an early backer of Barack Obama, has been tapped to speak at the Democratic National Convention in Denver this month." "Wexler to speak at national convention".

If you're into kartoons

The South Florida Sun-Sentinel joins the Orlando Sentinel in the komic book klub:"Redesign: Bold new look aimed at helping readers".