The coalition includes, most prominently, the nation's largest federation of labor unions, the AFL-CIO.

''Manny Diaz's track record is he's ignored the middle class,'' said Fred Frost, president of the South Florida AFL-CIO. "The Obama election signified that working people were going to be respected, and he's shown no respect for working people.''

Funds for "children's lives and health" used to subsidize tax tax cuts for Florida's wealthy

"The state of Florida's children has deteriorated significantly in the past 10 years since my father's death," Bud Chiles wrote to Crist, Senate President Jeff Atwater, R-North Palm Beach, and House Speaker Ray Sansom, R-Destin. 'We cannot allow this to continue. If the state chooses to raid the fund, we are fully prepared to seek full relief in the courts.'"

"The state of Florida's children has deteriorated significantly in the past 10 years since my father's death," Bud Chiles wrote to Crist, Senate President Jeff Atwater, R-North Palm Beach, and House Speaker Ray Sansom, R-Destin. "We cannot allow this to continue. If the state chooses to raid the fund, we are fully prepared to seek full relief in the courts."

Is Internet Killing the Ink Stained Star?

"Yes, this is a bad year for the economy and all industries. But it's the worst year ever for newspapers."

Hundreds of journalists lost their jobs in Florida cities such as Miami, Tampa, Palm Beach, Gainesville and Ocala. Thousands of journalists were cut loose nationwide in cities such as Atlanta, Milwaukee, Fort Worth, Newark, Tacoma and Savannah.

The Christian Science Monitor quit being a newspaper: It will publish online only. Reportedly, the Tampa Tribune will follow suit in January.

Another fine Florida export

"For 2007, the top sources for guns used in crimes elsewhere were Georgia, Florida, Texas, Virginia, California, Ohio, North Carolina, Indiana, Pennsylvania and Alabama. However,"

the report's authors placed greater emphasis on per-capita exports of guns, saying that data is a better indicator of lax gun laws. The gun-friendly South accounted for a disproportionate amount of the problem when population size was factored in, according to the report.

"Florida led the nation in mortgage fraud"

The Daytona Beach News-Journal editorial board: "A recent report by a national mortgage research group found that, during the first half of 2008, Florida led the nation in mortgage fraud -- one in every five cases started here. And though they don't always fit the strict legal definition of fraud, deceptive 'foreclosure-rescue' schemes are becoming more prevalent, according to Attorney General Bill McCollum." "Florida needs help to thwart foreclosure scams".

Gotta problem wit 'dat?

"State Republican chief Jim Greer, already under fire for his spending decisions during the election, charged personal expenses to the party." "Florida GOP chairman billed party for personal expenses". See also "Personal expenses charged to GOP".

Get ready to drag them knuckles

" William Ayers to speak at FSU".

79 percent of Cuban Americans favor direct talks between the U.S. and Cuba

"The shift in attitude among Cuban Americans is reflected in a poll by the Brookings Institution and Florida International University's Institute for Public Opinion Research."

It found that 55 percent of Cuban-American respondents favor ending the U.S. trade embargo, 65 percent favor reestablishing relations with Cuba and 79 percent favor direct talks between U.S. and Cuban government officials.

Those are startling results when you consider that Cuban Americans have traditionally been the hardest of the hard-liners when it comes to U.S. policy on Cuba. Paradoxically, we have also been the biggest violators of U.S. sanctions. So what gives?

The poll shows a change in attitude among younger Cuban Americans: 65 percent of respondents ages 18 to 44 opposed the embargo, 71 percent of those who arrived in the United States after 1998 also opposed it. The older generation responded differently: 68 percent of those over 65 support the embargo, and 65 percent of those who arrived in the United States before 1980 support it.

Judge "diversity"

"Crist's request for a more diverse list of nominees to replace a retiring Florida judge has been rejected. Crist on Monday asked the 5th District Court of Appeal Nominating Commission to reconsider the six names it sent him because none of the nominees are black. The commission's chairman wrote Crist on Thursday that after more deliberation the panel would resubmit the same nominees because they are most qualified." "Crist's Fla. court diversity request rejected".

Very cool

"FAMU's Marching 100 to perform in Obama's inaugural parade".

The media ... err, the "Jeb!" machine cranks up

"Bush supporters, eager to return to the days of Republican dominance in Florida, are establishing web pages urging the former governor to run." "Alex Sink may face Jeb Bush in Senate race". See also "Jeb Bush's Prospects in a Florida Senate Race" and "Jeb Bush Seriously Considering Florida Senate Run".

Adam Smith writes that

a Bush candidacy would all but guarantee a free ride to the general election. No credible Republican would take him on. Two potential Senate candidates, U.S. Rep. Connie Mack of Fort Myers and former state House Speaker Marco Rubio of Miami, declared their support for Bush Wednesday as the Republican nominee.

Bush's hard-charging partisanship and his politically radioactive last name may seem out of sync in a state just won by Barack Obama, whose current Republican governor is sustaining high approval ratings as he stresses bipartisanship.

"Let me give him some free advice," former Bill Clinton strategist Paul Begala said on CNN Wednesday. "Change your name. Run as John Ellis, not John Ellis Bush. The Bush brand is probably what croaked Mel Martinez."

In Florida, though, the Bush brand is different from the Jeb Bush brand.

"There isn't a person in Florida that doesn't know Jeb Bush and know that he is his own man, his own thinker, his own innovator. They think of him as Jeb, not as a member of the Bush family,'' said Al Hoffman, a former Republican National Committee finance chairman from Fort Myers.

The 45-year-old Republican nominee for governor has hawked luxury condos in South Florida, sold industrial sites for IBM, made bank loans in Venezuela and marketed giant water pumps in Nigeria. He has even tried to sell imported shoes to Wal-Mart.

His corporate ties are a web of more than two dozen companies, including obscure, privately held ventures called Uno, Uno Dos and Oriental Trading, and bigger public companies such as SunTrust, Anchor Glass, Ideon and American Heritage Life Insurance. ...

Trading on the famous family name, Bush gained entry to exclusive business ventures courtesy of wealthy Republicans. ...

This go-along style marks how Bush operates in the business world. He has never been elected to public office and wants to be judged as a successful businessman. But he bristles when asked if the Bush name has helped his dealmaking.

Richard Lawless, a former 15-year veteran of the Central Intelligence Agency who won state contracts to promote exports in Asia when Jeb Bush served as Florida commerce secretary. Later, he joined with Bush and paid him to find real estate property for Japanese investors. Just one deal in 1993 gave Bush a commission of $213,000.

One Miami real estate deal is typical of the privileged pattern of Bush's wealth-building: invest little but reap lots. In 1984, Bush put just $1,000 in an office building called Museum Tower. By 1990, he sold out for about $346,000. Similar deals followed. Who made it possible? Armando Codina.

It was 1991, dad was in the White House, and Jeb Bush was hopscotching through Nigeria in a corporate jet, on his way to meet government officials he hoped would buy $74 million worth of water pumps from his South Florida business partner.

On the jet with Bush was a Nigerian associate in the deal, Al-Haji Mohammed Indimi, who carried several heavy Hartmann suitcases. At least one of the bags, the airplane's pilot says, was packed with cash to bribe the Nigerian officials.

Did Jeb Bush know about the cash in the suitcase? Did he understand what the money was for?

Bush declined to be interviewed for this story.

In 1984, The Miami Herald's editorial board voted 9 to 2 to endorse Walter Mondale. But one of the two was the publisher, Richard Capen Jr., who insisted [and (as bosses tend to do) got the endorsement for] on Ronald Reagan.

"billionaire Sam Zell has long been known for his foul mouth and abrasive demeanor, rough edges that helped the real estate magnate [a/k/a Republican slum lord] build a reputation as a feisty and iconoclastic investor. But Zell's bluntness backfired at a Jan. 31 meeting of Orlando Sentinel staff after Zell said 'fuck you' to a journalist who twice questioned him about softening news coverage.

Times are tuff all over

"Deltona mayor's home faces foreclosure".

Mikey's man crush

The Maitland Housewife has a serious man crush, bordering on a masturbatory fetish: "I last saw Bush last summer at an education conference at Disney."

He was engaged, immersed in policy and, of course, the smartest guy in the room. Then he packed up his cerebral cortex and went home.

And I thought, "What a waste."

That brain should belong to all of us. Even if you don't agree with Bush, and I often don't [when?], what he has to say is well-thought-out, well-intentioned and deserves a place at the table [at the country club]. If a little arrogance comes with the package -- OK, sometimes a lot of arrogance -- that's an acceptable trade-off [at least for Mikey].

So I very much hope Bush runs for the Senate. If the troops can serve four tours in Iraq, he should give us at least two in Washington.

It is true, she's "a little slug"

Update: "Fla. rep. 'flabbergasted' Obama call wasn't prank".

"When President-elect Barack Obama called Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen at her South Florida district office Wednesday, she hung up on him."

'I thought: `Why would Obama want to call a little slug on the planet like me?' '' Ros-Lehtinen said.

A short time later, Rahm Emanuel, Obama's designated chief of staff, called. Ros-Lehtinen hung up on him, too.

Fealty to Bushco ... does it ever end?

"Jeb Bush bid for Senate could clear GOP field". See also "Who will replace Sen. Martinez?" and "Why Jeb Bush Might Run for the Senate".

"Florida Chief Financial Officer Alex Sink said she might run for U.S. Senate seat, even if former Gov. Jeb Bush runs." "Alex Sink may face Jeb Bush in Senate race". See also "Bush v. Sink for U.S. Senate?".

"It looks bad -- worse than bad"

"House Speaker Ray Sansom did not know he would be offered a high-paying job at Northwest Florida State College when he steered millions of taxpayer dollars to his alma mater, the school's president said Wednesday." "Controversy surrounds Rep. Sansom".

"If Sansom won't resign either the new job or the speakership, House members should launch an inquiry into whether he was promised the vice presidential post in exchange for wrangling largesse for the college. That action would be a clear violation of House rules -- and possibly state ethics laws." "House speaker's pork menu smells" ("It looks bad -- worse than bad.")

The Tampa Tribune editorial board: "Speaker Sansom Feathers Nest At Hometown College". More: "Top Democrat calls for state House speaker to quit post or college job".

State Senate

"Senate President Jeff Atwater, R-North Palm Beach, on Wednesday announced his chamber's committee structure and named members to lead them." "Florida Senate president names vice chairs".

Bill Cotterell: "It's an affliction we see often in powerful people. There's something in the rarefied air of the board room, or the blandishments that come with controlling money, that can turn the heads of the most well-grounded executives." "Ethics look different seen from on high".

Ros-Lehtinen blew her chance

"Fidel Castro said Thursday that President-elect Barack Obama is a man Cuba can talk with and indicated that communist officials would be willing to meet with him wherever he wants." "Fidel Castro says Cuba can talk with Obama".

At least we don't have an intangibles tax

"A high incidence of infectious disease and a high number of uninsured residents were behind Florida's slip down the list in the state-by-state analysis of the nation's health."

"Florida received its health report card from America's Health Rankings, and the news is not good."

The Sunshine State came in at No. 45 in the annual survey released Wednesday.

That is a drop of four spots from its ranking in 2007.

Only five states ranked below Florida.

Texas, Tennessee, South Carolina, Mississippi and Louisiana were ranked below Florida.

FCAT Follies

The Palm Beach Post editorial Board: "The Florida Department of Education says it will save $1.2 million by dropping the summer FCAT retake for high school seniors. Florida would save millions more - and save students, teachers and parents lots of time and frustration - by dropping FCAT's importance." "FCAT retake? Try remake".

Hint: it sucks

"Panel to assess Florida's economy".

He's been "competence-free" as well

"Martinez, a Republican, has chosen another way. We take him at his word that he wants to spend more time with family rather than stay in office. That line is usually heard from someone snagged in a scandal, but Mr. Martinez has been scandal-free." "Florida Republican leaving the Senate".

That is ... if you don't count the scandals ("'I just took it for granted that we wouldn't be that stupid'"), not to mention the complete absence of competence. See also "House Of Cards" ("What exactly did Mel Martinez accomplish at HUD ... ?") See also "Bush's Mr. Cellophane".

For more on why Mel is so freakin' amazing see "Scott Maxwell: Martinez couldn't say no to Bush and paid price"

Can't prove it

"The Florida Elections Commission has dismissed charges against Rep. Paige Kreegel after investigators said it is not possible to prove that the Punta Gorda Republican improperly ordered a legislative aide to smear a political opponent." "Rep. Paige Kreegel cleared of charges".

We don't care, Mel ... just go away

Someone apparently has the idea that Mel - - is some sort of transformative political figure that people are interested in reading about. Now that's a laffer.

"While the book doesn't detail his political and policy views, he said in an interview weeks before his announcement that he hopes people who read it will have better understanding of the decisions he made in public life." "Martinez book sheds light on why he won't run".

Whatever

"Crist says he has 'no jitters' about his wedding".

Spy!

"Miamian, embargo foe, sues author for 'spy' claims".

No pain

"It seemed like a good idea for controlling urban sprawl: Require ample road capacity be in place before a new neighborhood or commercial development could be built." "Planning law hasn't prevented Fla. growing pains".

Enough with the silly "Excellence Commission"

"People who want to open a charter school can no longer maneuver around school districts considered unfriendly to the competition for approval to open. A state appellate court ruled Tuesday that Florida Schools of Excellence Commission, an agency created by the state to charter new schools, is 'facially unconstitutional.'"Ruling returns to school districts the power to charter new schools".

Credit where credit due

"Crist this week rejected six nominees submitted to him for an open seat on the 5th District Court of Appeal, saying the list wasn't sufficiently diverse because it contained no black nominees." "Crist, lawyers argue over diversity of 6 judicial nominees.

"Feeney's not talking"

"After losing his bid for re-election, U.S. Rep. Tom Feeney will walk away from Capitol Hill with nearly $240,000 remaining in his campaign fund, according to new election records."

Feeney can't spend the money on personal expenses, but he is allowed to use the cash to pay his lawyers, as he continues to defend himself in a U.S. Department of Justice investigation stemming from his Scotland golf trip with convicted lobbyist Jack Abramoff.

Feeney's not talking.

... And Batista wasn't a dictator who tortured his own people ...

" Martinez:... He Would Have Won; ...".

Who writes this garbage?

"Government Keeps Hiring".

You just know ...

... there's a private contractor in the mix somewhere: "A state agency says it accidentally put the Social Security numbers of about 250,000 job seekers on the Internet for 19 days." "Fla. agency puts social security numbers on net". See also "Data left exposed for 19 days in Florida's job-service system".

'Ya think?

"About time gay adoption ban gets thrown out".

Regular racism OK, though?

The Palm Beach Post editorial Board: "GOP boots a supremacist".

Apparently regular racism is OK, though. See "After All, He Is Black".

Pasco

The Tampa Tribune editorial board: "Rural Areas Vulnerable As Local Officials Drag Feet".

Your milk money, or ...

"Broward first-grader robs classmate at knife-point".

Gambling

"State, Seminoles Slow To Begin Talks On Gambling Compact".

Lazy bastards ...

... probably think they're entitled to unemployment comp: "Employers Shedding Jobs As Recession Deepens".

Like they're doin' us a favor?

"Crist and other officials Thursday dutifully thanked Brazilian jet manufacturer Embraer for locating its $50 million aircraft-assembly facility at the Melbourne International Airport." "Crist thanks Embraer for Melbourne move".

"Some"?

"During the presidential race, Storck drew criticism for forwarding an e-mail to a list of political contacts that contained what some [sic] considered racist language ("After All, He Is Black") in describing black voters for Barack Obama. Adams said that had nothing to do with his decision to run." "Hillsborough GOP Members Elect Officers".

"Hittin' the bricks".

"Jebbie waiting in the wings"?

The Legislature, with 35 new members in the House and 10 or so "redshirt" freshmen with less than a full term of experience, can be led. Nobody — least of all the Democratic minority, which has been saying the "T-word" for years — is going to accuse Charlie Crist and the legislative leaders of turning into tax-and-spend liberals.

There have been times when governors have asserted leadership, or failed to. [Democrat] LeRoy Collins decided Florida would not join other Southern states in the era of massive resistance that followed the U.S. Supreme Court's 1954 school-desegregation ruling.

[Democrat] Reubin Askew didn't have to advocate the corporate profits tax in 1970 or oppose efforts to ban school busing in 1972, but he felt a duty to lead. [Republican] Bob Martinez could have taken the heat on the services tax in 1987, but he reversed course [now called flip-flopping], and [Democrat] Lawton Chiles tried valiantly to bring some sense and order to our tax system but was blocked by a newly GOP Legislature.

"A budget gap approaching $6 billion"

The South Florida Sun-Sentinel editorial board: "The numbers are in, and they aren't pretty. Florida faces a $2.1 billion shortfall in this year's state budget, and the outlook for the next one is even worse. When the Legislature reconvenes in the spring, its members will face a budget gap approaching $6 billion." "Florida's budget gap looks more like a canyon".

Poor Mel

Daily Kos takes a look at Florida 2010, including what we expect to be our favorite race, to wit: [Insert Name of Dem Here] vs. ["Karl Rove's Florida Frankenstein" / "Bush's Mr. Cellophane" / all-round "reactionary ogre"]:

The Sunshine State ought to have one of the most exciting, highest-profile, and most expensive U.S. Senate races in the nation in 2010, when freshman Republican Mel Martinez is expected to seek reelection.

Martinez is considered one of the most vulnerable Republicans on the 2010 slate. He won election just 51% to 49% in 2004 over Democrat Betty Castor, and his approvals and reelects are in the toilet*:

In June his approval rating was 23%, in July it was 24%, and in September it was 23%.

We found that in hypothetical 2010 matchups Chief Financial Officer Alex Sink would lead Martinez 37-31, Congressman Robert Wexler would be tied with him 31-31 ..., Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman-Schultz would lead him 38-37, Congressman Allen Boyd would lead him 37-33, and Congressman Ron Klein would lead him 37-33. Martinez is probably the most endangered incumbent in the country for 2010 and given his lack of popularity even with Republicans is ripe for a strong primary challenge.

exceptionally high approval ratings, and is likely not to draw a particularly strong opponent. Alex Sink and State Sen. Dan Gelber (who gets a free shot at the race, as his term expires in 2012) are the only ones rumored for the race, and it certainly seems that Sink would be best served either running against Martinez, or waiting until 2014 to run for Governor.

Although Sen. Martinez gets a somewhat favorable job approval rating, only 36 percent of voters say he deserves another term, while 38 percent say no and 26 percent say they are not sure. If the election were today, 36 percent say they would vote for Martinez while 40 percent would support his unnamed Democratic opponent and 24 percent are undecided.

"The road to a second term appears more difficult for Sen. Martinez than for Gov. Crist. Martinez' numbers aren't awful. The key to his winning re-election will be winning back the allegiance of independent voters, who currently are not in his corner. But with a third of independents saying they re undecided, he certainly has an opportunity to accomplish that end," said [Peter Brown, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute.]

FL-10 is home to ancient Republican Rep. C.W. "Bill" Young. C.W. Bill has been around for several generations, having been first elected in 1970, and he'll turn 80 years old in 2010. He's bound to retire some day, and he holds a district which leans slightly Democratic at the presidential level (with a PVI of D+1.1).

Democrats have a built-in candidate just waiting for Young to hang up his spikes - State Senator Charlie Justice (and if ever there was a great name for a politician, it is "Charlie Justice"). He'd have to resign his Senate seat to run for Congress, but that should be a fairly easy call given the opportunity.

FL-16: Sex scandals have flipped this R+2 district twice in the past two cycles - once from Republican Mark Foley to Democrat Tim Mahoney, and once from Mahoney to Republican Tom Rooney. (Foley, Mahoney, Rooney...apparently being Irish is a prerequisite to holding this seat).

Rooney should get a fairly strong challenge his first time out of the gate, before he gets too entrenched, and there's one especially strong Democrat to take him on. That would be State Senator Dave Aronberg of Greenacres. Aronberg lives just outside the district, in the 19th Congressional District, but his Senate district overlaps considerably with the 16th.

Aronberg is young (37), considered fairly moderate, has a base of support in his Senate district, and is exceptionally intelligent. The DCCC would do well to try and recruit Aronberg into the race, although he is not, in fact, Irish.

FL-25: Orange to Blue candidate Joe Garcia came exceptionally close to knocking off incumbent Republican Mario Diaz-Balart in 2008, losing just 53% to 47%.

With a seemingly strong base of support in Miami-Dade County, Garcia seems fairly well positioned to take another crack at the race. Garcia is only 40, and has a bright future in electoral politics if he wants to stay in the game. It doesn't look as though redistricting will help much (the Republicans will control it), so 2010 seems as good a time as any.

"Post-election doldrums pose a tactical problem"

Bill Cotterell writes that

the post-election doldrums pose a tactical problem for the politically ambitious. What do you do when you want to talk politics, and everybody else is sick of the subject?

Filing for re-election, or higher office, is done for two purposes: scaring off opposition and raising money.

All name-brand politicos — Gov. Charlie Crist, U.S. Sen. Mel Martinez, Chief Financial Officer Alex Sink — are waiting until after the holidays before signaling their intentions. But 11 House members have already signed up for re-election and five are running for the state Senate; nine senators have staked their claim for another four-year term in the Capitol, too.

A Communist plot

"Global warming is not only accelerating problems that already have sickened and shrunken coral reefs, it has created a new, potentially more lethal threat: Increasingly acidic ocean waters that can reduce living coral to dead rubble. The report, 'Corals and Climate Change: Florida's Natural Treasures at Risk,' concludes that 5,000-year-old reefs, which support an array of marine life, will be among the first ecosystems to collapse if greenhouse gas levels continue to rise in the atmosphere." "Climate change increases problems for Florida reefs".

The RPOF's "white supremacist" problem

"Derek Black says 'of course' he will attend a meeting Wednesday for new members of Palm Beach County's Republican Executive Committee. Never mind that the party chairman says Black's 'white supremacist' associations are not welcome and he will not be seated."

You can understand why Mr. Black expects to be seated on the Republican Executive Committee - after all, he was elected by Florida Republican Party members

His case goes like this: He says he won 62 percent of the vote in his district (published reports put it at 58 percent at the time).

A community college student who was home-schooled in West Palm Beach, Black once contributed a kids page to his father's Stormfront Internet forum around the time he was 12. The page included puzzles, games, animated Confederate flags and white-pride songs. He has since helped with his father's Internet audio broadcasts. ...

At least four books and dictionaries have defined Stormfront as the Internet's first "hate" site dating back to 1995. Stormfront's site link on a Google search comes with this description: "Racialist discussion board for pro-White activists and anyone else interested in White survival."

Barack Obama's election has helped drive up Stormfront traffic to record levels, Don Black said.

Duke said the historic election has helped galvanize support for the causes he believes in: "Obama enables people to see more clearly. It makes it clear we're losing control of our country."

But Don Black said press reports of threats against Obama on the Stormfront forums have been exaggerated. He said he suspects one contributor, who hadn't posted in six years, was deliberately trying to stir up trouble for the site recently. He said he does not condone violence and wants a "peaceful revolution" that ends racial preferences for minorities and promotes the civil liberties of whites.

I thought Florida gays couldn't get married?

"Gay rights group to protest at Gov. Crist's wedding".

"Even by our [The Buzz] standards, this is pretty tacky: GaySoFla.com reports a gay rights group called Impact Florida is planning to protest the Dec. 12 wedding of Charlie Crist and Carole Rome". "Protesters at Crist's wedding?".

With all due respect to The Buzz, is it "tacky" for Florida gays to use Charlie's marriage (of opportunity) to make a point when when Charlie - in a display of the grossest form of hypocrisy - actually opposed gay marriage?

"Second to last"

"Second to last: Gov. Charlie Crist (23 percent), one below former Gov. Jeb Bush (31 percent). The telephone poll was taken Nov. 5-16 and included 799 Republicans and GOP-leaning independents, with a margin of error of plus or minus 4 percentage points." "Bring Palin back in 2012, poll says".

Love 4 Sale

"The LeMieux Report".

Don't expect a perp walk any time soon

"McCollum and Bronson continue probing gas-price increases after Hurricane Ike" "Price-gouging investigations ongoing".

'Ya reckon?

"Many think property-tax reform still needs work".

Charlie's tax increase

"With Gov. Charlie Crist's decision earlier this month to push for tuition increases and Chief Financial Officer Alex Sink's declaration that fees must be increased to help government pay for services, the tenor in Tallahassee is becoming more favorable for any creative way to raise money. Those other increases do not mean the cigarette tax is a sure thing. Crist shunned it last week. 'That would be the last thing I would want to consider," Crist said. "I'm not shopping around with that, but I understand that others are. It's not something I'm warm and fuzzy about, so I'm not thinking a whole lot about it.'" "Smoking might get costlier".

Way to go out on a limb there, Charlie

The Daytona Beach News-Journal editorial board: "Crist's appeal for an all-out ban on 'harvesting' Florida's wild soft-shell turtles is welcome news and let us hope an effective voice in ending the decimation of this important freshwater species to satisfy global appetites. Alabama and Georgia already ban soft-shell trapping." "Soft spot for soft-shells". Background: "Asian demand threatens Florida's softshell turtles".

Take your biomass and ...

"A company that is proposing to build a controversial biomass gas electric plant for Tallahassee-Leon County is now leaning toward taking the project elsewhere, a public-relations consultant for Biomass Gas & Electric told the Tallahassee Democrat on Sunday." "Biomass firm may take plant elsewhere".

Election/discrimination lawsuit

"A Deltona woman sued Volusia County elections officials in federal court, claiming their failure to provide a Spanish-language ballot and other materials in the general election violated her voting rights. County attorneys last week filed a motion to dismiss the suit, which they said was without merit. In her lawsuit, filed Election Day, Crimilda Perez-Santiago contends the county discriminated against U.S. citizens of Puerto Rican descent who were educated in schools where the predominant language was Spanish." "Volusia election officials sued for not offering ballot in Spanish".

'Glades

The Miami Herald editorial board reminds us that "[i]t isn't only the Everglades National Park ecosystem that needs restoration. Just as important is the water source that created the 'River of Grass.' The Kissimmee River basin was once a contiguous natural area that served as the Everglades' headwaters. It was also prime farmland, and much of it was sliced into huge ranches. Now that science has shown the importance of the basin to the health of the Glades, efforts are being made to reclaim the land. A key acquisition occurred last month in Polk County when the Hatchineha Ranch LLC donated 1,130 acres to the Nature Conservancy." "Land Preserved".

A**Hole

"Taxi drivers that service the airport and Port Everglades went on strike Saturday morning, refusing to answer the dispatcher until their complaints had been resolved. "

Bourgeoiz could not sympathize with the drivers. "Consumers will go with what's cheaper and better," he said. "The solution is work harder."

A fine idea at the time

dThe Tallahassee Democrat editorial board: "Bright Futures has always been a great program for good students who want to go to college at Florida's remarkable bargain rates. In terms of tuition, we've got one of the lowest in the nation, and Bright Futures has made it so for nearly a decade."

There is no need-based evaluation in this scholarship program, meaning teens from middle-class and even wealthy families who make decent, but not extraordinary, grades can get this scholarship paying at least 75 percent of their tuition.

Given Florida's dire financial situation, however, this $436 million program is a little too terrific, and sensible lawmakers are now looking into ways to make some adjustments. It's now the second-largest state-run scholarship program in the country. ...

"Obama is keeping to his promise"

The Miami Herald editorial board makes a point: "President-elect Barack Obama has barred special interests from contributing to his inaugural festivities. He also is limiting contribution amounts to $50,000 or less. The special-interests ban includes corporations, PACs, registered federal lobbyists, non-U.S. citizens and registered foreign agents. In imposing the bans, Mr. Obama is keeping to his promise to reduce the influence of money on government." "Straight to the point".

One man's "Agenda for Election Reform" ...

The Orlando Sentinel editorial board Zell Corporation complains this morning that

there's a movement brewing to overhaul the nation's system of elections through a series of federal mandates. One such plan that's making the rounds uses the phrase "Congress should" almost 50 times in the course of a 19-page manifesto called "An Agenda for Election Reform."

This agenda does its best to remove decision-making from state and local officials, where it largely belongs, and place far more power over elections in the hands of the federal government, where it largely does not.

"After All, He is Black"

The Orlando Sentinel editorial board: Zell Corporation "thinks" that "Another scandal builds the case for Rep. Charles Rangel to step aside".

With all due respect, shouldn't the local rag, which BTW was asleep at the wheel during the Feeney years, focus on local issues - say, the impeccable Mel Martinez?

Good questions

The Palm Beach Post editorial Board writes that, "[g]iven the cost, the public should know everything about the deal and how the district would use the land. Instead, there's a lot the public doesn't know, including:"

# How much of the land does the district need? In June, when the deal became public, there was talk of the district needing less than half of U.S. Sugar's land to store water and let it flow from Lake Okeechobee to the Everglades. Last week, Department of Environmental Protection Secretary Michael Sole said "a majority" will be used for restoration. How much unneeded land would the public buy? Why buy it?

# How much other land would the district need? U.S. Sugar's land is close to the lake. Creating a flow-way to the Everglades could require another 40,000 acres owned by Florida Crystals, the other dominant sugar grower and private landowner in the Everglades. How would the district get that land? Would the district try to trade some U.S. Sugar land for some Florida Crystals land?

# What would happen with rock-mining leases on two parcels of U.S. Sugar land, leases that have raised the price of the deal roughly $300 million? Would the district buy out the leases so mining wouldn't interfere with restoration? Would the district let the miners operate, collect the lease payments to offset the cost of the land and work restoration around the mining?

# Can the district make changes to the contract before Dec. 16? And why the rush to approve it in just 15 days? Mr. Sole and Mr. Buermann avoided the deadline issue during their conference call with reporters.

# Finally, there's the biggest and most frustrating unanswered question: What's the plan for Everglades restoration?

"Americans are too ignorant to vote"?

The Tampa Tribune passes this Kathleen Parker column along to us this morning: "A new report from the Intercollegiate Studies Institute (ISI) on the nation's civic literacy finds that most Americans are too ignorant to vote. Out of 2,500 American quiz-takers, including college students, elected officials and other randomly selected citizens, nearly 1,800 flunked a 33-question test on basic civics. In fact, elected officials scored slightly lower than the general public with an average score of 44 percent compared to 49 percent." "Bailing Out Ignorance".

'Canes

"From Tropical Storm Arthur to Hurricane Paloma, there were 16 named storms, eight hurricanes and 800 deaths in North America and the Caribbean." "Hurricane season relatively kind to Fla.".

Miami 2009

"Though still almost a year away, Miami's 2009 race for mayor is getting more crowded. Joining already announced candidate -- and current City Commissioner -- Tomás Regalado: fellow Commissioner Joe Sanchez. Lesser-known candidate Juan Miguel Alfonso has also opened a campaign account in the mayor's race." "Two more jump in Miami mayor's race".

The sales tax is the state's single-biggest source of revenue, and it's taking the biggest pounding as the economy slides. Sales taxes on tourists and residents alike are expected to account for 78 cents of every $1 state government brings in this fiscal year.

When sales-tax collections were soaring earlier this decade, there were few complainers. In fact, legislators were pushing two years ago to cut property taxes for homeowners by making state government more dependent on the sales tax.

Republican legislative leaders acknowledge they are rethinking their opposition to the 2007 deal between Crist and the Seminole Tribe of Florida to add table games and Las Vegas-style slots at seven tribal casinos. The deal is in limbo after the Florida Supreme Court ruled that the governor had to get legislative approval.

Including money the state has already banked but not spent, ratification by legislators could net the state nearly $300 million over the next 19 months.

And though it is far from their first choice, the breadth of this year's $2.1 billion budget deficit and the expected $5.8 billion hole in next year's budget has spurred discussion of increasing the cigarette tax.

Crist twice told reporters last week he was "not warm and fuzzy" about the idea, but refused to rule it out.

That's because it's the most politically palatable of the taxing options.

Every study shows that the less money Americans make, the more they smoke. So a higher cigarette tax wouldn't bother most of the businesses and lobbyists who finance political campaigns. If legislators began talking about a higher tax on single-malt Scotch you'd hear a lot more complaining from people who matter to Tallahassee.

"Jeb!" declares himself a "bold" fellow

"This truly is a laff riot - the dope who has made a career "trading on the family name" via "injudicious entanglements with questionable characters and enterprises" is now whining about a

flawed study published in Health Affairs Web Exclusive and a misleading Tampa Tribune editorial questioned the progress made in the implementation of Florida's bold reform and the wisdom in continuing it.

Green cars

The Tampa Tribune editorial board: "On Tuesday, Florida has the chance to take a major step forward toward energy independence. That's the day the Florida Environmental Regulation Commission votes on Gov. Charlie Crist's common-sense proposal to make cars run cleaner."

Don't get the impression that Florida is breaking new ground here:

Crist's proposal is modeled after California's clean-air standards. Twelve other states have adopted the standards, and six more, including Florida, are considering doing so.

"$2 billion budget hole"

The Jebacy continues ... "With Florida foreclosures skyrocketing and unemployment rising above the national average, lawmakers are scrambling to plug a $2 billion budget hole as the economy continues to spiral." "$2 billion state-budget hole looms".

Flash in the pan

Poor Charlie, he doesn't even rate a mention in "In the Red Corner ..." over at Larry Sabato's Crystal Ball, a piece last week about "to whom might the GOP look for leadership during their wilderness year?"

To make matters worse, the GOPer bright lights who are discussed include geniuses like Haley Barbour, Sarah Palin, Mitt Romney, Mike Huckabee, Newt Gingrich, Mark Sanford, Tim Pawlenty, Virginia's 7th District Congressman Eric Cantor, former Maryland Lt. Governor Michael Steele, and other assorted empty suits, geeks, bamboozlers. Hell, there's even an excorcist.

Yet one of the most vacuous suits of all, our dear Charlie, did not even rate a mention, even in a list including a fool who claims to have engaged in "physical" combat with a "demon" during an "exorcism".

Poor Charlie, he must feel, well ... kinda empty these days.

Stand tall, Charlie, at least you buy your own own (empty) suits, unlike that other empty person ... you know who ...

"Sarah Palin: A digital superstar".

Sweet deal

The Miami Herald editorial board: "The revised land-purchasing deal between the South Florida Water Management District and U.S. Sugar is more generous to the private partner than is generally advisable in a taxfinanced agreement."

U.S. Sugar has negotiated a take-it or leave-it contract that the water-management board can only accept or reject without alterations. For a firm $1.34 billion, the district will buy 180,000 acres of farmland. For its part, U.S. Sugar will continue to farm the land for another seven years, paying rent for only six. The rent is $50 per acre, coming to just over $9 million a year. The company also will pay $21.5 million for environmental remediation.

the revised deal is much better than the one originally negotiated between the company and Gov. Charlie Crist. For $1.75 billion the district would have bought all of U.S. Sugar's assets -- the land, a railroad, sugar factory, refinery and a citrus processing facility. The district only needed the land -- not the railroad and sugar mill -- which will be an important addition to the Everglades clean-up plan.

The reality is, as sweet a deal as U.S. Sugar will get if this contract is approved, the long-term benefits to the Everglades ecosystem and South Florida's water supply matter more. If the district refused this sale, years from now we would be looking back in regret at a terrible, costly mistake.

Arrest somebody

The St. Petersburg Times editorial board: "As the Florida Legislature faces the highest state budget shortfall ever, Ray Sansom has the lowest personal credibility in memory for a new House speaker."

It looked bad enough when it appeared earlier this month that Sansom was given a $110,000-a-year job at Northwest Florida State College* after he steered $200,000 to the college's new leadership institute. The Destin Republican shrugged off the revelation, and now it's easy to see why. He was far more brazen than that.

Times staff writer Alex Leary reports the $200,000 turned out to be a preliminary request for the leadership institute that ballooned into $750,000. But that was just the icing on the cake. Sansom's biggest score — at least the biggest one found so far — turns out to be morphing $1-million for a building project into $25.5-million this spring. That's not making sure the local college gets its slice; that's ensuring it gets the biggest slice at the expense of far larger schools.

Not so sunny

The Palm Beach Post editorial Board: "More than 60 percent of Florida's sheriff's offices, including those in Palm Beach, Martin and St. Lucie counties, failed a recent public records audit by the Florida Society of Newspaper Editors. In other words, they broke the law." "Enforce state's records laws". See also "Many Florida public agencies flunk simple open records test".

'Ya reckon?

"Growth won't pay the bills in Florida".

Who knew?

The St. Petersburg Times editorial board: "Votes were cast in Florida's general election at polling sites in Germany, Britain and Japan as part of a small experiment in Internet voting. The pet project of the elections supervisor in Okaloosa County is being touted as a success. U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson has called for its expansion, but in truth the Internet voting effort was premature and wildly expensive for the relative handful of votes cast." "Slow down Internet voting plan".

Haitian immigrants

The South Florida Sun-Sentinel editorial board: "Maybe with a new president, a relatively small group of Haitian immigrants will catch a much-needed break, and help alleviate a humanitarian crisis in that country. President Bush has ignored repeated, justifiable calls for Haitian refugees to receive temporary protected status. Hopefully, an Obama administration won't be as obstinate, and will grant Haitians the same opportunities offered to, again, relatively small numbers of Hondurans, Nicaraguans and Salvadorans who have been allowed to stay and work in the United States after natural disasters and other calamities hit their economically disadvantaged countries." "Obama should let Haitians stay temporarily".

Obama gravy

"Obama could mean gravy train for Orlando-area rail projects".

This is Mikey's Florida

The Maitland Housewife - who had his nose in Jebbie's derriere for a full 8 years - pretends to be a Democrat for a day: "according to Florida law, gays cannot adopt children because this would be a terrible, ungodly thing."

The hypocrisy is stunning. The state gives these two damaged children to Frank Gill because the social workers know he is a very special man when it comes to caring for kids. He spends four years loving them, repairing them, making them whole human beings.

He and Tom Roe did something no heterosexual couple was willing to do. ...

Do you think Gov. Charlie Crist is going to risk offending the Republican moral police over a couple of kids?

Attorney General Bill McCollum's office quickly said it would appeal, cheered on by social conservatives who couldn't hold a moral candle to Frank Gill and Tom Roe.

Nobody would take these boys in 2004. It was Christmas, and there was no room at anybody's inn -- except for the one run by these two men.

They canceled whatever holiday plans they had to take in a sick baby and unresponsive boy. And now four years later, they are preparing to celebrate Christmas together as a happy, loving family.

And if it is up to the state of Florida, it will be their last.

Pinellas County

The St. Petersburg Times editorial board: "Pinellas County government has some new hands on the tiller, and there is some rough water ahead." "Earning the public's trust".

Puerto Rico

The Orlando Sentinel editorial board argues that "Puerto Rico's next governor is smart to push for more trade with Florida".

Florida Demands to be "bailed out" yet again

While Floridians express their outrage at the unmitigated gall of Michigan* - and in particular the Big 3 and the autoworkers** - to suggest that the rest of the nation bail it out of its economic woes, Florida is demanding that the rest of the nation ... well ... you know ... bail Florida out: first, by continuing to wipe Florida's low tax derriere via FEMA and other aid every time a hurricane hits; and second, establishing a national cat fund for our benefit.

The St. Petersburg Times editorial board reminds us that

When Florida's luck runs out, the disaster will stretch beyond the loss of life and property. A major hurricane would bring economic calamity that would force large insurance assessments and tax increases Floridians would not be able to absorb as they coped with the loss of their homes and businesses.

average wages for workers at Chrysler, Ford, and General Motors were just $28 per hour as of 2007. That works out to a little less than $60,000 a year in gross income -- hardly outrageous, particularly when you consider the physical demands of automobile assembly work and the skills most workers must acquire over the course of their careers.