The best he can do?

"Under pressure to pick a Hispanic to replace U.S. Sen. Mel Martinez, Gov. Charlie Crist said Friday that U.S. Rep. Lincoln Diaz-Balart and former U.S. Attorney Bob Martinez are on the short list. ... Also on Crist's shortlist: former Secretary of State Jim Smith." "Crist urged to pick Hispanic for Mel Martinez's Senate seat". See also "Crist requests three applications for U.S. Senate".

Related: "Governor is intent on filling open seat" and "Crist doesn't want competitor for Senate seat".

"Gambling compact still up in the air"

The Sun-Sentinel editorial board: "It should have been an amicable arrangement that provides enough benefits to keep both the state of Florida and the Seminole Tribe contented. But the two sides are still far apart on a gaming compact, an agreement many believe is needed to clear any lingering controversy over the Seminoles' lucrative blackjack and card games." "Compromise could make gambling compact a reality".

Teabaggers spew mindless hate in the Gables

"A rally called to support a public health-care option outside Sen. Bill Nelson's Coral Gables office quickly turned into a cross-street chanting and shouting match Thursday afternoon between about 250 backers and opponents."

Opponents chanted "Obama is a liar!'' and "No Obamacare!'' across Salzedo Street toward placard-wielding supporters, who shouted back "Facts not fear!''

Never forget

"Secretary of State Hillary Clinton compared Nigeria's corruption and electoral problems with the 2000 Florida presidential election recount during a town hall meeting today in Abuja, Nigeria."

Answering a question about Nigeria's recent election, Clinton said, "In 2000, our presidential election came down to one state where the brother of the man running for President was the governor of the state. So we have our problems too."

Wingnuttery

"Arts group rejects Stearns' claims of tax-funded porn".

'Glades

"Water managers and the White House signed a crucial contract Thursday that promises a much-needed infusion of federal dollars for the Everglades." "U.S., Florida reach Everglades restoration deal".

RPOFers in a dither

"Florida officials have calculated that the health-care proposals being debated in Congress could add 1.4 million uninsured residents to the state's Medicaid rolls — and cost state taxpayers $1.6 billion a year."

The analysis, done by the state Agency for Health Care Administration, found Florida's already mushrooming Medicaid rolls would grow from 2.6 million people to about 4 million under proposals to overhaul the health-care system.

Legislation pushed by President Barack Obama would help cover Florida's 4 million uninsured by expanding Medicaid eligibility to include higher-income families and new categories of people, such as childless adults.

The total federal-state tab: $4.9 billion a year in Florida. With the federal government picking up two-thirds of Medicaid costs, that would mean a $1.6 billion hit to the state budget, the study showed. That's on top of the more than $5 billion a year the state said in February that Medicaid is costing, a figure that's likely higher today.

Florida leaders say the extra cost would be crushing, especially with the state facing a major financial jolt in 2011 when federal stimulus money runs out. Though Gov. Charlie Crist has not taken a position on the expansion, Republican legislators are worried.

"Our Medicaid program is bordering on unsustainable as it is," said House Majority Leader Adam Hasner, R-Boca Raton. "If you add this component, you are going to break the back of Florida and every other state."

Another fine Jebacy

"Report: 3,500 Floridians are losing health coverage each week". Meantime, "[t]he average working Floridian is paying more than twice as much for health insurance now compared with a decade ago — though paychecks for the same period increased by only 27 percent, according to research released Thursday." "Rising health insurance costs far outpace wage growth for Florida workers".

Meantime, "Medicaid gives HMOs pay raise".

Sugar

The Orlando Sentinel editorial board: "We're grateful that the sugar industry provides jobs and pays taxes in Florida — among the points Big Sugar makes when anyone questions its sweetheart treatment. But other industries do the same without government protection. And unlike Big Sugar, they didn't do decades worth of environmental damage to the Everglades that will require billions in taxpayer dollars for restoration." "End sugar's sweet deal".

GED

"State 'clarifies' GED Exit Option".

HD 28

"As Dorothy Hukill vies for a shot at being a first-time congresswoman, two other local women hope to take her place in the Florida House of Representatives. Port Orange Republican Theresa Valdes threw her hat into the ring in July, according to the state elections Web site. And Volusia County Council Vice Chairwoman Joie Alexander said Thursday she also intends to run for the 28th District seat as a Republican." "2 vie for Hukill's House seat".

Trib editors embarrass themselves

Read the condescending blather from the children on the The Tampa Tribune editorial board:

It's a stunning development. The local teacher's union, passionately opposed to vouchers, is partnering with a group that promotes their use.

In a program to train teachers at private schools that serve students with vouchers, the Hillsborough Classroom Teachers Association is joining with the school district and Step Up for Students, a nonprofit that oversees the Florida Tax Credit Scholarship effort. Step-Up is paying $100,000 for the special classes.

Union leaders say they recognized the poor children who receive the scholarships need the best teachers possible.

We hope that mature perspective will help union leaders see that vouchers pose no threat to public schools.

Poor little mayors

"If you need any more evidence that times are tough for cities, look no further than the Florida League of Cities conference held in Orlando this week." "Local leaders learn to make do with less"."Harder for out-of-state students"

"Florida legislators were right to make it harder for out-of-state students to game the higher education system to save money on tuition." "On target with in-state".

Secure and Safe Detention and Asylum Act

The Miami Herald editorial board: "Last week was important for those seeking to reform the U.S. system by which asylum seekers are detained. On the same day, Sen. Joseph Lieberman, I-Conn., introduced the Secure and Safe Detention and Asylum Act to ensure that asylum seekers are treated in accordance with U.S. law, and the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement finally recognized the need to overhaul a broken immigration detention system." "Overhaul sorry state of U.S. detention system".

At least three Tampa Bay area people have become minor celebrities - like it or not - in the aftermath of a tumultuous town hall forum on health care last week that drew national attention.

Randy Arthur, owner of an Oldsmar air-conditioning service, became an icon of right-wing Web sites after a photo of him was published in The Tampa Tribune showing his knit shirt ripped after tangling with organizers at the event. ["Arthur says he was slammed against a wall. Tampa police say the investigation indicates a door guard slipped and grabbed Arthur's shirt as he was falling."]

Karen Miracle of Brandon, who is active in the Democratic Party, has been vilified on the same Web sites because of a published photo that appears - misleadingly, she says - to show her slapping a man during a disagreement at the event.

The man in the photo with her, Barry Osteen of Lutz, a telephone technician, has been asked to appear on Rush Limbaugh's radio show and CNN but told the Tribune he's dismayed the incident occurred.

In the aftermath, the East Hillsborough County Democratic Club, of which Miracle is an officer, has postponed its monthly meeting because of worries about protesters and security.

Arthur sought to file a police complaint against members of the forum's organizing groups who were acting as door guards at the meeting.

Tampa police say they didn't find any criminal conduct and don't plan to file charges.

Arthur said he intends to call the state attorney "and give my side of the story."

"Crist is trying to woo conservatives"

Marc Caputo: "Narrowly avoiding censure in a dramatic county vote [see 'Palm Beach County GOP motion to censure Crist fails on tie vote'], Gov. Charlie Crist is trying to woo conservatives as many turn against him."

Facing perilous conservative revolts, Gov. Charlie Crist has been quietly reaching out to Republican county leaders throughout the state to gauge his political support, defend his policies -- and to turn on the charm.

Crist began calling Republicans soon after he announced his bid for U.S. Senate in May. By then, he had already inflamed rank-and-file conservatives for embracing Barack Obama and his Democratic stimulus spending plan.

Cuba paranoia

"Cuba capable of waging a cyberwar". The evidence?: "The Cuban government has emphasized training talented young engineers in computation and cybernetics."

Related: "'Recent' photo shows healthier looking Fidel Castro".

Thanks, Charlie

"Hurricane Charley hit in 2004. Governor Charlie hit in 2007. Between them, Charley and Charlie have redefined the property-insurance market in Florida. Hurricane Charley showed us that no place in Florida was safe from mega-storms." "We can't afford another Charley, thanks to Charlie".

"Need to get their act together"

The Sun-Sentinel editorial board: "You'd think Florida's elected officials — both state and federal — would be on the same page when it comes to seeking billions of dollars in federal stimulus money for high-speed rail. They're not, and that's a problem." "Florida officials need to get their act together when seeking federal projects".

Bloom off the rose

"For the first time in more than 60 years, Florida is losing residents." "Florida's population boom fades; state will mark first decline in residents in more than 60 years".

Posters of Obama in "white face"

"Posters depicting President Barack Obama in makeup similar to the Joker from the most recent Batman movie have popped up across Lake County."

Clermont Postmaster Willie Montgomery said today that the posters were discovered yesterday. Customers complained about the pasted images, he said.

"Everybody that saw those posters found them to be very offensive," Montgomery said.

Beware "elite ... business and government leaders"

"An elite group of business and government leaders vowed Wednesday to find as much as $4 billion in savings from efficiencies in the state budget in time to recommend them to the Legislature this spring."

Sponsored by TaxWatch, the government watchdog group, and chaired by a health care executive from Jacksonville, the Government Cost Savings Task Force packs substantial corporate and political firepower. Its ranks include executives from AT&T, Publix, SunTrust and Gulf Power, as well as the House speaker-designate, the House minority leader, the Senate budget chairman, the attorney general and the chief financial officer.

Cotterell

Bill Cotterell thinks he'd be a perfect fit in the U.S. Senate; after all, "the Republican Party nationally has become known as the party of grumpy, old, white, conservative men. Got it. For that kind of salary and perks, I can combine the probing curiosity and intellectual depth of a George W. Bush with the warmth and whimsy of a Dick Cheney." "Here's a suggestion for that Senate seat".

Health Care fight

"Boyd said he cannot support America's Affordable Health Choices Act of 2009 (H.R. 3200) in its current form." "Boyd talks health care at forum". Related: "Miller: Health-care bill ‘a very, very bad piece of legislation’", "Health Care Reform Debate Hits Lakeland" and "Klein, Rooney, Wexler to wade into health care debate at appearances next week".

Good luck with this: "Hope remains for civility in health care debate".

"Quitter"

"Pictures of famous quitters -- Mel Martinez".

Charlie a "finger-in-the-wind Democrat-lite"?

"To some observers, [Crist's] success in the largest swing state could be a national model for a GOP in the wilderness, proof that the party still appeals to independent voters."

But those observers do not tend to be Republicans, much less the conservative partisans who tend to dominate closed Republican primaries. They've got a different vision for the party's future, and it looks more like Crist's 38-year-old Cuban-American primary challenger, Marco Rubio, a dynamic and telegenic ideologue who was the first minority speaker of the Florida house of representatives and is now described by fluttery admirers as an Obama of the right. He's a passionate defender of traditional Republican principles and wasn't part of the generation of Republican leaders who betrayed them. He speaks for the tea-party base, the limited-government purists who believe the GOP lost favor because its leaders were insufficiently rather than overly conservative. They see Crist as part of the problem, a big-spending, eco-radical, finger-in-the-wind Democrat-lite.

"Link ad" legislation

"State Rep. Eric Eisnaugle, R-Orlando, plans to draft and file legislation to solve"

the problem of Internet "link ads" that led to a state Elections Commission investigation in the St. Petersburg mayor's race.

The state's laws "should not be archaic," Eisnaugle said in a news release.

"Florida's election laws were written well before the internet became a part of daily life for Floridians and do not recognize the important dynamic of online communications. I plan on bringing together stakeholders in the technology community and state elections officials to help match our laws with the next generation of communications."

The issue arose with Elections Commission charges against mayoral candidate Scott Wagman's link ads on Google, Facebook and other web sites.

The ads are only a few words, and can't be made long enough to include the disclaimers required by state law stating that the campaign paid for the ad and the candidate approved it.

"Wednesday wasn't a normal day"

"Public schools and teachers' unions don't say nice things about those who support school vouchers, sending kids to private schools with public money. Most of the time, such folks just don't get along."

But Wednesday wasn't a normal day.

In a move that experts are calling nearly unprecedented, the Hillsborough County schools and teachers' union have joined forces with a nonprofit Florida voucher group to help train private school teachers.

Step Up for Students — which runs the state's tax credit voucher program — plans to spend at least $100,000 on classes for teachers who serve its scholarship students, among the county's most economically disadvantaged children. The school district and union will provide space in the jointly developed Center for Technology and Education.

"Bottom line is these are our children, they are disadvantaged children, and they often return to our public schools," said Jean Clements, president of the Hillsborough Classroom Teachers' Association. "I want them to get the best possible education, wherever they get it."

HD 91

"Barbra Stern, daughter of a veteran campaign consultant, will run for a hotly contested House seat as a Democrat in a Republican district." "Stern to run as Democrat in Dist. 91".

"Preventing plea bargains"?

Daytona Beach News Journal editorial board: "Preventing plea bargains unlikely to insulate Florida from violence".

Grayson

"Biden will be heading to Orlando to headline an Aug. 19 lunch for Grayson, a first-term Democrat." "Biden fundraising for Grayson".

No lobbyists please:

Remember last year, when then-candidate Barack Obama pledged to take no contributions from federal lobbyists?

As president, Obama has continued that prohibition at fundraisers where he or a top member of his administration is the drawing card.

So when U.S. Rep. Alan Grayson, D-Orlando, sent out word Wednesday that Vice President Joe Biden will speak at a $1,000-a-plate lunch for him in Orlando next week, the invitation declared: "For this event, contributions from federally registered lobbyist or lobbying firms ... are prohibited."

There was just one problem. One member of Grayson's host committee is Dick Batchelor, a veteran political consultant and registered federal lobbyist for Florida Hospital since 1993.

Batchelor wasn't happy when this was pointed out to him, and he initially said he would step down from the host committee as soon as Republicans swore off taking contributions from lobbyists.

But when reminded of Obama's lobbyist - donation ban, he quickly relented and said he would ask that his name be dropped from the host committee, out of respect for the White House.

Workers' compensation whistleblowers

"A new Web site accepting whistleblower complaints on Florida workers' compensation has produced hundreds of new complaints in just months of operation." "Fla. worker's comp. complaint site already active".

Obamanomics taking hold?

"Florida just lost $147.1 million in tax collections."

And that's good news in a state where tax-collection estimates had dipped by about $1.4 billion last November.

Not only does the estimate issued Tuesday by state economists show that their forecasts are becoming more nearly accurate -- it suggests that Florida's economy is no longer unstable.

Fat kids

The Orlando Sentinel editorial board: "it's deeply disappointing that they dropped the ball on yet another sound idea. Instead of pumping up fitness, state lawmakers passed another legislative weakling, a requirement that lacks funding but includes an oversized opt-out loophole." "P.E.: A dropped ball".

"Still spending"

"Mel Martinez started collecting campaign donations immediately after his 2004 election and continued spending the money even after he announced he wasn't running for reelection." "Sen. Martinez not running, but still spending campaign funds".

More trouble for Crist

"Palm Beach County GOP considers censuring Crist tonight" ("Crist has been censured by the Volusia County GOP and lost straw polls of GOP committee members in Highlands, Pasco and Lee counties to Marco Rubio, his rival in the 2010 Republican U.S. Senate primary.").

HD 47

"Third Republican candidate files to replace Kevin Ambler in state House District 47".

New regulator

"Eleven months after Florida's top financial regulator was ousted for failing to stop criminals from fleecing borrowers in the mortgage industry, state leaders named a banking industry lawyer to head the agency entrusted with investigating financial fraud and protecting consumers."

Crist and the state Cabinet appointed J. Thomas Cardwell on Tuesday to succeed Don Saxon as commissioner of the Office of Financial Regulation.

Cardwell has served as CEO of Akerman Senterfitt, one of the state's largest and most politically connected law firms. The Orlando lawyer -- who previously kept an office in Miami -- has close ties to the banking industry, serving 24 years as general counsel to the Florida Bankers Association.

Choices

"Well-traveled Florida bear put down in Georgia".

Wingnut alert

The Palm Beach Post editorial board: "Back in June, Florida Alliance for Retired Americans President Tony Fransetta began inviting speakers to the annual members' forum. He scheduled this year's on health care. He scheduled it eight days from today at the South County Civic Center, west of Delray Beach. One of his first commitments was from U.S. Rep. Robert Wexler, D-Boca Raton, who represents the area."

That was then. Now, protesters are disrupting such forums all around the country. Now, a mailer refers to Rep. Wexler as "our very own liberal progressive leftist socialist" and invites those opposed to the Democrats' health care reform proposals to attend the forum and "hear him rant about how he is going to force HR 3200 down our throats." A Republican who challenged Rep. Wexler in 2008 has called for "solidarity" at the forum to criticize this "further contraction of our freedoms."

Mel's "legacy — as a quitter"

Scott Maxwell thinks that Mel's "decision to abandon his U.S. Senate seat before his term is up will help cement his legacy — as a quitter. He didn't complete his first term as Orange County mayor. He didn't serve throughout George W. Bush's tenure as housing secretary. And he resigned from leading the Republican National Committee after less than a year." "Mel Martinez leaves legacy of a quitter".

Rove went after U.S. attorney for the Northern District of Florida

"Documents show how Karl Rove targeted U.S. Attorney from Florida". See also "Testimony puts Rove at center of Justice firings".

"Choose a temp wisely"

The Sun-Sentinel editorial board: "It's disappointing that U.S. Sen. Mel Martinez chose to quit the Senate now, rather than complete his term. After all, it was the Florida Republican who asked voters to elect him to a full, six-year term back in 2004."

In departing now, Martinez is leaving a lot of unfinished business. Not only is the contentious health care battle raging, but the Obama administration has said it wants to address immigration next year, and as one of the Senate's two Cuban-born members, Martinez's voice, knowledge and background would have been a plus.

Gov. Charlie Crist is now tasked with choosing a successor to round out Martinez's term. It's a bit of thorny position for the governor to be in since he covets the same seat.

Sansom

"Architect gives testimony that might hurt former Florida Speaker Ray Sansom".

New nuke

"Florida approved a nuclear plant for the first time in more than three decades. The plant would be built in Levy County." "Florida OK's plan to build nuclear plant". See also "Gov. Crist, Cabinet approve new nuclear plant".

Insurance

"Crist, McCollum: Insurance figures encouraging".

"Bunk"

"Everyone knows that Florida ranks at the bottom when it comes to education. Except when it ranks near the top."

"One of the big problems in Florida is there has been a lot of complacency among citizens because they have been fed a line of gibberish,'' said Lawton ``Bud'' Chiles III, president of the Lawton Chiles Foundation, named after the late governor. The foundation's initiative Worst to First is trying to make health and education issues a priority in Florida.

"It's bunk, it's just wrong to say that we're 10th in education or to say we're progressing nationally,'' Chiles said. "It's just clearly not true.''

Another one bites the dust

"Fla. weekly cuts print edition, goes online only".

New data from the Census Bureau shows that among Floridians younger than 65, which is the age where Medicare kicks in, one in four lacks health insurance.

That puts Florida No. 3 on the list of states with the highest percentage of the uninsured. The total here: 3.7 million people, or 24.9 percent.

One of the principles of insurance is that people who don't use services regularly — such as the young, who use them mostly for urgent care — keep premiums constant, and in effect subsidize lower costs for older and chronic users of those services.

Under the reform bills in Congress, Medicaid would be expanded to include childless adults who have incomes less than 133 percent of the federal poverty level — or about $14,400 a year; children could remain dependents until age 26; premiums would be capped; and insurers wouldn't be able to exclude people or charge more if they have pre-existing conditions such as asthma or diabetes.

Nearly 2 million Floridians would gain coverage under the House's proposed Health Choices Act by 2013, according to Families USA, a consumer-advocate group.

Meek challenges Crist on his "missteps"

"Crist's potential Democratic rival for the U.S. Senate attacked him today for his handling of federal stimulus aid, saying the governor's missteps have delayed potential relief for thousands of unemployed Floridians." "Meek attacks Crist over Florida's stimulus delays". See also "Crist, Florida assailed for poor job with economic stimulus money".

"[A] key congressional committee says Florida also ranks last when it comes to actually spending federal highway stimulus money it does receive."

In a letter sent Thursday, U.S. Rep. James L. Oberstar, D-Minnesota, chided Crist for failing to spend "quickly, efficiently, and in harmony with job creating purposes of the Act.''

Oberstar, who chairs the House Transportation and Infrastructure committee, noted that Florida had spent 2 percent of the $1.35 billion allocated for highway projects under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act signed in March.

Is Wall Street "Piggishness" reflected in Florida?

"In their bids to get electric rates increased next year, two of the state's top electric companies said Monday that it's not in the public's interest for them to disclose how much they pay their top executives, according to documents filed with state utility regulators."

Florida Power & Light and Progress Energy argue that disclosing how much they pay their executives in salaries, stock and bonuses is not necessary for the Public Service Commission to determine whether to allow it to raise rates by as much as 31 percent starting next year.

But PSC staff argues otherwise, noting that the salary data is essential to the regulators' ability to ``evaluate the appropriateness of the employee compensation to be included in the rate base.''

FPL wants permission to increase its base rates by $12.40 a month starting Jan. 1, a 31 percent increase in the base rate. FPL estimates that lower fuel costs will offset the rate hike so that customer bills will decline in the short term.

But state regulators say they want to know how much the companies are paying their top employees to determine whether customers are picking up too much of the tab.

Commissioner Nancy Argenziano asked the staff to find out how many employees at the companies get paid more than $165,000 a year. In a letter last week to PSC Chairman Matthew Carter, Argenziano said it was the obligation of regulators to make sure that the "piggishness'' of Wall Street wasn't reflected in Florida.

SD 8

"Jacksonville City Councilman Art Graham and Duval County School Board member Stan Jordan indicated Monday they will run in a special election to replace the late state Sen. Jim King, but another potential candidate said he will stay out of the race. ... They join two other Republicans, former House Speaker John Thrasher and Ponte Vedra Beach businessman Dan Quiggle, in the shortened campaign in Senate District 8, which includes parts of Volusia and Flagler counties." "Candidates lining up to fill King's state Senate seat".

Update

"State economists are updating their estimate of Florida's general revenue." "Fla. economists updating revenue estimate".

Nuke vote

"Crist and the Florida Cabinet are preparing to vote on Progress Energy's bid to build a nuclear power plant in Levy County." "Crist, Cabinet to decide on new nuclear plant".

Entrepreneurs in action

"For a reminder that disasters are big opportunities for profit, there is no place like Florida." "Lucrative disaster-claim-paperwork contracts spawn big-money battle".

Florida Tea Baggers with nuthin' to do

"Across the country, protesters angry about health-care reform are disrupting town-hall meetings conducted by members of Congress — but in Central Florida, most won't get the chance."

"They have to come out of hiding and face the people and answer some questions," complained DeLand retiree Charles Schmitz. He called Democratic U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson's office and was told he has no meetings scheduled.

Nelson's not the only one.

Of the 10 members of Congress representing Central Florida — including two U.S. senators — only two have scheduled town-hall meetings, and one of those will be by phone. A few others say they will have meetings sometime before the end of the August summer recess.

we don't agree with those who would write off all the protesters as special-interest lackeys. Polls show many Americans are opposed to — or uncertain about — the approach to health-care reform that the White House and most Democrats in Congress are considering.

At least some of the opposition to that reform is based on misinformation, like the whopper that the House plan would force the elderly who become ill to make plans to end their lives. Town meetings could provide a mutually beneficial forum for lawmakers to clear up such confusion for their constituents.

Clash

"Florida's major electric utilities clashed Monday with environmentalists over how high state regulators should set new power conservation and efficiency goals." "Florida Utilities, Activists Clash Over Conservation".

Martinez jumps ship

The Miami Herald editorial board: "Martinez's resignation is disappointing for a variety of reasons."

As a candidate four years ago, he waged an aggressive, no-holds-barred campaign against Bill McCollum in the primary and Betty Castor in the general election. It was one of the most bitter and divisive electoral campaigns in the state's recent history.

Those who worked hard for Mr. Martinez in that effort in 2004 have a right to feel let down. At a minimum, voters and campaign workers expect their candidate to complete the term of office.

Zell Corporation "balance"

One has to wonder if the The Sun-Sentinel editors are talking about the same Castor event the rest of us saw on YouTube, when they write that,

in Tampa, a town hall meeting turned into a melee as emotions on both sides of the debate burst forth into an ugly public display.

FRS solid

Bill Cotterell: "State employees who have seen the value of their deferred-compensation accounts, along with their personal investments, dwindle in the past year are rightly concerned about the outlook for their retirement. It's bad enough to be worried about your job and everything else the economy has thrown at us, without wondering if the pension pot is running low. Short answer: No, it's not." "State's pension fund bent but didn't break".

Locals only

New law makes it tougher to qualify for in-state university tuition rates

Hypertext links as political ads

"St. Petersburg mayoral candidate Scott Wagman will fight charges that his Internet ads violated state law - charges he says are an infringement of his First Amendment rights - rather than accept a settlement agreement with a small fine imposed by the Florida Elections Commission. The case concerns small ads - actually hypertext links - on Web sites such as Facebook or Google." "Candidate fighting Web ad charges".

The Saint Petersburg Times editorial board: "Florida's laws are stuck in 20th century technology and need some commonsense updating." "Ad rules due for a reboot".

Cuba

Tampa City Council member, Mary Mulhern writes this in the The Saint Petersburg Times this morning:

Our citizens are ready for change. Recent polls show a majority of Americans want to end the embargo, and a majority of Miami Cubans want to end travel restrictions. I urge U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor and Sens. Bill Nelson and Mel Martinez to listen to their constituents, send a clear signal to the president, and sign on to the Senate and House bills ending travel restrictions.

Screwing teachers (again)

"'It might be legal but it's wrong:' Laid-off Florida teachers passed over as jobs reopen". See also "Schools pass over laid-off teachers when jobs open up".

Not so "Bright"

"The popular Bright Futures scholarship program is now worth less and carries more financial penalties than ever before, prompting significant concerns among Florida university officials about the impact to students -- particularly those from lower-income families." "Florida college students pay price for changes to Bright Futures scholarships".

Last week, protesters showed up at a forum in Tampa by Democratic Rep. Kathy Castor, who had barely begun her opening remarks before the protests erupted. She had to be escorted out before any real discussion could take place. Another protest by a group described in this newspaper as rowdy and rude greeted staffers of Rep. Ron Klein on Wednesday in Lighthouse Point.

Much the same has happened elsewhere, with the protests taking on the character of anti-administration rallies and much of the venom directed at President Obama himself. One protester at a forum held by Rep. John Dingell of Michigan carried a poster of the president with a Hitler-like mustache. Such outrageous tactics were used against President Bush in protests about the war on terror.

The Sunshine State

"Report: Fla. leads country in attacks on homeless".

Goin' up

"Price of gas in Florida jumps 9 cents in past week".

Never mind

"Homeowners who cut their insurance bill by installing shutters will soon see those discounts slashed if insurers have their way." "Florida may gut discounts for hurricane shutters".

Crist's new Cover Florida healthcare proposal has signed up only 3,757 people in a state with nearly four million uninsured. Meantime, an estimated 77,250 Floridians have lost health-insurance coverage since Cover Florida began releasing statistics in March.

Yet Crist touts Cover Florida as a "national model'' and as a private-sector alternative to the government-run insurance plans of congressional Democrats and President Barack Obama. ...

Families USA also reports that more than 556,070 Floridians are projected to lose health coverage from January 2008 to December 2010. That's a weekly average of 3,560 -- almost equivalent to the entire Cover Florida population.

"That estimate is probably low,'' said Families USA analyst Kim Bailey. She said Families USA based its projections on data from Congress's research arm and didn't factor in the number of unemployed people in Florida, which lost 392,000 jobs from June 2008 to June 2009.

Ugh! "Union influence seems to be evident everywhere"

Zell Corporation flack and openly anti-union Orlando Sentinel writer Jane Healy is getting nervous: "The union influence seems to be evident everywhere you look." "Lots of reason for concern about Cabinet candidates".

Will RPOFer wingers direct anger at Charlie?

"Whether appearing with President Obama to promote the $787 billion stimulus or appointing a Democrat to a hospital board, Republican Gov. Charlie Crist has infuriated some of his party's grass-roots activists." "Is seemingly invincible Crist in trouble with his party's conservative base?" See also "Do straw polls, censure votes signal a problem for Crist?".

Here's an idea. Why don't the goons who showed up at Kathy Castor's town hall spend their energies more productively - by showing up at Charlie Crist campaign events.

Tallahassee ... we have a problem

"Outside of Florida, no other prisoner in the nation is serving a life sentence without parole for a juvenile burglary conviction. But in Florida, Graham's case is not rare. Records show that Florida has handed out more life sentences to juveniles for non-murder crimes than have all other states combined." "Florida justice: Tough on youths".

Hmmmmm?

"Florida is seeing a huge increase in applications for concealed weapon permits." "State gun permit requests way up in 2009".

Hard charging "entrepreneurship" , Florida style

"At Stanford's downtown Miami center, documents which showed employees were selling securities and lending financial advice without a license were destroyed. " "At Stanford's Miami office, documents were routinely shredded".

And who was in charge of "regulating" all this? Why, it was the unfortunately named, "Linda Charity".

Under federal law, firms that get into trouble selling securities overseas must report the problems on their regulatory records. But Stanford's brokerage failed to disclose the crackdown, and the Miami office -- running without any regulatory controls -- did not have to file anything. "It was a black hole,'' said Mark Raymond, a Miami lawyer representing investors.

Several securities lawyers said such disclosures often spark investigations by regulators in this country.

But nothing happened in Florida.

Linda Charity, acting commissioner of Florida's Office of Financial Regulation[*], said the state's authority was restricted by the agreement it struck with Stanford a decade ago. "We really couldn't do anything,'' she said.

But under the law, state agents are empowered to probe any company they believe is violating banking and securities statutes.

During a key visit by Florida examiners in 2005 -- while Stanford was under investigation in Ecuador -- agents found employees shipping checks to Antigua, marked as deposits, and shredding the records left behind. No investigations were launched.

Test case?

"Risking tens of thousands of dollars in potential fines, St. Petersburg mayoral candidate Scott Wagman is leaning toward challenging a complaint filed against him over Google and Facebook ads. The case has broad repercussions for candidates across Florida. ... Until recently, if you Googled the name of another mayoral candidate, up popped an ad for Wagman. The complaint filed with the Florida Election Commission contends the ad should have included a disclaimer identifying that it was paid for by Wagman's campaign." "St. Petersburg mayor's race tests law on Web ads".

"Balance" buffoonery

Florida's alleged journalists can't help themselves - they must appear "balanced" at all costs. For example, was the recent wingnut thuggery, notably Congresswoman Kathy Castor's town hall meeting, truly the fault of people on "both sides" of the issue?

Scott Maxwell thinks so, and claims "Democratic elitists" share the blame:

The problem is that Republican extremists are so hellbent on getting attention, they don't just want center stage — they want the whole darn auditorium.

The problem is that Democratic elitists are too quick to dismiss the unrest, further enraging very real people with very real concerns.

We have problems on both sides.

"It's 2006 all over again"

Daytona Beach News Journal editorial board: "Florida's Bill Nelson is right. "

It's about greed on oil companies' behalf. Leave Florida, and its 125-mile buffers, out of it. What was true in 2006 is true today. There may well be plenty of oil in the waters of the Gulf, relatively speaking (up to 15 billion barrels, by the most optimistic accounts, though that's still barely 5 percent of the reserves far more easily accessible under Saudi Arabia's sands) and even more gas (5 to 6 trillion cubic feet). But don't be fooled by the big numbers.

The country has plenty of natural gas supplies and more coming (ask anyone in Wyoming, where the natural-gas boom has busted much of the state's beauty). Even if the Gulf holds 15 billion barrels of new oil, it wouldn't start flowing until late in the next decade. The best estimates see production increasing by about 700,000 barrels per day, from today's production capacity of 1.5 million barrels -- barely a dent in the country's consumption of 20 million barrels per day. By the end of the coming decade, consumption will be closer to 23 million barrels per day. Gulf oil may profit its drillers, not its consumers. It will merely delay a necessary reckoning with the century's energy reality: It isn't so much dependence on foreign oil that's the danger, but continued dependence on oil, period.

That's without mentioning the effect on Florida's beaches should new oil rigs -- either in far deeper waters or closer to shore -- spill and muck up their surroundings.

Yes, oil needs to be part of the country's energy mix for the foreseeable future. That's what the 2006 compromise was about. No, the country shouldn't confuse energy independence with dependence on the oil industry, possibly at the expense of Florida's tourism industry. That's what the latest Gulf-drilling proposal is about.

Martinez Fallout

Mark Lane: "The resignation of U.S. Sen. Mel Martinez means the unusually early start in the race to succeed him gets even more interesting before its time."

Martinez's announcement Friday leaves Gov. Charlie Crist with two unappealing options: Either appoint himself to the job, inviting resentment inside his party and easy shots from outside, or appoint a seat-warmer, somebody guaranteed not to hold onto the job after 2010.

Little wonder Crist ruled out the first option within hours of Martinez's announcement.

But the second option has drawbacks, too. There's always the off chance the person selected might come to like a job that Crist already is running hard for.

What to do?

Boyd

"Rep. Boyd to speak with constituents during House recess"

'Glades

Daytona Beach News Journal editorial board: "There is no mistaking the groundswell of support for the South Florida Water Management District's purchase of land from U.S. Sugar Corp. for Everglades restoration." "Fresh hope for 'Glades in Sugar sale".

Related: The Miami Herald editorial board: "Time's running short for Everglades and Florida Bay".

Don't worry, be happy

"Some Lee schools graded 'A' by state are failing under federal standards".

"Sansom is not going away quietly"

Aaron Deslatte: "Ray Sansom is not going away quietly — a fact that may have consequences for legislative Republicans."

Last week, a select committee charged with looking into a complaint that Sansom, R-Destin, used his office to steer millions of dollars to his hometown college and secure a $110,000-a-year job for himself held its first meeting — and quickly adjourned until similar criminal charges go to trial.

Amy Mercado, a Democratic activist and president of the Orange County Democratic Hispanic Caucus, used the occasion to call out her opponent in a 2010 state House race — none other than Speaker-designate Dean Cannon, R- Winter Park — for not calling for Sansom to resign from the Legislature. He stepped down as speaker earlier this year.

"Important work in the Florida House of Representatives, such as the bipartisan goals of improving the economy and our schools, should not be distracted by the ethics mess of one man," she said.

"Both take pride in dragging out recounts"

"Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty — once one of Gov. Charlie Crist's rivals as a potential running mate with John McCain — will headline the Florida Republican Party's Statesman's Dinner later this month."

Democrats were quick to mock the gathering. Florida Democratic Party spokesman Eric Jotkoff chided the pairing of Pawlenty and Florida GOP leaders at an event designed to reach independents. Both "appeal to the radical right wing, and both take pride in dragging out recounts," he said, referring to the U.S. Senate race in Minnesota that finally saw Democrat Al Franken emerge the winner.

Another Florida first (and only) goes by the wayside

"Florida is changing its policy on youths who opt for a GED to finish high school in less than four years. ... Department of Education lawyers researching another issue could find no state law authorizing it." "Fla. to stop giving diplomas for GED graduates".

Gotta stop those libruls

"Kissimmee commissioner Art Otero is not letting go of his effort to add the words 'In God We Trust' to the city logo and says he will take the initiative to a referendum if needed."

Otero had told the Orlando Sentinel he started the logo effort because he feared the country was moving toward "liberal postures such as homosexuality, gay marriage, abortion and the legalization of marijuana." He also referred to the Obama administration as "socialist."

Troxler

"Just for fun, I put the latest campaign contributions in the St. Petersburg mayor's race into a spreadsheet. This took less than a day." "Here's where the cash came from".

Lindley on Brogan

Mary Ann Lindley: "Incoming Chancellor Frank Brogan isn't officially on the job until Sept. 14, but his office on the 16th floor of the Department of Education building — one floor up from where he once served as Florida's Commissioner of Education (1995-99) – was already taking on the aura of authority Thursday." "A welcome challenge for Brogan".