Neither are his attacks on the GOP.

The first-term congressman from Orlando who gained instant notoriety by saying Republicans' plan for health care reform is wanting people who get sick to "die quickly" told a wildly enthusiastic crowd of about 2,000 Democrats on Saturday that the GOP should change its name to "The Selfish Party."

Grayson would have been just another politician if the Florida Democratic Party held its annual convention last month. But Grayson gained national attention for his "die quickly" remarks late last month, and then later for apologizing to the dead and calling the inability to fix the health care system the "holocaust in America."

And the crowd loved him as he repeated some of his hits on Republicans, calling them knuckle-dragging Neanderthals and nattering nabobs of negativism. He also added to the partisan attacks.

"If the president has a BLT sandwich tomorrow, the Republicans are going to try to ban bacon," Grayson said. "Well, you can't say no to everything."

He told the crowd that the difference between Republicans and Democrats is that Democrats have a conscience.

"Big Oil's backers in the Legislature couldn't care less"

The Orlando Sentinel editorial board: "It's time legislative leaders stopped pretending they're committed to airing a proposal that would lift the drilling ban off Florida's coast."

Past time, really, now that the spouse of a lobbyist for the oil industry has been named to head a Senate committee that will help determine whether oil rigs appear five miles off the Gulf's beaches.

The proposal couldn't be more controversial. Supporters promise drilling's safe and dangle its revenues as a cure for what ails Florida's economy. But a major spill could cripple it, spills are still happening — the rig that blew off the coast of Australia in August released oil spanning more than 5,800 square miles — and tankers, storage facilities and pipelines lining Florida's coast could threaten its wildlife, beaches and bays.

At minimum, it needs an honest airing. Floridians need proof — and not from the oil industry — that making Florida's coastline resemble Louisiana's won't do it more harm than good.

But they've yet to get it. And naming Sen. Alex Diaz de la Portilla to chair the Senate's energy committee, when his wife Claudia represents the oil and gas industry, suggests Big Oil's backers in the Legislature couldn't care less about giving it to them.

Dockery digging in

"With each passing day, the Republican state senator from Lakeland sounds closer to jumping into the race with both feet, creating a primary within the GOP and potentially causing a lot of headaches for Attorney General Bill McCollum." "If Dockery enters race for governor, expect fireworks".

Crist speaks

"Fla. Sen. LeMieux to make GOP radio address".

"Widely respected" by who?

David Damron wants you to know that "no matter what the widely respected (but not as well-known) [Dan] Webster decides, Republicans increasingly face the unwelcome prospect of a costly primary to pick off Grayson in 2010."

The anti-Grayson candidate carousel started spinning early Friday, when Armando Gutierrez Jr., a South Florida real-estate developer who recently moved to Orlando, issued a statement declaring his intent to run. He declined interview requests but plans a public announcement Monday.

Gutierrez said Grayson's recent take on the GOP's position on health-care reform -- "Don't get sick....and if you do get sick, die quickly" -- prompted his candidacy.

"The only thing that's going [to] ‘die quickly' is Grayson's political career," his statement said.

Moments later, Barry Watson, a long-time Central Florida builder of affordable housing, said he was putting a campaign together and could announce his candidacy in the next month.

By lunch time, CNL Financial Group President Tim Seneff had dropped out of contention. The son of Jim Seneff, CNL's CEO and a major Orlando political fund-raiser, the younger Seneff was expected to bring a fresh face and a fat wallet to the race. But it wasn't in the cards.

"I believe my foremost responsibility during this season of my life lies here in Orlando serving my wife and young children, our community and CNL's associates," a statement issued by the company quoted him as saying.

So far, two Grayson challengers have formally filed federal paperwork to run.

A conservative Southern Baptist, Webster and his wife, Sandy Jordan of Orlando, home-schooled their six children, guided by the Scripture-based teachings of the ["cult-like"] Institute in Basic Life Principles, a fact that prompted some criticism that Webster's religious views were influencing the public policies of the Legislature. In 1998, he won election to the Florida Senate, where he would become the chief sponsor of legislative attempts to prolong the life of Terri Schiavo, the brain-damaged Pinellas County woman who died in 2005 when her feeding tube was removed following a protracted legal and political fight in the Legislature, Congress and the Florida Supreme Court.

"Looking downright dreamy"

"Florida Democrats gather in Orlando this weekend feeling flush with cash, staring at a buffet of open legislative seats and unified behind their strongest gubernatorial candidate since 1998. History suggests the 2010 midterm elections trim the Democratic majorities in Washington. But the timing and electoral map for Florida Democrats are looking downright dreamy." "Florida Democrats confident about 2010 odds, but hurdles loom".

Greer doth whine too much

"Sink had eye on expense cuts early".

Hukill changes mind

"State Rep. Dorothy Hukill said Friday she has dropped her bid for a congressional seat and will run again in 2010 for the Florida House. Hukill, R-Port Orange, announced this summer she would try to unseat Democratic U.S. Rep. Suzanne Kosmas in Congressional District 24, which includes parts of Volusia and three other counties." "Hukill drops Senate bid, aims to keep House seat".

Yaaawwwnnn ...

"Crist focuses on GOP unity in Reagan Day speech".

"How special-interest cash taints lawmaking in Florida's Capitol"

"The web of influence and deceit portrayed in the federal indictment of Broward County fundraising powerhouse Alan Mendelsohn tells the story of how special-interest cash taints lawmaking in Florida's Capitol." "Alan Mendelsohn indictment shows how special-interest cash taints lawmaking in Florida's Capitol".

Sea cows

The Daytona Beach News Journal editorial board: "By announcing this month that they intend to modernize the habitat list, federal officials are acknowledging reality. Scientists know much more about manatees now than they did in 1976, when the list of critical habitat areas was drawn up -- and as a result of a concentrated preservation effort, the species is making a slow climb back to sustainability. Once the state population resumes growth, the threats to the gentle, beloved manatees will also increase -- and thus, it's essential to have a realistic picture of the habitat needed to keep them safe." "Manatee habitat poorly defined".

What's wrong with this picture?

"Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush (R) reached across the aisle to praise President Obama on education reform [yesterday] morning."

President Obama has angered teachers' unions by supporting merit pay, a policy that would pay teachers based on their students' test scores.

Obama has also called for a longer school year, while teachers' unions have proposed shorter school weeks to prevent layoffs.

"I am very, very encouraged, and excited that the president has taken on a core constituency of his party, which is the teachers union," Bush said on MSNBC's Morning Joe.

"Florida Hometown Democracy"

"Managing growth a hot button topic".

"Florida's renewable energy association caves to oily deal"

Daytona Beach News Journal editorial board: "In the world of diametrically opposed elements, there are -- among other distinct examples -- fire and water, Glenn Beck and Keith Olberman, and oil drilling and solar power. So, it wouldn't have been surprising if sunspots did a double-take last week when the Florida Solar Energy Industries Association declared that it was all for oil and gas drilling within swimming distance of Florida's tourist-swarming shoreline."

The solar industry's Mephistophelean deal with the oil and gas industry goes beyond opportunism. It also undermines the solar-energy sector. Lower oil prices, should they be sustainable, aren't alternative energy's friend. They deflate incentives for alternative energy development while increasing dependence on fossil fuels. It isn't a coincidence that solar energy's growth in the United States coincided with high oil prices. ...

Oil drillers may win. Consumers won't, because what trickle-down benefits the solar industry imagines it will tap into, oily as they are, will be slim, tainted and temporary.

"Sometimes it's hard to pinpoint which is which"

The Miami Herald editorial board: "There is criminal misconduct, and there's unethical behavior. In Tallahassee, sometimes it's hard to pinpoint which is which."

In dismissing an official misconduct charge against Mr. Sansom, the judge noted: "A fair reading of the Grand Jury's Presentment should give pause to members of the Legislature, and anyone else who cares about public trust and confidence in our government institutions.'' ...

[I]f the law is "overly broad,'' as the judge maintains, and unconstitutional in this case, then the state's highest court should say so. State Attorney Willie Meggs is right to want the Attorney General's Office to appeal.

Despite the judge's ruling, the former House speaker is not out of the woods. A legislative committee investigating Mr. Sansom's conduct has hired a former statewide prosecutor to look into whether the Destin Republican violated House rules when he was a budget chairman and inserted the $6 million into the budget.

This investigation shouldn't be dragged out. The facts are in. If Mr. Sansom's actions are deemed ethical by House rules, then the rules don't merit the public's trust.

Sharp disagreement

"Florida Democratic leaders disagreed sharply Thursday over rules changes that would relax control of party finances."

Party Treasurer Alma Gonzalez said she could not support Chairman Karen Thurman's proposal to raise from $5,000 to $25,000 the amount of checks requiring the treasurer's signature. Thurman said the $5,000 limit is more than 10 years old and that a bigger, busier party needs the flexibility to make bigger purchases without the treasurer personally approving every check.

Democratic National Committeeman Jon Ausman backed Gonzalez in memos to members of the Democratic Executive Committee who will meet in Orlando during the weekend to consider rules changes. Ausman recalled that the state party's finances were investigated three times by the Florida Elections Commission between 1992-95, once by the Federal Elections Commission in 2002 and that in 2005 the Internal Revenue Service froze the party's checking account and levied a $200,000 lein for unpaid taxes.

Thousands of qualified ex-offenders "still waiting for relief"

The Saint Petersburg Times editorial board: "Florida Chief Financial Officer Alex Sink is using the issue of civil rights restoration for ex-felons to position herself as a law-and-order candidate for governor in 2010."

A letter Sink sent late last month to the governor and fellow Cabinet members who make up the state's Clemency Board raises concerns over 13 ex-offenders who were identified by an auditor general's report as having been given their civil rights back when they didn't qualify. She wants those mistakes corrected, but her letter is more about politics than good policy. The Democratic candidate for governor should focus on the thousands of qualified ex-offenders who are still waiting for relief.

While mistakes on civil rights restoration should be corrected, there are far more consequential problems with the process. In large measure, the failing of the system is that too many eligible nonviolent offenders aren't gaining their rights back in a timely manner. Sink's concern and the Clemency Board's time and attention should be focused on eliminating barriers to full citizenship for ex-offenders who have served their time.

Gov. Charlie Crist made important strides when he pushed to expand the number of nonviolent ex-felons eligible to have their civil rights restored without a hearing. Before the Clemency Board changed the rules in April 2007, only 26 percent of ex-offenders qualified for "automatic" civil rights restoration. After the rule change, 80 percent became eligible.

But since then Crist has not been a leader ... .

Parade

"Gay-rights pioneer's nephew to lead Orlando pride parade".

"Condo Vultures don't throw up on themselves"

Marie Cocco on Michael Moore's exposure of "companies like Condo Vultures."

Moore chronicles the endeavors of this Florida enterprise as it gobbles up foreclosed apartments for a fraction of the price their former owners paid. The difference between the real-estate flippers and the vultures of the animal world, an earnest company representative tells Moore, is that the Condo Vultures don't throw up on themselves.

Luv 4 sale

"Crist's fundraising for his U.S. Senate campaign has slowed to a breakneck pace." Meanwhile,

The Democratic Party has yet to field a major candidate for chief financial officer, and its candidates for other statewide posts face well-financed Republican rivals: Senate President Jeff Atwater said he has more than $1 million for his chief financial officer bid, while U.S. Rep. Adam Putnam of Bartow is approaching the same milestone for agriculture commissioner.

On Friday, the Republican Party of Florida plans to announce its "Victory 2010'' campaign account, which will be led by finance chairman Allan Bense, the former House speaker. Some Republican donors have expressed concern about spending by the state chairman, Jim Greer, but a party spokeswoman said the victory account was an election-year tradition.

Gotta be sumthin' wrong somewhere

"Federal Election Commission audits Florida Democratic Party".

Free riders

"Rail plan: Taxpayers wouldn't pay for the Tampa-Orlando line".

His "objectivity has never been in question"?

"The powerful Miami lawmaker now in charge of the Senate committee on energy policy is married to a lobbyist hired to help secure the repeal of Florida's ban on offshore oil and gas exploration."

Senate Majority Leader Alex Diaz de la Portilla, R-Miami, earlier this month was named chairman of the Senate's energy, environment and land use committee. He insists that any vote on oil drilling or other energy policies that come before him will not be influenced by his wife, Claudia, one of more than two dozen lobbyists registered to represent Florida Energy Associates, the umbrella group of oil and gas industry representatives seeking access to drill off Florida's coastline.

"My objectivity has never been in question,'' said Sen. Diaz de la Portilla, 45.

Oops

"Florida Power & Light agreed to pay a $25 million penalty to settle a case involving a power outage created by a careless engineer." "FPL to pay $25M for blackout blunder".

Yaaawwwnnn ...

Scott Maxwell: "Where's the beef in our pols' tweets?".

"Inland water issues"

"Describing springs protection as 'one of the more complex environmental challenges facing the state,' Florida Senate President Jeff Atwater this week created a special committee to focus on inland water issues." "Senate creates panel to protect springs".

Many Republicans had looked at Crotty as one of their best hopes of winning back the U.S. House seat that Grayson, a millionaire lawyer and firebrand Democrat, took from the GOP column last year. Grayson beat four-term Republican Ric Keller and has gone on to attract national attention with his pointed criticisms of Republicans and their health-care policies.

With Crotty's exit, Republicans are waiting to see what [home schooler/Schiavo fanatic] former state Sen. Dan Webster* will do. The Winter Garden Republican also has been indecisive about a congressional run, but in a brief e-mail to the Orlando Sentinel on Monday, he said he expected to make his intentions known this week.

One observer with close ties to Crotty said he thought Crotty dropped out for personal reasons and simply favors Webster to run.

"I know Dan is close [to making a decision]," Orange County GOP Chairman Lew Oliver said. "But I don't know which way he'll go."

He received a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering from Georgia Tech in 1971. Webster's political career officially began in 1980 when he was elected as a Republican to the then-Democrat controlled Florida House of Representatives. He served 18 years in the House, two of which as minority leader prior to the GOP takeover in 1996. The change of party control made Webster the first GOP House Speaker in Florida since Reconstruction.

A conservative Southern Baptist, Webster and his wife, Sandy Jordan of Orlando, home-schooled their six children, guided by the Scripture-based teachings of the ["cult-like"] Institute in Basic Life Principles, a fact that prompted some criticism that Webster's religious views were influencing the public policies of the Legislature. In 1998, he won election to the Florida Senate, where he would become the chief sponsor of legislative attempts to prolong the life of Terri Schiavo, the brain-damaged Pinellas County woman who died in 2005 when her feeding tube was removed folowing a protracted legal and political fight in the Legislature, Congress and the Florida Supreme Court.

Sink rockin'

"Alex Sink is on track to be the Democrats' best-funded gubernatorial candidate in years, with the chief financial officer reporting Monday that she raised $1.6 million over the past three months." "Alex Sink raises $1.6 million for gubernatorial campaign in third quarter" ("main Republican candidate for governor, Attorney General Bill McCollum, has not reported his latest fundraising tally, and his campaign did not respond to requests for comment Monday.")

Sansom gets a pass

"The case against former House Speaker Ray Sansom suffered a major blow Monday when a judge dismissed an official misconduct charge related to a $6 million project that a grand jury said was to be an airplane hangar for one of Sansom's political allies."

Lewis also swept aside felony official misconduct charges against Sansom's co-defendants: developer and big-time GOP donor Jay Odom and former Northwest Florida State College president Bob Richburg. A perjury charge against Richburg was dismissed, though part of one against Sansom was allowed to stand.

Lewis let stand part of a perjury charge against Sansom -- whether he lied by saying the college requested millions in additional funding for a different project in 2008. But Meggs conceded that aspect was one of the weaker components of the case.

Even if Sansom, 47, prevails in state court, he could have other legal issues to confront. The FBI and IRS have been investigating in some capacity, though officials will not say to what extent.

In granting their motions to dismiss the main official misconduct charges, the judge took a narrow view and concluded the law is unconstitutional as it applied to this case. Lewis wrote that legislation is not falsified merely because a single lawmaker misrepresents the act's purpose. In many cases, that would be a reasonable conclusion. After all, lawmakers often are less than truthful to the public and their colleagues about the potential impact of a particular piece of legislation.

But the Sansom scandal is different. It involves spending public education dollars to benefit a private business and lying about it. Under the judge's reasoning, legislators are free to falsely describe the use of tax money in the budget for one public purpose and then steer the money to their politically powerful friends. What lawmakers call another joint use emergency facility could be a private car dealership. What they label a generic public clinic could be a private doctor's office. The possibilities for the misuse of taxpayer money would be limited only by the imaginations of legislators and their pals, and what little public trust in government there is now would evaporate.

"It is also natural to want to punish those involved," the judge wrote. "But not every wrongful conduct is a crime. Sometimes the remedy for such conduct must be political rather than judicial. This is one of those situations.''

No, it isn't. Sansom, Richburg and Odom conspired to misuse public education construction money for private benefit, and that is a crime against all Floridians. If there is not a state law that fits this abuse of the public trust, there should be.

Argenziano

"A mysterious ethics complaint has been filed against Florida Public Service Commissioner Nancy Argenziano, who said today that it's filled with errors. Such citizen complaints usually are confidential until the state Ethics Commission completes an initial investigation, but copies were delivered to news organizations in Tallahassee." "Argenziano target of mysterious ethics complaint".

"Collecting campaign checks"

"State lawmakers are back at the Capitol for the first time in months, and some are using the opportunity to engage in a favorite pastime: collecting campaign checks from lobbyists and their clients." "Florida legislators' fundraising back in session". See also "For Florida legislators, no visit to Tallahassee is too short to ask for checks".

A matter of priorities

On one hand we have "Felons on hold", but on the other we have this: "State seeks to speed up weapon permits".

Oil

"Group aims for neutral forum on drilling". See also "Century Commission for a Sustainable Florida assessing offshore drilling".

Jim Smith betrays another friend

"Ann Bowden: Bobby betrayed as pressure builds at FSU".

Outa there

"Public Service Commissioner Katrina McMurrian resigned from the embattled state utility regulation board Monday, three months before her term expires, after Gov. Charlie Crist failed to reappoint her last week. In her resignation letter to Crist, McMurrian cited the governor's request that the PSC postpone decisions on increasing base rates for Florida Power & Light and Progress Energy until his two new commissioners begin their jobs in January." "Lame-duck member of Public Service Commission quits post". As a result, "Crist to appoint 3 month stand-in to finish utility regulator’s term".

Meantime, the The Palm Beach Post editorial board points out that "the Public Service Commission is set to decide whether Florida Power & Light Co. can build a 300-mile natural gas pipeline from Northeast Florida to Martin County. There is no reason to delay that decision." "PSC: ... but rule on FPL pipeline".

"Barriers"

"As the health-care reform debate takes shape in Congress, advocates worry that many Hispanics -- who have the highest rate of uninsured of all ethnic and racial groups -- could still be left without needed medical care." "Hispanics could face barriers under health-care reform".

Even the Trib gets it

"[T]hree years ago the Florida Death Penalty Assessment Team made recommendations that should not have been ignored, and death penalty experts, both pro- and con-, have renewed calls for change. They met last month in Tallahassee to discuss the recommendations and develop strategies to see them put in place."

It's a good time to press lawmakers. Capital punishment is not cheap. The Death Penalty Information Center, which opposes capital punishment, says it costs Florida $51 million more to house death-row inmates than murderers sentenced to life without parole. With the state financially strapped, the cost of death row should be part of the discussion.

Lawmakers should also consider revising the law to require jurors' death sentence recommendations to be unanimous. Granted, such a change would have benefitted someone like Couey, who had two jurors refuse to recommend the death penalty. But today Florida alone allows jurors to make a recommendation based on a majority vote.

The assessment team also found confusion among jurors in capital cases. Almost a third believed they were required to sentence someone to death if that person's conduct was "heinous, vile or depraved." And a quarter believed a death sentence was mandatory if they considered the defendant to be a future danger to society. Clearly jury instructions need to be clarified and delivered in plain-spoken language.

The assessment team uncovered racial and social disparities among death-row inmates. A fair and accurate system must root out and eliminate bias.

And although Florida demands stringent qualifications for trial lawyers in capital cases, the state caps attorney fees at $3,500 for postconviction appeals, discouraging all but the most inexperienced attorneys. Lawmakers should set a more realistic fee schedule.

Finally, it's important to note that while Florida has executed 68 people since 1976, it has exonerated 23 inmates on death row – more than any other state. This statistic certainly suggests our system isn't perfect.

Will investors pay for it?

"State regulators are set to decide Tuesday if FPL should ask customers to shoulder the cost of a $1.6 billion natural gas pipeline or seek investors to pay for it." "PSC to decide: Who'll pay for FPL's $1.6B pipeline?".

Pissy

Alleged journalists get pissy.

Thrasher alone

"As winner of the Republican primary, former House Speaker John Thrasher's name will appear on the ballot, but the names of the write-in candidates will not appear. If a voter wants to vote for someone other than Thrasher, the correct name of one of the write-in candidates must be written in by the voter. Officials estimate the election will cost about $700,000." "Former House speaker facing write-in candidates".

used the little-known [the Florida Society of Ophthalmologists] to raise his profile in the prominent Florida Medical Association, launching an improbable role as a tour-de-force political fundraiser on a first-name basis with Jeb Bush, Charlie Crist and other top Republicans.

Today, Mendelsohn, 51, is accused of being a crook.

An indictment returned by a Fort Lauderdale federal grand jury last week portrays the eye doctor as a boastful rainmaker turned criminal opportunist: He is accused of defrauding doctors and other major contributors out of hundreds of thousands of dollars in political donations. He led them to believe he could perform behind-the-scenes miracles in Tallahassee, the indictment says.

Mendelsohn, who pleaded not guilty in federal court Wednesday, used the money to support a more than comfortable lifestyle, prosecutors say. He spent it on himself, his mistress and his four children's private schools -- including donating $250,000 in political funds to his medical school alma mater when his son sought admission, the indictment says. It is illegal to divert political contributions to personal use.

He also conspired with an unnamed "accomplice'' to set up a series of political action committees and corporations to conceal the illegal diversion of donations to state lawmakers -- including one unnamed public official who received $87,000, the indictment says.

He liked to talk trash and wasn't afraid to make enemies, say those who know him.

"I hated the guy,'' said former Democratic Sen. Steve Geller of Hallandale Beach, who lost a notoriously ugly 1998 race to a Mendelsohn-backed candidate, Ellyn Bogdanoff. "He would do whatever it takes to win.''

Bogdanoff, who described Mendelsohn as a "friend,'' declined to talk about their relationship.

"Whatever Ken wanted him to do, he did,'' said former Sen. Debby Sanderson of Fort Lauderdale, who did not seek reelection after Pruitt and other Republican leaders redrew her voting district to favor a Mendelsohn-backed candidate, Jeff Atwater. "Ken needed to raise money for the presidency, and Alan wanted votes.''

Pruitt told a Herald/Times reporter he would not comment about Mendelsohn. He has said he received campaign contributions from the doctor but is not involved with the federal investigation.

Still, Mendelsohn was tight enough with Pruitt and Gov. Crist that both men wrote letters recommending the University of Florida medical school admit the doctor's son in 2007. He was accepted.

Case in point: Mutual Benefits Corp., a Fort Lauderdale life insurance company headed by Joel Steinger. According to the indictment, Mendelsohn convinced Steinger to donate more than $1.5 million to Mendelsohn's political action committees on the promise that the eye doctor could help kill legislation that would hurt Mutual Benefits.

Mendelsohn also told Steinger he could get Crist and other senior officials to hinder a state investigation into Mutual Benefits, the indictment charges.

Steinger worked hand-in-hand with Mendelsohn's influence-peddling efforts on behalf of Mutual Benefits.

But Nielsen, one of the state's top political strategists, said Mendelsohn would manipulate donors into believing he could fix their problems.

"He conned the con men,'' Nielsen said. "He's the Bernie Madoff of 527s,'' referring to issue-oriented political groups that raise and spend campaign funds.

"Lawyers, citing confidentiality concerns, declined comment"

Greenberg Trauig has quite a track record. See "Greenberg Traurig Executive Describes Misconduct by Abramoff, Other Lobbyists" and "Abramoff Ex-Firm Settles With Tribe (washingtonpost.com)". And remember this "Incoming RNC Chair Martinez and Abramoff?".

Oh yeah, on top of all that, Dubya's lawyer in the 2000 election fiasco also happened to be a Greenberg Trauig attorney?.

The latest ...

The law firm of "Greenberg Traurig's effort to help Stanford in 1998 was one in a string of instances in which the Florida law firm propelled Stanford's business interests and helped rescue him from crisis. The Miami Herald sought interviews with five lawyers who represented Stanford while working for the law firm, but only two responded. Those lawyers, citing confidentiality concerns, declined comment, saying they were simply giving legal support and were unaware of any illegal schemes by Stanford." "Did lawyers' legal advice aid Allen Stanford's banking empire?".

"Crist running, problems staying?"

"Crist Lauds Insurance Reform's Results".

"Alan Grayson will continue getting away with being Alan Grayson"

Mark Lane writes that

for all the furious denunciations by Republicans this week, they aren't exactly lining up against him. Big names get mentioned. Big names demure.

The Republican district has turned into an Obama-majority district. Plus Grayson's personal wealth -- Roll Call estimates he's the 12th richest member of Congress -- gives him room to indulge in a certain amount of rhetorical excess without worrying about how he'll raise money. Heck, he's raised more than $100,000 in donations in the wake of his latest controversy.

Strangely, he's also been applauded by independents, populists and libertarians for his criticisms -- strongly worded criticisms, of course -- of the Federal Reserve system.

So in a state where Democrats tend to be of a conservative and hands-across-the-aisle mold, it looks like Alan Grayson will continue getting away with being Alan Grayson.

Conservatives who quibble with the 45,000 figure [cited by Grayson] don't say what number would be acceptable.

Would 5,000 be OK?

It's an interesting conundrum for the pro-life party. Save the embryo until she grows up, can't afford health insurance, and dies for lack of a timely mammogram. Demand that a terminally ill grandma be kept alive, but then let her nephew die for lack of an EKG.

The sanctity of life depends on where that life ranks on the ideological sliding scale.

I think Grayson's holocaust comment was over the top, and [the statistics wizard] remain suspicious of the Harvard report.

But I do appreciate Republicans being forced to take a seat on the death panel.

When you elect RPOFers ...

... you get what the state's banking industry paid for: "A trio of early bills filed in Tallahassee aim to provide more protections to Florida homeowners and tenants in foreclosure cases, but it’s unlikely any will be passed. The bills, all filed by House Democrats, likely will have an uphill battle next year in the Republican-controlled Legislature, which didn’t act on similar proposals in 2009. All three measures also face resistance from the state’s banking industry, which remains politically influential despite the economic beating it has taken." "Foreclosure bills face uphill climb".

"Some opponents will never be satisfied"

Jane Healy: "For years, Central Florida has had its eyes on two critical transportation projects — the Wekiva Parkway and commuter rail. But it's becoming increasingly clear that some opponents will never be satisfied no matter how sensible the plan." "What do Fred Brummer and Paula Dockery really want?".

Atwater looks to walk into cabinet

"Senate President Jeff Atwater doesn't have much standing in his way at the moment in his bid to become Florida's next chief financial officer in 2010. ... And the Democrat? There isn't a credible one yet — though there's talk that Bud Chiles, son of the late governor, is considering getting in." "Atwater in lead for CFO".

Press conference ahead

"Florida lawmakers vow changes after learning of laxness, loopholes in checking child and elder care workers".

FairDistrictsFlorida.org

Aaron Deslatte: "[T]rial lawyers are raising cash this week for FairDistrictsFlorida.org, which wants to put a constitutional amendment on next year's ballot changing the way legislative and congressional districts are drawn."

The organization casts itself as nonpartisan. But Democrats and left-leaning groups have done the heavy financial lifting so far. Big givers include state and national teacher unions ($150,000); Jacksonville trial lawyer Wayne Hogan ($60,000), and the Service Employees International Union ($225,000).

ACORN is on the list, too, giving $25,000.

So is Orlando's outspoken U.S. Rep. Alan Grayson, who mocked Republicans last week for encouraging the uninsured sick to "die quickly." He gave $12,000 before he won his election last year.

Democrats view the amendment as their best shot to win back control of either the Florida House or Senate in the next decade.

Hometown Democracy

The Orlando Sentinel editorial board claims to be "as angry and exasperated as anyone when it comes to how readily officials throughout Florida trample local growth plans."

The plans are supposed to reflect a community's vision of how — or even whether — it wishes to grow. But at the behest of developers, and frequently against residents' wishes, they're stomped on by city and county commissioners as many as 12,000 times a year.

No wonder Hometown Democracy, a grass roots movement cultivated by land-use attorneys Lesley Blackner and Ross Burnaman, got enough public support for a 2010 ballot to alter that landscape. It would require public votes on any changes to local growth plans.

If it passes, local officials couldn't grease corpulent developments past land-use restrictions that don't allow them. They couldn't plop 23,000 homes somewhere in Volusia and Brevard counties — the so-called Farmton Plan — when those counties' growth plans don't include them. They couldn't — unless voters say they could.

Something's needed to get officials to honor growth-management plans. And Hometown Democracy appears an earnest, provocative and intriguing way of making them do so.

But we can't support it.