You know things aren't going well on the journey to the Potomac when even Crist's hometown Republicans have started to treat the governor with all the love and respect of Tiger Woods' wife discovering her husband makes Hedonism II look like Lourdes.

Governor? Welcome to reality. And it isn't pretty, is it?

And thus Mr. Zippity-Doo-Dah now has found himself in the political grudge match of his heretofore pretty unruffled hustings career. More pointedly, if Crist doesn't do something now to begin to reverse Rubio's challenge, by this time next year the governor might have to get a real job. Uh-oh.

Things have always come easy to Charlie Crist — the Florida Senate, education commissioner, attorney general and eventually governor. It's amazing just how far a warm smile, a firm handshake and spit-polished shoes can carry one in life. This has been like having Pat Sajak running the state.

So it is that the governor, for all his charm and warmth and hail fellow well met persona, has discovered he runs the risk of becoming Tallahassee's answer to Arthur Miller's Willie Loman — a man who is liked, but not well liked. ...

So if the governor really wants to be the next senator, he better get in touch with his inner Sean Penn and quick. Give 'em hell, Charlie. Has sort of a retro ring to it, doesn't it?

Hey, it worked for Harry Truman. Oops, he was a dreaded Democrat. Sorry.

Meek-Ferre

"A year ago, Meek launched a workmanlike campaign that quickly cemented his status as the presumed Democratic nominee for Florida's open Senate seat. His only noteworthy rival, former Miami Mayor Maurice Ferre, said this week that he has less than $60,000 in the bank. Meek had $2.7 million stashed as of Sept. 30."

The two Democrats rarely treat each other as rivals. Instead, they have piled on Crist, who until recently was viewed as the surefire Republican nominee.

"He isn't prepared to lead this state in the United States Senate,'' Meek told the Tallahassee press corps last week. ``One, he doesn't like to make a decision. Two, he's very vague. And three, I believe he's more politician than leader.''

Ferre's attacks have focused on accused billion-dollar swindler Scott Rothstein's close ties to Crist and the Republican Party of Florida.

"I think the Rothstein issue is a clear indication of the unhealthy, and in my opinion, heartbreaking importance of money in politics,'' Ferre said. "Americans are really fed up with crooks and Ponzi schemes and the influence of money.''

Rubio's surge in the polls is forcing the Democrats to expand their targets. The Democratic Party recently jumped on the former speaker of the Florida House for pledging to repeal the healthcare legislation headed for passage in Congress.

"TKO"

"The campaign to replace Durell Peaden in the Florida Senate may be a TKO more than eight months before the primary. Rep. Greg Evers, a Baker Republican, now has the endorsement of the National Rifle Association and Republican leadership in the Senate to go along with a nearly four-to-one money lead against Pensacola Rep. Dave Murzin and insurance agent Mike Hill." "Evers ahead in Senate race".

"Tweeting, texting ..."

"Florida considering ban on juror Tweeting, texting".

"Busting teachers unions"

The Palm Beach Post's Jac Wilder VerSteeg: "Robert Dow and I don't agree on everything. He's president of the Palm Beach County Classroom Teachers Association ."

But I agreed with Mr. Dow when he told me this week that "over the past few years, the whole thing has been to blame teachers — and especially teacher unions — for everything that's gone wrong in education."

"Race to the Top" is the latest manifestation of this inclination to blame, and punish, teachers.

Race to the Top, part of last year's $787 billion federal stimulus program, supposedly is a $4 billion reward for innovative schools. In Florida, which could get $700 million, the main "innovation" would be busting teachers unions. ...

A "Memorandum of Understanding" contains Florida's basic pitch for Race to the Top money. It talks about requiring more science and math classes. But the central "innovation" would change the way teachers are hired, assigned, promoted and paid.

And the central factor in evaluations? FCAT results. Why? Because that's what we've got. Never mind that the FCAT is too narrow and too affected by factors outside the teacher's control, including socioeconomic status and parental involvement. Moreover, the FCAT already is used to grade schools. If praying to the FCAT idol — as we've done for a decade — could produce uniformly great teachers, we'd have them now.

Supplying eyewash, the state says that teachers would be evaluated on other factors, such as evaluations by parents and students. But the FCAT remains the biggie. Add a spoonful of caviar to bucket of spit and you've still got mostly spit.

Bought and paid for

"Fla. business leaders meet with lawmakers".

Daily Rothstein

"Disbarred lawyer and accused Ponzi schemer Scott Rothstein's taint is spreading among Broward law enforcement agencies."

The Fort Lauderdale Police Department has suspended two officers who may have violated off-duty work rules last year while in Rothstein's employ.

And the Broward Sheriff's Office is investigating two high-ranking officials' links to Rothstein. In both instances, the investigations should be conducted by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. An outside, impartial eye is best.

Ausley

"After going months without a competitive candidate for chief financial officer, Florida Democrats have recruited a former legislator to complete their slate of statewide candidates for 2010. Ex-state Rep. Loranne Ausley dropped her state Senate campaign this week to run for the position, which is being vacated by Democrat Alex Sink, who is running for governor." "Democrats select state CFO candidate". Related: "CFO candidate Jeff Atwater meets and greets area GOP".

HD 58

The Tampa Tribune editorial board: "Cruz and Rojas-Quinones in District 58 primaries".

OSHA?

"Worker crushed to death at construction site".

"The job train"

Steve Otto: "Florida Democratic U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson headed a string of speakers that included Mayor Pam Iorio and U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor, D-Tampa, who all used the mantra that the project will mean as many as 23,000 jobs for the initial construction to Orlando." "High speed push goes full throttle".

Public records for $1M

The Saint Petersburg Times editorial board: "The Florida Constitution requires doctors and hospitals to provide public access to records of medical mistakes. Yet when a patient went to University Community Hospital seeking one doctor's adverse incident reports, the not-for-profit Tampa hospital claimed it would cost $1 million to produce them. That suggests either UCH hasn't been complying with state law on maintaining medical records or it's inflating the cost to discourage requests. Either way, it has violated patients' trust and the Constitution." "Hospital violates trust, law".

Sue, Charlie sue!

"In a move cheered by environmental groups, the federal government Friday proposed stringent limits on "nutrient" pollution allowed to foul Florida's waterways."

The geniuses weigh in:

But a coalition of agriculture and industry groups, which formed two months ago to oppose the EPA rules, responded quickly by calling the proposed limits a "water tax."

"This terrible regulation is not needed because Florida nutrient standards are perfectly adequate," said Jim Alves, a lobbyist who represents power companies and wastewater utilities. "The science isn't there to do this regulation."

Barney Bishop, the president of Associated Industries of Florida, said the cost — which his group estimates at more than $50 billion — would hurt business recruitment and job creation.

"It's onerous, stupid, ridiculous and idiotic," he said.

Ever since the lawsuit settlement, political officials and special interests have waded into the debate. Gov. Charlie Crist, Attorney General Bill McCollum and Agriculture Commissioner Charlie Bronson previously voiced strong objections and suggested the state might sue the EPA.

Florida with its hands out, yet again

"Crist Pushing for Agricultural Disaster Declaration".

Buddy Johnson

"Former Hillsborough Supervisor of Elections Buddy Johnson, facing foreclosure and a fraud lawsuit, has abandoned any claim to 20 acres of land he bought three years ago for $800,000, and still faces the prospect of having to defend his actions in court." "Buddy Johnson loses Plant City land". Background: "Buddy Johnson's troubles".

Seagrass

"A Washington-based conservation foundation is hoping success of its first seagrass restoration project, now under way in the Keys, will lead to a seagrass mitigation fund for Florida. But some environmental groups criticize the effort. " "Controversy surrounds seagrass project".

Tea-baggers in a dither

"Vice President Joe Biden on Friday told Haitian-American and Florida political leaders the rebuilding of Haiti would remain a priority for the U.S. long after the story fades from the headlines." "Biden visits South Florida to discuss Haiti".

About Bill

"As governor, McCollum would lead Florida into Dark Ages". Another perspective from Kingsley Guy: "McCollum is a smart leader who'd make a good governor".

"At best, he was only partly right"

The Palm Beach Post editorial board: "After the Public Service Commission on Wednesday shredded Florida Power & Light's $1.2 billion annual rate request to $75 million, FPL President Armando Olivera complained that 'politics trumped economics.' At best, he was only partly right." "Hit reset on utility rates".

"Tougher ethics laws"?

Steve Bousquet writes that, "in a political age dominated by the excesses of Scott Rothstein and Alan Mendelsohn, and with the taint of Ray Sansom lingering over the Legislature like a bad hangover, you might expect elected leaders to be crusading for tougher ethics laws. Only you don't, and that's the problem." "Ethics chair lobbies for change in unreceptive corners".

Rubio

Scott Maxwell: "The former House speaker's campaign against Charlie Crist for the U.S. Senate continues to surge — with much of Rubio's popularity based upon his supposed commitment to fiscal responsibility."

He continually blasts "excessive and wasteful spending" and promises to be different if he goes to Washington.

It's an interesting claim for a man who began his speakership by spending more than $550,000 of taxpayer money renovating his office … as well as a members-only dining room. And for a man who refuses to disclose what kind perks he enjoyed as speaker, even though many people have asked.

In fact, questions about those perks — financed through a Republican Party credit card — could continue to haunt Rubio during this campaign if he doesn't come clean.

After all, we know another former speaker lived high on the hog, thanks to big donors and special interests.

Ray Sansom racked up more than $170,000 worth of charges on everything from family vacations to pricey dinners. There was $1,900 at Best Buy, $975 in tuxedo rentals, a $597 dinner at Tallahassee's University Club, $839 at Starbucks, and much, much more.

Who really cares ...

... what these idiots have to say. These "business groups" have already made a disaster of the state.

"The Florida Council of 100 and the Florida Chamber of Commerce released the 69-page report during a news conference in the governor's office, saying that improving the education system is critical for economic development and attracting businesses."

This is no surprise - apparently,

the report looked like a "regurgitation and repackaging" of a Bush "wish list."

'Ya reckon?

The Sun-Sentinel editorial board: "State can't afford reviving school tax holiday".

The knuckle-dragger speaks

"Jeb Bush: No opinion on Rubio; Obama too far to the left".

Brain trust

"House panel debates offshore drilling".

Laff riot

The Tallahassee Democrat editorial board: "Maybe something new will come of the jobs summit". More: "Sen. Nan Rich: Republican ‘jobs summit’ a seance for old ideas".

"A handful of gimme and a mouthful of much obliged"

"" "Florida lawmakers see crisis if Congress doesn't extend extra funding".

HD 58

The Saint Petersburg Times editorial board: For state House District 58

"It was a last minute decision by Pat Kemp that thrust her into the Democratic primary for the special election for state House District 58. With a scant 36 hours to the registration deadline, volunteers hit the streets to gather enough petition signatures to avoid paying a $1,915 filing fee. But it is that grass-roots mobilization that Kemp sees as her greatest strength." "State House District 58 race: Patricia 'Pat' Kemp, Democrat". See also "State House District 58 race: Hunter Chamberlin, Republican", "State House District 58 race: Gilberto 'Gil' Sanchez, Democrat" and "State House District 58 race: Jackie Rojas-Quinones, Republican".

Billy holds a press conference

Paul Flemming: "Attorney General Bill McCollum says his legislative priority this year is to pass a bill to cap contingency fees for contract attorneys pursuing lawsuits on behalf of the state."

The proposal — it failed last year — would require competitive bidding for legal services and make the resulting contracts public. But it's the cap that gets top billing. It's a classic fight between generally Republican business interests and Democrat-leaning trial attorneys.

Gambling

"The Seminole gambling deal is dead. The tribe's blackjack tables could be next. In a sharp rebuke to Gov. Charlie Crist, a Florida House committee on Thursday voted 17-0 to reject his proposed revenue-sharing deal with the tribe, effectively ending its chances in the House." "Legislators kill Seminole gambling deal; casino blackjack's future uncertain".

Daily Rothstein

"Rothstein auction: Preview items up for sale".

One trick pony

The The Miami Herald editorial board: "The cash-strapped Broward School Board turned down the potential for $34 million over the next four years to improve teacher training, better track individual student achievement and help low-performing schools improve."

Remember, unions are bad things:

It was a political move prompted by the sour relations between the Broward Techers Union and School Superintendent Jim Notter. And it was wrong.

Mr. Notter wisely recommended that the board sign on to compete for the money, but the BTU, like most teachers unions in Florida, balked at tying any performance evaluation of teachers to the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test. As it stands, Florida's plan would link teacher performance partly to how their students progress on the FCAT, but half of that teacher evaluation would come from other measures.

Sansom

"A legislative panel on Thursday delayed for a month its planned House trial of ousted Speaker Ray Sansom, but will urge the lawmaker to appear next week as it weighs allegations that he undermined the House's integrity." "House trial of Ray Sansom on hold for a month".

Oh my! What would Limbaugh think of this!

"Sen. Nelson visits Haitian quake victims in Fla.". More: "NFL, union pledge $1 million in Haiti relief".

Peter Feaman, a GOP committeeman from Palm Beach County, read a resolution that was roundly acclaimed by the 243-member committee:

"WHEREAS there are thousands of discontented citizens across the state of Florida, loosely identified as 'Tea Party' people, who agree with the Republican philosophy of government, but may not know it.

"Be it resolved, therefore, that the Republican Party of Florida, through its paid staff and other resources, develop a program to be implemented by the county Republican Executive Committees, or otherwise, to communicate the Republican message to the Tea Party citizens, find common ground, get out their vote on Election Day and encourage their participation in electing Republican candidates."

warned the state committee members that "we'd better wake up" to the success of Sarah Palin. If the Republicans can't win the Tea Partiers, he said, Democrats will win and move the country to the left — and instead of the GOP making a comeback, a new party will emerge to win back what the Republicans lost.

"There is a danger of a third party," he said. "The Republican Party has to show the Tea Party folks that it is the party of Reagan and the principles we all know and love."

But any Republican conversation containing the words "Tea Party" quickly runs aground on another term, "purist." Outgoing state party chairman Jim Greer frankly admitted that "I've never been a purist" and said (without naming them) his opponents were willing to "burn the house down" to get their way. And it's true that the typical Tea Party voter, if there is such, would rather lose a principled election than win one by compromising.

"A handful of gimme and a mouthful of much obliged"

"For all their hand-wringing over President Barack Obama's $787-billion stimulus plan, Florida's Republican-controlled Legislature has weathered tough economic times by pumping $9.5 billion from the bailout into the state's budget." "GOP legislators may criticize stimulus funds -- but they've spent $9.5 billion so far".

Steve Otto ...

... explains why he doesn't trust teachers' unions: "Frau in my bedroom, not HCTA". We're sure his column will make his anti-union employer very happy.

527s

Aaron Deslatte: "Florida lawmakers plan to push this year to re-enact rules on so-called '527' political groups that right now are free to launch ad attacks on candidates without telling voters who is paying for them."

But a Senate panel heard Wednesday that a federal judge's ruling last year could mean some of the most common tactics that stealthy groups use to attack candidates – phone calls and campaign mailers – could be off-limits.

Mica's mess

"D'Anne Leigh Mica, daughter of U.S. Rep. John Mica (R-Fla.), was arrested on the morning of January 8 for driving under the influence. Her blood-alcohol content was more than twice the legal limit."

The incident might have faded away, but Rep. Mica's opponents were reminded of potentially suspicious connections between the congressman's legislation and his daughter's business with a large Florida construction company.

The website of D'Anne Leigh Mica's PR firm lists Florida-based construction giant, PBS&J, which has recently been involved in corruption scandals of its own, as a client. Rep. Mica is the ranking Republican on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, and has, in the past, pushed for construction projects that clients of his daughters would be in charge of overseeing.

One of the most high profile of those has been his effort to secure federal support for a high speed rail link that would connect Orlando to Lakeland and Tampa. Mica helped push legislation for the 110-mile-per hour fast train through congress in 2008. Last month, he said Florida was one of four finalists to get millions in funding for the pioneering project. (The Federal Railroad administration disputed that, saying there is no short list yet. They are currently considering requests from 24 states seeking a combined $50 billion.)

Forms submitted by PBS&J lobbyists last year indicate the company has pursued the rail project both with members of the House Transportation Committee and congressional representatives from Florida to discuss, though it does not identify which members they contacted.

Thomas on Sink

Mike Thomas anoints "Gov. Bill McCollum."

You heard me right.

I now give Bill a 50.1 percent chance of becoming the most personality-challenged governor in America.

That is 50 percentage points more than I gave him when he entered the race with these stirring words about the state's highest office: "That is a position we have to have filled by someone who will be strong.''

What changed my mind? Alex Sink.

But in practice, Sink turned out to be the worst candidate since, well, Bill McCollum. She may even be as bad as her husband, Bill McBride.

McBride ran against Jeb Bush in 2002. The two faced a pivotal third debate with the race deadlocked. Stunningly, McBride arrived like a high-school student who didn't crack a book before his final exam. Jeb wonked him to death, grabbed the momentum, won handily and marveled afterward about his good fortune in running against Democrats.

I'm afraid Sink seems no better prepared than her spouse.

Sansom's lawyer takes a hike

"The special House committee investigating former Speaker Ray Sansom today agreed to postpone for a month a trial-style hearing because his attorney in the case quit." "House inquiry into Sansom delayed".

"Florida earned a B-minus"

"The state also did a little better in the way it funds schools, getting credit for its equal distribution of money to school districts. But the report used data in this category only up to 2007. That means it did not cover the deep funding cuts that came later. Florida's public schools, on average, started this school year with $418 less per child than they had at the start of the 2007-08 school year."

Education Week gave the state an A in standards and accountability and a B in teacher-related measures, grades based largely on policy.

Florida received a C-plus in a category called "transitions and alignment," which considers a variety of ways to measure how easily kids move from preschool to school to postsecondary programs.

Florida rated a C on the report's chance-for-success index, which was determined based on 13 indicators, some of which are largely outside the state's control. For example, states are judged based on family incomes and employment rates as well as on students' work in math and reading.

One grade that Hightower said could change a lot next year is the state's finance grade.

Florida is 39th in the nation in terms of the percentage of its budget earmarked for public education, a small improvement over last year. But the rating is based on data collected in 2007 – the most recent available on a national level.

The current grade doesn't take into consideration how funding changed because of the recession and the influx of billions of federal stimulus dollars.

"Barely true"?

"With Republicans Charlie Crist and Marco Rubio dominating news coverage about Florida's U.S. Senate race, Democratic U.S. Rep. Kendrick Meek would like you to know he's running, too."

Meek says a number of national publications consider Florida's Senate race this fall a tossup. That number, however, appears to be just one. The overwhelming majority of pundits who attempt to predict election outcomes all have Republicans favored in the Sunshine State.

Maybe the ratings will change. But they haven't yet. We rate Meek's claim Barely True.

Ye get what ye pay for

"Budget cuts force Broward services to close Friday".

"An obscure point of law"

Joel Engelhardt: "The fate of Gov. Crist's landmark U.S. Sugar deal could come down to an obscure point of law that the Florida Supreme Court is likely to decide this month." "Will court sour sugar deal?".

Whatever

"Jeb Bush joins Gov. Crist at education press conference".

Spence-Jones

The Miami Herald editors argue that, "[u]ntil her legal status is settled, Michelle Spence-Jones is unqualified to hold a public office. So even though she won back her District 5 Miami Commission seat Tuesday after a dismal 10-percent turnout of voters, Gov. Charlie Crist should again suspend her from the post."

Ms. Spence-Jones is accused of one count of grand theft for allegedly redirecting $50,000 in county grant money to a family business. Ms. Spence-Jones says that she's innocent. After she was charged in November, Gov. Crist suspended the commissioner, who had just won her second term. That same month, District 1 Commissioner Angel Gonzalez resigned as part of a deal after he pleaded guilty to pulling strings to get his daughter a no-show job.

Cancer trials

"Florida lawmakers, insurers sign deal to protect cancer trial coverage".

"To turn county librarians into morality gatekeepers"

The Daytona Beach News Journal editorial board: "The Volusia County Council is preparing to take a Web page out of China's playbook on Internet censorship."

Hearing of one -- one -- minor case of an individual looking at suggestive images on a Port Orange library computer late last year, the council is on the verge of turning librarians into Internet gatekeepers who will judge what patrons may and may not access on computers. Council members should rethink their Big Brother reflex. Since 1999, when the council last approved a comprehensive policy regulating Internet usage in libraries, Volusia County library patrons have benefited from one of the more progressive and reasonable policies in the state, thanks in large part to wise library administrators and a council's light regulatory touch.

It would be a disservice to patrons, and an insult to their intelligence and maturity (in a county where 81 percent of the population is over 18), if the council were to update a policy on 21st century technology with 19th century strictures. Especially if it does so as the disproportionate response to one noisy complaint.

Yee haw!

"Tampa will bid on 2012 Republican National Convention".

Daily Rothstein

"Accused of perpetrating a $1.2 billion Ponzi scheme, Rothstein on Wednesday gave up his right to appeal sentences stemming from having a former employee defend him." "Accused Ponzi schemer waives possible conflict of interest". Related: "Bar investigates 35 lawyers at Rothstein firm |".

Florida Power & Light

"Pointing to the economic struggles of many customers, state regulators Wednesday slashed a Florida Power & Light proposal to raise base electric rates by $1.2 billion." "State cuts FPL rate-hike proposal". The Saint Petersburg Times editorial board: "Utilities hear a rare 'no'". Related from The Saint Petersburg Times editorial board: "Public wins, but advocate may lose".

So many tea parties, so little time.

Up-and-coming U.S. Senate candidate Marco Rubio has become the hottest ticket on Florida's tea-party circuit. The movement of disaffected, disillusioned and generally fed-up conservative voters has helped fuel his increasingly competitive campaign against the more moderate Gov. Charlie Crist.

Here's the problem: Rubio, the Republican former leader of the Florida House, could be sidelined as a fringe candidate if he is too closely associated with the loosely organized, quirky tea party crowd.

When a recent New York Times headline asked: "The first senator from the tea party?'' Rubio spokesman Alex Burgos quipped: "At least they put a question mark.''

The impact of tea party voters on the 2010 election is as unpredictable as the political climate in the nation's largest swing state.

Sink and McCollum

"Fellow Cabinet members by morning, rivals at afternoon press conferences, Attorney General Bill McCollum and Chief Financial Officer Alex Sink spent Tuesday juggling their day jobs and their quest to be Florida's next governor." "McCollum, Sink alternate between cabinet, campaign".

Ausley

"Democrats on Tuesday rounded out their 2010 statewide ticket by fielding a candidate for chief financial officer: Loranne Ausley, a Tallahassee lawyer and former legislator. ... Republicans have fielded two candidates for CFO: Rep. Pat Patterson of DeLand and Senate President Jeff Atwater of North Palm Beach, who had a strong fundraising quarter to conclude 2009." "Democrat joins CFO contest".

Broaward says no thank you, Mr. Obama

"The Broward County school district on Tuesday forfeited its chance to get $34 million, voting not to be part of the state's application for a federal education grant. School Board members said the Race to the Top Competition, a $4.35 billion education reform program, had too many unanswered questions, unfunded mandates and a re-emphasis on testing. 'What they're saying is to be in the mix, you, Maureen Dinnen, must sign something you don't believe in,' Dinnen said during an impassioned argument against the program." "Broward School Board rejects chance for $34 million". See also "Broward schools say no thanks to Race to the Top initiative", "Seminole schools won't pursue federal 'Race to Top' money" and "Polk School Board Rejects Obama's Race To Top Program".

Daily Rothstein

"Rothstein to appear in court Wednesday".

Deal

"UF reaches deal with faculty union".

Delightful

"Florida State University's new president will have a larger salary than his predecessor, T.K. Wetherell, and stands to make even more in bonuses as a reward for big-time fundraising." "New FSU president signs contract for $395K, plus bonuses".

Storms challenger

"An attorney from Valrico is challenging state Sen. Ronda Storms in the Republican primary contest for her District 10 seat. Paul Phillips filed papers on Monday to run for the Senate seat that Storms has held since 2006."

And isn't this fellow a chip off the old RPOFer block: "As a lawyer, Phillips represents banks and other financial institutions."

His background in the business sector has informed his political views, he said, which he boils down to restraining government to make room for market innovation. Among his concerns, he said, is regulatory pressure on banks preventing them from making commercial loans.

Public Counsel games

"In the midst of two votes over the largest rate cases in state history, the lawyer who represents consumers is on the hot seat."

J.R. Kelly, the head of the Office of Public Counsel, faces confirmation from a newly formed legislative committee that had its first meeting on Monday. The Joint Committee on Public Counsel Oversight convened the same day the PSC was voting on the Progress Energy rate case.

Kelly opposed Progress Energy's request to raise base rates $500 million a year, as well as Florida Power & Light's request to raise them $1.3 billion a year. He said the utility companies not only didn't deserve a rate increase but that because they have over-collected from customers, regulators should order them to reduce rates.

Now Kelly faces more than a routine vote over his reconfirmation. Legislative leaders have decided to open the job to new applicants. The Office of Public Counsel is an arm of the Legislature and Kelly is appointed by lawmakers. ...

Jack Shreve, a previous public counsel who held the post for 25 years, said Monday that during all his time as public counsel, he faced confirmation every year but the Legislature never opened the job up for applications.

Sen. Lee Constantine, R-Altamonte Springs, chairman of the joint committee.

"Two politically potent issues"

"Attorney General Bill McCollum Tuesday injected two politically potent issues into the governor's race Tuesday: trial lawyer fees and the state's massive, $120 billion-plus retirement system."

McCollum, a Republican gubernatorial candidate, used a State Board of Administration meeting Tuesday to urge his fellow trustees on the Cabinet -- Gov. Charlie Crist and Chief Financial Officer Alex Sink -- to support capping fees to law firms hired to help the state recover billions of dollars lost in last year's meltdown on Wall Street. ...

Sink stopped short of endorsing the cap, saying instead that lawyers' fees should depend in part on "how much money might be at stake."

"I think we have to look at it on a case-by-case basis and get the best deal for the taxpayer," she said.

but her staff also recommended the Broward County law firm Rothstein Rosenfeldt Adler -- co-founded by alleged Ponzi schemer Scott Rothstein -- be considered as part of the pool of firms eligible for the business, according to a St. Petersburg Times report.

Rothstein's firm, which had heavily financed Republican campaigns, subsequently donated $200,000 to the Florida Democratic Party. After Rothstein was arrested, the party refunded the money; Sink said her office did nothing wrong and passed along "any and every firm that has expressed any interest" to the SBA.

McCollum also held a press conference to announce that his top legislative priority would be passing a bill that imposes contract "transparency" and the $50 million contingency-fee cap on law firms hired by the his office -- and took a veiled swipe at the Sink-Rothstein connection.

"One of the biggest con jobs in Florida politics"

Scott Maxwell finds it "strange to see so many ideological opponents embracing each other nowadays. "

We have uber-liberal Corrine Brown making a point — and hard-core Republicans nodding their heads in agreement.

And what issue, pray tell, could be significant enough to make sworn enemies unite?

Protecting their own rear ends; that's what.

one of the biggest con jobs in Florida politics is that Republicans have convinced many Floridians — and much of the lazy media — that Brown is the prime beneficiary of this gerrymandering.

She is not.

Republicans were thrilled to dump tons of Democrats into Brown's district because it left more GOP voters for them.

They gave Brown a district where she had a 40-point party advantage, so that they could give themselves five districts with a five-, six- or seven-point lead.

"It shouldn't be that hard"

The Sun-Sentinel editorial board: "It shouldn't be that hard to define open records obligations for text messages exchanged with and among government officials. Many government entities around the state are already doing so. State lawmakers, who are the stewards of Florida's cutting-edge Government-in-the-Sunshine law, need to get busy and issue statewide guidelines." "Text messaging guidelines needed at state level".

Press conference alert

"Charlie Crist Miami bound over Haiti quake".

"Fast-forward almost exactly two years"

William March: "On a Saturday night in January 2008, several hundred Pinellas County Republican Party members turned out for a political fundraising dinner featuring two of the nation's most popular Republicans, presidential candidate John McCain and Florida Gov. Charlie Crist."

It's hard to overstate the adulation those party activists then felt for Crist, their favorite son -- a St. Petersburg High football star, son of a prominent local doctor, and maybe the most successful politician ever from their county.

That night, he surprised and delighted the crowd by endorsing McCain for the GOP presidential nomination, boosting McCain to a Florida primary win.

Completely upstaged was the night's intended keynote speaker, state House Speaker Marco Rubio.

As Rubio got up, a mass of reporters and Republicans followed Crist and McCain to the rear of the banquet room for a news conference, leaving Rubio speaking to empty seats.

Fast-forward almost exactly two years, to Monday night.

Tampa

"Another group is calling on the Tampa City Council to abolish its decades-old tradition of opening public meetings with prayer." "2nd group asks Tampa City Council to halt invocations".

Florida Power & Light

"The Public Service Commission's vote Wednesday on the proposal by Florida's largest electric utility comes two days after the panel refused to raise rates for the state's second-largest power company - Progress Energy Florida." "PSC voting on Florida Power & Light rate hike". See also "FPL rate hike case kicks off" and "Progress Energy rate hike rejected; will FPL lose too?".

The Daytona Beach News Journal editorial board: "The Florida Public Service Commission was right to reject most of Progress Energy's requested $500 million-a-year rate increase, which would have raised rates by about $10 a month for the utility's 1.6 million Florida customers, 76,000 of whom are in west Volusia County. In light of Progress Energy's solid recent profits, its 21-year streak of generous dividends to investors and the harshest economy Floridians have known in three generations, the utility's request was untimely and unreasonable."

The commission today should consider Florida Power & Light's request for a $1.3 billion rate increase in the same light. FPL's request is similarly unreasonable and derives more from the utility's commitment to its shareholders than to its customers.

Atwater’s campaign sent out a press release about Butterworth and other Democratic supporters today, the same day Democrat Loranne Ausley, a former state representative, announced her candidacy.

Butterworth said there may have been some confusion about his endorsement of Atwater. When he wrote a $500 check to the campaign three months ago, Butterworth said, there wasn’t a Democrat in the race and he didn’t specify that it was for the primary. ...

Atwater, a North Palm Beach Republican, also nailed down endorsements from three other Democrats today - James Harold Thompson, Lee Moffitt and Hyatt Brown, all former House Speakers. Moffitt and Thompson are now lobbyists.

Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw, also a Democrat, is also supporting Atwater.

"Symbolic blow for Crist"

"Among the many indignities Gov. Charlie Crist has faced over the last several rocky months, this one hit home."

Republican Party activists in his own county of Pinellas, many of whom have been campaigning alongside Crist for years, on Monday overwhelmingly declared that they prefer Marco Rubio for U.S. Senate. The 106-54 "straw poll" vote is officially meaningless, but it's a symbolic blow for Crist.

After all, many of the people lining up to cast secret ballots against Crist on Monday night at Tucson's restaurant were the party activists who know him best. ...

The Crist campaign downplayed the significance of Monday night's vote, just as it has with the more than a dozen similarly lopsided straw polls taken in recent months by other county GOP organizations and clubs across the state.

Local climate change prep

The Sun-Sentinel editorial board: "Local governments right to put climate change preparations on front burner".

Sink outpacing McCollum in $ race

"In the race for Florida governor, Republican Bill McCollum posted a good fundraising quarter, but Democrat Alex Sink had a better year."

McCollum reported $1.4 million in contributions in the final three months of 2009, giving him $3.3 million raised so far.

Sink raised $1.05 million in the three-month period for a total so far of $5.1 million, and $4.3 million cash on hand in the race to succeed Gov. Charlie Crist, who is leaving after one term to run for U.S. Senate.

Redistricting

"Two members of Florida's congressional delegation showed up Monday to deliver a bipartisan blasting of proposed constitutional amendments designed to ban redrawing political districts to favor or hurt incumbents or political parties."

U.S. Reps. Mario Diaz-Balart, R-Miami, and Corrine Brown, D-Jacksonville, argued the two amendments heading to voters in November could make it harder for minorities to get elected to Congress or the Legislature.

"It is nice to think you can take politics out of politics. Not possible," said Brown, an African-American whose district stretching from Jacksonville to Walt Disney World was drawn by the courts in 1992 after state lawmakers' maps couldn't meet legal muster.

Brown told a joint House-Senate committee that with population gains, Florida stands to pick up at least one seat — giving the state 26 in the U.S. House — and at least six of those should be held by minorities. The Florida delegation now includes three African-American and three Cuban-American members.

Carollo

"Joe Carollo, the pugnacious former Miami mayor who narrowly lost a reelection bid in 2001, is likely to launch a Florida Senate campaign next month [for the Florida Senate seat currently represented by Alex de la Portilla]. Carollo recently helped his brother, Frank Carollo, win a seat on the city commission. He is best known for ousting Xavier Suarez from the mayor's office in a voter fraud scandal and for leading the city during the vitriolic dispute over rescued Cuban rafter Elián González." "Joe Carollo may run for state Senate".

Raw political courage

"Crist, lawmakers call for return of annual school tax holiday". More courage: "LeMieux calls for no delays in F-35 production".

RPOFer laff riot

"South Florida developer-turned Orlando resident Armando Gutierrez will bring George P. Bush into Orlando next month to help him raise money to knock off U.S. Rep. Alan Grayson, D-Orlando." "Jeb’s son stumps for Grayson foe".

Billy holds a press conference

"Attorney General Bill McCollum renewed his push to cap contingency-fee payments to outside lawyers who sue on behalf of the state and make contracts with outside firms competitively bid and open to public scrutiny." "McCollum continues push to cap contingency-fee payments".

Thank you, Mr. Obama

The Miami Herald editors: "Nothing talks quite like money. This helps explain the optimism at the annual Everglades Coalition's 29th annual conference this past weekend in Palm Beach Gardens. The mood was generally upbeat thanks to the Obama administration's $600 million infusion into the lagging Everglades cleanup plan." "Everglades momentum".

"Conflict as legislator and state GOP chief untenable"

The Daytona Beach News Journal editorial board: "Thrasher put himself and his fellow state senators in a difficult position last week. By accepting a job as chairman of the Florida Republican Party, with no intention to leave his Senate job, Thrasher will be serving two masters. He will be representing his district, which is based in Jacksonville but reaches down into Flagler and Volusia counties. And he will be serving as the state GOP's chief fundraiser and candidate recruiter." "Sen. Thrasher's dual role".

Yaaawwwnnn ...

"Posey blasts politics, spending".

Weatherford challenger

"Will Weatherford, widely presumed to be the next speaker of the state House of Representatives, faces competition for the seat he hopes to retain in November."

A Wesley Chapel Republican, Weatherford, 30, is being challenged by Democrat – and neighbor – Elena McCullough, 48, who filed to run for the District 61 seat last week. The district includes most of Pasco and part of Hillsborough counties.

A founder of the youth group Wesley Chapel Community 4 Change, McCullough is a Dominican Republic native who moved to California at 16. She joined the Coast Guard two years later and retired as an officer after 24 years.

"I was very involved with Obama's campaign" in 2008, she said. "One of the things I liked about him was that he recognized that it's not all about him. It's about us, if we want to make our community better. He inspired me."

McCullough has lived in the area since 1997 with her husband, Ray, and two children.

Medicaid

"Several mothers are testifying in a class action lawsuit this week that Florida doesn't give their children access to quality health care." "Moms say Florida denies kids good care under Medicaid".

"tTe biggest Big Oil con since..."

The Orlando Sentinel editors: "Offshore drilling may not be coming to Florida's Gulf Coast, thanks, it appears, to Senate President Jeff Atwater."

We'd feared otherwise just three months ago, when it seemed the fix was in. Mr. Atwater had just appointed Sen. Alex Diaz de la Portilla to chair the Senate's energy committee, which is supposed to vet legislation by Rep. Dean Cannon and Sen. Mike Haridopolos that would allow rigs just five miles from Florida's beaches.

The rub? Mr. Diaz de la Portilla's wife lobbies for the oil and gas industry. Florida seemed primed for the biggest Big Oil con since sax player Tony Curtis told Marilyn Monroe his family owned Shell Oil in Some Like it Hot.

Hillsborough's "lack of vision and leadership"

The Saint Petersburg Times editorial board: "Tampa attorney Mary Ann Stiles has spent a good deal of her own time and money during the past four years pushing to create a county mayor in Hillsborough. Done right, the move could inject some much-needed leadership into the fourth-largest county in the fourth-largest state."

But Stiles announced last week that she would change a key component of the referendum that may go to voters in November. Instead of the mayor being a nonpartisan post, the job would be decided by a partisan election.

The switch undercuts the strongest rationale for changing how the county is governed. The lack of vision and leadership under the current county commission-manager form of government is the result of too much political meddling — not a lack of it. Indeed, the last straw that led Stiles to conceive of the mayor initiative in 2005 was the smear job Republican commissioners launched on the county bus system — just before gas prices jumped and county bus ridership spiked to all-time highs.

Stiles still must submit the final ballot language to the county elections supervisor for approval, a process that starts the clock for her to obtain the necessary signatures to put the referendum on the 2010 ballot. Stiles said changing the job to a partisan post would likely blunt opposition by the local political parties and help the measure's chance for passage. She also said any race for mayor would likely evolve into a partisan campaign, anyway.

Whatever

"Broward schools ethics panel vows action on public's complaints".

"No new legislation is needed"

"When Sen. Don Gaetz and Rep. Marti Coley agreed to co-author a bill clarifying how Sunshine Laws apply to economic development groups that receive taxpayer money, they pledged to get the input from several outsiders."

On Monday, about 20 of those outsiders — media representatives, open government advocates and various economic development groups — met in Tallahassee to discuss how the potential legislation should be crafted.

Their consensus: No new legislation is needed.

"Connect the dots"

Mike Thomas: "Florida's economy is based on tourism, speculative housing, expanded gambling and — to nab the occasional six-figure salary — bribing California high-tech firms to move here."

Such is our rut that we can't even see the opportunity now presenting itself.

Orlando could become a national leader in designing the 21st-century classroom. We could create an industry from seeds.

Follow along and connect the dots.

High speed rail stim funds

"Bill Nelson, D-Fla., said this morning he expects the Obama Administration to approve Florida's request for high speed rail stimulus funds to create a Tampa-to-Orlando route by 2014 that could create thousands of jobs." "Florida leaders lobby for rail funding".

PSC

The Miami Herald editorial board: "The Office of Public Counsel, which represents utility customers before the PSC, has recommended no rate hike for FPL, arguing that it would be another blow to residents and businesses. Business groups, retailers and South Florida hospitals also want no increase. Politicians, of course, don't want any rate increase attached to their names during an election year." "FPL asks too much".

Michael Mayo: "It's cold out, but FPL execs are sweating bullets"

Storms

"Storms wants state to mandate better locker room security".

"Groundhog Day -- or a fresh new start"?

"After Tuesday's Miami election, will it be Groundhog Day -- or a fresh new start for Miami-Dade's biggest city?" "Is Tuesday's Miami election a fresh start or peek into the past?".

Meek: Charlie's lazy

"With most of the national attention going to the primary to determine his likely opponent for the U.S. Senate race, Democratic frontrunner Kendrick Meek dismissed Republican Gov. Charlie Crist as being more interested in photo opportunities than governing. Meek said he was not concerned with who emerged from the increasingly fractious primary between Crist and Marco Rubio. However, Meek said Friday that Crist did not work hard enough to be Florida's next U.S. senator." "Meek: Crist Is Vague on Stands On Big Issues".

Baby tea partiers

"In Florida, home schooling is seeing its biggest increase since 2005. And in Central Florida, its growth is even more pronounced." "Home schooling soars in Central Florida".

"Things will heat up considerably this week"

Michael Peltier: "Following a bitterly cold weekend — by Florida standards, that is — things will heat up considerably this week as lawmakers return to Tallahassee for the first of two committee weeks in January."

As lawmakers begin the 2010 push leading up to the Legislative session in March, committees this week will take separate looks at Seminole Indian gambling and the future of offshore oil drilling off Florida’s Gulf coast.

The two controversial issues are mixed in among scores of items — some important, some not-so-much — working their way through committees to prepare for possible passage later this spring.

Never mind

The Sun-Sentinel editorial board: "It didn't take long for the Democratic-led Broward County Legislative Delegation to beat back a nine-year attempt to improve ethics in county government via what was supposed to be the less contentious of two proposals." "State lawmakers beat back ethics reform".

Hometown Democracy

Business shill Beth Kassab: "Amendment 4. So-called "Hometown Democracy" will again test the business community's mettle. One of its biggest priorities is to defeat the November ballot question that would give voters veto power over certain growth and planning decisions for cities and counties. If this amendment passes it will speak to just how weak the business lobby has grown in the wake of financial calamity. My bet, however, is that business leaders will show just how much sway they continue to hold and beat the measure." "Beth Kassab: Local execs and issues to watch this year".

State employees ready to grab their ankles again

Bill Cotterell: "The 2010 legislative session is likely to be miserable for Florida's government work force."

Layoffs? Likely.

Pay raise? No, for the fifth year in a row.

Pay cut? Possibly.

Salaries, benefits and jobs of government employees are not exactly high priorities among the Republican primary voters whom Crist needs to woo away from U.S. Senate candidate Marco Rubio. Cutting government costs would be high on a Republican governor's to-do list for the 2010 session anyway, but Crist's slide in the polls makes that even more important.

"Things look grimmer from the manatees' standpoint"

The Daytona Beach News Journal editorial board: "Viewed from one angle, Florida has done a good job of protecting endangered manatees. The population is stable or increasing in most parts of the state, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission said in December, reporting a minimum population of 3,800. But things look grimmer from the manatees' standpoint." "A species' survival".

'Glades

"Everglades advocates and restoration agencies say they see progress ahead for several projects despite a decade of delays." "Everglades projects see progress during conference".

"Pay to play"

The Orlando Sentinel editors: "In October, the St. Petersburg Times reported that "

Attorney General Bill McCollum, the Republican front-runner for governor, received $28,000 for his campaign on a single day in June from contributors associated with Federated Investors. That Pittsburgh firm had been awarded a contract in 2008 to manage state pension investments. It made more than $3 million in the ensuing 19 months.

In her 2006 campaign for CFO, Democrat Alex Sink got at least $9,600 from contributors tied to Bank of America, her former employer and a firm that also has earned millions from pension contracts with Florida.

A few states — not Florida — have laws or rules to prevent investment firms from bankrolling the campaigns of the politicians overseeing pension funds.

Now the SEC has proposed a nationwide rule that would bar investment firms from seeking pension contracts for two years if they or any of their executives have given more than $250 to the campaign of a politician with responsibility over the fund. Spouses of executives and agents that solicit business for the firm also would be covered.

This rule wouldn't stop executives from exercising their constitutional right to give to a candidate of their choice. But if they wanted their firm to qualify for a government contract, they would have to limit their contributions. A similar rule has been in effect since 1994 for firms competing to market government bonds.

The current proposal is getting some pushback from financial industry lobbyists. They're arguing for fuller disclosure of contributions from firms rather than limits. This would be a weak approach to a problem that calls for strong action. The SEC should approve the proposal at its earliest opportunity.

Anti-union hack

Myriam Marquez eulogizes one Emilio Estefan in "Emilio Estefan's success born of many obstacles". Perhaps the Bongo's Cuban Café waiters and dishwashers who were subjected to Mr. Estefan's anti-union tirades when they tried to unionize several years ago might have a different perspective on Mr. Estefan.

"As the state limps into a new decade"

"In the last two-and-a-half years, more than 736,000 jobs have been lost to the worst recession in 70 years."

As the state limps into a new decade, joblessness will remain the dominant theme of Florida's economic plot line. Though the tidal wave of layoffs has receded, skittish employers are in no rush to add workers.

Even if they were, it would take years to make up for the jobs stolen by the Great Recession.

Media hacks must be balanced ...

Fred Grimm wants you to know that, even though "Rothstein may have been Gov. Crist's single biggest donor", he really wasn't a Republican:

Those festive photos of Scott and Charlie may be politically embarrassing. But no one contends that Rothstein latched onto Crist because he admired his governing philosophy. (Though I'm not sure anyone can quite define the pragmatic governor's core political beliefs.) No one thinks Crist recognized a fellow traveler in Rothstein. It was all about the money.

Rothstein donated more to Republicans, but he covered his bets, too, with contributions to Democrats, including gubernatorial candidate Alex Sink. And again, it was about influence and power -- a fat cigar-chomping sociopath trying to buy himself instant status.

"Something must be in the water"

The Tampa Tribune editorial board: "Something must be in the water in South Florida."

That would explain the opposition by a coalition of public water utilities to year-round watering restrictions imposed by the South Florida Water Management District to conserve potable water.

Worse, the opponents, who obviously are putting their profits above conservation, are appealing directly to the Legislature's Joint Administrative Procedures Committee, challenging the district's authority to implement the new regulations.

Lawmakers shouldn't buckle.

Blood suckers

"'Florida's Blood Centers sticks out as the entity in the state that has been outside the norm,' said Sen. Don Gaetz, R-Destin, who chairs the health regulation committee."

Reacting in part to a series of articles in the Orlando Sentinel that detailed the inner workings of FBC, Gaetz said he intends to "shine the light of public scrutiny" on the agency's business practices.

The Sentinel stories revealed that FBC board members have sold millions of dollars in goods and services to the agency each year; that board members had no term limits; and that CEO Anne Chinoda – who was asked and is expected to testify – was compensated nearly $600,000 annually.

"Jeb!"

"Brevard County Republican Chairman Jason Steele, who led one of numerous frontal assaults on Greer's leadership, said Bush joined forces with Senate President-elect Mike Haridopolos of Merritt Island and House Speaker-designate Dean Cannon of Winter Park to convince Greer it was time for him to go." "Crist's role hinges on GOP chairmanship".

You remember Jason: "Jason Steele: Let's put Twittergate behind us".

"'That f---er is not going to keep his end of the bargain'"

"McCain had endorsed Crist in his primary fight; Giuliani had remained neutral."

Crist expressed gratitude to McCain on a regular basis, including several reaffirmations of a promise to endorse McCain’s presidential bid. "Don’t worry, I’ll be there at the right time," Crist assured him.

But now that McCain was tanking, Crist seemed to be reconsidering his options. "I campaigned my a-- off for him," McCain groused to his lieutenants. "And now that f---er is not going to keep his end of the bargain.”

Trust?

The Saint Petersburg Times editorial board has obviously never sat down at a collective bargaining table in Florida, if they expect the teachers to "trust" the school boards to act in good faith:

Districts and unions with questions would do better to agree now and, in good faith, work out their concerns in the months ahead as each district writes its own detailed plan.

Stalled growth

"Three major moving companies reported a total of 19,530 loads coming into Florida in 2009 and 18,863 leaving. Because those totals are so close, the moving companies consider the net migration 'flat' for a state with more than 18 million residents." "Movers show state population growth stalled in 2009".

'Ya think?

"Should U.S. normalize relations with Cuba?".

"Save money" at Walmart

"Meth lab on wheels busted in Walmart parking lot".

"The background will be pure politics"

"To make the decision, the five-member Public Service Commission will wade through a thicket of financial data and economic projections; but the background will be pure politics." "30% FPL rate hike down to single vote".

"State regulators are set to rule on Progress Energy Florida's request for a $500 million-a-year base rate increase." "Fla. regulators to decide Progress Energy rates".

Saturday, at the party's annual meeting in Orlando, that plan hit a snag.

Broward County National Committeewoman Sharon Day announced she would run for the job too, after being encouraged by a host of county activists who were unhappy state party leaders had seemingly anointed Thrasher. ...

Day's decision to run sidetracks — for now at least — a plan by key GOP lawmakers to install Thrasher as the party's CEO and chief fundraiser. He'd been handpicked to succeed Greer, who was forced from the job by a combination of front-line loyalists and party fundraisers.

Her candidacy reflects a desire among the GOP faithful to have greater influence over the direction of the party and a broader disaffection among voters for anyone perceived as an "establishment" politician. Thrasher, who is highly regarded by many party leaders, is a consummate Tallahassee insider who once served as House speaker.

If party leaders got a dollar every time they used the word "unity'' at their annual meeting Saturday, they could have taken the whole crowd to Disney World. Florida Republican Chairman Jim Greer, who will be replaced at a Feb. 20 election, asked each of the 300 activists to shake the hand of the person next to them. ...

The increasingly competitive U.S. Senate primary pitting Gov. Charlie Crist against former state House Speaker Marco Rubio has divided many activists, mirroring a broader, nationwide debate between moderates and conservatives over the party's direction. ...

Obama's message of hope has faded, said North Florida Congressman Adam Putnam of Bartow, and been replaced by anger.

"But anger alone will not retake the majority for of the Republican Party,'' said Putnam, who is running for state agriculture commissioner. "It is just a passion. It is not a plan for government. . . . So for our Republican Party to be successful at the state level and at the national level, we have to have people understand what our vision and what our leadership will bring.''

In a sign of just how disenchanted voters are with the political establishment, a recent Wall Street Journal/NBC poll found tea party activists more popular than either the Democrats or Republicans.

"The rumor that won't go away"

Adam C Smith: "It's the rumor that won't go away: In the face of a tougher-than-expected primary challenge from Marco Rubio, right, Charlie Crist could drop out of the Senate race and run instead for re-election as governor. Last week alone Joe Scarborough raised the prospect on his MSNBC show, and former U.S. Rep. Mark Foley spread the rumor on his Facebook page. Forget it." "Crist: 'Zero' chance of leaving Senate race". See also "No party change, either".

Jeb's dead hand

Jeremy Wallace: "As Florida Republicans struggle to define their future, a towering figure from the past has returned to call the shots."

Bush has dimmed the star of Gov. Charlie Crist, whose Senate candidacy no longer seems a sure thing and whose control of the state GOP has grown weaker by the day.

Indeed, Bush, a two-term governor, has shown in recent weeks that he can still tower over state politics:

• Within hours of Florida Republican Party Chairman Jim Greer's announcement of his resignation last week, Bush began publicly pushing his friend, state Sen. John Thrasher, to replace him.

That quasi-seal of approval included a video message from Bush to party leaders in Florida's 67 counties encouraging them to support Thrasher.

• Bush has become more aggressive in raising money and campaigning for Republican gubernatorial candidate Bill McCollum, and has sent key policy advisers to work for McCollum, who raised $1.4 million in the fourth quarter, the best showing of his campaign.

• While Bush has not formerly endorsed Marco Rubio for the U.S. Senate, his influence in the race has been anything but neutral.

Meek can't buy a headline

William March: "Crist and Marco Rubio can't seem to avoid headlines, but U.S. Rep. Kendrick Meek can't buy one. Crist and Rubio are battling for the Republican nomination for one of Florida's U.S. Senate seats - and one of them probably will face Meek, a Miami Democrat. Meek faces a low-intensity primary, against former Miami Mayor Maurice Ferre." "Meek's Senate drive is low profile".

Aaron Deslatte: "Kendrick Meek wants to introduce you to the learning-impaired child who overcame dyslexia to get through college, joined the Florida Highway Patrol, won a seat in the Legislature and worked his way into a prime position of influence in Congress."

The Miami-Dade Democrat is son to political royalty and more or less inherited his congressional seat from his mother, former U.S. Rep. Carrie Meek. But he says his U.S. Senate campaign is the hardest-working in the country, a contrast with that of his likely general election opponent, Gov. Charlie Crist.

Cannon has a race on his hands

Scott Maxwell thinks the East Central Florida races to watch include State House 35th District, the 8th Congressional District, and the 24th Congressional District:

One of the most interesting local races involves State Rep. Dean Cannon [in HD 35], the guy who's supposed to be our next house speaker — but only if he can first get re-elected.

For the first time, the Republican power-broker from Winter Park has a serious, credible challenger — one whom Robinson describes as "the best candidate I've ever worked with." Her name is Amy Mercado. She's an executive with the National Mango Board and an activist in the Democratic Party who helped organize support for Barack Obama.

What's more, Cannon's once-solid-GOP district has morphed, so that Democrats now outnumber Republicans.

Yee haw!

The Daytona Beach News Journal editorial board: "Stand your ground. It's the most macho of assertions, evoking time-honored traditions of armed combat and lawless frontiers."

But the phrase has come to mean something else in suburban streets and strip malls across Florida: Shoot first. Ask questions later.

The problems arise from a 2005 law that confers immunity -- not just a defense, but total immunity -- on someone who shoots another person under vague and subjective circumstances.

"The pandering begins"

The Palm Beach Post editorial board: "Florida has the fourth-highest number of uninsured residents at nearly 4 million, yet Attorney General Bill McCollum and Republican legislators are more concerned with stopping health care reform than with helping those Floridians get health care."

Mr. McCollum, a candidate for governor, has joined other GOP attorneys general in questioning whether Congress has the constitutional authority to make individuals buy health insurance or pay a penalty. ...

But the actions of these Florida Republicans are about politics, not health care. The legislation is unpopular, especially among GOP voters, and so the pandering begins. Such pandering, of course, will do nothing to get health insurance for any of those uninsured Floridians.

Privatization follies

The Saint Petersburg Times editors: "The brazen board did not stop there. It also gave its chief executive officer, Mary Jo Monahan, a check totaling $154,591. And it gave Monahan another parting gift: proprietary rights to a Family Service Centers program that provided professional development training to nonprofit organizations. Family Service Centers had invested heavily in the program's creation and operation, but Monahan was handed the rights to the program, its name and its Web site and now operates it as a private business." "Tax dollars or not, money misspent".

Poor kids

The Tallahassee Democrat editorial board: "For the first time in history, reports the Southern Education Foundation in Atlanta, public schools in the South no longer enroll a majority of white students. As the year 2009 ended, more than half of all students in the 15 states the SEF includes in its report were black, Latino, Asian, American Indian or multi-racial."

The SEF, which has been involved in public education issues since 1867, revealed two years ago that low-income students — those eligible for free or reduced lunches — are also a majority in the South's public schools.

Broward corruption

"Last year, when an ambitious Fort Lauderdale lawyer named Scott Rothstein decided to hire someone to develop political strategies for businesses seeking government contracts, he turned to none other than Ken Jenne, the disgraced former sheriff who had just been released from jail. " "Several reasons why Broward County is awash in corruption".

"In a couple of dozen interviews, longtime Broward political activists and academic observers say the primary reason behind the present scandals is the uncommonly cozy relationship between lobbyists-campaign managers and elected officials." "Reason No. 1 for Broward corruption: Lobbyist-politician lovefest".

"Corruption in South Florida has traditionally been attributed to the transient nature of South Florida society -- most people come from somewhere else. Sleazebags end up here after failing elsewhere, getting a new start in a place where they're not known. The cities here don't have roots and long-standing traditions to crush corruption before it gets too far. " "Reason No. 2 for Broward corruption: Voters don't care".

" In the past two-plus years, the major corruption prosecutions in Broward have been done by the feds, much of it through undercover sting operations: four Hollywood cops and two county sheriff's deputies, plus former Miramar Commissioner Fitzroy Salesman, Beverly Gallagher at the School Board and Josephus Eggelletion on the County Commission. Add in Sheriff Ken Jenne's case of hiding ill-gotten money, and it makes for a lengthy record. The FBI undercover agents didn't have to work too hard to find subjects." "Reason No. 3 for Broward corruption: Increased scrutiny". Related: "Cluster of corruption cases might widen".

Daily Rothstein

"Police officers on Rothstein detail suspended".

Tri-Rail

"Crist on Tuesday signed a transportation bill that will provide new funding to Tri-Rail, South Florida's cash-trapped commuter train, and boost billion-dollar rail projects in the Central Florida region." "Crist approves millions more dollars for Tri-Rail".

'Ya reckon?

The Sun-Sentinel editorial board: "Innocence commission to investigate wrongly convicted long overdue".

Sansom

"A House committee that will determine whether or not Ray Sansom should be sanctioned for legislative misconduct will review his testimony before a Leon County grand jury." "Sansom: House committee will meet to consider possible legislative misconduct".

"A sense of entitlement"

The Saint Petersburg Times editors: "Frank Peterman, the secretary of the state Department of Juvenile Justice, has tried to mask his exploitation of the taxpayers as fulfilling some job role. It suggests a sense of entitlement and a failure to appreciate tough economic times." "Peterman should repay taxpayers".

"... into the embrace of the Democrats"

Mike Thomas: "It took Nixon to go to China, and Dr. Cecil Wilson to go to the Democrats. The Winter Park physician went where no other leader of the American Medical Association had been before — into the embrace of the Democrats. There he stood, practically arm-in-arm at the podium with Senate leader Harry Reid, signing on to ObamaCare on behalf of the nation's doctors. This is the same AMA that shot down every health care proposal from TrumanCare to HillaryCare." "Winter Park's Cecil Wilson, next AMA chief, steers toward middle".

Them durn unions

The Miami Herald editorial board isn't spewing anti-union hatred like their brethren in central Florida: "With $700 million or more at stake for Florida schools, the federal government's new Race to the Top grant promises to bring needed improvements for teacher training and compensation with a focus on improving struggling schools."

But make no mistake. The new program is not a panacea.

It does not deal with the $1 billion education hole in the state budget this year or the one expected next year. The Obama administration's stimulus dollars for schools will end next year, and Race to the Top money can't be used to plug those holes.

the crux of the unions' disagreement with Mr. Smith is -- no surprise -- the FCAT. Union leaders believe Florida's grant proposal puts too much emphasis on the FCAT to track student improvements that would be used to measure teachers' success in the classroom.

Flippity floppery

Aaron Deslatte:

Crist said last week that "I don't think [the RPOF turmoil] will have any impact at all" on his race.

But his shifting positions on a range of hot-button conservative issues – among them, he was for President Barack Obama and the federal stimulus before he was against them, sort of -- have rendered him guilty of committing the often-mortal offense in politics of modulating his message to appease a targeted audience of voters.

The latest example came Friday.

As a gubernatorial candidate, Crist said in 2006 he would not push for tougher abortion restrictions, saying he wanted to "change hearts, not laws."

As a U.S. Senate candidate, Crist said in a press release last week that he would "fight for pro-life legislative efforts" in the Senate.

Crist communications director Andrea Saul explained those "efforts" could include supporting adoption, not necessarily tightening restrictions on abortion. "They're not mutually exclusive," she said.

"Have we learned absolutely nothing?"

Jane Healy: "Florida's history certainly has had its share of booms-gone-bust. And the situation now seems to be no exception. Can't we learn something from these? Apparently not." "Ignoring the lessons of booms-gone-bust".

Grayson's Lilliputian opposition

"Grayson's $850,000 overall total – if it stands – would surpass the $647,349 he had reported raising in the first nine months of the year – and would more than double the cash-on-hand total that stood at $477,627 on Sept. 30."

That will likely dwarf the combined total raised by the large field of GOP contenders vying to challenge Grayson. For instance, the Armando Gutierrez campaign reported Thursday raising roughly $210,000 in fourth-quarter contributions, plus another $100,000 from the candidate himself.

Another contender, state Rep. Kurt Kelly, R-Ocala, just jumped into the race and won't file a report until April. And local traffic-signal company owner, Bruce O'Donoghue, said he doesn't expect to get into the race until later this month. Attorney Todd Long, who lost in a close 2008 primary race to then-U.S. Rep. Ric Keller, could not be reached for a donation estimate, nor could other minor candidates.

Miami

"On Tuesday, two Miami City Commission seats up for grabs". The Miami Herald editorial board: "The Herald recommends for Miami City Commission".