Bills barreling through the House and Senate attempt to starve Democrats of their primary sources of cash and halt partisan gains of the last two election cycles.

They have also passed measures that could add to their nearly absolute power in the Capitol: new campaign finance laws that would increase fundraising power, coupled with deregulation of private business, insurers and developers that would lift burdens from traditional GOP contributors.

"Redistricting battle lines"

"Redistricting battle lines are already forming a week into the yearlong job of redrawing Florida's legislative and congressional maps." "Get ready for the start of the redistricting war".

"Bulldozing Florida's scholastic landscape"

The Orlando Sentinel editors: "Late last year, Gov.-elect Rick Scott outlined bold plans for bulldozing Florida's scholastic landscape."

He'd impose teacher merit pay. He'd press for charter school expansion. And he'd make more access to virtual education a reality.

But Scott said he'd keep his last and perhaps most contentious reform arrow — "vouchers-for-all" — in his quiver. At least for the 2011 legislative session.

Then, like an offering to Caesar, Sen. Joe Negron, a Stuart Republican, presented Senate Bill 1550. His "GI bill for kids" would put school choice in parents' hands through "education savings accounts." Parents could tap state taxpayer dollars to cover private school (including sectarian schools) or homeschooling needs, or fund pre-paid college plans.

Shades of Jeb Bush, but with a makeover meant to pass the constitutional test where Bush's 2006 Florida voucher plan failed.

Cops boycott of Chamber banks

"The union push to boycott banks whose executives help lead the Florida Chamber of Commerce got a big boost Friday, when a state police union asked its 20,000 members to close their personal accounts."

James Preston, president of the Fraternal Order of Police's Florida State Lodge, this morning said the union has canceled its own membership in the Florida Chamber and directed local chapters to do the same. More significantly, Preston asked FOP-member law enforcement and corrections officers around the state to pull their money out of Bank of America, PNC Bank, Regions Bank, SunTrust and Wachovia.

The Florida Chamber is pushing the Legislature to pass the "Paycheck Protection" act, which would prohibit state and local governments from collecting union dues through payroll deduction — potentially crippling labor's ability to operate.

Fl-oil-duh

"BP giving Fla. $100 million for spill damage".

Morgan & Morgan sued

"A former employee of the Morgan & Morgan law firm has filed suit in federal court against the firm, claiming, among other things, sexual harassment, sexual discrimination and battery that included unwanted touching and hugging."

"The workplace was full of inappropriate and sexual comments, innuendo, jokes, stories and acts," Burman claims in the suit. ...

Much of the complaints were aimed at a man she identified as her supervisor. She complained about the man's actions and said that he was frequently intoxicated, saying he once urinated over the balcony of a bar at "happy hour" and was saved from arrest by another employee of the firm.

Burman complained that female employees had to provide sexual favors and not complain about what they experienced to get ahead in the company. She said when she rebuffed her supervisor's advances he became more and more hostile toward her, his actions were more punitive and he treated her differently from co-workers.

She said the firm's Human Resources department did not properly investigate claims.

"That's a lie," said Morgan. "The HR department conducted a full investigation. There's a large file."

Republican's "stunning hypocrisy"

The Miami Herald editorial board: "If [Republican] state Rep. Frank Artiles out-and-out lied about where he lives, then he is unfit to serve in elected office. If he was, as he says, 'misinformed' about something he should have known, then maybe he’s not cut out to be a legislator. We expect lawmakers to make the tough decisions on our behalf. If they aren’t clear on the details, then they can’t be effective public servants, can they?"

Then there is Mr. Artiles’ stunning hypocrisy. Last month, the Republican freshman cast a vote to admonish and fine a Democratic colleague, Rep. Reggie Fullwood, for failing to move to the Jacksonville district that he represents until 15 days after his election. In Mr. Artiles’ case, it’s been 170 days — and counting. He says he didn’t know what he was voting for. Really?

After 4 months in office Scott still striking out

"When Gov. Rick Scott won election last November, he said Florida is 'open for business.'"

His pitch varies depending on the type of company he’s trying to lure, but generally includes some variation of speeches Scott has made publicly, highlighting Florida’s lack of state income tax, status as a right-to-work state, and beautiful weather and beaches.

Those traits, however, are not new to Florida, and did not prevent unemployment from skyrocketing in the aftermath of the recession, so Scott also hypes his business-friendly policies designed to entice relocating companies of all kinds.

He proposed phasing out the state’s corporate income tax, which is an already modest 5.5 percent, and put a temporary freeze on new rules and regulations upon being sworn into office. The business tax cuts have not been included in either the House or Senate budgets passed earlier this month, but Scott’s plan to consolidate Florida’s economic development functions have gotten a warmer reception from legislators.

During Scott’s first four months in office, he hasn’t scored any major coups, but he has been out in front on some modest successes, highlighting businesses that have decided to make the move to Florida.

That's the best they could do?

Michael Peltier's "Recap and analysis of the week in state government". "Roundup: Two Weeks Left Plus Zero Budget Conference Equals Worry".

Cliff Stearns insults 9/11 Responders

"A provision in the new 9/11 health bill may be adding insult to injury for people who fell sick after their service in the aftermath of the 2001 Al Qaeda attacks, The Huffington Post has learned."

The tens of thousands of cops, firefighters, construction workers and others who survived the worst terrorist assault in U.S. history and risked their lives in its wake will soon be informed that their names must be run through the FBI’s terrorism watch list, according to a letter obtained by HuffPost. ...

“This is absurd,” said Glen Kline, a former NYPD emergency services officer. “It’s silly. It’s stupid. It’s asinine.”

The provision was tacked on by Rep. Cliff Stearns (R-FL) during the contentious fight over the bill in December, which was blocked by Republicans at the time. Stearns' amendment adds a paragraph stipulating the "disqualification of individuals on the terrorist watch list," and requiring each potential beneficiary to be run through the list.

McAuliff reports participants "will soon be told that their names, places of birth, addresses, government ID numbers and other personal data will be provided to the FBI to ensure they are not terrorists."

Leadership fail

"With two weeks left to go in the 2011 regular legislative session and the House and the Senate at an impasse over the budget, Gov. Rick Scott oozes confidence that one of his most sought-after proposals -- a cut and eventual phase-out of the business income tax -- will make it into the final budget." "Gov. Rick Scott Talks Budget, Tax Cuts as Session Nears End".

Attacking public safety pensions

"A bill designed to help local governments rebalance their pension plans for workers moved through its last committee stop Thursday in the House State Affairs Committee. An amendment allowing municipalities to use 50 percent of insurance premium tax dollars on 401(k)-style defined contribution plans was tacked onto HB 7241, getting a buy-in from local leaders, but police and fire unions were reluctant to accept the change." "Bill Reining in Local Pension Plans Heads to House Floor".

Florida Republicans want "government between a woman and her doctor"

The Saint Pete Times editors: "Republican state legislators have spent more than a year spewing rhetoric opposing the federal health care reform law that will require most Americans to have health insurance. Yet on Tuesday, the Florida House is expected for the second straight year to vote to position state government between a woman and her doctor." "Attack on women's rights".

Wingnuts luv their Trump

"In Florida last weekend,"

Trump veered from calling for America to launch a trade war with China to saying America should seize the oil in Iraq and Libya to suggesting that radical former Weather Underground bomber William Ayers authored Obama’s first book.

“The man that wrote the second book didn’t write the first book. The first book was written by Ernest Hemingway plus. The second book was written by a high school graduate. The difference was like chicken salad and chicken s---,” he said.

The crowd loved it.

From the "values" crowd

The priorities of the "values" crowd: "PBC schools employee layoffs, furloughs looming" and "Broward considers school layoffs, furloughs, cuts". More: "Advocates decry cost of mental-health cuts" and "South Florida water district proposes 40 percent cuts".

"Session a disaster for civil rights and liberties"

Howard Simon, the executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Florida, asks "Does Florida really need a Legislature? This sounds like a radical idea — but entertain it for a moment. This legislative session has been a disaster for civil rights and civil liberties. If there is a human right, this Legislature will find a way to restrict or threaten it." "Do we really need this Legislature?"

"Solid bet"

The Sun-Sentinel editors: "'Decoupling' bill on dog races a solid bet".

"Orlando company plans 1,200 new jobs ... in North Carolina"

"While Florida's economic mantra continues to be jobs, jobs, jobs, an Orlando company announced it was adding 1,200 jobs — in North Carolina." "While Florida seeks jobs, jobs, jobs, Orlando company plans 1,200 new ones in North Carolina".

Florida Republicans' "political parlor tricks"

Douglas C. Lyons: "If I didn't know better, I'd swear our elected leaders in Tallahassee are more fixated on Nov. 6, 2012 than July 1, 2011, the start of Florida's new budget year."

If the GOP thinks Florida's still in play in the upcoming presidential election, they can rest easy. Florida Republicans are doing their part with a variety of political parlor tricks that will undermine efforts to replicate the 2008-sized turnout that put our state in the Democratic win column.

Second amendment stoopid

"Pediatricians say gun privacy bill would muzzle them".

"Inside the Obama White House, 2012 is the priority"

The Palm Beach Post editorial board: "Rather than rewarding average plans to get below-average plans to improve, the administration should kick poor-performing plans out of Medicare Advantage. It would cost less than giving out unearned bonuses and would be better for the seniors in those plans. It would help the administration's argument in defense of the Affordable Care Act. It also might cost the administration politically. And inside the Obama White House, 2012 is the priority." "Politics gets advantage: To improve Obama's chances in Florida, White House backs off good health ...".

One trick pony

"Scott confident Fla. legislature to phase out corporate income tax".

Brain trust

"Six business leaders from Central Florida met with Gov. Rick Scott on Friday to talk about SunRail." "Central Florida business leaders talk SunRail with Gov. Rick Scott".

Scott and Stearns luv the raw sewage

"The day after the Florida House passed a bill to ban implementation of water quality standards set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Gov. Rick Scott on Friday asked the agency to rescind a January 2009 determination that the federal rules are necessary for Florida." "Scott to EPA: Butt out". See also "Cliff Stearns, Rick Scott Turn Up Heat on EPA".

At a news conference Thursday, unions representing police, firefighters, teachers and white- and blue-collar workers announced they will pull their money from five banks whose executives are affiliated with the Florida Chamber of Commerce.

The banks — Bank of America, PNC, Regions Bank, SunTrust and Wachovia — are each represented on the Florida Chamber's board of directors. The chamber has pushed legislation now moving through the Florida Legislature that would prohibit state and local governments from collecting union dues through payroll deduction.

Today in Tally

"Today in Tallahassee: Legislature breaks for holiday".

Florida Republicans "ripping apart election laws"

"Florida lawmakers passed a dramatic overhaul of state election law Thursday night, a move that GOP legislators say will bring integrity to the process and one that Democrats counter will disenfranchise voters across the state."

The measure, a major rewrite to the laws that govern the state's elections, passed 79-37. Among other things, the measure (HB 1355) would limit voters' ability to change their address at the polls, change third-party voter registration rules and make it more difficult for citizen groups to put amendments on the ballot.

It also sets up a committee that will decide when the state's 2012 presidential primary will take place. ...

Democrats blasted the measure, calling it an assault on voters' rights. In particular, they said it would severely limit the likelihood that the votes of college students or military personnel be counted.

It amounts to their ripping apart election laws that have made it easier for Floridians to vote, and replacing them with laws that could stack the deck — election outcomes — in the Republicans' favor.

- Far less time to vote.

- Far more difficult to vote.

- Far more regulations!

Hasner laff riot

"Former state House Majority Leader Adam Hasner has formally entered the U.S. Senate race." "Former state House leader Hasner enters race for the U.S. Senate".

Republican proposes tax fee increases

"A bill designed to save Florida businesses and workers millions of dollars in taxes has been amended to keep cash flowing to local governments. House Bill 311 aimed to block cities and counties from expanding their business license taxes to a vast cadre of license-holding employees. Rep. Ken Roberson, R-Port Charlotte, said his measure was in response to a 2010 attorney general's opinion that such taxes could be imposed on individual workers who hold professional licenses." "Compromise Reached on Local Business Tax".

Gentlemen, start your bulldozers!

"House OKs bill cutting state involvement in land use issues".

Florida's "lock and load crowd"

Daniel Ruth: "At the moment the Deadwood Open Carry Act is moving swimmingly through both bodies of the Florida Star Chamber, mostly because lawmakers quake in fear at the prospect of incurring the wrath of the NRA's Marion Hammer, the Thelma AND Louise of the lock and load crowd." "Arizonan amazes with political sense".

Chamber of Commerce AWOL

"A series of bills placing restrictions on abortions were approved by a House committee Wednesday, and unsurprisingly the debate got emotional, with claims and counterclaims being leveled for nearly every provision."

Members of the House Health and Human Services Committee approved three bills by largely partisan votes that collectively bar using state or federal funds for abortions (except in cases of rape, incest, or the endangerment of the health of the mother); require abortion-seekers to undergo ultrasounds; and restrict doctors from performing abortions in the third trimester or after the fetus is viable. ...

Rep. Ron Renuart, R-Ponte Vedra Beach, claimed that abortions drive 30 percent of Planned Parenthood's income, but Stephanie Kunkel, a Planned Parenthood lobbyist, refuted that charge, saying that 97 percent of its operations nationwide are services other than abortions. She also subtly reminded Republicans that the GOP does not usually mind pushing legislation with a profit motive.

"I'm a little surprised the chamber isn't here opposing this bill," Kunkel said of HB 1397, which restricts abortions after viability, arguing that the bill imposes undue regulations on clinics that provide abortions.

All three bills next head to the House floor.

Extended session

"House Speaker Dean Cannon, R-Winter Park, ended Thursday's floor session by telling reporters that there has been no progress in budget negotiations, but that he is fairly optimistic the session can end on time in two weeks." "Cannon not ruling out special session".

House Redistricting Committee Kerfuffle

"Kicking off the first meeting of the House Redistricting Committee, Rep. Will Weatherford, R-Wesley Chapel, who chairs the committee, said Wednesday redistricting 'is not supposed to be a political process.'"

That's going to be easier said than done, as there has already been some political sniping over the membership of the committee, before the hectic process of drawing the congressional and legislative boundaries has really begun.

When members for the full Redistricting Committee and three subcommittees were announced Tuesday by House Speaker Dean Cannon, R-Winter Park, the legislator named by Democrats to lead them in the process, Rep. Perry Thurston of Plantation, was not on the list. That prompted House Minority Leader Ron Saunders of Key West to send Cannon a memo omitting the Democratic selection for a ranking member on the full Redistricting Committee.

Rubio proposes publicity stunt

"Marking the one-year anniversary of the Gulf oil spill on Wednesday, U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio called for the U.S. Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship to meet in Pensacola to focus on the region’s recovery." "Marco Rubio Calls for Senate Committee to Meet in Panhandle".

Cuba embargo

"U.S. Rep. Ron Paul: Cuba embargo propped up Castro".

Budget blues

The Tampa Trib editorial board: "Taking different paths toward balancing the state budget, the Florida House and Senate each hit competing areas of government that have long been the primary beneficiaries of taxpayer money."

The House plan generally slices the education budget, while the Senate takes a saber to health and social services.

Whatever the political reasons for the split, determined special interests are fighting to protect classrooms, universities and teachers. They are vying against constituencies representing hospitals, nursing homes, physicians, the poor and the developmentally disabled. The chambers' conferees in the next few weeks have tough choices to make that will affect all Floridians.

Thank you, President Obama

"Miles of sidewalks coming to traffic-choked Orlando; feds to foot the bill".

"A hail of public mockery"

"Amid a hail of public mockery, Workforce Central Florida abruptly shut down a marketing campaign to distribute 6,000 red capes to job seekers and employers." "Workforce Central Florida Trips on Its Cape".

Garbage in, garbage out

"According to a Viewpoint Florida [a polling firm associated with Republican consultants] survey, likely voters almost universally support a requirement that voters show a photo ID, such as a driver’s license, in order to cast a ballot. Some 87 percent of respondents said they would support a photo ID requirement, compared to just 9 percent who said voters should not be required to show an ID." "Poll: Forida Voters Want Ballot Security".

Ain't it cool

"The South Florida Water Management District uses a loophole in state law to avoid requiring lobbyists to register and disclose who hired them, which officials they seek to influence and how much they are being paid. None of the state’s five water management districts requires special-interest lobbyists to register before they contact board members and staff about big money contracts, environmental permits or other important matters involving public policy." "Loophole in Law Lets Lobbyists Dodge Disclosure at SFWMD".

•Cutting in half from four years to two years the time allowed for gathering petition signatures to add constitutional amendment proposals to the state ballot;

•Halting the practice of allowing voters to report a name change or address change at the polls on election day, forcing them instead to use a provisional ballot if they have moved from one county to another or changed their name but had not updated their registration;

•Requiring third-party voter registration organizations, such as the League of Women Voters, to submit the forms they collect within two days instead of 10, as required now;

•Banning lawyers from approaching any voter waiting in line to give legal or voting advice.

All hell could break loose

"Unions representing Central Florida teachers, firefighters, police and other government workers are pulling an estimated $10 million from five banks affiliated with the Florida Chamber of Commerce, blaming them for an attack on public employees."

The unions are also asking their members — an estimated 20,000 people — to withdrawal their personal money from Bank of America, PNC Bank, Regions Bank, SunTrust and Wachovia. And labor leaders across the state could follow in the coming weeks, union officials say.

Budget blues

"Sen. J.D. Alexander says he gave the House a 'fair and balanced' proposal but that they refused to accept it. Alexander says that he still thinks legislators can resume budget negotiations and finish the session on time. Lawmakers must have a finished budget on their desks by May 3 in order to adjourn within 60 days." "Senate and House break off high-level budget talks".

"It seems lawmakers working to cut $4 billion from the state budget aren't immune from adding a few items that are near and dear to their hearts — including a dredging project at the Port of Miami, above, a grant to aid in the prosecution of Casey Anthony and orange juice at welcome centers."

In the Senate, the chairman of the general-government budget committee, Eustis Republican Alan Hays, said he didn't know who wrote the language calling for $240,000 worth of orange juice for Florida welcome centers.

"It's not on my radar," he said.

The House budget has a $250,000 line item that calls on the nonprofit American Bikers Aiming Toward Education of Florida to help with motorcycle safety awareness. That was news to ABATE president James "Doc" Reichenbach, who pointed out the group conducted motorcycle safety awareness last year.

Obamaconomy working

"Orlando hotels filled about eight of every 10 rooms in March, a rare feat that hasn't happened in three years." "Orlando hotels fill 80 percent of rooms in March, best since 2008".

Today in Tally

"Today in Tallahassee: Lawmakers wrap up a short week".

"Legislators wrap up an abbreviated week Thursday as House committees consider creating a Save Our Homes-style assessment cap for businesses and weigh a proposal to lift requirements that local dog tracks actually race dogs."

HJR 381 would ask voters to amend the state constitution to set a three percent limit on property value increases for most non-homesteaded property. Currently, the state has capped assessment increases at 10 percent.

Proponents argue the cap will help spur job growth, while opponents note that it will create inequities in the property tax system that will benefit more established businesses.

Another bill, HB 1145, would allow greyhound tracks to stop running dog races. Track owners currently are required to run a set number of races in order to offer poker, which has been a more lucrative game for the business.

"Scott's curious decision"

The Saint Pete Times editors think Governor "Scott has made a curious decision not to join a multistate lawsuit against Transocean, the owner of the Deepwater Horizon offshore oil rig that exploded last year in the Gulf of Mexico. Scott has pinned Florida's compensation on the novel legal strategy that the companies behind America's worst environmental disaster can be counted on voluntarily to make things right."

Now that Scott has turned to the honor system to plead with these polluters to pay, he needs to lay out his strategy: What process will the state use to determine its economic damages? What expectations does Florida have in return for refusing to join the multistate lawsuit? And who is the governor listening to since he doesn't listen to the state's former special counsel on the spill, Tampa attorney Steve Yerrid?

Scott and Bondi have concluded that Florida will be better off fending for itself against multinational companies responsible for this catastrophe. If they are wrong, the real losers will be Floridians who have suffered enough.

The end of growth management

"The Florida House is poised to take up legislation today that could essentially undo Florida's 25-year-old growth-management laws, following Gov. Rick Scott's mantra that stripping away regulations that govern development will spark the state's sluggish economy and generate jobs." "Bills would change state environmental regulations, focus". See also "Sweeping growth management bill withstands Democratic amendments in House".

Teabagger "Trouble"

"Tea party groups assailed a West Palm Beach tea party group, alleging it is a front for GOP issues and is not representative of all tea party activists."

"Trouble is brewing among Florida's tea parties. A West Palm Beach group called Tea Party in Action is being criticized by other tea party groups who allege the organization is a front for the Republican Party of Florida and a hired gun for special interest groups in Tallahassee. The group's executive director, Marianne Moran, dismisses the allegations."

The issue came to a head last week when Moran testified before a Senate committee on behalf of a bill to ban unions from using payroll deduction to collect dues.

"What does this bill have to do with tea party principle of limited government?'' asked Henry Kelley, president of the Fort Walton Beach Tea Party, in a letter to senators. "I can't see why a Legislature focused on limited government in a right-to-work state wants to tell union people what to do with their paychecks.''

"A huge mistake and a terrible distraction"

The Miami Herald editorial board: "Some lawmakers in Tallahassee apparently believe that the way to appease the state’s most strident voices on immigration is to adopt an Arizona-style bill, opening the door to a divisive, unneeded and emotionally-charged debate. It’s a huge mistake and a terrible distraction for lawmakers, who should focus on finding solutions for the very real economic problems facing Florida. There is no convincing evidence that the state needs this legislation or that most voters want it. As so often happens with this topic, the politics of immigration threatens to overwhelm common sense." "Tallahassee’s harsh immigration bills flunk common-sense test".

Rubio burning both ends of the Libyan candle

The Palm Beach Post editors: "U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., voted to shut down the government and says he won't support raising the debt limit unless it comes with the whole GOP agenda. Yet he wants the United States, already warring in Iraq and Afghanistan, to get deeper into Libya's civil war. But even if spending weren't an issue, the U.S. should be wary of mission creep."

Sen. Rubio has been coy about whether he would support the use of U.S. troops into Libya, claiming that it would be poor military strategy to signal what the nation would do. His office did not respond to a request for clarification. But he asked Senate leaders to put U.S. involvement in Libya to a vote. He wants the United States to make ousting Moammar Gadhafi an explicit goal. President Obama and leaders of Britain and France have said they want the Libyan dictator to leave, but regime change is not a stated goal of the United Nations/NATO operation in Libya.

Bidness caught runnin' gub'ment like a bid'ness

"Agency yanks controversial campaign; state launches another investigation". "Workforce Central Florida Trips on Its Cape".

From the "values" crowd

"Museums and other cultural institutions face a historic cut in funding as Florida lawmakers struggle to agree on a budget of between $66.5 billion and $70 billion.Faced with competing needs, the Legislature steadily has been taking away money for the arts and culture. State funding for museums has dropped from $13.2 million five years ago to as low as $1 million in this upcoming year's House proposed version of the budget." "State's museums expect big hit in upcoming budget".

Dems "overtly giddy" about redistricting

"House Speaker-designate Will Weatherford sounded an early bipartisan tone Wednesday as the committee he chairs began the inherently political work of re-drawing Florida's political maps."

Under the "Fair Districts" amendments voters approved last fall, lawmakers will be tasked with drawing the boundaries without the intent of helping or hurting political parties or incumbent politicians.

That means evidence of individual members trying to scope out what their future district might look like — or making suggestions on how to draw the lines — could be used to show that the law was being violated.

Democrats have been overtly giddy that the 2012 round of redistricting would undo the Republicans' legislative super-majorities and 19-6 edge in Congress, given that Democrats hold a roughly 800,000-voter advantage over Republicans in Florida.

"Brownfields" tax credits

"Bill would help address a $10-million backlog in the state 'brownfields' tax credit program, supporters say. They say the program creates thousands of jobs but participation by landowners and developers is threatened by the backlog. The push for the tax credit has come despite the state's $3.75 billion budget shortfall." "Tough budget year hasn't stopped push to increase tax credits for contamination cleanup".

Only "moderate gouging"

The Palm Beach Post editorial board: "The 'good' news is that the Legislature may let property insurers gouge policyholders only moderately."

According to Sam Miller, director of the Florida Insurance Council, two of the four property insurance bills "are dead." One would have deregulated prices. The other basically would have prevented customers from suing if they believed that an insurer did not act in their interests. That leaves the comprehensive rewrite (SB 408 and HB 803) and this year's attempt to shrink state-run Citizens Property Insurance Corp. (SB 1714 and HB 1243).

Since the storm years of 2004 and 2005, the fight over Citizens has been geography-driven. The "last-resort" insurer has become the state's largest, with 1.3 million policies. To legislators from inland central and northern Florida, Citizens is a wasteful subsidy for coastal South Floridians. Ironically, roughly half of Citizens policyholders live outside Palm Beach, Broward, Miami-Dade and Monroe counties, but 60 percent of Citizens policies in "high-risk" are in South Florida.

So the bills seek to force South Floridians out of Citizens.

"Mandate-free"

"Mandates were once a hotly debated issue in the Florida Legislature. During the time Gov. Jeb Bush was in office, the Legislature rebuked most health insurance mandates. But in the following years since then, the Legislature has been more receptive to requiring additional coverage. Indeed, one of the bills that is moving through the current session is SB 546, which the insurance industry calls a mandate." "Will health insurers and HMOs participate in mandate-free health care marketplace?".

Prescription drug mess

"The prescription drug crisis is a problem Tallahassee wants to solve, but how to do it remains a subject of debate." "Lawmakers to tackle prescription drug abuse crisis".

Obama's in town

"Obama, family attending shuttle launch next week".

RPOFers want to stifle Teabag competition

"A little-noticed provision of the state Legislature's controversial elections bill would make it extremely difficult for a new political party to put a candidate on the state presidential ballot – a provision some say is aimed at keeping a tea party candidate off the ballot."

The Florida Tea Party ran candidates for several offices in 2010, including Dunmire for the congressional seat won by Republican Dan Webster, and former Polk County Commissioner Randy Wilkinson for the seat won by Republican Dennis Ross of Lakeland.

Republicans feared the candidates would siphon off GOP voters, and some alleged that the party was part a plot by Democrats – an accusation vehemently rejected by Dunmire.

Private colleges avoid review

"A state office responsible for keeping tabs on vocational, technical and other small private colleges across the state has come under fire in a new state audit." "Auditors slam program that is supposed to keep tabs on private colleges".

Tourism industry leaders get what they paid for

"For 15 years, Visit Florida, a public/private marketing partnership, has been successfully luring tourists from around the world to visit the beaches, parks, attractions, hotels and restaurants of the Sunshine State. But under massive government reorganization bills championed by Gov. Rick Scott and introduced recently in the House and Senate, Visit Florida – now led by a board of 53 diverse tourism industry leaders – is in jeopardy of losing its autonomy and being gobbled into a goliath economic-development bureaucracy." "Keep tourism promotion out of state hands, says industry".

RPOFers want to end ban on taxpayer money funding religious institutions

"A section of the Florida Constitution that bans taxpayer money from funding religious institutions could be deleted if state lawmakers who view it as discriminatory "against all people of faith" have their way."

A bill in both the House and Senate would ask Florida voters to erase a 39-word sentence from Florida's state constitution that's been the law since 1885. Known as the "no aid" provision or "Blaine amendment," it states that "no revenue of the state" can be given "directly or indirectly in aid of any church, sect or religious denomination or in aid of any sectarian institution."

The sentence, like similar language in nearly 40 other state constitutions, is a stricter prohibition against the financial mixing of church and state than is found in the U.S. Constitution. ...

Similar attempts to remove the same sentence have failed in the past few years. This year's proposed resolution (HJR 1471 and SJR 1218) may not fare any better. It needs a three fifths vote of approval from both the House and Senate to go on the November ballot, where 60 percent of voters must give it the nod.

Election law a-go-go

"After three hours of debate late into Wednesday night, the House tentatively approved a massive elections bill pushed by ruling Republicans but fiercely opposed by Democrats." "GOP ready to rewrite elections law".

Scott's got his finger in the wind

"The rapid succession of shifts from Scott come after a poll two weeks ago that showed the more Floridians learn about the new governor, the less they like." "Can Florida Gov. Rick Scott's policy shifts soften his public image?".

The best they can do?

"Two 'tea party stars' from Florida say they're not scared by the doomsday scenarios over the national debt ceiling." "Tea Party 'Stars' Stand Strong in Debt Showdown".

Republican living the lie

"More than 170 days since Republican Rep. Frank Artiles was elected, he still hasn't moved to the west Miami-Dade district he represents in the Florida House — a potential constitutional violation that could cost him five months' pay. Artiles was caught living in his Palmetto Bay home Monday night when a Miami political blogger knocked on the door. ... no one has filed a formal complaint against Artiles with the Florida House. At least not yet."

Artiles had a taste of controversy earlier this session when he appeared on the CNN show Anderson Cooper 360 to defend a bill that banned doctors from asking prospective patients about gun ownership. Artiles misrepresented the scope of the ban, and Cooper called him out the following night on his show — where Artiles didn't appear.

"As for why he was so adamantly inaccurate about it last night," Cooper said of Artiles, "we'll let you be the judge of that."

If only Jeb! ...

A polling firm associated with Republican consultants released a poll Tuesday that shows former Gov. Jeb Bush routing President Barack Obama in Florida in a potential, but very unlikely, 2012 presidential match-up. Unlike the pack of Republican hopefuls, the poll finds that Bush clearly takes Florida off the table, securing it for the Republicans. ... Of the 807 likely voters surveyed, 363 were Republicans, 324 were Democrats and 106 were independents. Bush secured the backing of 89 percent of the Republicans surveyed while 7 percent backed Obama -- but the former governor was also able to tap into Obama’s base, taking 26 percent of the Democrats polled while the president kept 71 percent in his column. Bush led with independents, taking 46 percent to the president’s 40 percent." "If Jeb Bush Were Running, Presidential Poll Says He Could Take Obama in Florida" ("The poll of 807 likely voters was taken April 13 and 14 and had a margin of error of +/- 3.5 percent. Find the full crosstabs at Viewpoint Florida.")

Peter Schorsch has a little fun with this Republican polling operation's alleged results:

You have to be out of your frekin’ mind if you think 26% of Democrats in Florida would vote for Jeb Bush. Out of your frekin’ mind! I am not saying Jeb wouldn’t beat Obama in Florida, but winning a quarter of the Democratic vote would not be part of the arithemetic.

Again, you have to be out of your frekin’ mind if you think Florida Democrats, bludgeoned by the current GOP onslaught against teachers, unions and reproductive rights, would roll over and cast a vote for Jeb!

Of course, this poll was commissioned by uber Republican strategist Randy Nielsen and was conducted on April 13th – 14th among 807 Florida registered voters likely to vote in the 2012 General Election. They say the margin of error is +/- 3.5%, but I think the entire poll falls within the margin of error.

Out of your frekin’ mind.

Poor John Galt

Kenric Ward whines that the "Mainstream Media Shrug Off 'Atlas' at Their Peril".

The public's disinterest in the film is understandable. After all, the film is a "comically tasteless and flavorless adaptation of Ayn Rand’s bombastic magnum opus [that] delivers her simplistic nostrums with smug self-satisfaction."

Water czar

"In response to Gov. Rick Scott's insistence upon more control and consistency in Florida's water policies, the Secretary of the Department of Environmental Protection has named a water czar to oversee the budgets, rules, regulations, permitting, lobbying and land deals made by the state's five water management districts." "Fla. environmental agency appoints water czar to oversee state's 5 water districts".

With the legislature entering its final three weeks, Scott's pledge to cut regulations, shield businesses from lawsuits and enact almost $2 billion in tax cuts, mostly for corporations and property owners, hangs in the balance.

And just when his skills at schmoozing, cajoling and muscling legislators need to be at their peak, the governor's recent uncertain political steps, combined with his lousy poll numbers, appear to be damaging the first-year executive.

Florida Republicans press voter suppression measures

Howard Troxler: "The 2011 Legislature is considering, and its committees have approved so far, bills that would:"

• Cut Florida's early-voting period (nearly one out of five ballots were cast early in 2010) from two weeks to one.

• Bar anyone who has moved or changed a name, such as newly married women, from updating their information at the polls on Election Day and receiving a regular ballot. They would have to cast "provisional" ballots instead.

• Crack down on, and expand penalties for, groups that try to register new voters — which used to be considered an all-American activity.

• Make it even harder for citizens to change the Florida Constitution by setting an earlier expiration date for petition signatures.

The line in Tallahassee is that these changes simply "clean up" voting in Florida, make it more "efficient," and prevent "fraud."

Yet as a whole, Senate Bill 2086 and House Bill 1355 are astonishing. They reverse a decades-long trend of making it easier to register and vote in America.

My Democratic friends claim it is a Republican plot. I do think that's part of it.

After all, even though Florida has more registered Democrats, the Legislature itself is two-thirds Republican.

And who is most likely to be barred from casting a regular ballot? Who moves more? College students, young people. Who is most likely to change a name? Women. The stereotype, with justification, is that they lean Democratic.

They will be the ones told on Election Day, sorry, you can't cast a regular vote — you'll have to fill out extra forms; you'll have to cast a "provisional" ballot; you'll have to wait to find out if your vote even counted.

And yet, I think this goes deeper than Republican-Democrat.

And the RPOF wants Firemen to retire at age 60?

"A fast-acting firefighter rescued a man trapped behind the burglar bars on his front door as his home filled with smoke late Monday, according to fire officials." "Tampa firefighter rescues man trapped in smoke-filled home".

"Rookie mistake"?

"Aqua Utilities Florida Inc. serves 117,000 customers in 18 Florida counties, according to the company. The company's pending rate hike request before the Public Service Commission also has brought controversy to the Senate confirmation of PSC Chairman Art Graham."

Aqua Utilities Florida has a rate request pending for about 16,000 of its customers in several water systems, with a few rates doubling or tripling the current monthly cost for some customers while decreasing for others.

One customer filed an Ethics Commission complaint against Graham for his meeting with company representatives in February in Washington, D.C. Graham, who as a PSC member serves in a role similar to that of a judge during a rate request, told the Senate Rules Committee last week that his meeting was a "rookie mistake."

Friendly territory

"Gov. Rick Scott and his cabinet are meeting in the Panhandle." "Governor holds Panhandle cabinet meeting".

Today in Tally

"Today in Tallahassee: Action shifts to Panama City".

SunRail hangs on

"Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer and other Central Florida leaders are compiling a list of backers that includes more than 80 cities, businesses and chambers of commerce to show Gov. Rick Scott that the region supports the SunRail commuter train." "SunRail backers plan to lobby Gov. Rick Scott".

DCA judges get breathing room

"House Speaker Dean Cannon says he wants to give the Judicial Qualifications Commission a chance to deal with judges at the 1st District Court of Appeal before considering an impeachment request." "Speaker Dean Cannon: Impeachment request should wait until panel gets chance to act on 1st DCA judges".

HMOs big winners in Tally

"As the Florida House and Senate transform the $20 billion Medicaid system, they will create winners and losers."

One winner is easy to predict. The House and Senate both want to put almost all Medicaid beneficiaries into managed-care plans, giving HMOs a flood of new customers.

New criminal justice cash formulas needed

The Orlando Sentinel editors: "There's a disturbing element of chance, based on geography, in Florida's criminal justice system. Every judicial circuit in the state — there are 20 of them — has a state attorney's office and a public defender's office. However, the money those offices get from the state's general revenue fund to prosecute or defend criminal suspects varies widely." "Outdated formula for financing prosecutors and public defenders begs for change".

Charlie unveiled

"Crist, 54, returned to the Capitol on Monday for the unveiling of his official portrait that is as realistic as it is stark. The three-quarter view of Florida's 44th governor will hang alongside those of his most recent predecessors in a first-floor walkway outside the office he held for four years." "Former Gov. Charlie Crist's portrait unveiled in Capitol".

Republicans swoop in on unemployment

"State labor officials asked their inspector general Monday to investigate why a Central Florida agency wants to spend public money to furnish the unemployed with capes."

Dubbed the "Cape-A-Bility Challenge," a $73,000 public-relations campaign by Workforce Central Florida features a cartoon character named "Dr. Evil Unemployment" and includes handing out about 6,000 red superhero capes to jobless Central Floridians.

The campaign, revealed Saturday in a report in the Orlando Sentinel, was met with derision by many unemployed who questioned spending more than $14,200 on capes and $2,300 on foam cutouts of "Dr. Evil Unemployment." They said the campaign's tone risked minimizing the severity of the region's labor problems.

"Dosal 'Tax' Dead"

"The sponsor of a bill to raise fees on Florida-based Dosal Tobacco Co. says the measure is dead -- again. Rep. John Tobia, R-Melbourne, said Gov. Rick Scott's vow last week to veto House Bill 1207 'pretty much closes the issue this year.'" "Dosal 'Tax' Is Dead, Bill Sponsor Says".

Teabaggers fading

"The third annual Tax Day Tea Party Rally did not attract the crowd it had for its first two, but it attracted the same passion. Fewer than 100 people gathered at the Fort Walton Landing to discuss the political issues nearest and dearest to their hearts. The topics ranged from fair taxes to freedom of speech." "'Still making strides': Tea Party rally-goers support fair taxes, celebrate history".

"The 'F' word"

"As the Broward School Board contemplates how to slash more than $100 million from next year’s budget, one word keeps resurfacing – furlough. On Monday, Superintendent Jim Notter gave the board a chart showing how the district could save millions by asking employees to take off — without pay." "Broward schools using the 'F' word: Furlough".

New DOT Secretary

"Scott has named an 18-year veteran of the Florida Department of Transportation to head the agency." "Insider named as Fla. transportation secretary". See also "Goodin passed over as DOT secretary".

Scott "Bestows praise on himself"

"Bestowing praise on himself like a veteran self-aggrandizing politician, Gov. Scott on Friday all but declared himself personally responsible for the decrease in Florida’s unemployment. It had been 11.5 in February, but dropped to 11.1 in March."

If had taken questions, they might have been phrased like this: “Governor, just what do you think you have done? Isn’t is more likely that you took office as things were getting better, and the number might have dropped even if Charlie Crist were still in office?” ...

Chances are, Gov. Scott won’t be praising President Obama for the nearly 13 percent drop in the national unemployment since September.

Florida Power & Light compromise

"In a last-ditch attempt to revive legislation that would let them control the market for solar power development in the state, Florida Power & Light has proposed a compromise that would allow state regulators to determine if they are entitled to raise rates to pay the costs of renewable energy plants." "FPL's solar power plan gets new life".

Teabagger clown has a special place in Florida

Daniel Ruth: "This is a highly technical and sophisticated political science construct, but you can pretty much conclude a political party has just a pinch of a problem when one of its leading presidential candidates runs around with what looks like a golden retriever on his head."

When Donald Trump showed up at a tea party rally in Boca Raton over the weekend, it was hard to tell whether his adoring crowds should have applauded — or gone on point.

Glowing report

"After a tour on Monday of FPL’s Turkey Point nuclear power plant, members of congress promised to keep a critical eye on the facility, but said they are reassured that it is safe." "FPL seeks to allay Congressional concerns over Turkey Point".

Marco's suit getting emptier by the minute

"Marco Rubio calls the news a warning to get serious on tackling deficit and debt". "S&P Offers Negative Outlook on Federal Government's Debt and Future Credit".

Tally to siphon millions of from local governments

"Out-of-state investors, business owners and first-time homebuyers could pay far less in property taxes under bills gaining momentum in the Florida Legislature. Supporters say the proposals will help attract home buyers and new businesses, boosting the state’s crippled economy. But critics say they will siphon hundreds of millions of dollars away from local governments and could force higher taxes on owner-occupied homes, while still not addressing flaws in the state’s current property tax system." "Property Tax Overhaul Gains Momentum".

Rooney wears a helmet

"Tom Rooney Joins John Boehner on Tour of Iraq and Pakistan".

Fl-oil-duh

Saint Pete Times editors: "In less than a year, a staggering $3.8 billion has been paid by BP to tens of thousands of businesses and people along the Gulf Coast for economic damages caused by the Deepwater Horizon explosion. Yet that does not begin to cover all of the losses from this catastrophe or reflect the devastation to lives and local economies." "Too many still wait for BP". Related: "Oil spill claims administrator maintains "we're doing something right"".

Florida teabaggers run wild in DC

"Two 'tea party stars' from Florida say they're not scared by the doomsday scenarios over the national debt ceiling."

Saying he doesn't think much of "leadership by fear and intimidation" coming from the Obama administration and Wall Street financiers, U.S. Rep. Allen West calls the pending increase in the nation's $14 trillion debt a "debt suggestion."

"This will be the 73rd or 74th time Congress has done this," West, R-Fort Lauderdale, said on ABC's "This Week with Christian Amanpour."

U.S. Rep. Steve Southerland, R-Tallahassee, was equally adamant.

"The administration is pushing for a single-subject vote, a 'clean' bill. I'm not voting for that," Southerland said.

"State to confiscate local expressway authorities"

The Tampa Trib editors: "Florida Senate President Mike Haridopolos made the right call when he instructed his minions to drop a plan to eliminate the SunPass discount for motorists. But he should also jettison the slippery grab to have the state confiscate local expressway authorities." "Highway robbery".

Two years in the Florida House; elected to the Florida Senate in 2003; on the short list to be Charlie Crist's lieutenant governor in 2006; Senate president 2010-present; now a candidate for U.S. Senate.

• One of Tsamoutales' clients and closest friends pays Haridopolos $5,000 a month — $60,000 a year — for amorphous consulting duties. Haridopolos was admonished by the Senate last month for failing to disclose the source of that income.

• Tsamoutales helped persuade Haridopolos to earmark $20 million toward a biomedical development 200 miles from his district. The developer, a Tsamoutales client, now faces criminal theft charges, accused of bilking taxpayers out of hundreds of thousands of dollars.

• Tsamoutales' wife and father have served on the Brevard Community College board of trustees, Haridopolos' former employer.

• Haridopolos bought a Lennar Homes investment property in Mount Dora days after Tsamoutales registered as Lennar's agent, which both say is sheer coincidence.

Today in Tally

"Today in Tallahassee: House, Senate observe Passover holiday".

"A big bump in the road"?

"One year later, the largest offshore oil spill in U.S. history looks more and more like just a big bump in the road in the drive to drill deeper in the Gulf of Mexico and potentially closer to Florida’s coastline." "A year after the BP spill, talk of drilling on the rise". Related: "Drilling opposition evaporates".

The Saint Pete Times editorial board: "Progress toward requiring safer drilling, protecting natural resources and compensating victims has been uneven at best and Wednesday's one-year anniversary of the explosion should spark a renewed commitment to reforms. " "Too soon to rush back to deepwater drilling".

More "journalistic" balance

Aaron Sharockman strikes his usual "balance" this morning with this anti-union drivel: "Dueling over 'paycheck protection' [and] PolitiFact Florida rates dueling ads over 'paycheck protection' legislation". For a more detailed look at the issue, go here.

Dramatic environmental law changes on the table

"No matter which side of the fence they're on, most people who track environmental issues in the Florida Legislature say they can't remember a time when so much dramatic change was on the table. Rules could be rewritten for guiding growth, environmental permitting and regulating water use and supplies." "Environmental changes on horizon".

Different priorities for House, Senate and Scott

The right-wing editors at the Daytona Beach News-Journal claim that "the budgeteers in Tallahassee are making a credible attempt to balance the budget."

Many of the choices they face are unappealing, and some of them are downright painful. But they're unavoidable; the state can't print money or run a budget deficit. And raising taxes when unemployment is above 11 percent isn't a palatable option, either.

The budgets passed by the House and Senate both include about $4 billion in cuts. Although the Republican Party is solidly in control of the Legislature, the House, the Senate and Scott have different spending priorities.

For instance, the governor wants to cut deeper to finance business tax cuts. House and Senate leaders, so far, have disagreed, taking what we think is the wiser course by limiting the cuts to the purpose of deficit reduction.

The House wants to protect the Medically Needy program; the Senate would gut funding for this important part of the health care safety net.

The loss of federal stimulus money will have a big impact on education. But the schools will be getting almost $3 billion to help them meet the class-size mandate.

It's debatable whether relatively small reductions in class size produce significant academic benefits, but voters wanted smaller classes and the Legislature has to provide funding.

Both chambers have plans to reduce spending on the $22 billion Medicaid health care program. It's nearly impossible to balance the budget without wrestling with the cost of Medicaid, which has been rising by double-digit percentages in recent years.

Neither the House nor the Senate has gone as far as Scott wanted on the issue of pension reform. Legislators want government employees to contribute to their pensions, but lawmakers see the need to soften the impact on workers' salaries. The Senate plan would require those with higher salaries to pay more than those who make less than $40,000 a year.

Tense debate over RPOF court packing scheme

"After two hours of contentious debate, the Florida House voted on Friday to approve forwarding a proposed constitutional amendment to the voters. The proposal passed on a vote that mirrored party lines, with 79 Republicans backing the controversial measure and 38 Democrats voting against it. ... The debate continued with some tense moments."

When Rep. Rick Kriseman, D-St. Petersburg, attacked the proposal, noting that more Floridians backed the FairDistricts proposals than voted for Rick Scott in November, Cannon interjected twice, demanding that the Democratic representative focus on the policy at hand. Rep. Jeff Clemens, D-Lake Worth, suggested that the Republicans file a bill that only Republican governors should appoint Supreme Court justices -- and then added that Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Shalimar, would back the measure.

House Majority Leader Carlos Lopez-Cantera, R-Miami, took exception to comments from Waldman and Rep. Luis Garcia, D-Miami, comparing the proposal to something worthy of communist Cuba. During the debate on the enacting measure accompanying the proposal, Waldman took exception to those comments, noting that his ex-wife fled her native Cuba in 1959 and that his children were Cuban-Americans.

Eisnaugle closed the debate, insisting the proposal had nothing to do with redistricting and that the measure was not court packing.

But the proposal may face opposition in the Senate. While the Senate Rules Committee passed a measure by Sen. Ellyn Bogdanoff, R-Fort Lauderdale, on Friday requiring state Supreme Court appointments to have Senate confirmation, her attempt to bring forth the House proposal was withdrawn. During questioning on Thursday, Rep. Richard Steinberg, D-Miami Beach, demanded to know of Eisnaugle who was backing the measure in the Senate and received no answer.

Republican Study Committee drags its knuckles

"Last Wednesday Mack, who had been named chairman of the Repeal Task Force set up by the Republican Study Committee earlier in the month, unveiled his new group and came out swinging at the president’s speech on the national debt made earlier in the day. "

Joined by U.S. Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio, the chairman of the Republican Study Committee, and seven other congressmen, Mack said the task force would look to repeal the federal health-care law that Obama backed, energy mandates, and the Davis-Bacon Act which requires that employees working on public projects are paid prevailing wages. Mack and members of the task force argue that Davis-Bacon -- which was signed into law in 1931 by [Republican] Herbert Hoover and crafted by then-U.S. Sen. James J. Davis of Pennsylvania, who served as U.S. labor secretary under [Republican's] Warren G. Harding, Calvin Coolidge and Hoover -- hinders small businesses looking to obtain federal contracts.

Mack also used his perch as chairman of the House Western Hemisphere Subcommittee as a base to attack Obama during a hearing on American foreign aid.

"Graham sees his legacy threatened"

Mark Lane: "Bob Graham, former Florida governor, U.S. senator ... claims he's depressed. Depressed in a glass-half-full, come-on-people-let's-all-roll-up-our-sleeves-and-get-to-work way. A Bob Graham kind of way."

The Florida Legislature ... is poised to pass a proposed state constitutional amendment to "pack the Florida Supreme Court" as Graham characterizes it and, generally, is trying to grab power from courts and undo judicial reforms from the time of Graham and Gov. Reubin Askew.

Worst of all, Graham complained, the governor and Legislature "think of Florida as a commodity" and mistakenly believe that by degrading the environment and cutting education, they'll be able to sell the state as the cheapest place around to do business.

"Saying we're going to sell Florida as the cheapest state is an old-fashioned idea," he said because in a global marketplace, there will always be someplace far, far cheaper.

Instead of racing to the bottom -- the commodity approach -- a competitive state must offer things that are harder to find: the kind of quality of life people want, research facilities, good schools ... .

Graham contrasted the current approach with the time when he was governor, Hyatt Brown (who was in the audience) was House speaker and the state was run by "people who thought Florida was not a commodity. It was a treasure!"

In short, Graham sees his legacy threatened.

Teabaggers falling for "self-aggrandizing clown talk"

Nancy Smith says "stop inviting this baloney business magnate to speak at tea party picnics. Let’s stop asking him serious questions about national policy so he can blather back the answers he thinks we want to hear. Let's stop following his combination political and TV-show malarkey on E! channel. And let's definitely stop comparing him – as one commentator did last week – to Ronald Reagan."

Smith

wonder[s] which is more embarrassing to the GOP, this 20 minutes of self-aggrandizing clown talk repeated every time he faces a camera, or the fact that Republican voters are buying it and putting him ahead in so many 2012 presidential polls.

Universities go after influential officeholders

"Former House Speaker Ray Sansom avoided a corruption conviction, but the short-lived job with a state college that forced him out of the Legislature put a sharper focus on a long history of Florida colleges and universities currying favor with politicians by hiring them."

Several current and former Florida governors, legislators and other high-ranking politicians work at public universities and colleges, many of them getting hired after they were elected. Senate President Mike Haridopolos, former Lt. Gov. Frank Brogan, former Jacksonville Mayor John Delaney and former Govs. Bob Graham and Reubin Askew are among the most prominent of a group that also includes four sitting state senators and three House members.

The competition for state funding is ferocious, and the schools aren't shy about going after the most influential officeholders they can attract.

Nothing worse than a whiny car salesman

"The businessman who led the recall of Miami-Dade's mayor and pushed to reform county government says he will vote against all the charter amendments at the May 24 special election. Norman Braman told Sunshine State News he cannot support any of the so-called reform measures tweaked, retooled or simply made up by county commissioners." "Miami Reform Effort Sacked for a Loss".

"Goo is gone", but not the Gopers

"Economy, environment are still a concern to many in the state a year after the Gulf oil disaster." "Goo is gone, but worries about oil's effects aren't".

Union busting, that’s why. Unions donate to Democrats because they’re friendly to their cause. Business lobbies give globs of campaign cash to Republicans because they’re friendly to anti-union causes. Not complicated and nothing new.

Every Cuban-American Republican in Tallahassee should not only be concerned, but incensed at this assault on basic individual rights. Every one of them, when talking about Cuba’s dictatorship, will list "independent labor unions" and an independent press and legalization of all political parties as among their demands before bargaining with the dictatorship.

In Cuba, there are no union dues, no paycheck deductions (barely a paycheck when you live on $20 a month), but, of course, that’s because unions are run by the regime.

South Florida’s Cuban-American Republicans know that truth. It’s past time they spread the word and get their GOP colleagues to stop meddling with union workers’ paychecks.

Fl-oil-duh

"The BP disaster in the Gulf of Mexico underlined the state’s vulnerability to far-off oil spills." "With Florida in the loop, drilling remains a concern". The Saint Pete Times editors: "Too soon to rush back to deepwater drilling".

"Uterus Song"

"The flap over the word 'uterus' in the Florida Legislature has been made into a song, thanks to South Florida's Raging Grannies." "Florida's Raging Grannies join debate with 'Uterus Song'".

"Tiptoeing along the bright line of fascism"

"U.S. Rep. Allen West strode up to a buzzing crowd of conservative activists who had gathered in the bowels of the Capitol, setting off a wave of applause as delighted fans rushed up to shake his hand and snap his picture."

West accused Democrats of "leadership by fear-mongering," called the detention center at Guantanamo Bay "a five-star hotel for some very bad actors" and said that when people like Secretary of State Hillary Clinton dictate foreign policy "we are in a world of you-know-what." ...

He [previously] raised eyebrows, for instance, by vowing in one radio interview to bring to its knees "this liberal, progressive, socialist agenda, this left-wing, vile, vicious, despicable machine that's out there." ...

[R]adio talk-show host Joyce Kaufman declar[ed] at a West campaign rally, "If ballots don't work, bullets will."

Keith Olbermann, formerly with MSNBC, called West a "bald-faced liar" who had "disgraced the uniform" of his country and was prone to "tiptoe along the bright line of fascism." ...

West so far has shrugged off pressure to run for a U.S. Senate seat in Florida next year or to eventually seek the presidency.

"Scott doesn't just look scary; he is scary"

Stephen Goldstein writes that "Florida Gov. Rick Scott doesn't just look scary; he is scary — and he does scary things. As Floridians watch helplessly, millions are screaming 'buyer's remorse,' now that they finally understand the extent of Scott's radical agenda — and face what they did to themselves by failing to heed warnings."

"In addition, the Florida Legislature, now tea party/Republican-dominated with overwhelming majorities, is matching Scott's madness. Under the pretense of achieving fiscal soundness, Tallahassee is giving Florida an extreme makeover — as a state in which corporate interests trump people's rights and religious zealots tell everyone how to live. Floridians have a choice: They can grouse but do nothing — or they can retake the state and show the governor and Legislature that 'the people' are still boss. Voters should pass eight constitutional amendments to restore representative government in Florida:"

1. The "Recall" Amendment

2. The "Majority Rule" Amendment

3. The "60 Percent" Amendment

4. The "Follow the Will of the People" Amendment

5. The "Blind Trust" Amendment

6. The "Anti-lobbying" Amendment

7. The "Open Primaries" Amendment

8. The "Representative Government" Amendment

Another day at the office

"Coral Springs firefighters got help from fire departments in Margate, Deerfield Beach, Pompano Beach, Tamarac, Palm Beach County and Miami-Dade County, said the spokesman for the firefighting effort, Capt. Rich Antonini of the Coral Springs Fire Department." "Firefighters battle blaze at recycling center in Parkland".

Florida Republicans' "bad case of spite"

The Miami Herald editorial board: "Talk about a bad case of spite. The Republican-led Legislature was very unhappy last year when the state Supreme Court tossed out three constitutional amendments sponsored by lawmakers. The court’s rejection was because the proposals had confusing or misleading ballot summaries. ... To get back at the Florida Supreme Court, they are crafting new amendment proposals that would radically — and pointlessly — overhaul that institution."

Bad ideas — all. First, as [former Florida Governor and U.S. Senator] Graham put it, the plan to expand and split the Supreme Court is a "solution seeking to find a problem." The state’s highest court works fine. It doesn’t have a backlog, and, in fact, has reduced its caseload in recent years.

Adding three more justices wouldn’t improve the state’s justice system one bit, but it would allow the governor to stack the court. Under the proposal, the three additional justices would each get three law clerks and a secretary. It’s roughly estimated that splitting and expanding the court could cost an additional $21 million. Where will this money come from in such tight budget times?

The proposal to open up JQC proceedings may look like a step toward more transparency, and supporters liken it to proceedings at the state Ethics Commission. But the JQC probes of judges — arising from complaints by litigants or lawyers who go before the judges — are far different than when a citizen complains to the Ethics Commission about a city commissioner.

Finally, the proposal to remove The Florida Bar from its JNC-member recommendation job is a slap in the face to minorities — blacks and non-Cuban Hispanics, especially, as they trend toward the Democratic Party and would be shut out of the judicial nominating process even though more than half of Florida’s registered voters are Democrats.

Thank you, President Obama

"Hints of rebound may boost sales of luxury condos".

Some call it "journalism"

Mike Thomas is, after all, in the readership business. And what better way to do it than making a fool of your self, which achieves this morning with this drivel: "How I learned to 'luv the guv'".

Luv 4 sale

"With a former corporate executive in Gov. Rick Scott and growing Republican supermajorities controlling the legislature, Florida is poised to enact sweeping 'pro-business' and deregulatory changes in the next three weeks." "Corporate millions have paid off in 'pro-business' legislative agenda".

"Scott couldn't pass up a chance to perform"

The Palm Beach Post editorial board: "Until recently, Gov. Scott and House Speaker Dean Cannon, R-Winter Park, wanted the Legislature to scrap the Prescription Drug Monitoring Program before it got started, citing concerns over privacy, government overreach and costs."

Gov. Scott, though, couldn't pass up a chance to perform in Washington. Before a House committee on Thursday, he testified on the growing danger of prescription drug abuse. How credible would he have looked as the governor who opposed the database?

Enough with Citizens

The Tampa Trib editors think it's "Sunset for Citizens".

"Naked pandering looks downright refreshing"

Scott Maxwell: "For all his many imperfections, Charlie had concern for his fellow man. And compared with some of the nonsensical and truly damaging actions we are seeing from Rick Scott nowadays, a little naked pandering looks downright refreshing." "Rick Scott is enough to make me miss Charlie Crist".

It has pickshures and everthin'

"The Florida GOP has rolled out a new website, www.presidency5.com, to tout what could be the biggest political event of the year: Presidency 5, a GOP-apolooza, featuring a debate among the presidential candidates and an officially meaningless 'straw poll' for Florida Republicans to vote on who they want for their nominee." "GOP unveils website".

Entrepreneurs in action

"Five years after a $5 million pledge from north Palm Beach County business leaders helped steer The Scripps Research Institute to Jupiter instead of Boca Raton, most of that money intended for minority businesses and students remains past due." "Businesses fail to deliver half of millions pledged for Scripps".

Scott jumps on Jax Teabagger

North Florida has for decades been the home of right-wing nutballery, but may actually be on the verge of taking a small step out of the sewer; or stepping further into it. There's a serious choice for voters in

a fascinating mayor's race playing out in Jacksonville, featuring a tea party Republican, Duval Tax Collector Mike Hogan, against a conservative African-American Democrat, Alvin Brown, a former Bill Clinton aide and now a business school dean.

Jacksonville's most recent mayors, John Peyton and John Delaney, have been moderate Republicans, but in the era of tea party activism, there's a chance voters in the May 17 election may find a centrist Democrat more reflective of the community than a hard-right Republican whose campaign website talks about his commitment to protecting gun rights and combating abortion and illegal immigration, before creating jobs.

Stunningly, one of Florida's top Republican fundraisers, former St. Joe chief executive Peter Rummell, endorsed Brown on Friday.

"We're coming out of a terrible time, and how we treat that and what we do is terribly important. We need to have an adult conversation about this. … I happen to think Alvin will be more productive about that than Hogan," Rummell told the Times-Union.

Not stunningly, Gov. Rick Scott on Friday joined Hogan — the heavy favorite — for a tea party antitax rally.

First DCA Impeachments?

"A House Committee should consider impeaching 1st District Court Judges Paul Hawkes and Brad Thomas for their role in building a new courthouse critics call a 'Taj Mahal,' says Rep. Franklin Sands, D-Plantation." "Lawmaker asks House speaker to consider impeachment judges for roles in 'Taj Mahal' courthouse".

Teabaggers show (yet again) that they're merely RPOF shills

Florida's teabaggers once again demonstrate that they are little more than a Republican front group:

South Florida Tea Party members are on the same page [as the union haters running the Florida Republican Party], spokesman Tim McClellan said. "They unionize a workplace and then tell the employer, 'You have to help us collect the dues,' " he said. "That's ridiculous. And most of that money is going to elect liberals and it's giving those liberals an unfair advantage."

"Extremist and self-serving agenda"

The Orlando Sentinel editors write that "the last thing Floridians need is for the Legislature to grant itself an extension, creating even more opportunities for lawmakers to pass their alternately extremist and self-serving agenda. Some of the agenda's bitter highlights:"

Creating jobs was supposed to be Job One for this Legislature, remember? Forget it. Fashioning an environment that reflects the Republican-led Legislature's sensibility on social issues is instead driving legislators. Needlessly divisive bills could pass that infringe on a woman's constitutional right to an abortion, permit prayer at school events, quash public unions, force people needing the government's temporary financial help to get drug tested, and permit schools to teach what the sponsor calls "non-evolution."

Don't forget legislators' breathless pursuit of regulations, attempting to eradicate them as if they were plague-carrying rats. As if you could forget it, with the legislators' hooting and hollering about their eagerness to overturn rules that protect consumers from unscrupulous mechanics and rogue telemarketers. That curb unneeded, sprawl-inducing developments. And that come from Washington, like the new federal clean water rules. ...

They've gone "cap crazy" — seeking to limit lawsuits against nursing homes for negligence and wrongful neglect, to limit legal damages for agencies providing foster-care services and to limit lawsuits in medical-malpractice actions involving Medicaid patients. All to ostensibly crimp the ambition of Democrat-backed trial attorneys. But should the bills pass, they'd create an environment encouraging the mistreatment of some of our most vulnerable populations.

Speaking of lawsuits, Republican legislators haven't given up on remaking the state's judiciary in an image to their liking. House Speaker Dean Cannon would carve up the state Supreme Court, whose decisions last year made it harder for the GOP to gerrymander districts. And he'd have legislators take over some of the court's rule-making authority. Who better, after all, than legislators – so many of whom know nothing of the law?

Teabagger clown

"Donald Trump filled several roles Saturday: Self promoter; crowd pleaser; economic analyst; and slashing critic of President Barack Obama."

Trump bragged about his intelligence, touted his business acumen, laid out areas in which he thinks American domestic and foreign policy is wrong, and again raised questions about whether the president really is a U.S. citizen.

Farcical amendment to Thrasher's union busting bill

John Thrasher has amended his union-busting bill prohibiting voluntary public employee union dues deductions. The amendment permits dues deductions from public employee paychecks, but limits use of such union dues to 'non-political' purposes. Conversely, use of deducted union dues for political purposes is prohibited. See "Union Dues Bill Tweaked, Heads to Florida Senate Floor".

Thrasher's amendment papers over the continued union-busting essence of his bill. To understand the amendment for the farce that it is, one must understand how public employee collective "bargaining" works in Florida. As pointed out last month in "Republican union busting on a roll in Tally", political activity is the sine qua non of union efficacy in Florida.

Although Florida's public employee unions engage in something called "collective bargaining", we explained, Florida's unions are in fact powerless to meaningfully effect improvements in public sector work places except through the political process. That is so because, under Florida's public employee bargaining law (the "PERA"), if a public employer and a union do not reach agreement, the public employer has the unilateral authority to decide all wages, hours and terms and conditions of employment:

Even though the right of Florida's public employees to unionize and bargain is a fundamental Florida constitutional right, this constitutional right been reduced by the Florida Legislature to merely permitting employees to form an association and obligating the employer to "bargain" with the association; and, in the event the parties can't reach agreement in this so-called-"bargaining", the public employer essentially has the unilateral ability to do whatever it wants.

More specifically, Florida's public employers are not required to agree to anything (except non-substantive provisions relating to arbitration and voluntary dues deduction), and just about everything else is subject to complete, unilateral determination by the public employer. The only "pressure" a Florida public employee union can bring to bear is precisely the same power as that as any other group of individuals - at the ballot box.

As noted by Professor Summers [Public Employee Bargaining: A Political Perspective, 83 Yale L.J. 1156 (1969)], the 'employers' in public employment collective bargaining are public officials. These public officials are accountable to the voters who in essence then are the true 'employers.' As a result, public employment collective bargaining is influenced primarily by political forces as opposed to private employment collective bargaining which is essentially shaped by the market. Id. See also Abood v. Detroit Board of Education, 431 U.S. 209, 227-28, 97 S.Ct. 1782, 1795-96, 52 L.Ed.2d 261, 279-80 (1977) (public employer decisionmaking is guided by politics; it is not guided by the profit motive).

The public employee, as a voter, has the ability to participate ... through normal political processes. ... public employees "certainly have a right to participate in [the] decision, but only through the ordinary avenues of the political process which are equally open to all competing views and interest groups."