But now it looks as if the bill could falter before the legislative session ends next week. Unions representing teachers, firefighters, the police and other public employees say they have persuaded nearly half of the Senate’s Republicans to oppose the bill by reminding them that in Florida, far more than in most states, organized labor has supported Republicans.

By some counts, 12 of the 28 Republican senators are against the latest version of Mr. Thrasher’s bill, which would require public employee unions to get each member’s permission each year before they could use that person’s dues for political purposes. Senate Democrats are unified in opposition to the bill. Republican and business leaders — noting that Florida’s state employees contribute nothing toward their pensions — have praised Mr. Thrasher’s bill because it would reduce unions’ leverage over health coverage and pensions. ...

In a sign that the bill is in trouble, Governor Rick Scott, a Republican, personally lobbied four Republican senators on Wednesday to back it, according to Mr. Diaz de la Portilla.

he feared that Republican leaders would secure passage by attaching it to another bill.

First significant GOP straw poll in Orlando in September

"In the first leg of a political trifecta, Florida Republicans will conduct a straw poll that could determine the 2012 presidential race."

In ongoing negotiations with the national party, RPOF officials want Florida to be the first large state to hold a 2012 primary. Officials are seeking a timetable that would slot the Sunshine State immediately after scheduled dates in Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada and South Carolina -- and ahead of Super Tuesday (March 6), when several states, including New York, are due to vote.

Whichever way the primary calendar works out, Florida will get a jump on the presidential action when P5 convenes at the Orange County Convention Center more than four months before the Iowa caucuses.

GOP running wild in Tally

"With a Week to Go, Florida House Picks Up the Pace".

"'Bills are dying'"

"On the House floor Friday evening, Speaker Dean Cannon repeated the phrase of the day: 'Bills are dying.' House leaders were pushing members to limit their questions on a slew of pending proposals slated to be taken up by the end of the night — or risk not making it through this legislative session, which ends next Friday." "Cannon: 'Bills are dying'".

Republicans fight against Fair Districts

The Orlando Sentinel editorial board: "Will state Republicans ever give up their fight against Fair Districts, the constitutional amendments voters overwhelmingly passed in November that could end the incumbent protection program known as gerrymandering?"

We wish we could say yes.

Scott locks up Teabagger vote

"Scott's unpopularity worries some in GOP, but not him".

"Dems ostracizing one of their own"

"House Democrats are ostracizing one of their own, Miami Rep. Daphne Campbell, after she backed a Republican abortion bill and quoted the Bible on the floor of the Florida House." "Anti-abortion stance lands Florida Democrat in the liberal doghouse".

Silly permits

"The Florida House has voted to scale back environmental regulations to make it easier for developers and business to get permits for new projects. The bill (HB 911) zipped through the chamber on a 95-16 vote Friday night. It now goes to the Senate where similar legislation (SB 1404) is mired in committee with only a week left in the legislative session." "Bill scaling back environmental regulations passes in Florida House".

Race to the bottom

Them librul editors on the Palm Beach Post editorial board don't like that FRS drop program, and want it dropped entirely: "Why not just drop DROP?" After all, they don't have it, so why should anyone else, especially newspaper company employees.

House employs trick to destroy growth management

The Chamber hacks that comprise the Florida House of Representatives are employing a legislative trick because they can't destroy growth management as standalone bill: "House strategy means end of local-growth oversight because Legislature must pass budget". "Growth-law repeal tied to state budget confirmation". See also "Controversial Florida growth management bill wedged into budget to force passage" ("A major overhaul of state growth management laws is tacked onto a budget bill by House and Senate leaders, giving lawmakers an up or down choice.")

Without the dogs

"Contentious Senate Vote Allows Cardrooms to Run Without Dog Racing". See also "Dogless race tracks may keep card games". The Saint Petersburg Times editorial board: "Dog tracks without dogs coming around the bend".

Healthy FRS gutted in budget deal

"The end game on the state budget drew closer late Friday, as Senate Budget Chairman J.D. Alexander and House Appropriations Chairwoman Denise Grimsley met after a day of deal-making on the spending plan for the fiscal year that begins July 1."

The brief meeting between Alexander and Grimsley highlighted the progress made on a variety of issues throughout the day, though some -- such as plan to graft a growth-management overhaul onto a conforming bill --- proved more controversial than others, like an agreement on how to reduce retirement costs for state employees.

"Outside of the health and human services issues to work through, most of the conferences did a nice job of closing most of the gaps," Alexander, R-Lake Wales, said after meeting with Grimsley, R-Sebring.

After failing to meet until late Friday, House and Senate negotiators quickly struck a deal on the state retirement system.

Under the plan, all state employees would contribute 3 percent of their incomes toward their own pension; the Deferred Retirement Option Program early retirement program would remain open, but the interest rate would be dramatically reduced; and cost-of-living adjustments for current employees would be frozen for five years after the Senate proposed doing away with them altogether.

The proposal would also raise the retirement age for state workers, but would not force new employees to join a 401(k)-style defined-contribution plan.

Cannon's political ploy yanked from the calendar

"Strong resistance from Senate Republicans to House Speaker Cannon's Supreme Court plan has the fate of Cannon's pet proposal in danger. Sens. Dockery and Ronda Storms, R-Valrico, both say they have more than enough votes to keep HJR 7111 from passing in the chamber. The only thing that could save it is an amendment from Sen. David Simmons, R-Altamonte Springs, that removes the split-court provision of the bill. Cannon wants to expand the court from seven to 10 justices and create two five-justice divisions, one for criminal and one for civil cases. The bill was scheduled for a vote Friday but was yanked from the calendar." "Supreme Court plan in peril".

The Saint Petersburg Times editorial board: "House Speaker Dean Cannon’s purely political play to split the Florida Supreme Court in half continues to be a solution in search of a problem. At least five Republican senators — and possibly more — have courageously refused to back Cannon’s thinly veiled retribution against the court." "Call for courage on court plan".

Arizona style

Bill Maxwell thinks "Arizona's law
doesn't fit Florida". The Palm Beach Post editorial board: "Critics are right: Do nothing". Related: "Florida Republicans split on immigration bill".

"Measures likely to discourage Dem voters"

The Tampa Tribune editorial board: "The Legislature stands accused of 'an assault on all voters' by pushing through election bills that opponents say will dampen voter registration efforts and make it harder for voters to cast a ballot."

That may be an exaggeration, but there is no doubt that the huge Republican majority in the Legislature is ramming through measures likely to discourage Democratic voters.

More significantly, the changes are unnecessary.

The Republicans claim their efforts are meant to prevent voter fraud, streamline the process and save money, but there is no evidence these "reforms" are needed. The Democrats, who have no power to stand in the GOP's way, contend the Republicans are relying on "an imaginary problem" to make it more difficult for voters to register and cast a ballot on Election Day.

The election law changes, Democrats say with some justification, are all about the 2012 presidential campaign.

Dereg madness

"If the Senate had its way, commercial interior designers, athletes' agents and telemarketers would continue to need state licenses to practice. But the House isn't willing to cave on those parts of HB 5005, its professional deregulation bill. At least not now." "Florida House won't budge on professions it wants to deregulate".

"Voting a class-stratified phenomenon"

Aaron Deslatte observes that "Voting remains largely a class-stratified phenomenon across the United States."

It has long been understood that the act of casting a ballot comes with a certain degree of economic sacrifice. Put simply, voting costs time.

And voters behave to a degree like consumers: In this cost-benefit analysis, would-be voters will be more inclined to make the time investment in an election when their expected return on the investment outweighs the cost of casting a ballot.

Policymakers expected that by making access to the polls more convenient to underrepresented groups such as minorities and the poor, the cost — defined as time consumed and distance required to travel — would decrease and participation would increase.

States such as Texas, which put early-voting sites in convenience stores, have had more success with early voting than Florida, which restricts early-voting sites to places such as government offices and libraries.

In Florida, it hasn't increased overall turnout. Since 1956, Florida presidential elections have averaged 74.6 percent turnout. In Obama's banner Florida win, turnout was 75 percent. But early voting has physically made it easier for court supervisors to deal with larger overall numbers of voters as the state's population has grown.

That's why Secretary of State Kurt Browning, a former Pasco County elections supervisor, has helped to work a compromise that would shrink the early-voting window to eight days — but allow the polls to stay open 12 hours a day instead of eight hours.

Secret investments

"The Senate followed the House's lead and voted to renew a law that keeps out of the public eye certain State Board of Administration records involving the growing number of private investments." "Senate passes SBA bill".

Ethics complaint

"An ethics complaint was filed against a Miami lawmaker over his connection to a charter schools company." "Ethics complaint filed against State Rep. Fresen".

College for rich kids

"College tuition will rise again next year, while money for Bright Futures will be decreased under a House and Senate deal." "College tuition to rise, Bright Futures to drop".

"Sounds like something from the Nixon administration"

The Saint Petersburg Times editors believe that "Gov. Rick Scott fails to grasp the importance of openness, and his administration's hostility to public records threatens to further erode public confidence in his leadership."

The latest example of efforts by Scott's aides to circumvent public records laws are revealed in an e-mail by the governor's top adviser, Mary Anne Carter. ...

Carter's aversion to open government should not be surprising, because Scott says he never uses e-mail in order to avoid creating public records.

Even more insulting is the defense of conducting the public's business in secret by Scott's communication director, Brian Burgess: "There are things we don't want to broadcast to our opponents." That sounds like something from the Nixon administration. Exactly who are the governor's opponents? ...

Carter and Burgess joined Scott's administration after working for his campaign and for Conservatives for Patients Rights, Scott's political committee that fought President Barack Obama's health care reform. Now they are public employees conducting public business, not partisan operatives fighting political enemies.

The proposal has become tied to a series of other high-profile bills, including the budget, which is the only measure legislators are required to pass.

On Thursday, Senate leaders spent the day cornering Republican colleagues on the floor of the Senate to persuade them to vote for the speaker's pet bill.

They have convinced some members who previously opposed it to sign on by agreeing to withdraw an anti-union bill that would have banned unions from using payroll deduction to collect their dues and use the money for political causes.

"We'll see tomorrow" if the effort is successful, said Sen. John Thrasher, the St. Augustine Republican carrying the union-dues bill that has passed the House.

But Storms and others said the union-dues bill was already unlikely to pass, so using it as a bargaining chip made little sense.

"If people are trading their votes for that, we were already winning," Storms said. "That's like negotiating with yourself."

Gaetz shows his aetz

"Here it comes again. A bill to ban public employee unions from using payroll deduction to collect their dues was considered all but dead on Wednesday when Senate leaders couldn’t get the votes to pass it."

Now comes amendments in the House and Senate on a slew of bills that impose the same restrictions on unions and require that they get annual written permission from every member to use dues for political purposes.

The irony: the amendments are attached to bills filed by Sens. Jim Norman and Jack Latvala, two of the staunch opponents of the union dues bill. (Norman’s is on SB 982 and HB 241.)

Rep. Matt Gaetz, the House sponsor of the anti-union bill, has filed amendments to the House companions of Norman’s bill related to wage [theft], which is scheduled for a floor vote in both chambers.

"Key last-minute decisions by select legislators in private"

"Lawmakers hit new snags Thursday as they worked to hammer out a budget deal, with money for schools and health care sticking points in the $66.5 billion spending plan."

The roadblocks provided late-session theatrics and raised the likelihood that key last-minute spending decisions would be made by a select few legislators, probably in private, to bring the 2011 session to a timely conclusion a week from now.

Today in Tally

"Today in Tallahassee: All eyes on Senate and court proposal". Related: "Senate Readies Insurance, Gun Privacy and Abortion Bills for Final Vote" and "Insurance, Gun Rights, Abortion, Phone Dereg Bills Clear Florida Senate".

The best they can do?

"Two Republicans and a Libertarian ready to take on veteran Democratic incumbent". "Candidates Starting to Line Up to Take on Corrine Brown".

The Chamber says "jump!"

"Despite strong opposition from cities and counties, the House is set to approve on Friday a proposed constitutional amendment that grants business owners, landlords and investors a lower limit on how much their property tax bills can increase." "Florida House Poised to Approve Property Tax Overhaul".

A run on bulldozers

"HB 991 places the burden of proof on those who file legal challenges against agency permits and prohibits local regulation of rock mining. Rep. Jimmy Patronis, the bill's sponsor, said he has tried to work with environmentalists. He has an amendment to take out a controversial prohibition against local rock mining regulations. Two other controversial House bills were rolled over to third reading." "Environmental groups denounce "monster" permitting bill". See also "Environmentalists decry deregulation bill that House GOP suddenly fast-tracked".

Bondi embarrasses herself

In an incredible display of political hackery, Pammy Bondi, who one suspects has never seen the inside of a NLRB courtroom, let alone tried a case under the NLRA, claims that the NLRB's GC has issued complaint that is without merit and demands that he withdraw it.

"State Attorney General Pam Bondi joined eight Republican attorneys general from other states Thursday to oppose a National Labor Relations Board complaint launched last week against the Boeing Co."

NLRB Acting General Counsel Lafe Solomon maintained last week that Boeing violated federal labor laws by seeking to expand operations in South Carolina, a right-to-work state, instead of in Washington back in 2009. Initially Boeing had planned to build 787 Dreamliner airplanes in a Washington-based factory whose labor force was affiliated with the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM). With orders for the airplanes backlogged, Boeing looked to add a second plant in South Carolina."

“Florida has a vested interest in ensuring that businesses are not unfairly prevented from expanding their operations in right-to-work states, like ours,” said Bondi in a statement on Thursday. “Boeing has every right to consider the potential consequences unions may have on business and make decisions accordingly.”

Bondi signed off on a letter sent by Attorney General Alan Wilson of South Carolina to Solomon which maintained that the NLRB’s complaint was without merit and demanded he withdraw it.

“This complaint represents an assault upon the constitutional right of free speech, and the ability of our states to create jobs and recruit industry,” the attorneys general wrote. “Your ill-conceived retaliatory action seeks to destroy our citizens’ right to work.

"A chilling insight into the Scott administration"

"When U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson's office tried to contact Gov. Rick Scott's top lieutenant, Mary Anne Carter offered her cell number, her state e-mail address and a warning."

"I rarely check and almost never respond to work e-mail because of the open records law," Carter wrote from her private e-mail account.

The admission stunned an open government advocate who said it was a chilling insight into an administration that has created roadblocks to Scott's own goal of accountability.

Haridopolos behind closed doors

"Behind closed doors, though, Haridopolos was laying the groundwork to weigh in and take the bill away from Sen. Anitere Flores, a Miami Republican who held the public hearings to produce a consensus product that stopped well short of an Arizona-style immigration bill."

Late Wednesday — with the 60-day session nearing its end —Haridopolos announced that Senate budget chief J.D. Alexander would carry the bill.

"It is clear that the Senate has decided to take a different position on the bill. I'm not aware of what that position is. I'm eager to see what these proposals may be," said Flores, who was one of the first state senators to endorse Haridopolos' U.S. Senate candidacy.

Running in a crowded Republican primary, Haridopolos needs the support of hard-core conservatives who have pushed for the bill.

Old white men

"Florida Senate approves abortion funding bans".

Nuke protest

"Foes of the planned expansion of the Turkey Point nuclear power plant will hold a protest Saturday at nearby Homestead Bayfront Park." "Turkey Point protest planned".

Secret investments

"The House voted to renew a law that keeps private certain State Board of Administration records involving the growing number of private investments." "SBA records law renewed in House".

The "Sunshine State"

"Survey ranks District 17 lowest in nation in wellbeing".

"'Single Sales' Corporate Tax"

"Florida House and Senate budget negotiators have agreed to a tax shift that could benefit corporations doing business in the state." "Boon to Florida Economy? 'Single Sales' Corporate Tax In Budget".

And this guy wants be a U.S. Senator?

"Senate President Mike Haridopolos said 'a mistake was made' when the Senate quickly passed an amendment to provide $1.75 million in state funding for the prescription drug monitoring database." "Drug amendment called a 'mistake'".

Scott: never mind

"Scott takes down website detailing stimulus spending".

Medicaid changes flop

"The federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services said Florida will not receive the go-ahead for statewide managed care as part of its renewal of a five-county Medicaid pilot program. Instead, Florida will have to submit a new statewide proposal that addresses myriad issues, including steps to guarantee that Medicaid beneficiaries will receive quality care, according to a letter sent to the Agency for Health Care Administration." "Federal agency: Florida Medicaid privatization not that simple". See also "Feds: Fla. can't expand Medicaid pilot statewide".

Obama visits Florida with an eye on 2012

"Today in Florida, Obama will address another big college crowd. It's a commencement speech, not a political rally. But his trip to Miami Dade College implicitly carries the same urgent message." "President Obama visits Miami Dade College with an eye on 2012".

Putting 1.3 million at the mercy of private insurers"

The Saint Pete Times editors: "In the South, the death toll from dozens of tornadoes passed 280 and keeps climbing. ... Some damage will be covered by federal flood insurance, but many property owners will have to rely on government loans or other assistance to recover. It takes a mix of community spirit, private insurance and government help to put lives back together."

Gov. Rick Scott and the Florida Legislature tend to forget that calculus. Scott reportedly wanted to close down the state-run Citizens Property Insurance Corp. as soon as possible and put more than 1.3 million policyholders at the mercy of private insurers, whose primary motivation is to make money. State senators counted Florida's blessings Thursday as they referred to the tornadoes — then railed against Citizens Property Insurance and the likelihood of large assessments on all sorts of insurance throughout the state to help cover damage claims after a major hurricane. In their fantasy, private insurers would cover every Florida home and business if the state would just let them raise premiums high enough and gouge property owners as much as they want. That is not a prescription for reviving the economy.

"We'd be a lot better off"

Frank Cerabino: "It's too bad the Florida Legislature hasn't devoted more time this session to the barking tree frog. We'd be a lot better off." "Focusing on frog might have spared Florida bad legislation".

Poor Darden gets a tax break

"An expected vote today on a plan to help Darden Restaurants with its tax bill has been pushed back until tomorrow." "Vote on Darden tax break delayed a day".

Second amendment stoopid

"One measure restricts doctors from asking patients about gun ownership, and another prohibits local governments from passing stricter gun laws than the state. Those two already have been approved by the House and await Gov. Rick Scott's signature. The third, which began life as a proposed 'open carry' law, was modified to decriminalize the accidental showing of a concealed weapon." "Three bills concerning guns passed by Florida Senate". See also "Senate passes three bills easing up gun laws; two headed to the governor".

The Tampa Trib editors: "In a state in which six police officers were gunned down in the last four months, it staggers the imagination that Florida would give open carry serious consideration." "Open carry not needed".

Scott heads south this afternoon to attend an American Custom Yachts event in Stuart.

Firefighters second riskiest job ... and we gut their pensions?

The Daily Beast has released the 20 riskiest jobs in America and fire fighters ranked second. Fishermen topped the list. Airplane pilots, police officers and loggers round out the top five: "During the last year for which data are available, a total of 39 firefighters died [and many more injured] while on-the-job". "20 Most Dangerous Jobs".

Neither Chamber of Commerce executives nor bank presidents made the list.

Scott's union busting bill flops

Update: Rumor has it the bill will reappear, perhaps Saturday.

"Scott paid a rare, personal visit to the offices of four Republican senators Wednesday in a last-minute attempt to rescue an anti-union bill that appeared destined for defeat."

The governor asked the same question of Miami Sens. Miguel Diaz de la Portilla, Rene Garcia and Anitere Flores, and Inverness Sen. Charlie Dean. And he got the same answer: no.

Scott's intervention was the "Hail Mary" pass of Sen. John Thrasher, the Jacksonville lawyer and former Republican Party of Florida chairman whose top priority was passage of the bill to ban public employee unions from using automatic payroll deduction to collect dues. But by the end of the day, Thrasher had all but conceded defeat. ...

Scott's failure to change the minds of fellow Republicans underscored the lack of popularity of the bill and of the freshman governor, who adopted the talking points of the nationally watched issue but lacked the political juice to get it.

"After All, He Is Black"

"On the first day of budget talks, the House Republicans tacitly accuse their Senate counterparts of supporting President Obama’s health care law." "‘ObamaCare’ slur hurled in budget talks".

No Citizens?

Michael Mayo: "If there's no Citizens Insurance, then what?". The Sun Sentinel editors: "Public distrust of private insurers complicates efforts to slim Citizens Insurance".

Rubio charms Teabag crowd

"U.S. Senator Rubio wows crowd".

Do boys do what they do

"Ethics staff finds no conflict of interest in Scott's handling of investments".

Privatization follies

The Saint Pete Times editors note that "There is strong evidence that the best way to reduce prison costs is to pump resources into substance abuse treatment, mental health services, education and job training. Investment in those programs can translate into big reductions in recidivism"

But so far, lawmakers in Tallahassee haven't taken this cost-effective route to overhauling Florida's prison system. Instead they are poised to embark on a massive prison privatization experiment that poses risks to accountability and offers savings that are more illusory than real.

Both the House and Senate, heading into the final nine days of the legislative session, appear intent on turning over more of a core function of state government to private companies that have long been politically active in Tallahassee. ...

Florida's 15-year history with private prisons is far from reassuring. It has included lax contracts, spotty state oversight, overbilling by contractors and less legal accountability for abuses.

The growth management slide begins

"Scott signs growth management bill". More: "Legislature poised to repeal much of Florida's growth law".

Scott licking his chops

"Bill lifting limits on phone rates headed to governor".

Bill Posey has yet to comment

Update: "The questions that Barack Obama's most skeptical political rivals have raised about his birthplace and his right to be president won't die easily. Obama tried Wednesday to dispel those doubts, but if South Florida is any measuring stick, versions of the 'birther' movement will not disappear anytime soon." "Death of 'birthers?' -- Not in South Florida, where birth certificate doesn't sway all".

Florida Congressman Bill Posey, the man who sponsored the 'birther' bill apparently has yet to comment on President Obama's birth certificate. Similarly, Stephen Colbert is apparently still demanding a DNA test to determine whether Congressman Bill Posey is part alligator.

Meanwhile, "PolitiFact, the St. Petersburg Times' fact-checking website, has examined the issue of Obama's citizenship over the past three years, viewing the Certification of Live Birth, talking to Health Department officials in Hawaii, examining newspaper birth announcements, even investigating a purported Kenyan birth certificate (a hoax)."

All evidence pointed to one conclusion: Obama was born in Honolulu.

Every story was met with a wave of angry e-mails and new sets of theories about why the president was perpetrating one of the biggest hoaxes in American history. Were they convinced by the long-form document?

Lightweights play hardball

The Tampa Tribune editors note that "earlier this month, Speaker of the House Dean Cannon saw his priority legislation — changing the formation of the Florida Supreme Court — pass his chamber by a wide margin."

But until Monday, the Senate had yet to play ball. Then, the Senate's chief budget negotiator, JD Alexander, offered a surprise strike-all amendment to another bill during a key committee hearing: The language of the amendment follows Cannon's courts bill.

Everyone knows what happened. In order for budget negotiations to move forward, the Senate had to take up Cannon's prize measure. The speaker is playing hardball, and everything would have stalled had Alexander not made the concession.

Nevertheless, we hope that wiser heads prevail as the bills move forward and reach the Senate floor. Restructuring the court would waste money on a foolish, unnecessary move.

"Florida's talk-radio inspired Republicans"

Scott Maxwell: "Florida politicians have already gone after the disabled, seniors, veterans and the poor."

And they weren't about to cut costs on things like their taxpayer-subsidized health-care plans — a sweetheart deal with $2-a-week premiums that's one of the most generous political plans in America.

Nor did they want to curb the multitudes of tax breaks for high-end yachts, bottled water or sports-stadium skyboxes. After all, that would upset the powerful lobbyists.

Instead, they continue to do what they do best — target the disadvantaged.

They buffer these attacks with a warped sort of "nanny state" war cry, as if paraplegics and schizophrenics are lazy leeches who want luxuries … like wheelchairs and medication. ...

Florida's new breed of talk-radio inspired Republicans worships at the altar of goodies for Big Business and special interests and perks for themselves.

"Jeb!" embarrasses himself in Minnesota

Florida Gov. Jeb Bush lectured Minnesota lawmakers Tuesday about public education:

Republican leaders in the Minnesota House and Senate invited Bush to present his education reforms, hoping to build momentum for replicating some of the policies in Minnesota. Some leading Democrats were quick to disagree.

"We are happy to steal great ideas," House Speak Kurt Zellers, R-Maple Grove, said after the presentation.

The main House education bill already contains a voucher program for low-income students and would create a school performance rating system similar to one in Florida. The bill's backers hope the measures can help shrink the academic achievement gap between the state's racial minorities and their wealthier peers.

Bush, who was governor of Florida from 1999-2007, said the state had improved its schools and the academic performance of its students, particularly non-whites, by enacting several reforms at the same time then making sure they were well funded.

Those included giving schools easily understood letter grades from A to F. Schools that graded out poorly were embarrassed while those that earned As got extra state money.

Third-graders who couldn't read weren't promoted to the next grade, which held back 13 percent of the class in 2002-2003. But, he said, that percentage has since dropped.

He said Florida also embraced the use of vouchers to make it easier for students, particularly the poor and those needing special education, to leave failing schools. Bush said the threat of mobile students proved to be "a catalytic converter for improving public schools."

Bush touted the benefits of the state's program for preschool, for which all 4-year-olds are eligible. He said it helped those students show up at kindergarten ready to learn.

He encouraged Minnesota to follow Florida's lead ...

Bush said that in the 1990s Florida students who tested well below the national average on the National Assessment of Educational Progress, a national test that allows comparison between states, now beat the national average on fourth and eighth grade reading tests. [However] Minnesota's most recent scores were among the top 10 in both grades.

high school graduation rates at the start of the decade were among the very lowest in the nation, but they are now about average at 65 percent.

That significantly trails Minnesota, where about 86 percent of students graduate, one of the highest rates in the nation, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. [Moreover,] Minnesota's average scores on the ACT are also among the nation's best, while Florida's are among the lowest. ...

"Comparing Minnesota to Florida is apples to oranges, with oranges being Florida," said Rep. Chuck Wiger, D-Maplewood. "We are not one of those southern states. We are Minnesota and we're proud to have the highest graduation rate in America."

Rep. Carlos Mariani, D-St. Paul, said Bush neglected to mention that in 2002 voters approved a constitution amendment that limits class sizes to no more than 18 students in early grades.

"The common people in the state of Florida, just like the common people here, understand that if you under-resource something you get what you pay for," he said.

Old white men at work

"House passes host of new abortion restrictions". See also "Emotional debate precedes Florida House's approval of six anti-abortion bills" and "Senate Readies Insurance, Gun Privacy and Abortion Bills for Final Vote".

They "paid too much!"

"Appliance Direct, the central Florida appliance chain whose subsidiary pays Florida Senate President Mike Haridopolos $60,000 a year for consulting services, has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection". "Company tied to Haridopolos is bankrupt".

"Tea parties are boiling over yet another GOP failure"

"Senate Bill 2040 must clear the Senate Budget Committee by day's end, according to the latest timetable. Still bottled up by Chairman J.D. Alexander, the heavily amended measure would require employers to use the federal E-Verify database or Real ID-compliant driver's license identification to screen new hires." "E-Verify Bill Dying a Slow Death in Senate".

Friends of Ricky lining up

"To help Gov. Rick Scott sell the state to corporations, budget writers assembling the governor's new jobs super-agency are preparing to give him broad authority to offer tax dollars to companies willing to create jobs." "Lawmakers may let Scott hand out cash to companies offering jobs".

"Every dollar withheld not a dollar actually saved."

The Tampa Trib editorial board writes that "Campaigning to trim the state budget was easy last fall because everyone knew it had to be done. But lawmakers who promised to make the sharpest cuts are finding out that not every dollar withheld will be a dollar actually saved." See what they mean here: "Budget ax cuts two ways". Related "Health and Human Services Budget Negotiations Begin" ("Negron: Finding the money to pay for one program can force cuts in another").

Not exactly a "fight"

"[A]n argument between two Democrats created the most drama, with papers flying and a pen angrily tossed into a wastebasket. The fireworks broke out when Rep. Daphne Campbell, D-Miami, quoted the Bible and said she planned to break ranks." "As abortion measures pass Florida House, fight breaks out between Democrats".

Sit-in in Haridopolos' office

"Division over proposed immigration reform ramped up in the Capitol on Wednesday as undocumented students and other immigrants staged a sit-in in Senate President Mike Haridopolos' office and national advocates pushed for a boycott of Florida." "Immigration debate ramps up as students take over Senate president's office".

Ricky and Donald

"Scott will attend the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner on Saturday. He will be a guest of the Washington Post, according to his press office. Who else did the Post invite? Donald Trump." "Scott heading to a party in Washington".

Enough with this voting stuff ...

"A controversial elections bill steaming toward passage in the state Senate would cut the number of early voting days in half -- a proposal that sponsors call a money-saver, but critics argue could stop thousands of people from voting." "Bill would cut early voting period in Florida to 7 days".

"Grayson planning to rise from his political grave"?

Mike Thomas writes that Dan

Webster was targeted not only because he is a Republican in a swing district, but also because he is the Republican who brought down Alan Grayson, the heart and soul of the left wing, the Democrat who fights like a Republican, the man who said Dick Cheney has "blood that drips from his teeth.''

I'm not ruling out that Cheney is a vampire, but it's Grayson who looks as if he's planning to rise from his political grave.

From the perspective of the left, can you think of a better repudiation of the right than to restore Grayson to his rightful throne in Washington?

Can't you just see him on the House floor, reducing Rep. Paul Ryan's plan to voucherize Medicare to placards: "And when you turn 65, die quickly."

In large part, the Republicans deserve this.

Wingnuts compare separation of church and state to Jim Crow

"The House voted along party lines in favor of a proposed constitutional amendment that would allow the state to fund religious organizations. If adopted by voters the measure would help shield private school voucher programs from potential court challenges. House Democrats are incensed when the separation of church and state is compared to Jim Crow-era segregation." "God, segregation, and vouchers".

Raw political courage

"Back-to-school sales tax holiday back in business".

Republican scoffs at idea provision would benefit his family

Republican "Rep. Erik Fresen, who sits on several education committees in the Florida House, is again raising eyebrows for his family ties to a Miami-Dade charter school company. Fresen's sister and brother-in-law run Academica, a for-profit company that manages dozens of charter schools."

Last week, Fresen slipped language into a bill that would prohibit cities from imposing stricter zoning and building restrictions on charter schools than on traditional public schools. Charter schools are publicly funded but privately run.

The provision is aimed in part at South Miami, which recently approved charter school regulations that could directly affect Academica. The company, Mayor Philip Stoddard said, may be looking to expand Somerset Academy at SoMi, where Fresen's twin sons go to school. And Academica has expressed interest in building a school in Palmetto Bay.

Fresen scoffed at the idea that he put forth the provision to benefit his family. His brother-in-law, Fernando Zulueta, runs Academica with Fresen's sister, Maggie. And Fresen is a land-use consultant for Civica, an architectural firm that has designed several Academica schools.

Charter school scam

"State lawmakers are poised to sign off on their second major piece of education legislation this session, a broad measure lifting barriers for charter schools." "Charter schools likely to expand in Florida".

"West on the hot seat"

"Video: Rep. Allen West on the Hot Seat".

Losing luster

"Save Our Homes property-tax break loses luster".

It really is that obviously bad

Even the grandson of Fulgencio Batista, "Former Florida Supreme Court Justice Raoul Cantero [appointed by Jebbie has tried] to persuade Republican senators to reject a House proposal to expand and split the Supreme Court into criminal and civil divisions. The overhaul of the court is a top priority for House Speaker Dean Cannon". "Former justice urges against court revamp". See also "Bill proposing expansion of court moves to Senate's third-reading calendar".

Today in Tally

"Now that they know how much money they've got to work with, House and Senate leaders today begin hammering out the spending details on everything from health care to schools to prisons."

The so-called conference committees are scheduled to start meeting today.

Meanwhile, the full Senate catches up to the House on several hot-button issues, taking on abortion and guns.

Teabaggers run, hide

The apparently Neutered former tough guy (at least around unarmed POWs), Congressman Allen West can't handle his constituents: West actually insists that the questions he gets at town hall meetings be screened. Yesterday, protesters objected

to West's requirement that questioners submit written questions on cards, a change from his previous practice of allowing questioners to line up at microphones.

The protesters were escorted out by a Fort Lauderdale police sergeant to cheers — and epithets — from the crowd.

Later, when West was discussing the Republican position on Medicare, he was interrupted by Nicole Sandler of Coral Springs, who was a host on the now-defunct liberal Air America radio network.

When she didn't heed calls to stop talking — "shut up, lady" one person yelled — she was removed by police as people recorded the scene with camera phones. Sandler continued to object as she was led out, argued with the officer, and was arrested for trespassing.

Democrats plan to go after West again Wednesday at a Palm Beach County town hall. On Thursday, their target is U.S. Rep. Tom Rooney, R-Tequesta.

Fop flippity-flops

"Senate President Mike Haridopolos said in an interview broadcast Tuesday that new oil drilling is needed in the Gulf of Mexico, a reversal from last year, when, in the wake of the BP spill, he said Florida was going to 'turn the page' away from drilling." "Haridopolos flips stance on gulf drilling". See also "Haridopolos: New Gulf Drilling Needed".

Head in the sand

"Haridopolos: New Gulf Drilling Needed".

Economics 101

I know I read somewhere - help me please Mark Wilson - that if labor is in short supply. wages increase. "Labor shortage hits farms as picking season comes to a close".

That's a lot of T-shirt sales

"Orlando pushes ahead of Miami in economic growth".

Will "wealthy self-funder jumping in" against Nelson?

"Something peculiar is going on with the Republican Party, nationally and in Florida. After a phenomenally successful 2010, Republicans can't seem to find any giant-killers to take on Barack Obama or Bill Nelson."

[T]he field challenging Democratic Sen. Nelson — George LeMieux, Mike Haridopolos and Adam Hasner — is sufficiently weak that activists continue to speculate about a wealthy self-funder jumping in, just as Rick Scott shocked the establishment by beating gubernatorial front-runner Bill McCollum in 2010.

Unconstitutional publicity stunt

"The Health Care Freedom Act, which has been sailing through the Senate, would send a proposed constitutional amendment to Florida voters, allowing them to opt out of the individual mandate imposed by the federal law. If 60 percent of the voters approve, the act would become law. During the committee meeting, Republicans insisted the main issue is freedom." "House Committee Backs Measure Letting Floridians Opt Out of Obama Health-Care Law".

Judge "blasts Florida's lack of protection for 'River of Grass'"

"A federal judge has ordered the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to take over Everglades permitting, while blasting Florida's lack of protection for the famed 'River of Grass.' U.S. District Judge Alan S. Gold said the state's historic inaction raises concerns, as do Gov. Rick Scott's more recent decisions on related environmental issues."

Gold cited the governor's decision last week to ask the federal agency to rescind its recent statewide water quality rules and his decision in January to suspend state rulemaking. The governor also ordered the South Florida Water Management District and the state's other four districts to reduce their budgets from property tax revenue by 25 percent.

"Simply stated, the entire situation is rapidly sliding backwards," Gold said in his 76-page omnibus order.

The judge ordered the EPA to review Florida Department of Environmental Protection draft permits and take actions necessary to comply with the federal Clean Water Act.

"Governor Scott is disappointed in today’s ruling by Judge Gold, which shifts Everglades restoration permitting authority from the state to the federal government bureaucracy," said Amy Graham, the governor's traveling press secretary.

Gold also directed DEP to halt its use of delaying tactics to avoid complying with a 2006 order to clean up discharges from stormwater treatment areas. The judge said promises had been made and not kept since 1993 when the EPA, DEP and the South Florida Water Management District said it was time to bring the litigation to a close.

Scott flip-flops

"Scott wants lawmakers to create a bill that would sharply cut the amount of business that state-backed Citizens Property Insurance Corp. could write, but he denied reports Monday of pushing for closure of the overexposed, underfunded insurer." "Gov. Scott denies plans to phase out Citizens Property Insurance Corp.".

Florida bar hangs in there

"The Florida Bar will retain its power to nominate members of judicial nominating commissions thanks to a late-filed amendment. Sen. Joe Negron, R-Palm City, filed a handwritten amendment during the Senate Rules Committee that restored the Bar's influence of nominees to those commissions after protest from some senators and lawyers this week." "Bill keeps Bar in judge nominations".

Why are banks in the union busting business?

"The Fort Lauderdale Fraternal Order of Police will close its accounts with Bank of America, union President Jack Lokeinsky said Tuesday, citing the bank's political contributions and membership in the Florida Chamber of Commerce, a business group that has pushed for the [voluntary union dues] deduction ban." "Lauderdale police union cuts ties with Bank of America".

Second amendment stoopid

"State House approves bill on doctors' gun talk".

"Shortsighted move"

The Saint Pete Times editors: "In a shortsighted move that would inevitably affect Florida’s public safety individually and collectively, the state Senate proposed dramatic funding cuts to mental health and substance abuse treatment for adults. But senators still have a chance to get it right." "A matter of money, morality".

Wingnuts adopt random drug testing of welfare recipients

"Welfare applicants would have to pay for drug tests but they'd get reimbursed if they pass under a bill that cleared the Florida House on Tuesday. The chamber passed the bill (HB 353) on a largely party line 78-38 vote, with most Republicans in favor and Democrats against. The legislation is one of Republican Gov. Rick Scott's priorities. GOP lawmakers argued that it's only fair for those seeking temporary assistance to be drug tested because many taxpayers also get tested at their workplaces"

"When folks are receiving assistance on your dime and my dime and they're using the money to go smoke doobies or get doped up or take crack then that demonstrates to me that they don't want to help themselves," said Rep. Brad Drake.

"So why should we spend taxpayer dollars on helping folks who don't want to help themselves?" the Eucheeanna Republican said.

Opponents including St. Petersburg Republican Jeff Brandes cited a 2002 federal appeal court ruling that struck down a similar program in Michigan. The court ruled that random or universal testing of welfare recipients violates their privacy rights if there's no suspicion they are using drugs.

"The way McDonald's lists the prices of hamburgers"

Beth Kassab: "A proposal to require doctors to post their prices in the waiting room the way McDonald's lists the prices of hamburgers on a menu board is sailing through the Legislature. More transparency is needed when it comes to prices at the doctor's office." "Push for doctors to list prices falls short".

Budget talks broke down last week over such things as pension and benefit changes. The House wants to save just under $900 million by making changes to the pension plan, including requiring employees to contribute three percent to the cost. The Senate proposal, however, would save close to $1.3 billion. The Senate offer from last week would not only require a 3 percent contribution rate for employees, but it would also end cost-of-living increases. The Senate also wants to make changes to state worker health insurance.

That led to an escalation of a war of words on Monday. Sen. J.D. Alexander took shots at House Speaker Dean Cannon and accused the Winter Park Republican of "stunts" and not negotiating in good faith. Alexander said the Senate gave the House a "fair and equitable" offer last week, but that Cannon appears to be interested in "gamesmanship" and is stalling and delaying a final resolution.

Alexander hurls accusations at Cannon

"A squabble over spending turned tense Monday when the Florida Senate's budget chairman accused the leader of the Florida House of negotiating in bad faith and attempting to hamstring Senate President Mike Haridopolos' run for U.S. Senate."

Sen. J.D. Alexander hurled the accusations in frustration at House Speaker Dean Cannon after talks broke down over how to allocate money in different sections of the budget. At stake: more than $67 billion in spending that affects everything from school kids to criminals to the sick and elderly.

"The speaker has done everything he can to not deal with me because I know the budget well and I can figure out his gamesmanship pretty quickly," Alexander, R-Lake Wales said.

Cannon, who first clashed with Alexander two years ago over handling the budget, didn't respond and let budget chairwoman, Denise Grimsley, do the talking.

Grimsley said the hot-tempered Alexander rejected a House budget offer last week by saying "I'm going to put it in the trash."

Court packing moves in Senate

"With budget talks between the House and Senate strained, Senate budget chief J.D. Alexander extended an olive branch to House Speaker Dean Cannon on Monday: committee passage of Cannon's overhaul of the Florida Supreme Court."

Alexander attached Cannon's court revamp proposal as an amendment to a Senate bill that would give the Legislature greater control over court rules, SJR 2084.

The three justices with most seniority, all appointed by a Democratic governor, would go to the criminal side. Republican appointees would remain on the civil side, where legislative issues would be considered. Gov. Rick Scott would fill the empty seats.

The "split court" concept has prompted charges from Democrats that the plan is more about stacking the court with people favorable to Republican causes than efficiency, which supporters say is the reason for the changes.

Today in Tally

"Today in Tallahassee: Abortion limits". Related: "2011 Legislative Summary ".

Nothing sacred

"House Speaker Dean Cannon's attempt to play hardball Monday with his top priority court reform bill wasn't the first time the speaker has used political pressure and dealmaking to advance his plan."

Rep. Perry Thurston of Plantation, the incoming Democratic leader, told the Times/Herald that Cannon called him into his office April 12, two days before the court reform bill was to be debated on the House floor.

He wanted to know if Thurston, as incoming Democratic leader, and the Democratic caucus "could get him 10 to 15 votes for his court-packing bill, and five people to speak on behalf of it," Thurston said. "He said your ability to deliver will affect redistricting and the budget."

Thurston told him he would consult with his members and respond. Thurston consulted with Reps. Jim Waldman, Franklin Sands, Mark Pafford, Richard Steinberg, Mia Jones and Democratic Leader Ron Saunders.

"Several members said we should go to the press but we decided not to — this was a negotiation, what was he willing to offer?" Thurston recalled.

Thurston said the offer from Cannon came back: "You get back in my good will," a reference to Thurston's critical press release calling Cannon's court reform plan a "veiled attack on the third branch of government."

Thurston called the next day telling Cannon: no deal. "It would not be in the best interest of the people of the state of Florida for us to support this bill," he said.

Cannon has since barred Thurston, the Democrat's chosen lead legislator on redistricting matters, from the redistricting committee. Waldman, another vocal critic of the court reform bill, was also not appointed to the committee.

"A simple question for the Iago of Florida politics"

Daniel Ruth has "a simple question for George LeMieux, the Iago of Florida politics. Someday, when you are in your dotage and sitting around admiring all the dusty photos of yourself and Newt Gingrich, will you be able to say: 'It was worth tossing Charlie Crist under the tea party malcontent express bus, just so I could be a U.S. senator again'?"

LeMieux owes his own public career to Charlie Crist, who literally gave him a U.S. Senate seat to fill out the term of Mel Martinez, who resigned from office after he was completely bumfuzzled to learn he was actually expected to show up in Washington now and then to do his job.

It was LeMieux who served first as Crist's campaign manager and later the governor's chief of staff. It was LeMieux who crafted Crist's positions on casino gambling, global warming, voting rights for felons and accepting Barack Obama's federal stimulus money (man-hug optional). It was LeMieux all along. He's the one. He's the one you want.

George LeMieux, the Mata Hari of the Subtropics, was all too happy when Crist tapped him over other high-profile pols to replace the Maynard G. Krebs of the U.S. Senate. The former junior senator owes Crist big time, but it is a debt the former governor will likely never collect. When it comes to reciprocity, George LeMieux is the Lucy Van Pelt of friends.

Now that the Lord Haw-Haw of Florida politics is running to return to the Senate, he has taken great pains to disassociate himself from Crist, insisting there are many issues on which he disagreed with the governor. And if you give him a couple of months to work on it, he'll get back to you on what those issues are, say around December 2012.

One trick pony

"With the clock ticking on the session, Gov. Rick Scott's pledge to cut corporate income taxes got a last-minute rescue Monday, but senators are still balking at the price tag." "Gov. Rick Scott pushes corporate tax cut plan but Senate committee balks". See also "Scott's effort to end corporate income tax may be dead", "Democrat: Gov. Scott says he's confident Fla. will cut corporate tax" and "Corporate Tax Cuts on Life Support in Legislature".

More from the "values" crowd

Against "Scott's pledge to cut corporate income taxes", Floridians get this:"Florida state budget cuts spark outcry from poor, mentally ill".

Poor little rich clown

"It’s hard to find a public persona of Donald Trump that has hurt his appeal as a real estate pitchman, particularly in South Florida. But will Trump’s newfound role as right-wing birther prove as attractive?"

The question gets more relevant each day as Trump leads the pack of Republican White House contenders, and national political writers increasily treat him as a serious candidate, although others wonder if he’s running to pump up his TV ratings.
Any partisan fallout for the Trump brand will reveberate in South Florida, the largest outpost of Trump’s New York-based real estate empire.

“I think it’s been very helpful,’’ Trump said Monday, when The Miami Herald asked how presidential politics might influence condo buyers in Trump buildings. “All they like is winning.’’

Others see politics finally devaluing one of the most famous brands in luxury real estate, as Trump’s attacks on President Barack Obama’s heritage and character sour buyers to the Trump aura.

"GOP backlash in 2012"?

"Florida Democratic lawmakers on outside looking in, expect GOP backlash in 2012".

"Overbilling, corruption, failures"

Fred Grimm: "The Herald’s Scott Hiaasen reported Sunday that the Florida Republican Party, the only party that matters in Tallahassee, has received $1.5 million from the state’s two largest corrections contractors and their affiliates since 2001. A million and a half bucks can quell a lot of queasiness about the private prison industry."

Despite bothersome problems with overbilling, corruption, failures of state oversight (not to mention rioting girls) that Florida has encountered after ceding seven state prisons and 10 percent of its 102,000-inmate population to private contractors, both chambers of the Legislature are ready to go even further. The plan percolating through the House would privatize six more prisons and reception centers in Broward and Miami-Dade counties. A more radical plan in the Senate would privatize all the Department of Corrections operations, including 14 more prisons, in the 18 counties south of Orlando, affecting the jobs of 4,600 DOC employees.

Notice that both plans limit the pain of privatization, a combination of fewer jobs and lower pay, to the southern reaches of the state. North Florida, where state prisons have created the economic equivalent of factory towns, gets a reprieve.
Both plans, House and Senate, are based on an assumption — more like a leap of faith — that privatization will save taxpayers money. Maybe so, but nobody has produced convincing evidence.

Bondsmen bill

The Palm Beach Post editorial board: "Favor public over bondsmen: Bogdanoff bill better, but her constituents don't want it".

Voter suppression by any other name

"Proposed bills would make voting harder for many Floridians".

Oh no! ... not another Rubio!

"He’s a young, little-known former state lawmaker who is steadily piling up praise from the chattering class as the most authentic conservative candidate in the race for Florida’s Senate seat. Adam Hasner announced his candidacy on Mark Levin’s nationally syndicated radio show Monday night, but even in this nascent stage of his campaign, there is ample evidence that his path is predicated on replicating the success of Sen. Marco Rubio." "Fla. hopeful looks to be next Rubio".

Citizens fight

"Saying he wants to hear from Gov. Rick Scott's office and industry lobbyists, [Sen. Mike Fasano] is trying to delay a committee vote today on a bill that would dramatically increase state-run Citizens Property Insurance Corp. rates while dropping some customers." "Call for care on Citizens changes". See also "Gov. Scott considering closing state-backed Citizens Property Insurance".

They're just teachers

Alachua County blues: "Almost 500 teachers told they might not be back next year".

Papers please still standing

"Senate Bill 2040 would require police to check the immigration status of any person arrested on a misdemeanor or felony charge, including traffic offenses. Police would be required to hold undocumented suspects and turn them over to Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers." "Latino leaders oppose Arizona-style immigration bill in Florida Legislature". Related: "Immigration Clock Runs Down on Republicans".

Gaetz' best?

"Law enforcement officers, public defenders and other supporters of Florida’s 28 pretrial programs who packed the room for the House Judiciary Committee meeting got an earful from Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Shalimar, on Thursday." "Gaetz calls bill opponents an "embarrassment" and says their lobbyist should be fired".

"Scott, Bondi and Atwater a big disappointment"

The Saint Pete Times editors: "So far, the new SBA board of trustees — Gov. Rick Scott, Attorney General Pam Bondi and Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater — have been a big disappointment. Despite campaigning for their jobs on promises of increasing accountability in the SBA, they haven't seen fit to put it at the top of their agenda." "Shine light on public funds".

Personal injury attorneys win one

"An insurance-backed effort to make it easier for the industry to deny personal injury protection claims stalled in both chambers Monday following a withering assault from attorneys who represent motorists, physicians, chiropractors and other providers." "PIP Bills Stall in House, Senate".

Makin' it easier for companies to cut down trees

"Bill would make it easier for billboard companies to cut down trees".

"Balanced" journalism?

Howard Troxler has obviously taken some heat for his courageous "Appeal to people of Florida to stop direct bribery of Legislature" column: he spins on his head this morning for the sake ofbalance.

"Death over dementia"

Mike Thomas: "Law should allow choice of death over dementia".

House insists on slashing unemployment benefits

"While the House and Senate battle over the state budget, another standstill has developed over which chamber has a better proposal for unemployment compensation changes."

The two architects of rival bills -- Rep. Doug Holder, R-Sarasota, and Sen. Nancy Detert, R-Venice -- have agreed that changes need to occur in order to reduce the financial burden employers are experiencing as a result of paying unemployment benefits at a time when the state’s unemployment rate is at 11.1 percent.

SB 728 and HB 7005 are similar, with each requiring those receiving benefits to go through a skills review before receiving benefits. Both also would allow employers to more easily win legal disputes over benefits, and both also alter the tax structure on jobless benefits that could give employers a tax reduction.

But the House version holds one key proposal that both sides are unwilling to compromise on. The House proposal includes eliminating six weeks from the number of eligible weeks that one can receive unemployment benefits, decreasing it from 26 weeks to 20 weeks.

Detert said on Monday that while she is working with the House on language before it is taken up during its last committee stop on Tuesday at the Senate Budget Committee, she noted she is not ready to change her mind on the reduction of weeks.

"Penny wise and pound foolish"

The Saint Petersburg Times editorial board: "In its effort to balance the state budget without raising revenue, the Florida Senate wants to eliminate $1.8 billion in hospitalization coverage for the sickest and poorest patients. But such calculus is penny wise and pound foolish." "Medicaid cuts hurt more than patients".

"Fewer than 200 Florida panthers remain"

"Fewer than 200 Florida panthers remain, nearly all of them in Everglades habitat of South Florida." "Dead panther was shot; reward offered".

With greed and lust and arrogance, on March 24, 2011, the Florida Legislature voted to legalize the direct bribery of the Legislature itself.

That is what the history books will show.

As of that date — for legislators rushed to make it the law immediately — it is legal for the leaders of the Democratic and the Republican parties in our Legislature to run so-called leadership funds to accept direct, unlimited payoffs from those seeking favorable treatment.

Republicans looking to suppress Dem votes

The Palm Beach Post editors point out that Florida's Republicans are "pushing through election 'reforms' that would hamstring voter-registration efforts and make it harder to cast a ballot. HB 1355 and SB 2086, are not 'reforms.' These bills are an effort by the Republican majority to suppress what the GOP perceives as likely Democratic votes in 2012."

If a Democratic majority tried something so partisan and arrogant - such as tightening rules for likely GOP-friendly absentee ballots from soldiers overseas - Republicans justifiably would protest. In fact, these bills are so bad that they amount to an assault on all voters, regardless of party. Among other things, these bills would shorten early voting from 14 days to six days, force people with new names or addresses to cast provisional ballots and give voter-registration organizations just two days to submit completed registration cards. ...

At the polls, voters could encounter new problems under these proposals. For decades, people who changed their name or address since they last voted have been able to update their information at their precinct and cast a regular ballot. These bills would require them to cast a provisional ballot. Provisional ballots take longer to fill out and are more prone to voter error, which in turn makes them more likely be discarded.

Because one of the groups most affected by this change is college students living away from home, pushing them to provisional ballots also favors Republicans. Never mind the logistical nightmare thousands of extra provisional ballots would create for canvassing boards, which must review each one.

Other changes would require voter-registration groups to register with the state, and would give them just two days instead of 10 to submit voter-registration cards. This would hamper registration efforts while solving no apparent problem.

Crist is "toxic" to Teabaggers who run the RPOF

"LeMieux is running for the U.S. Senate. And he's running away from Crist, whose name is toxic to many of the hard-core conservatives LeMieux is courting in a wide-open Republican primary." "LeMieux can't shake Charlie Crist legacy in Senate bid".

Florida doles out millions in tax breaks to retailers like Wal-Mart

Aaron Deslatte: "As the 60-day lawmaking session winds to a close next month, Gov. Rick Scott is relentlessly promoting his 'jobs' agenda and exuding confidence that he'll get a massive infusion of tax dollars to reel in new employers."

But behind the scenes, Scott's office and lawmakers are jockeying over who should control hundreds of millions in tax breaks that Florida has been doling out to biotech companies, retailers such as Wal-Mart Stores and Walgreens, and television producers.

Leery of appearing to support "corporate welfare" while cutting nearly $4 billion from education, health-care and social-service spending, Republican budget writers have been pushing the Governor's Office to prove the effort will produce a bigger bang for the buck.

Teabagger hypocrites run wild in DC

"In just four months, rookie U.S. Rep. Sandy Adams ... has grown into a full-throttle supporter of every major GOP initiative".

She has co-sponsored legislation to neuter the new health-care law, fought efforts to reduce greenhouse gases and joined the crusade to slash the federal budget, positions consistent with the tea-party backers who helped her win a landslide victory over U.S. Rep. Suzanne Kosmas, D-New Smyrna Beach, last year.

One left-leaning blogger labeled Adams a "healthcare hypocrite" for rejecting her congressional health plan, even though she is still covered by a government policy through her husband, John, an Orange County circuit judge.

Adams defended the arrangement as "just a personal decision" and said it's not hypocritical because she never intended it as a protest against the health-care plan that passed Congress last year.

And though Adams campaigned hard against federal spending — and continues to do so — she has identified only one place where she would make cuts: climate-change research at NASA. Otherwise, she's a full-throated supporter of NASA's roughly $18 billion budget, including its manned space program.

Republican campaign contributors lick their chops

"Florida lawmakers are poised to make dramatic changes to the state’s prison system, turning over as many as 14 prisons to private companies in hopes of trimming the cost of housing the state’s criminals."

But as the Legislature moves aggressively to expand the reach of private prisons, fundamental questions remain unanswered. Such as: Do private prisons really save Florida taxpayers money? And if so, how much cheaper are they? ...

In the most ambitious proposal, the Senate’s budget chief, J.D. Alexander, R-Lake Wales, wants to give private contractors control over all the Department of Corrections facilities in 18 counties south of Orlando, including prisons and work camps in Miami-Dade, Broward and Monroe counties.

"Law requires secrecy"

"Despite a professed goal of increased transparency, the people who manage $156 billion in pension funds and other public money have taken steps to get in line with a law that requires secrecy." "Florida's pension administrator touts transparency ... with exceptions.".

"'The governor is clueless'"

"'He's clueless. The governor is clueless as to what is happening throughout the state, and the burden on homeowners and condominium owners and business owners,' said Sen. Mike Fasano, a New Port Richey Republican who opposes most of the insurance legislation offered by the industry this year." "Gov. Scott quietly trying to kill Citizens insurance".

What's a teabagger to do?

Myriam Marquez remarks that Trump is "polling better than all but Mitt Romney in the GOP field — scary because Romney has the better hair." "The Donald: his life, hair, royal affairs".

Labor relations experts

Funny how these alleged journalists are suddenly experts in labor relations. Don't worry Mr. Mayo, the promotion is in the mail.

"Rubio’s role model? Jesse Helms"

Lesley Clark: "The Florida senator, a Republican, tells National Review Online that the late Sen. Helms, 'the firebrand conservative from North Carolina,' is his foreign policy model. 'Politicians are not heroes,' Rubio says. 'But if you look at Jesse Helms, he had a tremendous amount of influence in this place.'" "Rubio has a role model".

We don' need no stinkin' regerlations

"State doesn't check background of some health professionals".

Yaaawwwnnn ...

Mike Thomas: "Angry about fuel prices? Blame speculators".

"Images of starved pelicans are fading"

Carl Hiassen observes that "politicians fronting for the industry are counting on $4-per-gallon gas prices and a short public memory. Their optimism is well-founded, if recent polls are accurate. The images of dead sea turtles and starved pelicans are fading." "Year later, little in Gulf has changed". Meanwhile, "Tar balls wash up on two South Florida beaches".

The Sun Sentinel editorial board: "More questions than answers on spill".

"Florida needs adults in Tallahassee, not petulant children"

Randy Schultz: "The Florida House held a kangaroo trial and convicted the Florida Supreme Court."

Through two days of "debate" on April 15 and 16, the grand inquisitors in the House made up their case for turning the seven-member Supreme Court into two divisions of five justices each and allowing the Legislature - that would be the legislative branch - to set rules for the courts - that would be the judicial branch. Some of the main Republican conspirators in this attempted coup are lawyers, and if they had been in court their arguments wouldn't have lasted a nanosecond.

They ducked questions. They invented evidence. They used demagoguery. ...

[Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Destin and Rep. Shawn Harrison, R-Tampa]boasted that they had gone to Tallahassee to be "bold" and "unique." Sigh. We heard all that from Jeb Bush, who was "bold" by enslaving education to the FCAT and by issuing large privatization contracts that resulted in poorer service for more money. Bold, yes. Smart, no. And now we have Reps. Gaetz and Harrison, who are similarly "bold" and uniquely reckless.

Then there's Rep. Eric Eisnaugle, the sponsor of House Joint Resolution 7111 and another lawyer. He reeled off cases in which rulings supposedly had been delayed for unconscionable lengths of time - 874 days, 750 days, 812 days. Conveniently, he didn't cite case numbers, which made it hard to question him. Conveniently, he rolled out his list near the end of debate, to make any response even harder.

Of course, Reps. Eisnaugle, Gaetz and Harrison are just stalking-horses for the vengeful lawyer who is House speaker, Rep. Dean Cannon, R-Winter Park. He can't get over the Florida Supreme Court siding last year with those who challenged three of the Legislature's politically manufactured constitutional amendments, including a symbolic slap at the federal health care law.

From Rep. Cannon's tantrum comes HJR 7111, a constitutional amendment that would create two five-member divisions of the court (civil and criminal) and allow Gov. Scott to fill the three new seats. Conveniently, the two justices who voted to allow those amendments on the ballot would sit in the civil division - the one that would review amendments - and Gov. Scott could name someone he believes would complete a harmonious majority.

Alex Sink could have saved us all this trouble by winning. ...

Indulging this political tantrum would cost taxpayers another $3.7 million a year, as the state faces nearly a $4 billion budget shortage, and $21.5 million in unneeded one-time expenses. At a time when Florida needs serious adults in Tallahassee, petulant children have taken over the Florida House.

"Less affluent families may have to get loans"

"The Florida Legislature is poised to cut the popular Bright Futures scholarship program, meaning thousands of college students and their parents will be paying higher costs and less affluent families may have to get loans, seek other financial aid, get jobs or maybe go on a low-cost diet." "Legislature eyes cuts in Bright Futures".

Whooppee!

"Florida Republicans are taking advantage of the state's size and swing-voting status to try to make this the decisive state in the 2012 Republican primary contest. If they're successful, Republicans in Florida, more than any other state, could pick the nominee to run against President Barack Obama in 2012."

In the last two weeks, party leaders have acted to hang onto an early presidential primary date, despite opposition from the national party.

They've also set up an early presidential straw poll for this fall that insiders believe could shape the primary contest – a straw poll designed to be a more valid test of the candidates than most presidential straw polls.

A little late to whine

The Orlando Sentinel editors: "Scott proposed a budget in February that would slash public school funding by $1.7 billion. The GOP-led House and Senate passed rival spending plans this month that each would cut school funding by at least $1 billion."

The governor and legislative leaders haven't just ruled out any tax increases. They've shown no interest in joining an effort among states to force Internet retailers to collect state sales taxes. Florida could be losing more than $2 billion a year from unpaid sales taxes on purchases made online. But who cares?

The top brass in Tallahassee also has refused to take a critical look at hundreds of tax breaks — including exemptions on sales of bottled water and skyboxes — that divert billions from state coffers.

Scott made his opposition to tax hikes crystal clear to voters last year. So did the Republican legislator on last year's ballot whose district includes the Longwood Elementary attendance zone. Scott campaigned on a promise to cut business and property taxes. ...

Voters in the zone must have liked what they heard.