Dems, lobbyists plan "Project Turnaround"

"The Florida Democratic Party, badly beaten at the state level but showing signs of life in some big-city elections, brought its leaders together with some well-heeled lobbyists at an oceanside resort Friday to start a 'project turnaround' effort for 2012."

"It's always good to gin up the base," U.S. Rep. Alcee Hastings, D-Fort Lauderdale, said as he greeted party members and financial backers arriving for the annual Jefferson-Jackson Day dinner. "These are the real activists, the people who organize phone banks and raise the money and recruit the candidates."

The party peddled four levels of corporate sponsorship for the dinner, ranging from $5,000 to $30,000, and individual tickets went for $180 each. Party Chairman Rod Smith said he doesn't know how much the Democrats will reap from the gala, which is a bit smaller in a non-election year.

The party's future depends heavily on survival of two constitutional amendments adopted by Florida voters last November, which set legal criteria for redrawing congressional and legislative district lines next year. The new amendments forbid any plans to favor or disadvantage any incumbent lawmaker or party. The Republican legislative leadership opposes Amendments 5 and 6, claiming they are unworkable.

"There is no other Florida in the world"

Howard Troxler's last column: ""There is no other Florida in the world." "Florida will be fun to watch".

"Obama has problems in Florida"

"President Barack Obama has problems in Florida that he didn't have when he won this pivotal swing state in 2008."

The economy here is worse than elsewhere. Foreclosures are high. Property values are low. And, now that he's the president, Obama could be blamed.

Voters' shifting attitudes underscore the degree to which the atmosphere has changed since his first campaign; Florida Democrats made gains in the 2008 elections with Obama on the top of the ticket, but the GOP won big across the state just two years later.

All that explains why Florida Democrats are redoubling their efforts to re-energize the rank and file — including Saturday at the state party's Jefferson-Jackson Dinner — and why Obama's campaign team has been on the ground training volunteers a full 17 months before the election.

The challenges also explain why Obama, himself, has been such a frequent visitor to the Sunshine State.

SunRail gettin' hot

The Orlando Sentinel editors: "Lobbying for and against the SunRail commuter train is growing louder and more frenetic as Gov. Rick Scott gets closer to his self-appointed deadline of July 1 to decide the fate of the $1.2 billion project." "SunRail lobbying hits fevered pitch".

Week in Review

"The Week in Review for June 6 - June 10". See also "Weekly Roundup: State Fights Universal Health Care, Governor Goes to Canada".

Resign to run upheld

"A state appeals court has rejected Tampa's request to rehear the case of former city police Capt. Marion Lewis who was forced to resign his job to run for mayor. In a one-page opinion Friday, the 2nd District Court of Appeal denied the city's motion asking for the full 14-judge panel to rehear its previous decision to overturn a lower court ruling in the city's favor. When Lewis challenged incumbent Pam Iorio in the 2007 mayor's race, the city forced him to resign his $100,000-a-year job. Lewis sued, claiming it was unconstitutional." "State appeals court declines to revisit Lewis case".

"Floridians should be offended by Rick Scott ..."

The Miami Herald editorial board today: "Floridians should be offended by the refusal of Gov. Rick Scott and the Legislature to accept millions of dollars in federal spending related to the healthcare-reform law passed by Congress last year. Tallahassee has told Washington to stuff it — at the expense of retirees, children and adults with disabilities who are the big losers in this politically inspired move."

Rarely has the disconnect between the political agenda of the state’s leadership and the needs of state’s most vulnerable citizens seemed greater — or more disheartening.

Batista crowd wants its cash

"An Obama administration effort to spend another $20 million on Cuba democracy programs has been blocked for two months amid bitter clashes over policy and personalities."

Words like “backstabber” and “communist dupe” have been thrown about and the issue is littered with leaks and counter-leaks about alleged wrongdoings.

Sen. John Kerry, who chairs the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, is offering to lift the “hold” he put on the money April 1 if the amount is cut to $15 million, according to a note sent by his committee staff to the State Department Friday. El Nuevo Herald obtained a copy. ...

At the root of the fight are sharply different visions of the Cuba programs, which have cost $150 million since they were created in the 1990s to assist nongovernment groups on the island.

From the "values" crowd

"Daytona State College considers tuition hike, end to PBS programming".

Florida's workers of color hit the hardest

"Cuts to unemployment benefit weeks would have disparate impact on workers of color, given the large difference in unemployment rates for Black and Hispanic workers. Average annual unemployment for all groups continued to go up from 2009 to 2010, but Black and Hispanic workers had much larger increases than White non-Hispanic workers." "Unemployment for Blacks, Hispanics in Florida saw sharp increase again in 2010".

Ricky's response to drought crisis? Budget cuts

"Without a big rainy season, the water shortage could continue into next year, adding to the challenges for an agency facing major budget cuts".

At the north end of the sprawling Everglades system, endangered snail kites are abandoning nests from the Kissimmee River basin down to Lake Okeechobee. Marshes in the heart of the Everglades are burning or shriveling into cracked mud.

On the east coast, oysters are dying as sea water pushes deeper into the brackish St. Lucie River estuary. On the west, explosions of toxic algae are killing fish and triggering public health warnings in the Caloosahatchee River. At the south end of the Glades, stretches of coastal Florida Bay mangroves have dipped into unhealthy hyper-salinity. ...

The drought is just one challenge confronting the district, which also began the process Thursday of meeting demands from the Legislature and Gov. Rick Scott to reduce property tax rates and slash $128 million from the budget of an agency that oversees the water supply and flood control for 16 counties.

More Scott Water Wingnuttery

The Tampa Tribune editorial board: "It was devastating enough that Gov. Rick Scott, with the help of easily led lawmakers in his first legislative session, gutted Florida's growth management act and eliminated funding for the state's model land preservation program, Florida Forever."

Now the governor has begun torpedoing land preservation efforts on the local level. The Scott administration reversed course on a proposed deal by the Southwest Florida Water Management District in Pasco County, shooting it down days after approving it. Negotiations for the purchase had begun one year before Scott took office.

For some misguided reason, the district seems to be on Scott's radar.

"Words with the force of a water cannon"

The Orlando Sentinel editorial board: ""

Melissa Meeker's words hit us with the force of a water cannon: The South Florida Water Management District's new chief told those attending a forum last week that the regulating district shouldn't confront utilities, but rather "build success" through "partnerships."

"We have to figure out how to strengthen" the partnerships, Meeker said.

Sound familiar? Appointed by Gov. Rick Scott to run the state's largest water management district, Meeker sounded a lot like Scott and his advisers when they justified turning the state's growth management agency into a "growth leadership agency."

That happened in the spring, largely ending meaningful state oversight of changes to local growth plans, and leaving residents to the whims of traditionally developer-friendly locally elected officials.

Now it's time to officially turn the state's water managers into water boys for the utilities? Something, alas, they've too often done by letting utilities harm wetlands with their excessive withdrawals?

"Scott blasted thousands of jobs into oblivion"

Despite a budget that cuts the state workforce by 4,500 jobs, and thousands of public school teachers facing layoffs, and construction jobs lost due to cancelled projects (see "Florida Bleeding Jobs"), Aaron Deslatte, while acknowledging that "Scott blasted thousands of jobs into oblivion by scuttling $168 million in college and university construction projects, and allowing $150 million more to be diverted out of transportation projects", politely writes that "Scott gets a mixed scorecard for his performance as the jobs governor so far." Much more here: "Florida adding jobs — despite Rick Scott".

Whooppee!!! "100 More Jobs Winging Their Way to the Sunshine State".

Ricky wrong again

"Drug testing of temporary-aid recipients may root out narcotics users, but it won't save Floridians the millions of dollars initially projected by Gov. Rick Scott. During the 2010 election campaign, Scott said the state could save $77 million by imposing "more stringent standards on non-compliance with work requirements and require drug screening for recipients'". "Florida Welfare Drug-Test Savings Go Up in Smoke".

"Simple human dignity"

The Miami Herald editors: "It’s a shame that anyone older than a 5-year-old has to be told to treat others with simple human dignity on threat of punishment. But this, unfortunately, is the world in which we live. Children, teens and adults alike too often play the bully, the basher — the person who sneers and jeers at someone who they think is different, inferior and unworthy. Such treatment says much more — negatively — about the one meting it out. Still, the victim bears the brunt of such unfair treatment."

So we commend the Broward County and Miami-Dade school boards for recently adding transgender students to their nondiscrimination policies. Young people, in general, are looking to blend in or stand out. Are they the brainiac? The geek? The hip and cool? In other words, they are developing their identities, and it’s not always a pleasant experience.

"Back in the day"

Steve Bousquet: "In an ever-evolving media environment, it's fun to reflect on how our systems of communication have changed. Here are three stories from personal experience that illustrate how far we've come." "Back in the day, news didn't always break on Twitter".

"If the health care law doesn't deliver savings ..."

The Palm Beach Post editorial board: "The Ryan plan is so politically unpopular that it isn't a viable alternative to current law. But if the health care law doesn't deliver savings - or if Democrats focus so much on bashing the Ryan plan that they don't quickly adjust the law to deliver those savings - a voucher plan that cuts costs, no matter the effect on recipients, might become the only affordable alternative." "Big questions in both plans to save money by changing health care for seniors.".

Companies may have conspired to avoid Florida taxes

"Armed with fresh documents that show online travel companies may have conspired to avoid paying more than $440 million in taxes in Florida, a state legislator is urging Attorney General Pam Bondi to force the travel giants to pay up."

In a May 17 letter to Bondi, Rep. Rick Kriseman, D-St. Petersburg, urged her to prosecute the companies based on newly-discovered company documents. The documents show that lawyers for the companies advised their clients since 2003 to “make it as difficult as possible for any state to require us to collect occupancy tax” until they could change the laws to exempt them from paying it.

Dead fish

"State and federal fisheries management panels meet in Key West and SthAugustine to hash out regulations for several species." "Simultaneous meetings produce new fish rules".

"Nelson and Rubio put interests of banks before consumers"

The Saint Petersburg Times editorial board: "Florida's U.S. senators are putting the financial interests of the nation's biggest banks before small retailers and consumers. Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson and Republican Sen. Marco Rubio voted this week to delay lowering the fees that banks charge retailers every time a debit card is used. There is no justification for such stalling, and fortunately Nelson and Rubio were on the losing side of the Senate vote." "Fla. senators buckle on swipe fee".

We hope these firefighters enjoy their pay cuts

"The fire that has plagued West Miami-Dade for almost a week has consumed about 50,316 acres of brush as state forestry and county fire crews continue to fight the untamable flames."

Crews from Miami-Dade Fire Rescue and the state forestry division fought the fire with controlled burnouts and two water-dropping helicopters, said David Crane, a commander with the Division of Forestry. ...

But the flames have continued to rage. Smoke and clouds in the area of the fire have become indistinguishable.

Wednesday evening, the fire was about 25 percent contained, including 3,000 acres east of Krome Avenue and portions of the remaining 25,000 acres west of the avenue.

Scott mobilizing Floridians who read books

"Scott, a novice Republican politician, swept into office with the support of Tea Parties across Florida, who have largely backed some of his major initiatives like drug testing welfare recipients, merit pay for teachers, making public employees contribute to pensions and budget cuts."

But while pleasing supporters, Scott's actions so far appear to have won over few of his ideological foes or Floridians on the fence---and may prove a boon to the largely left-of-center activists and Democratic politicians who oppose him.

The statewide teachers' union, a major financial backer of Democratic candidates, saw its rolls swell by about a thousand members this spring, when Scott and the Legislature were cutting school budgets and ramming through controversial teacher merit pay legislation.

The AFL-CIO labor organzation, which also typically supports Democrats, just held a festival in Orlando that drew about 6,000 people who were interested in grassroots organizing.

Rich Templin, a lobbyist for the AFL-CIO, said mobilization against Scott and some of his fellow Republicans isn't that different from the Tea Party movement that brought the governor and many other new lawmakers into office across the nation last November. Everyone believes there is a problem, Templin said. They just disagree on what the root of the problem is and how to fix it.

"Voters and residents and citizens: everyone knows that the system is broken," Templin said.

A recent poll by Quinnipiac University showed Scott's disapproval ratings amongs Florida voters have risen to 57 percent. Daniel Smith, a University of Florida political science professor, said the governor has stuck to his campaign promises---and become a "polarizing figure" in the process.

FloBama

"Obama will visit Miami Monday to raise money for 2012 campaign".

Medicaid deform

"Dozens of citizens showed up at a state health care agency in Tallahassee for the first public meeting on Florida's new Medicaid overhaul passed during the 2011 session. Most of those who testified at the Friday meeting -- from caregivers to providers to lobbyists -- expressed concerns with what they considered to be the pitfalls of the legislation: requiring most Medicaid patients to enroll in managed care, mostly Medicaid HMOs." "Medicaid reform gets a rough reception at public hearing". See also "Skepticism, Skepticism: Florida Medicaid Plan Goes on Tour" and "Medicaid reform gets a rough reception at public hearing".

Good luck with that

"Florida’s top financial regulator will step down this summer and South Florida securities lawyers, who say they’re seeing an ugly resurgence of boiler-room stock fraud and bucket-shop commodity swindles, are calling on Gov. Rick Scott to name a replacement who will beef up state regulation."

Lawyers for victims say they’d like the important post to go to an attorney who has represented investors, can define an effective anti-fraud policy and deploy the office’s resources to implement it.

“Instead of an industry insider, we need someone with experience in helping small investors,” said [Scott Silver of Blum & Silver in Coral Springs].

“Until the criminal element realizes that the cost of engaging in securities fraud has gone up significantly, there is no reason to stop,” said Chase.

Given the prevailing political climate, however, attorney [Jeffrey R. Sonn, of Fort Lauderdale’s Sonn & Erez] thinks the chance for real change is slim.

Whew! at least it ain't a "tax increase"

"More than half a million Florida homeowners could see their home insurance rates rise in the coming year following a wave of rate hike requests from insurers. In little over a month, more than a dozen insurers have asked state regulators to approve new rates that will force some customers to pay 70 percent more to insure their homes." "Florida insurance rates to soar".

Bennett takes on Castor

"State Sen. Mike Bennett, a Bradenton developer, is taking his experience in the state Legislature to run for Congress." "State senator eyes congressional seat".

What would Rick Scott and the Teabaggers ...

... say about local governments accepting federal grant money to recover from disasters?

In any event, "unclear federal standards for emergency shelters and the prospect of losing grant money critical to helping local governments prepare for disasters were among the major concerns expressed by emergency managers at a congressional hearing Friday in Florida." "Congressional hearing focuses on disasters".

Calling himself the state's "chief economic development officer," he's personally reaching out to business executives around the globe. Last week, the new governor took his second trade mission, this time to lure Canadian companies to the Sunshine State.

Despite the sluggish economy, new jobs are trickling in.

But at the same time, Scott has signed a budget that cuts the state workforce by eliminating 4,500 positions -- and that doesn't count the thousands of public school teachers now facing layoffs, or construction jobs lost due to cancelled projects.

Mitt stiffs Florida GOPers

"Republican presidential frontrunner Mitt Romney's campaign said Thursday night it will not be participating in the Florida GOP's "Presidency 5" straw poll in September — or any other heavily hyped nonbinding election this year." "Romney says no to straw poll". Related: "Deadline Here for Florida's 'P5' Straw Poll Delegates".

New overseer of elections in Florida

"Gisela Salas worked as assistant supervisor of elections in Miami-Dade County, and also worked for the Broward County Supervisor of Elections office. She was hired last month by Secretary of State Kurt Browning to run the office that oversees elections in Florida." "Veteran South Florida elections offical tapped to run state elections division".

A Tampa thing

Daniel Ruth thinks it "only proper that the owners of the Fighting Monsters of Himes Avenue, Malcolm Glazer and his sons, Moral and Hazard, will pay not one red cent for all the fancy-pants renovations. And why should they, when they have you, and you and you to pick up the tab?" "We're on the hook for their luxuries".

West whines

"U.S. Rep. Allen West says he's 'comfortable enough' with House Speaker John Boehner's leadership".

"Actively restricting access to the political process"

"A report released by a group that aims to increase youth voter participation blasts states for 'actively restricting access to the political process,' and finds Florida is no exception. Florida ranks 34 out of 50 states on Rock the Vote’s national scorecard, meeting 35 percent of the group’s recommendations, which are intended to serve as a 'national benchmark.'" "Rock the Vote: Florida voting system pretty lousy for young people".

Lobbyists break up

Gary Fineout: "Smith & Ballard is undergoing a name change as former Florida Attorney General Jim Smith decides to leave the powerhouse lobbying firm. The firm has routinely been one of the top money-making firms in the Capitol according to official lobbyist compensation reports." "One of Tallahassee's major lobbying firms has a shake-up".

No FloBama?

William Gibson: "Virginia and Florida were among the states that normally back Republicans in presidential elections but somewhat unexpectedly helped Obama win the White House. Those states in 2010 shifted back toward Republicans, GOP strategists now say." "Will Florida abandon Obama?"

"Government unjustifiably kowtowing to a lobbyist"

Tom Lyons: "Considering how keen our governor has been to reduce government regulation, it seems odd that he just signed a new one into law."

Of course, not even Gov. Rick Scott is opposed to every regulation. There are urgently needed government restrictions, necessary responses to obvious problems that just can't be ignored.

Was this one of those situations? Heck no. Couldn't be less so. I can't think of a better example of a regulation tackling a nonexistent problem, or of government unjustifiably kowtowing to a lobbyist.

The law I'm talking about is that bizarre bill that bars doctors in Florida from asking patients if they own guns, lest such inquiries make a gun owner feel violated or fearful of a plot to take the gun away.

Preventing such feelings is now a vital governmental concern in Scott's view, it seems.

Choice politics

"One of the more controversial special interest projects of this Legislature, its network of crisis pregnancy centers, has not lost a dime in state funding since starting up in 2005."

Crisis pregnancy centers, or CPCs, are mostly religious centers aimed at dissuading women from having an abortion. Some Florida centers were even found to distribute inaccurate information about abortion to women seeking help in the centers.

Bits and Pieces

Kevin Derby's "Political Bits and Pieces".

Is Crist positioning himself for run against Scott?

"The Internet has been abuzz with speculation that Charlie Crist might be positioning himself for a run against Rick Scott in the 2014 Florida gubernatorial race – as a Democrat! On the surface, this might sound like typical horse-race specualtion, but there are signs that it might be true – and that it might make good political sense." "Charlie Crist vs. Rick Scott in 2014?"

DWS "too outspoken"?

"Democrats knew they were getting an outspoken partisan when Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz took over the reins of the Democratic National Committee a month ago. But they might not have known just how outspoken." "The DNC chairwoman's growing pains".

Both ends burning

"Staff for Gov. Rick Scott have partially refuted a report that the governor is declaring a new day of prayer in Florida."

The conservative Family Research Council had announced that Scott was following the example of Texas Gov. Rick Perry, who is partnering with the anti-gay American Family Association to hold a large "prayer and fasting" event at Reliant Stadium in Houston on Aug. 6.

A potential presidential candidate, Perry invited 49 other governors to join him, the FRC reported -- including Scott, who alternates frequently between citing Perry as a friendly rival and a political role model. Scott has responded to Perry's gesture, the FRC states on its website, by pledging to hold a day of prayer in the Sunshine State.

On June 7, Fox News quoted Perry spokeswoman Catherine Frazier as naming Scott among several governors who had confirmed that they, too, would declare Aug. 6 to be a day of prayer in their states.

That's not exactly true, Scott spokesman Lane Wright said.

Wright produced a May 23 proclamation in which Scott acknowledged the Aug. 6 event taking place in other states and encourages people to take part. Scott penned the proclamation in response to Perry's invitation, Wright said.

But that's all there was to it, Wright said.

"Governor Scott did not actually declare a day of national prayer. He is simply extending 'greetings and best wishes' to all observing August 6 as a day of prayer for our nation.'"

The deform begins

"Public Medicaid Meetings Begin Friday".

Never mind

"Four-day school weeks may not happen".

Foley speaks

"Former Congressman Mark Foley: Weiner Must Decide Himself Whether to Resign".

Ricky's booming economy

"Food stamp use has skyrocketed in Southwest Florida during the past five years, a trend expected to continue as long as the region's poverty and unemployment rates remain high." "Southwest Florida food stamp use surges".

Agency for Persons with Disabilities slashed

"A group of advocates for the developmentally disabled raise concerns about potential cuts coming in a program that serves 30,000 Floridians. One of the suggestions to save money is to slash by 4 percent the salaries of those working at the Agency for Persons with Disabilities." "Agency gets grilled over looming budget cuts". See also "APD Looks at Cuts, Gets Pushback from Providers, Patients".

"For-profit schools off the hook"

The Saint Petersburg Times editorial board: "New rules let for-profit schools off the hook".

That won't make the union haters happy

"Remember that awful public sector union pension crisis that was going to bankrupt every state from California to Wisconsin? A little less Armageddon in the coffee, please. Reuters is reporting some interesting details from a new report by the National Conference of Public Employee Retirement Systems."

Public pension funds are experiencing a robust recovery from the historic market downturn of 2008-2009 -- reporting strong investment returns, growing assets and funding levels on track to meet obligations," said the National Conference of Public Employee Retirement Systems.

the changed financial outlook does underscore an important point that defenders of public sector unions have been making for several years: Judging the financial prospects of a pension fund in the middle of a historic economic crash is a dumb thing to do. As the economy improves so too will fund performance.

The lesson can be extrapolated to the larger challenges facing the federal government. The best deficit-reducing strategy is a growing economy that generates increased tax revenues. A misguided pivot to austerity, on the other hand, runs the clear risk of inducing slower economic growth, lower tax revenues and higher deficits.

Teabaggers freeload

Ayn Rand drenched Teabaggers apparently don't like all parts of raw capitalism; ya' know, that part where you have to pay the bills.

"Tea party group owes more than $6K for rally": "Boca Raton will pay the $6,145 out of the city budget if the Tea Party doesn't come through, and the city probably won’t pursue legal action to recoup a loss".

"Democrats have a lot of work to do"

"Associated Industries of Florida gave Republicans high-marks for their votes during the 2011 session. The rankings, which also mirror ones given out by the Florida Chamber of Commerce, suggest Democrats have a lot of work to do." "Business groups praise Republicans for their 2011 session votes".

"Legislation may inadvertenly cause inequities"

"Florida’s pension plan overhaul -- which mandates that public employees pay 3 percent of their salaries to cover pension costs -- is not supposed to take effect until July 1. But accounting problems with the way the state handles payroll means that thousands of state employees are actually going to start paying ahead of time."

Neither DMS nor Atwater’s office could provide a figure on how much money will be subtracted from state worker paychecks ahead of time.

But Gov. Rick Scott has promised to pay back the state workers at some point.

Scott, when he signed the pension overhaul into law, noted that the "legislation may inadvertenly cause inequities."

Enuf Weiner already

"U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor calls on fellow Democrat Anthony Weiner to resign".

Severance packages

"With just 20 days left before a new law ends the practice of offering severance packages to state workers, the governing board of the South Florida Water Management District voted on Thursday to offer its workers the chance to leave with one month salary, benefits and limited payouts for vacation and sick time." "Water district, seeking $128 million in cuts, to slash benefits and buy out workers".

Empty suits flail at each other

"Adam Hasner takes on George LeMieux".

"Need to hire more cops and firefighters"

"It was only last year [in Port Orange that] the police and fire departments considered drastic personnel cuts. Now, both departments are looking to fill positions. And with a 'significant' increase in crime over the past year, officials are open to the idea." "Public safety: we need to hire more cops and firefighters".

Meanwhile, public employees continue to sacrifice: "Firefighters and city discuss bargaining, pensions".

Who needs firemen anyway? See "Firefighters continue battling fire" and "Fire engulfs strip mall on Semoran in Apopka".

But Garda's expansion into Florida along with similar announcements from Vision Airlines and Bing Energy earlier this year was started and nearly completed when former Gov. Charlie Crist was in office.

While the economy dictates the fate of many politicians, Scott has made job creation the defining characteristic of his administration. But his zeal to count every new job toward his campaign promise of creating 700,000 has some questioning his credibility.

"Despite the promise to be an outsider, he is nothing more than a typical politician who wastes money for his own ego and takes credit for other people's work," Florida Democratic Party spokesman Eric Jotkoff said.

Scott's office acknowledges that the three companies started the process to move to Florida while Scott was a candidate for governor. But the former hospital executive and venture capitalist portrayed himself Wednesday as the closer who stepped in and cemented the deals as a new governor.

But the fine print of Scott's campaign promise is more nuanced.

When Scott put out his economic plan, state economists had already estimated that Florida would gain 1 million jobs over seven years with no major change to state policy. Pressed about that, Scott said his plan accounted for that prediction and would add an additional 700,000.

Despite a current unemployment rate of 10.8 percent, job growth is ahead of economists' projections.

Instead of counting that difference toward Scott's goal, his office is counting every one.

From the "values" crowd

"Broward schools say goodbye to 1,400 teachers".

Rove goes after DWS

"The political group American Crossroads -- founded by Karl Rove, who orchestrated George W. Bush's presidential victories and now pontificates on FOX News -- has a new video out that goes after U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Weston." "Karl Rove's political group zings Wasserman Schultz as 'Debbie Downer'".

"Law said it is designed to blunt Democratic turnout"

"Florida officials asked the U.S. Justice Department Wednesday to approve the state's sweeping new elections law for five counties that need such preclearance under the federal Voting Rights Act."

Florida Secretary of State Kurt Browning submitted documents detailing law changes under CS/HB 1355, which Gov. Rick Scott signed into law May 18 over opposition from legislative Democrats, the League of Women Voters, the NAACP and other organizations.

Critics of the law said it is designed to blunt Democratic turnout and weaken voter registration efforts in advance of the 2012 elections. Republican leaders said the new standards are need to eliminate the potential of election fraud.

The ACLU of Florida, the national ACLU, and Project Vote, a Washington, D.C., voters' rights organization, sued last week in Miami federal court to stop statewide implementation of the law until Justice Department approval is obtained for the five counties.

Browning had said earlier that he would not seek to enforce the state's new standards in Hendry, Collier, Hardee, Hillsborough and Monroe counties until receiving Justice Department approval.

But he ordered the new law to take effect in Florida's 62 other counties, a move that triggered the ACLU legal challenge, which cited state and federal laws that require the state to have uniform elections laws.

Brain trust

"Watching in the front rows was Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi, as well as attorneys general for the states of Texas, Georgia, South Carolina and Nebraska. Former Florida Attorney General Bill McCollum also sat with Bondi. He filed the suit against the federal government hours after Obama signed the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act into law in March 2010. When McCollum left office in January, Bondi took over the case." "Legal fight continues over health care reform law". See also "Federal appeals court hears Florida-led lawsuit against health care reform".

Slashing cop salaries

"Hollywood officers likely to see 12.5 percent pay cut".

"Lawmaker leveraging his influence to pad his income"

The Orlando Sentinel editorial board: "This is the second time Rubio has been hired at FIU, a public university. In 2008, he landed a never-advertised part-time teaching post there for $69,000."

The latest deal has been approved by the Senate Ethics Committee and is not unprecedented. But it's unseemly. It looks like a powerful lawmaker leveraging his influence to pad his income at public expense. We've criticized similar arrangements involving legislators, including Senate President Mike Haridopolos.

Taj Mahal motion

"Judge Paul M. Hawkes says all of his fellow judges at the 1st District Court of Appeal participated in key decisions leading to construction of a posh $50 million courthouse many have dubbed the Taj Mahal."

In a motion Wednesday that seeks to dismiss charges against him for conduct unbecoming a judge, Hawkes says the court and its building committee worked in concert to make almost all decisions about the granite- and mahogany-filled building.

The best they could do?

"John Winn, who helped create Florida's A-Plus plan under Jeb Bush, is returning to the Florida Department of Education as interim commissioner beginning Saturday."

He'll serve until the Florida Board of Education can choose a permanent replacement for Eric Smith, who resigned under pressure from Gov. Rick Scott. That choice could come soon.

Board members, who unanimously approved Winn's selection Wednesday, said they might hire someone as soon as they complete candidate interviews on June 20. They released an updated list of applicants that included some high-profile names they had been hoping for.

Collective bargaining?

"PBC schools would drop furloughs if union OKs no raises".

Smith goes after librul media

Nancy Smith is on fire: "Sometimes a newspaper says something so silly, so blatantly, cockamamily wrong, I need 30 minutes in a rubber room to recover." "What? Did the St. Pete Times’ Bromance With Charlie Crist Strike Editors Blind?".

Scott "already has become a serial politician"

The Sun Sentinel editorial board: "As a candidate, Rick Scott proclaimed that he was not a politician."

That claim evaporated early, when he announced a media event to declare the accomplishments of his first week in office. Five months into the job, he already has become a serial politician. Only a serial politician would conduct a three-city bill-signing tour to take credit for legislation that he first opposed and had little to do with getting through the Legislature. ...

It also took the governor three months to name a health department secretary. No thanks to the governor, the health department expects the database to be operational by October. Despite Gov. Scott's boasting, it was Attorney General Pam Bondi who pushed for the database and intervened to keep the legislation alive when the House and Senate couldn't reach a compromise on a bill that never should have been controversial. Gov. Scott signed the law because it was politically expedient. The politics just happen to be good for Florida.

No shortage of wingnuts

"Software company owner Ron Rushing is an underdog in the 2012 U.S. Senate race. But the Windermere Republican is looking to gain some attention by standing strong for conservative principles." "Dark Horse Ron Rushing Sticks With Conservative Principles to Challenge in Bill Nelson Race".

Gonna kill me sum bar

"State wildlife officials say there were only a few hundred black bears in Florida in the middle of the last century, but through conservation efforts the population rebounded to more than 2,000 by the beginning of this century, even with human population pressures." "Florida Fish and Wildlife Approves Delisting of Black Bear, Other Species". See also "Long protected Florida black bear removed from threatened species list".

The Sun Sentinel editorial board: warns that "Delisting black bears must not pave way for habitat destruction, or hunting".

Bennett led the charge to repeal Florida's 25-year-old growth management rules, contending the only way to revive the economy was by cutting government control over the real estate industry. But his next big real estate sale may be to the government.

Bennett, a Bradenton developer, has spent the past 11 years in the Legislature — two in the House, nine in the Senate, climbing to the upper ranks of the Republican leadership. Now, having hit his term limit in Tallahassee, he has filed papers to run for Congress against U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor, D-Tampa.

But first Bennett is hoping that during redistricting his friends in the Legislature will change the boundaries of Castor's district so he won't have to move from his $1 million waterfront home.

"Florida's water policy is being dismantled"

The Saint Petersburg Times editorial board: "Piece by piece, Florida's water policy is being dismantled."

First, Gov. Rick Scott and the Legislature forced the state's water management districts to slash property tax collections. Then the Scott administration pressured the Southwest Florida Water Management District to eliminate its local basin boards, and its executive director to resign. Now the administration is overturning decisions by water management districts to buy property to protect water supplies. Such political interference by a governor is unprecedented, and it undermines the professional management of the state's water resources.

Scott says "no" to retirees, seniors, children and disabled

"Florida already leads a lawsuit challenging the federal health care law, but state officials are going a step further and ignoring the law almost entirely — rejecting millions of federal dollars to provide health care for retirees, seniors, children and people with disabilities." "Florida rejects federal aid money".

Nelson challengers lining up

"This week two prominent Florida Republicans -- U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan and former Ruth's Chris CEO Craig Miller -- inched closer to jumping into the already crowded primary to take on Democratic U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson in 2012."

Miller ran in the Republican primary last year to face then-U.S. Rep. Suzanne Kosmas for her Central Florida congressional seat. Then-state Rep. Sandy Adams, who would eventually beat Kosmas in the general election, won the primary with 30 percent. Former Winter Park City Commissioner Karen Diebel came in second with 29 percent and Miller third with 28 percent.

While Buchanan has left the door open to entering the Republican field, the Florida congressman, who was first elected in 2006 and serves on the powerful Ways and Means Committee, has done little to lay the foundation for such a campaign.

Buchanan, however, did take aim at the Senate, which is controlled by the Democrats, arguing that the upper chamber is doing little on the pressing matters of the day.

Anther fine Jebacy

"Despite a significant rise in the state's graduation rate, a new report shows that Florida still lags well behind the national average." "Florida graduation rate increases, but still far behind nation".

"He would fit right in as a member of the Florida Legislature"

Daniel Ruth: "As a convicted bagman, Mendelsohn has already lost his career, a chunk of his personal fortune and his reputation, which means, of course, one of these days he would fit right in as a member of the Florida Legislature."

But as Mendelsohn sits in the hoosegow contemplating his fall from grace, the thought is bound to eventually occur to him that if only he had waited just a bit, he could have bribed all manner of Florida's elected poltroon of pols and it would have been perfectly legal.

"Something Is Very Wrong"

Nancy Smith: "The Governor's Office and Public Records: Something Is Very Wrong".

"Wasserman Schultz Passes on Weiner"

Kenric Ward: "Profile in Partisanship: Wasserman Schultz Passes on Weiner".

Educated need not apply

"The Department of Education is staying tight-lipped about whether any new applicants came forward for the high-profile job of education commissioner as the second deadline to apply for the job came and went late Monday." "Little Revealed About Education Commissioner Candidates".

Race to the bottom

Mike Thomas: "Florida Rick vs. Texas Rick: It's just business".

Florida Democratic Party code of ethics?

"Democratic provocateur Jon Ausman on Tuesday called on the Florida Democratic Party to create a code of ethics and take a cue from the national party by banning donations from corporations and lobbyists." "Democrat wants ban of corporate donations".

Miami-Dade kerfuffle

"Candidates for Miami-Dade mayor spar in debate".

Second amendment stoopid

"Pushing back against the National Rifle Association, a group of physicians on Monday filed suit in a Miami federal court to nullify a controversial measure prohibiting health practitioners from routinely asking their patients if they own guns and have them properly stored." "Florida sued over ban of doctors asking about guns". More stoopid: "Open Carry Advocate John Strifler Running for Senate Seat on First Coast".

Ricky heads North

"Gov. Rick Scott visits Canada on quest to lure jobs to Florida".

Ricky's latest PR stunt

"The American Civil Liberties Union of Florida, which has already filed suit against Gov. Rick Scott over a requirement that government workers undergo drug testing, says it may sue over the state's newly enacted welfare provision, as well." "Welfare Drug-Test Challenge a Legal Long Shot".

Kingsley don't do public transportation

Kingsley Guy just doesn't grasp the concept of sitting in a bus, or train, with a bunch of strange looking people who aren't bringing him cocktails: "High-speed rail: Gov. Scott was right to reject this fantasy".

Ending Medicare to be a big issue in Florida

Lesley Clark: "The question sounded simple enough: Would you vote for or against a Republican plan to overhaul Medicare?"

But state Senate president Mike Haridopolos — a U.S. Senate hopeful calling into a St. Augustine radio station — wouldn’t answer, calling the question, "hypothetical."

The frustrated host, Ray Junior, eventually hung up on him, telling his producers, "Get rid of him."

Politicians on both sides have successfully used — or misused —- the issue to battle their opponents: In 1994, then-Florida Gov. Lawton Chiles famously [and correctly] suggested in a series of late in the campaign robo calls that his Republican challenger, Jeb Bush, considered Medicare, "welfare."

And in the 2010 election, the 60 Plus Association, a conservative leaning group that touts itself as an alternative to AARP, ran TV ads against several Florida Democrats, accusing them of cutting $500 billion from Medicare for voting for the Democrats’ health care overhaul.

That attack line is being revived again this year by Republicans looking to take out Nelson.

"Senator Nelson’s decision to ignore Florida voters and cast the deciding 60th vote for ObamaCare’s[*] tax hikes and Medicare cuts will be a key issue as he prepares to face voters at the polls next year," said National Republican Senatorial Campaign spokesman Jahan Wilcox.

Fact checking organizations like PolitiFact have reviewed that claim and found it wanting: The 60 Plus ads rated a "barely true" from PolitiFact, which found the $500 billion isn’t an actual cut, but reductions to future spending for a program that would still grow significantly in the next 10 years.

He’d vote 'no' on the Ryan plan — a move that delighted his GOP rivals, but could blunt a Nelson line of attack —if he secures the GOP nomination.

In the competitive GOP Senate primary, former state House Majority Leader Adam Hasner challenged his rivals to embrace the plan, saying his only criticism would be that the plan — part of a budget proposal aimed at taming the deficit, "just doesn’t go far enough, fast enough." Rival George LeMieux, praised the House plan, but has said he preferred his own plan which he said would balance the budget faster.

The plan wouldn’t affect those over 55, but would give future Medicare beneficiaries a government subsidy [more accurately a "coupon"] to purchase private health insurance. Independent analysts have concluded beneficiaries would end up paying more — and Democrats highlighted a study that suggested no state beneficiaries would pay more than those in Florida.

According to the analysis done for the Joint Economic Committee chaired by Pennsylvania Democratic Sen. Bob Casey, while the increase would vary state by state, residents in all states would see out-of-pocket expenses more than double when they turn 65 in 2022. Florida’s increase: $7,383.

Posh

"On one side of the fifth floor: linoleum tile, industrial fluorescent lights, white drywall and metal doors. On Jenne's side: oak wainscoting and moulding, wood floors and wood shades or blinds." "Broward's ex-Sheriff Ken Jenne spent $1.6 million on posh office".

West rails against pirates

"U.S. Rep. Allen West urges vigilance against China, terrorists, pirates".

"Florida the Wild West of money in politics"

Howard Troxler: "There's an old joke that members of the Florida Legislature should be labeled like NASCAR drivers to show who is paying for them."

The modern problem in Florida is that traditional "campaign contributions," given directly to a candidate under strict limits, are less and less important.

More and more important are the "committees" or similar outfits that take unlimited money from interest groups seeking to buy influence.

These committees can be:

• The political parties, which have been reinvented as giant money-laundering schemes.

• The universe of PACs and "committees of continuous existence" formed to raise large amounts of money and funnel it into campaigns.

• A relatively new breed of committees operated by politicians themselves — even sitting members of the Legislature — that free them from the traditional limits.

Legal bribery.

With all this money, these committees buy elections at the local level. The quaint idea of American legislative democracy at the district level is almost a fiction. It is not a question of who St. Petersburg wants in the Legislature, or St. Augustine, or Gainesville or Palatka. It is an orchestrated statewide machine.

These committees churn the money among themselves, launder it, pour it into local elections and hide the origin. This is the key point. The entire purpose of campaign finance laws — to tell the public who is paying for the campaign — is defeated.

When we get a campaign brochure in our mailbox that says, "Paid for by the Committee for Florida's Future and Cute Little Puppies," that does not tell us that it is actually being run by a powerful legislator, taking payoffs from Corporations X and Y so they can get favorable laws.

Can we do this better?

Yes.

Mind the raw sewage

"State easing of beach rules risks human, environmental health, group says".

Vern slips one by the voters

"On Oct. 17, two weeks before the November election, U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan refunded $5,000 in contributions made by five former employees — one of whom had claimed that he and others were pressured to donate to Buchanan in violation of federal law. But voters never knew about the refunds. It was not until March — four months after the Sarasota Republican won a third term — that the ex-employees' names finally showed up on a report that Buchanan's campaign filed with the Federal Elections Commission."

The race for the 13th District congressional seat proved to be extremely close, with Buchanan initially trailing his main opponent in raising money.

The Nissan Dodge employees each wrote a check for $1,000 and received $1,000 back in cash. Federal law bans "undisclosed conduit reimbursements'' in which a donor makes a contribution by funneling it through someone else.

Buchanan, whose district includes Manatee County, denied wrong doing, and Bell's FEC complaint is still pending. But a Buchanan finance report filed after last year's general election shows that the campaign had refunded $5,000 to the "United States Treasury c/o Federal Elections Committee'' on Oct. 17.

No names appeared on subsequent finance reports until the FEC told the campaign to be specific. In March, the committee identified the donors as Bell and four other former Nissan Dodge employees.

The FEC requires campaign committees to send contributions thought to be illegal to the treasury department, not to the donor.

An expert on campaign finance law says the refunds likely meant that Buchanan's campaign made a deal with the FEC last fall.

Then the campaign "went to extraordinary lengths to cover up the settlement, including violating the (law) again by not properly reporting the refunds,'' says Brett Kappel, an attorney with the Washington D.C. law firm Arent Fox and a former member of the American Bar Association's election law committee.

In December, the FEC sued Sam Kazran, owner of a now-closed Jacksonville Hyundai dealership, alleging that several of his employees and their relatives were illegally reimbursed for contributing to Buchanan's 2006 and 2008 campaigns while Buchanan was a partner in the dealership.

Buchanan was not named as a defendant in the suit. But shortly after it was filed, his campaign committee paid $50,000 to the Washington D.C. law firm Patton Boggs, which often represents clients in dealings with the FEC.

Scott don' need no stinkin' consumer protection

"It's called the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, but the name might have to change if Gov. Rick Scott gets his way. In a side note in his recent state budget veto message, Scott questioned the value of the agency's two consumer-oriented divisions and implied they should be abolished next year without more justification." "Scott wants agriculture department to justify consumer protection role".

"Rewarding friends and punishing enemies"

John Kennedy: "The biggest tax break created by Gov. Rick Scott and the Republican-led legislature will let the average home­owner in Palm Beach County knock about $28 off his or her property tax bill next year."

But for some of the state's biggest companies, including several that helped power last year's GOP political campaigns, the tax cut will yield tax savings of hundreds of thousands of dollars and maybe even more than $1 million for a few.

Jeb Bush has already blazed the trail. Florida's governor has been an aggressive privatizer, and as The Miami Herald put it after a careful study of state records, "his bold experiment has been a success — at least for him and the Republican Party, records show. The policy has spawned a network of contractors who have given him, other Republican politicians and the Florida G.O.P. millions of dollars in campaign donations."

What's interesting about this network of contractors isn't just the way that big contributions are linked to big contracts; it's the end of the traditional practice in which businesses hedge their bets by giving to both parties. The big winners in Mr. Bush's Florida are companies that give little or nothing to Democrats. Strange, isn't it? It's as if firms seeking business with the state of Florida are subject to a loyalty test.

So am I saying that we are going back to the days of Boss Tweed and Mark Hanna? Gosh, no — those guys were pikers. One-party control of today's government offers opportunities to reward friends and punish enemies that the old machine politicians never dreamed of.

Ricky kills jobs

Lloyd Dunkelberger: "Scott calls it his 'jobs' budget. But in reality, the $69 billion state budget, which takes effect in July, could force thousands of Floridians into the ranks of the unemployed." "Scott's budget brings job losses".

Surely, Walt Disney World will use its massive tax cut to create more high paying Disney jobs in central Florida. Recall that in recent negotiations "Disney is offering a 25-cent pay raise to workers on the lower end of the pay scale, but [the workers wanted] 35 cents."

Ricky kills death penalty Commission

Nice of Ricky to have "killed the Florida Commission on Capital Cases. He signed into law a bill passed in haste late on the final night of the legislative session. The elimination of the commission saves $400,000 and gets rid of five positions. It completely eliminates the only clearinghouse for death-penalty case information, the status of court cases of the 397 people on Florida's death row and archival cases on the 69 people Florida has put to death since 1979." "Gov. Scott signs bill killing Florida Commission on Capital Cases".

Neverending story

"Teacher contract talks never stop in Hillsborough".

The sorry state of higher education

An "intern at the [winguttish*] James Madison Institute" (in part funded by Koch Industries (see p. 12) (.pdf)) doesn't understand what the FSU-Koch fuss is about; the alleged college student sees no problem with FSU economics department hires being approved by an advisory committee handpicked by right-wing billionaire Charles Koch. Read it and weep: "It's a 'coveted academic opportunity'".

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*For example, see "How long until Florida's knuckle-draggers go after emails?". It is also worth noting that The James Madison Institute thinks Andrew Breitbart is just marvelous.

Fl-oil-duh

"A year after BP oil spill, Panhandle towns seeing signs of recovery".