Scott and lawmakers also failed to provide any state money for construction or maintenance for 3,355 traditional public schools, but found about $55 million in taxpayer dollars to offer to operators of the state's 459 privately run charter schools — some of which use for-profit firms to run their schools.

The [comedy] film Waiting for Superman has popularized the notion that turning public schools over to private providers will fix what's wrong with public education. But as the latest round of Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test scores shows once again, Florida's two-decade experiment with charter schools has yet to prove they do better, on average, than public schools.

This lack of distinction comes despite significant advantages.

The most dangerous place ...

... is between Rubio and a camera: "Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., will be making two Sunday show appearances this week." "Rubio making the media rounds this weekend".

Ricky's jobs MIA

Florida's unemployment "rate stays at 10.6 percent, nearly 1 million still out of work ". "No Change in Florida’s Jobless Rate for June". See also "Region's jobless rate jumps to 10.9 percent", "Florida's unemployment rate stays unchanged", "Florida's jobless rate holds steady at 10.6 percent" and "Florida unemployment rate unchanged at 10.6 percent".

"Employment rates actually fell across the state, but the statistical measure of unemployment remained unchanged due to seasonal adjustments, which are intend to allow number crunchers to get a read on economic trends that aren’t obscured by events that typically happen in June, such as layoffs in education and agriculture." "Scott less than stoked about jobs report, 'encouraged that Florida is still bucking the national trend'".

Jesse Jackson to hold Florida rallies opposing new voting law

"In another sign of the national implications of Florida's new voting laws, the Rev. Jesse Jackson is holding rallies in Tampa and Orlando next week to criticize changes approved by the Legislature and Gov. Rick Scott." "Jesse Jackson to fight Fla. voter law".

"Lollapalooza of litigation"

Lloyd Dunkelberger: "The state capital has become a lollapalooza of litigation. This week alone, two major lawsuits were filed in Tallahassee challenging measures passed by the Republican-dominated Legislature earlier this year." "Florida's capital a lollapalooza of litigation".

"Diaz de la Portilla faces arrest over dogs"

"A dispute over dogs could lead to jail for a former Miami state senator, who’s fighting his ex wife — and now a judge — in court." "Former Miami Sen. Alex Diaz de la Portilla faces arrest over dogs in divorce dispute".

Medicaid deform

"Federal officials are receiving plenty of opposition to Florida’s plan to move 3 million Medicaid patients into managed-care plans". "Opposition mounts to Florida’s plan for managed-care for Medicaid patients".

See you in Havana

"A second bid to overturn President Barack Obama’s easing of restrictions on travel to Cuba has been endorsed in the U.S. Congress, this time an amendment submitted by South Florida Republican Rep. David Rivera and approved in a strongly bipartisan 36-6 vote." "2nd bill limiting Cuba travel approved in Congress".

More rail

The Orlando Sentinel editorial board: "Passenger-rail enthusiasts rightly are training their attention on SunRail following Gov. Rick Scott's decision this month to get out of the way. But it's unwise to focus solely on the commuter train which, upon its completion, will run from Deland through downtown Orlando to Poinciana." "SunRail's only the start".

4-sale

"The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles has been selling information about Florida drivers to private companies for years. But many Floridians remain unaware of the practice. And once they find out about it, they may not like it." "Report: Florida agency selling driver's license info".

Super PACs to inundate Florida

"Hard-hitting political ads against President Barack Obama, U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson and U.S. Rep. Allen West are popping up across Florida in a scramble to define the message of the 2012 elections, still 16 months away."

But the radio and TV attacks — which focus on jobs, Medicare and the federal debt — are not paid by the candidates' opponents or the Democratic and Republican parties.

They are launched by so-called independent expenditure groups that are forming at remarkable speed, raising tens of millions of dollars and fundamentally altering political campaigns.

Julien’s Mercedes-Benz was parked in the driveway

Freshman Democrat "State Rep. John Patrick Julien, who did not live in his Florida House district before being elected last year, says he has moved into the district. A neighbor says otherwise." "Lawmaker faces question about living in district".

Debt-ceiling negotiations

"U.S. Rep. Tom Rooney, R-Tequesta, is a House deputy whip responsible for lining up Republican votes on key issues, but he says he has no idea what type of debt-ceiling proposal his chamber might be voting on in coming days." "S. Fla. Republican congressmen open to short-term debt deal as time runs down".

"Possible Hardipolos bid for U.S. House next year"

Kenric Ward: "As Republican senatorial candidates scramble for cash to take on well-funded Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson, Mike Haridopolos is sitting on nearly $3 million in contributions."

Where that money goes is of more than passing interest.

Some of the bankroll, whose receipts totaled $3,519,154 in Haridopolos' latest Federal Election Commission filing, has already been expended.

Haridopolos' campaign reported disbursements of $669,884, debts of $56,910 and unspecified "individual refunds" of $18,575.

That leaves $2,849,270 cash on hand, which federal election law says the former Senate contender can use for a future federal campaign.

The law also stipulates that withdrawn candidates can use their war chest to pay campaign-related expenses, including legal bills.

As long as their campaign accounts remain "active," ex-candidates can also tap funds to promote themselves in various ways.

Speculation has swirled over a possible Hardipolos bid for U.S. House next year. With Florida gaining two congressional seats in 2012 -- and one of those likely targeted for Central Florida -- the Brevard County-based lawmaker could be geographically and financially well-positioned for a run.

"Illegal, unregulated gambling"

The Saint Petersburg Times editorial board: "By any commonsense standard, these [Internet sweepstakes cafes] are promoting illegal, unregulated gambling operations. The Florida Legislature should make that clear when its members return to Tallahassee in the spring, but until then, the sheriffs are to be commended for enforcing Florida's gambling laws." "Sheriffs shut down illegal gambling".

"NASA's Coulda-Been Hero Who Wasn't"

Nancy Smith writes that Florida's "Democratic senator never kept Space Coast in President Obama's face". "Bill Nelson, NASA's Coulda-Been Hero Who Wasn't". Response: "NASA's New Direction: 'Ticket to Nowhere'".

Weekly Roundup

Michael Peltier: "Weekly Roundup: Hari-Dropout, Going Courting".

Employers need overtime ... media attacks workers

Get this headline: "City workers earn millions in OT pay".

Homeless vets - inexcusable

"South Florida congressmen reach across party lines to craft bills on homeless vets and VA hospital security". "Rooney and Deutch: Political Enemies? Not on Vets' Issues".

Hawkes case proceeds

"Judge's effort to dismiss 'Taj Mahal courthouse' charges rejected".

"Jeb!" And His Amen Chorus Of Goose-Stepping Legislators have blood on their hands

"Jeb Bush And His Amen Chorus Of Goose-Stepping Legislators" have blood on their hands. Some Floridians remember how

Jeb Bush issued an executive order directing state agencies 'to [merely] voluntarily comply' with the federal Occupational Safety and Health Act's standards, and leaving cities and counties to decide for themselves what they needed to do. But no state resources were devoted to ensuring compliance or guiding safety efforts.

The move was a wink and a nod toward protecting employees, and little more.Then in 2006 a tragic explosion of methanol occurred at a wastewater treatment plant in Daytona Beach.

The accident has also haunted federal investigators at the U.S. Chemical Safety Board, which this week took the rare step of classifying Florida's response as "unacceptable" — the first time it has ever branded an entire state and its Legislature with that designation.

The board wrote that such guidelines — including better training and managerial oversight — "would likely have prevented" the accident at the Bethune Point wastewater-treatment plant that killed Daytona Beach workers Clyde Jones and Eric Johnson and hospitalized Martin for about four months.

"We are compelled, in frustration, [to grade this] an unacceptable response," said board chairman Rafael Moure-Eraso, who signed the letter to Gov. Rick Scott. "This is kind of a last resort."

In the years since the board completed its 2007 inquiry, it repeatedly has called on Florida to address a lack of protection for city and county workers that has existed since the Legislature in 1999 rolled back workplace rules and abolished a state safety department.told state agencies they must [merely] "voluntarily comply" with federal safety standards. But city and county governments simply were asked to review their practices.

BP oil spill fines

"A bill with bipartisan support in Congress would require most of BP oil spill fines be used for restoration projects in Florida and other Gulf states." "Bill would steer money to restoration projects in Gulf". See also "Federal legislation would direct 80 percent of oil spill fines to Gulf states".

Obama crusade a soulless political behemoth

"When Sen. Barack Obama began running for president in 2007, a small handful of determined, inspired supporters found a new political calling."

Four years later, many of those new bundlers say they won't be coming back. For reasons ranging from disillusion and dissatisfaction to an overriding sense that the once idealistic Obama crusade has become yet another soulless political behemoth, that inspired cadre of early Obama supporters has largely been replaced by professional Democratic Party operatives.

But the identity and mood of the campaign is very different.

The shift among bundlers is part of a broader transformation of an insurgent candidate of hope and change to an incumbent president grinding out his re-election amid the very real and often daunting world of Washington politics.

Yes, West is Wasserman Schultz's constituent

"West lives in Wasserman Schultz's congressional district, not his own." "A new question in the West-Wasserman Schultz feud: Where does West live?".

Mica don' like them thar water-pollution rules

"A diverse group of environmental advocates on Thursday protested U.S. Rep. John Mica's sponsorship of legislation that would rein in federal authority to establish water-pollution rules in Florida and other states." "Activists protest Mica's plan to weaken EPA water rules".

Sorry Pammy, but the coverup is often worse

Gary Fineout: "After refusing initially to disclose why two foreclosure fraud investigators were forced to resign, the office of Attorney General Pam Bondi contended the attorneys were removed because of poor job performance." "Bondi defends decision to remove foreclosure fraud investigators".

"The Florida Attorney general's office released a cutting statement Thursday criticizing the work of two former state foreclosure fraud investigators after a week of national attention paid to the duo's forced resignations."

Carlos Muniz, deputy attorney general and chief of staff in Pam Bondi's office, says the performance of former assistant attorneys general Theresa Edwards and June Clarkson was "unacceptable" and that they were given the option to resign or be fired because of their "failure to improve after multiple warnings."

Edwards and Clarkson, who resigned their jobs at the South Florida bureau of the office's Economic Crimes Section on May 20, had been investigating the state's so-called "foreclosure mills," uncovering evidence of legal malpractice that also implicated banks and loan servicers. ...

In his statement Thursday, Muniz refers to an April 28 review of the South Florida bureau and Chief Assistant Attorney General Robert Julian that lists staff shortcomings, including "proper identification and analysis of legal issues," and "professionalism to opposing counsel."

Just seven days earlier, in an interim evaluation of Edwards, Julian praised her work, saying it has been "instrumental in triggering a nationwide review" of foreclosure practices.

"I cannot overstate the degree to which I respect Ms Edwards and her work with this unit," Julian wrote.

Both Edwards and Clarkson also received high marks in evaluations conducted in the fall.

Clarkson was given "above expectation" or "exceptional" rankings in 14 of 15 categories.

Edwards received "above expectation" or "exceptional" rankings in all 15 categories.

"The shortcomings outlined are hard to understand when you put them beside the evaluations of 2010," Edwards said Thursday. "I dispute the version of events released by the attorney general's office." ...

Muniz said Thursday the resignations had nothing to do with politics.

SunRail

"After state aid ends, how to pay for SunRail?".

"Nothing in Scott's background qualifies him ..."

The Palm Beach Post editorial board: "Scott has cast himself as the champion of health care reform. As founder of Conservatives for Patients Rights, he lobbied against the Affordable Care Act. As governor, he continues to advocate for his supposedly better, market-driven approach. In fact, nothing in Gov. Scott's backgrounds qualifies him to lead on health care reform." "Governor is no reformer".

Miller rips off Bob Graham

"Stealing a page from a popular Democrat's playbook, Republican U.S. Senate hopeful Craig Miller unveiled a 'workday' initiative in Orlando on Thursday that he said would keep him in touch with struggling Floridians." "GOP Senate hopeful adopts Democrat's 'workdays'".

Brown fights Fair Districts

"U.S. Rep. Corrine Brown, the Jacksonville Democrat more interested in preserving her gerrymandered district than promoting fair elections, sent out an invite this week asking donors for as much as $5,000 to fund her lawsuit against Fair Districts." "Attacking democracy".

Out of touch

Notwithstanding the overwhelming acceptance of birth control among Catholics, the

Catholic hierarchy has successfully lobbied policy makers in Florida and all over the country.

In Florida, for example, Florida Catholic Services lobbied state legislators this year to include an opt-out provision in the state’s Medicaid overhaul that would exclude them from having to provide family planning services for “moral or religious” reasons. Catholic Services got what they asked for, despite efforts by a state legislator to remove the provision.

Good luck with that

"Friends of the Everglades calls on Scott to make polluters pay". Meanwhile, "Another fish kill, this time in Collier County".

About that book ...

"Critics of Florida Senate President Mike Haridopolos, R-Merritt Island, have long suspected that a lucrative book contract he inked with Brevard Community College in 2003 was unusual. It is. In fact, it’s the only book contract the college signed in the last 10 years." "Haridopolos deal the only Brevard Community College book contract in last 10 years".

Ex-cons with rights restored have low recidivism rate

"A new state report shows that roughly 11 percent of ex-felons who won back the right to vote in the last two years committed new crimes or were placed back under state supervision. ... I]t mirrors other studies that have shown criminals are less likely to commit new crimes if they are integrated back into society."

Simon said he tried to tell Bondi the same thing when he met with her earlier this year to discuss the new rules. He said this just proves that the new rules are more about making sure certain people - who could lean more Democratic in elections - do not win back the right to vote. Florida's ban on granting rights to felons once they leave prison dates back to just after the Civil War.

"This is a government system that was designed to prevent the freed slaves from after the war from being able to work,'' Simon said. "It continues to work as it was designed."

Before then-Gov. Charlie Crist's in 2007 pushed through a plan to ease some of the restrictions, Florida was only one of five Southern states that required convicted felons to apply and appear at a hearing before their civil rights could be restored.

Crist successfully won approval for state clemency rules that granted automatic restoration of rights for most former inmates, although those with more serious crimes such as murder and sexual battery needed to go before the governor and Cabinet in order to win back their rights. More than 154,000 ex-felons had their rights restored between 2007 and 2011.

But the decision to ease the rules drew fire from many other Republicans, including then-Attorney General Bill McCollum.

"Tea party stooge"

Daniel Ruth: "If Rep. Allen West, R-You Talkin' To Me?, has anger management issues over a relatively benign piece of rhetorical political boilerplate, imagine the bursting gaskets if a waiter were to bring him Coke instead of Pepsi. Not pretty."

Before West, who has been a member of Congress for about 20 minutes, starts accusing Wasserman Schultz of being a vile, unprofessional poltroon with despicable tendencies simply because she suggested he is little more than a tea party stooge, he might want to take a closer look about the House chamber and soak in some of its more checkered history.

Disney in a dither

"Boca Raton Congressman Ted Deutch is calling for the U.S. Labor secretary to investigate a work visa program that he says allows hundreds of foreigners to take hospitality jobs at the expense of qualified Americans."

Meanwhile, Florida's perpetual embarrassment,

Republican Congressman Allen West of Plantation, in a letter to the leader of a Palm Beach County Hispanic organization, defended the rights of the hospitality employers to import the workers under the current guidelines and decried government interference with business.

Bribery ... a way of life

"A trial featuring James Bond-style intrigue in Palm Beach County Circuit Court isn't the first time Gulf Stream billionaire Harry Sargeant has been accused of bribing Jordanian leaders to secure billion-dollar defense contracts to deliver fuel to U.S. troops in Iraq." "Sargeant faced earlier bribery accusation".

"Six in the morning"

Travis Pillow: "Six in the morning: A six pack of infobits you might have missed but shouldn’t have".

Huntsman's Florida campaign takes a hit

"Jacksonville native Susie Wiles has announced her resignation as the manager of former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman’s 2012 presidential campaign. Wiles was a driving force behind Rick Scott’s successful gubernatorial campaign, and also acted as a top advisor to two former Jacksonville mayors: John Peyton and John Delaney. " "Wiles out as Huntsman campaign manager".

Scott lightens up

"In March, Scott's communications director, Brian Burgess, announced a new policy for fulfilling what Scott has characterized as an unprecedented volume of records requests. Cost recovery would reflect the costs of producing them."

In practice, the policy resulted in charges of hundreds of dollars when senior staff members spent time reviewing their personal email accounts to determine what was public. Florida's broad Sunshine Law allows for actual costs to be recovered for proving public records.

Now, staff costs will be charged at the lowest salary rate in the office no matter who is required to undertake the work. Requests that require legal review will still incur charges for the work, but at the lowest-paid staff lawyer's salary rate. Requests that take less than 30 minutes won't be charged, and those that take longer will start incurring costs after the first half hour.

Florida paid for Jindal junket

"Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal, left, appears at a rally in Tampa last year with then-Senate candidate Marco Rubio. Florida spent $3,137 on security when Jindal made a one-day trip to campaign for Rick Scott." "Fla. picks up security tab for visitors".

The money, offered through the federal Affordable Health Care Act passed last year, would have paid, among other things, for a visiting nurse program run by Healthy Families Florida, one of the most successful child-abuse prevention efforts in the nation. Healthy Families’ budget was cut in last year’s spending plan by close to $10 million.

On Wednesday, leaders of the state House and Senate and the governor’s office all insisted they had nothing to do with rejecting the money.

Allen West, "a sideshow courtesy of Florida"

The Saint Petersburg Times editorial board: "Allen West likes to be outrageous. But the Broward County Republican went too far in his latest e-mail attack." "Congress lives down to its image".

"It's the new model for politics in Washington: Hurl incendiary words at your rival, stir the media into a frenzy, then watch the campaign cash roll in."

The feud between South Florida Reps. Allen West and Debbie Wasserman Schultz only intensified Wednesday, a day after she criticized his position on a debt-cutting bill and he fired back with a scathing e-mail claiming Wasserman Schultz was "not a lady."

Democrats cast West, a freshman Republican and tea party hero, as an unstable hothead and issued various fundraising appeals, while Wasserman Schultz, head of the Democratic National Committee, suggested on TV that West "cracked" under the pressure of the budget deal.

West made his own fundraising appeal, saying he was the Democrats' No. 1 target and it was "no coincidence" their top advocate had attacked him.

By the end of the day, it had devolved into a question whether West had apologized, as the Huffington Post reported.

No way, West said. No way, Wasserman Schultz said.

So it went — a sideshow courtesy of Florida.

Congressman West Sent an Outrageous Email To Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz After She Highlighted the Impact of the GOP’s “Cut, Cap and Balance” plan. In July 2011, West sent an email to Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz calling her “the most vile, unprofessional and despicable member of the U.S. House of Representatives.” He went on to write that “You have proven repeatedly that you are not a Lady, therefore, shall not be afforded due respect from me!” [Palm Beach Post, 7/20/11]

West Voted for the Cut, Cap and Balance Plan that is More Extreme than the Republican Budget. The non-partisan Center on Budget and Policy Priorities wrote: “The measure […] stands out as one of the most ideologically extreme pieces of major budget legislation to come before Congress in years, if not decades. […] The legislation would inexorably subject Social Security and Medicare to deep reductions.” [H.R. 2560, Vote #606, 7/19/11; Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, 7/16/11]

West Voted for the 2012 Republican Budget Proposal that Would “Essentially End Medicare.” In April 2011, Allen West voted to end Medicare by supporting the Republican budget. The Wall Street Journal reported, “The plan would essentially end Medicare, which now pays most of the health-care bills for 48 million elderly and disabled Americans, as a program that directly pays those bills.” According to the House Energy and Commerce Committee, the House Republican budget would end Medicare for 125,000 current Medicare beneficiaries in the district. [House Energy and Commerce Committee, 6/11; H Con. Res. 34, Vote #277, 4/15/11; Wall Street Journal, 4/4/11]

West Tied To The Infamous Motorcycle Gang, The Outlaws, Which Denigrates Women. West has ties to “a misogynistic biker magazine, which then-candidate West submitted his bylined columns to for publication. In one issue, a column that West didn't write attacked Wasserman Schultz's sexuality and compared her to excrement.” [The Orlando Sentinel, 7/21/11]

West plays the race card

"Rep. Allen West (R-FL) is now making the rounds of the right-wing talk radio circuit ... His message for the GOP base: Liberals hate African-American conservatives like him for leaving their '21st-century plantation.'" "West: DNC Chair, Dems Attack Me Because I’m A Black Conservative".

"Funneling money to religious institutions"

"A proposed constitutional amendment to lift the ban on public funding of religious groups should be ripped from the 2012 ballot because it is 'misleading and insufficiently specific,' according to a lawsuit filed by Florida’s largest teachers union Wednesday in Leon County Circuit Court." "Teachers sue to block voters from lifting ban on public funding of religious groups". See also "Teachers union files lawsuit to stop expansion of school vouchers", "Florida Teachers Union Reopens Church-State Battle" and "Lawsuit aims to block effort to spend tax money on religious groups".

Related: "Altman doesn't hate all of the FEA lawsuit".

"$1.2M to an unnamed global financial services firm"

The Saint Petersburg Times editors: "As Florida lays off teachers, closes libraries and parks, and slashes an array of public services to deal with the recession, Hillsborough County is offering without public debate $1.2 million in tax money to an unnamed global financial services firm in return for staying put in the Tampa area." "Job deal leaves taxpayers in dark".

"Better in theory than in actual practice"

Mike Thomas whinges on about "the latest school-choice policy from Tallahassee, this one from Gov. Rick Scott."

The goal is to create an escape valve for students stuck in failing or near-failing schools. ...

Sometimes, school choice sounds much better when I espouse it as a theory than it does in actual practice.

Mandy Dawson arrested

"Former Palm Beach County lawmaker Mandy Dawson arrested on tax evasion charge".

FRS has 22 percent gain

Gary Fineout: "Despite campaign talk assailing the health of the state pension plan, the State Board of Administration on Wednesday released preliminary numbers that show that the Florida Retirement System had a 22 percent gain over the last fiscal year." "State pension plan gains billions during banner year". See also "Florida Pension Plan Gains $19 Billion".

Closed-door energy meetings

"Pro-drilling group wraps up closed-door energy meetings in Orlando".

PBA: privatization unsafe

"PBA chief: Prison privatization would be unsafe".

Vern in a jam

"In newly filed court documents, a former business partner of Rep. Vern Buchanan, R-Sarasota, says that not only did Buchanan know about excessive contributions to his 2006 and 2008 campaigns, he ordered them." "Buchanan’s ex-business partner fights back over campaign violation accusations".

More: "Former business partner points finger at Buchanan". See also "Buchanan accused of ordering plan to violate election laws".

"Florida ranks third worst nationally "

"An environmental group says Florida ranks third worst nationally for toxic air pollution caused by coal- and oil-burning power plants. The Natural Resources Defense Council issued an analysis Wednesday that shows only Ohio and Pennsylvania are worse." "Fla. rated 3rd worst in power plant air pollution".

GOPers need crowd control

"Homeland Security provides crowd-control training for 2012 Republican convention".

Medicaid deform

"As state officials scramble to get out a federal waiver application for Florida’s Medicaid reform plans, one state representative is worried the feds will drag their feet in responding." "Rep. Matt Hudson: Watch the Feds Drag Their Feet on Waiver".

RPOFers stride world stage

"Ileana Ros-Lehtinen targets Middle East while Connie Mack focuses on Latin America". "Florida Republicans Take Aim at Middle East and Latin American Nations Through Foreign Aid".

He should have vetoed it

"Scott wants his name off election lawsuit".

Raw political courage

"Marco Rubio to speak at Ronald Reagan Library in Los Angeles".

Rivera gets a challenger

"Seeing a chance for his party to pick up a seat in Congress, Democratic state Rep. Luis Garcia [a retired Miami Beach fire chief and former city commissioner] launched his campaign Wednesday to challenge U.S. Rep. David Rivera, a Republican." "Miami lawmaker launches bid to challenge freshman House Republican". See also "Luis Garcia Enters Race Against David Rivera".

"Obama's Jewish Support Steadies"

"A newly released poll of Jewish American voters provides some comforting news to an Obama administration working feverishly to keep its popularity high among that group. ... The national survey, which was sponsored by the progressive-leaning, pro-Israel group J Street and designed by prominent Democratic pollster Jim Gerstein, has Jewish Americans approving of the president’s job performance by a 20-percentage point margin, with 60 percent approving and 40 percent disapproving." "Obama's Jewish Support Steadies Despite Distrust On Israel Policy".

Utilities blamed for exaggerating cost of EPA rules

"The Public Service Commission is echoing the concerns of electric utilities in comments against a pair of proposed federal environmental rules."

The PSC on Friday sent comments to the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency on its proposed air toxics rule and its cooling water intake rule. The commission said compliance with the rules could cost Florida utilities between $4.4 billion and $6.7 billion a year.

Utilities can petition the PSC to cover those costs, so the proposed rules "will have a near immediate rate impact on Florida’s consumers," the commission said in a letter sent to Florida's congressional delegation. The PSC asked that the EPA allow more flexibility in applying the rules.

But an environmental group that has called for even stronger EPA rules blamed utilities for exaggerating the cost to individual consumers.

Walmart knows no bounds

"Couple says image of Jesus appears in Walmart receipt".

West opens mouth, inserts foot

West must enjoy the taste of his feet: "West trashes Wasserman Schultz as ‘vile’ for budget comments". See also "Allen West calls Debbie Wasserman Schultz 'vile, unprofessional and despicable'". Yesterday: "Allen West: Obama supporters ‘a threat to the gene pool’". More: "Florida's Debbie Wasserman Schultz, Allen West trade barbs over budget deal".

"Among the lowest library visit rates in the nation"

Jackie Bueno Sousa: "Miami-Dade County’s public libraries have among the lowest visit rates in the nation." "More libraries doesn’t mean more readers".

SunRail

"A day after signing off on federal funds for Central Florida’s planned commuter rail project, Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood is singing the project’s praises on his personal blog." "LaHood: SunRail will increase Central Florida’s economic competitiveness".

"Six in the morning"

Travis Pillow's "Six in the morning: A six-pack of Florida news tidbits".

Medicaid deform

"A campaign opposing Florida’s proposed overhaul of its $22 billion Medicaid program continues as a grassroots, patients-rights group sent a letter to the federal government on Tuesday asking it to reject the plan that calls for a statewide expansion of managed care." "Feds asked again to reject statewide Medicaid overhaul".

"Intraparty cash scramble"

"Adam Hasner appeared to win a public-relations skirmish after Mike Haridopolos' withdrawal from the contest Monday. Hasner's camp quickly claimed endorsements from the national tea party organization FreedomWorks, along with a nod from American Future Fund PAC and Concerned Women for America."

But George LeMieux is sitting on a growing pile of cash, and that $950,000 counts for a lot. It led the GOP field in the second quarter.

Conventional wisdom holds that big money wins big elections. Yet that calculus did not work out for Haridopolos, whose early start helped him raise more than LeMieux and Hasner combined.

It's unknown where Haridopolos' backers will go now, but an intraparty cash scramble is beginning.

and South Florida Tea Party director Everett Wilkinson called FreedomWorks' early endorsement a mistake.

"FreedomWorks jumping into this race was not, in my opinion, helpful or wanted. Their record of winning seats in 2010 calls into question their judgment," Kelley said.

"Frankly, [FreedomWorks' founder] Dick Armey should be called to account for his votes as a congressman on raising the debt ceiling rather than trying to dictate who we should support and vote for in 2012."

Another Florida Republican, speaking on background, said FreedomWorks doesn't rate as a "grass-roots" operation. "FreedomWorks is a top-down driven Washington group with more bluster than troops," the source said.

Wilkinson said he "begged" FreedomWorks to stay out of the race at this stage.

Chamber of Commerce outraged

"The Florida Supreme Court on Tuesday upheld a $28.3 million verdict against tobacco company R.J. Reynolds in what may be the first ruling in a looming wave of cases." "Supreme Court upholds multi-million verdict in smoking lawsuit". See also "Fla. justices uphold $28.3 million smoker verdict".

Bondi has some explaining to do

Scott Maxwell: "A few months ago, two of Florida's assistant attorneys general were blowing the lid off foreclosure fraud in this state."

Right up until they were ousted, anyway.

At the height of their popularity, when Edwards and Clarkson were generating national headlines — and making profiteers nervous — Attorney General Pam Bondi's office asked them to leave.

So said Edwards, who recalled: "Our director called us in at 3:30 one Friday afternoon and said: 'You can either resign today, or you're going to be fired.'"

The news came on the heels of a performance review filled with praise.

"Obviously we did our job too well," Edwards said. "We were making too much noise."

Bondi's office won't say why the two were ousted — or even confirm that they were. Instead, the office stresses [claims] that the two attorneys "resigned."

Spokeswoman Jennifer Meale said her office is as committed as ever to rooting out financial fraud. "The resignations of these two individuals will not impede these investigations," Meale said. "In fact, we are more aggressively pursuing these investigations."

Edwards found that claim interesting — since neither she nor Clarkson were even allowed to brief anyone else in the office on the year's worth of work. "I couldn't even write a memo," she recalled.

This duo attracted acclaim for exposing "foreclosure mills," which are involved in ousting massive numbers of families from their homes, sometimes without following all the rules. ...

And keep in mind: All of this had to do with companies attempting to foreclose upon people's homes.

The duo's work attracted widespread attention — from the Los Angeles Times to the Washington Post. "60 Minutes" was particularly intrigued with their disclosure that "Linda Green" had signed thousands of mortgage documents and supposedly served as a vice president of more than 20 banks.

How the folks in the other lane live

"With Mica onboard, tolled 'Lexus lanes' on I-4 may get rolling".

"Caricature of a politician"

The Tampa Tribune editorial board: "Gov. Rick Scott called Mike Haridopolos' withdrawal from the U.S. Senate campaign a 'sad day for Florida.'"

Sad day? Hardly.

The political system effectively winnowed out a flawed candidate.

The 41-year-old Haridopolos never should have been in the race. The brash president of the state Senate has been a virtual caricature of a politician who preaches one thing and does the opposite.

Quick to bash government and extol the virtues of the free market, the college professor has been adept at securing sweetheart deals from tax-supported institutions. Brevard Community College paid him $152,000 to publish an electronic book on Florida politics that offered such keen advice as make sure candidates display their last names prominently on yard signs. He then took a lecturing job, for $75,000 a year, at the University of Florida.

By seeking the Republican nomination to challenge incumbent Sen. Bill Nelson, Haridopolos compromised his responsibilities as president of the Florida Senate. It ensured that political concerns — not what was best for Florida's future — would dominate his agenda.

Jury secrets

The Saint Petersburg Times editorial board: "Rep. Scott Randolph, D-Orlando, is exploring legislation that would keep the names of jurors secret for at least nine months unless they voluntarily identified themselves. He already has filed another constitutionally suspect bill that would make it a felony for any juror to sell his or her story within 270 days after any civil or criminal trial. That would violate the First Amendment rights of jurors, and the notion that jurors' names should routinely be kept secret is just as misguided." "No place for secrecy in court".

Laff riot

"The South Florida Tea Party this week launched the Tea Party Chamber of Commerce web site, using the slogan:"

"Businesses Create Jobs Not Government." The site also includes this call: "Now is the time for patriots to step up and start supporting businesses that share our values of fiscal responsibility, limited government and free markets. We can help build the America we believe in by doing business with those that support our values."

Since launching on Monday, the site has attracted listings for more than 100 businesses in 10 states. The bulk of those businesses -- 78 -- are in Florida. South Florida Tea Party chairman Everett Wilkinson hopes to have 500 businesses listed in the next month.

"Equivalent of paving parks with Walmart parking lots"

"After 1,000 angry residents, including several Republican lawmakers, showed up at a public hearing in this west coast town, Gov. Rick Scott this month killed a hastily contrived plan that would have allowed a private vendor to set up an RV camp at a beachfront state park."

But introducing what Scott's administration calls "family camping" to 55 other parks, including Palm Beach County's John D. MacArthur Beach State Park, is still on the table.

Critics call it the equivalent of paving the parks with Walmart parking lots, and it's just the latest of Scott's public-area proposals riling them.

Insurers demand 30 percent increases

"Castle Key Insurance Group, the third-largest private homeowner insurer in Florida, asked state regulators Tuesday for average rate increases of 31.2 percent and 35.7 percent for Castle Key Insurance and Castle Key Indemnity, respectively, two different entities controlled by the company." "Castle Key Insurers Look for More than 30 Percent Hike".

PBA files suit to block prison privatization

"The union that represents state correctional officers is suing Gov. Rick Scott's administration, seeking to derail a massive privatization of state prison operations in 18 South Florida counties."

The suit, filed by the Florida Police Benevolent Association against Corrections Secretary Edwin Buss, hopes to block a plan to privatize 30 prisons in Miami-Dade, Broward and 16 other counties.

The legal challenge by the union is the seventh major lawsuit seeking to block or overturn policies initiated by Scott, a Republican who was elected in November, either through passage of new laws or executive orders.

Other lawsuits take aim at an overhaul of the state elections code, mandatory drug testing for state employees, a freeze on new rulemaking by state agencies and a requirement that government employees contribute 3 percent of their pay to their pensions.

Never a dull moment

"Firefighters pull racehorse from swimming pool".

The topic is a hot issue with some voters but certainly not all voters. It's a somewhat esoteric subject, but it's as unavoidable as death and taxes. The U.S. Constitution mandates the process in each state. It happens after each decade's census is finished. Redistricting affects the U.S. House of Representatives -- because their 435 seats are apportioned based on population -- and every state legislature.

In Florida, after the 2012 elections, the voters will be represented by 120 state representatives and 40 state senators. The state also has to draw maps for 27 districts for Florida's apportionment of the U.S. House. That's up from 25 in 2002 -- because the state's population grew.

Who gets to draw the maps for their own state chambers and for the U.S. House? The Legislature. Gov. Rick Scott must then sign off.

Complicating this process are the new Fair Districts amendments to the state constitution, which mandate the districts must be as compact and contiguous as possible, using existing district lines or geopolitical boundaries if possible. ...

Democrats hope that redrawn districts will reflect the edge their party has in statewide voter registration. But registration is but one piece of voter data -- and not a particularly deep or predictive one.

Business groups whine

"Scott for months has touted his push to grow jobs by taking a machete to thousands of government regulations that limit environmental pollution, safeguard people and police businesses. But despite his campaign pledge to rein in government overreach, Scott has also quietly killed an office lawmakers created in 2008 to do much the same thing:"

watch out for Florida's 1.9 million small businesses when new regulations could hit them in the wallet.

Now, business groups and advocates of scaling back regulation say Scott's effort might be less effective in protecting small businesses than the one he abolished last month.

The effort is being challenged before the Florida Supreme Court, after a Miami-Dade woman, Audubon of Florida and others argued that Scott was usurping the power of the Legislature over state-agency rulemaking. The court could rule later this year on the case.

So far, the governor's one-person office has found more than 1,100 rules Scott would like to kill during the next year, covering everything from permits to bulldoze wetlands to fire-safety rules for nursing homes and other rules governing the construction of slalom courses and ski jumps.

Empty suit attacks Obama

Jeremy Wallace: "As U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio has begun to assert himself into the debt-ceiling debate in Washington and ramp up his criticism of the president, talk of him as a potential Republican vice presidential candidate in 2012 has followed."

Rubio has been aggressive in hitting the talk show circuit over the past week. On Sunday, Rubio was a guest on CBS's Face the Nation. That came days after Rubio made appearances on Sean Hannity's television program on FOX News, on CNN's John King USA, on Rush Limbaugh's radio program, and with The Hugh Hewitt Show on radio. ...

"The reality of it is, none of these policy prescriptions this president has written has worked," Rubio said during Hannity's show last week. "Every aspect of life in America today is worse than when he took over. Unemployment is higher. Interest rates. Everything is worse. The only thing that's gone down in America over the last two years is the value of your home."

SunRail

"Groundbreaking is today near downtown Orlando".

Scott, Bondi block voting rights restoration

"Under the new rules, anyone with a felony conviction must wait at least five to seven years and have no other arrests before applying to have their voting rights restored. The current backlog in applications dates back years and affects at least 100,000 people".

According to a letter opposing the rule change from the American Civil Liberties Union and several legal defense groups, Florida has become one of only four states to bar ex-felons from voting for life unless they get clemency from the governor. They estimate that at least 13 percent of voting-age African-Americans have lost the right to vote this way.

Attorney General Pam Bondi pushed for the new rules because she said rights shouldn't be restored automatically and there should be a waiting period. Scott also has routinely denied rights-restoration petitions.

Hawkes to wait at least a week

"Appellate Judge Paul Hawkes will have to wait at least another week to learn if charges against him for his conduct as the alleged mastermind of a new courthouse in Tallahassee will be dropped." "JQC panel hears Judge Hawkes on Taj Mahal role".

"FSU all but sold influence in the economics department"

The Saint Petersburg Times editorial board: "A faculty review of a controversial donor contract has concluded the obvious: Florida State University jeopardized its academic autonomy and violated some of its own rules when it signed a 2008 deal with the Charles G. Koch Foundation to obtain a mere $1.5 million for the economics department over six years. ... The committee also criticized less publicized provisions in the contract that sought to influence the department's curriculum toward Koch's libertarian philosophy. That often wasn't disclosed clearly to other economics faculty members or students. For example, the contract required the creation of a 'morals and ethics in economic systems' class that would teach the work of Ayn Rand. The class moved through the approval process without clear indication that its creation and its syllabus were donor-prescribed."

"Incredulously, FSU leaders — including Barron who joined the university after the contract was signed — did not initially acknowledge that the university had all but sold influence in the economics department's operation for a paltry sum. But as more details became public in May, Barron requested the faculty review, and on Friday he ordered various campus leaders to take its recommendations to heart. It's the right direction, even if it took two months to get there." "Making best of bad deal".

Voter suppression, Florida style

Talking Points Memo has made "the nationwide crackdown on voting one of the centerpieces of [its] 2012 campaign coverage." And the story they start with? Fl-or-i-duh.

"Democrats are calling attention to the effect that voter ID laws which have swept through state legislatures this year could have on voter turnout. But voter ID laws aren't the only restrictive measures imposed on the right to vote which civil rights organizations say are going to hurt voter turnout."

Take Florida. Voters there are already asked to show a photo ID when they vote. Now thanks to a law passed by Florida lawmakers, they're less likely to be registered in the first place.

The bill, HB 1355, shortened the length of the sunshine state's early voting period and stopped voters from being able to change their address at the polls.

But the law's restrictions on third-party voter registration groups could do the most damage, and have already forced one of the oldest voter education groups out of the voter registration game altogether. Such groups would face stiff fines unless they turned in voter registration cards within 48 hours of them being filled out.

The League of Women Voters announced they were dropping their voter registration program just after the law was rushed through by Republicans in the legislature in May.

Still "one of the country's least popular governors"

"In office six months, Gov. Rick Scott has kept his campaign promises and then some: cutting corporate taxes, reducing the size of government, drug testing welfare recipients, making government workers pay into their pensions and privatizing Medicaid. Yet the conservative Republican is one of the country's least popular governors, with only 29 percent of voters saying in one recent nonpartisan poll[*] that he's doing a good job." "Scott keeps word, loses popularity".
- - - - - - - - -
*It is actually even worse than that: only a 27 percent approval rating in a more recent Republican poll.

What's wrong with Hillsborough?

"Rookie South Florida U.S. Rep. Allen West will raise money for Hillsborough County Republicans on Saturday, speaking at an 'issues and ideas' dinner in Plant City." "Hillsborough GOP get".

Florida Medicare scammers escaping to Latin America

"As Medicare crime spreads across South Florida, accused scammers are escaping in droves to Cuba and other Latin American countries to avoid prosecution — with more than 150 fugitives now wanted for stealing hundreds of millions of dollars from the U.S. healthcare program, according to the FBI and court records."

The tally of fugitives charged with healthcare fraud here has tripled since 2008, when The Miami Herald first reported on the phenomenon of Cuban immigrants joining the Medicare rackets and fleeing to evade trial in Miami.

But during the past three years, the FBI has captured only 16 fugitives, reflecting the difficulty in catching Spanish-speaking suspects who head south to hide out. Most of the fugitives were born in Cuba, immigrated to South Florida after 1990 and can easily live under the radar in Latin America with hundreds of thousands or millions in taxpayer dollars fleeced from Medicare.

"Cut the competition"

The Saint Petersburg Times editorial board: "The state's 11 public universities, facing declining state support and rising enrollments, are poaching on each other's territories, duplicating efforts and pursuing high-cachet programs. The state's onetime community college system has morphed into a hodgepodge of 28 two- and four-year schools. And the burgeoning size of the universities begs the creation of a 12th, but there's no clue where the money will come from." "Cut the competition among universities".

Huntsman loses one

"Barely two months after he left Scott's office as director of external affairs to lead Jon Huntsman's political action committee, Spencer Geissinger is leaving the Huntsman campaign." "Florida operative out".

Ballard a Romney Florida finance co-chairman

"Brian Ballard, one of Florida's top Republican fundraisers, is joining the Mitt Romney presidential campaign as Florida finance co-chairman and a member of the national leadership team." "Big state lobbyist backs Romney".

Florida Obama bundlers:

A glimpse of the folks who helped Obama raise $47 million:

Raising $500,000 or more for Obama were Mark and Nancy Gilbert of Boca Raton, Steven Green of Miami Beach and Andrew Tobias of Miami.

Bundlers who pulled in $200,000-$500,000: J.P. Austin of Miami, Alex Heckler of Fort Lauderdale, Ben Pollara of Coral Gables and Kirk Wagar of Coconut Grove.

Raising $100,000-$200,000: Mitchell Berger of Parkland, Stephen Bittel of Miami Beach, Joseph Falk of Miami, Andrew Korge of Coral Gables, Chris Korge of Miami, Abigail and F.J. Pollak of Coral Springs, Bobby Stein of Jacksonville and Andrew Weinstein of Coral Springs.

Entrepreneurs in action

"Jet-setting CFO gets dual terms for embezzling $15M at tree farm".

Osceola's "consistent pattern of discrimination"

"A shift toward majority-Hispanic commission districts that began four years ago in Osceola County is likely to accelerate next year, potentially changing the balance of political power in the county. In 2007, the U.S. Justice Department cited a 'consistent pattern of discrimination' against minority voters and required reluctant Osceola officials to redraw commission districts. The order required one of the districts to have a majority Hispanic population." "Osceola's new district lines may boost Hispanic political clout".

Craig Miller bags tea in U.S. Senate bid

"Businessman Craig Miller, the newest U.S. Senate candidate looking to challenge Bill Nelson, sat down this week with the Sarasota grassroots group 13 Patriots, Inc, which bills itself as a local, nonpartisan educational organization made up of average citizens who are concerned with the direction our country has taken." "Craig Miller Visits With Sarasota’s 13 Patriots".

Charter schools fail seven times more than traditional schools

"Charter schools, which account for only a fraction of the state's public schools, received half of all the F's when the state handed out its annual letter grades two weeks ago."

Of all the failing grades given to public schools, 15 of 31 went to charters.

The charters, often billed by proponents as a superior alternative to traditional schools, were seven times more likely than regular schools to get an F in the appraisal of the state's elementary and middle schools.

Financed with hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars, charters also were more likely to earn D's and less likely to earn A's, B's or C's than regular public schools.

This past school year, the state had 348 charters, accounting for 11 percent of Florida's public schools, and this year the number is set to go even higher.

"We have to make sure our system does exactly what you are doing here at Florida International Academy," Scott said at the time.

If all schools do, they'll all be F-rated … the grade Florida International's elementary school just received from the state.

Oops.

When Scott signed a teacher-merit-pay bill back in March, he did so at KIPP middle school in Jacksonville, another charter school that reformers touted as a model.

Unfortunately for the governor, KIPP just earned an F, too.

Oops again.

charter schools in Florida failed at a rate seven times higher than that of traditional schools.

They also netted fewer A's and B's.

The results fall far short of the sky-high promises by politicians and for-profit executives who claimed that charter schools would do better.

And people are taking notice.

Gone are the days when schoolteachers were respected and praised. In Florida, they've become a political punching bag.

By doing this, GOP leaders accomplished several goals. They weakened the teachers unions, which traditionally supported Democratic candidates. They helped the charter-school groups, which often back Republicans. And they furthered their missions of providing more school choice and letting the private sector take over more public-sector duties. ...

Orange County schools Superintendent Ron Blocker said champions of so-called reform should be honest and ethical enough to acknowledge the evidence that simply doesn't support their claims.

The urban education reform movement just got a much-needed reality check as D.C. Democratic primary voters fired Mayor Adrian Fenty, and effectively along with him one of the movement's biggest superstars, District schools chief Michelle Rhee. Chancellor Rhee was as a key, polarizing figure in Fenty's reelection campaign, which ended when he was defeated in the Tuesday primary by his challenger, D.C. Council Chairman Vincent Gray.

Rhee brazenly politicized her job as Schools Chancellor in a way that may be unprecedented for education bureaucrats. Back in the spring, the charitable arm of Wal-Mart and other corporate foundations threatened to yank millions they had donated to break the teacher's union if Rhee was not retained. Then Rhee not so subtly hinted to a reporter that she would not work for Gray. Finally, the weekend before the election, Rhee hit the campaign trail along with Fenty to round up votes in the wealthiest ward in Washington.

D.C. voters responded with a resounding rejection of her, her boss and their education policies.