To lend legitimacy to his effort, Osorio assembled a high-profile board of directors that included former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, Miami condo king Jorge Perez and others.

More: "Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, a Republican and the son of former President George H.W. Bush and the brother of former President George W. Bush, once sat on InnoVida’s board. So did Ret. Gen. Wesley Clark, a onetime Democratic candidate for President. Osorio also is listed in a Federal Election Commission database as an individual contributor to the Presidential campaigns of Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton, and the Congressional campaign of Debbie Wasserman Schultz, among others." "Another Major Scam Rocks Florida: Claudio Eleazar Osorio Arrested By Feds, Sued By SEC; Miami Entrepreneur And Friend To Politicians Accused Of Stealing Millions From Investors".

Here's one picture Obama would wish he would never have taken.

'Ya reckon?

Lloyd Dunkelberger asks: "Are Florida's ballots too long?".

Crist strolls into Democratic Party

"It was just a matter of time. Charlie Crist is becoming a Democrat."

Crist — Florida’s former Republican governor who relished the tough-on-crime nickname “Chain Gang Charlie” and used to describe himself variously as a “Ronald Reagan Republican” and a “Jeb Bush Republican” — on Friday evening signed papers changing his party from independent to Democrat.

He did so during a Christmas reception at the White House [*], where President Barack Obama greeted the news with a fist bump for the man who had a higher profile campaigning for Obama’s reelection this year than any Florida Democrat. . . .

Critics from both parties sniff that Crist is merely looking for an avenue back into public office and is willing to throw out his principles to achieve the goal.

“Charlie Crist has the ability to meld into any character — from ‘Chain Gang Charlie’ to sympathetic ‘Man of the People’ — there is seemingly no role that he can’t play,” said one recent release from the Florida GOP, which has been blasting Crist regularly in anticipation of him running for governor as a Democrat.

- - - - - - - -

*Rumour has Crist was at the White House with his mentor: the face of the Democratic Party in Central Florida, one John Morgan.

Scott's teacher evaluation scheme flops

The Tampa Bay Times editorial board write that "the results [of the Legislature's teacher evaluation scheme] bear out what critics warned would happen ever since the Legislature, at Gov. Rick Scott's behest, rushed passage of SB 736 in 2011. For all the merit in trying to assess which teachers are the most effective so they could be paid more starting in 2014-15, lawmakers have not given school districts the time or resources needed to build fair assessment tools." "Fix unreliable teacher ratings".

A wake-up call for those who do not vote in person

"Absentee ballots are often touted as a pain-free, easy way to cast a vote without having to stand in long lines at a polling station."

But nearly 2,500 Miami-Dade County voters had their absentee ballots rejected this election in what amounts to a wake-up call for those who ignore or fall prey to the perils and pitfalls of not voting in person. Another 2,100 ballots were rejected in Broward County.

Some voters forgot to sign their ballots. The county elections office negated others because the signature on the ballot didn’t match the voter’s on-file John Hancock. And three voters died in between Election Day and the time they sent in their absentee ballots.

Most absentee ballots in Miami-Dade and Broward were rejected because they arrived well after Nov. 6 at the elections office.

The Miami Herald contacted more than 1,000 Miami-Dade voters, hundreds of whom responded by email and phone with explanations and recriminations concerning their rejected absentee ballots.

A large number of voters blamed the post office or the effects of Hurricane Sandy, which interrupted mail service in New York, where many Floridians live part-time. They said their ballots often arrived from the county just before or on Election Day.

About 245,000 came from Miami-Dade, of which about 1 percent were rejected, about the same rate as in 2008."

Only Pinellas County in Tampa Bay had more absentee ballots cast, nearly 249,000, in Florida. The county did not provide the number late of ballots that weren’t accepted, but said .3 percent were rejected for other reasons. Voters in neighboring Hillsborough County cast 171,000, of which 1 percent were rejected.

Broward County cast the third-highest number of absentee ballots in Florida, about 172,000, of which 1.2 percent were rejected.

Palm Beach County, which had the fifth-highest number of absentee ballots cast, about 129,000, rejected about 1.1 percent.

Total statewide figures won’t be available until month’s end and will change as more absentee ballots arrive late.

Recall when one vigilant Supervisor of Elections, in Orange County, was pilloried for asking folks who frequently voted absentee to update their signatures to ensure their ballots were not rejected because their signatures may have changed over time, which could lead to rejection of their absentee ballots. "Orange voters react angrily to request for new signatures" ("Some voters are showing signs of getting fed up with efforts to question their right to vote in Florida, reacting angrily to 214,000 letters sent by Supervisor of Elections Bill Cowles this week to longtime and absentee voters in Orange County. . . . Cowles, a Democrat, acknowledged that his effort to seek fresh signatures is tied to the new law, which requires closer scrutiny of absentee ballots. But he said the initiative was his own, not something ordered by the state.")

Webster's friends do the dirty work, he proclaims innocence

Mark K. Matthews: "As a devout Baptist, U.S. Rep. Dan Webster said, he's always been taught to turn the other cheek — which is why, the veteran lawmaker says, he's never zinged a political opponent with an attack ad."

But the Republican from Winter Garden said that code was tested this year when he faced a blistering slate of negative ads from Democrat Val Demings and several outside groups, including one financed by New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, in the race for the 10th Congressional District.

In all, at least $4.5 million in outside money was spent against Webster or for Demings — dwarfing the $1.5 million total that Webster himself raised for his campaign, according to fundraising figures filed this week and additional data compiled by the Sunlight Foundation, a non-partisan political watchdog.

The groups that targeted Webster include the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, the Bloomberg-funded Independence USA PAC and the House Majority PAC, a Democratic "Super PAC."

In the face of the attack ads, including a spot by the Bloomberg group calling him a "professional politician," Webster ran low-key ads touting his small-business background and concluding "America's not broken, Washington is." He said allies and friends suggested he re-consider that approach.

This year, the conservative American Action Network spent $1.1 million, including a TV ad that tied Demings to "Obamacare" and concluded with a graphic of a flatlining heart beat.

And two years ago, outside groups such as the NRCC and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce helped propel Webster to Congress by spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on TV ads and direct mail, a cash infusion that helped him overcome the massive war chest of then-incumbent U.S. Rep. Alan Grayson, D-Orlando.

As an aside, when did calling someone a "professional politician" - which Webster plainly is - rise to the level of a "blistering" negative ad?

Why bother teaching "art, history and philosophy"?

"Public university professors statewide are speaking out against a set of higher-education reforms that the Florida lawmakers will consider during the next legislative session."

Many have focused their ire on the most controversial recommendation made by a task force created by Gov. Rick Scott: to start charging tuition based on majors.

To attract more students to high-demand, high-wage fields that state leaders think will help boost Florida's economy, the task force is recommending that public universities charge less for courses in those areas.

The group did not specify which fields to target. It did not suggest how much more to charge for other majors, except to say that tuition for state residents should be frozen for for targeted bachelor's degrees for the next three years. Schools eventually would be able to set differentiated tuitions for other programs.

Professors are upset over the idea of charging students more to study lower-demand fields such as art, history and philosophy, especially considering these programs generally cost less to operate than those in the so-called STEM areas of science, technology, engineering and math.

Why does our Governor want to create an economic disincentive to studying "art, history and philosophy"? Miami Herald columnist Fabiola Santiago answered that question not long ago, writing that Rick Scott will "do whatever it takes to make sure Florida’s future generations of college graduates do not get the kind of well-rounded education that helps them become independent, critical thinkers, engaged citizens. You know, people who vote with a social conscience." "Gov’s 10K tuition push is political gimmick "

"He lost his shirt, er, seat"

"Perhaps this explains why Republican Allen West was so reluctant to concede last month’s election — he lost his shirt, er, seat."

The Florida congressman spent $17.8 million trying to hang onto a seat in Congress, more than four times as much as did the Democrat who beat him, Patrick Murphy, according to federal campaign finance records released Friday. (It took two weeks and urging by his colleagues for West to concede the race, which was not close enough to trigger an automatic recount.)

The West-Murphy race to represent the Palm Beach County-based seat was by far the most expensive congressional race in Florida, where pricey television markets bump up the cost of running for a seat, and where a national figure like West can tap a vast fundraising network in a bid for office.

It was also the most expensive House race in the country. Just two House members raised more money than West: House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, who raised $21.8 million; and Rep. Michele Bachmann, R-Minn., who ran for president and raised $25 million.

But Murphy, a 29-year-old businessman in his first political race, also tapped into the national liberal disdain for West, raising $4.6 million. Murphy was third in fundraising in Florida House races behind former Rep. Alan Grayson, who raised and loaned himself $5.2 million to retake a congressional seat in Central Florida, Federal Election Commission records show.

League of Cities continues to shill for Republicans

The League of Cities continues to do the bidding of the Republican Party with its continuing attack on pensions and the police and firefighter unions that negotiate them: "Pensions, Water Supply, Synthetic Drugs, Billboards on League of Cities' 2013 Priority List".

"Too good a deal to pass up"

The Orlando Sentinel editorial board: "After relentlessly raising tuition by double digits for the past four or five years, Florida's public universities have offered state lawmakers and Gov. Rick Scott a deal. The universities will hold the line on tuition next year in return for another $118 million in state funding. It's too good a deal to pass up." "Stop cuts to university funding, freeze tuition".

Insurance company examinations rare

We suppose this is what Florida Republicans mean by the "red tape" that is strangling the entrepreneurial spirit of Florida's Claudio Osorios: "Market conduct examinations of property and casualty insurance companies done by regulators have declined from 69 per year from 2000 to 2007 to 2 per year from 2008 through 2012. . . . examinations of property and casualty insurance companies have become extremely rare in recent years. . . . staffers did not respond this week to emails asking for an explanation in the drop off". "Insurance investigations as sought by Artiles have dropped in recent years".

Gaetz gladly accepted, then canceled

"Gov. Rick Scott invited Senate President Don Gaetz to dinner Thursday and the senator gladly accepted, before realizing that going might violate Senate rules and the Florida Constitution."

Reminded that Senate rules and the Constitution prohibit the Senate president and governor from discussing official business in private, Gaetz said: "I'll try not to."

But soon after, Gaetz canceled.

Never mind

"Backing away from a possible court fight, the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles announced Friday that it will halt its attempt to bid license tag services to private vendors." "State drops plan to go private".

Week in Review

"Week in Review for Dec. 3 to Dec. 7".

Insiders maintain informational advantages

Aaron Deslatte: "There's an obvious reason why Florida politicos spend so much time talking about the cleansing effect of transparency without ever hopping in the tub. Whether in war, business or politics, informational advantages are powerful forces that can determine outcomes – and protect the status quo."

Thus, for nearly two decades, Florida's jobs agencies overseeing billions of dollars in economic incentives given to companies never disclosed whether the dollars were producing the promised jobs.

After pressure mounted last year to do so, it became apparent that Gov. Rick Scott's new Department of Economic Opportunity – because of decisions dating back to previous administrations – couldn't answer the question. And despite a directive from lawmakers last year, DEO has dragged its feet in putting the incentive data on a Web site. . . .

The Florida Legislature has always kept the inner workings of its $70-billion spending plan close to the vest. That allows insiders – notably, legislators -- to maintain their informational advantages over would-be contractors, lobbyists and the public.

Until he was term-limited out of the Florida Senate this year, Fasano was known for royally annoying the GOP powers-that-be. Now the New Port Richey Republican has returned to serve in the House, where he is already off to a good start of being a pain in the tuchus to the spats of leadership running the place.

This ought to be fun.

It should be said Fasano holds radical, revolutionary, heretical views for someone calling himself a Republican. He has been one of the leading consumer advocates in Tallahassee and was one of the few state senators who openly labeled former Sen. JD Alexander's ham-handed effort to create a completely unnecessary University of Narcissus in Lakeland as the taxpayer-funded conceit that it was.

Still, simply as a matter of good manners, you might think that after all of Fasano's many years of public service in Tallahassee he had earned a bit of consideration for his seniority when it came to honoring his request to be appointed to the House Banking and Insurance Committee.

But Fasano was passed over for the banking and insurance post by Speaker Will Weatherford, who was just 15 years old in 1994 when Fasano was first elected to the House. So much for respecting one's elders.

"Outrage circus"

Paul Flemming writes that "there was an outrage circus on Monday during a Senate committee meeting to discuss Florida’s implementation of the Affordable Care Act. A host of Tea Party folks and 10th Amendment fetishists came to the podium and erupted in outrage about the very possibility that Florida’s elected officials would deign to recognize the results of congressional acts, elections and U.S. Supreme Court decisions."

One thing those folks had going for them is that they were in earnest. Whatever the merits of their arguments (nominal, in my opinion), they were sincerely held.

Not so with the still-roiling outrage about the $48 million 1st District Court of Appeal, the so-called Taj Mahal of SouthWood. Most of the outrage expressed about the granite-countertop, flat-panel-TV, in-house-gym extravagance of a courthouse is manufactured, and 100 percent of the outrage emanating from elected officials is self-serving, contradictory, unsupported outrage of the most hypocritical kind.

Imagine the outrage: requiring call centers with state contracts to use American workers?

Lloyd Dunkelberger: "State Sen. Chris Smith, D-Fort Lauderdale, said today that he has refiled his 'American Jobs' bill that requires any call centers with state contracts to use American workers. Smith, the Democratic leader of the Senate, filed a similar bill in the 2012 session. It passed the Senate but was never taken up in the House." "Sen. Smith wants American workers in call centers".

"Malfeasance, misfeasance, neglect of duty and incompetence"

The Palm Beach Post editors: "Should it be easier for state officials to remove elections supervisors? Simply put, the answer is no. There is a good reason that the state constitution calls for each county to choose its elections supervisor: to assure his or her independence from political pressure at the state level. Making it easier for the governor or the secretary of state to remove elections supervisors would weaken their autonomy."

The suggestion came Tuesday from state Sen. Andy Gardiner, R-Orlando, who said he was “all for independence and local control,” but went on to ask at a committee hearing “at what point is there an intervention? If it becomes so apparent that a county has not made the appropriate decisions or the ballots were sent out wrong … there’s really no recourse.”

To an extent, his frustration is understandable. Last month, for instance, St. Lucie County Elections Supervisor Gertrude Walker hesitated on recounting disputed early-voting results, even after admitting that her office had mishandled vote cartridges and tabulated some of them incorrectly. The mayor’s race in Fort Pierce got a new winner, and needless doubts arose about Patrick Murphy’s surprising and narrow defeat of Rep. Allen West.

But the Florida Constitution already gives the governor the ability to remove elections supervisors – and other state or county officers – for reasons including malfeasance, misfeasance, neglect of duty and incompetence.

A false choice

The Tampa Bay Times editorial board: "Florida's state funding of higher education and its university tuition rates are both far below the national average. For the state to build anything resembling a first-rate university system, it needs more money from both the Legislature and the students. It's a false choice to suggest otherwise, as the current debate in Tallahassee pretends." "Universities starved for investment".

Palm Beach County Dem party leadership elections

"Palm Beach County Democrats denied former Chairman Mark Alan Siegel’s bid to return to party leadership on Thursday night in a race for the party’s state committeeman post." "Palm Beach County Democrats elect new slate of officers, Siegel not among them".

Starting at "ground zero" on economic incentives

"Sen. Jeremy Ring wants to start from 'ground zero' on economic incentives. He says he thinks the money awards to businesses to bring in jobs and industry that spur economic activity don't work." "Senate panel vows strict oversight of business incentives".

Eliminating "business impediments"

Senator and Sharia law-phobe, Alan Hays", wants to eliminate "red tape". But an Audubon Florida representative raised concerns that eliminating regulations will create new arbitrary standards." "Hays says committees will identify laws and regulations that are business impediments".

"Financial chicanery"

The Orlando Sentinel editorial board: "Florida taxpayers should appreciate the fact that Gov. Rick Scott has been prodding state government agencies to cut their costs. When agencies save, taxpayers can, too. But not when state agencies meet their budget targets by dumping their duties on local agencies, which also are bankrolled by taxpayers."

Offloading state functions on local governments is one less than responsible way for lawmakers meet their annual obligation to balance the state budget. We hope they don't resort to this or any other unfunded mandates.

Never mind

"After spending nearly $1 million to gear up for a petition campaign to put a casino amendment on the 2014 ballot, the casino giant withdraws its plans — for now." "Genting abandons gambling petition drive". See also "Genting Bows Out of Casino Ballot Effort, Waiting for Lawmakers".

Not a "Line in the Sand"

"A proposal by university presidents to trade tuition increases for an increase in state funding won’t be a simple pass-fail proposal through the Legislature."

Gov. Rick Scott may have applauded the presidents' proposal on Wednesday because he has opposed across-the-board tuition increases. But he didn’t embrace the $118 million the presidents say is needed to cover the money they would otherwise collectively project tuition would produce for the 2013-2014 school year.

The Sarasota Herald Tribune editorial board: "Florida universities' recent offer to forgo tuition hikes next year if the state boosts funding was a polite form of hardball. It drives home the point that college affordability -- a priority issue for Florida's governor as well as President Barack Obama -- can't be delivered with cuts alone. Avoiding higher tuition will require a mix of cost-curbing innovation and financial support from taxpayers." "Florida's tuition equation". Meanwhile, Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Education Chairman Bill Galvano, R-Bradenton, said too much is still up in the air about the state’s budget.

"Teachers accountable for students they have never had in class"

"Discussion of a new evaluation system for teachers dominated interim Education Commissioner Pam Stewart’s presentation before the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Education Thursday. . . . The new evaluation system was put in place by the merit pay law of 2011. The evaluations are based partly on student test scores and a value-added system designed to measure a teacher’s effectiveness. Teachers complained the evaluation process is flawed, in some instances holding teachers accountable for students they have never had in class." "Education commissioner defends teacher evaluations". Related: "Despite good teacher evaluations, criticism grows".

Falling up

"Scott turned to his top lawyer to take over the state’s jobs agency after the executive director abruptly resigned amid questions about jobless benefits he received before he was hired. Scott on Thursday named Jesse Panuccio, the governor’s general counsel, to replace Hunting Deutsch. Deutsch quit earlier this week after about eight months on the job." "Scott names counsel to head jobless agency". See also "Rick Scott Makes His General Counsel the State Jobs Czar" and "Gov. Scott's top lawyer tapped to head jobs agency". The press release: "Governor Scott Names Additional Staff in the EOG".

Meanwhile, "Florida's unemployment trust fund, drained when the state's labor market collapsed, should be back in the black by the middle of 2013, according to state officials."

Florida

has squeezed unemployment costs. It added new eligibility requirements, reduced the length of time someone could collect benefits and tied maximum number of available weeks to the state jobless rate.

The changes have been challenged by worker advocates who say lawmakers have tried to prevent people from receiving benefits to which they are entitled.

Mike Evangelist, a policy analyst with the National Employment Law Project, said that, during the past year just 16 percent of people who applied for benefits under the state program — the first 26 weeks of payments — were deemed eligible. That's the second-lowest rate in the country, he said.

"I don't contest that they'll be able to pay back what they borrowed," Evangelist said. "But it's not that everyone is finding jobs. They're just not paying benefits, so money isn't coming out of the trust fund."

Meanwhile, would-be-president Rubio declares that "Public schools are a 'disaster' for millions of disadvantaged children, Rubio said in a speech Tuesday night outlining proposals for helping workaday folks improve their lot. 'We need to allow charter schools and other innovative schools to flourish.'" "Rubio touts charter school tax credits to help middle class".

Florida has budget surplus, but the whinging never ends

"Initial, positive indications about Florida’s budget for the coming fiscal year could be overtaken by events if the Florida Supreme Court strikes down changes to state employees or the nation plunges over the fiscal cliff, the state’s top economist warned Wednesday."

Speaking to the first meeting of the Senate Appropriations Committee, Amy Baker — coordinator of the Legislature’s Office of Economic and Demographic Research — told lawmakers that the current projection of a $436.8 million budget surplus could still change.

All Rubio all the time

Alex Leary: "Rubio has found a safe word for discussing his presidential ambitions: opportunity." "Sen. Marco Rubio has safe word for presidential ambitions: 'opportunity'".

Whoopee!

"Sen. Tom Lee: Judicial Reform 'Not High Priority' for Florida Legislature in 2013".

Well, if Saint "Jeb!" did it

"In 2003, former Gov. Jeb Bush removed the Broward County supervisor of elections for neglect of duty, incompetence and misfeasance."

The same thing could happen again.

The chairman of the state Senate Ethics and Elections Committee suggested a few Florida supervisors face similar prospects after a chaotic 2012 presidential contest that saw long lines, broken tabulating machines, questionable counting, untrained poll workers and delayed totals in select counties.

Sen. Jack Latvala, R-Clearwater, would not specifically say which county supervisors he believes are the most vulnerable. But he did say they are most likely in South Florida -- South Florida being anything from and including St. Lucie County south.

“All of us remember the governor one time suspended a supervisor for poor performance,” Latvala said after his committee held its first meeting on Tuesday.

Unconfirmed Appointees

"Senate Intends to Work Quickly This Time on Governor's Appointees".

"Expanding early voting and making it easier to register to vote"

The Tampa Bay Times editorial board: "What a difference an election can make. Roughly one month after Florida once again made voting too difficult, state legislators are signaling a willingness to make constructive changes. It's a welcome retreat from the past two years that included a Republican-driven voter suppression law and the governor's faulty attempt to purge voter rolls. But any reforms should include expanding early voting and making it easier to register to vote." "Repair Florida's voting system". See also "Detzner outlines to lawmakers his plans to look into voting problems". Related: "House Democrats will push election reforms".

Back door privatizing slammed again

"For the second time in over a year, a state judge has ruled that the Florida Legislature violated the law when it tried to privatize the state’s role in operating prisons."

Leon County Circuit Court Judge John Cooper on Tuesday struck down an attempt by the Florida Legislature to privatize prison health care by using a budgetary process instead of making the change through a full vote of lawmakers.

Gov. Rick Scott and the Department of Corrections said they will appeal the ruling, warning that the state now faces a $90 million deficit because they had counted saving that much over the next two years by having private contractors provide prison health care.

Cooper said that the Legislature had the power to contract its prison health services to private, for-profit companies, but it went about it the wrong way. Rather than put the issue up for a full vote — and face likely defeat — legislative leaders chose to rely on the 14-member Legislative Budget Commission to authorize the change during its September meeting.

“While the State of Florida does have authority to privatize prison health care throughout the state, the full Legislature must do so by passing the appropriate funding mechanism specifically directed to that goal,’’ Cooper wrote in his 12-page ruling. “Authorizing and funding privatizing health services in Florida’s prisons is the prerogative of the full Legislature and not that of the Legislative Budget Commission.”

The ruling is the second rebuke to legislative leaders in just over a year as they have struggled to usher in prison privatization without putting the controversial concept to a full vote. Unions and legislators from rural counties, where the prison industry is strong, have been the most vocal opponents.

"Ironies and unintended consequences"

Bill Cotterell: "Florida politics is full of ironies and unintended consequences."

So it's not surprising that a big tactical shift made by mostly Old South Democrats a half-century ago will help Republican Rick Scott, one of the nation's least-popular governors, keep his job in two years. Despite dismal poll numbers, Scott has a lot going for him in 2014.

First, the best advantage anyone can have is incumbency. Governors make news just by showing up. Their policies can be spun into bumper stickers and campaign ads; any dissent within their parties is politely snuffed; and, best of all, the smart money flows their way.

Scott has all of those advantages — not even counting his personal wealth. His "Let's Get to Work" re-election fund already has more than $5 million, with lots more to come.

Negron speaks

"Senate budget chief tells subcommittee chairs to start asking questions about how the state spends money." "Negron wants to examine contracts, state programs and local projects".

Jones steps up

"House Minority Leader pro tempore Mia Jones declared her candidacy Wednesday to become her party's leader in the chamber in 2014. Jones, D-Jacksonville, formally notified the House clerk's office of her candidacy for speaker in the 2014-16 term. But unless the Democrats pick up an astronomical 17 seats in the next elections, the post will really be House minority leader." "Another Democrat vying for leadership role".

So-called "Defenders of Liberty"

"The nation’s oldest and most prominent conservative lobbying organization released Wednesday its second annual ideological ratings of Florida’s Republican and Democratic legislators. . . . The ACU designates a legislator “conservative” when he votes at least 80 percent of the time in accordance with the position taken by the organization on certain pieces of legislation. The ACU also awards special designations to “Defenders of Liberty” and “True Liberals,” lawmakers who score 100 percent and 0 percent respectively." "Who’s Conservative, Who’s Liberal? American Conservative Union Rates Florida's Legislators".

"Whatever it took"

"Developer Bruce Chait testified that he did whatever he had to do — bribing Broward County politicians and making illegal campaign donations — to control votes so he could build homes on land in Tamarac that cost him more than $9.3 million." "Developer says he paid bribes, 'did whatever it took'".

Rubio's raw political courage

Marco Rubio, his with his eyes firmly on the White House, or at least the Naval Observatory, is blabbity-blabbing about the "expansion of energy production to create jobs while tapping 'massive new deposits of oil and natural gas.'"

The senator stopped short, however, of proposing oil and gas drilling along the shores of his home state of Florida, an idea strongly opposed by environmentalists, Democrats and many tourism promoters.

Meanwhile, expect a self-serving Rubio press conference momentarily: "Marco Rubio: Tell Me Your Fiscal Cliff Story".

Earnings plummet, Darden flip flops on Obamacare

"A day after warning its earnings had plummeted, Darden Restaurants on Wednesday said it would back off somewhat from a test limiting employee hours to avoid higher costs for Obamacare in 2014. Darden told The Associated Press it would not convert any current full-time employees to part time to forgo the coming health-care changes. It remained unclear how the changes would affect new employees, particularly at new restaurants." "Darden backs off on some 'Obamacare' changes".

No state legislators, please

The Miami Herald editorial board: "The members of the Miami-Dade School Board have built up quite a reserve of public trust, so much that last month voters, by more than 68 percent, approved a $1.2 billion bond issue to renovate schools across the county. It was a stunning vote of confidence on the part of county residents. So the School Board should avoid even the appearance — or, worse, the reality — of conducting business as usual today and reject a proposal to place two state legislators on the citizens committee charged with ensuring the bond money is spent fairly and wisely." "Don’t tinker with school-bond program".

"Out of the shadows"

"About 15,000 young illegal immigrants in Florida have stepped out of the shadows to apply for protection against deportation since federal officials started accepting applications in August." "About 15,000 young immigrants in Florida apply to avoid deportation".

A "dumb decision"

The Miami Herald editors: "Now that the president of Florida’s last-resort windstorm insurer, Citizens, has admitted that it was a 'dumb decision' to fire the company’s internal watchdogs the day it did in October, it’s time for the both the governor and the Legislature to take a long, hard look at how the company is being managed and what’s behind these firings." "End the scandals at Citizens".

Revolutionizing budget accountability

"On the same day Senate leaders announced they would conduct an intensive review of the state budget, two government watchdog groups said a budget transparency program — put on hold by the Senate — could 'save Florida millions of dollars' and revolutionize budget accountability." "Budget tracker gets raves".

Alleged absentee ballot scheme

"A judge is hearing motions to dismiss election fraud charges against six defendants, including a suspended school board member in a rural north Florida county."

Defense lawyers were set to argue Wednesday in a Madison courtroom that their clients, all black, did nothing wrong and are victims of an attempt by state authorities to suppress minority voter turnout.

The charges stem from a 2010 school board election in Madison County. The winner, by a mere 28 votes, was Abra Hill Johnson. She's one of the six defendants charged with felony election fraud in an alleged absentee ballot scheme.

Big of them

"State university presidents and student government leaders are offering Florida lawmakers a deal in exchange for not raising tuition next year." "Fla. university leaders want to avoid tuition hike".

Ethics Commission find probable cause against Fresen

"The Florida Ethics Commission announced Wednesday it has found probable cause that state Rep. Erik Fresen, R-Miami, failed to properly disclose his annual net worth, assets, and liabilities from 2008 to 2011."

Fresen called the allegations “baseless and pointless.”

The commission’s next step is to determine whether Fresen violated state ethics laws by failing to properly report his income and liabilities on his annual state disclosure forms. That process could take several weeks.

Fresen’s finances have been the subject of several reports, including in the Miami Herald, and became an issue in his successful primary campaign against opponent Amory Bodin.

Fresen said Wednesday the charges were filed against him by an aide to Bodin and he considers them "nothing but a textbook political attack" and he expects to fight the charges. He said the probable cause findings "deal with technicalities and not substantive issues."

But they may have won something more meaningful in the 2012 election than a few more seats in the Legislature.

As they gathered Monday in a caucus room in Tallahassee, Democrats had one thing on their minds: how to maintain ownership of the hottest issue in the state now. That is, protecting the right to vote and holding Republicans accountable for long lines, delayed ballot counts and an expansion of provisional ballots.

The election may be over, but the fight over how the election was managed has only just begun.

The intense emotion surrounding problems at the polls in Florida — and the fact that the whole country saw it — gives it a momentum that's not going away. . . .

The only ones who can take the issue away from Democrats are Republicans, and the only way they can do that is to outdo Democrats in pushing reforms. Not likely.

The first clues of what's to come will emerge today. Senate and House elections committees will begin a public discussion of what changes should be made to the system.

Senate President Don Gaetz framed the issue in a speech two weeks ago. "Floridians should never again have to stand in line for six and seven hours to vote," Gaetz said. "This isn't a Third World country."

The Senate elections panel, chaired by Republican Jack Latvala of Clearwater, will hear from Gov. Rick Scott's top elections official, Secretary of State Ken Detzner.

Sen. Arthenia Joyner, D-Tampa, a member of that panel, has filed a bill to return to 14 days of early voting. As the lines lengthened before Election Day, she demanded and was denied a meeting with Scott to seek more early voting days.

The House committee is led by Republican Rep. Jim Boyd of Bradenton, and also will hear from Detzner, along with county election supervisors, who have demanded more leeway in selecting early voting sites.

Even Sean Hannity?

The Sun Sentinel editors: "Like their former standard-bearer [George W. Bush], Republicans in Congress — starting with U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio — should lead a new national effort to fix immigration. Savvy leaders recognize the party's hard-line opposition to reform has cost it dearly with Hispanics, a critical and growing voting bloc that helped propel President Obama and other Democrats to victory in this year's election. Even conservative commentator Sean Hannity, a political pragmatist [opportunist], has changed his stance on 'amnesty' and says it's time to find a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants." "Fix the mess with immigration". The Palm Beach Post editors: "Republicans crossing over on immigration reform?"

Empty suits whine about "economic freedom"

"The conservative Canadian think tank Fraser Institute caused a stir last Wednesday when it ranked six Canadian provinces freer than the state of Florida. But a researcher at Florida State University takes issue with some of those findings. The study was published in the 2012 edition of Fraser's annual "Economic Freedom of North America" report." "Florida Less Free than Canada? FSU Economist Says, Not So Fast".

$500,000 for an agency name-change ... that's the ticket

Here's runnin' gub'ment like a bidness: "State labor officials want to unify Florida's regional jobs agencies under a single brand to reduce confusion and raise the profile of the federally funded system. It will pay IDEAS, an Orlando-based marketing firm, almost $500,000 to lead the effort, which is expected to extend into the middle of next year." "State wants local jobs agencies under one brand".

"Votes were suppressed. That’s a fact"

On the issue of whether the Florida Republican Party urged the passage of legislation to suppress Democratic votes, Fred Grimm urges his readers to consider "objective reality. Votes were suppressed. That’s a fact."

The wait at clogged-up early voting sites went on for hours. Same thing on Election Day. Until would-be voters simply gave up and went home.

Voter turnout for the 2012 general election fell to 71.13 percent in Florida, down from 75 percent in 2008. House Bill 1355, the election bill passed by the Republican supermajority last year, that, among other mischief, reduced early voting days from 14 to eight, had done its work.

Jim Greer [and Charlie Crist] might have credibility issues, but the numbers don’t lie.

The congresswoman from Weston

"The congresswoman from Weston will stay on as head of the Democratic National Committee." "President Obama keeps Debbie Wasserman Schultz as Democratic Party chair". See also "Outspoken Wasserman Schultz to Remain Voice of Democrats".

Dead bears

"Fla wildlife officials euthanize mother black bear".

Teabaggers, country clubbers fight it out in Hillsborough

"Republicans will pick a new Hillsborough County party chairman next week, hoping to rejuvenate a party known as one of the state's largest and most active, but which is still plagued by divisiveness."

[Party] factionalism remains, including the persistent division between conservatives in eastern Hillsborough and comparatively moderate Republicans in Tampa. The east Hillsborough group has been dominant in the party for several years.

"Even by the sometimes sordid standards of Miami politics"

"A Miami city commissioner who successfully fought a pair of political corruption charges delivered a punch to the prosecutor and a longtime political foe, lodging dramatic accusations against two heavyweights in Miami’s political establishment."

Miami City Commissioner Michelle Spence-Jones launched a legal offensive Monday against Miami-Dade State Attorney Katherine Fernández Rundle and Mayor Tomás Regalado, claiming they plotted to destroy her political career and ruin her reputation.

In a federal lawsuit, Spence-Jones’ lawyers accuse Fernández Rundle, lead prosecutor Richard Scruggs and a state attorney’s investigator of fabricating evidence and misleading key witnesses — including developer Armando Codina [who claimed he had been solcited for a bribe by the Democratic city commissioner*] and former County Commissioner Barbara Carey-Shuler — to back up their ultimately unsuccessful corruption cases.

Spence-Jones, 45, was acquitted in one case. The charges were dropped in the second prosecution.

The suit claims that Fernández Rundle’s goal amounted to a “shocking, nefarious scheme” to remove Spence-Jones from the city commission from 2009-11 as a favor for the state attorney’s ally, Regalado, so that Spence-Jones, his nemesis, could be replaced by another politician to represent Miami’s black community in District 5.

“Even by the sometimes sordid standards of Miami politics, the Rundle-Regalado conspiracy stands out for its brazenness,” the 106-page complaint says. “As a result of defendants’ prosecution-laden brand of power politics, Spence-Jones’ life was virtually destroyed. She lost her liberty, her job, her reputation.”

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*You remember Mr. Armando Codina, "a Coral Gables Cuban-American real estate investor who was one of George Bush's earliest supporters. He was so tight with the president that he gave Jeb Bush more than his first job in Florida. Codina put Bush's name on the company and gave him 40 percent of its profits. . . . He also made Bush this proposition: Bush, with no investment, would get 40 percent of the real estate company's profits plus chances to invest in other ventures. A great deal for Bush. Not so bad for Codina, either. He got the clout that comes with a famous partner by changing the firm's name to Codina Bush Group. . . . Bush, who later became president of the firm, had no experience in real estate." "Make The Money and Run".

When Florida falls off the "fiscal cliff"

"For Florida, falling off the "fiscal cliff" would wipe out more than 130,000 jobs, stifle consumer spending and raise taxes for just about everyone who pays them." "Fiscal cliff poses hazards for Florida".

"Freedom" and with the dirty water that goes with it

Nancy Smith wants her "freedom" along with the dirty water that goes with it, instead of the "EPA's oppressively costly, untested criteria for fixing the pollution of Florida waters included agriculture, employers, local government and utilities." "Surprise! EPA Will Impose Nutrient Criteria on Remaining Florida Waterways".

Scott still groveling before Grover

The Orlando Sentinel editorial board: "Like several prominent Republicans in Washington, a growing number of Florida's GOP leaders in Tallahassee are backing away from Grover Norquist's Taxpayer Protection Pledge. And for good reason. For too long, this pledge to oppose any new tax or tax hike — no matter what — has kept political leaders from thinking for themselves and doing what's best for the state and nation."

And don't think for a minute that the pledge has kept more money in your pocket. In Florida, politicians have extracted it in more stealthy ways, like raising highway tolls, imposing fees at public parks and beaches, or jacking up tuition and fees at public colleges and universities.

But while 28 Florida lawmakers are still groveling before Grover, it's good to see fewer statewide leaders signing away their independence. Gov. Rick Scott is the only current member of Florida's Cabinet who has signed the pledge.

Rubio aligns himself with wingnut conspiracy theorists

"Sen. Marco Rubio plans to vote against ratifying a U.N. disabilities treaty that has come under opposition from conservatives, his office tells the Buzz. A vote could come today. The treaty calls for equal rights for disabled people and is modeled after the Americans With Disabilities Act of 1990. It is widely supported by Democrats and some Republicans. But conservatives -- most vocally Rick Santorum -- say it could lead to international standards being imposed on the U.S. There's also a worry, previously expressed by Rubio, that it could lead to abortions. Supporters say the objections are bogus because the treaty would not change any U.S. law., and accuse opponents of peddling conspiracy theories." "Rubio to vote against U.N. disabilities treaty".

Booted out of Indiana, Jeb-acolyte noses around Florida

"Indiana’s state school superintendent is interested in being the new Florida state education commissioner. Tony Bennett is among the nearly 50 people who have applied for the position. The state Board of Education is scheduled to interview a panel of finalists on Dec. 11 and choose a commissioner the next day. Bennett is an ally of former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush; he spoke last week at Bush’s annual education summit in Washington, D.C. Last month, Bennett lost a re-election bid to a four-year term." "Former supervisor of Indiana's schools applies for Florida post".

The Week Ahead

"The Week Ahead for Dec. 3 to Dec. 7".

Teabaggers run wild in Legislature

"Dozens of tea party activists and conservative religious leaders flooded a state Senate meeting today on the Affordable Care Act, calling the law a gross overreach by the federal government and begging lawmakers not to implement it. . . . A rowdy conservative crowd commandeered a nearly hour-long public comment section, stressing that the Constitution does not grant the federal government the authority to make health care decisions, despite a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that upheld most of the health care law."

No racism here:

Democratic Senate Minority leader Chris Smith was booed when he reminded the crowd that the federal government stepped in to uphold justice in civil rights cases.

"The conservative activists who took to the podium during the meeting’s second half had another idea in mind: nullification."

"Nullification is the states standing up and saying the federal government is not our master: we are," an impassioned KrisAnne Hall[*], attorney and conservative activist, told the senators, as she concluded a speech that lasted nearly ten minutes. “The states and the people are the masters of the Constitution. We do not have to, nor will we, comply with federal dictates not enumerated in the Constitution.”

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*The "impassioned" person referred to in the story is a Teabagger (here's an example of her expertise on "nullification") who has most recently been freaking out over "King Barry" the "tyrant" putting "the UN in charge of your child!".

You’ve heard this before, but these critics aren’t Democratic operatives or the ACLU. These are two former luminaries of the Florida GOP.

Civil rights groups, Democrats, and newspaper editorial boards have said the same thing since last year, when the Florida Legislature reduced the number of early-voting days, made it harder for transient people to cast a regular ballot and needlessly restricted third-party registration groups such as the Florida League of Women Voters. Fear of voter fraud was one of the rallying cries, but no proof of a real problem was offered.

But it’s one thing to hear outside voices heap scorn on measures pushed through by Republican. It’s quite another to hear those same criticisms from former high-ranking former Republicans. . . .

Written by Republican operatives and now renounced by former Republican leaders: That’s the legacy of the election law changes imposed upon Florida’s voters. Judges have blocked or weakened key portions after concluding that they violated federal law. It’s time to find out if the real fraud was the legislation itself.

Charter madness

"The failed Orange County charter school that gave its principal a payout of $519,000 in taxpayer dollars after closing in June also paid her husband more than $460,000 during a five-year period, audits show." "Failed charter school paid principal's husband $460K".

"A no-brainer"

"The governor and legislative leaders may be uncertain about whether Florida should embrace the Affordable Care Act and its expanded insurance coverage, but Bob Graham says it's a no-brainer." "Graham tells state to hop on health act".

Teabaggers in their rear view mirrors

John Lantigua: Because Obama spanked Romney 71 to 26 percent among Hispanic voters, "Republicans have already started offering bills. Early last week, three Republican senators presented a version of the Dream Act that would help select undocumented young people become legal. And the Republican-controlled House voted Friday to make green cards accessible to foreign students graduating with advanced science and math degrees from U.S. universities, a bill unlikely to go anywhere this session of Congress as Democrats say it is too narrowly tailored." "Even with bipartisan support, immigration overhaul won’t be easy".

"Another distinguished career ended in a sleazy Florida skid"

Carl Hiaasen: "Jill Kelley, the mystery vixen in the David Petraeus scandal, is now flanked by a high-profile Washington attorney and a professional 'crisis manager.'"

This can only mean that she wants her own reality show, a book deal or both.

It was Kelley who received the anonymous e-mail warnings from Petraeus’ biographer-slash-mistress, Paula Broadwell, and it was Kelley who then contacted a friend in the FBI, Agent Frederic Humphries II.

(Humphries, an anti-terrorism specialist, once emailed to Kelley a shirtless photo of himself. Write your own joke.)

Broadwell thought Kelley was making a move on Petraeus, and told her to back off. Once the feds identified Broadwell as the source of the e-mails, her affair with Petraeus was exposed, he resigned as director of the CIA — and another distinguished public career ended in a sleazy Florida skid.

News organizations have described Kelley as a “Tampa socialite,” a term heard about as often as “Boston alligator-wrestler.” Recent media reports have demoted Kelley to “a Tampa hostess,” a phrase which calls to mind one of those upbeat greeters at the Olive Garden.

In fact, Kelley’s hostessing talents drew a lofty crowd. She is a thrower of major parties for high-ranking military types at her big bayfront house (currently in foreclosure proceedings, what else?).

You might be wondering how a Tampa party maven could credibly present herself as someone who could facilitate an international megadeal. Well, it turns out that Kelley was an “honorary consul” for the government of South Korea.

Like Forrest Gump, she pops up in the darnedest places.

Although it was mainly a ceremonial gig, Kelley showcased the honorary consul title on the license plate attached to her silver Mercedes. An $80 million commission surely would have eased those car payments, not to mention that troubled mortgage, but the gas deal went nowhere.

Last week, South Korea brusquely de-consuled Kelley. She has also lost her solo roaming privileges at MacDill.

So far there’s been no evidence that she posed a security risk, or that she did anything worse than try to make a quick fortune using her manifest skills as a schmoozer. It’s Florida, for God’s sake, the land of opportunism.

Nobody forced those generals to hang out at Kelley’s house, drinking her booze and snarfing down her canapés. When she tells her own story — which she undoubtedly will — prepare to be further surprised by who else came to party.

Fund raising junket in South America

Steve Bousquet: "Scott heads to Colombia today to drum up business with Florida's second-largest trading partner, his seventh overseas trip since taking office."

In less than two years, Scott also has visited Panama, Canada, Brazil, Israel, Spain and Britain, trips aimed largely at pitching foreign investment in Florida. All told, those trips cost taxpayers more than $332,000, with some travel and lodging donated by hotels and airlines.

So much for that

"Aaron Deslatte": "Legislative bipartisanship may not last through the holidays".

"One of the four most vulnerable Republican-held seats in the country"

"Democrats see the Pinellas County congressional seat held by C.W. Bill Young as one of the four most vulnerable Republican-held seats in the country. " "Targeting Young's seat".

Christian Slater's vote rejected

"Actor Christian Slater of Miami tweeted last week that Miami-Dade elections officials sent him a letter that his provisional ballot had been rejected (though they addressed it to Christina Slater)." "Actor's vote not counted".

"Hypocrisy and political opportunism"

"Now that he seems likely to seek office as a Democrat, former Republican Gov. Charlie Crist is being accused by Republicans — and some Democrats — of hypocrisy and political opportunism." "Who is the real Charlie Crist?"

Scraping the bottom of the barrel for ideas

Country clubbers like Kingsley Guy acknowledge that "the Republican Party tends to over-reach, as it tries to use government power to impose moral strictures on society."

The Terri Schiavo case illustrates the point. Schiavo, a west coast Florida woman in a persistent vegetative state, had been kept alive for years by a feeding tube. Her husband wanted the tube removed, insisting this would have been his wife's wish, and the courts agreed.

In 2004-05, Gov. Jeb Bush and the Republican-dominated Legislature intervened in an effort to keep the feeding tube in place. President George W. Bush and Congress even got into the act. The religious right cheered them on, but the backlash was enormous. Eventually, the court order held sway, and Schiavo was allowed to die.

Barry Goldwater's The Conscience of a Conservative. A Jeffersonian to the core, many of today's so-called "conservatives" don't have a clue as to what their patron saint was talking about.

Jim Crow backfires

"Pizza, popsicles and port-a-potties may have helped secure the decisive win for President Barack Obama and other Democrats in Florida."

Obama’s data-driven campaign machine and the popular president himself deserve most of the credit.

But the GOP-majority legislature may have unwittingly given Obama a boost with a restrictive election law reportedly targeted at Democratic and minority voters.

Progressives, left-leaning groups and the NAACP, which did not endorse Obama, rallied in opposition to the law and used it to motivate voters, including blacks for whom restrictions on early voting triggered a generations-old sensitivity to having their vote suppressed.

Once voting began, they used music, food and water to transform waits in line of up to eight hours into celebrations.

In Homestead, undocumented workers who couldn’t even vote pitched in with a mariachi band and barbecue, said Florida New Majority Executive Director Gihan Perera.

In Collier County, voters got in their cars and turned on their headlights for voters waiting in the dark to get into an early polling site.

State Sen. Gwen Margolis ordered pizza for voters waiting for hours at a Brickell Avenue precinct in Miami.

And union workers handed out water along with potato chips and power bars.

Some black voters saw a four- to six-hour wait to vote as a badge of courage, responding with a “we’re going to show them” attitude, said Democratic strategist and Obama campaign Florida adviser Steve Schale.

“It didn’t seem to have the impact of suppressing the vote as much as it had the impact of empowering people,” he said.

Yee Haw! "Jacksonville does the worst"

"A new national report card compiled by gay rights groups rating cities for lesbian, gay and transgender protections looks at 11 Florida cities with sizable gay populations and finds that Orlando, Miami and Tampa do the best job of protecting the rights of gay residents, while Jacksonville does the worst." "Gay rights ratings".

Twenty-somethings delivered Florida's electoral votes

"Twenty-somethings delivered the state's 29 electoral votes. (Yes, it was close enough that plenty of groups can make that claim.) An analysis by the Bob Graham Center for Public Service at the University of Florida notes that Obama's share of the vote among those younger than 30 actually increased from 61 percent to 67 percent since 2008."

This from the Pew Research Center:

"Young voters continue to identify with the Democratic Party at relatively high levels and express more liberal attitudes on a range of issues — from gay marriage to the role of the federal government — than do older voters. In fact, voters under 30 were as likely to identify as Democrats in the 2012 exit poll as they had been in 2008 (44 percent now, 45 percent then). And they are the only age group in which a majority said that the government should do more to solve problems."

"That's a mistake"

The Sarasota Herald Tribune editors: "The governor's [$10,000 college degress] challenge seems to presume that the colleges should tighten their belts rather than ask taxpayers to boost funding. That's a mistake; bigger public investment is warranted because higher education offers a great return to the society which funds it." "The $10,000 college question".

What's a Teabagger to do?

"Federal officials have denied Gov. Rick Scott’s request for financial help to repair damage from Hurricane Sandy, including $9.1 million for eroded beaches in Palm Beach County."

The Federal Emergency Management Agency told Scott in a Thursday letter, “it has been determined that the damage to the infrastructure from this event was not of such severity and magnitude as to be beyond the capabilities of the state and affected local governments.” Scott sought $67.2 million to cover beach erosion and structural damage across seven Florida counties.