Scott's "crass publicity stunt, with partisan overtones"

"Gov. Rick Scott's latest tactic to attract jobs is to brag about Florida as much as possible while criticizing other states — whose governors don't appreciate it one bit. What Scott considers savvy salesmanship, other governors see as a crass publicity stunt, one with partisan overtones."Gov. Scott's efforts to raid out-of-state jobs ticks off other governors".




Webster whines about IRS

"Congressman Dan Webster, R-Fla., has a reputation of being something of a slow starter. When he challenged Alan Grayson back in the 2010 election cycle, after much pondering, Webster only entered the race in April 2010. But as he gears up for a third term in Congress, Webster is taking no chances and has started his re-election efforts early. Webster sent out a fundraising appeal to supporters on Friday in which he bashed the IRS on Friday." "Dan Webster Gets an Early Start on 2014".




"Rubio's grandstanding"

The Sun Sentinel editors write that, "there are times when Marco Rubio . . . well, let's just say this sentence doesn't end with the words 'shows common sense.'"

This week Rubio proposed a constitutional amendment that would end the Affordable Care Act's requirement that everyone buy insurance. . . .

Nothing stops Rubio from using a public forum to rail against the healthcare reform law. Countless people, business owners and public officials are against it. Several states, including Florida, have been reluctant to go along with it.

[Even] Rubio is smart enough to know that such a proposal has no chance of passage. A constitutional amendment rquires two-thirds approval of both chambers of Congress, a particularly daunting challenge given that the U.S. Senate is controlled by the Democrats. Then it would have to be ratified by three quarters of the states, a similarly improbable feat.

Yet there he stood this week with his proposed amendment — also introduced in the U.S. House by Steven Palazzo, R-Miss. — that says: "Congress shall make no law that imposes a tax on a failure to purchase goods or services."

Like we said, no chance. None.

Other than a big waste of time, Rubio's grandstanding is nothing more than another symbolic swipe at Obamacare and President Obama. Perhaps it's also a way for him to fend off conservative critics who claim his immigration proposal is nothing more than amnesty for illegals.

"Rubio's shot at Obamacare a waste of time".




Nelson takes on Scott

"Rick Scott took a shot at President Obama yesterday about the federal sequestration forcing some furloughs of National Guardsmen as the hurricane season ramps up."

Democratic U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson is shooting back with a letter encouraging Scott, a Republican, to work on his fellow GOP politicians in Congress, many of whom rejected budget-cutting alternatives.

"Nelson to Scott: Coax Florida Republicans to back off furloughs". See also "Scott asks for help in avoiding Guard cuts during hurricane season" and "Nelson to Scott on sequester: power is in your hands to keep guard on duty".




Putnam winding up

Aaron Deslatte: "With re-election looming, Putnam polishes conservation bona fides".




"Inaccurate and ridiculous — Pants on Fire."

"PolitiFact: NRA founded 'to protect freed slaves' from Klan, black leader says".




Wingnuts in a dither

"Rick Scott's conservative base, already disillusioned by a series of steps by the Florida governor toward the political center in recent months in the run-up to a re-election year, has found a new grievance to air against him: his recent suspension of a sheriff who defended the Second Amendment." "Did Rick Scott Suspend Sheriff for Defending Second Amendment?".




"Sarasota Saudi" scandal?

"A group representing 6,600 survivors and relatives of those killed and injured in the 9/11 attacks has called on the FBI to 'come clean' about its investigation of Saudis in Florida who may have aided the terrorist hijackers."

The reaction by 9/11 Families United to Bankrupt Terrorism on Thursday followed news that former U.S. Sen. Bob Graham had accused the FBI in court papers of concealing the existence of its Sarasota investigation and impeding Congress’s Joint Inquiry into the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.

"9/11 family members demand the FBI ‘come clean’ about Sarasota Saudis".




"Rubio has long been dogged with a reputation as a lightweight"

Scott Maxwell: "Marco Rubio has long been dogged with a reputation as a lightweight."

And for good reason. He started his tenure as state House speaker by renovating the legislators' private dining room and ended it by printing copies of a legislative yearbook — a glossy pictorial Rubio filled with pictures of, well, himself.

And then there were the more serious issues — such as the unadvertised teaching gig he snagged after steering money to Florida International University, and the $100,000 worth of limo rides, plane trips and other perks he racked up on the GOP's special-interest-funded credit cards.

"Immigration will show whether Marco Rubio is still a lightweight".