The past seven months have not been kind to the movement that once was seen as a fresh base of ideas and volunteers for Republicans.

"What in the world happened with Gov. Scott's budget proposal?" said Jason Hoyt, an organizer with several Orange County tea parties. "It just baffles my mind."

If some are baffled, others are bitter. Said Karin Hoffman, founder of DC Works For Us in Fort Lauderdale, who organized a tea-party conference attended by 220 activists in Orlando in January, "There's a, 'If you are not going to listen, we will go away from the party,' attitude emerging. So that's kind of where it is."

And resentful: "I think these guys are terrified," John Long, chairman of the Florida Tea Party, said of GOP leaders. "November 6th didn't go well, and rather than look inside and say, 'What did we do wrong?' they are looking around them and saying, 'Who can we blame?' It's kind of issue du jour to blame the tea party."

Added Sid Van Landingham of the South Lake [County] 912 Tea Party: "People are regrouping. … The elections kind of stunned everybody."

Clearly, Establishment Republicans are distancing themselves.

Senate President Don Gaetz, R-Niceville, responded to tea-party demands that Florida fight Obamacare using states-rights "nullification" strategies with an anecdote about Andrew Jackson's supposed reaction when told that "nullifiers" were threatening to burn down the White House.

"Without lifting his head from his reading, Andrew Jackson said, 'Shoot the first nullifier who touches the Flag. And hang the rest.'" Gaetz wrote to tea-party attorney KrisAnne Hall.

"… I have sworn an oath on my father's Bible before Almighty God to preserve, protect and defend the Constitution and government of the United States. And that's exactly what I intend to do. Count me with Andrew Jackson."

Legal challenge to Scott's 30-year no-bid leases

"The Florida Wildlife Federation has filed a legal challenge to the 30-year, no-bid leases that the governor and cabinet approved for two major growers in the Everglades in January just 10 days after the proposals were first made public." "Wildlife group challenges no-bid leases OK’d by Florida Cabinet".

"Reprehensible practice"

The Miami Herald editors write that "the state’s reprehensible practice of warehousing 'medically fragile' children in nursing homes still continues. It has to stop." "Warehousing profoundly disabled children at senior nursing homes has to stop".

Rubio tagged as a "loser"

"A top assistant to a Univisión news boss trashed Sen. Marco Rubio on his aide’s Facebook page, calling the Republican lawmaker a 'loser' and 'a token slave boy.'"

It’s the latest attack in a lengthy feud between the Florida senator and the powerful Spanish-language network that conservatives charge is anti-GOP and anti-Rubio.

The latest incident began Wednesday night after Rubio’s spokesman, Alex Burgos, announced the high-profile Florida senator would give the GOP’s first-ever bilingual rebuttal to President Barack Obama’s State of the Union speech.

That led Univisión employee Angelica Artiles to let loose a string of partisan criticisms.

“Oh. wow, the loser is going to speak after our President,” Artiles wrote on spokesman Alex Burgos’ Facebook page at 9:33 p.m. Wednesday. “Anything to get publicity. Ask him to do us a favor and stay home that night.”

Sentiments like that reflect the prevailing political feeling among Univisión’s higher-ups at its Doral headquarters, say Univisión insiders. Artiles is executive assistant to Daniel Coronell, Univisión’s vice president of news.

The network is owned by a major Democratic donor who has accused Rubio and other Republicans of having an “anti-Hispanic” stand on immigration that’s “despicable.” . . .

When first alerted by the website BuzzFeed, Univisión announced it struck the statement and replaced it with a statement in Spanish that said: “An unpleasant comment not authorized by Univisión News was posted on this page. That comment does not represent the views of Univisión News and we have taken steps to ensure that this situation does not happen again.”

Meanwhile, "Time cover: Rubio the 'Republican Savior'".

Is Sink running for governor?

Joe Henderson: "No one knows better than Alex Sink what an all-consuming commitment it takes to campaign for governor in Florida. If you're curious whether she is willing to do what it takes to run again after losing a close race to Rick Scott in 2010, you are not alone." "Is Alex Sink running for governor? Stay tuned".

Scott puts merit-mooks in a bind

"Members of the Senate Appropriations Education Subcommittee Thursday listened politely while Kim McDougal, the governor’s education policy coordinator, explained Gov. Rick Scott’s proposed education budget. Senators had few questions about the $22 billion spending plan that includes $488 million to give public schoolteachers across-the-board pay raises of $2,500."

McDougal told the panel that the teachers’ raise is a top priority of the Scott administration. Afterward, committee chairman Sen. Bill Galvano, R-Bradenton, said the proposal needs a lot of work. He noted that almost three years ago the Legislature passed a landmark education bill (SB 736) that included an incentive program based on performance. Galvano said he thinks an across-the-board pay raise is at odds with the principles behind SB 736.

Sunshine State’s next political "trial of the century"

"It’s shaping up to be the Sunshine State’s next political “trial of the century”: the state’s case, beginning Feb. 11, against former Republican Party of Florida Chairman Jim Greer for alleged fraud, money laundering, and grand theft."

"Greer is calling at least 44 witnesses, and eight of them are a veritable who’s-who of political celebrity:"

Charlie Crist – Greer hopes to prove that the former governor knew and approved Greer’s taking a cut from every dollar raised by Victory Strategies for the RPOF. Crist has insisted, in sworn depositions, that he did not know of the arrangements, but that assertion is contradicted by the sworn depositions of Tallahassee lobbyist and Crist confidante-cum-fundraiser Brian Ballard. Crist is also reportedly being called as a witness by the state.

George LeMieux – Former U.S. senator, a Crist-appointee who previously served as his chief of staff. LeMieux is often credited with having spearheaded Crist’s 2006 gubernatorial victory, and the former governor has said he appointed Greer to RPOF head on LeMieux’s strong recommendation. Greer alleges that the former senator, with Crist, knew and approved his fundraising arrangement.

Bill McCollum – Florida’s attorney general from 2007 to 2011, it was McCollum who launched the investigation that led to Greer’s indictment. Also being called as a witness by the state.

Dean Cannon – Speaker of the House from 2010 through 2012. Cannon was one of the signatories to the 2010 severance agreement, and has gone on the record agreeing that Greer should have been paid the $124,000 he’s asking for. Also being called as a witness by the state.

Sen. John Thrasher, R-St. Augustine – As already mentioned, Greer’s immediate successor as RPOF head (serving in that capacity for less than a year) and signatory to his severance agreement. Here’s an interesting twist: one of the drafts, though not the final signed copy, of that agreement expressly mentioned Victory Strategies and said all of Greer’s transactions were proper and agreed upon by party leadership. Also being called as a witness by the state.

Mike Haridopolos – President of the Florida Senate from 2010 through 2012. As already mentioned, a signatory to Greer’s severance agreement, a draft of which expressly mentions and legitimizes Greer’s financial activities. Also being called as a witness by the state.

Tom Feeney – Speaker of the House from 2000 through 2002 and U.S. congressman 2003-2009. Also being called as a witness by the state.

Rep. Will Weatherford, R-Wesley Chapel – Current speaker of the Florida House of Representatives.

It’s not clear what Feeney or Weatherford have to Greer’s trial. Feeney was a U.S. congressman during Greer’s chairmanship, but was not serving in any leadership role in the RPOF or (of course) the state Legislature, and Weatherford was only a state representative during that period.

However, Weatherford was connected to House leadership from the start of his 2006 electoral service: his father-in-law is former House Speaker Allan Bense, who left office (after being term-limited) the very year his son-in-law came in. Weatherford was soon anointed future House speaker by legislative leadership.

Will Greer allege that Weatherford and Feeney had insider knowledge of the legitimacy of Greer’s financial transactions? Or is Greer calling them as witnesses simply to flex political muscle and discredit the Republican Party he’s come to despise?

Pension haters getting opposition

"The powerful Clearwater Republican's viewpoint clashes with House Speaker Will Weatherford's ideas on another top issue ahead of the legislative session." "Sen. Latvala voices opposition to new pension plan as bill moves in the House".

"Embarrassing" to be a Florida Republican

Adam Smith writes that "it says a lot about the evolution of the GOP that today [C.C. 'Doc'] Dockery is registered under 'no party affiliation' and no longer feels comfortable or especially welcome in the party he helped build. He's hardly alone in thinking the party has lost its way."

"Look at what happened in the presidential primary. It was embarrassing. ... It was very difficult to sit there and think this is my party and this is what I'm a part of when some of these folks were talking — like the Texas governor (Rick Perry), like Newt Gingrich, Rick Santorum — pretty much all of them except (Jon) Huntsman," said Dockery, a top supporter of then-longshot Republican gubernatorial candidate Bob Martinez in the 1980s, who in the 1990s helped lead the "Eight is Enough" campaign for legislative term limits.

"And this thing about 47 percent? We want to exclude 47 percent of the people who are citizens and eligible to vote in this country? (Mitt) Romney was representing much of the thought of the Republican Party when he said that, and I don't think that way," said Dockery, who changed his party registration about two years ago but said he will switch back to the GOP if he wants to weigh in on a primary.

Big of him

"The New Port Richey Republican says he will distribute more than $100,000 among charities in his district." "Fasano to close his CCE". See also "Fasano closes fundraising committee".

Week in Review

"Week in Review for Feb. 4 to Feb. 8".

Weatherford wants more, and will lie to get it

"Florida House Speaker Will Weatherford does not have kind words for the state’s $500 limit on individual campaign contributions."

He’s called the cap archaic, emasculating and ineffective, saying lawmakers bypass the $500 per election threshold by raising unlimited amounts of money from loosely regulated political committees.

Weatherford, R-Wesley Chapel, says increasing the limit on individual campaign contributions will make Florida’s campaign finance system more transparent.

"We have the second-lowest contribution limit in the entire country," Weatherford said in driving home the point to news editors and reporters in Tallahassee on Jan. 30, 2013. . . .

Florida’s limit ($500 per election) is low compared to some states, though it’s not that low when you consider that people can make multiple contributions using business entities. But even still, Weatherford errs in trying to make a sweeping comparison because states don’t have an across-the-board limit. We rate his claim False.

Medicaid fraud

"The vast majority of Floridians want lawmakers to accept federal money to expand Medicaid, according to a new survey sponsored by the Florida Hospital Association and conducted by a Republican-leaning pollster. Of 600 voters polled, 62 percent said the state should take the money and use it to reduce the number of uninsured Floridians." "Floridians favor Medicaid expansion". "Two separate polls find that if it was up to voters, an initiative to provide Medicaid coverage to the poor would win in a landslide." "Voters support Medicaid expansion". Meanwhile, Florida's favorite Medicaid fraudster (he did plead the fifth 75 times in one sitting) says "Medicaid expansion a 'tough choice' for Florida".

"Business community needs to change political bedfellows"

Robyn E. Blumner: "When you're a bigwig of industry, perched up high above the hoi polloi, maybe you really do think that the laws of politics, economics and even gravity are suspended, or are at least twisted, to your benefit."

That's the only conclusion I can draw from years of listening to business-oriented groups meeting with the Tampa Bay Times editorial board with the same conflicting agenda: demands for lower taxes and fewer government protections for workers, consumers and the environment while calling for a more educated workforce, modern infrastructure and cities that attract the creative class.

Supporting ideologically conservative candidates for political office who want to slash taxes and regulation won't result in a government that invests in top-notch education or mass transit.

Cutting taxes on business and the rich won't magically spur enough growth to boost government revenues. Instead it starves government of the resources needed to invest in infrastructure and human capital.

Eliminating regulations on development, environmental protection and worker rights won't lead to attractive cities or a solid middle class with the disposable income to make communities blossom into cultural and consumer meccas.

Liberal sensibilities of community, intellectual pursuit and investment in people and institutions are what makes great cities.

But that recognition was absent Tuesday when the Tampa Bay Partnership, a group largely made up of area businesses and local governments, came before the editorial board to discuss transportation issues.

Someone who believes in investing in public works and community amenities and raising the taxes to do so, someone who will push for sustainable community growth and limits on development, and someone who supports living wages for all workers. This last bit doesn't get talked about much. But in The Rise of the Creative Class Revisited, socioeconomic guru Richard Florida is clear that lasting prosperity for cities will only happen if service workers start getting paid wages that support families. He says it's essential to rebuilding the middle class, enhancing social cohesion and driving economic demand. What this comes down to is that America's business community needs to change political bedfellows and become liberal.

That's not to say the proposals aren't valid, they just aren't new.

You wouldn't know that, though, the way Rubio takes credit for the same ideas that he denounced when he was running for the Senate as a tea party darling. Or by the way some conservatives are gushing over the 2016 presidential contender, whom they consider their Great Hispanic Hope. . . .

Make no mistake that's what Rubio's new sense of urgency on immigration is about. We know this by his flip-flopping. And we know this by his denial.

"I'm not pursuing reforms to our immigration system, because of the last election or future elections," he wrote on the conservative blog RedState. "I'm doing what I can because I believe it's important for our country."

Why, then, didn't he pursue these important-for-our-country reforms during his first or second year in office?

For the first time since 1986, the U.S. is poised to have comprehensive immigration reform and that's good. But don't insult our intelligence by asking us to believe it's being done in good conscience as opposed to political consciousness.

Regressive taxes? No problem

"An annual legislative effort to collect taxes on all Internet sales began again Tuesday in the state capital when a Senate committee agreed to offset any new revenue with other tax breaks, in a bid to appease anti-tax lawmakers." "Sales-tax bill for online shopping moves in Senate".

Scott "stubbornly in the dark"

The Miami Herald editorial board writes that Rick Scott is "still stubbornly in the dark is on healthcare reform and its implications for Florida’s uninsured — and our economy."

He has used some funny math to try to make a case that expanding Medicaid coverage for the poor under the Affordable Care Act, aka Obamacare, would be a bad deal for the state. Yet that key part of the new healthcare law, which kicks in next year, would be a bargain for Florida because the federal government would be paying the lion’s share of the bill. And with preventive care, the state would save on the costs of much more expensive emergency care.

Instead, 900,000 Floridians will be left in the lurch, uncovered by Medicaid. That inevitably will lead to more emergency care costs for those who get sick with preventable diseases. Another troublesome proposal: drastically cutting payments to safety-net hospitals like Jackson Health System.

Mental health services are another dire need, especially after the Sandy Hook massacre of schoolchildren in Connecticut brought the issue to the limelight once more. Governors across the country are looking at hiring more mental health experts at schools and in community settings. Not Mr. Scott — even though school shootings in Florida are not an anomaly.

"Wasting no time"

"State Rep. Doug Holder is wasting no time getting a jump on his next political campaign. Holder, R-Osprey, has filed papers to run for the state Senate in 2018, making him the only candidate for any state office to file this far out." "State Rep. Doug Holder looking far down the line".

"Death penalty system is terribly flawed"

The Miami Herald editors: "Florida’s death penalty system is terribly flawed."

Lawmakers have known that since at least 2006, when the American Bar Association released an exhaustive report calling the system “fraught with problems,” including racial disparities.

But almost no fixes were made. Meanwhile, evidence of a system gone awry has piled up.

Last year, Florida sentenced 22 people to death, more than any of the other 32 states that impose the penalty. It’s the second year in a row the state has reached that stark benchmark. Yet Florida also leads the nation in the number of Death Row exonerations, with 24 since 1973, according to the Death Penalty Information Center.

So much for "integrity"

Nancy Smith writes today about how "faux-free marketers Americans for Prosperity (AFP) went to Integrity Florida as if Integrity were a hired gun, contracting for [a] study to be done for a price." "Enterprise Florida Has Made Mistakes, but It's on the Right Track to Make Good Things Happen in the Sunshine State".

"Companies gaming Florida's economic-development system"

"With mounting evidence of companies gaming Florida's economic-development system, lawmakers are advancing legislation that would apply more scrutiny to whether the state's myriad tax-cuts, incentives and breaks are creating real economic benefits." "Lawmakers vow more scrutiny of economic-incentive money". More: "Group blasts business incentives".

State worker pay scrutinized

"House budget chief Rep. Seth McKeel expressed concern about paying different classes of state workers different raises and bonuses in Gov. Rick Scott's budget." "House gets first look at Scott budget; McKeel scrutinizes state worker pay".

Dramatic rescue of two from truck dangling from overpass

"A bakery truck dangled from a Fort Lauderdale highway overpass as authorities [read fire-rescue workers] conducted a dramatic rescue of two people trapped in the cab." "Dangling truck back on road; driver saved, 1 dead". More: "Dangling box truck pulled away from I-95, one dead, huge delays persist".

And these fire-rescue workers have the audacity to expect the pensions they were promised when hired?

Detzner nearly initiated election fiasco

"Secretary of State Ken Detzner says he was 'very, very, very close' to suspending a few supervisors from office last year, but didn’t because current law makes such action extremely difficult." "Ken Detzner Was 'Very, Very Close' to Removing Supervisors". Related: "GOP proposal: Give Gov. Scott power to remove county election supervisors if problems arise".

Shamed

"A proposal to police assisted living facilities and punish those that that abuse or neglect their residents was approved unanimously Tuesday by the Senate Children, Families and Elder Affairs Committee Tuesday." "ALF reform bill moves forward".

From the "values" crowd

"In the latest skirmish over Florida’s tattered safety net, a judge says the state is denying help to foster children who are in dire need of mental health services." "Florida refuses aid to molested foster child, judge says".

Menendez mess

"A former aide to Sen. Bob Menendez might benefit from a major overseas port deal that’s supported by the powerful Democrat and is tied to a South Florida donor whose offices were raided last week by the FBI."

The one-time aide, Pedro Pablo Permuy, is a key official in the security firm ICSSI, according to a defender and relative of Dr. Salomon Melgen, an investor in the company.

Melgen is under FBI scrutiny, partly for his relationship with the New Jersey senator, who ran afoul of Senate ethics rules by taking freebie flights on the eye-doctor’s plane to the Dominican Republic.

The allegations arise from a lawsuit challenging the Senate and congressional redistricting that include emails showing how top deputies of Senate President Don Gaetz, House Speaker Will Weatherford and several of Gaetz’s consultants were in frequent contact with consultants who drafted and analyzed maps. Redistricting is done every 10 years to redraw boundaries of legislative and congressional districts to ensure equal representation.

The emails show that just a month after voters approved the amendment banning all coordination between the party and lawmakers in 2010, Rich Heffley, the RPOF political consultant who served as a close advisor to Gaetz, called a redistricting “brainstorming” meeting to be held in the chairman’s conference room at RPOF headquarters in Tallahassee.

Heffley listed the expected participants, which included Weatherford’s redistricting chief of staff, Alex Kelly; Gaetz’s redistricting general counsel Andy Bardos; Gaetz’s district aide Chris Clark, and the political consultants running the House and Senate 2012 Republican election campaigns: Frank Terraferma, Joel Springer, Andy Palmer, Marc Reichelderfer, and Pat Bainter. Also attending: the lawyers advising the House and Senate on their redistricting efforts, George Meros and Ben Ginsberg.

Two Republican senators, Andy Gardiner, of Orlando, and Jack Latvala, of St. Petersburg, sent emails using their private email accounts to the RPOF consultants.

They argued that there was no proof the House or Senate “utilized, considered or much less relied upon any information submitted” by the party officials and consultants. The lawyers for the consultants also noted that there was no attempt to depose any Democrats and accused them of targeting Republicans exclusively.

The voters’ coalition is alleging the two maps violate the constitutional amendments approved by voters that banned lawmakers from drawing districts that favor any political party or individual. . . .

Last week, the Legislature’s attorneys repeatedly attempted to shield the Legislature and the RPOF consultants from producing documents or being questioned in depositions, arguing it was part of the Legislature’s “work product.”

Circuit Court Judge Terry Lewis rejected those arguments and, when the lawyers mentioned the emails, a reporter for the Associated Press requested access to them.

"Soft as butter on incentives for businesses"

The Orlando Sentinel editors: "When Gov. Rick Scott unveiled his latest budget proposal last week, he touted the "tough choices" that Florida has made in prior years to balance the state's books. In fact, lawmakers have been tough as nails in many parts of the budget, slashing billions of dollars for education, health care and other basic services."

But they've have been as soft as butter on incentives for businesses, offering hundreds of millions in cash and tax breaks to companies in return for the promise of new jobs.

Lawmakers haven't just been lazy about ensuring that companies hit their job numbers. They've also been careless and indiscriminate in the basic design of tax breaks.

Single-language-only ballots

"Miami-Dade Commissioner Juan C. Zapata is proposing a way to make it easier and quicker to vote: Printing ballots in only the single language chosen by a voter, instead of in English, Spanish and Creole."

Currently in Miami-Dade, under rules set by the U.S. Voting Rights Act, ballots are printed in all three languages. Under Zapata’s ordinance, which is set for a preliminary vote before county commissioners Tuesday, a voter could inform the Elections Department of his or her preferred language prior to a vote.

Then, whether the voter showed up at the polls or voted via an absentee ballot, they would see a ballot printed in only their preferred language. Exact details, like how to notify the Elections Department, have yet to be worked out.

"Contesting impression that Florida botched 2012 elections"

"Contesting the impression that Florida botched the 2012 elections, Secretary of State Ken Detzner issued recommendations Monday to add more days and locations for early voting and to impose word-limits on lawmakers' ballot questions." "Florida's top elections official calls for more early voting". See also "Gov. Rick Scott's elections adviser urges redo on early voting law", "Detzner recommends voting law changes" and "Florida secretary of state urges shorter ballot, more early voting access". Related: "Ken Detzner Seeks Election Solutions Rather than Supervisors' Heads".

"Political gamesmanship and undermines the morale of career employees"

The Tampa Bay Times editors on "another egregious example, even for Scott's administration, of freelance governing on the part of a public agency."

Farming out decisionmaking authority on the operations side to a contract employee reeks of political gamesmanship and undermines the morale of career employees and the department's reputation. [The man who runs Florida's Department of Environmental Protection, Herschel] Vinyard still doesn't grasp the concept of public service, and the secretary's poor judgment reflects squarely on the governor.

Medicaid privatization

"Feds give permission to privatize long-term Medicaid care". See also "Washington approves moving some Florida Medicaid recipients to HMOs". Related: "Joe Negron: Fed-Approved Medicaid Waiver ‘Encouraging Sign Washington Treating Florida Like Equal’".

"Determined to do real stuff"

Tim Nickens: "Weatherford and Senate President Don Gaetz sound determined to do real stuff when the legislative session begins in March: Reforming the broken campaign finance laws that allow for too much money and too little transparency. Tightening ethics rules that do so little to prevent corruption. Fixing the elections system that the Legislature so badly damaged just two years ago." "A breath of fresh air in Tallahassee".

The Week Ahead

"The Week Ahead for Feb. 4 to Feb. 8".

GOPers already eying Castor Dentel's seat

"While the 2013 legislative session has yet to commence, Republicans are already lining up to defeat freshman Rep. Karen Castor Dentel, D-Maitland, next time around." "Karen Castor Dentel: Target on Her Back".

"Nothing subtle about former budget-slasher’s about-face"

The Palm Beach Post editors: "Looks as if Rick Scott’s re-election campaign song is going to be Hey, Big Spender."

The governor last week proposed a $74.2 billion budget, about a 6 percent increase from this year and the biggest budget in Florida’s history. There’s nothing subtle about the former budget-slasher’s about-face. To win back voters he alienated, Gov. Scott is throwing cash at public schools, colleges and universities. He also wants to schmooze state workers, who have gone six years without a raise — and, like teachers, got a pay cut because Gov. Scott signed legislation shifting 3 percent of their salaries to pensions.

Meanwhile, former Jeb Bush speech writer Lloyd Brown, writes that "Florida has been a leader in school choice, despite the best efforts of the Education Blob. This amorphous mass of intransigence has fought almost every effort to improve standards and accountability, which are the driving forces behind the improvements in education."

Choice opponents even have a support group – a “nonpartisan” liberal outfit called Fund Education Now that fixates on throwing more money at the public schools, which enriches the unions that bankroll liberal politicians.

They employ the usual lame arguments, such as “public money should not be used for private education.” Nonsense. Governments routinely contract work out to private companies.

Fortunately, Florida families have on their side the [Jeb moneymaker and] advocacy group Foundation for Excellence in Education, which is spearheading the fight to improve the lives of Florida children.

Still, the myth that spending equals education is pervasive and last week Gov. Rick Scott proposed a $2,500 bonus for every teacher, regardless of how effective that teacher may be. This is contradictory to his support for performance pay – another reform that has been producing results – but apparently his political advisers think it might garner him a few votes. Predictably, the Blob's response basically has been the polite applause you get from a golf gallery for a mediocre shot, along with the standard complaint that it is not nearly enough.

Scott was elected governor because he was not a politician. Acting like one is not likely to help him retain office -- especially when his opponent may be Charlie Crist, the Baryshnikov of the political pirouette.

Greer trial begins next week

"The [criminal] trial of former Republican Party of Florida Chairman Jim Greer begins next week, leaving some members of the party hopeful and others fearful. But many just want to see it all to end." "A party of mixed emotions" ("The party would also like to get rid of the civil suit Greer filed in an effort to collect the $130,000 he was promised when he agreed to resign as chairman in 2010.") Backstory: "Arrest records outline deception, greed at top".

Buchanan among the lawmakers disclosure law has affected most

Jeremy Wallace: "U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan strongly advocated for a new law to increase disclosure of Congress members' financial transactions, and now that the law is in effect, he is among the lawmakers it has affected most." "Buchanan an advocate of law requiring greater disclosure in Congress".

Buchanan denied knowledge of the illegal contributions

"Timothy Hohl, a Tampa accountant, has been sentenced in federal court in Jacksonville to a year's probation and fined $15,000 for making illegal contributions to U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan's first two campaigns." "Tampa accountant sentenced in campaign fraud case".

No afterglow

The Tampa Bay Times editorial board: "It’s time for Duke Energy to acknowledge that the broken Crystal River nuclear plant is not worth fixing and announce plans to permanently shut it down. The cost of the repairs is too high, and even if the fixes worked it would be years before the plant generated power again. This is an expensive debacle for Duke Energy customers, but it would be better to spend their money on a new natural gas power plant than on trying to repair a 36-year-old nuclear plant that has not produced power since 2009. " "Close nuclear plant for good".

Texting moves into public realm

"Orange-Osceola State Attorney Jeff Ashton announced last week he has asked the Florida Department of Law Enforcement to investigate the 'textgate' scandal involving a handful of county leaders, but proving that laws were broken might be tough, an open-government expert says."

Investigators would need to determine if county leaders intentionally tried to skirt open-meeting laws or destroy public records by deleting or losing text messages, said First Amendment Foundation general counsel Jon Kaney.

However, if the probe included a forensic audit of cellphones and involved lobbyists and others who received and sent texts, it could shed light on whether any crimes were committed, Kaney said.

What Sen. Rubio and his colleagues have proposed as a reform “principle” — permanent legal status for illegal immigrants, with the chance to seek citizenship after meeting certain conditions — has been a Democratic idea for more than a decade. It became a bipartisan idea in 2007, when President George W. Bush tried immigration reform.

In December 2010, Senate Republicans voted overwhelmingly against the DREAM Act, which would have granted permanent resident status to younger illegal immigrants whose parents brought them as children. That proposal also would have imposed conditions: Get a two-year college degree or serve two years in the military.

The right wing of the GOP still opposes a path to citizenship. And if Sen. Rubio has national ambitions, he would have to face tea party voters in a primary. He wants to keep his options open for 2016, so he would like to keep their support.

Similarly, right-wing TV and radio shouters who for years have railed against “amnesty” when Democrats proposed it also want to adjust to the realities of America’s new electorate and help Republicans recover from the licking they took last November. The shouters also want to keep their audiences.

The problem is how to embrace a Democratic idea without giving the Democrats credit. So Sen. Rubio and right-wing media want to make the moderate, reasonable proposal of legal status for illegal immigrants — an idea that most Americans now support, based on recent polls, and one that The [Palm Beach] Post has supported for a decade — a conservative idea.

"Crist about to draw fire from both the left and the right"

"Charlie Crist, the once and certainly hoping-to-be-future governor of Florida, is riding high at the moment, dreaming of a return to Tallahassee -- but he's about to draw fire from both the left and the right."

Crist is certainly gaining ground with Democrats, despite spending most of his political career as a Republican before moving over to no party affiliation after Marco Rubio caught him in the Republican primary battle for the U.S. Senate in 2010. After endorsing Barack Obama for re-election and speaking at the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, Crist switched to the Democrats late in 2012 and attended the presidential inauguration in January.

Crist has drawn attacks from left and right before, namely in 2010 when he was under fire from Democratic Senate candidate Kendrick Meek and Rubio. Despite solid leads in the primary polls against Rubio, Crist collapsed and eventually continued his campaign with no party affiliation. In the summer of 2010, Crist had healthy leads over Rubio and Meek in the polls. On Election Day, Rubio took 49 percent while Crist took a distant second with less than 30 percent.

As he runs for office yet again, Crist is riding high for the moment. But he’s pulled defeat out of the jaws of victory before. With more than a year and a half until Election Day, his leads in the Democratic primary and in the general election should not be taken for granted.

Rubio rolls teabaggers

"Rubio was lifted to national prominence with help from the tea party, but his leadership on immigration reform has elicited strong reaction from members of the conservative movement, from outrage to acceptance." "Sen. Marco Rubio's role in immigration debate draws tea party criticism and support".

"Republicans pounce"

"Republicans pounced last week when newly sworn-in Rep. Murphy of Jupiter appeared in a testimonial video for House Majority PAC. The PAC is a Democratic organ that raised $35.8 million in 2011-12 by taking advantage of the Supreme Court’s 2010 Citizens United decision, which allows corporations and labor unions to make unlimited political expenditures if the spending isn’t coordinated with candidates." "GOP slams Murphy for thanking PACs after criticizing them".

"Navarro: no nonsense GOP operative"

"Long a behind-the-scenes political player, Republican political consultant Ana Navarro these days is often showing off her frankness and impeccable fashion style on cable TV. Last year, CNN and CNN en Espanol hired her as a political analyst." "Ana Navarro: no nonsense GOP operative always speaks her mind".

"A Florida whodunit"

Marc Caputo writes that "the cast of possible characters in the drama . . . includes a Senator, a high-flying donor, prostitutes, Republican dirty tricksters, Cuban spies, and federal agents. For now, it certainly reads like a mystery novel. But truth can be stranger than fiction." "With sex, the FBI and shady characters, the Menendez saga is a Florida whodunit".

"Where were the legislative leaders"?

"Where were the legislative leaders who should have been looking out for taxpayer interests?" "Boondoggle sinks $20M in Florida funds".

Scott’s latest gimmick

"Gov. Rick Scott’s push to keep tuition low includes a new twist submitted with his budget for the coming fiscal year, which begins July 1. The governor’s idea: tuition should be the same when students graduate as when they start. Scott has offered legislation that would hold tuition steady for four years for students entering a state university this fall or afterward." "Gov. Rick Scott pushes 'Finish in Four' tuition plan to save college students money".

"Senator Disappear-Down-the-Back-Stairway"

Nancy Smith: "Even folks who voted for Bill Nelson have to wonder how Senator Disappear-Down-the-Back-Stairway can make a '10 Toughest Politicians in Washington Today' list." "Just When You Think You've Heard It All, Bill Nelson Gets Named One of America's '10 Toughest Politicians'".

Jim Greer's witness list

"Former Florida GOP chairman Jim Greer, set for trial in less than two weeks, has filed a witness list, that includes a great many political heavyweights:"

former Gov. Charlie Crist, former Florida Attorney General Bill McCollum, former Florida House Speaker Dean Cannon and former Florida Senate President Mike Haridopolos.

It also lists former U.S. Sen. George LeMieux, House Speaker Will Weatherford, former party chief John Thrasher and many others. . . . And although it reads like who's who of Florida GOP office holders, it also includes key party insiders and fund-raisers, including lobbyist Brian Ballard, Harry Sargeant, Al Hoffman and Tom Feeney, a former member of Congress and now head of Associated Industries.

"More like a fraternity than a collection of serious statesmen"

Scott Maxwell: "If you've ever thought that Florida's Legislature looked more like a fraternity than a collection of serious statesmen, there's a reason for that … besides just the immaturity of their ideas. Legislative leaders are increasingly closer to college students in age as well." "In Florida Legislature, inexperience rules".

5 things to know

"5 things to know in Florida for Feb. 4".

GOP-leaning advocacy group: "Don't mention Ronald Reagan"

"As the national debate over immigration reform began last week, a GOP-leaning advocacy group circulated talking points for Republicans. Among them: Don't mention Ronald Reagan."

The unusual warning to party faithful reflects the hangover Reagan left over immigration reform in 1986 by granting amnesty to nearly 3 million illegal immigrants.

The Immigration Reform and Control Act was pitched as a get-tough moment, with sanctions on employers and beefed-up border control. But it was largely a failure.

"Hazards of keeping guns in the home"

"Florida doctors, backed by the White House but opposed by state lawmakers and the powerful gun-owners' lobby, are fighting for the right to talk to patients and their families about the hazards of keeping guns in the home."

They are especially concerned about mentally distressed patients who may pose a threat to themselves or others. But mostly, they want to talk with the parents of young children about safety measures to keep guns out of harm's way and prevent accidental shootings.

Last raise for all state employees was 6 years ago

"The last across-the-board pay raise for state workers was Oct. 1, 2006. We rate the statement True." "PolitiFact: State workers' last raise for all 6 years ago".

Between the Democrats' overwhelming advantage among voters under 30 and minorities, in social media and grass roots campaigning, experts agreed, the Republican Party has to work on not just the nuts and bolts of campaigning but the underlying message that's appealing to a shrinking segment of the electorate.

"Demographics are going to bury them if they don't change policies. It's not enough just to build a better mousetrap,'' said Seth McKee, a political scientist at the University of South Florida St. Petersburg.

And as much as Democrats may want to harp on Gov. Rick Scott's role in leading a health care company that paid the largest Medicare fraud fine in American history, Akins said that message won't work.

"He's not a criminal and a crook. He's become an incumbent politician," Akins said. "You beat him when you talk about what his policies mean to the middle class."

The last poll by Akins' firm, Hamilton Campaigns, six weeks ago showed 42 percent of Florida voters approving of Scott's job performance and 56 percent disapproving.

Other polls have found Scott's approval ratings as low as in the 20 to 30 percent range, but Hamilton Campaigns has never found them so low.

"Extraordinary tax break for out-of-state companies"

The Tampa Bay Times editors: "The question for Gov. Rick Scott and Florida legislators: When will they stop supporting an extraordinary tax break for out-of-state companies that undercuts Florida jobs?" "Remedy sales tax unfairness".

Never mind

"Construction fund for USF, other Florida universities hits a wall".

Florida GOPers shower Scott with campaign cash

"While releasing a proposed education and business friendly $74.2 billion budget -- derided by critics as smacking of “pre-election year gimmicks” -- the group backing Gov. Rick Scott’s 2014 re-election has posted that $1.27 million was added to its coffers in January." "Scott’s Re-election Coffers Grow $1.27 Million in January".

Flabaggers in a dither

"As Scott seeks a second term, he's embracing education as never before and seeking $4 billion more in spending — and some Republicans don't like what they see."

"It's perplexing," said Henry Kelley of the Tea Party Network in Fort Walton Beach. "To say we're going to give $480 million more to teachers from someone who ran on accountability and changing things? Three years later, and it's 'Let's make government bigger in Tallahassee.'"

Legislative employee salaries online

"Floridians will finally get a chance on their own to find out how much people are getting paid to work for the Florida Legislature. The two Republican leaders of the Florida House and Florida Senate quietly this week added links on legislative websites that allow people to look up legislative employee salaries. The two chambers are also posting copies of contracts." "Salaries, contracts are posted online".

"It doesn't take a hunting dog to sniff out a smell this bad"

The Tampa Bay Times editors wonders where "were the legislative leaders who should have been looking out for taxpayer interests? And why were there no eyebrows raised or investigations launched when Ambler was later given a seat on Digital Domain's board for an annual $20,000 retainer plus $2,000 per meeting attended, or when his son, Jason Ambler, was reportedly given a job there? It doesn't take a hunting dog to sniff out a smell this bad." "Boondoggle sinks $20M in Florida funds"

"Help for homeowners"

Joe Henderson: "Bondi finds help for homeowners treading water".

Pension haters close shop

After a slew of reports attacking defined benefit pensions - which surely would have repelled its namesake - failed to generate adequate funding from the right, "Financial woes force think tank named after Gov. LeRoy Collins to close".

Hiaasen: Florida is "a state of perpetual sleaze"

Carl Hiaasen: "Even in a state of perpetual sleaze, some dirty deals stink more than others. The most recent is a weird little law approved last spring that allows the South Florida Water Management District to enter the commercial billboard business." "Call this a sign of our sleazy times".

Florida state workers among the lowest paid in the country

The Tallahassee Democrat editorial board "Scott’s budget offers is a nod to the fact that state workers in Florida are among the lowest paid in the country, and that, even at that, they are seeing their paychecks reduced as they pay more into their retirement funds and pay more for benefits such as health insurance."

But it also shows that, for the seventh straight year, state employees will not see their base salaries increase. And, the state workforce once again will be reduced under the governor’s plan. He’s calling for the elimination of 3,600 positions, of which about 1,200 are now vacant.

Weekly Roundup

"Weekly Roundup: The Budget of Milk and Honey".

Late to the game

John Kennedy writes that, "after years of saying 'no,' Scott released a state budget proposal that has left many advocates hearing, if not a resounding “yes,” at least a “maybe” from the state’s chief executive. Proponents of the Affordable Care Act say Scott’s approach is giving them renewed hope that Florida will fully embrace the plan while also going ahead and expanding Medicaid coverage in a state that is home to one of the nation’s largest uninsured populations." "Scott’s plan raises hopes for health law changes".

Entrepreneurs in action

"Universal has been able to get the credits by tapping a 16-year-old state-incentive program designed to encourage businesses to expand in or move into crime-plagued communities across Florida. The program offers as much as $1,500 in tax credits for every full-time job a business creates in a zone identified as an urban high-crime area. Universal, which borders Orlando's affluent Dr. Phillips neighborhood, has received credits for 1,561 jobs since August 2010, including cooks, security guards and boat drivers, among many others." "Universal gets $2.3M in tax breaks for creating jobs in 'high-crime' area".

"Scott's hot potato"

The Sun Sentinel editors write that "if Gov. Rick Scott is serious about his call to keep Florida an affordable place to live, he should fight to keep the state-owned company's current cap on rate hikes — no more than 10 percent per year. For if the Republican governor allows insurance premiums to spike, he will hurt our housing market, our battered economy and his re-election chances." "Gov. Scott's hot potato: Citizens Insurance".

Charter madness

Pembroke Pines "is proposing a bill that would require local school districts to share their property tax dollars with municipally-run charter schools." "Pines charters, School Board in tug-of-war for tax money".

"Wrong, maybe. Offensive, certainly. But not unlawful"

Fred Grimm: "It doesn’t much matter if developers employ lowdown tactics; if they wheedle, cajole, bully, induce, mislead, secretly manipulate, pay off — whatever it takes to wrest approval for controversial projects."

Unseemly, it turns out, is not the same as illegal.

The jury voted yes — 28 times. Jurors found that Related held backroom meetings with former Mayor Manny Diaz and various Miami city commissioners trying to elicit zoning variances for the three luxury condo towers. They found that the builder had hired well-connected lobbyists to work the city commission. That Related hired another set of lobbyists to make sure the county commission wouldn’t interfere.

Wrong, maybe. Offensive, certainly. But not unlawful. If Judge Trawick had ruled otherwise, he would have cast doubt on the very template Florida developers employ to get controversial developments approved. Related, after all, was only doing what developers do.

They hire whole platoons of power boy lobbyists. They find jobs for close friends and relatives of city and county commissioners. They employ key city and county bureaucrats to run their projects. They and all their flunkies make maximum campaign contributions. Then they send generous contributions to commissioners’ favorite charities. They put former city and county commissioners on their payrolls.

Pension haters get to work in Tally

"Local governments with underfunded pension plans would not be able to look to the state for a bail out, under a bill filed this week that is expected to become a template for legislation in the months ahead. Meanwhile, House Speaker Will Weatherford and Senate President Don Gaetz reiterated that it’s time for the state to change its own retirement system by having state employees shift from a traditional pension plan to a defined contribution plan, such as a 401(k), that has become more prevalent in the private sector." "State, local government pension systems may face changes this year".

"Scott has reversed himself on almost everything but his wardrobe"

The Palm Beach Post editorial board: "In trying to remake his image for re-election, Gov. Rick Scott has reversed himself on almost everything but his wardrobe. Each reversal, however, has been aimed at certain voters. The governor’s biggest potential reversal is thus unlikely, because it would help non-voters." "Florida should restore ex-felons’ rights when they complete their sentence".

"'Textgate' — for dummies"

Scott Maxwell: "Texting — and 'textgate' — for dummies".

Wingnuts whine about "a wolf in wolf's clothing"

"Here's a sampling of criticism [of Rubio] from the right:"

Ann Coulter: "For decades, Democrats have been working feverishly to create more Democrats by encouraging divorce (another Democratic voter!), illegitimacy (another Democratic voter!) and Third World immigration (another Democratic voter!).

"Strangely, some Republicans seem determined to create more Democratic voters, too. That will be the primary result of Sen. Marco Rubio's amnesty plan. … Rubio's bill is nothing but amnesty. It isn't even 'amnesty thinly disguised as border enforcement.' This is a wolf in wolf's clothing."

"A lesson in how and why politicians bend with the wind"

"Two Republican U.S. senators from Florida have stood at the center of one of the most contentious national debates in recent history — immigration reform."

One, former Sen. Mel Martinez, consistently favored a comprehensive reform bill with a path to earned citizenship for illegal residents.

The result: He was castigated by his party as an advocate of "amnesty" and is now out of politics.

The other, Sen. Marco Rubio, has flipped 180 degrees on the issue — at least according to critics. Formerly a staunch opponent, he's the leading GOP advocate of a pathway to legal status today.

The result: He's now a front-runner for the GOP nomination for president in 2016.

The two Floridians' careers are intertwined, starting with their shared roots in the GOP-leaning Cuban immigrant community. That forced both into the debate.

But Rubio had another constituency: He came to prominence as a tea party champion. That meant he had to thread the needle on immigration, appealing both to immigrant advocates and hard-line conservatives.

He has danced between the two sides on issues ranging from official English to legalization for "Dreamers" — children brought here illegally by their parents.

Scott gives polluters green light to foul waterways

The Tampa Bay Times editors argue that it "is senseless to give the major polluters a green light to foul the very waterways that taxpayers are spending dearly to fix."

But that is what Gov. Rick Scott and the state's Republican leadership continue to do in a twisted cycle of taking with one hand and giving with the other. A governor who has just recommitted to spending money on Everglades restoration projects should recognize the inconsistency.

Scott and the Legislature need to bring environmental policy and budgeting much more in line so the two work in concert and not at odds with each other.