Among politicians, there is [Dan] Gelber in Miami-Dade; former state Sen. Steve Geller in Broward County; former U.S. Rep. Robert Wexler of Palm Beach County, now head of the Washington-based Center for Middle East Peace; former state Sen. Tony Hill of Jacksonville; and former Attorney General Bob Butterworth.

The operatives he communicates with most frequently are the A-team of Florida Democratic politics: Johnson, Rep. Murphy's chief of staff; [Steve] Schale, who ran Barack Obama's 2008 Florida campaign; and Ashley Walker, who ran Obama's 2012 Florida campaign and developed a relationship with Crist as he campaigned for Obama.

"I talk to him, just as I talk to a lot of statewide Democrats, but I'm not committed to any candidate at this point," Walker said, echoing the sentiments of most of Crist's loose-knit crew of advisers, who also speak highly of prospective gubernatorial candidates Alex Sink and Sen. Bill Nelson.

A couple of Democratic pros in Tampa who keep their profiles lower have longstanding friendships with Crist: Mike Hamby, a businessman and former executive director of the Florida Democratic Party who went to Cumberland Law School with Crist; and Bernie Campbell, who works extensively abroad and even as he was working to elect Democrats across Florida a few years ago quietly helped craft speeches for the then-Republican governor.

Greg Truax, a public relations consultant in Tampa, these days serves as Crist's de facto "body man," accompanying the would-be candidate to public events. Former aide Michelle Todd of St. Petersburg often fields interview requests from national media outlets.

Already, some Democratic allies are fretting that against an incumbent governor planning to spend $100 million in an era where messaging is shaped minute by minute, Crist will suffer if he fails to quickly invest in policy advisers, communications pros and opposition researchers. (Their first order of business, by the way, would be to look at Crist's own record and comments over his lifetime as a Republican.)

"If you're going to be successful you have to rely on the professionals,'' said Hamby, who is confident Crist would do just that. "He would build an effective operation. There's no question it's a different game today, just the whole nature of campaigns and how they operate."

Crist is giving every indication he's intends to run, speaking to Democratic groups, meeting with influential ministers, labor groups, activists and fundraisers. But nobody, except perhaps Crist and a few family members, knows for sure.

Scott's donor deal

"Hue and cry grows over deal for Scott donor".

"South Florida liberal"

"As Democrats look to knock off Gov. Rick Scott next year, the only official major candidate seeking the party’s nomination is playing up her liberal credentials. In recent days, former Florida Senate Democrat Leader Nan Rich tipped her cards as she continues her long-shot gubernatorial bid -- and her plan is clearly to go left."

Democrats continue to pine for a major candidate to enter the race -- former state CFO Alex Sink, despite her loss to Scott in 2010; former Gov. Charlie Crist, despite his previous political career as a Republican and running for the U.S. Senate with no party affiliation; former Tampa Mayor Pam Iorio; and U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson.

Meanwhile, Rich is signaling that she is going to run as a South Florida liberal, hoping this will rally Democratic primary voters to her standard.

R-Punta Gorda

"As summer begins, Rep. Ken Roberson, R-Punta Gorda, appears in excellent shape as he seeks a fourth and final term next year in the Florida House." "Ken Roberson Looks to Have His Last Year in a House Seat Locked Up".

"Stubborn achievement gap among Florida students"

"Tests results reveal a stubborn achievement gap among Florida students. More than two-thirds of white students scores indicate they are reading at or above grade level while barely half of Hispanic students and 38 percent of black students reach the mark. " "3rd-grade FCAT reading and math scores remain flat".

"Partisan political shenanigans are not 'state secrets'"

Aaron Deslatte: "Florida's redistricting fight may be years away from a conclusion, but there are important rules of the road that are being established."

Florida's courts are in the midst of defining for decades how to implement new "Fair Districts" standards in the once-a-decade redistricting process – and, crucially, whether citizens should simply trust lawmakers to implement fair maps.

Republican legislative leaders have defended their work product last year, which resulted in slimmer GOP majorities in the Legislature and 27-member congressional delegation but kept them comfortably in control.

But this week, the Legislature scored a victory when the First District Court of Appeal ruled in a 2-1 decision that lawmakers couldn't be questioned under oath about their intentions when they drew the congressional maps. The majority opinion drew a stern rebuttal from First DCA Chief Judge Robert T. Benton II, who wrote in his dissent that "partisan political shenanigans are not 'state secrets.'" The constitutional passage of Fair Districts "makes plain that how and why the Legislature redistricts is a matter of paramount public concern," he wrote. "Legislators should not, and until today did not, enjoy any blanket immunity from discovery, by virtue of their status as Legislators." Look for more ground to shift under the feet of the public and politicians before the fight is over.

"Too many grudges"

The Palm Beach Post editors: "Why are the Florida Legislature’s auditors going after Palm Beach County’s new ethics commission? Because a state senator harbors too many grudges." "Abruzzo using Senate power to seek revenge".

Weekly Roundup

"Weekly Roundup: Scott Signs Budget, Then Heads for the Border". See also "The Week in Review for May 17, 2013".

"Lawyers to take over"

"Lawyers to take over jobless-benefit appeals in Florida".

"Avalanche of money flowing into campaigns"

The Tampa Trib editors: "State lawmakers took a big step this past legislative session toward making campaign finance reporting more transparent and accountable."

Although new rules signed into law this year will do little to stem the avalanche of money flowing into campaigns, they at least establish a reporting system that gives voters an understanding of the people and corporations behind the donations.

Scott's vetoes about politics not priorities

The Palm Beach Post editorial board: "Scott’s vetoes more about politics than priorities".

But the Tribune Company emerged from bankruptcy Dec. 31 and its stakeholders indicated an interest in selling off the company’s newspapers sector (holding on to 23 TV stations), including the Los Angeles Times, the Chicago Tribune, the Baltimore Sun, the Orlando Sentinel, the Hartford Courant and the Sun Sentinel. Last month, reports surfaced that the libertarian activists Kochs were interested. The guess is that the winning bid would require somewhere between $600 million and $700 million, pocket change for brothers at the head of $115 billion Koch Industries.

The Kochs might also discover that grand philosophical ideas nurtured, with their millions, in the Cato Institute don’t quite translate to local newspaper coverage. Local newspapering has less to do with philosophy than with keeping an eye on influence peddlers or worrying about who’s stealing the silverware down at County Hall. The Kochs and their minions can deny global warming and rising sea levels on the editorial pages, but their newsrooms can’t pretend that big chunks of A1A didn’t wash away on Lauderdale beach last fall. There’s nothing theoretical about failing sewers and flooded streets.

They can preach self-sufficiency, but local newspapers can’t ignore homeless camps in city parks or natural disaster victims begging for government help. The libertarian promise to abolish Social Security won’t endear a newspaper to precious readers in Century Village.

The Kochs, not in the habit of losing money, might come to wonder if they were snookered into buying the Tribune Company newspapers. If it was some liberal conspiracy to get them to fritter away millions that might have gone to the American Legislative Exchange Council or the Heartland Institute or the Heritage Foundation.

Gideon's trumpet

"The Florida Supreme Court embraced justice for all Floridians on Thursday when it reaffirmed the right of the poor to adequate legal counsel. The court ruled that trial courts can stop assigning public defenders to new cases when the Legislature has provided so little money that the result is overwhelming case loads. The ruling, 5-2, is a triumph of reality over the wishful thinking of legislative leadership. At some point, the cost of justice denied is more than any dollars and cents the Legislature wants to save." "The Florida Supreme Court embraced justice for all Floridians Thursday when it reaffirmed the poor's right to adequate legal counsel.".

Falling up

"Pam Bondi, Lizbeth Benacquisto Selected for National GOP Leadership Roles".

Republicans preside over doubling of food stamp usage in Florida

"In spite of the Sunshine State's declining unemployment rate, the number of Floridians on food stamps -- now called SNAP benefits -- has risen in alarming numbers, actually doubling in five years." "Number of Floridians Receiving SNAP Benefits Doubles In Five Years".

"Nelson-for-governor thing may be the real deal"

Scott Maxwell "is increasingly hearing" "buzz that this Bill Nelson-for-governor thing may be the real deal. That would be interesting — not only to watch Nelson vs. Rick Scott, but also to see the scrambling to fill his U.S. Senate seat.".

Scraping the bottom

"Rep. Patrick McHenry, R-N.C., was in town recently to interview potential Murphy challengers. McHenry heads up recruiting efforts for the National Republican Congressional Committee." "Murphy draws another out-of-state Republican to South Florida".

More RPOF corporate welfare

The "Tampa Bay Times editors: "Citizens Property Insurance Corp. will never win any popularity contests, and here is another reason why. The state-run insurer's board narrowly decided Wednesday to give away $52 million to a new St. Petersburg insurer with no track record and questionable leadership that will take up to 60,000 Citizens policies. It's a bad deal for Citizens, for homeowners who may be sucked into the small start-up and eventually pay higher rates, and for the state."

Gov. Rick Scott, who defends this corporate welfare, and Citizens board members keep finding more ways to hurt consumers. Florida has been fortunate to avoid direct hits by hurricanes for seven years, and Citizens has a record cash surplus of $6.4 billion. Despite all of the scare tactics about the potential for large assessments after major hurricanes to cover insured losses, Citizens has enough available capital to cover losses from a 1-in-58-year hurricane without any assessments. But the governor and the Citizens board are determined to reduce the size of the insurer regardless of the cost and the poor track record of too many start-up private insurers that may bite off more than they can handle.

Heritage Property and Casualty Insurance Co. just opened nine months ago and has about 40,000 customers — all or most of them former Citizens customers. Yet the Citizens board voted 3-2 to more than double Heritage's number of customers and increase the company's capital by roughly 50 percent. Scott says it is Citizens' responsibility to act in the best interest of its policyholders, but the only interest this sweetheart deal serves is Heritage's. It also appears to fly in the face of the intent of the Legislature, where House Speaker Will Weatherford helped stop Citizens' plan last year to loan private insurers $350 million to take policies. The details of Heritage's unusual arrangement are different, but the result is the same: Citizens policyholders are subsidizing an unproven private insurer, and those whose policies are taken by Heritage may wind up with less reliable coverage and higher rates after three years than they would have if they stayed with Citizens. It's no coincidence that Citizens' decision occurred after the legislative session ended even though the discussions with Heritage have been going on since March.

"Sweetheart insurance deal hurts consumers".

"Not in the direction of environmental protection"

"Former DEP attorney Christopher T. Byrd wrote on his Facebook page that a new DEP general counsel 'is moving in a 'new direction,' not in the direction of environmental protection, thanks (Gov.) Rick Scott.' A department spokesman said reduction of four attorneys was about reduced caseload and has nothing to do with less environmental protection. " "4 DEP attorneys ousted, prompting Facebook backlash".

"Scott campaign against Charlie Crist"

Adam Smith: "The Rick Scott campaign against Charlie Crist in 1 graphic".

Speaking over a bullhorn, 57-year-old John Junstrom of Tampa said: "The IRS must stop targeting Christians and tea partiers and patriots. This is tyranny. Obama is targeting whites and Christians.

"Obama hates the tea party and all other patriots and all those who uphold and obey the Constitution."

"Scott donor giveaway?"

"Two months after contributing $110,000 to Gov. Rick Scott’s reelection campaign, an upstart property insurance company is likely to reap a $52 million windfall, paid from the coffers of Citizens Property Insurance Corp."

Sitting on a record cash surplus of $6.4 billion, Citizens is hoping to ink a special deal Wednesday with Heritage Property and Casualty Insurance Company, a St. Petersburg firm that opened for business nine months ago and made significant political contributions.

If the Citizens board of governors approves on Wednesday, the state-run insurer will pay Heritage up to $52 million to take over 60,000 policies, about $866 a piece.

"Puzzling at best"

The Tampa Trib editors: "Scott’s rejection of Amazon’s plans to build a warehouse in Florida is puzzling at best. At worst, it smacks of politics getting in the way of what’s best for Florida." "Scott wrong on Amazon deal".

Endless-Bush

"Florida’s Republican leaders -- including former Gov. Jeb Bush and U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio -- will be on center stage in July when Maverick PAC (MavPAC) hosts its annual conference in Miami."

Led by Texas-based George P. Bush, son of the former governor and the nephew, grandson and namesake of two former presidents, MavPAC looks to support conservative candidates and bring young professionals into the political process. The group claims to have more than 3,500 in chapters across the nation, including four based in Florida.

Bill reverses some Republican voting restrictions

"Scott has finished the fix of the flawed election law that relegated Florida to a late-night joke in 2012 by signing an elections cleanup bill passed on the final day of the legislative session." "Gov. Rick Scott signs elections bill to fix long voter lines".

The bill "attempts to reverse some of the restrictions the Republican-controlled Legislature put in place in 2011, including allowing more early-voting."

The legislation is a response to the ridicule Florida received in the days after President Barack Obama's re-election when votes were still being counted in a few counties. . . .

Lawmakers also added a provision late in the session to move Florida's 2016 presidential primary back from January to a later date so the state won't be penalized by the national Republican and Democratic parties.

It also increases the allowable early voting hours, and goes from eight days to 14 days. The Legislature had reduced that early-voting window to one week in 2011, which some evidence has found decreased early-voting turnout last year -- particularly among minorities.

It also expands the locations for early voting from just election offices and city halls to include courthouses, civic centers, stadiums, convention centers, fairgrounds and government-owned senior and community centers.

Crist making the rounds

"It’s still unknown how well Charlie Crist’s newly minted Democratic ideals will withstand the intense scrutiny and pressure of a gubernatorial campaign. What is clear is that to succeed at another tilt at the governor’s mansion, the once- Republican governor will need to convince Democrats that his jump across the political aisle is about more than political ambition. That may be why Crist this week is lending his name-recognition and political pull to Democratic candidates running for office." "Crist making rounds for Democratic candidates".

"Rubio and AFL-CIO clash"

"U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) and the head of the AFL-CIO clashed Monday as the Senate Judiciary Committee adopted two amendments dealing with the importation of workers in high tech fields. Rubio applauded the amendments introduced by Se. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah. saying they will 'boost American job creation through improvements to the H-1B visa program.' . . . But AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka called the amendments job killers for U.S. workers." "Rubio and AFL-CIO clash over immigration bill amendments".

Scott's "Death penalty politics"

Michael Putney: "Death penalty politics in Florida".

Two years ago, county mayoral candidate Robaina had twice as much money in his campaign account as rival Carlos Gimenez. Robaina had endorsements from Jeb Bush and from Mario and Lincoln Diaz-Balart and other powerbrokers in South Florida’s political establishment.

And Robaina had a ready retort for his critics. When questions were raised about his peculiar sideline in the private loan business, about his relationship with a convicted Ponzi fraudster and about a rumored federal investigation, Hialeah’s ghost banker simply blamed The Miami Herald. He claimed The Herald “disregards the truth to cast stories with misinformation and erroneous contexts.”

The press, he said, had victimized a victim. “As a victim of a Ponzi scheme, I feel that I’m also being victimized by false media stories.”

Yet the voters rejected Robaina. They spared the county a humiliating scenario two years later that would surely have reverberated across the nation — another perp walk featuring a disgraced South Florida pol.

Thanks to the collective wisdom of the electorate — all 102,445 citizens who voted against Robaina in the run-off election — that was not the county mayor and his wife, shackled at the ankles and wrists, shuffling along in federal custody on Friday.

The self-described victim faces charges that he and wife Raiza evaded income taxes by concealing major transactions in their high-interest money-lending business and that they lied to federal investigators. The feds charged that despite his claims to the contrary, Robaina and his ghost-loan business were entangled with infamous Ponzi artist Luis Felipe Perez, who duped investors out of $45 million. Perez told investigators that Robaina had loaned him $750,000 at 36 percent interest.

Yet the smart money had been on Robaina for county mayor. In the May 24, 2011, election, he led an 11-candidate field, then lost, barely, to Carlos Gimenez in the June 28 runoff with 49.9 percent of the vote. This despite getting support in the runoff from Luther Campbell, the iconoclast rapper who finished fourth in the May 24 election with 11 percent of the vote.

It had seemed a mysterious, even suspicious political alliance, with Uncle Luke embracing Jeb Bush’s man for mayor. A year later, Campbell was still seething at what he considered unfair media coverage of his new best buddy. “Robaina’s character was assassinated unfairly,” Campbell wrote in the New Times last July, suggesting all this talk of a federal investigation had been contrived by the likes of The Miami Herald to skew the election. “Here we are more than a year later and he is still a free man. The media — and the political hacks who deal in misinformation — lied to the public to make sure he would not win the election.”

Hey Luke, turns out the lying media and savvy voters spared Miami-Dade County from considerable ignominy. You can call criminal defendant Julio Robaina a lot of things. But not county mayor.

"Tallahassee lacks leaders with long-term vision"

The Tampa Bay Times editors write that "the budget shows once again that Tallahassee lacks leaders with long-term vision. On Monday, Scott boasted about a $300 million increase in funding for the state university system — just a year after leading the charge to cut the same amount even as he backed the outrageous creation of the state's 12th university, Florida Polytechnic, from the University of South Florida's Lakeland campus."

Scott was similarly shortsighted on vetoing the 3 percent tuition increase for college and university students, who currently pay among the lowest in-state tuition in the nation. Scott on Monday argued Florida should be proud it offers cheap tuition but failed to acknowledge that the lost revenue means Florida will continue to spend dramatically less per student than most other states. At many universities, that will mean fewer and bigger classes and more faculty fleeing to higher-paying states. It will also mean many students won't get the courses they need to finish on time. Just one extra semester cancels out any tuition savings from Scott's veto.

Florida heads into 2013-14 with more money but not any better long-term vision for the future.

The Miami Herald editors: "South Florida regaining lost ground".

Outa here

"Rick Scott Leads Florida Entourage on Trade Mission to Chile".

"Let's try someone from South Florida"

"For 10 years, political pros have taken it almost as gospel that the strongest statewide Democratic candidates are centrists from Florida's top battleground region of Tampa Bay. But 2014 gubernatorial hopeful Nan Rich says that's bunk."

"We tried that three times, and we had three good candidates — we had Jim Davis, Alex Sink and Bill McBride," Rich said Monday, referring to the last three Democratic nominees for governor. "And you know what? We didn't win. So let's try something new. Let's try someone from South Florida."

Medicaid managed-care rolled out

"Though critics, including the AARP, say the pilot program for the managed-care plan has had problems, Washington approved the transition and Florida is implementing it to save money in a $21-billion Medicaid program." "Long-term care Medicaid patients start enrolling".

The best they can do?

"Miami-Dade County School Board member Carlos Curbelo has not officially entered the race to challenge Democratic U.S. Rep. Joe Garcia -- but the Miami Republican is enlisting some of the state's most prominent members of the GOP for his exploratory committee." "Carlos Curbelo Doing the Pre-Season I'm-Running Dance to Challenge Democrat Congressman Garcia".

Manufacturing tax break

"Gov. Scott signs manufacturing tax break into law".

Trib likes their Ricky

The wingers at the Tampa Trib begin the long trudge that will end up with their predictible endorsement of Rick Scott's reelection, no matter who runs against him: think Ricky Scott is doing just fine: "Scott’s evolution as governor".

Scott has picked up "less than 20 percent of the jobs" he promised

"To hear Gov. Rick Scott tell it, his memorable campaign pledge to create 700,000 jobs in seven years is going right along schedule."

The novice politician, almost two and a half years into his first term, says things are looking bright for the Sunshine State as a result of investments in economic development and public education.

"We are already almost halfway to our 2010 goal of creating 700,000 new jobs in seven years," Scott wrote in a letter explaining line-item vetoes in the 2013-14 state budget.

This is so

Because Scott told us in a debate and in press accounts that his 700,000 jobs would come on top of Florida's normal growth as it re-added jobs lost during the recession. State economists expected the state to add about 1 million jobs by 2017.

"It's on top of that," he told a reporter in 2010. "If you do these things, we're going to grow 700,000 more jobs."

So Scott needs about 1.4 million more jobs by 2017 to fulfill his original promise of 1.7 million jobs. Through 28 months in office, the state has added less than 20 percent of the jobs he needs to meet that mark.

Indefatigable

"Never Underestimate the Indefatigable Bill Young".

Raschein, R-Key Largo, draws major Democratic opponent

"Rep. Holly Merrill Raschein, R-Key Largo, has drawn a major Democratic opponent as she seeks to defend one of the more competitive seats in the Florida House of Representatives."

Businesswoman and community leader Pamela Gray filed her paperwork Monday to challenge for the House seat, which represents all of Monroe County and parts of Miami-Dade. Filing as a Democrat, Gray had run for the Miami-Dade Commission in 2010, before withdrawing and throwing her support behind another candidate. Gray served as president of the Redlands Citizens Association and served as chairwoman of the Miami-Dade Planning Advisory Board.

The defense that Gov. Rick Scott's office provided last week for why the state would not strike a deal with Amazon.com to build a warehouse in Florida is tortured, and underscores once again how Republican leaders' continued refusal to support efforts to modernize sales tax laws to encompass out-of-state Internet retailers is hurting Floridians and their communities.

The Orlando Sentinel editorial board: "Florida pays price for Scott's anti-tax zealotry".Trigger foes "crow" as wingers whine

"Two weeks after the 2013 Florida Legislature finished its regular session, opponents of Parent Empowerment are still crowing that the bill's defeat represented a victory for 1 million parent activists. There's just one problem: that figure appears to be pulled out of thin air." "Parent Empowerment Foes Inflating Membership".

"Scott backed down"

"The state's largest hospitals were relieved to learn Scott will not spike $65 million aimed at easing the transition to a new Medicaid payment system. In return, hospitals agreed not to ask for more such money next year."

Safety net hospitals lobbied heavily for the extra money, saying a new payment system, known as DRG for diagnosis-related groups, caused massive cuts in Medicaid funding. The House insisted on including transition dollars and the Senate agreed to the $65 million.

Scott's office hinted to hospitals last week that he would reject the money and in response they ramped up their lobbying. Those familiar with the governor's rationale said he felt the formula should stand as is, without consideration for winners and losers.

After hearing from hospitals and their advocates, Scott backed down, but not without obtaining concessions from the hospitals that the funding would last for one year. About 20 hospitals sent letters to Scott pledging to reject additional transition dollars next year, many using a form letter.

"Rubio mesmerized"

"Rubio mesmerized more than 700 people at the annual Hillsborough GOP’s annual Lincoln Day Dinner Saturday night with a familiar speech that resonated more strongly than ever amid revelations that the Internal Revenue Service targeted conservative groups, the U.S. Department of Justice spied on Associated Press reporters, and administration staff carefully calibrated their explanations of the Benghazi attack." "Marco Rubio blames President Obama for latest scandals".

Rubio's "pious fervor" stops when it comes to Karl Rove's abuse of Section 501(c)(4) of the IRS Code

As Rubio "mesmerized" Hillsborough GOP robots about how the poor lil teabaggers being victimized by the IRS, Carl Hiaasen reminds us that the IRS "scandal" is at its core about the abuse of the current "gimmick of choice",

Section 501(c)(4) of the revenue code. Groups receiving that golden designation are allowed to collect unlimited contributions without paying taxes.

They’re not banned from political involvement, but by law they’re supposed to be “primarily engaged” in activities promoting “social welfare” and “the common good” — not partisan politics. It’s a total farce.

Karl Rove’s Crossroads GPS spent untold millions of dollars on behalf of Republican candidates while attacking Democrats during the last election cycle. On the other side, Priorities USA spent a fortune helping Democratic candidates while trashing Republicans.

Both rabidly partisan organizations enjoy tax-exempt status under Section 501(c)(4). They claim to run strictly “issue” advertisements that aren’t really political, which is a hoot.

Congress will hold long hearings, brimming with outrage [about the IRS].

No such pious fervor exists for investigating and exposing the fraudulent status of large groups like Crossroads GPS and Priorities USA, which collectively take in hundreds of millions of dollars.

They’re not “social welfare” organizations worthy of a tax exemption. They’re wealthy partisan advocacy machines with purely political missions — to promote their candidates, and to influence voters.

They are prized by both parties as safe and bottomless repositories for huge campaign donations, which is why you don’t see congressional leaders declaring war on the 501(c)(4) charade.

The c stands for ca-ching.

Whistleblower

"DEP attorneys seek new hearing in permitting case involving employee who testified against bosses".

"Weatherford overreaches"

"The Florida House did the nation a favor by refusing to expand subsidized health insurance to 1 million low-income Floridians, argues Speaker Will Weatherford."

Does the Medicaid expansion drastically raise the deficit? PolitiFact Florida wanted to check it out.

Weatherford spokesman Ryan Duffy responded to our inquiry with a document that includes a Wall Street Journal op-ed by Christina Corieri, a health care policy analyst at the Goldwater Institute, a free-market research group that opposes the expansion of Medicaid.

Corieri's column does not say that expanding Medicaid as outlined in the health care law will drastically increase the deficit. Instead, Corieri says states have "the unique opportunity to veto hundreds of billions of dollars in new federal spending." She said the nearly 30 states that have either opted out or are considering it could save the government $609 billion over the next eight years.

Raw political courage

"Report: Gov. Scott to veto 3 percent tuition increase". See also "Gov. Rick Scott to veto tuition hike".

Scott "eager to use the death penalty"

"Gov. Rick Scott has accelerated the pace of signing death warrants in Florida by lining up three executions over the next few weeks, the most in such a brief period of time in more than two decades."

Scott and his chief legal adviser say they are doing nothing unusual. But legal experts who oppose the death penalty wonder whether other factors are at work — such as Scott's desire to improve his standing with voters as he seeks re-election next year.

Not since 1989, when an unpopular Gov. Bob Martinez set a record by signing six death warrants in a single day, has a Florida governor been so eager to use the death penalty.