Education

Scott organized a three-day summit last week to tackle controversies over the coming Common Core State Standards and the discredited school accountability system now in place. He promotes the $1 billion in new money public schools received this year and his effort to give teachers raises.

The reality is Scott failed to show up at his own summit to listen to the concerns of school superintendents and others. Instead he ate dinner privately with former Gov. Jeb Bush . . . .

The governor staged another media show last week to promote a worthy project to improve water flow into Everglades National Park. That is a drop in the bucket compared to the damage he has done to the environment.

Scott inaccurately claims he is more than halfway toward meeting his pledge of creating 700,000 jobs, and he keeps cranking out the news releases. Last week: 100 jobs at Boeing in Miami; 105 new air cargo jobs in Orlando; 200 jobs at technology company Citrix in Fort Lauderdale. The week before that: 40 jobs at the moving and storage company PODS in Clearwater.

Many of the jobs Scott counts won't be created for years, if ever, and the bigger picture is darker. The state's unemployment rate has been stuck at 7.1 percent for three months, better than the national average of 7.4 percent. A report by the Bureau of Labor Statistics says the labor force expanded in the Tampa Bay area, Jacksonville and Orlando in the past year but in other areas — South Florida, the Panhandle, Bradenton, Sarasota and Lakeland — the labor force contracted. And the jobless rate in Pasco and Hernando counties is still 8 percent or higher.

Scott's heavy-handed attempt to lure companies from other states is a public relations nightmare, and it isn't working. While Florida now has roughly as many jobs as before the recession, people earn less and there are more part-time jobs. Jobs in the low-paying leisure and hospitality sectors are up. Better paying jobs in construction, manufacturing and professional/business services are still down.

After Florida failed to persuade the courts to block health care reform, Scott called for the state to accept billions in federal dollars and expand Medicaid to 1 million uninsured residents. "I cannot, in good conscience, deny Floridians the needed access to health care," he declared in February.

Then he stopped listening to his conscience. Scott sat by as House Speaker Will Weatherford blocked expansion, and he has dropped the issue. What the governor has done is reject millions in federal dollars to implement health care reform and left the creation of an insurance exchange to the federal government. He also foolishly signed into law a ban on state regulation of health insurance rates for two years.

New U.S. Census figures show nearly 1 in 4 Floridians lack health insurance, the second highest rate in the nation. Hospitals in Orlando, Vero Beach and elsewhere are laying off workers and reducing pay in part because the new Medicaid dollars aren't coming.

Scott isn't expanding access to health care. He is working against it. He is making it harder for hospitals to make ends meet, harder for the uninsured to get coverage and harder for businesses to comply with the federal law.

Scott kicks off his re-election campaign

"Gov. Rick Scott, effectively kicking off his re-election campaign before conservative activists Friday, proposed cutting $500 million in taxes and fees and attacked his probable Democratic opponent Charlie Crist for embracing President Barack Obama’s stimulus."

Citing signs of an improving state economy, from a budget surplus to swelling tax revenues, Scott said it was time to give back. “It’s your money, not the government’s,” he told 1,500 people at the two-day Americans for Prosperity conference.

Scott did not provide details on the tax cuts, and his office refused to elaborate. But it gives him a selling point to voters as he enters campaign mode. His remarks about Crist were among his sharpest yet and signal the GOP feels the matchup is inevitable.

Rubio doesn't mention immigration at Flabagger-fest

"Sen. Marco Rubio knew it was coming, and it did — shouts and jeers from conservative activists over his role in immigration reform."

“Build the fence!” a man yelled as Rubio took the stage Friday at the Americans for Prosperity conference in Orlando. “No amnesty!” several people shouted throughout his address.

But the reception from the crowd of 1,500 was mostly enthusiastic for Rubio, who used his speech to denounce big government and Obamacare, the mention of which brought people to their feet.

Rubio also got loud applause when he criticized the Common Core education standards, which have come under assault form tea party activists who see the standards as a federal takeover. By extension, Rubio was jabbing at his mentor, former Gov. Jeb Bush, who is a major backer of Common Core and has worked to defend against the critics.

Rubio never mentioned immigration, but it was on the mind of many. He was one of eight senators who crafted a wide-ranging bill that would spend tens of billions on border security while also providing a pathway to citizenship for as many as 11 million undocumented residents, provided they pay fines and meet other standards.

“He lied about his position on amnesty,” said Jon Moseley, an activist from Lake Placid, Fla., referring to Rubio’s hard-line stance on immigration during his 2010 Senate campaign. “Now he’s the main face of amnesty”.

Week in Review

"Week in Review for Aug. 30, 2013". See also "Weekly Roundup: A Tale of Two Summits".

"Jindal won’t be making it to Miami for the long weekend"

Fabiola Santiago: "Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal doesn’t care for our contemporary salad bowl culture and its 'hyphenated Americans.' He thinks we place 'far too much emphasis' on our 'separateness' by talking about heritage, ethnic background and skin color. He bemoans what he considers an overdose of stories in the media about race, racism, ethnicity and race relations."

He was in Orlando Friday speaking to his choir, the conservative Americans for Prosperity’s “Defending the American Dream Summit,” not surprisingly in the company of Gov. Rick Scott and other tea party favorites.

It’s safe to say that since Jindal doesn’t like salad — and here, we serve them accented by mango, avocados, crunchy noodles, and yes, apples and grapes, too — Jindal won’t be making it to Miami for the long weekend.

"Shortsighted leaders"

The Tampa Bay Tmes editorial board: "Sometimes good ideas survive even when shortsighted leaders ignore them. News that a small cadre of solar power firms is figuring out ways to gain a foothold in Florida's energy market despite the political hostility is good for consumers, the environment and the state's future. It also should provide additional evidence for more thoughtful lawmakers to persuade Gov. Rick Scott and Republican legislative leaders to focus on the future of renewable energy." "New hope for solar in Florida".

So much for the "Summer of Charlie Crist"

Jeff Henderson: "Labor Day weekend is here and now we know the “summer of Charlie Crist” was a bigger box-office bomb than 'The Lone Ranger.'This summer, Florida politics was supposed to focus on Crist’s efforts to win Democrats over as he prepares to run again for governor. Back in May, pundits insisted Crist would be the story and this would be the 'summer of Charlie Crist.'"

"Florida financial reporting on education received a 'D-'"

"Florida financial reporting on education received a "D-" from the Cato Institute. They critiqued the difficulty in finding information. The Department of Education disagrees with the assessment saying the think tank did not properly investigate the website." "Budget Note: K-12 Education Appropriations".

Flabaggers in a dither

"A Republican congressman from a conservative Florida district was so impressed by a young immigrant at a town hall meeting that he's now more supportive of granting a pathway to citizenship." "Tea partier Rep. Steve Southerland voices immigration-reform support".

Javier Rodriguez challenger

"This week, a major Republican challenger emerged in Miami-Dade County to run against freshman Rep. Jose Javier Rodriguez, D-Miami, in a competitive Florida House district." "Daniel Diaz Leyva Launches Challenge to Jose Javier Rodriguez".

Meanwhile, the Miami Herald editorial board writes that the "State errs in obstructing Affordable Care Act".

"Florida's deadbeat dad"

Nancy Smith: "He's the head of the family -- the one who promises the moon and you want to believe, God knows you love him. So when he turns up empty-handed again, you give him another chance. And another. That's Florida's deadbeat dad. That's the federal government." "Florida's Deadbeat Dad".

Why do we have 73 year old construction workers?

"A 73-year-old construction worker was rescued Thursday from a three-story apartment building that is under construction in Fort Lauderdale, officials said. During the rescue that began at about 2 p.m., responders from the fire department's Technical Rescue Team used a 'stokes basket' to lower the patient to the ground." "Fort Lauderdale firefighters rescue laborer from rooftop".

Scott, Rubio, Cruz and Jindal in Orlando laff riot

"Conservatives from across the county will be hitting Orlando on Friday and Saturday as the Americans for Prosperity (AFP) Foundation holds the 'Defending the American Dream Summit' at Universal Studios -- and liberals are taking note that two prominent Florida Republicans will be taking part."

Gov. Rick Scott will be offering a keynote address for the event while U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., will be speaking there as well. Rubio is not the only possible Republican presidential hopeful speaking at the event. U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, Gov. Rick Perry of Texas and Gov. Bobby Jindal of Louisiana, all of whom are considered likely contenders for the Republican presidential nomination in 2016, are all scheduled to speak.

But the tea party-aligned group can expect protests from liberals including U.S. Rep. Alan Grayson, D-Fla., and former Orlando Police Chief Val Demings. The liberal group Organize Now announced on Wednesday it would be protesting the AFP event on Friday.

Tin ear

"Sen. Dorothy Hukill, R-Port Orange, filed SB 134 Wednesday, which would increase the amount of income exempted from corporate income taxes and the franchise tax imposed on banks and savings associations. . . . Eliminating the corporate tax cut was one of Gov. Rick Scott’s top priorities when he first came into office. Florida already has one of the lowest state corporate income tax rates in the country at 5.5 percent, and lawmakers have only given him exemptions from the tax rather than a reduction in the rate." "Sen. Hukill files bill to cut taxes for corporations, banks".

John Legg

"Chairing the Senate Education Committee, John Legg is well-positioned to shape education in Florida for years to come." "Common Core Supporter John Legg Set to Shape Florida Education".

Finger in the wind . . . Rubio speaks on Syria

"As lawmakers weigh in on Syria, Sen. Marco Rubio waited until he was called out by the news media to break his silence on whether and how President Barack Obama should respond to the alleged use of chemical weapons by President Bashar Assad’s regime." "Sen. Marco Rubio breaks deafening silence on Syria".

Been to Tally lately?

"Florida vs. giant snails: We're winning".

Scott fails to show up at his own education "summit"

The Tampa Bay Times editors: "The education insiders who gathered this week in Clearwater at the governor's invitation were right about continuing Florida's move to Common Core State Standards. But they failed to recommend solutions for the short term, showing little political appetite for reforming the flawed school accountability system that will be used until the new standards take hold. That's not fair to students or schools that will continue to be evaluated based on a system that's lost credibility even with a key member of the state Board of Education. Clinging to a flawed system and condoning so much collateral damage does not build public trust in public education."

The three-day K-12 summit was Republican Gov. Rick Scott's first major foray into the details of public education policy — though he failed to show up to kick it off, sending instead interim Education Commissioner Pam Stewart. In a room packed with county school superintendents, state lawmakers and educators, there was tacit agreement that Florida's accountability system has gone off track in the past two years as the state embraced more than 30 changes to the school grading formula. Some of those changes may have been warranted, but the result — combined with continued changes in the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test — is a scheme so complex and mistrusted that for the second year the Board of Education had to tweak the final results.

Geniuses

"Amid a growing backlash over Florida’s school grading system and the Common Core standards, Gov. Rick Scott huddled in private in Miami with former Gov. Jeb Bush." "Gov. Rick Scott’s private meeting with Jeb Bush irks parent activists, Democrats".

Miami-Dade Commissioners to unilaterally resolve union impasses

How nice that the employer gets to unilaterally resolve impasses: "Miami-Dade commissioners to vote on union impasses".

It is sorta like flouride

"Campaign Seeks to Dispel Common Core Data Mining Claims".

That, and three Wawas . . .

"Scott trumpets 100 jobs in Boeing project".

"Exercises in low-down money-grubbing and influence peddling"

Fred Grimm: "Three mayors busted. All three accused of illegally exploiting their offices for personal gain. Let me attach an irrelevant little addendum to the ignominy that has sullied three Miami-Dade city halls: two Republicans and a Democrat."

These might be termed political scandals, except there was nothing much about politics in the banal schemes described by undercover FBI agents who arrested the mayors of Sweetwater and Miami Lakes, and by investigators from the Miami-Dade StateAttorney’s office and the county’s Commission on Ethics and Public Trust who nabbed the mayor in Homestead. If the charges hold up, these were non-partisan exercises in low-down money-grubbing and influence peddling. And the arrests illustrate, once again, that while so many Americans are fixated on the great philosophical divide, left versus right, tea party versus MoveOn, clamoring fringe versus clamoring fringe, actual government has been usurped by either a plutocracy or a kleptocracy. Either way, it’s so much about money, and so little to do with philosopy.

Election season

"Scott pledges $90 million for bridge to help Everglades, relieve Lake Okeechobee".

Last week, however, it looked like a joke.

The party’s Florida Chief Financial Officer candidate, Allie Braswell, withdrew Monday just days after announcing his bid. Braswell quit after Jacksonville’s Florida Times-Union reported he had a few bankruptcies in his past — a damaging bit of history for someone running to manage the finances of the fourth most-populous state in the nation.

Money: Controlling no statewide seats based in Tallahassee and barely a third of the Legislature, Democrats have relatively little clout to squeeze contributions from the special interests who dominate the state Capitol and fund campaigns. But if the Democrats win the governor’s mansion — a good possibility with Crist or Sink — it could help slowly turn the red Republican tide that has flooded the Capitol since the mid-1990s.

Flakey voters: The party’s voters can’t be trusted to show up for mid-term, gubernatorial elections. The last Democrat elected governor was Lawton Chiles, in 1994. U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson and Sink in 2006 were the only recent Democrats to win in a mid-term year when the GOP started to fall apart nationally. Compare that to presidential elections. Disregarding the disputed 2000 White House race, Republican presidential candidates have clearly won Florida just twice in two decades: 2004 and 1992.

Loyalty: Democratic strategist Steve Schale points out that his party punishes those who lose in a race. Hence, it seems, mid-terms more often than not showcase new Democrats running to the same-old slaughter. Compare that to the GOP, which often rewards repeat candidates with eventual wins. Crist, for instance, was one of them.

History: When you run for an office, you go back and look at the last election. And it’s a turnoff for a Democratic candidate because 2010 was a blood-red Republican year. Except for Scott, each Republican holding a Cabinet seat won by double-digit margins, with CFO Jeff Atwater besting the Democrat by an astonishing 18.4 percentage points (this is the guy Braswell was going to beat?).

Incumbency: It’s always tough to beat an incumbent. And all statewide seats are held by Republicans.

Obama’s cult of personality: For all the talk of the Obama campaign’s rigorous organization, data targeting and turn-out operations, it looks like the campaign was all about Obama. That was the story in 2010, when Obama and his team didn't do enough as Republicans roared and Democrats scurried; 2014 could be a repeat.

On that last point, Florida Democrats have privately said that they know they can’t count on Team Obama, which isn’t just greedy about hoarding its data — it’s arrogant to boot.

But arrogance isn’t a disqualifier in politics. Just look at the Republican Party of Florida.

"Christian conservatives rally"

"Christian conservatives rally in Miami-Dade against gender identity non-discrimination law".

Another term please

Republican "Gayle Harrell slammed the door on running for Congress Tuesday, announcing she is seeking another term in the Florida House. Harrell tried to run for Congress before. First elected to the Florida House in 2000, she ran against Tom Rooney in the Republican primary to challenge Tim Mahoney in 2008. But she came up short and returned to the Legislature in 2010 as a member of the Florida House." "Gayle Harrell Says No to Congressional Bid Against Patrick Murphy".

Housing market sees boost

"Florida housing market sees boost in July". Related: "Florida consumer confidence holds steady after drop".

Fred Grimm wonders:

Maybe sleazy associations and suspicious gobs of money and rampant amnesia are inevitable in urban communities that still elect politicians to run their police forces. The late Broward Sheriff Ron Cochran once ruefully once described BSO as “a 5,000-member political action committee with badges and guns.”

Dems find HD 44 challenger

"As former Rep. Eric Eisnaugle, R-Orlando, seeks to return to the House, he now faces the prospect of a Democratic challenger. Orlando Democrat and businessman Shaun Raja opened a campaign account Monday to run in 2014 in House District 44, the same seat sought by Eisnaugle and another Republican, Ronney Roger Oliveira of Ocoee. Eisnaugle served in the House from 2008 to 2012, but stepped aside last year to allow Rep. Steve Precourt, R-Orlando, to run unopposed in the redrawn District 44. Precourt is term-limited in 2014. " "Eisnaugle gets Dem opposition in HD 44".

Perry and Jindal look to Florida as 2016 looms

"Bobby Jindal and Rick Perry Look to South Carolina and Florida as 2016 Looms".

To replace Joe Gibbons

"A new candidate has jumped into the increasingly crowded Democratic primary to replace term-limited Rep. Joe Gibbons, D-Pembroke Park, in representing parts of Broward and Miami-Dade counties in Tallahassee. Ben Sorensen, a businessman, pastor, community activist and officer in the Navy Reserve, filed to enter the race as a Democrat at the end of last week. Sorensen joins former North Bay Village Mayor Joe Geller, Hallandale Beach Vice Mayor Alex Lewy and teacher John Paul Alvarez who are seeking the Democratic nomination to replace Gibbons. Whoever emerges in the Democratic primary in 2014 will be a heavy favorite to head up to Tallahassee. No Republicans are currently running for this seat which represents a solid Democratic district." "Open South Florida House Race Gets More Crowded as Ben Sorensen Joins Dem Primary".

Alternative to Boy Scouts

"Florida Conservative Poised to Launch Alternative to Boy Scouts".

School score rigging

"Florida may keep a safety net for another year that could keep some schools from getting branded with an 'F' grade." "Safety net for Fla. school grades may get extended".

SoFla mayors keep falling

"Authorities early Wednesday arrested Homestead Mayor Steve Bateman in connection with a secret $125-an-hour secret consulting gig for a nonprofit organization. Bateman, cuffed at his home, was charged with unlawful compensation." "Homestead mayor arrested over consulting job".

Health care costs

"As health care costs rise in Florida, insurers and hospitals vested in the success of the Affordable Care Act, are coming up with new ways to cut costs from buying services in bulk and piloting programs to lowering hospital readmission rates and limiting the number of doctors within a plan's network. Florida's health care costs rose an average of 6.9 percent in the past 18 years, higher than the national average of 6.5 percent. Health care expenditures per capita in the state are $7,156 compared to the national average of $6,815 during that same time period, according to the nonpartisan Kaiser Family Foundation. Reining in health care costs, which have been growing far faster than inflation and wages, will be crucial to the long-term success of the Affordable Care Act." "Insurers curbing costs as health care costs rise".

Scott’s emails still out of public eye

"Gov. Rick Scott said Sunburst would give Floridians 'an open and transparent window into how their state government works,' and that hasn’t happened." "Scott’s emails with staff still out of public eye".

Shameless Rubio plays politics with his mommy

"U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio has vigorously opposed Obamacare for many reasons. Lately, he's been invoking his mother, suggesting she'll be harmed by the president's health care plan."

Since there is always a lot in play when it comes to Medicare Advantage, experts say it's just too early for Rubio to worry seniors. Insurers have submitted their bids to Medicare, and the annual announcement of plan changes comes in September. Open enrollment is Oct. 15 through Dec. 7.

"We don't know what's going to happen, but that's true every year,'' said Joe Baker, president of the Medicare Rights Center, the national nonprofit advocacy group that fields around 12,000 calls a year to its consumer help line.

Still, Baker and others doubt seniors will find a September surprise in their mailboxes.

"If the last few years under the (health law) and this administration is any indication, it's going to be a pretty smooth year and a pretty even year,'' Baker said.

Mendelson [CEO of strategic analysis firm Avalere Health], too, is dubious of a rate spike.

SYG amendment

"Sen. Chris Smith to propose bill that would amend 'stand your ground' law". See also "Smith files 'stand your ground' bill".

"Scott appears to be finally getting the message"

The Tampa Bay Times editors: "Gov. Rick Scott appears to be finally getting the message that public education needs his attention. His three-day education summit starting Monday in Clearwater is aimed at tackling four growing controversies. Scott has invited an impressive list of stakeholders, but he will be successful only if he comes prepared for more than a photo opportunity. The governor needs to accept responsibility for improving all public schools and establishing a clear direction." "Schools need talk, then action".