Leon County Chief Circuit Judge Charles Francis dismissed the lawsuit "with prejudice," which essentially bars the suit from being filed again. The challenge, backed by the Florida Education Association, was seeking to reverse a 2014 law that packed together an expansion of eligibility for the voucher program with several other education measures.

"In order to sustain standing, the plaintiffs are required to allege sufficient facts to support a finding of special injury," Francis wrote. "As currently pled, the amendment [sic] complaint for declaratory judgment also fails to allege a legally sufficient basis to sustain a finding of special injury and the court is of the opinion that further amendments to the complaint will not result in a legally sufficient complaint."

Francis rebuffed claims by Faasse and two parents who joined the new lawsuit that the expansion of the Tax Credit Scholarship Program hurt them because it could lead to reduced funding for their schools.

"What's your problem? I have health insurance"

The crazies think "Medicaid expansion is bad policy for Florida."

"Cowgirl" rides into Congress

"Gwen Graham, the daughter of one of Florida's most famous families, remembers riding her horse near Miami Lakes across open cow pastures that today are jammed with condominiums, stores and restaurants."

Now the self-described cowgirl with South Florida roots is preparing to ride into Congress, bringing an "independent voice" and calling for new leadership. Graham — who will represent a sprawling district in the Panhandle that covers 14 counties and straddles two time zones — was one of very few bright spots for Democrats this election year.

"Cuba move is Florida’s top story"

"Obama’s Cuba move is Florida’s top story of 2014."

We doubt the "appreciation" is mutual

"Scott declares Florida First Responder Appreciation Week." This after state employees - including the states wildfire firefighters (i.e., first responders) - in the past six years have received only one wage increase, together with a cut to total compensation (to help fund an well-funded FRS pension).

A match made in hell: Walmart and guns

"Toddler accidentally shoots mom in Walmart."

Latest lawsuit to block gay marriages names Orlando's mayor as defendant

"A conservative group on Tuesday sued a county clerk of courts, Orlando’s mayor and a judge in an effort to stop them from helping same-sex couples get married in Florida next week. . . . The conservative group argued the lifting of the state’s ban on same-sex marriage applies to only Washington County in the Panhandle, where the legal challenge originated." "Florida group tries to stop gay marriages." Background: "Dyer agrees to big same-sex wedding at City Hall."

Privatization follies

"The VA recently learned of the breach at private contractor KeyPoint Government Solutions Inc., according to the memo, sent by VA Chief of Staff Jose D. Riojas." "Computer breach exposes data from 48,000 federal workers."

"Tedious, quixotic efforts that are doomed to fail"

The Daytona Beach News Journal editors: "It’s the Florida taxpayer who is being forced to foot the bill for these tedious, quixotic efforts that are doomed to fail."

The employee-testing case has cost taxpayers more than $200,000 in legal fees. Perhaps ginning up business for lawyers was part of Scott’s “Let’s Get to Work” campaign to create jobs and juice the state economy.

"Busy 2015 for Florida Politicians"

Kevin Derby: "Busy 2015 for Florida Politicians in Washington, on Presidential Campaign Trail."

State asks for clarification of gay-marriage ruling

"Just two hours before a midnight deadline, the state obeyed a federal judge's order to clarify Florida county clerks' role in issuing same-sex marriage licenses — by asking the judge to clarify it himself." "State punts gay-marriage ruling back to federal judge."

"Rubio’s Cuban Embargo Delusion"

Martin Dyckman writes that, "although Rubio’s parents fled Cuba before Fidel Castro came to power – and lost nothing as a result – no one is more outspoken or outwardly devoted to perpetuating the spectacular failure of the embargo."

What Rubio needs now to consider and accept is that Florida, situated where it is, has more to gain from trade with Cuba than any other state.

Although nobody seems to be talking about it, there could also be a huge benefit for the Everglades should renewed trade with Cuba lead to importing Cuban sugar once again. It would then be impossible to maintain the current U.S. system of domestic price supports and import quotas.

Alfonso Fanjul, one of the two Cuban expatriate brothers who rule the sugar roost in Florida, disclosed to the Washington Post last February that he had begun visiting Cuba and would be eager, under the right conditions, to resume sugar production there. It’s a safe bet that he and Obama have been discussing this.

The more sugar cane the Fanjuls grow in Cuba, the less phosphate pollution will flow into the Everglades.

Meanwhile, the hypocrisy of the embargo remains as flagrant as the insanity of expecting it to unseat the Castros.

Cuba has posed no threat of any kind to us since Nikita Khrushchev took his nuclear missiles home in 1962. China, on the other hand, is a hugely more populous and powerful rival, with an economy and population well over 100 times more than those of Cuba, and it is every bit as totalitarian as Cuba. Yet we have free and open trade with China, along with other undemocratic regimes.

The hypocrisy is the consequence of single-issue politics. We need to get beyond that, and if Rubio can’t bring himself to lead, let him at least get out of the way.

Romney-II quits another board

"Taking another step toward a presidential run, Jeb Bush is resigning from the board of timber company Rayonier Inc." "Jeb Bush stepping down from timber company board."

Kewl, now let's gut their pensions

"The number of law enforcement officers killed by firearms in the U.S. jumped by 56 percent this year and included 15 ambush assaults, according to a report released Tuesday." "Report: Gun deaths of officers jump 56 percent."

While the rest of us were enjoying Christmas Eve

"Authorities release name of woman found in burning house Christmas Eve."

Grayson denied access to documents on "sources of foreign support" of 9/11 hijackers

"Rep. Alan Grayson has been denied access to 28 classified pages of a congressional report on 'specific sources of foreign support' for the 9/11 hijackers." "Florida congressman denied access to censored pages from 9/11 report."

However, the poll has great news for Hillary Clinton, who in turn crushes Jeb 54-41 in the same poll.

The survey was conducted by live interview among 1,011 adults nationwide from Dec. 18-21, with a subsample of 453 Republicans and 469 Democrats, via landline and cell phone. The overall sample has a margin of error of plus or minus three percentage points.

Imagine what these numbers would be if the media took the kid gloves off in its treatment of Jeb.

Scott's testing promises have "a fly-by-night feel"

The Tampa Bay Times editors: "Four months after Gov. Rick Scott promised on the campaign trail to take a look at the proliferation of standardized tests in Florida schools, the Department of Education finally announced plans this week to do so, saying it would seek details from the state's 67 school districts. That's a fine start, but the question about standardized testing extend beyond their frequency. Fifteen years after Florida's school accountability system started, there remain sincere concerns about how tests are administered, whether third-party testing companies get the answers right, or if the tests are even suited for the purposes they're proposed. Tests can be great tools, but only if they are implemented thoughtfully and are fair."

Education Commissioner Pam Stewart released a statement Monday that her department would conduct an examination of standardized testing in public schools and will analyze the data and produce "information about the number of standardized tests and how each of the test results are used by the state, school boards and teachers." Left unsaid was whether the state would examine its own requirements for standardized testing or its ill-advised rush to implement new tests aligned to the Florida Standards, the Florida-based version of Common Core.

It all has a fly-by-night feel. Consider just this month — three months before the tests are expected to begin — the state released details on what kind of calculators students will be able to use on math assessments.

If you must read them

"Want to read the Jeb Bush emails?"

Insert Money Here

"State Sen. Joe Negron, who represents most of the Treasure Coast, ran two political committees that raised more than $2.6 million since 2012 to help his bid to become one of the most powerful politicians in Florida, a Treasure Coast Newspapers investigation found." "Negron political committees raised $2.6 million Which corporations and committees are supporting Joe Negron by donating money to his political committees? Negron political committees raised $2.6 million (subscription)."

Yee haw!

"Death penalty states unmoved by botched execution."