Entrepreneurs in action

"Largest-Ever Medicare and Medicaid Fraud 'Takedown' Nets 73 in South Florida."

Jeb's entanglements

"Jeb Bush's deep dive into corporate America, where he served on the boards or as an adviser to more than a dozen companies, could trigger complications for him if he wins the White House."

Companies that paid Bush as a board member or adviser regularly hire lobbyists to press issues in Washington before federal agencies, Congress and the White House. Others have been fined by U.S. agencies, such as the Environmental Protection Agency, or faced inquiries from the Securities and Exchange Commission. Some are expected to conduct business beyond November 2016 that will be directly affected by U.S. government decisions.

"It’s who you know"

"Budget priorities reflect who’s got clout in Tallahassee" "The late-night rollout of $1 billion in budget items and more than $300 million in new projects revealed that for much of the legislative budget process, it’s who you know and who is in charge."

And then there's fluoride

"Anti-Common Core Groups Plan Protest at Jeb Bush Event."

Scott spending like a drunken lawyer

"Scott says the state and federal government haven’t resolved the lawsuit’s underlying issues of being foreced to expand Medicaid." "Florida Gov. Rick Scott not dropping lawsuit against feds over hospital funds."

Bush is officially running for president, and he’s leading with his record as governor of Florida. In his kick-off speech Monday in Miami, he promised the U.S. economy would grow 4 percent per year if he is elected, creating 19 million jobs — 'growth,' he said, “that lifts up the middle class.”

Those stats are, indeed, something to brag about. They’re also missing a huge caveat, as many Bush critics immediately noted: A significant amount of Florida’s economic and job growth in the Bush era was driven by a massive run-up in housing prices — which peaked in Bush’s last year in office, then plunged the state into a worse recession than the nation as a whole.

When you account for the role of housing, Bush’s economic record looks a lot more mixed. Almost all of the gains he talks up today, including three-fifths of the job creation, were wiped out in the four years after he left office, once the bubble burst.

It is “empirically inescapable” that “housing was a big part of the robust Florida economy at the time,” said Stan Humphries, the chief economist at the real estate website Zillow, which analyzed the role of housing-driven spending in the state’s economic boom.

A Bush campaign spokesman did not return two emails seeking comment.

Jeb-Marco Laffer

"Jeb Bush's case against Marco Rubio."

About Florida Forever Funding

Nancy Smith "Florida Forever Funding: The Rest of the Story." Related: "Tom Rooney Backs Everglades Restoration in Interior, Environment Appropriations Bill" and "U.S. House Appropriations Approves $150 Million for Everglades Restoration."

"Midnight madness"

"Pet projects long given up for dead resurfaced and were included in the state’s $79 billion budget, finally crafted at a special session late Monday." "Midnight madness: A flurry of back-room deals before lawmakers settle on $79 billion budget."

Marco, Jeb! trail Hillary in Florida

Sorry Jeb!, but a "new poll shows former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has a slight lead over Sen. Marco Rubio and former Gov. Jeb Bush in Florida, the largest swing state on the map in presidential elections, even as a majority of voters say she can’t be trusted. Clinton leads other Republicans by far wider margins."

Quinnipiac University released a poll of Florida voters showing Clinton edging Rubio 47 percent to 44 percent while she leads Bush 46 percent to 42 percent.

The Cheerleading continues

The All-Star Cheerleaders from the Orlando Sentinel are on fire today: "Jeb adds welcome style, experience to GOP race."

Meanwhile, a question of whether Jeb! is ready for prime time has already arisen: "Jeb Bush Mocks Clinton, Opposes Gay Marriage In Overheard Interview."

"He nearly got what he asked for"

"Gov. Rick Scott eagerly signed into law around $430 million in tax cuts Tuesday, including reducing cell phone and TV services taxes. Scott had pushed for $470 million in cuts at the start of the regular session in March -- and in spite of the hospital-funding pull on reserves, he nearly got what he asked for. The House and the Senate passed the cuts on Monday." "Rick Scott Signs More than $400 Million in Tax Cuts Into Law."

Jeb! claims he "actually did things"

"A day after making his bid for the Republican presidential nomination official, the former Florida governor fielded questions from New Hampshire voters for more than an hour Tuesday, insisting he was the best candidate to restore U.S. prosperity." "Jeb Bush sharpens line against rivals: ‘I actually did things’."

Jeb! knocks Pope

"Jeb Bush knocks Pope on climate change push."

See also "Lawmakers Strike Deal, Pour $301 Million into Last-Minute Projects," "Legislators approve $400M in tax cuts" and "As budget deal emerges, Florida Legislature’s midnight raid on treasury redefines ‘transparency’."

Amendment 1 lawsuit brewing

"It wasn’t until Monday that environmentalists realized lawmakers were setting aside far less, setting up a likely legal showdown over what exactly Amendment 1 means." "Lawsuit could be brewing against state over Amendment 1 funding."

Yawwwnnn

"He's running for president." "Jeb Bush makes it official, announcing presidential run." See also "Jeb Bush Makes It Official and Enters 2016 Race," "5 things you probably missed at Jeb Bush’s announcement."

The cheer leading begins

And so the cheer leading begins. First up, the team from the Miami Herald: "Mr. Bush enters the race."

Next up, the squad from the Tampa Trib editorial board: "Jeb Bush can be himself."

Old foes

"Moments before former Gov. Jeb Bush launched his presidential bid, U.S. Rep. Ander Crenshaw, R-Fla., explained whey he was backing the former Florida governor for the Republican nomination. Bush beat out Crenshaw in the Republican gubernatorial primary back in 1994." "Ander Crenshaw Weighs in Why He's Backing Old Foe Jeb Bush for President."

Jeb's media sycophants about to jump into the race

Jeb Bush's political career has been largely driven by a handful of media sycophants, eager to show that Florida - and by extension them - can play the presidential politics game.

With that, Jeb's right wing tendencies have been largely papered over to make him appear to be the "deep thinker" in the Bushco crew, as opposed to the right wing brat he really is. Well, Jeb's lapdogs in Florida's MSM - well most of them - are finally going to get what they want:

Bush enters the race as a top tier candidate. He's well known, thanks largely to his last name. Major donors, business leaders and the party establishment are all comfortable with him. He has the Right to Rise war chest. He's fluent in Spanish, something could help him appeal to Hispanic voters during a general election campaign. And he has a formidable campaign organization.

To be sure, there are, and were, a handful of decent journalists and authors who held Jeb's feet to the fire during Jeb's reign. See e.g., "The governor plays rough," "Lance deHaven-Smith: Risking 2000 all over again," "How Jeb Bush Alienated African American Voters by Ending Affirmative Action, and "Jeb Bush’s Rush to Make Money May Be Hurdle" and "The Jeb Bush Era Ends in Florida" (former Sun Sentinel reporter discusses "Bush's shoot-first, take-no-advice method of governing.")

Expect the poodles to remain ascendant.

No longer "left for dead"

"Lawmakers are attempting to squeeze some education policies — including some left for dead after the regular session abruptly ended this spring — into the state’s 2015-16 budget." "Lawmakers try to slip education policies into new budget efforts."

More Jeb!

The pantywaist coverage begins: "How Miami made Jeb Bush and "Fact-checking Jeb Bush, the non-candidate candidate."

"Bush still with much to prove"

"Bush still with much to prove in leaderless GOP 2016 race."

"Medical Marijuana's Back"

John Morgan 's back with medical MJ:

Morgan was back in the news last week as he wrote a check for $150,000 to get another medical marijuana amendment on the ballot in 2016. Amendment 2 lost by a narrow margin, just failing to get 60 percent in a year when conservatives came out in droves to vote. Medical marijuana supporters hope they’ll have a better shot come 2016.

Florida voters back medical marijuana but they had concerns with Amendment 2. Opponents ran numerous ads pointing out loopholes in Amendment 2, leaving enough room for doubt in the voters’ minds.

On the campaign trail, Rubio promises in scolding tones to rein in government spending, yet in his personal life he has displayed absolutely no talent for managing money.

The idea of him sitting in the Oval Office with billions at stake is a little scary.

Rubio’s struggles to handle his own checkbook have been well chronicled by [the Miami Herald] and other Florida media. A few years ago he was caught nicking the state Republican Party’s American Express card for more than $16,000 in personal expenses, including travel to a family reunion and a paving job at his home.

Rubio said he accidentally took out the wrong credit to pay for the stone pavers, and that a travel agent mistakenly billed the GOP account for the reunion charges. All the money was repaid after reporters started asking questions.

While in the state Legislature, where he eventually became Speaker of the House, Rubio set up political-action committees. One of them gave him thousands of dollars in reimbursements for auto expenses, gas and phone bills. That PAC was, on paper, run by his wife.

Rubio also jointly bought a house in Tallahassee with his close pal, then-state representative and future U.S. congressman David Rivera, one of the sleaziest slugs to ever attain public office in South Florida.

During one stretch, Rubio and Rivera went five months without making any mortgage payments and were threatened with foreclosure."Two weeks ago, they finally unloaded the house at an $18,000 loss. (Rubio no longer hangs out with Rivera, who is the subject of a federal corruption investigation.)

Jeb's "Shaky Start"

"Jeb Bush Works to Recover From a Shaky Start."

Meanwhile, "Two Dynasties: How Jeb Bush and Linc Chafee Ended Up On Opposite Sides," "Jeb Bush to announce on Monday, has much to prove in leaderless GOP," "Jeb Bush still with much to prove in leaderless GOP 2016 race" and "Jeb Bush: I'll break away from GOP pack."

Budget blues

"Lawmakers’ proposal could end $2 billion hospital battle," "Lawsuit raises possible budget-busting issue for next year," "Lawmakers Strike Deal on Economic Development" and "Lawmakers try to slip education policies into new budget efforts."

"Will his campaign be worthy of an exclamation point?"

"Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush (R) posted an image to Twitter on Sunday ahead of his 2016 presidential campaign launch." "Jeb Bush Tweets Out 'Jeb!' Logo" and "Jeb Bush seeks to stir passions no logo can reach as 2016 launch looms."

"Jeb Bush is going with his old standard — “Jeb!” — to harken back to his tenure as Florida governor (and to avoid spelling out “Bush”). But will his campaign be worthy of an exclamation point?" "Jeb Bush prepares to launch candidacy after non-candidate campaign exposed 2016 challenges."

"More money than they do brains"

Nancy Smith writes that "Some environmental groups have more money than they do brains. Meet the Everglades Trust. They don't learn." "And the Award for the Session's 'Most Botched Lobbying Job' Goes to ... the Everglades Trust."

"Sacrificing the state’s award-winning park system "

The Tampa Trib editors: "Jon Steverson, chief of the state’s Department of Environmental Protection, wants to sacrifice the state’s award-winning park system by expanding logging and cattle grazing in order to generate money. The proposal raises questions about whether Steverson, who was appointed in December by Gov. Rick Scott, understands the value of the park system."

Steverson — and perhaps Scott — either lacks a proper historical perspective or has gotten caught up in the fallacy that the state parks system should be self-sustaining.

"Bacteria to suck up stinky parts in drinking water"

"The musty, dirt-like smell that often comes out of the faucet may soon disappear from Manatee County's water supply." "Florida county brings in bacteria to suck up stinky parts in drinking water."

Flabaggery

"At age 23, Rep. Jennifer Sullivan is the youngest member of the Florida Legislature. But the Mount Dora Republican scored a major victory Wednesday, when Gov. Rick Scott signed her bill to require a 24-hour waiting period before women can have abortions." "Five Questions for Rep. Jennifer Sullivan."