Daily Clips for September 17, 2010

FEATURED STORIES Charlie Crist pushes back at Senate front-runner Marco Rubio By Beth Reinhard St. Petersburg Times Under attack on television and losing traction in the U.S. Senate race, Gov. Charlie Crist lashed out Thursday at front-runner Marco Rubio for his spending with a Republican Party credit card and for trying to stuff pork into the state budget. Rick Scott company gets more stimulus bucks By Aaron Deslatte Orlando Sentinel Although Republican gubernatorial hopeful Rick Scott has frequently lambasted President Barack Obama's economic stimulus plan, a telecommunications company he has invested heavily in continues to reap financial rewards from the federal program. Claims chief: 'I am not a liar' By Jim Ash Florida Capital News Embattled Gulf oil spill claims czar Ken Feinberg acknowledged Thursday that payments from the $20-billion fund he administers for victims aren't coming quickly enough, but he denied misleading Floridians when he promised to grant quick relief. BEST OF THE BLOGS Florida’s Republicans are Just a Mess By Buck Banks Pensito Review The Republican Party of Florida is, to use a technical political term, all messed up. Charlie Crist: “It’s All About Me” By Inkberries Beach Peanuts Well, it’s another day, and another flip-flop, or two, for Charlie Crist. FL Seniors Can Help Stop Social Security Swindle By Daniel Tilson The Examiner Almost one out of three registered voters in Florida is over 60 years old, and most of those folks actually do vote, unlike many of their younger counterparts. Controversial GOP rabble-rouser claims racism in party By Joy-Ann Reid The Grio The past year has not been kind to Jim Greer. Complainers Keep The Story Alive By Jake Rantings From Florida It inevitably happens whenever a story gets over-covered. FLORIDA POLITICS Senate confirms Tampa native to oversee Voice of America, Radio Marti By Alex Leary St. Petersburg Times The U.S. Senate on Thursday confirmed Dick Lobo, a Tampa native who ran WEDU-Ch. 3, to be director of the International Broadcasting Bureau. Florida freezes $1,500 rebate program for air conditioners By David Bauerlein Florida Times-Union Like a central air conditioner that suddenly conks out, Florida’s $1,500 rebate program for the purchase of Energy Star units was suspended this week because state lawmakers didn’t approve payout of the rebates. Tallahassee power grab Editorial Tampa Tribune In holding up payment of energy rebates for thousands of Florida residents and businesses, leaders of the state Senate and House are showing they'll stoop to anything to get even politically with Gov. Charlie Crist, even if it hurts the public. Our take on: A/C rebates & GOP audit release Editorial Orlando Sentinel Florida officials have taken a good idea — $1,500 rebates for homeowners who buy new, energy-efficient air conditioners — strangled it with red tape and starved it of funding. POLITICAL RACES Meek, Rubio, Crist debate Friday night on Univision By Ana Valdes Palm Beach Post The first debate between Florida's three U.S. Senate candidates during the general election campaign occurs Friday at the WLTV Univision 23 studios in Miami. Scott cancels NBC debate, making USF event likely By William March Tampa Tribune A statewide broadcast debate on NBC between Alex Sink and Rick Scott planned for Oct. 25 has been canceled because Scott declined, saying moderator Chris Matthews is "a known Obama liberal." Scott, Sink differ sharply on how to cut, reshape state government By Tristram Korten Florida Independent Democrat Alex Sink wants to give state workers a raise. Republican Rick Scott wants to eliminate them by the thousands. Florida Chamber of Commerce gets on the backtrack bandwagon, endorsing Rick Scott for governor By Mary Ellen Klas St. Petersburg Times/Miami Herald Tallahassee Bureau The Florida Chamber of Commerce may have spent millions to defeat him in the primary, but when it comes to the general election contest, it's decided to give some love to Republican Rick Scott. Tax cuts carving a divide in Florida By Lesley Clark Miami Herald Barack Obama's push to let tax cuts for the richest Americans expire is emerging as a campaign issue in Florida, putting some Democrats in tight reelection races at odds with the president. Reps with tough races, like Klein, break with Dem leaders over tax cuts for rich By George Bennett Palm Beach Post George W. Bush's radioactive approval ratings fueled the Democratic takeover of Congress in 2006 and helped Barack Obama make "change" a successful presidential campaign theme in 2008. Joe Garcia reveals 25-idea economic plan By Patricia Mazzei Miami Herald Set against a backdrop of stubbornly high unemployment and sky-high home foreclosures, Democratic congressional candidate Joe Garcia unveiled an economic plan Thursday pushing for help for small businesses and homeowners -- and a heap of tax cuts and credits. Staircase bought with taxpayer money exists, but it isn't fancy By Aaron Sharockman St. Petersburg Times "When career politician Daniel Webster became speaker of the House, he wasted $32,000 of our money on a spiral staircase for his office." The tea party’s snarl Editorial St. Petersburg Times Democratic operatives are ablaze with excitement over the victory of two particularly dubious tea party candidates in Tuesday's Republican primaries, envisioning smoother paths to victory in the races for governor in New York and U.S. senator in Delaware. BALLOT INITIATIVES AARP joins supporters of redistricting amendments By Brandon Larrabee Florida Times-Union A pair of constitutional amendments aimed at cutting back on political gerrymandering won the support of the state branch of AARP today. Fla. Supreme Court gets class size amendment case The Associated Press Palm Beach Post As expected, the Florida Supreme Court has received a challenge to a ballot proposal that would loosen Florida's class size limits. Council delays vote on growth plan until after November election By Michael Van Sickler St. Petersburg Times The City Council voted Thursday to shelve a controversial plan to nullify the effects of a November ballot measure that would let residents, not elected officials, decide future growth changes. ENVIRONMENT AND ENERGY Realtors not sold on share from oil spill By Louis Cooper Pensacola News Journal The statewide Florida Realtors association has started divvying up the $16 million it received to compensate real estate agents and brokers who lost business after the oil spill. Spray-on Solar Power Techonology Unveiled at USF By Bobbie O'Brien WUSF Public Radio Tampa The typical photovoltaic panel may soon be made obsolete by technology unveiled at the University of South Florida. South Fla. cities get hybrid garbage trucks The Associated Press Miami Herald Miami-Dade County and two South Florida cities will be among the first to use hybrid powered garbage trucks. LGBT UF may add gender identity to nondiscrimination policy By Nathan Crabbe Gainesville Sun University of Florida faculty and students are being asked for their support in adding gender identity and expression to the university's nondiscrimination policy. Crist's position evolves - why? Editorial Ft. Myers News-Press Charlie Crist’s “evolution” is startling and welcome as he embraces several gay rights positions that move him in the direction of recognizing full equality for all citizens. EDUCATION Fla. collects $14.7 million from FCAT contractor The Associated Press Tampa Tribune Florida has collected $14.7 million in penalties from a contractor that delivered standardized test results more than a month late, and that amount could grow, the state's education commissioner said Thursday. JOBS, BUDGET, AND ECONOMY Census: 1 in 7 Americans lives in poverty The Associated Press Miami Herald The ranks of the working-age poor climbed to the highest level since the 1960s as the recession threw millions of people out of work last year, leaving one in seven Americans in poverty. New unemployment claims fall to lowest in 2 months The Associated Press Florida Times-Union The number of newly laid-off workers seeking unemployment benefits dropped slightly last week to its lowest level in two months, a sign that employers are cutting fewer jobs. HEALTH AND SENIORS Law failed; DOH returns By Cynthia Washam Health News Florida Weeks after a new state law removed Florida Department of Health inspectors from child-care centers, they've quietly been welcomed back into a few centers, with more to come. CIVIL RIGHTS, PEACE AND SOCIAL ISSUES Florida organizations to hold vigil to urge LeMieux to support DREAM Act By Marcos Restrepo Florida Independent Related: Association of International Educators supports Reid’s action on the DREAM Act Local and national organizations have expressed support for the decision by Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., to attach the DREAM Act to the defense authorization bill as part of a larger campaign for immigration reform. Muslim candidate for state House tackles religion issue head-on By Janet Zink St. Petersburg Times As Z.J. Hafeez worked the room at a recent candidate forum in Tampa, he shook hands with a man who leaned in and peered at his name tag. JUSTICE AND THE COURTS Grassroots group challenges Supreme Court decision and corporate power By Robert Lorei WMNF Community Radio Tampa The 2004 Green Party presidential candidate, David Cobb, who is an attorney and an expert on the Constitution, will be in the Tampa Bay area the next few days as part of an effort to build a movement against growing corporate power.