Daily Clips for November 19, 2010

PROGRESS FLORIDA IN THE NEWS Progress Florida questions Scott’s stance on proposed ‘personhood’ amendment By Virginia Chamlee Florida Independent Progress Florida, a progressive nonprofit group, has issued an email to its supporters, asking them to partake in a letter-writing campaign to Gov.-elect Rick Scott regarding a proposed amendment that “would give a fertilized egg the legal rights of a living person.” FEATURED STORIES Rick Scott's inauguration plans include candlelight dinner for donors By Michael C. Bender St. Petersburg Times/Miami Herald Tallahassee Bureau Rick Scott, who won the governor's race promising to cut wasteful spending, will celebrate his Jan. 4 inauguration over two days in Tallahassee with a parade, an inaugural ball and a candlelight dinner for Republican Party donors who pay up to $25,000 each to foot the bill. Confronting budget cuts and a hostile state legislature, schools face an uncertain future By Marcos Restrepo Florida Independent As school board members were sworn in this week, Broward County Public Schools, the sixth largest public school system in the United States, face another year of funding cuts. New teacher merit pay details emerge By Kathleen Haughney News Service Florida The highly contentious teacher merit pay proposal that was shot down by Gov. Charlie Crist last spring has re-emerged, but with some preliminary concessions to teachers and also perhaps to Gov.-elect Rick Scott, who as the father of a special education teacher voiced concerns about the proposal's fairness to some educators. BEST OF THE BLOGS Charlie Crist Had Already Sold Out His Democratic Supporters By Kenneth Quinnell Florida Progressive Coalition I rarely take time out to say “I told you so,” partially because like most people, I’m wrong often enough that I don’t want to be a sore winner. The Florida Legislature in the Middle Ages By Gimleteye Eye on Miami In the past I've written that our state capitol, Tallahassee, is like a castle with a moat and a drawbridge guarded by lobbyists. Tallahassee Big Shots Behind Medicaid Fraud By Daniel Tilson The Examiner You've heard about how unscrupulous Medicaid fraud schemes rob the treasury and taxpayers of billions of dollars. How Can Florida Democrats Lose More? By Mario Piscatella MPA Political The easiest way would be to diminish the support for Democratic candidates among minority communities. Mike Haridopolos shares public relations firm with Rod Blagojevich and Drew Peterson By Peter Schorsch St. Petersblog 2.0 Guess what in-coming Florida Senate President Mike Haridopolos shares with Rod Blagojevich, besides a giant mop of swoosh hair? FLORIDA POLITICS Rick Scott lays out agenda in private speech to business groups By Michael C. Bender St. Petersburg Times Republican Rick Scott largely ran through his campaign talking points tonight in his first speech since winning the election, according to a transcript of his prepared remarks. Scott announces 'law and order' transition team By Jim Ash Florida Capital News A day after Gov.-elect Rick Scott named members of his “law and order” transition team, his harshest critic, the Florida Police Benevolent Association, is holding its breath. Rod Smith new Dem chief? ‘I believe I’ll be the appointee’ By Dara Kam Palm Beach Post Despite grumblings from Palm Beach County Democratic Chairman Mark Alan Siegel to the contrary, former state Sen. Rod Smith insists he’ll be the next state party chairman. Which lame duck will break on through for Gov. Charlie Crist? By Gary Fineout The Fine Print Gov. Charlie Crist this week said he would go ahead and push to issue a posthumous pardon to the late Jim Morrison. Norman's new disclosure form includes $500,000 house Staff Report Tampa Tribune Former Hillsborough County Commissioner Jim Norman filed revised financial disclosure forms this month acknowledging the $500,000 Arkansas house that almost kept him from becoming a state senator. Ruling the Roost: Florida's congressional hawks gain influence over foreign policy By Chris Kromm Institute for Southern Studies The economy, jobs, taxes -- these are the issues grabbing post-election headlines about the Republicans' agenda for Congress. Not going away quietly, Alan Grayson rips Republican tax plan By Alex Leary St. Petersburg Times Rep. Alan Grayson, D-Orlando, has a few weeks left in office to make noise. From family politics to the halls of Congress By Patricia Mazzei Miami Herald A young Frederica Smith would sit under her family's dining room table, hidden by a white, crocheted tablecloth, and listen to her father talking politics, jotting down questions to ask him later. Capitol Hill wealth? No recession there Washington Post Florida Times-Union Times might be tough for the majority of Americans, but not for most of the well-heeled lawmakers in Congress. PB County commissioner joins elections chief in push for return to touch screens By Adam Playford Palm Beach Post If Palm Beach County wants speedy election results, it will have to pony up for new voting machines, its third batch since 2001, Supervisor of Elections Susan Bucher said Thursday. Self-important Kottkamp can't leave soon enough Editorial St. Petersburg Times Florida Lt. Gov. Jeff Kottkamp's ridiculous request for a state-paid security detail while he was on vacation in Italy is affirmation that voters made the right choice in August when they chose Pam Bondi, instead of Kottkamp, as the Republican nominee for attorney general. BALLOT INITIATIVES Dean Cannon says state Supreme Court lacks "express authority" to strike the Legislature's proposed amendments By Amy Sherman St. Petersburg Times/Miami Herald Politifact In 2010, the Florida Supreme Court removed three proposed constitutional amendments from the Nov. 2 ballot. ENVIRONMENT AND ENERGY Oil Spill: BP won't put clock on beach cleanup By Travis Griggs Pensacola News Journal Oil remains offshore, on beaches and in Escambia County bays. Florida Supreme Court ruling supports Everglades land deal, water district says By Ana M. Valdes Palm Beach Post A Florida Supreme Court ruling Thursday affirmed the public purpose of a historic purchase of sugar land for Everglades restoration, and approved the South Florida Water Management District's use of bonds to finance much of it. LGBT Senate Democrats want deal with GOP on gay military debate By Anne Flaherty The Associated Press Senate Democrats on Thursday pressured Majority Leader Harry Reid to strike a deal with Republicans to aid passage of a bill that would let gays serve openly in the military. EDUCATION Florida records best-ever high-school-graduation rates By Leslie Postal Orlando Sentinel Florida posted its highest-ever high school graduation rate this year. Fla. School districts eagerly await grades By Joe Callahan Ocala Star-Banner The long-awaited release of high school grades is just a short time away, likely during the week of Nov. 29, state Department of Education officials said. Florida 12th-graders underperform national average on tests By Kathleen McGrory Miami Herald High school seniors in Florida tallied below-average scores on national tests in math and reading, according to data released Thursday. Report: Far more out-of-field teachers in high-poverty schools By Ron Matus St. Petersburg Times Low-income kids are not on an even playing field when it comes to being taught by high-quality teachers, says a new report out today. Teachers Say Gift Card Is Slap In Face Staff Report WFTV 9 News Orlando Florida teachers call a gift from the Department of Education nothing more than a slap in the face. JOBS, BUDGET, AND ECONOMY Despite campaign rhetoric, investment managers say pension plan one of "strongest" in nation By Gary Fineout Florida Tribune Florida’s investment managers contend they exceeded their goals for the last year, resulting in double-digit returns in the Florida Retirement System, the main pension plan for state workers, teachers and other local government employees. Florida unemployment rate for Oct. being announced The Associated Press Tampa Tribune Florida's jobless rate for October is being released just two days after the announcement of an unemployment compensation tax increase. Florida posts slim gain in tourism in third quarter 2010 By Doreen Hemlock TC Palm Florida welcomed roughly 18.9 million visitors in the third quarter this year, up a scant 0.6 percent from the same time last year, the state's tourism marketing group Visit Florida announced. The Assault On Wall Street Reform The Progress Report Think Progress Last weekend, a spokesman for the American Bankers Association -- the banking industry's largest trade group -- explained that the financial services industry is eagerly anticipating conservative control of the House of Representatives. HEALTH AND SENIORS Lawmakers weigh plans for Medicaid overhaul By Travis Pillow Florida Independent A group of lawmakers stuck around the day after the special session of the Florida legislature to hear testimony from the sundry groups that would be affected by a sweeping overhaul of the state’s Medicaid system, from doctors and nurses to patients and insurance companies. McCollum, Bondi solicit GOP support for federal health care lawsuit By Dara Kam Palm Beach Post Attorney General Bill McCollum and his successor Pam Bondi are urging fellow Republicans throughout the country to join his lawsuit against the federal government over the new federal health care law. Blood banks talk mega-merger By Carol Gentry Health News Florida Three blood banks in Florida that cover most of the state announced today they have begun merger talks in hopes of gaining the clout to negotiate with ever-larger hospital systems. CIVIL RIGHTS, PEACE AND SOCIAL ISSUES Airports consider congressman's call to ditch TSA By Mike Schneider The Associated Press In a climate of Internet campaigns to shun airport pat-downs and veteran pilots suing over their treatment by government screeners, some airports are considering another way to show dissatisfaction: Ditching TSA agents altogether.