Daily Clips for December 3, 2010

FEATURED STORIES Health law fight starts over By Jim Saunders Health News Florida New Senate President Mike Haridopolos isn't wasting any time in his attack on the federal health-care overhaul. GOP chairman John Thrasher addresses federal subpoena questions By Marc Caputo, Adam C. Smith and Lucy Morgan St. Petersburg Times/Miami Herald Tallahassee Bureau Florida GOP leader John Thrasher engaged in damage control Thursday when he hosted a conference call with top Republican Party officials to explain why he didn't promptly inform them of a federal subpoena seeking party financial records. Gov.-elect Rick Scott gets an earful on Washington, D.C., trip By Alex Leary St. Petersburg Times Gov.-elect Rick Scott met with members of Florida's congressional delegation in Washington on Tuesday and heard a litany of concerns: jobs, Medicaid funding, foreclosures and the BP oil spill. Rod Smith will be next Florida Democratic Party chairman By Bill Cotterell Florida Capital News Related: Gillum drops bid for Dems' party chair It looks like Gainesville attorney Rod Smith has wrapped up enough votes to become chairman of the Florida Democratic Party. Oil drilling off Florida: Put cap on partisanship Editorial Palm Beach Post Memo to Gov.-elect Rick Scott and Senate President Mike Haridopolos: Opposition to offshore drilling closer to Florida is bipartisan. BEST OF THE BLOGS Rick Scott Oversteps On Obama’s Oil Drilling Ban By Inkberries Beach Peanuts Rick Scott is not happy about the offshore oil drilling ban reimposed today by the Obama Administration. Secret Schooling Of State Representatives By Daniel Tilson The Examiner The Republican Party of Florida hit the ground running coming out of Thanksgiving weekend with an intensive 2-day seminar for its incoming class of 2010-2012 State Representatives, led by new House Speaker Dean Cannon. Here's to you, Alan Grayson--A liberal turns her lonely eyes to you By Deborah Newell Tornello Litbrit I know I'm not alone in hoping that Florida Congressman Alan Grayson returns to Washington soon. Florida Woman Dies After Medicaid Program Outsourced To Private Insurers Denies Her Liver Transplant By Zaid Jalani Think Progress One of the most destructive practices of private health insurance companies is the practice of denying care to customers for frivolous reasons. “Florida, Inc.” Rick Scott’s Secret Company By Inkberries Beach Peanuts Shortly after he was elected Governor, Rick Scott proclaimed that Florida was “open for business.” He wasn’t kidding. FLORIDA POLITICS Fla. ethics committee to weigh Haridopolos' apology By Jeff Schweers Florida Today Senate President Mike Haridopolos will find out today whether the Florida Commission on Ethics will accept his mea culpa for failing to properly fill out his financial disclosure forms five years in a row and put this episode behind him. Gov. Crist proud, sunny as he prepares to leave glare of public office By Dara Kam Palm Beach Post Once a shining star on the state and national political stage, Gov. Charlie Crist is leaving his public role for the private sector for the first time in more than a decade. Crist plans to return to St. Pete, reflects on his time in office By Catherine Whittenburg Tampa Tribune With his term as governor winding down to its final month, Charlie Crist says he looks forward to stepping into private life in St. Petersburg with his wife Carole. Rod Smith gains momentum in bid for state Democratic chairmanship By Adam C. Smith St. Petersburg Times Former lieutenant governor candidate Rod Smith appears to have locked up the votes to become the next chairman of Florida's beleaguered Democratic Party. GOP spells Latino outreach J-E-B By Carrie Budoff Brown Politico Alarmed by the GOP’s alienation of Hispanic voters, a group of operatives and former elected officials has launched a bid to wrestle the party’s image back from illegal immigration foes – and it’s led by a Republican named Bush. Frederica Wilson bows to House rules and doffs her trademark hat By Lesley Clark Miami Herald Mortified by the media storm over her desire to keep wearing her signature hats, incoming U.S. Rep. Frederica Wilson says she's ready to come to the Capitol sans chapeau. Rep.-elect Allen West taps Beltway insider for chief of staff By George Bennett Palm Beach Post After his way-outside-the-Beltway shock pick of conservative radio talker Joyce Kaufman for chief of staff didn’t work out, Republican U.S. Rep.-elect Allen West today announced his top aide will be Jonathan Blyth, a former chief of staff to two House members and a veteran of more than 20 years in Washington. POLITICAL RACES Another GOP Senate Showdown Brewing in Florida By Erin McPike Real Clear Politics After witnessing Florida Republican Sen.-elect Marco Rubio's landslide win in this year's open race, about half a dozen rising Republicans already are jockeying to take on Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson in 2012 in what the Florida GOP says will be a spirited primary. ENVIRONMENT AND ENERGY Nestle draws fire for plans to pump more water from North Florida springs By Brett Ader Florida Independent Citizens in North Florida are gearing up for what many foresee as a drawn-out battle with Nestle Waters North America, the country’s largest water bottler, which recently completed test wells in Jefferson County as part of its process to determine whether to apply for a permit to begin withdrawing spring water from sites along the Wacissa River. Septic Tank Inspections By Whitney Ray Capitol News Service There are concerns tonight over Florida’s 2.7 million septic tanks many of which are more than 30 years old. Mercury makes ibises gay, study says By Curtis Morgan The Miami Herald Scientists have long suspected high mercury levels in the Everglades might be crimping the breeding efforts of wading birds. LGBT Army, Marine chiefs cast doubt on gay service, providing ammunition for McCain, Republicans By Anne Flaherty The Associated Press The top uniformed officers of the Army and the Marines say letting gays serve openly in the military at a time of war would be divisive and difficult, sharply challenging a new Pentagon study that calculates the risk as low. EDUCATION Scott names controversial school reformer Michelle Rhee to education team By Tonya Alanez South Florida Sun-Sentinel With a controversial, hard-charging school reformer's name topping the list of Gov.-elect Rick Scott's Education Transition Team, South Florida teachers' union officials braced themselves Thursday for an assault on teacher tenure and a radical restructuring of the education system. Gov.-elect Rick Scott names his education transition team By Jeff Solochek St. Petersburg Times Related: Hillsborough schools chief named to Rick Scott's education transition team Some interesting names here, including many with ties to Jeb Bush. Others are notably absent. JOBS, BUDGET, AND ECONOMY Scott's challenge? Spending. By John Kennedy News Service of Florida Republican Rick Scott got plenty of political mileage during the governor's race ridiculing the Obama administration for running up the federal deficit. Legislative changes may favor insurers By Gary Fineout Sarasota Herald-Tribune Despite five straight years without a hurricane hitting Florida, the Republican-controlled Legislature is set to move quickly to enact a host of changes to help insurance companies. Republicans hold middle America hostage to demands of rich Editorial St. Petersburg Times Nothing is more important to U.S. Senate Republicans than extending the Bush-era tax cuts for the nation's wealthiest households. HEALTH AND SENIORS Fla. officials say prescription pill abuse rivals ’80s crack cocaine epidemic By Robert Napper Florida Independent Florida law enforcement and drug officials Thursday compared a spike in deaths associated with prescription drug abuse during the first half of this year to the crack cocaine epidemic of the 1980s. New state-ordered inspections of pain clinics delayed, inspectors may be scarce at $100 an hour By Jonathan Mattise TC Palm State Department of Health inspections of pain clinics were delayed last week after a new Florida law passed, and that legislation could inadvertently keep the rules necessary to start inspections from taking effect until spring. CIVIL RIGHTS, PEACE AND SOCIAL ISSUES Proposed state House, Senate immigration enforcement bills share similar language By Marcos Restrepo Florida Independent State Sen. Mike Bennett’s proposed immigration enforcement law (Senate Bill 136) shares a lot of language with the Federal Immigration Enforcement Act announced earlier this year by state Rep. William Snyder, R-Stuart, chair of the House Judiciary Committee, but it lacks that bill’s most controversial provision.