Daily Clips for March 7, 2011

PROGRESS FLORIDA IN THE NEWS Protestors to rally on Legislature's opening day By Mary Ellen Klas St. Petersburg Times/Miami Herald Tallahassee Bureau Excerpt: Their goal is to oppose what they consider "draconian budget cuts to every walk of life,'' said Damien Filer of Progress Florida, one of the rally organizers. "The overarching message is Florida simply cannot afford the drastic cuts in this budget that are going to hurt everybody from teachers to firefighters to hospitals to all those people they serve.'' Instead, they say, the state should be focused on closing corporate loopholes... Rallies from left to right mark session opening By John Kennedy Palm Beach Post Excerpt: Teachers, government employees, cops and firefighters form the core of those pushing back against proposed pension overhauls, but expected reductions in schools and health-care programs are drawing more opponents, said Damien Filer of Progress Florida. “I’ve heard from a lot of people who say, `this is going to be my first rally of any kind,’” Filer said. Legislators face conflicting pressures in 2011 session By Ryan Mills Naple Daily News Excerpt: "It's a matter of whether it becomes a train wreck, or just a conveyor belt of special interest victories, lining the pockets of lobbyists," Mark Ferrulo, executive director of the liberal nonprofit Progress Florida, said of the session. Rallies set in Naples, Cape Coral to Awake the State to Rick Scott, budget cuts By Jenna Buzzacco-Foerster Naples Daily News Excerpt: Damien Filer, a spokesman for Progress Florida, said his organization, along with Florida Watch Action Inc. and America Votes, set up a Facebook page for the Awake the State movement and “almost overnight” thousands of people signed up to see how they could get their voices heard. Competing Protests Kick Off Tense Legislative Session By Zac Anderson Sarasota Herald-Tribune Excerpt: “Floridians are incredulous about the fact that our teachers and middle class working families are under attack,” said Progress Florida Executive Director Mark Ferrulo. Big Cuts For Us, Big Salaries For Them - AwakeTheState.com By Vicki Impoco Florida Today Floridians seem to thrive on electing politicians that serve themselves and special interests rather than their constituents. FEATURED STORIES GOP legislators dig in for deep cuts By John Kennedy Palm Beach Post Facing the worst budget year in memory, new Republican Gov. Rick Scott and the GOP-packed Florida Legislature begin the 2011 session this week, pledging to slash spending and make good on campaign pledges that powered them last fall. Schools staring at a 'Grand Canyon' of cuts in funding By Jeffrey S. Solochek St. Petersburg Times Related: Florida lawmakers file bills to give private-school vouchers to all After looming in the offing for two years, a long-expected education funding cliff is about to hit Florida. Deferring to others not on his agenda By Michael C. Bender St. Petersburg Times/Miami Herald Tallahassee Bureau Sen. J.D. Alexander's cell phone buzzed with a six-word text message: "We just killed high speed rail." No high-speed rail for Florida; Court rules for Scott, feds move to give money to someone else By Janet Zink and Alex Leary St. Petersburg Times/Miami Herald Tallahassee Bureau Related editorial: The end of the (rail) line The decades-old dream of high-speed rail in Florida died Friday when the state Supreme Court turned down a last-minute lawsuit to save the project and U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood announced he would send Florida's $2.4 billion to other states. Poison Pen Politics By Gail Collins New York Times We may be embarking on a new era in politics, in which candidates and officials are just as likely to be brought down by bad writing as adultery. EDITORIAL CARTOON OF THE WEEK By Dana Summers Orlando Sentinel FLORIDA POLITICS Focused Cannon ready to wield power as new Florida House Speaker By Michael C. Bender St. Petersburg Times/Miami Herald Tallahassee Bureau A gator head from a guided hunt rests on a shelf, dozens of jagged teeth displayed in a ferocious smile. Senate president walks political tightrope By Marc Caputo St. Petersburg Times/Miami Herald Tallahassee Bureau Mike Haridopolos was nervous, almost anguished. Ambitious Agenda Puts Fla. in Hot Seat By Lloyd Dunkelberger Lakeland Ledger Gov. Rick Scott is on a mission to reshape Florida government by aggressively cutting taxes, regulations and spending. Gov. Rick Scott looks to tea party for help By Anthony Man South Florida Sun-Sentinel Gov Rick Scott said Friday he’ll need Republicans from across the state, and especially tea party activists, to come to his aid during the upcoming legislative session. Scott pledges millions to Port of Miami project By Lesley Clark Miami Herald Miami’s effort to deep dredge its port to accommodate mega-vessels got a major boost Friday when Gov. Rick Scott said the state will contribute $77 million to the project. Trying to look behind the curtain of the Scott administration By Gary Fineout Florida Tribune Gov. Rick Scott may want to run Florida like a 21st Century business, but he has decided that there’s one thing the state’s CEO doesn’t need. And that’s e-mail. Session will focus on budget cuts, tenure, merit pay By Sherri Ackerman and Elaine Silvestrini Tampa Tribune How lawmakers handle budget cuts and school reform could change the face of education in Florida. A user's guide to avoiding the next 'Taj' By Lucy Morgan St. Petersburg Times Was the new $50 million "Taj Mahal" built by the 1st District Court of Appeal a one-time breakdown of the state's budgeting process or could someone else hijack the state's budgeting process and walk away with a luxurious new building? State employees haven't had this much at stake since 1950s By Bill Cotterell Florida Today For state employees, the 2011 legislative session will be a pivotal 60 days with their salaries, pensions, health insurance — even their jobs — on the bargaining table as legislators grapple with a $3.6-billion shortage in state revenues. Will Florida lawmakers target unions? By Derek Catron Daytona Beach News-Journal Laura Cloer has been lobbying for more education funding since her 21-year-old daughter was in kindergarten. Legislature leans to the right in 2011 By James Call WFSU Public Radio Tallahassee The Speaker of the Florida House and the Senate President are seeing their time in office being defined by a budget crisis. Newcomers start as insiders By Howard Troxler St. Petersburg Times To illustrate a point, let's consider the vote cast last year to adopt the current state budget of Florida. Florida House Democrats have choice of two for thankless job By Steve Bousquet St. Petersburg Times When the Legislature reconvenes for the 2011 regular session next week, a truly thankless job will be up for grabs. 25 under 30: Florida’s rising young political class By Peter Schorsch St. Petersblog 2.0 They sometimes start out as drivers, errand boys or executive assistants to the state’s most powerful in politics and government. Stop games on redistricting Editorial Pensacola News Journal Whatever critics have been able to say about Florida Gov. Rick Scott, it's been hard to slam him for playing "politics as usual." POLITICAL RACES Political red meat not on Barack Obama's Florida menu By Abby Phillip Politico At the first political fundraisers he’s attended since the November “shellacking,” President Barack Obama on Friday surprised a crowd of supporters anxious to get “fired up” by sticking to the message of bipartisan civility that he has settled into in recent months. Maverick Connie Mack keeps GOP Senate field waiting on 2012 run By Adam C. Smith and Alex Leary St. Petersburg Times Connie Mack IV is blessed with a golden political name that would make him an instant Republican front-runner against U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson in 2012. ENVIRONMENT AND ENERGY Lawmakers help muddy the waters around us By Carl Hiaasen Miami Herald A few years ago, residents along the eastern St. Lucie River watched in disgust as the waterway turned green with a foul slime that wouldn’t go away. In environmental regulation, Florida wants to be left alone By Craig Pittman St. Petersburg Times In 1845, when Florida inaugurated its first governor, a group of citizens presented him with a proposed state flag that summed up their feeling toward the rest of the country. Florida may team up with Jack Nicklaus to build golf courses on state park lands By Christine Jordan Sexton Florida Tribune Florida could allow the construction of at least five golf courses on state park lands under a proposal filed Friday that will likely come under fire from environmentalists. Debate over energy legislation comes down to jobs By Mary Ellen Klas St. Petersburg Times/Miami Herald Tallahassee Bureau The legislative debate over the future of alternative energy in Florida has come down to, not surprisingly, jobs. The question is whose jobs. An environmental disaster Editorial Orlando Sentinel For Florida's politicians, this ought to be elementary: Protect the environment because the environment drives Florida's economy — and because good stewards of the economy win elections. LGBT Speaker John Boehner says House may go to court to defend federal gay marriage ban By Laurie Kellman Associated Press House Speaker John Boehner said Friday the House may go to court to defend the federal law against gay marriage, which President Barack Obama's administration has concluded is unconstitutional. EDUCATION Obama, Jeb Bush share stage, educational philosophies at Miami Central appearance By John Lantigua Palm Beach Post If you're not going to try and beat them, you might as well join them -- at least for the day. Obama's odd embrace of Jeb Bush By Anthony Cody Washington Post President Obama last week proved his point. Education is not a partisan issue. Change coming to education By Marcia Lane St. Augustine Record The state Legislature is on the verge of making major changes in the way educators are paid. More online education is a virtual certainty By Elaine Silvestrini Tampa Tribune It's been 14 years since Florida started teaching children online, and the state now is a national leader with the largest virtual K-12 school in the country. Tempest over teachers Editorial St. Petersburg Times As the Florida Legislature opens its annual session Tuesday, it will wade back into the controversial debate about how to pay and evaluate teachers. JOBS, BUDGET, AND ECONOMY Budget brawl set to get under way Tuesday By Aaron Deslatte Orlando Sentinel After two months of skirmishing, Gov. Rick Scott and the Republican-led Florida Legislature are finally getting to work. Major pension reform battle looms in Legislature By Mary Ellen Klas St. Petersburg Times/Miami Herald Tallahassee Bureau As 90-year-old Ed Hoffman stood before a House committee and urged them "not to reduce the benefits for officers and law enforcement who put their lives on the line," his eyes welled up with tears. If Florida lawmakers listen to Citizens, home insurance rates may climb By Janet Zink St. Petersburg Times/Miami Herald Tallahassee Bureau The free market could cost insurance customers millions of dollars this legislative session. Can new ideas restore shine to Florida's brand? By Michael Kruse St. Petersburg Times Gov. Rick Scott last week took two days to head out on Visit Florida's four-city whirlwind "Share a Little Sunshine" tour, promoting Florida to frozen folks in Washington, Philadelphia, New York and Chicago. National unemployment down to 8.9%, though state lags behind By Kevin McQuaid Sarasota Herald-Tribune Unemployment nationally dipped to a nearly two-year low of 8.9 percent in February amid higher-than-anticipated job gains, evidence that the U.S. economic recovery may finally be gaining sustained traction. Floridians may get fewer federal unemployment benefits, if state insurance cut By Marcia Heroux Pounds South Florida Sun-Sentinel Florida residents who lose their jobs will get fewer unemployment benefits than residents in any other state if a House bill reducing benefits is passed, says a national advocacy group for the unemployed. HEALTH AND SENIORS Sides gird up for Medicaid fight By Marc Caputo St. Petersburg Times/Miami Herald Tallahassee Bureau In Florida, poverty is big business. Anti-abortion lawmakers gear up for session By Zac Anderson Ocala Star-Banner Florida is poised to join a trio of other states this year in requiring any woman seeking an abortion to get an ultrasound, as conservatives in state government look to exert their increased power over social, as well as fiscal, issues. ‘Patients’ Right to Know’ returns By Jim Saunders Health News Florida Six years after Florida voters approved the "Patients' Right to Know" amendment, hospitals are still challenging its implementation. Drug monitoring program worth saving By Al Lamberti and Marcelo Llorente South Florida Sun-Sentinel Less government. Less state regulation. Less government intrusion in our every day. CIVIL RIGHTS, PEACE AND SOCIAL ISSUES Florida proposal to allow guns on college campuses draws opposition locally By Leslie Williams Hale Naples Daily News On college campuses where the most dangerous weapons allowed are pocket knives and pepper spray, concealed firearms soon could be legal. Punishment for punishment's sake Editorial Gainesville Sun Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi wants to make it harder for convicted felons to get their civil rights restored. JUSTICE AND THE COURTS A constitutional showdown over high-speed rail By Howard Troxler St. Petersburg Times Civics students, take note! We had a constitutional showdown in Florida last week involving all three branches of our government.