Daily Clips for March 4, 2011

FEATURED STORIES Challenge to Scott's rejection of high-speed rail is in court's hands By Janet Zink and Philip Morgan St. Petersburg Times/Miami Herald Tallahassee Bureau With two state senators charging that Gov. Rick Scott overstepped his executive authority by killing Florida's high-speed rail line without consulting the Legislature, Scott's attorney took a strong stance Thursday in oral arguments before the Florida Supreme Court. Judge: States must continue with health overhaul By Melissa Nelson Associated Press A federal judge who declared President Barack Obama's health care overhaul unconstitutional ruled Thursday that states must continue implementing it while the case makes its way through the courts. Rick Scott Hates Health Care Reform, But Will Take The $35 Million It Provides By Jason Linkins Huffington Post Shiny-pated Florida Gov. Rick Scott (R) has never been shy about his opposition to the Affordable Care Act. President Obama to address students at improved school in Miami-Dade with former Gov. Jeb Bush By John Lantigua Palm Beach Post President Obama will address students and faculty at Miami Central High School today, where he will be joined by an unusual political bedfellow -- former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush. Observe, get mad and take action By Bill Van Arsdale Naples Daily News OK, so let me get this straight. Gov. Rick Scott has to cut the Florida budget by $4.6 billion to balance to books. BEST OF THE BLOGS Check out the ranking of Florida’s Top 75+ Political Tweeters By Peter Schorsch St. Petersblog 2.0 Now that the Washington Post has released its list of the must-follow political Tweeters in Florida, what better time is there to publish a list of the top 75+ political Tweeters in Florida, based on their score on Klout.com, which increasingly seems to be the benchmark by which Twitter accounts are measured. Destroy Florida, an explosive new C-4 By Gimleteye Eye On Miami C4 is a type of plastic explosive. It is also the IRS designation of certain political action committees that are now springing to life since the Bush Supreme Court gave "personhood" to corporations, unleashing an avalanche of special interest, corporate money against the public. Money for nothing? Florida Senate president Haridopolos’ sweet book deal By Joy-Ann Reid The Reid Report Based on his latest scandal, Florida Senate President Mike Haridopolos shouldn’t just run for Bill Nelson’s seat. Florida GOP Keeps Upping "Anti" Ante By Daniel Tilson The Examiner Where to begin? Maybe, with the 2011 budget proposed by Governor Rick Scott, the one that's anti-education and anti-community, cutting hundreds of millions from public schools and community support services - while proposing a doubling of his own salary and steep increases in the overall Executive Branch budget. Rick Scott Railroads The Facts On FOX By Inkberries Beach Peanuts Gov. Rick Scott, under pressure to answer the lawsuit filed against him yesterday with the Florida Supreme Court that would force him to accept federal funds for the state high-speed rail project, took time out from his costly "Share A Little Sunshine" advertising tour to peddle his fact-free excuses for not taking the money. Scared! Florida Chamber’s Lies and Smears About “Awake the State” By Bruce Seaman Daily Marion The Florida Chamber of Commerce has taken a moment away from sucking wealth from Florida taxpayers for its big corporate supporters to engage in smears and lies with a brand new radio ad. FLORIDA POLITICS Conservative groups’ spending dwarfed unions in 2010 By William March Tampa Tribune While labor unions spent about $47 million through independent political committees on the 2010 election, just four conservative groups spent more than twice as much, according to a study by the Center for Responsive Politics, which tracks money and influence in politics. Florida CFO rejects bills for furniture, photos at 'Taj Mahal' courthouse By Lucy Morgan St. Petersburg Times Florida's taxpayers will not pay all of the bills for furnishing the posh new 1st District Court of Appeal building, Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater said. Scott to start charging for public records request By Michael C. Bender St. Petersburg Times Gov. Rick Scott's communication director Brian Burgess sent a memo to interested media today that his office would start charging for public records. Second GOP senator backs off opposition to Scott and hi-speed rail By Dara Kam Palm Beach Post Sen. Mike Bennett reversed his opposition to Gov. Rick Scott’s rejection of $2.4 billion for a high-speed rail project from Orlando to Tampa. Florida Chamber airs radio spot attacking ‘Wisconsin-style’ union protests By Aaron Deslatte Orlando Sentinel The Florida Chamber of Commerce – itself a powerful and well-monied interest group in state politics – is airing a radio spot going after “government unions” that are ”grappling for money and power” by protesting outside three Central Florida lawmakers’ offices. Senator's $152,000 tax-funded book a cloistered gem By Frank Cerabino Palm Beach Post It's good to see that the brilliance of Florida Senate President Mike Haridopolos is finally ripe for sharing. Florida Sen. John Thrasher discusses lawmaker's unenviable to-do list By Matt Dixon Florida Times-Union Facing the prospect of having to revamp the Medicaid system, push education reforms opposed by educators, redraw the state's political lines and fill a nearly $4 billion budget gap, the job of Florida lawmaker may soon find itself next to elephant scooper on the list of the world's least enviable professions. Florida Legislature: Challenges ahead Editorial Florida Times-Union Dean Cannon, speaker of the Florida House of Representatives, was kind enough to stop by the Times-Union editorial board recently. ENVIRONMENT AND ENERGY Hard winter for Gulf manatees, as well as dolphins By Janet McConnaughey Associated Press Cold weather has taken a toll for the second year in a row on one of the Gulf Coast's most interesting creatures - the gentle, half-ton manatees that winter in Florida waters and that some believe have inspired legends about mermaids. Bondi, Scott, Feinberg on the same page for improving oil spill claims process By Travis Pillow Florida Independent Oil Spill claims administrator Kenneth Feinberg has agreed to improvements in the oil spill claims process sought by Florida Gov. Rick Scott and Attorney General Pam Bondi, which include paying 25 percent of all pending claims by the end of this month and improving access to local accountants, according to a news release sent out by the governor’s office on Thursday. EDUCATION Broward private schools benefit from vouchers while public schools are strapped By Cara Fitzpatrick and John Maines South Florida Sun-Sentinel A dramatic expansion of a state voucher program for low-income students is bringing in big money for some private schools at a time when public schools are feeling squeezed. New voucher bill 'smacks of favoritism,' critics say By Ron Matus St. Petersburg Times For years, private-school vouchers have been slammed as a drain on public school funding and a violation of church-state separation. JOBS, BUDGET, AND ECONOMY Governor gets 3,000 petitions for high speed rail By James Call WFSU Public Radio Tallahassee Representatives from a coalition supporting high speed rail Thursday delivered a petition to Governor Rick Scott's office. TABOR tussle ahead By John Kennedy Palm Beach Post With the Florida Senate poised to approve a strict state spending cap possibly as early as next week’s opening days of the legislative session, opponents are trying to marshal forces. Naples lawmaker may drop bid to require volunteer work by people on unemployment By Ryan Mills Naples Daily News It takes work to find work. Public stations gasp for air By Bob Rathgeber Ft. Myers News-Press Budget cuts in Washington and Tallahassee have Rick Johnson on edge. Farmworkers to protest Publix this weekend (audio interview) By Robert Lorei WMNF Community Radio Tampa Our guest is a spokesperson for the Coalition of Immokalee Workers. HEALTH AND SENIORS State employee health insurance fund projected to run out of money in two years By Christine Jordan Sexton Florida Tribune The main account used to pay for state employees' health insurance is projected to run out of money sometime in the next two years if no changes are made. White House Drug Czar Visits Tallahassee, Says Prescription Drug Database Effective By James L. Rosica Associated Press White House drug czar Gil Kerlikowske said Thursday that he is encouraged that Florida may move forward with a planned statewide database for tracking prescription drugs. Florida judge: States should move forward with federal health care law By Janet Zink St. Petersburg Times/Miami Herald Tallahassee Bureau U.S. District Judge Roger Vinson, who in January ruled the federal health care law unconstitutional, ruled today that states should move forward with enacting the law while the case works its way to the U.S. Supreme Court. Targeting the poor first Editorial Miami Herald The U.S. House of Representatives has declared war on Planned Parenthood, the nonprofit provider of affordable reproductive healthcare to millions of women and teens who otherwise couldn’t afford to get it. CIVIL RIGHTS, PEACE AND SOCIAL ISSUES Bondi is open to helping ex-cons get a job, but not vote By Brent Henzi Florida Tribune Attorney General Pam Bondi on Wednesday modified her stance on restoring civil rights for ex-convicts, suggesting that she is open to allowing former prisoners to apply for a professional license without getting their rights restored. Right-wing organizations tout ‘anti-Shariah’ law filed in Tallahassee By Marcos Restrepo Florida Independent State Sen. Alan Hays, R-Umatilla, last month filed an “Application of Foreign Law” bill for the legislative session that begins next Tues., March 8. JUSTICE AND THE COURTS It takes a systems approach to improve public safety in Florida By Jim McDonough St. Petersburg Times Florida seems to realize that it can no longer afford to purchase public safety at exorbitant prices that offer little return on investment. Gainesville businessman admits paying kickbacks to former Florida Corrections officials By Lucy Morgan St. Petersburg Times Gainesville businessman Edward Lee Dugger has admitted paying kickbacks to former Florida Corrections officials to gain access to a prison canteen business that provides snacks and other items to inmates and visiting family members.