Notes For Friday, February 14, 2003
BYRD FIGHTS A "SOFT COUP". The Miami Herald reports that fending off a "'soft coup,'" prompted by "growing criticism over his leadership style and office spending, state House Speaker Johnnie Byrd has eased his grip on power by delegating key duties to two members of his leadership team", "Reps. Allan Bense, a Panama City contractor in line to be the next House speaker, and J. Dudley Goodlette, a Naples attorney serving as Byrd's policy chief." Consider Mark Lane's thoughts on Byrd at Florida Blog. 6:46 PM [Go to current Florida Politics site (no popup ads)]
BUSH'S "DEVIOUS PLANS" REVEALED. "Caught between a constitutional mandate to reduce overcrowded classrooms and a political compulsion to be cheap with education, some Florida lawmakers are playing a treacherous game of finger-pointing. They, and Gov. Jeb Bush, are blaming ignorant voters."
- "Must university budgets be cut by $111.5-billion? Voters left us no option."
- "Must $1.5-billion be removed from environmental and other programs? No choice."
- "Must $64-million be shifted to county property taxpayers? Voters did it."
- "Must we close the State Library? Blame the class size amendment."
"During his vigorous campaign last fall against Amendment 9, Bush was caught on tape referring to this approach as his 'devious plan.'" See "Who's confused?" ("Voters knew what they were doing when they approved the class size amendment, and they deserve better than Tallahassee's arrogant reaction").
Well, these are Bush's "devious plans". Once again, we have Tim Russert to thank for failing to press Bush (in the "debate" with McBride) on what he would do if and when when the class size amendment was adopted.
6:12 AM
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A RIGHT WING TAKE ON GRAHAM. This from National Review Online about a Graham run: "Graham’s Cracking". 5:42 AM [Go to current Florida Politics site (no popup ads)]
MALPRACTICE CAPS WILL NOT PROVIDE PREMIUM RELIEF TO DOCTORS. In "Place no cap on reform", the Palm Beach Post remids us that "[a]n insurance official surprised South Florida doctors last month when he told them that the proposed cap would not drastically lower malpractice rates. Tom Gallagher, the state's chief financial officer and a former insurance commissioner, told The Post's Editorial Board the same thing this week." Notwithstanding, the Gov's task force on the alleged medical malpractice crisis "concluded that 'the most important one is a cap on noneconomic damages in the amount of $250,000.'"
5:32 AM
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HARD TO GET EXCITED ABOUT THIS ONE. "McCollum gets boost from Mack"in his bisd to replace Graham in the U.S. Senate. 5:32 AM [Go to current Florida Politics site (no popup ads)]
BYRD FOOTNOTE. As noted yesterday, Speaker Byrd has backed down only on the telemarketing component of his "communications" plan, the rest remains intact: "Byrd has found money to expand his own communications staff from one member to 13, at a total salary of $614,268. That compares with Gov. Jeb Bush's communications staff of eight, with a combined salary of $359,000, and Senate President Jim King's one-person, $44,000-a-year staff. Eight members of Byrd's staff each earn more than King's single staffer." See "Speaker Likes Own Spending" in the Sun Sentinel. 5:32 AM [Go to current Florida Politics site (no popup ads)]