No Shame - How low can the Florida GOP go? Well, hiding under cover of phoney patriotism to launch yet an another attack on Florida's public schools, is pretty low. See "Patriotic disguise". A different view on this issue from our friends in Jacksonville.
Get Your Own Bright Future - "Most high school seniors banking on a Bright Futures scholarship to attend college this fall would not qualify if their family makes more than $75,000 annually under a preliminary budget plan state House leaders unveiled Monday. Plus, any college student who qualifies to renew a Bright Futures award for the fall would find it worth less than it was this year. The proposals -- which surprised even some House members on the education budget committee who recommended the change -- would radically alter the generous Lottery-funded program the Legislature founded six years ago." See "Sharp scholarship cuts proposed". And while we're at it, let's make it harder to get a community college education as well.
Gambling on the Horizon? "A Senate committee sent a message to the House on Monday -- that electronic gambling machines are still an option for paying for smaller class sizes and better teacher pay in Florida. With strong backing from South Florida's pro-gambling legislators, the Senate Regulated Industries committee passed a video gambling bill sponsored by chairman Alex Diaz de la Portilla, R-Miami." See "Video gambling machines get another spin in Senate".
"The Arrogance of the Idea is Breathtaking" - "State Rep. Randy Johnson, R-Celebration, wants lawmakers to be able to ignore the state constitution when voters change it in a way that lawmakers don't like. His conceit would be funny if four lawmakers hadn't already agreed, and if it didn't set words to the music of the governor and House speaker. . . . The arrogance of the idea is breathtaking, but it's not an April Fool's Day prank. Rep. Johnson, at least, is serious. Fortunately, voters get the final say on amending the constitution. They would have to approve his amendment, and they would have to be as crazy as his idea is to vote for it." See "No respect for voters".