Please read "Watch Closely The Watchman". In the meantime, the pundits are at it today. Howard Troxler makes a serious point in a humorous way in "Freeing state universities of unneeded intelligence". Troxler writes: "'First of all, this state should never have to hire a pointy-headed academic to run a university again,' said Thomas F. Petstore III, chairman of the state Board of Governors. The board is in charge of not running the state university system. 'We have made strides with our recent hires of Gov. Jeb Bush's lieutenant governor at Florida Atlantic University, and the mayor of Jacksonville at the University of North Florida,' Petstore said at a news conference, while banjo music played in the background."
- "Wealthy Republicans. Jeb Bush continued cutting taxes for the rich so they'll move here. It makes sense. If only one person who makes $2 million a year comes to Orlando, he will raise the annual average salary of 100 service workers by almost $20,000 on the census rolls."
- "Phone companies. Jeb had to delay their plan to double local phone bills while he got re-elected. But he came through for them in the end."
- "Tourism. The job of a school system is to provide workers for the state's leading industries. Florida high schools provided hotels and tourist attractions with nearly 13,000 FCAT failures ready to take those minimum-wage jobs."
- "Alabama, Mississippi and Arkansas. Now they can say, 'At least we're not as bad as Florida.'"
Matt Towrey - Jax's house moderate - has this to say: "There is a disconnect between Tallahassee and the real world. After failing miserably during its regular 60-day session, the Legislature capped off a 16-day emergency session earlier this week by approving a $53.5 billion state budget. Legislators slapped themselves on the back for accomplishing the only thing that the state constitution requires that they do -- pass a budget -- and one went so far as to say they had saved the state." See "Gap grows between real world and state lawmakers". Finally, Mark Lane on that "Damn Dam".
Tax Increases By Any Other Name - "The [new] fee hikes helped Florida's Republican majority in the Legislature stitch together a budget that steers more than $300 million in state money to corporations, wealthier Floridians and private schools through tax breaks and incentives." See "New state budget hits Floridians with fee increases".
Harris Watch - This bad news from the Grapefruit: Katherine "Harris has been regularly askingr the White House for support and assistance for a run for Senate. However, our sources tell us the White House does not want Harris on the ticket. In fact, our sources indicate the President himself does not want to be sharing the podium with Harris while campaigning in Florida. They are convinced that Harris will significantly weigh down the President' re-election effort in Florida as the Republican nominee for Senate. Their thinking; she's been an unremarkable Congresswoman thus far and was the single largest polarizing force in the 2000 election. Florida is the state the White House wants to win big in 2004. Despite what Harris' hopes, the White House wants to distance itself from any mention of a Harris candidacy and has begun to movement to discourage her candidacy through various backchannels." Here's to hoping Harris makes a run.