In addition to the sheer arrogance of the Board of Education acting as shills for Bush, there is a serious legal issue about public monies being used to advocate ballot initiatives. But "Jeb" and the "Jebbites!" don't care; to paraphrase the Daytona Beach News Journal, in an editorial on a different issue no longer available online, Florida's education structure is run by "Gov. Jeb Bush And His Amen Chorus Of Goose-Stepping" Board of Education (citation is to our March 29, 2003 post discussing the editorial).
It Wasn't Me, "Jeb!" Protests - After reports that Florida's swelling prison population "follow[ed] two years of state budget cuts that have dramatically reduced treatment dollars for drug offenders behind bars", we read that "Bush's administration moved aggressively Tuesday to knock down speculation that cuts in drug treatment funding contributed to a spike in the prison admissions, saying anomalies in a few counties are instead to blame." See "Bush: drug treatment cuts not to blame for prison population jump". See also "Bush: Cuts didn't cause inmate increase". Ah yes, our "Jeb!", the paragon of personal responsibility.
But a law professor at Stetson University College of Law argues that "[t]he primary reason for the recent spurt of new prisoners is increased drug convictions. Beginning two years ago, the Legislature started cutting drug treatment programs, both in prison and for those on probation, a cost-saving device that removed about $14 million from the state budget. You don't have to be a rocket scientist to conclude that if the treatment programs had continued, many of those now going (or returning) to prison would be doing something different with their lives. So we saved $14 million, but it is now costing us $66 million. It seems stupid -- unless you're part of the prison industrial complex and stand to profit from all that taxpayer money. Sixty-six million dollars will go to businesses and bureaucrats, who will take their cut, and then pass a lot of it back to the politicians in the form of political contributions." See "Prison industrial complex in full cycle".
"Crime And Punishment" - In a mild editorial, the Tallahassee Democrat comments on the lock 'em up mentality. See "Crime and punishment".
That's Brilliant - Florida officials will send out spam when a child is abducted; they will also use 20 billboards throughout the state. Anything . . . anything but commiting significant resources to the problem.
Earth To The Florida Times Union, Earth To . . . - The Florida Times Union claims that there were "sham hearings held by the Florida Senate, [concluding]that there was no medical access crisis, only bad doctors and greedy insurance companies." They ignore the fact that the senate took live testimony that was under oath, and the evidence was essentially undisputed - there is no malpractice "crisis". The Times Union instead relies on mere anecdotal "evidence" like "newspaper clippings and survey results" (and affidavits (which are hearsay in court proceedings)) that doctors are leaving Florida, and there accordingly must be some sort of a "crisis". With all due respect, "newspaper clippings" do not trump sworn testimony, even in a court run by a "Jeb!" appointed trial judge; the GOP and its allies in the media simply failed to present any competent evidence of any sort of a "crisis".
Going Right, As In Right Wing Wacko - "State Sen. Daniel Webster's entry into the U.S. Senate race may push the Republican field looking to replace Democrat Bob Graham even further to the right and into some risky political territory. Some analysts say the rhetoric likely to emerge in the GOP primary could leave the party's eventual nominee badly bloodied and unable to court middle-of-the-road Floridians needed to win next year's general election. 'The Republican primary will be a campaign about guns, abortion and taxes,' said David Niven, a Florida Atlantic University political scientist. 'The candidates are going to be tripping over each other to see who can be furthest to the right to win the primary.'" See "GOP field shifts further to right in U.S. Senate race".
Just Don't Say "It will Block Out The Sun" - "Class size amendment to cost $1 billion in first two years". The state obviously needs to spend much more: how about reinstating the revenue stream lost when the intangible tax on the wealthy was repealed?
Political Hacks At The Trough - "[I]t was only a matter of time until a controversial political figure was hired for a high-salaried university position because a member of the Board of Trustees wanted it. Or, on down the road, trustee pressure exerted for granting a contract or purchasing property. Florida's new higher education system increases the odds of universities being inappropriately used by about tenfold. If coziness existed under the old Board of Regents, which had 13 political appointees, it can positively thrive with 13 trustees at each of 11 universities plus 17 members of the Board of Governors." See "Old friends".
"Jeb!" And Jerry Abortion Case - "Florida's social service agency has stirred a controversy by asserting its authority to 'protect the state's compelling interest' in the well-being of unborn children. ''Where does [the Department of Children & Families] get that authority?'' asked Lance Block, a Tallahassee attorney and advocate for the disabled who has represented two disabled rape victims under DCF's care. But advocates for Florida's government argue that state statutes give DCF the authority, including the one law that restricts abortions in the third trimester of a pregnancy. DCF is asking the Fifth District Court of Appeal in Daytona Beach to overrule the decision of Orange County Circuit Judge Lawrence R. Kirkwood not to appoint a guardian for the fetus of J.D.S., a severely disabled 22-year-old woman who was raped in a state licensed group home. The woman is about eight months pregnant." See "DCF criticized for seeking guardian for unborn child". 6:33 AM
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