Asserting that "academic standards and outcomes were higher" before the advent of the U.S. Department of Education, Michele Bachmann blasted the federal role in America's schools. "We have 4,200 employees in the federal Department of Education making an average of $103,000 a year. This money would be better spent in local classrooms," the GOP presidential hopeful said Thursday at an education forum in New York City. Bachmann, a congresswoman for Minnesota, said her political involvement began at her children's schools.

A tea party group denounced a federal court injunction blocking Florida's drug testing of welfare recipients and called on Gov. Rick Scott and Attorney General Pam Bondi to contest the ruling. "Federal law explicitly says that a state shall not be prohibited from testing welfare recipients for controlled substances," said Jesse Phillips, the Tea Party Network's point person on judicial reform.

Brazils official export promotion agency, APEX, has expanded its U.S. headquarters operations in Miami, according to the governors office. Gov. Rick Scott, heading an economic trade mission to Sao Paulo this week, announced the expansion Thursday. According to the release from the governors office: The expansion and a $500,000 capital investment has enabled APEX to add seven full-time staff, relocate to downtown Miami and expand to 11,000 square feet of space, which is primarily used for 20 business incubator offices.

U.S. Rep. Sandy Adams, R-Orlando, grilled Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano on revelations that the administration is releasing criminal illegal aliens into the U.S. population and taking no action against countries that refuse their deportation. Isnt it true that if [illegal immigrants] are in a deportation status and their home country will not accept them, that you release them back into the communities? Adams asked Napolitano during a House Judiciary Committee hearing Wednesday.

Senate Democrats on the congressional supercommittee are eyeing $1.3 billion in tax increases as a way to narrow the federal deficit. Charged with trimming government borrowing by at least $1.2 trillion over the next decade, the bipartisan panel is looking at a variety of cuts. But despite repeated congressional opposition to tax increases, the Democrats on the committee can't get the idea out of their heads. They also want to include up to $300 billion in new "stimulus" spending sought by President Obama.

Of all the unlikely "industries" to jump on the green bandwagon, wouldn't it just be NASCAR -- where 5 miles per gallon is considered conservative fuel consumption. The sport's managing director of the three-year-old, "wildly successful" program called NASCAR Green Innovation, Michael Lynch, wason handThursdayto addressthe Florida Energy Summit in Orlando. His story is all about "American ethanol" -- corn, mainly. This year, for example, all 43 cars in the Daytona 500 were running on that biofuel --known asE15. And some 30 million viewers tuned in to watch the race.

A report from the U.S. Chamber Institute for Legal Reform claims Florida could save up to $3.2 billion and create up to 162,000 jobs simply by improving its legal environment.

The state Commission on Ethics' rejection of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters charge that political contributions spurred Gov. Rick Scott to push for prison privatization wasgreeted with little surprise in the governors office. The governor knew all along that there was no ethics violation and he appreciates yesterdays ruling by the commission, wrote Deputy Press Secretary Jackie Schutz on Thursday.

A leader of a Manatee County street gang has been sentenced to 60 years after being found guilty of racketeering and conspiracy to commit racketeering, the state attorneys office announced Thursday. Manatee County is now a safer place with this gang member behind bars, Attorney General Pam Bondi stated in a release. We will continue to prosecute these cases and prevent gang activity in our state.

Despite being born in the Hawkeye State and winning the Republican straw poll in Ames back in August, Republican presidential hopeful U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann of Minnesota is sinking in Iowa, home of the first caucus. Bachmann unveiled an experienced political team on Thursday as she looks to turn things around in the Hawkeye State to revive her faltering presidential campaign.

The Orlando-based group, No Casinos Inc., has released a video criticizing legislation that would open South Florida to destination-resort casinos. John Sowinski's group led the fight against casino expansion back in 1994, and No Casinos plans to broadcast its ad campaign in the coming weeks leading up to the 2012 Legislature. See full story here.

State College of Florida President Lars Hafners pay has grown 35 percent in the last two years. The increase puts his annual pay, before perks, at $284,000, according to the Sarasota Herald-Tribune. And that doesnt put him in the top five for college president salaries. Here's a list of the top paying colleges for the 2010-2011 year: State college; enrollment; president's salary -- Edison State College; 12,340; $643,478.

Reports are coming in at the state and national level that Florida Republican U.S. Rep. Connie Mack will enter the race for his fathers old seat in the U.S. Senate. Back in March, Mack had passed on entering the Republican primary field of candidates seeking to knock off Democrat U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson in 2012 and backed state Senate President Mike Haridopolos of Merritt Island for the GOP nomination. Haridopolos withdrew earlier in the year, leaving a field of former U.S. Sen.

A national Fox News poll released late Wednesday found that businessman Herman Cain has surged to the front of the pack of Republican presidential candidates. Cain leads the field of Republican hopefuls with 24 percent followed by former Gov. Mitt Romney of Massachusetts in second with 20 percent. Former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich takes third with 12 percent followed by two Texans--Gov. Rick Perry with 10 percent and U.S. Rep. Ron Paul with 9 percent.