The Republican lines cracked Friday morning when the Wall Street Journal published a lead editorial questioning the GOP's strategy in the shutdown showdown. "It's clear enough by now that President Obama wants a shutdown and thinks he'll benefit politically from it," the Journal declared. Though the Journal typically questions or pooh-poohs anything Obama says, the editorialists this time laid out a case to prove him right.

The shenanigans at South Florida Water Management District just keep on coming. This time they involve bad ethics and bad purchasing practice (favoritism in selecting the contractor), bad equipment ($1.5 million in pumps that failed after being installed), bad follow-up (no attempt to collect on the pumps' five-year warranty), and abysmally bad decision-making that makes a joke of fiscal stewardship.

Counting down to a shutdown, congressional negotiators are still at loggerheads over a spending plan that would keep the government running past midnight Friday. After a meeting with President Barack Obama Thursday afternoon, House Speaker John Boehner and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid confirmed that no deal had been reached. Reid said discussions would resume at 7 p.m. Reid, D-Nev., sounded more optimistic than he did earlier in the day, but Boehner, R-Ohio, was less upbeat after Democrats dissed the House's latest funding plan.

Hundreds of protesters gathered outside Gov. Rick Scott's office in the Capitol to protest proposed cuts in unemployment benefits and state-worker pensions. Most were clad in pink, chanting "Pink Slip Rick!" Natalia Jaramillo, an organizer with Florida New Majority, a coalition of progressive groups which helped gather the protesters, said that while the anger of unemployed workers is largely directed at Scott, bills that hamper unemployed benefits in both chambers are the source of true anxiety.

On Thursday afternoon, the House passed a bill sponsored by Rep. Dorothy Hukill, R-Port Orange, deregulating 20 industries. Hukill maintained that the measure would help more than 103,000 Floridians in those businesses. The bill passed 77-38 on a vote that is close to party lines. Unnecessary government regulations hurt businesses and cost consumers money, said Hukill. This bill will retire a host of many unnecessary regulations.

So much for the no-new-taxes pledge: The Senate on Thursday approved a bill that abolishes the 25-cent discount SunPass users get every time they pass a Florida toll booth. Of course, politicians call it a fee (or toll), but it's not chump change. Senate budgeteers calculated that the move will bring in an additional $100 million a year. For me, I think thats worthwhile doing, said Sen. J.D. Alexander, R-Lake Wales.

The House Judiciary Committee passed a softened version of a court-reform package on Thursday, but not before Democrats ripped it as"vindictive," "underhanded" and "unacceptable." Florida Bar President Mayanne Downs was more measured. "We're heartened by the progress so far, and we want to continue that process," she told Sunshine State News after the vote. Full story.

The House passed two measures sponsored by Rep. Gary Aubuchon, R-Cape Coral, and backed by Gov. Rick Scott that would roll six established trust funds with more than $425 million into the State Economic Enhancement and Development Fund (SEED) which would be in the governors Office of Tourism, Trade and Economic Development. The measure passed 81-38 on a vote that mirrored party lines. This SEED fund combines six trust funds, said Aubuchon, who insisted it would help the economy.

The official story is, Fox News' conservative firebreather Glenn Beck will "transition off his daily program" later this year into something else for the network -- something vaguely described as "digital platforms." But head of Fox News Roger Ailes told Associated Press Wednesday, "Half of the headlines say he's been canceled, the other half say he quit. We're pretty happy with both of them."

The Florida Senate has passed its version of the budget in a 33-6 vote, with half of the Democratic caucus voting against it. The budget comes in at $69.8 billion. Democratic opposition centered on cuts to health care, public-worker pensions and the search for other sources of revenue to fund them. Senate Minority Leader Nan Rich, D-Weston, said money could be found to mitigate the cuts by closing tax loopholes.

David Caton from the Florida Family Association (FFA) announced on Thursday that his organization has raised more money and will rent airplanes with banners to warn families about Gay Day at Disney 10 hours per day on both Friday, June 3, and Saturday, June 4. For more on the event and the protest read here.

One of the nation's highest ranking railroad executives -- whose job it is to study the bottom line -- apparently agrees with Gov. Rick Scott's assessment of high-speed rail's viability once it's up and running. CSX Corp. Chief Executive Officer Michael Ward told Bloomberg News in New York this morning that CSX cant be part of" President Barack Obamas rail vision because passenger trains dont make money and high-speed trains dont belong on freight tracks.

A new poll from Quinnipiac University released on Thursday revealed that President Barack Obama, who carried Florida in 2008, will face a tough time carrying the Sunshine State in 2012 as Floridians continue to sour on his performance in office.

While he has formed an exploratory committee, former House Majority Leader Adam Hasner has not formally announced that he is running for the U.S. Senate seatcurrently held by Democratic incumbent Bill Nelson. But that has not stopped Hasners team from ripping into a Republican rival -- former U.S. Sen. George LeMieux who announced his bid earlier in the week. Hasners team sent out an e-mail to supporters late Wednesday attacking LeMieux.

In a press briefing at 10:30 p.m. Wednesday night, President Barack Obama said, "I remain confident that if we're serious about getting something done we should be able to complete a deal and get it passed and avert a shutdown." But the game of fiscal chicken continued Thursday morning, as Republicans and Democrats stared each other down over the deficit, the debt and the pace of unsustainable spending in Washington, D.C.