Seeing how the Japanese people are suffering now, considering the terror they're enduring as their nuclear power plants remain under unimaginable stress, you have to ask yourself, how can I help? There are so many ways. And they deserve our help. In this decade more than any other, Japan and the Japanese people have been our friends. In case you're wondering what Japan did for us in our worst national disaster:

U.S. Rep. Allen West, speaking to the Forum Club of the Palm Beaches on Friday, said it's time America got tough on terrorists and spending. Reporting on a recent visit to Guantanamo Bay, West said detainees are living it up at a "Five Star Resort." "They have 21 satellite TV channels, Skype ... the abundance of food is unimaginable. They have one medical specialist per 57 detainees," West said. Earlier, he blasted President Barack Obama for hiring yet another "czar" -- this one to monitor military health care. Full story upcoming.

On Friday, Gov. Rick Scott announced that Elaine Jordan, a veteran of consulting and human resources, will head up Personnel and Appointments in the governors office. She had been with Fiderion and Korn Ferry. My administration has pledged to recruit the best people possible to implement my agenda, said Scott in a statement. Elaine Jordan will help the Scott administration recruit the best people, both here in Florida and nationally, to help turn this state around.

Senate Majority Leader Andy Gardiner, R-Orlando, released a video on Friday, offering an update on issues at the close of the second week of the legislative session. Gardiner touched on proposals on immigration reform and helping businesses impacted by the Gulf oil spill.

The Republican-controlled U.S. House of Representatives passed a measure on Thursday calling for an end to federal funding of NPR -- a favorite GOP target these days, especially after an executive made a comment calling tea party activists racists. While the measure is not expected to pass the Senate, the Florida delegation broke on party lines, with every Republican voting to defund NPR and all the Sunshine State Democrats on the other side.

As he continues to ponder taking on Democratic U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson in 2012, Republican U.S. Rep. Connie Mack called out President Barack Osamas leadership on Thursday.

One of the interesting footnotes to this week's ouster of Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Alvarez was the huge turnout of low- and middle-class Hispanic voters. Hispanics, especially Cubans, were a big part of the 88 percent who voted to give Alvarez the boot. Their chief complaints: He spent too much money and raised taxes. Each year, Floridians and the nation are treated to wishful stories about how more of Miami's historically Republican Cubans are poised to bolt for the Democrats. Indeed, Hispanics voted out a Republican when they recalled Alvarez.

Florida Republican U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio released a video on Thursday, stressing his opposition to continuing resolutions to keep the federal government funded.

A report issued just days before Japan's nuclear-reactor crisis warned that U.S. government subsidies to the industry inject financial instability. "Government subsidies to the nuclear power industry over the past 50 years have been so large in proportion to the value of the energy produced that in some cases it would have cost taxpayers less to simply buy kilowatts on the open market and give them away," stated the study by the Union of Concerned Scientists.

Florida Republican U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio will continue to be in the national conservative spotlight come June. He is being advertised as speaking at an event held in Washington by Ralph Reeds Faith & Freedom Coalition. Other speakers who are being touted include U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann of Minnesota, former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, Gov. Scott Walker of Wisconsin and political strategists Dick Morris and Karl Rove.

Al Cardenas, the former chairman of the Republican Party of Florida and now the newly installed chairman of the American Conservative Union (ACU), is turning to an experienced pro to help him run the organization, naming Greg Keller as executive director. Gregg Keller is highly respected in the conservative community nationally and Im very pleased to announce he will be joining the ACU team, said Cardenas. With Greggs help, ACU will continue to unite social, fiscal and national security conservatives for the tremendous opportunities we have in 2012 and beyond.

On Thursday, Gov. Rick Scotts team unveiled a website giving the public access to state records including contracts and state employee salaries and pensions. This useful tool enhances public access to government records so taxpayers can see how their tax dollars are being spent, said Scott in a statement. Scott expanded on that theme in a message on the site.

The Florida TEA Party's legal merry-go-round took another whirl this week with the party's demand for court sanctions. TEA's running tiff with Tampa political activist Don Hensarling began last summer when Hensarling filed a series of suits alleging that TEA (Taxed Enough Already), among other things, conspired to "defraud" voters and draw votes from Republicans "to the benefit of Democrat candidates." Hensarling also alleged that TEA "accepted money from persons affiliated with the Democratic Party to form the TEA Party."

Former Gov. Mike Huckabee of Arkansas, who moved to Florida last year, continued to take aim at Democratic U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson. Florida needs a conservative United States senator, insisted Huckabee in an e-mail sent out to supporters on Thursday. By his own actions, it is clear that Democrat Senator Bill Nelson has been in Washington, D.C., too long.

Uber-pundit Larry Sabato unveiled his latest Crystal Ball rankings for the Republican presidential nomination. Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney tops the rankings with other candidates crowded behind him in various tiers. Sabato included Floridas own U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, who has received increased attention as a possible presidential candidate in recent days, at the bottom of the second tier in tenth place.