An email from Gov. Charlie Crist's Senate campaigntoday attacked Marco Rubio for "conferring a heretofore unknown title" quoting Rubio saying, "My wife was the First Lady of the Florida House of Representatives and it is absolutely appropriate for her to accompany me to official events and party functions."

Call Paula Dockery a collateral casualty in the squabble for the name and control of Florida's Tea Party. The state senator from Lakeland lags Attorney General Bill McCollum in her bid for the Republican gubernatorial nomination. And whether she's the victim of not-so-friendly fire or a self-inflicted wound, the Tea Party battle is not helping her candidacy. On one side is longtime Dockery associate Doug Guetzloe. He and Orlando lawyer Frederic O'Neal last year registered the Tea Party as a Florida political party. On the other side are Tea Party activists who sued the pair. Dockery, fashioning herself as a populist, credits Guetzloe with getting her into the race. But instead of gaining traction with the Tea Party movement, she's found herself caught in the crossfire -- and losing GOP support in the process.

The state Senate voted Tuesday afternoon to provide quick relief to businesses fearing a major hike in the state unemployment tax. The Senate voted 39-0 to pass a House of Representatives bill that delays for two years a looming tax hike that would result in as much as a twelvefold increase on employers unemployment tax bills. The House bill (HB 7033) was one of two introduced for the session. The other was introduced into the Senate by Sen. Rudy Garcia, R-Hialeah.

Balancing the federal budget may not be the Tallahassee press corps' cup of tea but the Tea Party likes the idea. A lot. Senate President Jeff Atwater, R-North Palm Beach, after announcing a proposed resolution calling on the feds to balance the budget, was asked repeatedly by reporters Tuesday to address the irony in his demand that the U.S. government balance its books when the state has had to borrow money from the feds to balance its own.

The leadership of the Florida Legislature promised to quickly handle the unemployment compensation tax deferment and, so far, they are good on their word.

As session started today, Senate President Jeff Atwater, R-North Palm Beach, repeated his call for the state Legislature to demand the federal government balance its budget. Atwater and Cretul, R-Ocala, proposed Monday that the state join 19 other states demanding a Balanced Budget Amendment to the Federal Constitution, which would require a balanced federal budget and limit federal restrictions on state spending. Florida is on its way to becoming the third-most populous state in the nation and the tenth-largest GDP in the world.

The Florida House of Representatives opened the 2010 session on a gloomy wet day in Tallahassee and the mood in the House chamber reflected the weather. Even the opening prayer stressed how Floridians were discouraged by the economic situation and were losing faith.

Now, I'm second to none in my admiraton of Florida's talented young people. But here are our senators on the first day of the 2010 session, with only 60 days to make some $3.2 billion in cuts to the budget -- and get that budget passed -- while deciding on oil drilling, casino gambling, and taxes, to say nothing of figuring out how they're going to get 1 million Floridians back to work ... and what are they doing? How are they starting? With 20 minutes of show tunes. Little Jennie Moen, age 14, from Bradenton, and Maria Wirries, 12, from Myakka City even brought their instruments.

Morning Yall, Im in the state Senate press gallery as session starts. Gov. Charlie Crist and Attorney General Bill McCollum circled the floor before opening call, and reporters joked about Senators' wardrobes and handshakes. Prayer just ended, including the words, "We pray for our Governor." "Me too," comes a comment from the gallery Its a party all around. http://twitpic.com/167i9g

A sweeping anti-immigration measure filed by Sen. Carey Baker, R-Eustis, could have the dubious distinction of being the legislation least likely to pass for the 2010 session. SB 856 has more committee references than any other bill filed so far this year.

State Senate President Jeff Atwater and House Speaker Larry Cretul announced Monday they want Florida to join other states in demanding the federal government balance its budget. If the federal government, now grappling with a $12 trillion debt, doesnt act more fiscally responsible, the consequences are clear. Florida will be drowning in its debt, Atwater said, in a joint press conference with Cretul.

Florida House Majority Leader Adam Hasner, R-Delray Beach, spent early Monday afternoon speaking on the House floor. Instead of the usual legion of House members, Hasner was addressing members of the Associated Industries of Florida with its President and CEO Barney Bishop in the first row. While acknowledging that both the state and the nation were facing tough economic times, Hasner stated there was no recession of ideas and promised that the House would push a bold agenda in 2010.

Ken Morley is back in Florida. The veteran Democratic strategist has signed up with Alex Sink's gubernatorial campaign as the new general consultant, replacing Mark Farinella. With Republicans still reeling from their own in-house financial management problems, they may be looking to play up some of the financial problems the Democrats have had over the years. They may be tempted to look at a complaint filed against Scott Maddox's short lived gubernatorial campaign in which Alex Sinks new strategist played a small part. If so, they won't find much--at least concerning Morley.

On paper there seems little to differentiate the two state senators running in the Democratic primary for attorney general. They are both from South Florida. They often hold the same positions on the issues and they have both done well with fundraising.

As the rumors swirl that he is planning to abandon the GOP primary to continue running for the U.S. Senate, Gov. Charlie Crist is using yesterdays health care summit in Washington to reinforce his Republican credentials.