Most eyes on Washington are on the looming federal shutdown. But U.S. Rep. Dan Webster, R-Fla., offered some thoughts on the Obama administrations response to the attack on State Department staffers in Benghazi that took place a year ago and left four Americans, including Ambassador Christopher Stevens, dead.

U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan, R-Fla., came out swinging at an Obama administration-backed proposal of a $320 million federal bailout of Detroit which filed for bankruptcy back in July.

The American taxpayer should not be forced to clean up a mess of Detroits making, said Buchanan on Friday. When is Washington going to wake up and realize that we cant bail our way out of economic distress?

The federal government is hurtling toward $17 trillion in debt, Buchanan continued. We simply do not have the money to bail out failing state and local governments.

Using his Reclaim America PAC, U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., looks to flex his political muscles on a national level in 2014 even as he continues mulling over a bid for the Republican presidential nomination in 2016.

Former U.S. Rep. Ron Paul, best known for his three presidential bids, offered warm words of praise for Ladar Levison who shut down Lavabit instead of working with the National Security Agency (NSA).

He's lost his main source of income. He's now effectively unemployed, Paul wrote supporters on Thursday. And now that his decision to shut down the secure email service Lavabit has created a media firestorm, Ladar Levison has become an even bigger target for our national security spy state.

U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., appeared on Greta Van Sustrens show on Fox News on Thursday night, insisting Democrats were to blame if the potential federal shutdown takes place and calling for defunding President Barack Obamas health care law.

Former Gov. Gary Johnson of New Mexico, who was the Libertarian Partys presidential candidate in 2012, compared politics to a reality show -- except that the actors are completely out of touch with reality in an email sent out to supporters on Thursday.

Looking ahead to a possible federal shutdown, U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan, R-Fla., said on Thursday that members of Congress should not be paid if it happens.

Former state Rep. John Patrick Julien, who lost a close battle for a state House seat last year, passed away on Thursday. House Democratic Leader Perry Thurston, D-Fort Lauderdale, issued a statement praising Julien:

On behalf of the Florida House Democratic Caucus, I offer our sincerest sympathies on the passing of one of our most memorable colleagues, John Patrick Julien. We are deeply saddened and our thoughts and prayers are extended to his family and loved ones.

With U.S. District Judge Robert Hinkle ruling this week against medical liability reforms passed by the Legislature signed earlier this year, the Florida Medical Association (FMA) pushed back on Thursday and vowed to appeal.

Former Gov. Governor Jeb Bush and the Foundation for Excellence in Education announced on Thursday that former U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and former U.S. Solicitor General Ted Olson will speak at the 2013 National Summit on Education Reform on Oct. 17 in Boston.

Olson will focus on how the law can help education reform; Rice will interview Olson on various cases he has handled for education reform.

Bush will open the summit with a keynote address at a breakfast event on Oct. 17.