U.S. Rep. Dennis Kucinich of Ohio took aim at fellow Democrat President Barack Obama on Thursday.

President Obama has -- against all promises -- just put Social Security cuts on the table, noted Kucinich who ran against Obama for his partys presidential nomination back in 2008. This is not a compromise. It's caving to the corporate special interests who want to keep their handouts while dismantling Social Security. We need to stand up and tell President Obama that Social Security is not a political pawn -- it's a lifeline for millions of seniors.

Florida Republican U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio took to the floor of the Senate on Thursday to weigh in on the economy and the current standoff over raising the federal debt ceiling. Rubio spoke out against higher taxes and in favor of cutting federal spending to reduce the national debt.

Rubio also weighed in on raising the debt ceiling, which remains the issue of the moment in the Beltway with President Barack Obama, Senate Democrats and House Republicans still facing a logjam.

The Florida House now has two filed bills vying for the title of "Caylee's Law."

In the uproar and aftermath of Casey Anthony's acquittal last week in Orlando of the 2008 murder of her daughter, Caylee, Florida legislators were quick to announce their disgust. She did not report Caylee missing for more than one month, and was convicted of four counts of lying to investigators, but was released Wednesday for time served.

Former U.S. Sen. George LeMieux, now in a crowded Republican primary field to take on Democratic U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson in 2012, called on Wednesday for Senate Republicans to shut down passing appropriations bills until the Democratic-controlled Senate passes a budget.

U.S. Rep. Ron Paul of Texas unveiled his first television advertisement for his bid for the Republican presidential nomination and its a blockbuster -- actually an ad for a summer blockbuster. The ad, which is set as a preview for a movie, hammers Republicans for compromising too much in standing against raising the debt and promises that Paul will not back raising the debt ceiling. The ad is being run in Iowa and New Hampshire.

U.S. Rep. Thad McCotter of Michigan, who entered the race for the Republican presidential nomination earlier in the month, took off the gloves on Thursday and tore into both President Barack Obama and former Gov. Mitt Romney of Massachusetts, the current favorite for the GOP nod.

Businessman Mike Yost, the Republican nominee in 2010 who took on Democratic incumbent U.S. Rep. Corrine Brown who represents parts of North Florida, is hoping to challenge again in 2012. Yost seems to be a bit more professional this time in his campaign operations, as can be seen in a web video he unveiled earlier in the week. In the video, Yost attacks Brown, arguing that the district has lagged behind the rest of the state during her almost two decades in office.

Former U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania will join fellow Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney as a speaker at CPAC FL in September. The American Conservative Union (ACU) is taking its Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) on the road to hit key 2012 battlegrounds and will be holding its event in Orlando to coincide with the Republican Party of Floridas (RPOF) Presidency 5 straw poll.

A CNBC report has Florida ranked 18th (tied with Tennessee) among states as the best place to do business.

The report measured states based on 10 different criteria. Florida scored high marks on its work force (second overall), infrastructure and transportation (eighth) and access to capital (ninth), but scored poorly on its economy (47th) and cost of doing business (40th).

Former state House Majority Leader Adam Hasner, now running for the Republican nomination to take on Democratic U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson in 2012, took aim at President Barack Obama on Wednesday.

Hasner knocked Obama for mulling over freezing Social Security payments in case a federal government shutdown occurred.