Those who regard government "entitlement" programs as sacrosanct, and regard those who want to cut them back as calloused or cruel, picture a world very different from the world of reality.

The House comes off a one-week recess to begin working on expiring authorization bills that have been extended in a patchwork fashion since Congress was controlled by the Nancy Pelosi/Harry Reid reign of the last few years.

Why are we still hearing about the governor's "extravagant" nameplate on Florida welcome signs? Enough already. As issues go, an $8,800 expense taken from a $69.7 billion budget is about as scandalous as a saucy seaside postcard.

The governor spending tax dollars to spread his name around? It's an easy way to fire up readers. A cheap wind-up toy for a press corps at war with the governor's office.

When Florida voted in 2001 to create a corporate tax credit voucher program for low-income students, only one Democrat supported the idea.

Ten years later, when it came time to vote on a bill (HB 965) that expanded the amount of tax credit a company gets for making a donation to a school voucher program, 24 Democrats chose to support the bill.

Thats a remarkable policy shift for Democrats, who started out nearly united in their opposition to vouchers.