Two "tea party stars" from Florida say they're not scared by the doomsday scenarios over the national debt ceiling.

Saying he doesn't think much of "leadership by fear and intimidation" coming from the Obama administration and Wall Street financiers, U.S. Rep. Allen West calls the pending increase in the nation's $14 trillion debt a "debt suggestion."

"This will be the 73rd or 74th time Congress has done this," West, R-Fort Lauderdale, said on ABC's "This Week with Christian Amanpour."

U.S. Rep. Steve Southerland, R-Tallahassee, was equally adamant.

A major expansion of Floridas virtual school programs is poised for a House floor vote after swift approval from a House committee on Friday.

But a similar measure in the Senate has stalled after questions were raised about its costs to the state.

The House measure (HB 7197) was approved with a substantial amendment after little debate or questions in the House Appropriations Committee on Friday. Only Rep. Franklin Sands, D-Weston, voted no after saying the committee was not given enough time to digest the 38-page amendment to the bill.

Hes big and hes brash and he brags like a sailor on shore leave. All fine for a TV personality hyping his new show. But Donald Trump is talking about running for the highest office in the land.

Lets not let him. Whatever happens.

Peeps and other Easter confections will be half price or off the shelves completely when House and Senate negotiators sit down to begin hammering out their differences between two competing budget plans.

Talks appeared to break down this week before they even began.