Transportation need not be a partisan issue, but Democrats are steering it that way as they reflexively attack Gov. Rick Scott's rejection of federal stimulus dollars for a controversial high-speed rail line.

Progress Florida, a "progressive" but nominally nonpartisan group, declared that Scott's decision was driven by a desire "to make President Obama look bad."

Florida Democrats, including U.S. Rep. Corrine Brown and Sen. Bill Nelson, expressed predictably partisan "outrage" and shock that the governor pulled the plug on the nascent venture.

One way to judge the merits of the budget Barack Obama unveiled this week is by the comments of his political allies. "It's not enough to focus primarily on the nonsecurity discretionary part of the budget," said Senate Budget Committee Chairman Kent Conrad.

With Gov. Rick Scott rejecting federal funds for a high-speed rail project between Tampa and Orlando Wednesday, political leaders across Florida quickly weighed in.

The time-(dis)honored tradition of big-city mayors buying votes doesn't appear to be working for Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos Alvarez.

A citizen revolt, led by South Florida auto magnate Norman Braman, has Alvarez up for recall on March 15. With polls showing him losing, Alvarez is fighting to block the election in court.

But the mayor's previous legal gambits have failed, and the once-popular politician faces a stunning fall from grace.

House Democrats are refusing to take part in what Republican leaders call a 15 percent budget cut exercise, even as committees Tuesday took the first steps toward trimming.

Florida is in need of economic revival and jobs. Florida Main Street programs are catalysts for economic revitalization and the retention and recruitment of jobs.