After 10 Glorious Years, Sunshine State News and I Are Passing the Baton

Gov. Rick Scott weighed in on Thursday on the fight over the debt ceiling and the federal shutdown. Scott contrasted the record in Washington with his own in Tallahassee. Washingtons failure to reach a long-term agreement on the debt ceiling confirms our nations leaders have their heads in the sand about our economic future, Scott said. Americas unchecked debt, along with the increase in inflation that follows, will only put us deeper in the hole we have been trying to climb out of since the national economic downturn.

Congress may have come together Wednesday to pass a bill to avoid default and end the government shutdown, but as far as voters are concerned, there isn't too much bipartisanship in Washington, D.C. Only 21 percent of likely U.S. voters think Republicans are acting on a bipartisan basis these days, according to a new Rasmussen Reports poll. Sixty-one percent believe they are acting like partisan Republicans.

Newark Mayor Cory Booker expanded the Democratic majority in the U.S. Senate when he beat former Bogota Mayor Steve Lonegan, the Republican in the race, but it doesnt seem to be hurting Republican Gov. Chris Christie. Booker won 55 percent of the vote while Lonegan trailed with 44 percent.

U.S. Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, R-Fla., supported the deal that ends the federal shutdown and raises the debt ceiling which passed both chambers of Congress on Wednesday night. "This responsible solution ensures that the government reopens and we do not default on our debt in order to restore stability to our economy and provide economic security for our communities, Ros-Lehtinen said. People are tired of Washingtons partisan bickering and while we have forged a responsible compromise, there is still much work to be done.