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

Michele Bachmann split from other GOP presidential candidates Saturday night by calling the proposed payroll tax cut a "gimmick." "President Obama only has temporary gimmicks, not permanent solutions. This [cut] takes $112 billion away from Social Security trust fund," the Minnesota congresswoman said at the ABC debate in Iowa. Former Sen. Rick Santorum agreed with Bachmann, but Rep. Ron Paul said of the tax cut: "Extend it, and find a way to pay for it."

Rick Perry joined Ron Paul Saturday night in attacking bailouts as a contributing cause to America's economic problems. Speaking at an ABC debate in Des Moines, Iowa, Paul blasted "excessive debt and 'malinvestment'" by the federal government. "We dumped the debt on the people and bailed out those who benefited from the bubble," the congressman said. Perry agreed that "corruption has gone on," and he said "It will take an outsider to fix it."

Walter Reed National Military Medical Center says it is rescinding a policy that prohibited family members of wounded military troops from bringing Bibles or any religious reading materials to their loved ones. The Baptist Press said the decision to rescind the ban came one day after Rep. Steve King, R-Iowa, denounced the policy on the House floor and called on President Obama to publicly renounce the military policy.

Floridas Black History Month art and essay contest for kindergarten to high school seniors will focus on advances in science and math by African-Americans. In addition to the contest announced by Gov. Rick Scott, Lt. Governor Jennifer Carroll, and first lady Ann Scott, nominations are being accepted of African-American educators for the Black History Month Excellence in Education Award. The achievements of African-Americans touch every community, in every field of study, including science and technology, Gov. Scott said.