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

Former Gov. Mitt Romney of Massachusetts may be the front-runner for the Republican presidential nomination -- but according to a new poll, he is hearing the footsteps of the newest GOP hopeful, U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann of Minnesota.

Florida Republican U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan cheered the House Judiciary Committee for forwarding a balanced budget amendment to the U.S. Constitution and urged the House leadership to schedule a floor vote as quickly as possible. "We can't wait any longer," said Buchanan, who has introduced similar measures since first taking his seat in Congress in 2007. "The time is now for Washington to make the tough choices necessary to balance the budget for taxpayers today and for future generations."

CNN reports Thursday morning that Rep. Anthony Weiner will resign. Informed sources within the Democratic Party told the network he will announce his resignation later on Thursday. Though he has neither a career nor a job to fall back on, the often abrasive Democratic congressman from New York apparently will leave office effective ASAP. Weiner has been under increasing pressure by Democrats to resign after repeated instances of sexting became public, after several women came forward charging him with "lewd conduct," and after he attempted to deny it.

Those looking for federal help with Everglades restoration suffered something of a blow Wednesday when the House Appropriations Committee approved a bill that would cut $32.7 million from the president's $162.7 million fiscal 2012 spending request. That would leave just $130 million in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' budget and it would mean nearly a $19 million reduction from the current appropriation.