It's time for Florida to re-examine its fear of gambling and put it where it can do the state some good -- in smart, high-class state-of-the-art casinos.

This is the time I should be grousing about the cost of a second-term liberal president's inauguration. Have at those hypocritical Democrats, right? Wrong. I'm not going to do it.

Are Florida's leaders taking the state in the right direction?Grover Norquist, head of the Washington-based anti-tax lobbying group Americans for Tax Reform, answers that question in a single word: "Absolutely."

But, he cautions, watch out, Florida: "Other conservative states are giving you some competition."

Sorry, anthropology defenders, but Gov. Rick Scott was right 15 months ago about the college degrees needed in the 21st century marketplace. And he's so right today.

Grover Norquist, labeled by MSNBC "the most influential man in America who doesn't sleep in the White House," said Thursday, no question about it, the House's 13th-hour fiscal-cliff compromise was a "colossal victory" for Republicans -- and for 99 percent of American taxpayers.

"What happened," he said, "is the Democrats lost their leverage. What's not to like?"

Looking relaxed, sounding precisely as "happy" as he professed to be, the president of Americans for Tax Reform was at the state Capitol to speak to the Tallahassee Chapter of the Center Right Coalition.

The general counsel for the Florida Medical Association made it clear Wednesday that the FMA won't be just a silent partner in the 2013 legislative fight to keep workers' comp doctors dispensing medicine in their offices.

And he said the powerful professional organization wants doctors to remain solvent while they do it.

If any subject can overtake the fiscal-cliff aftermath on the D.C. Richter scale, it's a gun-control bill.