Former Republican Congressman Mark Foley of West Palm Beach had no idea three weeks ago when he agreed to appear on Fox News' "Sean Hannity" show at 9 p.m. Thursday that the interview would plunge him into such painfully familiar territory.
Sometimes a newspaper says something so silly, so blatantly, cockamamily wrong, I need 30 minutes in a rubber room to recover.
Most Floridians are unaware of the drama that plays out daily on their behalf between the press and the governor's office.
I'm talking now about public records. About the simple act of retrieving information the citizens of Florida already paid for -- but can't have in a reasonable time period or at reasonable cost.
Citizens in the Sunshine State have come to believe -- and rightly so -- that most things their government does are as much their business as they are any elected official's.
Why are we still hearing about the governor's "extravagant" nameplate on Florida welcome signs? Enough already. As issues go, an $8,800 expense taken from a $69.7 billion budget is about as scandalous as a saucy seaside postcard.
The governor spending tax dollars to spread his name around? It's an easy way to fire up readers. A cheap wind-up toy for a press corps at war with the governor's office.
UPDATED: He's worth that $14.5 million now, Florida. Just look at LeBron James when Miami needs him most. Does anybody think he isn't the star of the hottest rock band on the NBA's 2011 stage?
LeBron, called the Sunshine State's 6-foot-8, 250-pound "best import of 2010," staggered during the regular season, but at just the right time, during three of Miami's last four playoff wins, he's made a dramatic turnaround and taken charge.
Charlie Crist is gone but his no labels movement is alive and well and flourishing at the Capitol like a clump of mushrooms in a ditch after the storm. We can thank Jack Latvala for that.
You think Florida needs E-Verify? Really?
Listen to J.D. Alexander. Pull that 20-minute video clip from the Tuesday afternoon Senate session on immigration and just listen to him.
The Lake Wales senator pours his heart out on the reality the cold, light-of-day reality of using the costly, flawed, business-strangling E-Verify system. This is the system invented to check the legal-residency of new hires.
Alexander is an expert, thats why you listen to him. Personally, I think hes only expert on E-Verify up here. The rest of us just have opinions.
