The upperclassmen of the Republican Party schooled Democrats on a slew of education bills on the Senate Floor Tuesday.

In the face of Democratic opposition, they rallied in preparation for upcoming contentious votes on approving teacher merit pay, changing high school graduation requirements, altering a state constitutional amendment to loosen class-size restrictions and expanding the states corporate-funded voucher program.

In an escalating political and legal battle over America's new health-reform law, Florida is again ground zero in an election year. And at stake is a renewed debate over who is setting the national agenda.

Under the headline "Costly Bill Seen as Saving Money," the San Francisco Chronicle last week began a front-page story with these words: "Many people find it hard to understand how the health care legislation heading for a decisive vote Sunday can cost $940 billion and cut the horrendous federal deficit at the same time."

It's not hard to understand at all. It is a lie.

Gov. Charlie Crist held a news conferenceon Tuesdayafternoon and addressed a number of topics ranging from Attorney General Bill McCollums lawsuit against the federal government for passing healthcare legislation to bills in the Legislature.

Crist was asked why the number of uninsured Floridians is on the rise despite his Cover Florida package being implemented in 2008. The governor insisted that Cover Florida was a success but he also said that his administration needed to do a better job at getting the word out.