This week, Jeb Bush and his special interest cronies in the state legislature perpetrated numerous evil acts on Floridians...
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Jeb falsely/hypocritically accuses Kerry of supporting offshore oil drilling...----
"Sen. John Kerry and Gov. Jeb Bush became embroiled in a political brouhaha Wednesday after a student newspaper reported the Democratic presidential hopeful favors drilling for oil off the Florida coast.
With a copy of the Independent Florida Alligator in hand, President Bush's brother said he was outraged at Kerry's reported position, saying it shows he has failed to follow efforts by the federal and state government to block drilling to avoid potential environmental damage.
Kerry discussed offshore drilling while campaigning Tuesday in Tampa, and his speech was reported by the student-run newspaper that covers the University of Florida. His campaign said the Alligator made 'an honest mistake" in reporting the candidate's stand and that Bush seized the opportunity "to distort John Kerry's record and scare Florida voters.'"
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Florida Republicans censure Democrat for calling Republcians out on their corruption... ----
Things blew up five weeks ago when Bucher accused Republicans, who control the House, of rushing through a measure authorizing a new kind of health-care worker, anesthesiologist assistant, in exchange for campaign contributions.
'It is just amazing what contributions have purchased here today," Bucher said at a Health Care Committee meeting. 'This is a bad bill that was financially greased through the system.'
Tom Denham, spokesman for House Speaker Johnnie Byrd, R-Plant City, said the comment was too extreme for official proceedings. 'There are principles of decorum that have to be maintained.'
(...)
The matter ended this week with a three-sentence letter from state Reps. Sandra Murman, R-Tampa, and Dennis Ross, R-Lakeland, leaders of the House Rules Subcommittee. They reminded her that representatives are supposed to conduct themselves professionally and asked her to reconsider her decision not to apologize for "inflammatory remarks" to state employees and House members.
(...)
Bucher remains unrepentant.
'I'm doing my job and my job is giving what my voters are giving me, and that's an opinion," she said. 'I'm someone who speaks out often on a lot of issues. They thought if they could be successful in alarming me that maybe I wouldn't say any more. Obviously that didn't happen.'"
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Florida Republicans maliciously modify the prekindergarten initiative approved by voters…----
"The Florida Senate gave preliminary approval Wednesday to the universal prekindergarten program voters ordered in 2002, but its version would provide only half the classroom time proponents envisioned.
The Senate would allow parents to choose between a 540-hour program offered by public, private or religious schools during the school year -- three hours a day for 180 school days -- or an intensive 300-hour summer program.
The program is expected to cost about $300 million and would be open to about 125,000 4-year-olds in fall 2005.
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'Most of the voters who supported this really had in mind that these children would spend most of the day in school," said Sen. Frederica Wilson, D-Miami. "Not only are they learning cognitive skills but this is a socialization time for them.'
(…)
Miami-Dade County Mayor Alex Penelas -- who led the statewide drive to get the prekindergarten amendment on the ballot -- said he was concerned about quality time students will get with teachers.
"The latest compromise bill that came out of House is much better than what we've seen to date," Penelas said this week. 'I still hope they will closely look at certain key provisions, which I do believe compromise the program, including the student to teacher ratio. This version has it at one to 18. We believe it should be one to 10, no more than 20 in a classroom with two teachers.'
Democrats have railed against both the House and Senate bills.
'The issue never even had a proper vetting in the House,' said Rep. Curtis Richardson, D-Tallahassee, a former school board member. 'One teacher cannot be successful in a room with 18 4-year-olds. This legislation does not reflect what the people voted for.'"
(...)
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Jeb Bush announces opposition to cigarette tax----
"Gov. Jeb Bush said Tuesday he would ``have to be convinced'' to support a proposed 40-cent additional tax on packs of cigarettes made by companies not involved in a settlement the state's receiving to cover the cost of treating sick smokers.
'This is raising taxes,' said Bush, a staunch opponent of tax hikes."
(...)
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