Today we're talking about party-switchers, salary-raisers, teacher-trashers and more.
We start with Democrats, who are titillated at the prospect of Change-up Charlie Crist running for governor.
The former Republican-turned-independent says he now wants to be a Democrat. (But honestly, I wrote that several hours ago. So things could've changed.)
I'm not as keen on Charlie's chances. Here are three reasons why: 1) He got creamed in his last election. 2) He has no base. 3) Voters have good reason not to trust him. (A few years ago, he swore he was "as conservative as you can get." Now he says: "my heart has always been … more in line with the Democratic Party.")
On the flip side, the best reason Charlie could win is this: Rick Scott. The incumbent governor is less popular than a parka at a Florida nudist resort.
I'm not saying Crist can't win. (Heck, my cat, Furball, might stand a chance against Scott if his numbers don't improve. And Charlie could charm ticks off a bloodhound.) But I am saying that, if the Democrats' best hope rests with someone who wasn't even a member of their party earlier this week, that speaks volumes about the sorry state of their prospects.
Pay raises
So, after six years without raises for state employees, top legislators finally gave some out … but only to the folks who work directly in their offices.
Senate President Don Gaetz's aide-turned-chief of staff saw his salary jump from $77,000 to $150,000 … meaning he now makes more than the attorney general.
According to the Tampa Bay Times, 62 top advisers and aides who work for Gaetz and House Speaker Will Weatherford now make more than $100,000.
Apparently you need well-paid warriors in the crusade against government excess.
Teacher-bashing
You may know Florida is getting a new education secretary named Tony Bennett. (No, not that Tony Bennett … though that'd be kind of cool.)
What you may not know is we're getting him only because Indiana tossed him out. Voters of that very conservative state — Mitt Romney won by 10 points in Indiana — booted this conservative reformer from office just last month.
Apparently a big reason is that Bennett's version of "reform" involved a whole lot of teacher-bashing.
Don't take my word for it. Take it from one of Indiana's leading voices of conservative school reform, lawyer and blogger Paul Ogden. He penned a piece titled: "Why Tony Bennett Lost —The Folly of Beating Up Teachers for Public Education's Problems."
We all know our schools need help. And maybe Bennett learned a lesson. But the last thing this state needs is another teacher-trasher.
Heck, you can't swing a dead cat in Tallahassee without finding a politician who likes to blame teachers for all the world's woes. And that's a problem — not just for the poor cat, but because demonizing teachers isn't a solution for anything.
Education priorities
Speaking of schools, it's interesting to note that the Orange County School Board meeting was more packed with people Tuesday night than it had been in years.
Not because board members were talking about new initiatives to help students. Or teachers. Or about ways to get more parents involved — all of which this board and others have tried to do.
No, the reason folks flocked to this meeting was because a discredited anti-gay activist had manufactured nonsensical claims that the School Board had launched a covert plan to help "pedophiles."
The fact that this is the only kind of thing that can jampack our education center speaks volumes.
