They told me if I voted for McCain, the nation's hope would deteriorate, sure enough there has been a 20 point drop in the Consumer Confidence Index since the election, reaching a lower point than at any time during the Bush administration. ...more

March 26, 2009

Friday's Highlands Today editorial "Obama must stand up to his own party on budget," I believe, misrepresents the entire budget process and wrongly leaves the impression that it is the Democrats who did most of the wasteful spending. ...more

March 19, 2009

The Senate's chief budget writer says lawmakers may consider a pay cut for state employees. ...more

March 16, 2009

The New Mexico Legislature has voted to repeal the death penalty. ...more

March 13, 2009

Florida's insurance commissioner says the national credit crunch could lead to more home foreclosures. ...more

March 5, 2009

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Some think the idea should have been dead on arrival. ...more

March 4, 2009

Gov. Charlie Crist released a proposal this afternoon that relies on billions of federal stimulus dollars to boost state spending by $1 billion next fiscal year. ...more

February 20, 2009

Republicans are up in arms about Gov. Crist's support of the stimulus package. Many are also surprised that the governor is contemplating a Senate run rather than standing for re-election. A possible reason for both relates to something I have pondered for some time: Florida should raise the sales tax by one cent, at least temporarily. The stimulus package, manna for our charmed governor, will likely enable Florida to balance its budget this year. But unless the economy improves significantly, next year we will be back to where we are now, cutting into the marrow of our already bare bones state programs. Perhaps the governor sees raising taxes in the near future as the only logical way to maintain the modest quality of life the state provides to its citizens, while understanding that, as a Republican, raising taxes would likely end his political career. The smart thing is to let someone else do it. ...more

February 14, 2009

The misnamed Employee Free Choice Act would, among other measures helpful to union expansion, allow a shop to unionize before its owner knew a union campaign was being waged. ...more

February 10, 2009

On tap today: Obama will promote $838 billion stimulus plan during a town hall session in Fort Myers. Gov. Charlie Crist will introduce the president. ...more

February 10, 2009