GOP LAW CAUSES FLORIDA TO LEAD NATION IN VOTER SUPPRESSION

Florida one of the ‘five worst states for voting rights in 2011′ [Florida Independent] “The Center for American Progress released a report today on voter suppression efforts carried out by Republican-led state legislatures around the country, listing Florida as one of ‘five worst states for voting rights in 2011.’ As we at The Florida Independent have been reporting, Florida lawmakers passed a new voting law last year that has drawn fire from federal officials, legislators, advocacy groups and voting rights experts from all over the country. The many critics of the law have said the law is a concerted effort to keep minorities, young people, the elderly and the poor from the polls on Election Day.”

Report ranks Fla at top of USA — in voter suppression [Tampa Bay Times] “The liberal Center for American Progress has a new report on the spread of voting restrictions across the state. Florida makes their list of 5 worst states for voting.”

Read the Center For American Progress Report: “How Conservatives Are Conspiring to Disenfranchise Millions of Americans” HERE

THIS SHOULD PLAY WELL IN HIS PRIMARY: CONNIE MACK CALLS RYAN BUDGET A “JOKE”

Connie Mack disses Paul Ryan budget as “a joke” [Miami Herald] “Republican Congressman and Senate candidate Connie Mack called the budget plan, drafted by fellow Rep. Paul Ryan, a ‘joke’ during a weekend Orlando Tea Party forum. Mack, who missed the Ryan plan vote in Washington last week while he was fundraising in Florida, later said through a spokesman that he would have voted for it anyway…Comments like that can be deadly to Republicans this campaign season.”

Republican Congressman Tries To Walk Back Calling The House GOP Budget A ‘Joke’ [Think Progress] “At a Tea Party forum in Orlando, Mack explained why he didn’t vote on the Ryan budget. ‘I was here in Florida campaigning,’ Mack said. ‘You know that budget was a joke, doesn’t balance the budget for years.'”

MEANWHILE…Bill Nelson tackles broad array of issues at town hall [Gainesville Sun] “At a town hall meeting Wednesday at the Innovation Hub in midtown, U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson answered questions on a scale from local to international — from the chances of funding for a wastewater treatment plant in Archer to foreign policy involving Israel and Iran.”

VERN BEHAVING BADLY — ANOTHER FORMER EMPLOYEE COMES FORWARD  In deposition, ex-employee charges Florida congressman with wide variety of misdeeds [Florida Independent] “In a deposition given on Jan. 9 and obtained by The Florida Independent, a former employee of Rep. Vern Buchanan, R-Sarasota, alleges that he reported Buchanan to the U.S. government in 2008 for tax evasion and conspiracy to evade U.S. income tax, and that he has been in contact with federal officials about Buchanan.”

Gobble Gobble — Will Scott veto “member projects” in Budget?  [News Service of Florida] “Some of the projects he will face are also the same. Once again, a rowing center in Sarasota County would receive millions if Scott left it untouched. The project sat at $1 million for much of the budget process this year, then moved to $5 million in the final version…The slew of projects led Sen. Steve Oelrich, a Gainesville Republican running for Congress, to compare the budgeting process to wasteful spending in Washington, D.C. — including the infamous ‘Bridge to Nowhere.'”

OTHER NEWS WE THOUGHT YOU SHOULD KNOW

THE GOP WAR ON EDUCATION: Schools to take more fire [Palm Beach Post editorial] “Those scanning the horizon for still more legislative assaults on public education in Florida should notice a provision buried on Page 67 of the 71-page House Bill 7059, which awaits Gov. Scott’s signature…If Gov. Scott agrees, as he almost certainly will, Florida school districts for the first time will face a monetary penalty when students fail to pass high-stakes tests”

Obama improving among independents in Florida and other swing states [Tampa Bay Times] “GALLUP: Barack Obama has a 48% to 39% advantage over Mitt Romney among independent voters in 12 key swing states.”