ALLEN WEST GOES TOO FAR, CRICKET CRICKET FROM THE RPOF

The voice of today’s GOP: Allen West says Democrats are commies [Los Angeles Times] “When the man stood up to ask about the percentage of card-carrying commies in the Congress, West first said, ‘That’s a good question.’ No it wasn’t. It was a crazy, paranoid question. Four years ago, when a woman at one of his rallies began to rant about Barack Obama being an anti-American Muslim, presidential candidate John McCain took the microphone away and said she was wrong. Obama was a good American and a good family man with whom he simply disagreed, McCain said.”

Congressman West goes on the commie hunt [Palm Beach Post column] “I had good reason to grill Deutch about his secret Communist affiliation, because my very own congressman, Allen West, R-Plantation, told a Jensen Beach crowd Tuesday night that he ‘believes’ there are ’78 to 81′ Democratic members of the U.S. House of Representatives who are members of the Communist Party.”

Politifact gives Allen West a “Pants on Fire” [Politifact] “West is using guilty by association here, and has failed to prove that any member of Congress is a communist. Pants on Fire!”

13 Outrageous Allen West Comments: House Democrats ‘Communists’ & More [The Daily Beast] “At a town hall meeting on Tuesday, freshman Rep. Allen West claimed that up to 80 House Democrats are communists. From attacking liberal women to calling Obama supporters a “threat to the gene pool,” the Tea Party rabble-rouser’s most incendiary quotes.”

Florida Rep labels congressional Democrats as Communists [CNN] “Florida Rep. Allen West’s controversial comments have once again landed him in the headlines – this time with the sort of accusation not seen in Congress since the 1950s.”

Meanwhile…PATRICK MURPHY ANNOUNCES TODAY $350,000 RAISED IN FIRST QUARTER

THE IMPLICATIONS OF TEA PARTY RHETORIC IN 2012: U.S. House Republican freshmen feel heat from all sides [Reuters] “Several House freshmen – including Ann Marie Buerkle of New York, Allen West of Florida, Robert Dold, Bobby Schilling and Joe Walsh of Illinois, Chip Cravaack of Minnesota and Dan Benishek of Michigan – represent districts that are politically divided or leaning only slightly toward the Republican Party. For them, a lack of enthusiasm among Tea Party members who have backed them in the past could lead to defeat in November.”

THE CHILDISH CONNIE MACK IV AD THAT NO ONE WILL SEE Mack ties Nelson to monkeys [The Hill] “Two sources tracking the ad market in Florida said Mack’s campaign had only purchased about $9,000 of airtime — all on Sunday. One source said the ad was timed to run during NBC’s ‘Meet the Press.’ That $9,000 is divided up among six media markets in Florida, one of the most expensive states in the country to run ads, meaning the ad is likely to air only once in most markets.”

SEE ALSO: Comedy Central: “At least we found an instance where some conservatives will oppose the war on drugs. Nothing can be allowed to interfere with the war on science.”

LENNY CURRY, CALL YOUR OFFICE  Egg on their face [Washington Post’s the Fix] “The Florida Republican Party gets some egg on its face for doctoring a headline from the Miami Herald.”

Gov. Scott’s Team Invents Good News [FCIR] “I remember a radio newscaster back in the ’70s who used to sign off with the cheerful advice, ‘If you don’t like the news, go make some of your own.’ It looks like Gov. Rick Scott is doing just that. Or make that the people whom the state Republican Party hired to run Rick Scott’s Facebook page.”

OFA ON OFFENSE ON LEDBETTER Obama campaign uses Audrey Gibson to take a swipe at Romney [Florida Times Union] “President Barack Obama’s campaign is using state Sen. Audrey Gibson, D – Jacksonville, to take a shot at GOP opponent Mitt Romney’s momentary silence on The Lilly Ledbetter Act.”

Obama Supporters Pounce On Romney Camp’s Ledbetter Stumble [FLDemocracy] “The Obama campaign is pouncing on the Romney campaign for failing to answer a reporter’s question Wednesday on the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act.”

Learn the benefits of health care reform [Tampa Bay Times guest column] “While Florida Gov. Rick Scott and Attorney General Pam Bondi lead the charge in battling the nation’s health care law, the stakes could not be higher for the Sunshine State. While other states move forward, Florida is returning federal funds and refusing to move forward with a Health Care Exchange, a required step that is designed to provide us, the consumers, with information about what health care options are available, their costs and their benefits.”

OTHER NEWS WE THOUGHT YOU SHOULD KNOW

RUBIO’S DREAM WITHOUT A DREAM STILL TAKING HEAT Rubio still undocumented [Palm Beach Post column] “In fact, Senate Republicans have been the main impediments to immigration reform, even when President Bush finally pushed the issue. To make his case, Sen. Rubio will have to dream up something more than a talking point.”

Pay teachers what they are worth [News Chief Editorial] “Florida seems to have established a pattern for education funding – put in enough money to look good but not enough to actually make a program a great success. The state has been steadily pulling money out of universities, dumping more and more onto students and their families in a down economy.”

The Ryan Plan will cost Florida [Healthy State] “Florida could lose out on more than $189 billion in federal health funds under House Budget Committee chairman Paul Ryan’s budget plan, according to an analysis from Families USA.”

Bill Nelson has seven times more campaign $ as Connie Mack [Tampa Bay Times] “Democratic U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson’s campaign says he raised another $1.6-million in the first three months of 2012, and now has more than $9.5-million on hand.”