Forget Rubio running for mayor

House speaker Marco Rubio won't run for Miami-Dade mayor - "even though he would win," predicted FIU's Dario Moreno on a panel for the Florida Political Science Association meeting in St. Pete today. Moreno happens to do polling for Rubio.

Moderated by USF's Susan MacManus, the panel included Moreno, USF-St. Pete's Darryl Paulson, UCF's Aubrey Jewett, and yours truly. Among the consensus conclusions: Hillary Clinton would be a stronger candidate in FL than Barack Obama; Charlie Crist is unlikely to get tapped for VP; Democrats will pick up a few legislative seats (though Moreno predicted Luis Garcia will lose his). Three out of four guessed that John McCain will be the next POTUS.

Comments

If the speaker wants to preserve his future in state-wide politics, I think he would be wise to remain above Miami-Dade politics.

[Crusader]

They should keep their day jobs.

MacManus is a reliable source of CW, no insight whatsoever in the 20 years worth of quotes i've read.

Jewett is an ideolougue from the right. He knows squat about electoral politics, is invited as a token for diversity.

Moreno puts out some of the most unsophisitcated polling i've ever seen.

i do like adam's work, though!

He's probably hoping that over time people will forget that he chose to spend $700 million for CSX, $265 million on a contract to his bud, $10,000 a month to hire his "consultants" and get $135,000 equity loan on a house he owned for 30 days when none of the other comparable houses had such value ALL while he laid off child abuse workers, cut services to sick children, sick elderly, and the handicapped AND while cutting education!!!! Basically, he and his buds did very, very well while others suffered greatly!!!

Rubio - leader of the Republican Florida House of Representative - making policy and passing laws that made the "middle class" the "working poor" one faux tax-cut at a time!

“Three out of four guessed that John McCain will be the next POTUS.”

That’s all you need to read in order to gauge the geriatric and disconnected intellect of this group of self-important, self-proclaimed political geniuses.

“Those who can; do… those who cant…well… opine with rhetoric based on the politics of old.”

Be careful Adam… I hear senility can be contagious.

Obama will be the next POTUS… and heck; I didn’t even need three bottles of Citrical to boost (npi) my ability to deduce that. A fresh perspective versus McSame… hmmmmmmm…

Ok you three, your checks are waiting for you on the Straight Chalk Express.

… out

He will be the POTUS if he picks Mitt Romney as VEEP.

It's "The Economy Stupid"

You always know when Ben Friedlander is bloging!

[Jason Straight]

How can Mc Cain lead us as POTUS?He cant remember who the enemy is in Iraq..Al Quida,Osamo,Sunnis,Sheites,Both Radical Elements of Both ,GW BUSH..Close real close!!Endless war will only end when the American People are facing furthur economic destruction 6 mos from now food and Gas riots in Tampa will replace Iraq on the vening NewS!!

Who the heck is Ben Friedlander?

Who is Jason Straight and why does he hate grammar so much?

Barack Obama just showed more of his true colors withy his remarks about middle America.

Add in Jeramiah Wright, Michelle Obama's remark about America, Obama's chances of being the next POTUS is going down the drain.

Jason Straight, Obama mixed up Iran & Iraq too.

[Harry Callahan]

Who cares if he runs for Mayor...? He has demonstrated that he is too ambitious, too inexperienced and too vindictive to hold office. He thinks being in office is all about power...he is everything that is wrong with politics. Paybacks, favors, special treatment...the rules just don't apply to him in his opinion. This is the type of attitude and behavior that results in one simple word: INDICTMENT

www.chooseben.com

After Rubio sacked us with Amendment 1, I will never vote for him.

Here is the best choice.
http://www.vote4frank.org/

[Relators are parasites]

8:33 Ha Ha Ha. You got me to look. He's a realtor who resorts to posting unrelated campaign adds on this blog. Two strikes against him. Let me guess, as a realtor he supports cutting our education, services, and infrastructure taxes so he can jump start the disasterous "lets pave Florida" development cycle all over again. OK, just a guess. I really don't know who he is.

Sorry that was supposed to read "Relators are parasites and crooks"

Who is Luis Garcia losing to? Nobody has filed...Gus is at DJJ...

[how's that...]

McCain will be POTUS as Obama will be the nominee, although Hillary is the stronger candidate especially in FL, which is why Crist even gets mentioned, Dems will pick-up seats it is just a matter of which ones, and who cares about Mario.

No one cares abuot Marco - a has been.

[Miami Pol]

Marco can't get elected in Dade. Period.

He sold out local public schools to become speaker. Everyone in town knows it.

[disgustedintally]

Rubio needs to make the insurance companies stop discriminating against children with autism!!!

[disgustedintally]

Rubio needs to make the insurance companies stop discriminating against children with autism!!!

It is good to see all the Rubio haters made it to the blog. First no one sold out education when the budget has to be cut 5 billion dollars everything has to get cut a little. Education would be fine if local school boards actually spent it on education not high priced administration. That is the real problem with education, but don't let the FEA hear that they have vested intrest in stealing the money of hard working teachers and barely there administrators all the same.

Cut waste, cut pork spending, cut corporate welfare (CSX), eliminate pet projects, demand fiscal responsibility, reject fear politics, vote every incumbent out of office and start over.

Problem Solved!

10:44... we'll excuse your ignorance b/c you are probably new to the majority office.

ask someone a little older and we hope, wiser, to explain the district cost differential for school funding.

Rubio would beat Carlos Alvarez?

That's the funniest thing I've heard all week.

Nice spin, Dario. How's Jose Cancela's political career doing these days?

11:07 is just posting what his taxwatch bosses tell him to post. You shouldn't expect to hear much but the same tired mantra repeated ad nauseum.

[terminator]

10:44 and 11:33
both of you have some valid points.
FEA doesn't get involved in local union matters sticking to statewide policy issues that effect all of its locals, however by giving the wink wink and nod nod to poorly managed and corrupt districts such as Miami-Dade and other (lesser corrupt large school districts) such as Broward, Palm Beach, Orange, Pinellas, Duval and Hillsborough they have indirectly aided and abetted the looting of public school coffers for decades.
As far as the DCD, if my memory serves me well, the plan was hatched out of the Senate so one may ask (where were the Dade, Broward and Palm Beach Senators) when that boat left port?
Yes there had to be acquiescence from Marco but other school districts had been raped by the DCD for years while Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach continually pissed money down a black hole.
The bottom line is: Florida's public school districts have experienced 7-8% annual increases to the FEFP over the past ten years, more than enough to cover their costs.
It's time for these guys to see Jenny Craig.
No additional money for schools should come out of the rainy day fund.
Time for the bloodletting to begin boys!

Dario Moreno is a genius, he is predicting the loss of an unopposed candidate.

Moreno should be banned from talking about politics.

Everyone knows his polls can not be trusted.

11:49 is just posting what his corporate welfare bosses tell him to post. You shouldn't expect to hear much but the same tired mantra "I've got mine, screw you" repeated ad nauseum.

[I Know]

Didn't Professor Moreno poll for the Republican Party in the last election and predict that Luis Garcia would not win? Alas, he does not learn (although supposedly teaches).

Rubio Rubio RUB-I-O!

[Crusader]

Yeah, all the public school districts in Florida are evil and wasteful.

Let's let Halliburton run them. Or maybe Wackenhut, Black Water, McDonnell Douglas. Heck, CSX or St. Joe, even. Maybe the Seminole Indians or parimutuels. Or Lennar Homes or WCI, or Gunster Yoakley, or Publix.

How about those Scripps Institute people -- they seem really, really smart, else why would we give them like a billion dollars.

Better yet, why doesn't Marco Rubio run for school board if he's so brilliant.

He can wave his little magic Marco wand, distribute a few position papers from his "100 Ideas" collection (available at www.let-the-next-guy-clean-up-my-mess.com).

He'd be in so, so over his head, he'd come home crying every day like a little girl.

[Robert]

Marco Rubio doesn't give a damn about the working class Floridian, only his corporate masters who want to maintain the same old business.

My guess is that he will run for governor next time around. Rubio is too ambitious for his own good, and I wouldn't put it pass him to force a GOP primary -vs- Crist to get there.

And, one thing we can wish for (but probably not get) is a strong ethics bill for the Legislature that would prohibit a member to vote on a bill which in any way would give him or her any type of direct interest (read: J.D. Alexander).

3:55 : idiot idiot id-i-ot!

[terminator]

4:05
Crusader:
Have you seen Floriduh's educational achievement levels lately?
Do you think anyone could do any worse running these incompetent, mismanaged and corrupt large school districts?
You may not like Marco but give me a break.
We're not 49th out of 50 states in almost every educational statistical category because our school districts have been managed well!

[Fermin Mendiola]

The inside info is that Rubio got a taste of what may be to come if he runs for election. He has never experienced an election with serious opposition. Recently he has said he's considering the run for mayor. A few weeks later he's confronted by shady loans and deals which he never disclosed. He promptly filed an amendment, but the inside info is that he got a taste of what skeletons may be dug out out in a no hold barred election.

[G Outback]

Great, so he can make 100 promises for Miami-Dade that he does not fulfill? I think not. Miami-Dade voters would look at what he has done while in office and realize all they would get is big promises and nothing accomplished ....Period

Terminator,

You post such intelligent stuff--I am dead serious when I say that--that I am baffled by one thing. You correctly call out the wasteful spending of the huge districts and the other folly of the current state run K-12 system. Yet you are reflexively against all parental choice programs, which work to correct--in their own small ways--the abuses you so rightly rant against. What gives, my friend?

[Crusader]

ok, i'll play along with your digression...

Yes, the districts could be run a lot worse. Yes, they could be run better.

keep in mind our PRIVATE schools also suck compared to other states.

that's the dirty secret Republicans don't like talking about.

the education "marketplace" doesn't exist in florida. we're basically a big strip mall with a wallmart seconds store as the anchor.

the pricey private school where the He-Jeb sent his kids is lower quality, by all emperical measures, than the public high school school right down the road -- which MUST, by law, take in kids that NO PRIVATE school would even consider.

the overwhelming majority of private schools, from palm beach to monroe counties, are plain jane mediocre, an overly plump bell curve of average -- with our average being lower than most other industrialized nations.

I'll apportion the blame for our state's shameful education ranking thusly:

--65% to Republican control in Tallahassee, which screwed the middle class and public education by giving away the treasury to the wealthy, well-connected, and by dumbing down the curriculum to the 24-hour FCAT channel.

thanx a lot, floriduh legismators!

--25% to the portion of the electorate that doesn't respect or appreciate the benefits of high-quality public education.

we are the sun and fun capital of the nation, almost wholly dependent on tourism, real estate and agriculture -- all of which can thrive with a semi-educated workforce.

heck, tom wasn't very good in school (party on, Tom!). but now he's a developer!

when we need smart people, we just pay them to move here.

why bother to nurture our own pool of intellectual capital.

everyone's happy -- until the music stops and there aren't enough 3-legged stools to go around.

--10% to local school districts, which -- duh, duh, duh -- have done a poor job managing capital spending, planning, holding down bureaucractic expenses, and respecting, recruiting and retaining high-quality teachers (who too often are forced to move into "administration" to make more money).

The DCD was King's policy, Marco fought it but at the time he wa just majority leader. It is not Marco's fault that the Senate is a complete waste. They don't want to help insurance or property tax. Marco is fighting the good fight and those in the cheap seats like taking shots because they don't like progress

Marco has fought for a gift of $700 million to CSX; $265 million contract to his bud; $10,000 consultant positions for his buds, Pork for Miami, and lay offs of child abuse workers, cuts in education, cuts in services for sick children (CMS), the elderly, and the handicapped.

Yep, Marco has fought hard in turning the "middle class" into the "working poor" one "special deal" at a time.

Don't worry, come November I and many others will remember!!!!

8:42-

You are a joke. It is the economy who has cost us cuts. Marco has fought to give us all more money by reducing property taxes. But of course you would not understand that because you are looking for your handout. Cut government assistance and embrace personal responsibility. That will make the middle class achieve sucess. I would not expect you to understand that though. Your real enemy is the senate who wants you to keep paying high property taxes!

[terminator]

8:24
Well thanks. I've been fighting the 800 lb gorilla for a long time (wasteful school districts).
Sometimes I guess there is a disconnect in my thinking (which may not always be completely rational)!
I suppose if the charter and voucher schools had to meet the same exact standards as the public schools they competed against there would be less antipathy on my part.
Things have been moving in a positive direction as far as the accountability aspect but eventually in order to receive state taxpayer money the private sector schools would have to agree to meet the same requirements as the public schools (FCAT/NCLB/teacher certification, level two background checks, etc.).
It would also help if the voucher school argument wasn't continuing to be led by darth vader Jeb and his evil henchwoman Patricia Levesque.
We're kind of stuck in the same rut as the Israelis and Palestinians and can't quite come together to accomplish what's best for the kids.
Then you always have the money issue which is viewed by most as a zero sum game (if you win we lose and vice versa).
If Florida corporations and businesses would make their contributions charitable and it didn't come out of the taxpayer treasury I don't think the school districts nor unions would have any qualms since those schools would serve many whom the public schools weren't for whatever reason.

Crusader:
agree. many parents only want their kids out of the public school even if the private school they are sending them to is just as bad or worse. some feel better about less kids, no minorities, smaller classes even if the rigor isn't the same and ultimately the student will be shortchanged. private doesn't always equate to better.
I assume you're talking about Tom G?
More power to him after thirty two years in state government!
We really need to look at changing the state constitution which gives way too much power to the local school boards. Florida's antiquated system lumps all 67 districts together as governmental entities whether it be Baker County or Miami-Dade County.
Where I come from up North there were thousands of local school districts as each city, town, village and hamlet had their own school board leading to much better accountability.
I am encouraged at the direction Florida education is taking. Jeb's efforts did accomplish much but with too much emphasis on high stakes testing thereby creating a whole new batch of problems.
I do like Smith and Haycock (now if we could only get rid of that bunch of chumheads they call the FBOE).
I am encouraged by Gaetz and like what Pickens has done although he'll be leaving due to term limits.
If the districts become more accountable that would possibly make the legislature more open to increased funding but I suspect our state financial situation will be in the dumper for a couple of years before we turn the corner.
I've only got a few more on DROP then I'll be heading west to Rocky Mountain land, until then I'll continue the good fight on behalf of teachers my friends.

Obama will be much tougher in Florida than hillary. he'll bring out new voters, while she would depress democratic turnout.

Give it up, anyone is better than that racist Obama and his crazy pastor.

Truely Yours,

"Your typical white person from middle America carrying a double-barrel shotgun"

[AC Evo]

I voted for Marco, but I am very dissapointed that none of the promises he made has been fulfilled. It may not all be his fault, but some people like my family are really struggling. The big promises and talk made for bigger heartbreak for those struggling to make ends meet.

9:13 - put down the kool-aid! I'm not asking for a handout - I'm asking that they - Rubio and the Republican-led Legislature, quit giving corporate welfare!!! Maybe it makes sense to you to give CSX $700 million dollars while at the same time laying off child abuse investigators - but to me that is absolutely wrong. I'm sure your stock in CSX will rise but your profit will be at the cost of physically and sexually abused children.

The Legislature has plenty of money to authorized the members to fly home on the weekends at $700 a pop, it had plenty of money to give itself a 3% raise last year and a $1000 bonus this year and it has plenty of money to give select staff merit raises this year.

There was plenty in the budget to increase spending on prisons but insufficient money to increase child abuse investigators, nursing home investigators, and pay for education.

Perhaps you haven't noticed from your ivory tower that state universities are turning down in-state students for out-of-state students because of lack of funds?

Perhaps you haven't noticed that funds for chronically ill children - CMS - are being cut?

Or is it simply a case that like the Grinch your heart is two sizes too small?

Cut waste, cut pork spending, cut corporate welfare (CSX), eliminate pet projects, demand fiscal responsibility, reject fear politics, vote every incumbent out of office and start over.

Problem Solved!

[Nuff Said!]

I hope Obama gets the nomination. There's no way he gets working class voters and Reagan Democrats now. Obama's nomination will knock Billary out of the political scene for a few year guarantee the election of a Republican president.

[More than Nuff said!]

I hope Obama gets the nomination. There's no way McSame gets working class voters and Reagan Democrats now. Especially when McSame's surrogates are running around spewing racist rhetoric such as:

“You can have your Tiger Woods (R-code for n_ger), we’ve got Senator McCain (R-code for rich, white, senile, and McSame)”

Obama's nomination will bring hope for the future of our Nation, and all but guarantee that the racists Republicon Party will need to reconsider its “exclusive” and “elitists” membership mentality.

[terminator]

More than Nuff Said:
you must be one of Rev. Wright's flock!
You are an idiot.

Dear terminator,

We are 15th in overall performance (see Performance Counts results) but we are going to be below 50th in per student spending after your legislative friends are done with us.

If you want to eliminate waste, start with the teachers union. I suspect you could do away with the entire thing and no one would notice.

[terminator]

10:13
that's just this year and only ONE measure (don't know how valid those stats are). Of course everything is subjective and in the "eye of the beholder".
In case you didn't notice, there's a recession going on and Florida's probably worse off than the rest of the country because of the inordinate amount of subprime loans and heavy reliance on sales tax receipts.
You hogs at the district office will have to suck it up and make due on less carbs.
And exactly what is your position? Let me guess...the assistant to the associate superintendent for thumb tacks?
I'm sure you'll continue to ride for another year on the back of Florida's beleguered taxpayers since you're good buddies with the supt.
As far as unions, yeah you guys would love that, then you could pay teachers less than you do now and keep the excess for your big fat district bureaucracy (friends of friends who do nothing useful).
Union membership in Florida is voluntary in Florida. People CHOOSE to belong.
How did you like Rep Zapata's amendment?
School district administrators will become an endangered species if the terminator gets his way.
I'll be on the hunt. It may take me a few years but eventually we will prevail.
Have you seen the revenue estimates for the next fiscal year? Better start servicing the Supt a little more often cuz your job could be on the line.

10:13 - how do you get below 50th in per-pupil spending?

[More than nuff said]

terminator... no, I'm not, just A person of intellect that does not fall prey to the political hackneyed diversions use to redirect attention away from the issues impacting the lives of Americans.

You sir, and those malleable minded folks who would fall pray to this politico driven crap… are the idiots.

Cut waste, cut pork spending, cut corporate welfare (CSX), eliminate pet projects, demand fiscal responsibility, reject fear politics, vote every incumbent out of office and start over.

Problem Solved!

[terminator]

More than nuff said:
anyone who would support Obama is the idiot.
not only does the guy lack remotely any semblence of policy experience necessary to be President of the US, he and Hillary are socialists who would just soak the middle class to pay for their welfare state program (a la the Great Society).
thanks but no thanks. I'd rather not pay for your crack addiction.
and there's still that other delicate matter besides "bitter" small town voters...something about "God d*mn America" and "I'm finally proud to be an American".
And you're calling me malleable????

[More than Nuff Said]

Just take your daily little red pill, terminator... and everything will be just fine.

And in case you hadn't noticed... you're quite the "bitter" one today.

freaking simp...

McCain = 4 More Yeas of Bush.

Just look at him...the look on his fits right in with those caricatures of King George II, Dick "SO!" Cheney, and Rumsfeld:

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/M/MCCAIN_THE_CONSERVATIVE?SITE=FLPET&SECTION=HOME

“You can have your Tiger Woods (R-code for n_ger), we’ve got Senator McCain (R-code for rich, white, senile, and McSame)”

[terminator]

lets hope Senator McCain will realize the harm W and Cheney have done to the country and avoid tying his wagon to the Bushies.

Sure he has to say all that stuff right now to appeal to as many voters as necessary but remember McCain and W historically don't like each other.

W is merely a convenient ploy to rally the neo-cons.

Once McCain gets in it will be a whole different story.

His failure to distance himself from W prior to the election will drive off moderates and independents and most certainly would doom him.

"Once McCain gets in it will be a whole different story."

Ummm... HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAA... Whoooooooo, that's freaking rich... Hahahahahahaaaaaaa... McSame needs a teleprompter to give you his address... Hahahahahahaaaaa... ohhh, termie, your ignorance just KILLS ME... hahahahaaaaaa... Hey, I'm kind of thirsty, how's about sharing that kool aid... Hahahahahahahaaaa... McSame, what a freaking hoot... Hahahaaaaaaa...

W = Bush
M = McSame

M is just W standing on his head... which would explain the brain leakage.

“You can have your Tiger Woods (R-code for n_ger), we’ve got Senator McCain (R-code for rich, white, senile, and McSame)”

OBAMA=RACIST

Give it up, anyone is better than that racist Obama and his crazy pastor.

Truely Yours,

"Your typical white person from middle America carrying a double-barrel shotgun"

Give it up, anyone is better than that racist John McCain and his crazy surrogates.

Yours directly,

“You can have your Tiger Woods (R-code for n_ger), we’ve got Senator McCain (R-code for rich, white, senile, and McSame)”

[Flagophile]

Is McCain a racist for voting against a national holiday in honor of MLK and his courageous efforts to help bring about equal treatment of all Americans regardless of race?

[Flagophile]

Is McCain "out of touch" for suggesting that American's financial troubles are only psychological?

Was McCain "out of touch" when he suggested, pre-surge during the height of violence in Iraq, that things were going well?

New polls out show Barack Obama tanking big time:

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/washington/2008/04/new-poll-shows.html

Meanwhile...back on the ranch, little Suzy is learning to speak Mandarin.

Oh I forgot, the Asians really care about "our" hot button issues of the day as pronounced by a bunch of rednecks.

terminator - that's exactly what Charlie did except he had the cojones to give us the heads up and snub the Bush sucker beforehand. I'm all in favor of that, but aren't you anti-Crists down on him for doing the same conservative flip-flop?

Another poll that closed yesterday shows Obama's numbers holding steady.

He enjoys a ten-point lead over Hillary and a two-point lead over McCain.

http://www.gallup.com/poll/106504/Gallup-Daily-Obama-Numbers-Holding-Strong.aspx

Meanwhile, I expect Marco is busy perfecting his next little napoleonic sally against old ladies and children. He will not quit until every last cent of our tax dolars have been diverted from them to his big business buddies.

(Hint - 2011 is way too long to wait for a term limited narcissist.)

[terminator]

3:04
glad you got a good laugh out of that one.
one can only hope. right now the conservatives, moderates and independents aren't exactly enamored with him.
hey the guy does hang around with Ted Kennedy! you've never seen W do that.

7:52
Pleasse...sun tan Charlie only did that because Frenchie told him to do it.
Do you think wooden headed Chuck would have known what to do without his advisors telling him?
My problem with CC and his problem with other GOP conservatives is he totally sold out after all of his campaign promises about being a "Jeb Bush Republican".
I don't even like Jeb Bush. I don't care who he said he was going to be (it could have been Barney Frank for all I care) but don't say you're going to be something then turn around and be the exact opposite of who you said you were going to be!

terminator

"but don't say you're going to be something then turn around and be the exact opposite of who you said you were going to be!"

Reference your post at 1:06PM. Aren't you saying McCain is doing the (Mc)same, and that's all right w/ you?

Or was that the infamous terminator II using your handle again?

[terminator]

10:14
touche.
well, one can only hope he'll fool the neo-cons into voting for him and not turn out like W.
even if he doesn't it would still be a sight better than the prospect of a Hillary or Obama administration.
what's worse, the corporate welfare state under the R's or the nanny welfare state under the D's?
I may just move to Cuba and hang with Fidel! I hear the American dollar goes along way there, the rum's great, cigars the best, the girls are smoking hot, cheap and available!

[John Donson]

You guys! Enough name calling already! Don't you all see that is exactly what these cloaked people running for pres want you to be doing? It's crystal clear to me that none of the candidates plan to do anything for you! It's time you all look to a 3rd party that may actually give you a chance at personal responsibility. I just had an epiphany! None of you want personal responsibility! I'm still voting Libertarian so I'll see you in the unemployment line while I'm driving by.