They Can't Take Our Sunshine Away - Can They?

Solares Hill › August 24, 2009

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Summary

Meanwhile, though [Charlie Grist] calls himself a "live and let live kind of guy," a hateful provision to declare that marriage must be between a man and a woman will be on the November ballot. This should remind us all that while the governor may be tolerant and decent, the bulk of his party is made up of religious fanatics, anti-government fundamentalists, pave-and-profit types and on-the-make weasels such as [Marco Rubio], who recently suggested that some state agencies should be closed to eliminate "waste." (What does he suggest? The Department of Education? Children and Families? Environmental Protection?) No matter what he does, Charlie Grist is bound to have a tough second year in office. Let's hope that by 2009 there's still something in Florida for him - and for us - to smile about.

Florida's universities have the worst student-to-teacher ratio in the nation, as well as the lowest tuition and some of the lowest faculty salaries. Think those might be connected? You get an A. Think the pitiful condition of Florida's higher education is related to Florida's poor economy? A-plus. Grist insists he will "hold education harmless" even in the face of revenues falling fast as a rusty Hummer off a cliff. No one can figure out how. The budget Grist will present to the legislature does not allow for tuition increases that might mitigate the swingeing cuts facing Florida's colleges - cuts which will force faculty firings, double class sizes, reduce standards and generally decimate the value of a degree from FSU, UF, FAMU, USF, UCF or any other state institution.