The Feeney discount

Some things shouldn't need to be against the rules.

If the speaker of the Florida House of Representatives is running for a seat in Congress, for example, it ought not be necessary to have a formal rule against the speaker using his state-paid staff to raise money for the congressional race.

Indeed, Florida hasn't needed such a rule. Along comes Speaker Tom Feeney, R-Oviedo, and suddenly the notion that legislative leaders might be guided by a sense of ethics appears quaint. It's like expecting a horse to be guided by a gyrocompass. The beast just ain't got one.

Rep. Feeney was content to corrupt the entire legislative session to secure for himself a safe congressional seat. Get a responsible budget to the governor? No time. Must have the Feeney seat. If misappropriating an entire session is acceptable to the speaker, what is misappropriating an aide's time?