A battle royal is brewing between the Republican-controlled House of Representatives and the Obama administration over increasing the debt ceiling.  The House recently rejected a “clean” bill to raise the debt ceiling that did not include any spending reforms.  With the economy lagging and voters rejecting the notion of spending our way to prosperity, the debate over spending is now front and center on the domestic policy agenda. Unfortunately, Democrats have failed to address the issue.

As Florida’s legislative session opens, insurance reform looms as a hot topic.  Legislation and regulation have all but destroyed the market for property insurance in Florida, reducing availability while increasing the state’s financial risk.  Poor public policy has driven major carriers from the market, leaving consumers a choice of either state-run Citizens Property Insurance Corporation or small insurance companies that most people do not recognize.