Politicking over Pulse, Parkland, more.

We’ve got a lot of ground to cover today, including nutty Florida headlines and an Orlando socialite who authorities say committed a multimillion-dollar fraud … while awaiting sentencing on another multimillion-dollar fraud.

But first let’s look at some of the nuttiness in Tallahassee.

For the second year in a row, legislators didn’t do the one thing state law says they must — pass a budget — on time. So they’re once again headed into an extended session.

Normally, we blame gridlock on partisan politics. But in this case, both legislative chambers are controlled by Republicans … by overwhelming majorities, in fact. So House Speaker Richard Corcoran and Senate President

Joe Negron pretty much own any extra innings they end up calling and billing to taxpayers.

Still, the issues are more important than timing. So let’s take a look:

Bye-bye, Daylight Saving Time?

Legislators managed to unite to address one super-pressing issue: Daylight Saving Time.

Their plan: Change the clocks this weekend — and then never change them again.

On the plus side, you’ll get more daylight in the evening from November to March and not have to worry about any future time changes.

The downside: Kids will head to school in total darkness for most of the winter, when the sun won’t even rise until after 8 a.m. And Florida will be on a different timetable than the rest of the East Coast, meaning live TV events will all air an hour later.

Also, the weirdest side effect: We’ll lose one hour — forever! — if we spring forward this weekend without ever falling back.

(And I had so much planned for that hour.)

The plan was approved with overwhelming majorities in both parties. Still, it’s not a done deal, since it also requires approval from Congress … which is even more dysfunctional than the Legislature.

Equally valued lives?

Democratic State Rep. Carlos

Guillermo Smith has argued that legislators are reacting more passionately to 17 people shot dead at an affluent high school in South Florida than they did to 49 people slaughtered at a gay club in Orlando.

As evidence, he noted that legislators quickly offered $1 million to establish a memorial to honor the Parkland victims without offering anything comparable to honor victims at Pulse.

So this week, Smith asked legislators to show they cared equally by providing a matching $1 million for a Pulse memorial. Most local legislators from both parties agreed.

But not Jason Brodeur, Mike LaRosa, Larry Metz and Jennifer Sullivan. They joined fellow Re-

But the most stunning development was the feds saying Patel ran another loan-fraud con — to the tune of $19 million — while awaiting sentencing on the first loan-fraud con.

publicans from elsewhere in the state in voting to tank Smith’s plan, quashing the effort to spend equal money honoring Pulse victims.

Flori-duh

This week’s only-in-Florida headlines: “Alligator takes casual stroll around a Florida strip mall” … “Woman reunited with pet monkey after man takes it to fake Miami sanctuary” … “A Florida man thought a neighbor stole his lawn mower, so he set his Corvette on fire”

But my favorite story this week ran under the headline “What was this criminal thinking?” in the Northwest Florida Daily News.

The story reported: “A man who walked into the police department inquiring as to whether he had any active warrants discovered he did.” So he was arrested.

A con within a con

And finally, if you didn’t read Paul

Brinkmann’s story about the Windermere socialite convicted of running a $179 million loan fraud scheme, check it out.

There are lots of jaw-dropping details — such as the feds saying Nik Patel used the swindled money for things like a $30,000 birthday party at the Four Seasons … for his 1-year-old daughter.

But the most stunning development was the feds saying that Patel ran another loanfraud con — to the tune of $19 million — while he was awaiting sentencing on the first loan-fraud con.

How in the blazes does that even happen? Was no one watching him?

Also, it’s worth noting that, just four short years ago, Patel was a toast of the town in Orlando, serving on UCF’s foundation board and scoring flattering profile pieces in local magazines. In case you’re wondering how Patel earned his social status, it was largely through political contributions.

He cut more than $100,000 to committees associated with everyone from Republican

Rick Scott to Democrat Val Demings. These are politicians who obviously don’t share many ideological beliefs — which reinforces an important point:

Most big donors don’t care what politicians can do for society … only what the politicians can do for them.