Here are four ways we can make our state much better

The economic recovery has been the most tepid since beforeWorld War II, a testament to the fiscal incompetence of the Obama administration and a dysfunctional Congress. The national unemployment rate still stands at 7.3 percent, an intolerable figure the “status- quo left” is calling the “new normal.” Even that figure misrepresents the enormity of the nation’s financial mess, since it doesn’t factor in discouraged workers who have left the labor force.

There are a few bright spots, however, and the Sunshine State is among them. The housing bust that triggered the Great Recession hit Florida harder than most states, and its unemployment rate soared to among the highest in the nation. Today, Florida’s rate is down to 7 percent, which is belowthe national average.

Under both Democratic and Republican leadership, Florida for the most part has been fiscally responsible and business friendly, which are major reasons the state has bounced back aswell as it has. Its bond rating is among the highest in the land, and the current governor and Legislature plan on keeping it thatway. Contrast Florida’s unemployment situation to California’s ( 8.9 percent) and Illinois’ ( 9.2 percent). The tax- and- spend, uniondominated politicians in the Golden State and the Land of Lincoln are doing their best to drive their states into default and penury.

The slowly improving economic condition of Florida has resulted in an increase in tax revenue, and this year Florida is expected to have an $ 845 million budget surplus. Gov. Rick Scottwants to use more than half of it to cut taxes and fees, and he’s been soliciting citizen input on howto spend the balance. My dueling colleague Stephen L. Goldstein and I have a few,