Photo from the governor’s web site. Caption reads, “Governor Charlie Crist and Carol (sic) Rome with His Royal Highness, Charles Philip Arthur George, The Prince of Wales.”

Floridians who still read a morning newspaper drank their coffee over this bad news.

Florida’s economic slump is worse than state economists had predicted earlier this year, and now they say it’ll last about six months longer than previously expected.

Their February outlook had been for recovery to start about a year from now, but a new update says things probably won’t begin turning around until the end of 2009.

“It’s a bit more bleak than it was originally,” legislative economist Amy Baker said Thursday.

Carole Rome’s engagement ring

The housing market, which boomed bigger in Florida than the rest of the country, went bust-er here as well. Dried-up credit wells mean less businesses willing to take risks in the state. Tourists are staying home because of their own money woes, which leave them unable to afford the gas or airfare to come here, or the prices once they arrive. After all, one-day tickets to Disney’s Magic Kingdom are $71 each for ages 10 and up, and that’s just for park entry. A hamburger and soda will run you at least $10.

So it’s not looking good if you’re a Floridian…unless you’re Charlie Crist or his fiancee, Carole Rome. While we get the bad news back home, they’re whooping it up in Europe, schmoozing with royalty, ambassadors, and the media. In what is billed as an economic development mission, the governor and his intended are having a blast on the taxpayer’s dollar.

Rome’s soon to be ex-husband was said to be divorcing her for her profligate ways and expensive tastes. Charlie Crist, longtime “bachelor” and a lifer on the public dole, doesn’t even own a house. But thanks to people like me — and her willingness to marry a man long reported to be gay — Carole can live in the governor’s mansion and spend summers in Europe.

Republicans are great at lecturing the rest of us to pull our weight so government won’t have to provide for us. Are they thinking if we did, there would be more there for them?