My toilet is not flushing. I'm not sure what is wrong as I have no toilet knowledge... so I'm going to give as much info as I have (not sure if its going to be useful or not!)
I can empty a bucket of water in the bowl and it will flush, but it will not flush using the handle. It is a mansfield toilet. The flush valve float will not sit at the bottom on the red seal... it just floats. If I lift the float ball... the tank will fill up more, and then it will go back to the level it should be out (or at least down to the water line where you can tell the water level is usually). I really don't want to have to pay someone to come and do this if there is any way that I can fix it! Help!

You need to give some better info. Does the tank fill with water? When you trip the flush lever handle does it lift the rubber ball or flapper at the bottom of the tank? If it lifts does water run into the bowl? After all of the water is out of the tank does the tank refill?
Answer these questions and give anymore data that you have and some one will be able to help you.

The tank will fill with water if I press down on the float ball. When I try to flush I can not because the flush valve float is up... so no it does not lift anything. I tried clearing the holes on the rim of the bowl and now water is running into the toilet bowl and about every 30 seconds more water goes into the tank.

My toilet is not flushing. I'm not sure what is wrong as I have no toilet knowledge...so I'm going to give as much info as I have (not sure if its going to be useful or not!)
I can empty a bucket of water in the bowl and it will flush, but it will not flush using the handle. It is a mansfield toilet. The flush valve float will not sit at the bottom on the red seal...it just floats. If I lift up on the float ball...the tank will fill up more, and then it will go back to the level it should be out (or at least down to the water line where you can tell the water level is usually). I really don't want to have to pay someone to come and do this if there is any way that I can fix it! Help!
Lowe's sells parts for Mansfield toilets. Gravity should cause the ball to stay down until picked up by the water. Sounds like the flush valve itself.