You Guys Can't Imagine How Stupid Rick Scott Actually Is

[babylonsister]

https://crooksandliars.com/2022/02/you-guys-cant-imagine-how-stupid-rick

You Guys Can't Imagine How Stupid Rick Scott Actually Is
Rick Scott thinks he's proposing a new "contract with America," but his "plan" raises taxes on middle-class retirees. REALLY.
By Frances Langum — February 23, 2022


Rick Scott is so stupid he doesn't even know when he has committed political suicide.

It's a little late for Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) to pretend he *didn't* propose tax increases on tens of millions of lower-income Americans. He literally put it in writing. https://t.co/uz99i2TE2E

— Steve Benen (@stevebenen) February 23, 2022

Rick Scott's "plan," which insists that everyone should have "skin in the game" of federal spending by paying federal income tax.

Thing is, many Americans, including retirees and students, don't make enough money to pay federal INCOME tax, but they do pay payroll taxes, sales taxes, and property taxes.

Whatever happened to the Tea (Taxed Enough Already) Party?

Lawrence O'Donnell explained on Tuesday night's Last Word: "One of the problems of putting really rich guys in charge of public policy is that generally they don't know anything about it and this is proof of it. Rick Scott has never seen a paycheck, and so he doesn't understand that the people he thinks are not paying federal taxes are paying withholding: payroll taxes every week in their paychecks. And in fact, two-thirds, two-thirds of American taxpayers pay more in payroll taxes than they do in federal income taxes, and Rick Scott wants to push up their federal income taxes!"

Jennifer Rubin was flabbergasted. "You know, as a former Republican, I'm sort of appalled at the political stupidity of this. My gosh," she said.

JENNIFER RUBIN: There is nothing in there that speaks to any kind of cost control, drugs, health care. There is nothing in there about educating children, pre-k, universal pre-k, about any kind of education plan. There is nothing in there that actually helps Americans. And this is very telling. Because the Republican Party is no longer in the business of helping Americans, or even trying to. It is a grievance club. It is a machine that creates content for Fox News. And that's what this thing is. It's sort of throws every buzzword, every phrase up against the wall and sees it sticks. Whether it's "CRT", whether it's books, whether it's abortion, whether it's the wall, and they just think that this is going to buy enough votes for them. Now, the problem is this what they're saying is really pretty unpopular. There is a new poll out today from CBS/YouGov, which everyone should look a look at, which shows Americans overwhelmingly do not want to ban books. Americans overwhelmingly want race to be taught in their schools, Americans overwhelmingly think race is an issue. And even more, they think it is a historical issue. Americans are not as dumb as Republicans think they are. And putting this all out there gives Democrats what they have been looking for. They don't want this to be a referendum, things go wrong when you are in power. And things happen that are beyond their control, like inflation. But if you make this a choice between the guys who are really trying their hardest, and made a lot of progress, and the guys who live off in cuckoo land and want to raise your taxes? That's an election that Democrats could actually win. That's why Rick Scott has some sort of, given hope to Democrats that maybe they can pull a rabbit out of the hat for this election.

"My opponent wants to ban books" seems to be one of the easiest and truest attacks you can make on just about any Republican candidate alive. https://t.co/bcZKB0x3hl

— LOLGOP (@LOLGOP) February 23, 2022

[underpants]

1. Everybody pays taxes. Net maybe no but they pay during the year.

This is the same as “welfare checks in Cadillacs”.

[Lovie777]

2. Stupid and evil . .....

[Omnipresent]

3. Is this so they can suppress more of their voters?

So they can say, when they’ve lost that even more cheating happened in 2022?

Are they just trying to spark a revolution?

[onethatcares]

4. Matthew Cawthorne is proposing the same

or a version really close to it.

How do we get our fellow Americans to pay attention to this and vote for their best interests.

[SergeStorms]

5. Scott, and all republicans.....

believe that every American is as ignorant as their loyal supporters.

Like Trump crowing that, "I love the uneducated." Republicans really, really love the uneducated.

But most Americans are not totally uneducated. You don't have to have a degree from any college. You just have to recognize total bullshit when you hear it. You just have to know when someone is pissing down your neck, then telling you it's raining. Being educated can mean street smarts. Knowing when someone is blowing smoke at you, yanking your chain, pulling your leg.

MAGAts don't have that ability. They actually believe Donald Trump is looking out for them. They believe Trump tells it like it is. They believe Trump is going to make America great again. They even believe Trump is a success, a self-made man. You know, they're dumber than a basket full of hair.

So no, Mr. Scott, Americans aren't all as dumb as your republican supporters. You can tell them you're not going to raise their taxes, right after announcing that you're raising their taxes, but not all of them are going to believe you. I'd say the vast majority of them aren't going to believe you, but you stick it out, stand right there on top of that hill.......and die. Asshole.

[sop]

6. Rubin nailed it: "...a machine that creates content for Fox News..."

"There is nothing in there that actually helps Americans. And this is very telling. Because the Republican Party is no longer in the business of helping Americans, or even trying to. It is a grievance club. It is a machine that creates content for Fox News. And that's what this thing is. It sort of throws every buzzword, every phrase up against the wall and sees (if) it sticks. Whether it's CRT, whether it's books, whether it's abortion, whether it's the wall, and they just think that this is going to buy enough votes for them."

[XacerbatedDem]

11. Exactly what I said when commenting on the Madison Cawthorn post.

These guys are just trying to get on Faux news, they don't care how, they just throw anything against the wall to see if it sticks. That's some sick shit.

[Javaman]

7. i guess to scott, me having worked since I was 13 isn't enough skin in the game.

I'm 58 and still working.

scott's just another sociopath.

[William Seger]

8. Then Cawthorn says, "Hold my beer."

https://www.democraticunderground.com/100216390273

[Dopers_Greed]

9. Republican voters are so brainwashed they won't care

My grandmother was a hardcore Fox viewer, and she said she'd be willing to give up part of her SS payments to help build the border wall.

I'm not even making this up.

[spanone]

10. He went from orchestrating the largest medicare fraud case to becoming a U.S. senator

He's a criminal

[mitch96]

14. So true,, and his CONstituents just ignored that fact. LIke ignoring TFG's fraud tactics...nt

[spanone]

17. Absolutely.

In 1994, Columbia Hospital Corporation merged with HCA, "forming the single largest for-profit health care company in the country." Scott became CEO of Columbia/HCA.[29] According to The New York Times, "[in] less than a decade, Mr. Scott had built a company he founded with two small hospitals in El Paso into the world's largest health care company – a $20 billion giant with about 350 hospitals, 550 home health care offices and scores of other medical businesses in 38 states."[30]

On March 19, 1997, investigators from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Internal Revenue Service and the Department of Health and Human Services served search warrants at Columbia/HCA facilities in El Paso and on dozens of doctors with suspected ties to the company.[31] Eight days after the initial raid, Scott signed his last SEC report as a hospital executive. Four months later, the board of directors pressured him to resign as chairman and CEO.[32] He was succeeded by Thomas F. Frist Jr.[33] Scott was paid $9.88 million in a settlement, and left owning 10 million shares of stock then worth more than $350 million.[34][35][36] The directors had been warned in the company's annual public reports to stockholders that incentives Columbia/HCA offered doctors could run afoul of a federal anti-kickback law passed in order to limit or eliminate instances of conflicts of interest in Medicare and Medicaid.[33]

During Scott's 2000 deposition, he pleaded the Fifth Amendment 75 times.[37] In settlements reached in 2000 and 2002, Columbia/HCA pleaded guilty to 14 felonies and agreed to a $600+ million fine in what was at the time the largest health care fraud settlement in U.S. history. Columbia/HCA admitted systematically overcharging the government by claiming marketing costs as reimbursable, by striking illegal deals with home care agencies, and by filing false data about use of hospital space. It also admitted to fraudulently billing Medicare and other health programs by inflating the seriousness of diagnoses and to giving doctors partnerships in company hospitals as a kickback for the doctors referring patients to HCA. It filed false cost reports, fraudulently billing Medicare for home health care workers, and paid kickbacks in the sale of home health agencies and to doctors to refer patients. In addition, it gave doctors "loans" never intending to be repaid, free rent, free office furniture, and free drugs from hospital pharmacies.[38][7]

In late 2002, HCA agreed to pay the United States government $631 million, plus interest, and $17.5 million to state Medicaid agencies, in addition to $250 million paid up to that point to resolve outstanding Medicare expense claims.[39] In all, civil lawsuits cost HCA more than $2 billion to settle; at the time, this was the largest fraud settlement in U.S. history.[40][41]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rick_Scott

[NCjack]

23. Scott has excellent credentials to be a

senator from Florida!

[Traildogbob]

12. Cawthorn

Should propose ending SSDI and get the lazy ass disability people off their asses and get to work. Not like he has been receiving a Check his whole adult life, from self inflected injuries. And NEVER had a job to pay into it.

[Paladin]

13. Senator Ted Cruz, Governor Greg Abbott.

I'm a Texan. I can imagine Rick Scott's stupidity in my sleep.

[Raster]

18. And don't forget EVIL... these guys cause pain and grief and do so WILLINGLY...

...to enrich their bank accounts and political careers. They have done the calculations and decided that inflicting misery on others is a worthwhile endeavor.

[mitch96]

15. "How Stupid Rick Scott Actually Is".. I had to live thru 8 years of this grifter and his bullshit

He sold his soul to the lobbys and big interests in Florida. With his wealth he just bought the governor and senate seat. If you want to know how to scam a corporation or a state,
tricky Rick is your man...
m

[Raster]

20. Columbia/HCA: Largest Medicare FRAUD in history...

#SenatorSkeletor took the Fifth 75 times during his deposition.

[mitch96]

35. He truly does suck as a person. He is just a shill for the 1%... nt

[Bernardo de La Paz]

16. RepubliQons are now officially the Tax And Spend party. By their own hand, in writing. . . . nt

[packman]

19. "You are a asshole" - Woman yells at gov. Scott (Few years back)

[Johonny]

21. As John Stewart said, the rich don't want to tax the poor because they have no skin in the game

but because the poor still have a little skin and they want it all!

[iscooterliberally]

22. We in Florida had Bill Nelson as our senator.

Now we're stuck with the confused puppet of the former Trump administration and an empty suit who likes do drive around tweeting bible verses. Florida has no one to represent them in the senate. We only have two jack asses who represent themselves.

[durablend]

24. Republicans don't give a shit what Americans want

"Now, the problem is this what they're saying is really pretty unpopular. There is a new poll out today from CBS/YouGov, which everyone should look a look at, which shows Americans overwhelmingly do not want to ban books. Americans overwhelmingly want race to be taught in their schools, Americans overwhelmingly think race is an issue. And even more, they think it is a historical issue. Americans are not as dumb as Republicans think they are. "


The whole point of what the GQP is pushing is "we tell you how things are, nevermind what you 'want' "

[Stuart G]

25. Thank You for posting...K and R

[Farmer-Rick]

26. If the filthy rich think the poor don't pay payroll taxes

How do they think the system works? Do they think we get all our payroll taxes back when we file? Or it magically disappears when the filthy rich get subsidies?

He really is stupid and his worshippers are just as stupid.

[The Jungle 1]

27. Fun interaction with young people

I love to explain to young people that I will give up SS. After they pay me all the money I paid in and my employers paid in and interest. But they will have to pay for their own children's education. It makes their jaw drop. I have one friend who has 6 kids in school. In my area education for one kid is around 20 grand a year. I and my employers paid in 234,247.00. Add in a reasonable interest rate and I will have enough to buy a really nice annuity. An annuity that will pay out the entire amount even if I die.
Yes I will need to pay school tax until my children's education is paid for. I own several properties so that bill is paid.
We all hate other peoples socialism.
I just signed up for SS. They will start giving me my money back in May. That is the other thing youth does not understand.

[The Jungle 1]

28. Hey rickety are you going to make corporate America pay taxes?

Shouldn't they have skin in the game.
How about the NFL? Ya gonna make them pay taxes???

[halfulglas]

29. Actually, I don't think he is really stupid. It's that ordinary Americans are not real to him.

He is so rich with his ill-gotten gains that he doesn't really think of us lesser beings at all other than robots to follow HIS rules. He thinks that taxes mean income taxes, which even I as a retiree have to file to make sure I'm not "making too much" with my Social Security and 401K.

Every single Democrat running should pound this asshole's scheme at every opportunity.

[world wide wally]

30. The 5th Amendment seems to be just a tool for white collar crime.

Do any poor people ever use the 5th?

[LetMyPeopleVote]

31. The Democrats need to use the concept of raising taxes on the poor and the elderly against the GOP/M

Rick Scott really does want to raise taxes on the poor and the elderly.

[calimary]

32. I see stuff like this, from a former smug "I got mine and you don't" Republican

and I find myself thinking “what’s this? ‘There is nothing in there that speaks to any kind of cost control, drugs, health care. There is nothing in there about educating children, pre-k, universal pre-k, about any kind of education plan. There is nothing in there that actually helps Americans….’ well, well, well. When did YOU start caring about something beyond your own pocketbook? When did YOU finally wake up?”

I realize Jennifer Rubin didn’t just start backing away this morning from the cruel, callous, imperious selfish, short-sighted, UNcompassionate, narrow-minded thinking of the GOP. She’s been easing herself off that politically-drugged state for awhile.

But it still made me smirk.

[BobTheSubgenius]

33. The summation makes me think of an old SNL skit.

Dana Carvey as GHWB, and Jon Lovitz as Dukakis were having a debate. DC's opening statement was full of gibberish, and consisted mainly of "a thousand points of light" and "stay the course."

JL's opening statement was "I can't believe I'm losing to this guy."

[hay rick]

34. Rick Scott is not stupid, he's bloodless.

Like Trump, he is devoid of empathy and humor. His appeal is always to people's worst angels.