Gov. Rick Scott orders immediate cuts to programs for disabled

[kpete]

Source: Orlando Sentinal


Florida Gov. Rick Scott ordered deep cuts Thursday to programs that serve tens of thousands of residents with Down syndrome, cerebral palsy, autism and other developmental disabilities.

Though a range of state services face cuts from this year's Legislature, the governor invoked his emergency powers to order the state Agency for Persons with Disabilities to immediately roll back payments to group homes and social workers by 15 percent — an amount providers say could put them out of business and threaten their clients' safety.

"lt's not like, 'Gee, does this mean I have to skip a vacation this year?'" said Amy Van Bergen, executive director of the Down Syndrome Association of Central Florida. "Potentially, these cuts have life and death implications for these people."

An estimated 30,000 Floridians with severe developmental disabilities receive services that help them live outside of nursing homes — typically with family or in small group homes. Aides help them eat, bathe, take medication and otherwise care for themselves.

Read more: http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/politics/os-scott-cuts-disabled-20110331,0,2216817.story

[ck4829]

1. I bet Rick Scott has the same view the govt did when they threw the insane out into the streets

"Hey, it's OK, they'll find out where the places to take care of them are. It's cool, stop worrying about it."

[AC_Mem]

63. WHY is there not an outcry about this

from Washington? OMG, my heart is breaking for the poor, the weak, the sick, the unions, the working man and those he/she provides care for.

This is America.

This was America.

:'(

[roxiejules]

84. Yesterday I called all my Representatives

and told them I am in favor of tax increases on the wealthy and MORE programs and funds for the poor, the sick, the homeless, the hungry.

If not us raising our voices, who will?

[timtom]

89. I like your style, kid.

I think I shall do the same.

[roxiejules]

109. Kudos to you

for raising your voice, timtom!

[calimary]

113. We ALL have to do the same! If they think you don't care, THEY WON'T EITHER!!!

WHY do you think that asshole fitzasshole in the Wisconsin state senate says he doesn't want to resubmit muammar walker's union-killing, job-killing budget ALLEGED-"repair" bill - because he doesn't think it'll pass now? Because enough other republi-CONS in his caucus are now scared for their own necks. And why is that? Because the people spoke up LOUDLY and CLEARLY and most important of all: RELENTLESSLY! They started protesting AND THEY DID NOT STOP, after a few hours, or a few days, or a single weekend. No. They've CONTINUED, they've kept the pressure on - turned up high, they're out getting signatures on recall petitions, the good guys are only expanding and, if you will, metastasizing. It's OUR guys who are spreading out and growing in numbers and turning the heat UP, and the republi-CONS in Wisconsin, at least those who are paying attention and looking out for their own futures, are feeling the hot breath on the backs of their necks now. They're getting VERY nervous because some of them are absolutely looking at certain unemployment in a few months. They've found out that a LOT of people DO CARE! A lot more than they expected or bargained for. They figured they could stomp on the people and a few would complain and then everybody'd go away discouraged and dispirited and would let their apathy run its course.

NOT THIS TIME!!!!!!! The behavior template did not prevail here, and the bad guys don't know what to do about it. It's nowhere in their playbook. And keep in mind, too, they live and die by that playbook. They get their talking points from from that playbook. That ALEC-developed and issued playbook with all those lovely "tools" in it that EVERYBODY got on the GOP side. If it doesn't appear somewhere in their playbook, they have no responses for it.

Notice how they ALL use the same talking points and the same words and the same default phrases and fall-backs? They're all like a bunch of "Chatty Cathy" dolls (well, what I grew up with anyway - later on I guess it was "Tickle-Me-Elmo" or something) pull the string and the cute little prerecorded sentence or greeting gets played. And it plays over and over and over and over again as often as you pull the string. The GOP is like that. ALL of them are like that.

And you know what happens when you don't exercise a muscle. It starts to atrophy. And that's what's happened to the minds of many of these people. They're so used to having the scripts provided to them and the fast answers and cutesy talking points and fun, sharp-edged, clever buzz phrases and sloganeering and key words - that they've become dependent. And when none of that works, or fits the situation now at hand, they're lost. They've been trained not to think for themselves because the thinking has always been done for them and the talking points have always been provided, ready-made, for them. They're atrophied. And it's going to be quite awhile before they get "rehab'd" from all this, if you will, so they can start standing on their own two mental feet again.

When you confront them with something that's outside the box and outside their playbook and doesn't fit with their talking points. And they're flummoxed. It's - "OMG! frank luntz didn't tell me what to do about this! What am I supposed to say? How do I react? It's not anywhere in the playbook here! I can't find it anywhere! I can't find anything LIKE it anywhere in here? frank!!!! HELP!!! What do we do? How do we respond?" Tell us what to say! Tell us what to do! Did you do any focus groups on THIS? HELP!!!!"

And that's what's happened in places like Wisconsin and even Ohio and elsewhere. They're not used to this kind of pushback - as relentless and strong (and growing stronger) and the way it's spreading from state to state now. They're not used to it because they're trained to deal with Democrats as pussies and wimps and capitulators and CAVEMEN/WOMEN. And these Dems have backbones, for a change.

They don't have any guidance for dealing with opponents who have backbone.

And this is GREAT!!!!!!!! Throw them off their game. KEEP them off their game. Destabilize the enemy. They'll start crumbling under their own weight. It's already begun.

[roxiejules]

181. Good one, calimary

We all need to say NO MORE!

[valerief]

123. There's no media to echo the cries of Americans. nt

[Demeter]

138. One Juicy Abuse Case based on ADA Law Ought to Do It

One cannot abuse the vulnerable with impunity (legally) in this country.

[freshwest]

142. GOP has always hated the ADA.

[Lorien]

155. Indeed. If only we had a charismatic leader with access to a podium

oh, wait.

:-(

[66 dmhlt]

161. The Galling Height of Teapublican Hypocrisy

"Hey guys, don't expect any money from MY administration. But I'm willing to do a photo-op with you people."

[liberal N proud]

2. Republican values

[mrmpa]

91. That's an oxymoron

[think]

3. Repugnant bastard

I hope he dies a slow and painful death.....

[BonnieJW]

33. Horrible thought,

but I find myself feeling the same way. These people should suffer tragic ends.

[think]

36. I am one who usually never wishes ill will

but as I watch him cause others who have done nothing to him so much suffering I can't justify having compassion for the asshole. Maybe I'll feel different when I see him writhing in pain. Until then I 'll just be waiting for it to happen as I don't think this vile creature will comprehend his actions until he feels some of the pain he is inflicting on others...

[Auntie Bush]

130. It's enough to make me want to wish the stock market would crash and these monsters

would lose all their money! When they had to get on a bread line and sell all their holdings and personal belongs for peanuts...they'd change their tune. Maybe! Then maybe we could raise our economy from the ashes and redistribute the income more equitably. I don't see any other way!

[jwirr]

56. Agree. What he has done is sinful. And I say that for the benefit of

those trolls who are so dumb they think this is great. These are some of the most helpless people on earth. What kind of values does he think he is supporting? Survival of the fittest! Anyone in Florida who supports this kind of behavior needs to give up any government subsidized benefits they have - right now. Hypocrites.

[russspeakeasy]

68. The man is truly scum.. a real piece of shit.

[AlbertCat]

67. I hope he dies a slow and painful death.....

I hope he's pursued down a dark alley by people with Down syndrome, cerebral palsy, and autism and then they proceed to beat the shit out of his skinny ass.

[tclambert]

107. No, don't wish death on him. Wish for a car accident that leaves him brain damaged and in need

of the very services he can't get because he just cut them. It's irony and poetic justice.

[midnight armadillo]

183. He's a multimillionaire

Government services are for those who are such moral failures they lack millions of dollars. Didn't you get that GOP memo?

[Lorien]

160. And soon, I hope, or thousands more will die because of him. nt

[certainot]

4. the rick scott radio stations need protesting

protests at capitols are easily ignored by media and politicians- the local limbaugh stations are much louder and will enable and get the backs of scott and his supporters.

those limbaugh hannity beck stations are his biggest cheerleaders and his biggest support. and their local blowhards can scream to many thousands over anything but the most successful protests.

i'll bet he and his aides have given many interviews to local limbaugh wannabes during all this to sell lies and distortions and make excuses. that's where the groundwork deception was done. those stations are getting his back and egging him on.

the state GOPs are well connected to the RW megastations and depend on them- they can do shit they can't in any other media.

those stations are the samson's hair of this GOP teabagger movement and some may be located in busy public places where picketing would work. that will get their attention. make it an issue.

calling their local sponsors and asking wtf? and shaming them will get some of their sponsors to look for alts.

ask the fla universities why they broadcast sports on limbaugh hannity snyder stations (they do). they are anti education and anti science ( global warming denial), and like in WI and MI they are pro radical republican and everyone will know why they are being protested.

get to the heart of the matter.

[northoftheborder]

16. good suggestion

[onehandle]

Must... Resist... Making... Nazi... Regime... Comparison... nt

[atreides1]

8. Yes you must resist

At least until the Republican policies can be shown to be responsible for the deaths of 10,000 Americans here in the US...because the Goddess knows, that's what will have to happen before that comparison can be made!

Why, 10,000? Because waiting until it's 12 million would be too late!!!

[Turbineguy]

14. Watch for increases in enrollment

at schools for Mortuary Science.

[xxqqqzme]

137. But it will be these

asswipes approving the student loans at 29.9% interest.

[MadMaddie]

115. This is true but 10,000 won't be to far fetched

AZ has started already....Florida is next.....

[Hubert Flottz]

41. The Nazis were probably more humane...

than this prick in Florida.

[ctwayne]

The Nazis Won an Election, Just Like the Teabaggers

The Nazis took power after winning an election in Germany. The voters in Florida elected Scott, a veto- proof Republican legislature, Marco Rubio for senate, and defeated a large number of Democratic congressmen. Among those they knocked off was my personal favorite- Alan Grayson.

The viscous teabaggers of Florida clearly voted for this appalling conduct. They remind me of the Germans who voted for the Nazis and their Southern ancestors who voted for slavery.

[tclambert]

105. "Viscous teabaggers?" I think you meant vicious.

Wiktionary says viscous means "having a thick, sticky consistency," which, come to think of it, might apply to teabaggers. In terms of hurting disabled people, though, you probably want definition 3 of vicious: "Violent, destructive and cruel."

[1monster]

119. Did we really vote for this? That's one thing about Florida... We can never really know

for sure.

[jwirr]

57. What for? Old Adolph attacked this group regularly.

[freshwest]

143. Them and their damned worthless mouths compassionate conservatism...

[ehrnst]

5. Why can't these lazy, drug addicted people get a job and stop living the high life off us taxpayers?

:sarcasm:

[jwirr]

61. Some time ago our biggest area newspaper had some one write

an editorial that said that - I promptly sat down and wrote a resume for my severely developmentally disabled daughter and asking for a job. I sent it off to the paper but they did not publish it. They should have. All too many people think this way. By the way in our state many of them do have jobs. Working in the recycling center, shredding paper for local businesses, making quilts and rag rugs they sell. They do not get much for wages but they are proud of themselves that they can make any money at all and that they can do something for their community.

The governor of Florida could learn a lot from them.

[Hubert Flottz]

110. Afraid not,

This guy knows it all...he's a teabagger.

[Zoeisright]

6. So much for the "pro-life" crowd.

These assholes are really showing their cards now. If only the sheeple would wake up.

[atreides1]

10. They're not Pro-Life

They are just Anti-Abortion.

[4lbs]

28. True.

It's interesting (and hypocritical) how these same "Pro-Life" people are all for a fetus before it is born, but once it is, then well, forget about it.

They are invariably almost entirely:

1.) Pro Death Penalty.
The same fetus they fought to keep alive before it was born, they have no problem killing it in 18 years or more if it is convicted of murder or some other violent crime.

2.) Pro Torture
It's tough to find one that is squeamish about waterboarding or other forms of torture.

3.) Hardcore Pro NRA/Gun.
They aren't just for shooting guns in self-defense or killing animals for food, most like to shoot guns for sport. They fawn over those and any guns as if they were their children. You'll pry their guns from them only over their cold, dead, hands. Well, let's test that out then.

Furthermore, they mount heads or taxidermist stuffings of the animals they killed in their homes, proudly bleating about how they shot a ferocious deer or moose from a distance of 30 feet. Yup, that ferocious moose that was really intimidating as it was getting a drink of water from the stream or lake as you shot it.


4.) Against caring for the sick or poor
Yeah, that Jesus dude did all that. Even preached about it. However, that doesn't necessarily mean the "Pro-Life" group have to do so. But hey, they are good Christians though. They (supposedly) go to church every Sunday, sit for hours, let their butts fall asleep, and follow only the parts of the Bible they feel like. So, they're good Christians. They'll tell you so.

5.) Are for bombing and invading every country that so much as looks at America funny.
If one person in that country so much as says "down to America" or burns a US flag, then that's reason enough to bomb it and invade it. Oh, and if there's a buck to be made in doing so, then all the better! Hooray self-important patriotism! Boo... umm... non-white people in another country.

[Enthusiast]

131. They are pro-control of your life.

As in authoritarianism.

[Lorien]

156. No, they're anti-women

anyone who wants to let a woman die if she needs an abortion to save her life (the fetus dies either way) hates women.

[jwirr]

64. Exactly - Michelle Bachmann can take the pro-life bulletin boards

in her district that show a child with downs syndrome down now - they were lies in the first place.

[freshwest]

144. It was always there with these bastards, kill, torture and discard people, but say 'pro-life!'

[1monster]

7. When did we give Governor Voldemort emergency powers over every aspect

of the budget? I thought the budget was the responsibility of the Legislative Branch of our state gov't? Yes, of course, Florida does have a line item veto, but that only works BEFORE the budget bill is signed into law.

[atreides1]

11. He must have them

"...the governor invoked his emergency powers..."

[Hugabear]

26. Excuse me, that's KING Voldemort to you

Rick Scott doesn't wait for the legislature to act. He rules via decree. Just like he did when he single-handedly rejected billions of federal dollars for high-speed rail.

[1monster]

51. I am a citizen of the United States of America. I don't bow down or kow tow to kings!

Or plutocrats.

[1monster]

116. Answering my own question here: I googled Florida Constition + Emergency Powers for

Governor and came up with this: http://www.myfloridahouse.gov/filestores/web/statutes/fs07/CH0014/Section_0014.022.HTM

14.022 Governor; emergency powers to quell violence.—

(1) The Governor of Florida is hereby authorized and empowered to take such measures and to do all and every act and thing which she or he may deem necessary in order to prevent overt threats of violence or violence, to the person or property of citizens of the state and to maintain peace, tranquillity, and good order in the state, and in any political subdivision thereof, and in any area of the state designated by the Governor.

(2) The Governor when, in her or his opinion, the facts warrant, shall, by proclamation, declare that, because of unlawful assemblage, violence, overt threats of violence, or otherwise, a danger exists to the person or property of any citizen or citizens of the state and that the peace and tranquillity of the state, or any political subdivision thereof, or any area of the state designated by the Governor, is threatened, and because thereof an emergency, with reference to said threats and danger, exists. In all such cases when the Governor shall issue a proclamation as herein provided she or he shall be and is hereby further authorized and empowered, to cope with said threats and danger, to order and direct any individual person, corporation, association, or group of persons to do any act which would in the Governor's opinion prevent danger to life, limb, or property, prevent a breach of the peace or the Governor may order such individual person, corporation, association, or group of persons to refrain from doing any act or thing which would, in the Governor's opinion, endanger life, limb, or property, or cause, or tend to cause, a breach of the peace, or endanger the peace and good order of society, and shall have full power by appropriate means to enforce such order or proclamation.

(3) The Governor, upon the issuance of a proclamation as provided for in subsection (2), is hereby authorized and empowered to take and exercise any, either, or all of the following actions, powers, and prerogatives:

(a) Call out the military forces of the state (state militia) and order and direct said forces to take such action as in the Governor's judgment may be necessary to avert the threatened danger and to maintain peace and good order in the particular circumstances.

(b) Order any sheriff or sheriffs of this state, pursuant to a proclamation as herein provided, to exercise fully the powers granted them, and each of them, under s. 30.15(1)(f) (suppress tumults, riots, and unlawful assemblies in their counties with force and strong hand when necessary) and to do all things necessary to maintain peace and good order.

(c) Order and direct the State Highway Patrol, and each and every officer thereof, to do and perform such acts and services as the Governor may direct and in the Governor's judgment are necessary in the circumstances to maintain peace and good order.

(d) Authorize, order or direct any state, county, or city official to enforce the provisions of such proclamation in each and every and all of the courts in the state by injunction, mandamus, or other appropriate legal action.

(4) The Governor is hereby authorized and empowered to intervene in any situation where there exists violence, overt threats of violence to persons or property and take complete control thereof to prevent violence, or to quell violence or any disturbance or disorder which threatens the peace and good order of society.

(5) The powers herein granted are supplemental to and in aid of powers now vested in the Governor under the constitution, statutory laws and police powers of said state.

(6) The provisions of this section shall continue in full force and effect until otherwise amended.

History.—ss. 1-6, ch. 31390, 1956; s. 2, ch. 61-239; s. 2, ch. 65-95; ss. 10, 35, ch. 69-106; s. 18, ch. 78-95; s. 2, ch. 91-95; s. 34, ch. 95-147.

(I copied the entire 14.022 because, as far as I know, there is not copywrite infringement for copying the State Constitution.)

Don't see anything here about Emergency Fiscal Powers... I'll keep looking.

On further search, I found loads of links and pdf files that were "broken" but did find this specifically regarding emergency financial powers of the governor, but these seem to deal with other governmental bodies (school boards, municipalities, etc.) in financial crises, not with the state budget... http://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2011/0090/Analyses/mHlby23Z/ql3IwofUgv1MK2DXMo=%7C7/Public/Bills/0001-0099/0090/Analysis/2011s0090.pre.go.PDF

Still searching.

[No Elephants]

9. Compassionate conservatism.

What's an oxymoron, Alex?

What's part of Rethug mytbology, like "trickle down," Alex?

What's yet another load of bull Reaganites sold America, Alex?

[Snoutport]

12. I think this just ruined my friday

i am a special ed teacher and I know for a fact that these guys are already living on the bare necessities. Rick Scott, I HOPE LIKE HELL you someday need to live in a facility for the aged or disabled and I hope they cut your living standards over and over and over until you shrivel up and...

[1monster]

53. And make his divest himself of all assets before allowing him access to live in that

facility.

[FailureToCommunicate]

13. Matthew 25:40

"And he will answer, 'I tell you the truth, when you refused to help the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were refusing to help me.'



(New Living Translation)



Republicans: Never got it, never will

[valerief]

15. Well, now, they'll all have to go to the Rick Scott Nursing Home facilities.

Why else would he do it if he weren't making a profit from it?

[spooked911]

59. you mean it's more about greed than being evil?

[jwirr]

66. Are you serious? He really owns the nursing homes?

[valerief]

122. Who knows? His history is in med care. Or Medicare fraud, I should say.

From wikipedia (cuz I'm too lazy to search anywhere else):

In 1987 he helped found the Columbia Hospital Corporation with two business partners; this merged with Hospital Corporation of America in 1989 to form Columbia/HCA and eventually became the largest private for-profit health care company in the U.S. He was forced to resign as Chief Executive of Columbia/HCA in 1997 amid a scandal over the company's business and Medicare billing practices; the company ultimately admitted to fourteen felonies and agreed to pay the federal government over $600 million.

[radhika]

17. Are Floridians protesting?

Maybe media is blacking it out,but has there been any organized push-back?

[TatonkaJames]

18. Kind of like DEATH PANELS Republican style

This is typical of what's to come. Cut off the country from needed help but fund wars and corporations.
Look, it's common sense. Cuts in the military budget and pork will pay for most of what the country needs to
fund education and more. But helping Americans is out of their scope. Keep up the good work Repugs, can't wait until 2012.

[L0oniX]

20. +1

[oldhippydude]

54. at least in Arizona

we used the term Janacide..anybody got a catchy name for Florida

[alp227]

129. damn you beat me to it, see my reply 128 n/t

[Welibs]

19. Reagan did something like this closing mental institutions and

hospitals all over Cali and there were thousands of very sick people on the streets for years!

Republicans are the broken people in this country! They have NO empathy and they're psychopathic narcissists that are so incredibly arrogant they think they are way above the law and can pull the plug on anyone they want to.

I wonder how they'll make the transition from nazi dictators to what they would call electable leaders in 2012. They'll be begging for forgiveness for months hoping to get another chance. They'll be dreaming of course!

[polichick]

23. So much of the depraved thinking began with Reagan - and yet he is placed on a pedestal...

I don't know if most Republican voters are just ignorant about what he really did - or if they think it's all peachy-keen.

btw, welcome to DU!

[AndyTiedye]

55. That's Because Reagan Nuked the Fairness Doctrine

and the Tee Vee has been gushing with love for Republicans ever since.

[Lorien]

158. +1,000. Until it's reinstated nothing will change

but even Dems have no stomach for demanding so much as a law against knowingly lying by the news media.

[mikeburetta]

65. reaganmiracle?

yes the reagan miracle that started off with a great recession to start most of us on a path to less and the few up the finacial ladder. consolidating wealth at the top!

[CountAllVotes]

46. many of these folks are still without care or help

Sadly, my late brother was one of them. It was pretty horrible. They wanted to dump him in an institution for life at first. My parents ended up working 3 jobs each while the rest of the family (consisting of my other brothers and me) did the household chores and worked, worked, worked and worked. I never knew what it was to "play" as a child but I sure knew what working was!

GOD DAMN YOU Ronnie! I hope you are rotting in hell for all of the pain and horrific violence (yes violence) you have inflicted upon those in California that have the problem of a sick child! :argh:

:kick:

P.S. Welcome to the DU btw! :hi:

[jwirr]

74. Are you talking about the developmentally disabled or the mentally

ill? There are federal mandatory laws that require states to help the first group of people. If you brother is in that category apply for help.

[jwirr]

75. Sorry I just noticed that he is no longer with you.

[CountAllVotes]

79. my brother is dead

He died several years ago and he never got any help whatsoever. :(

They never said what was wrong with him. He was deemed an "MR" if you know what that means (MR = mentally retarded). He was not retarded IMO.

[jwirr]

83. I am sorry. That is terrible. MR is developmentally disabled now.

If they called him MR then he fit under the mandatory laws that provide assistance. This is a shame that he did not get the help that was available. However, it all depends on when you are talking about because these laws did not exist when my daughter was born in 1958. Back then all they had was an institution. And many families went broke taking care of their disabled member. We also chose to keep my daughter home but that just meant that I did not go to work so I could stay home to care for her.

[CountAllVotes]

159. he was born around the same time

My mother worked a full-time job. She had two other jobs in fact as did my father.

It was the latch-key kid scene for us. Luckily there were no laws against it at the time as otherwise my brother would have been put into an institution.

[jwirr]

178. I can tell you why I was able to stay home and your parents were not

When my daughter was born my husband left me to take care of her and the other two girls by myself. I was forced to go in for welfare and things like food stamps when they started. I took care of her for 45 years and I once figured that the welfare check added up to about $.33 an hour of care for her.

Because of my divorce I was eligible for help with her and that is why your parents did not get help. That is one of the most unfair situations that existed in those days. A social worker back then told me that it was very common for the spouse to leave when there was a disabled child in the family. You need to be proud of your parents - they sacrificed a lot for love. As to you and your siblings working - my girls did also and they took care of her even when they were little.

One time I was out hanging clothes on the line and when I walked back in my daughter was sitting on the floor with her sisters head in her lap. She was patiently taking care of a seizure. She was only 6 years old.

This governor does not understand any of that.

[butterfly77]

101. Is that why..

there is a skid row?(Reagan). And rick scott is a big slimy POS!!!

[matt819]

21. We should support those cuts

I have to believe that those suffering from these extreme problems do not all fall on the liberal side of the aisle. Supporters of this savage politician undoubtedly also require the assistance of these agencies. Perhaps when they can't buy their subsidized medication or there's no longer a center for their disabled children, they'll think a little harder next time when they enter the voting booth.

Or not.

It will be interesting to see if the impact of these cuts gets covered in the press in the years to come, or if yet another group of Americans fall through the tattered safety net and are never heard from again.

[Bossy Monkey]

22. That is, fuck 'em, they can't vote n/t

[earcandle]

24. Isn't this genocide? A form of murder? Have the Republicans become treasonous against the American

people, ideals, etc?  I am sick of hearing how horrible they
are going to make our world.
Somebody make this stop.

[jwirr]

77. I do not think we can call it that YET. Cuts to foster families will mean

that they be put in nursing homes where they will be treated as if they are 90 years old and totally comatose. Cuts to the case workers is a cut to the social worker who monitors their case. I did that job as a temp for a while and what I was really doing was making sure that the services the state paid for were actually being given to the client. So genocide? As I said not YET.

[madrchsod]

154. yes

[ehrnst]

25. These are the same folks that trash women that choose not to continue a pregnancy

when they know that the child will have serious disablities?

[juajen]

163. I have a friend who does not believe in abortion, period.

When her child had a developmentally challenged fetus, they refused to abort. The state has now paid millions of dollars for her care and will continue to do so. She has good insurance; another reason medical costs have gone through the roof. The radical right wanting every baby to be born, whether wanted or severely medically challenged puts a real burden on health care for everybody. If they can force women to not have abortions, we should be able to insist that the fetus be a viable one and legislate that the child born because of this legislation should be cared for by the state if the woman does not have the means to support the child of cannot abide the child because of a rape or incest. Perhaps they will then consider the costs of meddling with a woman's control of her own body.

[drm604]

27. I fail to know how to even respond to this kind of thing.

I'm running out of ways to express my outrage.

DAMN YOU RICK SCOTT. What kind of man sociopathic asshole does this while at the same time cutting taxes on the wealthy?

Oh, we don't want to "penalize" the wealthy. God forbid! That would be unfair. Why... why... it'd be... un-American!

Oh no. Let's instead penalize the ones who DESERVE to be penalized! Those so-called people who have the GALL to be unable to take care of themselves. Look at that picture. Look at where they live. I wish my apartment was that nice! Just who do they think they are? They need to get up off their asses and learn to compete in our capitalist system like everyone else. If they can't do that then the hell with them!!!

:sarcasm: (I would hope that the sarcasm thingy isn't necessary but I'll add it anyway.)

[opihimoimoi]

29. This is Horrible...disgusting use of exect powers....RECALL

[drm604]

31. I don't think a governor can be recalled in Florida.

If this page is correct, recalls can only occur at the municipal level or the county level for charter counties.
http://ballotpedia.org/wiki/index.php/Laws_governing_recall_in_Florida

According to Fla. Stat. Ann §100.36(1), "Any member of the governing body of a municipality or charter county, hereinafter referred to in this section as “municipality,” may be removed from office by the electors of the municipality."

[Hugabear]

32. Florida has no recall option

There's a grassroots move to add a constitutional amendment that would allow the recall of any elected state official, but it still has a long ways to go.

For now, we're stuck with this evil fuck for another four years, unless he steps down first.

[opihimoimoi]

38. How in the fuck world did he get in there?? 4 years of damage to go...that is sad

Never ever vote GOPer...it gatta sink in eventually....

[Zorra]

30. It's a mean, nasty, rotten world, and Rick Scott is a happy guy. nt

[graywarrior]

34. What's he gonna do next, march them into the ovens?

What a nazi bastard. I worked for one of the CIL groups in Florida....I wonder what will happen to them now.

[RBInMaine]

35. Floridians get what they voted for just like my state and others. LIVE AND LEARN.

[paparush]

37. Pure Fucking Evil. The current political climate in our country is sickening.

[HowHasItComeToThis]

127. I HAVE AN IDEA... DEPORT ALL REPUBLICANS

[skypilot]

39. Might have something to do with why...

...http://www.thestatecolumn.com/articles/gov-rick-scott-is-least-popular-governor-in-the-country/

[SacoMaine61]

40. For once, I actually would like to hear Palin's thoughts

on this issue alone, of course. Who's heading up the death panels now Sarah?

[MadMaddie]

117. Sarah won't have anything to say cuz Scott is not black....

just sayin...

[donquijoterocket]

42. they never really

disappoint. Every time you think the couldn't get any more desperate and despicable they somehow manage to do so.I suppose it's not necessary to state that it was probably foolish to expect more from a person
( benefit of the doubt there) convicted of medicare fraud who still managed to buy the office he holds.

[barbtries]

43. this is the same guy

that will take that money and funnel it to his drug testing business right?
i'm really just baffled at how low and how mean and how greedy and how corrupt and how FUCKED UP republicans are.

[Hugabear]

44. Look at that disgusting leecher in that pic

See, this is how the Tea Party people think:
Just look at the way that disgusting leech is waiting for his meal in that pic. Why should I, as a taxpayer, be supporting his sorry ass. Let him get a fucking job like everyone else.

[LuckyLib]

45. I keep getting Rick Scott and Scott Walker mixed up, so thought I was reading about WI.

But they are really one and the same, aren't they?

[indy legend]

60. They are both just different lumps of shit from the same bowel movement

and we have one just like them in Indiana in this fucking cocksucker Mitch Daniels. Fuck every last one of these vile shit stains.A slow painful death after a long miserable life is too good for these nazi pieces of shit. ( and I say this with all due apologies to actual pieces of shit) In words that even the dumbest tea fucking asshole can understand.FUCK YOU RICK SCOTT,SCOTT WALKER, BITCH DANIELS and all you like "minded slime, and fuck any of you morons that voted for these pieces of human shit..

[eilen]

47. Rick Scott, That man is a slow-code.

along with others of his reptilian ilk.

[bongbong]

48. repigs' plan

The repigs have a plan for the disabled & mentally challenged: Soylent Green. But of course it's the evil libs who are planning the death panels.

The amount of evil & projection by repigs astounds me every day, even as it increases geometrically with time.

[Harmony Blue]

49. Rick Scott

is cutting into a budget that is bare bones compared to the rest of the nation. There isn't any fat to trim when it comes to Florida.

[bongbong]

78. Ha ha!

Just raise taxes on the rich. Problem solved.

[newspeak]

162. and why is it barebones?

You do remember Little boot's eight year reign? His base had a field day (and when I say "his base" I mean the truly greedy amongst us"). Billions unaccounted for in the illegal war of Iraq. Billions of our money to no bid war profiteering contractors like Cheney's Halliburton--lots of money for shitty service. Little Boots and his band of greedy men couldn't shovel the money out of the treasury fast enough, while giving his base a nice tax break. And how did it help American labor? Under Little boots more and more of our manufacturing jobs went overseas (there's a reason his dept. of labor was passing burger slinging as a manufacturing job). And through all of this, Wall Street was gambling (without a license), from the put options on the airlines on 9/11 to bad mortgages caused by a lack of regulation. Because, after all, Little Boots stated that his greedy corporate friends could be trusted to police themselves.

I believe we've been had by a bunch of con artists, just like the S&L debacle, the junk bond scam--it's like we are here to be fleeced over and over again--and then, the same ones who created the mess can tell us how they are going to save us. See that's the scam, they've stolen our money, money that we as citizens may wish to help our fellow americans or to building our infrastructure--no, money for that--hey, let's just allow the corporations (you know, the ones that got us into this mess in the first place) to run all of those things that should be public and we'll give them our tax money so they can provide more shitty services while paying slave wages.

It has taken thirty years, with the help of a very complicit corporate media, to convince the citizenry in this country that the government is evil, that the government should be drowned in a bathtub. But, we the people ARE the government, not the corporations. So basically, they have convinced us to go against ourselves, to go against labor, to go against the poor, the disabled, the elderly. To be selfish bastards like they are, however, they are still accruing the wealth, while the majority of us are sinking.

[eleny]

50. This makes me angry to tears

[radhika]

52. It's insanity to expect something different from them....

Every few days, we have a post of outrage and OMG about the latest pillaging run. They - meaning govs in FL, WI, OH and all Baggers generically have no moral limits. No legal or ethical limits. They are all tactics, all bullying. And they wisely calculate that liberals and Dems will not take them on and match them fist for fist.

[louis-t]

58. Vile, despicable republinazis.

[spooked911]

62. Is Rick Scott a human being in any way, shape or form?

At some point, seems like someone has to catch him stripping off his human flesh mask, revealing the monster beneath.

[tpsbmam]

69. This POS did this and then went to the Special Olympics Torch Run for a photo-op

I swear, these new ReTHUG Governors are truly the lowest human(?) pieces of shit I've witnessed in a long, long time. The teabaggers who rah-rah them are revolting brownshirts. Yep, I said it and I mean it.


Ed to add the Think Progress post on the above:

Those who provide services to the developmentally disabled are already decrying the cuts. “This would be a catastrophe,” one advocate told the Miami Herald. “The system can’t take this. Eventually, we will have to cut jobs and reduce services.”

Scott says the cuts are necessary to address a $170 million deficit in the Agency for Persons with Disabilities — but at the same time, he is also proposing $1.5 billion in corporate tax cuts and $1.4 billion more in property tax cuts.

Even more galling, today — the same day his cuts are announced — Scott is scheduled to appear at a Special Olympics Torch Run with his wife and other state officials. The run is designed to promote the upcoming Special Olympics in Florida and to raise money for developmentally disabled athletes along the way...

[KamaAina]

126. And so we choose pRick Scott. Today's Worst. Person. In The World!!

:grr: :banghead:

[Joey Liberal]

70. Republicans are evil, greedy bastards. nt

[idrahaje]

71. kinda trumps Jan Brewers Death Panels doesn't it :( n/t

[defendandprotect]

72. Notice the attacks just keep coming -- on the poor, the disabled, children, teachers ....labor....

they'll be putting 4 years old to work soon!!

[libmom74]

76. Well the Maine GOP

are trying to loosen child labor laws so maybe it won't be too long before 4 year olds will be able (or required)to get jobs to help support their families.

[katty]

73. greedy bastard

[Frisbee]

80. I am at a loss for words. Seriously, I am.

Actually, there is one phrase in particular that I reserve for people like Rick Scott and Scott Walker, but alas, I believe I will get in trouble for using it on DU. I guess I will have to settle for just calling them evil Nazi-like scum without a shred of human decency until I can no longer contain myself.

[jwirr]

81. As you can see from all my posts I am very upset. Does anyone

have a link to the voting in 2010 as to who voted for this POS? I want to know who actually did the voting.

[totodeinhere]

100. Here...

But Mr. Scott got more support from whites, especially white men. Wealthier voters also tended to choose Mr. Scott, while Ms. Sink drew support from younger voters.

http://elections.nytimes.com/2010/results/florida

[jwirr]

133. Thank you. Well this cut is going to hit most of that group and for them

I do not feel sorry. Greed has its side effects.

[LynneSin]

82. Please tell me this is an April Fools joke - PUL-LEASE

:scared:

This is awful!

[Little Star]

85. Compassionate Conservatives my ass!!!

[Tony_FLADEM]

86. I'm disabled (Spina Bifida) and I live in Florida

I won't be effected by this as I don't really use any of these services. But I know people who will. I don't know how making life more difficult for the disabled is supposed to create jobs.

[jaysunb]

87. As one commenter put it :

modernmonk at 12:25 PM April 1, 2011
My favorite quote from the HTBIC (Head T-Bagger In Charge), Sarah Palin on Aug 7, 2009 on her FB page:

"The America I know and love is not one in which my parents or my baby with Down Syndrome will have to stand in front of Obama's 'death panel' so his bureaucrats can decide, based on a subjective judgment of their 'level of productivity in society,' whether they are worthy of health care. Such a system is downright evil."

The LIES have come full circle.

[sakabatou]

88. Rick Scott needs to be ousted/recalled

[tcaudilllg]

90. The problem is that the governor has "emergency powers".

These need to be stripped post-haste.

[gauguin57]

92. May karma take a giant bite out of Rick Scott's A$$!!!

Creep. The Guv. makes me think dark thoughts.

[tcaudilllg]

93. Yes, may karma strike! (but let us not abadon those who felt called up by it)

[riderinthestorm]

94. After he signed that, he went for a photo op for Special Olympics!

He has absolutely no shame....

Link to DU thread about it in GD
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=439x783446

[totodeinhere]

95. This is just the latest example of how elections do have consequences.

Scott won a very narrow election victory, and if only a few more Democrats had turned out to vote we wouldn't be going through this mess now. So not only do I blame Scott but I also blame those who sat on their hands on election day.

[Peregrine Took]

96. Is there an effort to recall this POS? n/t

[flyingfysh]

97. I don't think Florida has a recall procedure

[Mnemosyne]

98. I was hoping so much that this thread was an April Fool. K&R n/t

:cry:

[Swede Atlanta]

99. These are the Republic family values.....

They only care about an inviable fetus in the womb. Once it is born so it can work at a minimum wage job to make the rich richer they could care less.

These are real family values and definitely the priorities that Christ would have (since we know they wrap themselves in the cloak of family and Christian values).

[underpants]

102. He is an industry man. Don't you understand THESE PEOPLE LOWER PROFITS

meanwhile he is setting policy that directly financially benefits his wife and his household.

(p)Rick Scott - the P is silent

[demigoddess]

103. WHAT????????DOES HE THINK

Does he think these people could get jobs, if only they would pull themselves together??/ pull themselves up by their bootstraps????? He should be doing what I do every day. Change diapers and feed and train and care for a handicapped person!!! I have been doing that for 39 years, he should ask me. I could tell the idiot!!!!!!!:
grr: :grr: :grr: :grr: :grr: :grr: :grr: :grr: :grr: :grr: :grr: :grr: :grr: :grr: :grr: :grr: :grr: :grr: :grr: :grr:
My blood pressure just went up 50 points.

[fascisthunter]

104. see the man in that photo republicans? He's going to suffer for your rich class

so they can have their tax breaks while war rages on in the middle east... are you a sociopath or are you not?

[alarimer]

106. Republicans are simply evil.

And so is anyone who voted for this guy. Evil. Simply evil.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

108. The mask is completely off now

from the "pro-life" party that "defends family values."

Vile, vile people, and I bet a lot of them think that they're good Christians because they don't drink, dance, play cards, or have sex outside of marriage.

[brewens]

111. Could it be good we see this kind of thing? Going way too far too

fast? If it creates a backlash severe enough, we can throw these guys out and fix things. Maybe things can be better in the long run than would have been the case, if they'd been wiser. That doesn't do the people being hurt now any good, I know.

[road2000]

112. Just the photo alone

breaks my heart.

The sheer monster size of the onslaught all over the country, on every level from demonizing teachers and firemen to depriving handicapped or retired people, is where the damage is happening. We can't focus on everything at once, and the bastards know it. Every day brings another pop-up on the whack-a-mole table, and it seems too big to stop. Until a majority of idiots wakes up at last and realizes we're being screwed by the uber-rich and the corporate, we will constantly be expressing helpless outrage.

[MadMaddie]

114. Where is the outcry from the Right Wing Churches....?

Wha? Oh pardon me, I forgot they only care bout women's uteruses and denying and stripping gays of equal rights.

[krabigirl]

118. Outcry? They are probably cheering!

[glinda]

120. This should disturb the Floridians. Really low hostile hateful ass.

[usrname]

121. April Fools Joke, right?

Tell me it's April Fools. This person can't be that thick-headed.

[onethatcares]

124. but he did a photo op at the special olympics

i guess that's his form of showing how much he cares

[HowHasItComeToThis]

125. REPUBLICANS REALLY HATE EVERYTHING

OUT OF FEAR

[alp227]

128. but rich Floridians like Rush Limbaugh get lower taxes in exchange. Isn't this a death panel?

Wow, if the new class of Republican governors couldn't sink any lower. Does Scott have any friends or family with disabilities? If so that makes him even colder. Now given how Sarah Palin was whining in 2009 about government death panels that would possibly leave her baby with down syndrome to die...so far the death panel crowd only has returned cricket chirps not howls of outrage.

[caseymoz]

132. Yes, now, let's see what private industry does.

:sarcasm:

Rick Scott has just shot himself in the head. I suspect those redstaters who've been sold the fantasy of smaller government aren't going to like what it looks like in reality. Some alienation in store for conservative GOPers, especially as the economy will likely double-dip as they cut.

[Enthusiast]

134. The Nazis gassed

the disabled people they termed 'useless mouths to feed'. Don't tell me I am going too far in calling the modern Republican Party - Nazis or Fascists.

[COLGATE4]

135. No, you're not.. The only reason they haven't proposed that (yet)

is that they don't think the time is right (yet). Let something like economic disaster or some unmanageable crisis like widespread fallout from a nuclear disaster panic occur and frighten our low-information voters and you could well see them endorse tactics like this.

[Marnie]

136. Paging Momma Girzzley.

Your baby bears are is in danger.

Just in case some one doesn't know, Momma Griz is Sarah Palin and her special needs son, Trig, is nicked named Triggy Bear.

Why name a child Trig? Because the particular genetic anomaly that causes his Down Syndrome is called Trysome G, or Tri-G.

So will the momma Griz launch a tweet attack on a Tea Bagger Governor?

[Drahthaardogs]

139. This is wrong on so many levels.

Whatsoever you do to the least of my people....

[wisteria]

140. This just makes me sick to my stomach. The Gov. is a real POS! n/t

[Faygo Kid]

141. You want to know who the Republicans are? This is who they are.

Evil SOB.

[jwirr]

145. Thank Cenk for picking up on our discussion here.

[Kajsa]

146. Great " family values" Gov. Scott!

Kick the people who are the most vulnerable
and unable to defend themselves!!

:grr: :nuke:

[krispos42]

147. Jeez, is there something about the name "Scott" that turns people into assholes?

First Scott Walker, then Rick Scott.

Did I mention they were assholes?

[robinlynne]

148. FUck. Fuck fuck. The right wing has NO humanity. None. This is intolerable.

[hdayejr]

164. Righties want everyone dead

What a heartless piece of shit

[LanternWaste]

149. And the King will make answer and say to them

Matthew 25:40

And the King will make answer and say to them, 'Truly I say to you, Because you did it to the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.'

[louslobbs]

150. These Psycho Republicon Nazi Authoritarian lunatics like Scott bring out a side of me I didn't even

know existed until very recently. These are the sickest people I have experienced in my 40 yrs on this earth. I am so thankful that they overplayed their hands with our Unions, otherwise who knows just how far they would have gone on their destructive path. This is the same nut who gave the interest in one of his fraudulent companies, that does drug testing, to his wife, and then wants to pass a law forcing everyone in Florida to get drug tested. What did they expect down there when they elected one of the most criminal of corporate pigs ever shit out of the ass of the universe?
Lou

[madrchsod]

151. right now my wife is taking care of people......

just like the ones that scott is condemning to death.

yes, people will die and if there is a god he will make them whole. for those who do what is being done, god will have no mercy on their souls.

i thank the voters in my state that elected leaders who would never be as cruel as the ones in florida.

i guess i should`t say any more

[Hotler]

152. Fucking shit stain. n/t

[hdayejr]

165. Who keeps voting these kind of bastards in?

Or are the Republikooks/Conservaturds fixing votes?

[alstephenson]

153. Wow. Check out this comment below the article.

"I'm just sick to death of all the give-a-way programs. Parents can find the least little thing wrong with their little johnny, label it and get a chunk of money from the mckay scholarship(we're talking thousands of dollars) pick out their favorite private school and their tuition is all but paid for. Just takes a label like ADD (Attention Deficit). We're talking thousands of dollars per kid for the private schools. It's ridiculous. Then when summer comes around we have teachers traveling all over the world to take classes to improve their education to be a better teacher. They get an all expense paid trip to Europe, Asia, Africa......on the tax payers dollar. C'mon.....it's there vacation. They clamor to get their hands on that free money for their free trip. Some have their spouse join them so they can enjoy visiting another country on the BOGO system. Then I stand in the grocery line with a welfare parent who is able to buy better food than I can afford. Just pop out a few more babies you can't afford and get more money. I shudder to think of all the freebies the gov't hands out that I don't know about. I'm sick of it. Welfare and illegals need to be the first to go!"
:mad:

[givemebackmycountry]

175. In other words....

Niggers
Niggers
Spics
Beaners
Faggots
Niggers
Niggers...

:sarcasm:

You don't even have to read between the lines.
Where did that gem come from, and what is the McKay scholarship may I ask?

[eringer]

157. He weighed all his options ...

and found that money for chartering buses to take these people to Georgia and dumping them in a peach orchard at night was not in the budget. I heard that the tea party preferred this option and are very dissapointed with Governor Ricky.

[Iris]

166. wtf is wrong with people? And more importantly, who would EVER want to live in FL?

No disrespect to my FL peeps. I got a fine education at Florida State and I live in GA, so don't have much room to talk, but jeez! YOUR Republicans make OURS look positively moderate!

[craigmatic]

167. what a fascist piece of shit.

[Hannah Bell]

168. more fascist shit.

[Taverner]

169. Scott does not deserve to live

I'm not saying kill him

He's not worth my energy

But clearly, he has no business being among the living

Just sayin'

[GreenEyedLefty]

170. What an asshole.

[jefferson_dem]

171. This is worse than politics. This is pure evil.

The most deplorable shit i've seen in a long, long time.

[TxVietVet]

172. What a piece of shit.

[HockeyMom]

173. Rick Scott chain of For Profit "Willowbrooks"

with 80 beds per room with a staff of 2 at below minimum wages. Every year I worked at a non profit agency for the disabled in NY, I had to watch that Willowbrook film. I worked with 10 consumers who were "graduates" of that institution. I watched that film and after years of watching it, it could still send chills up my spine. Is that little boy tied to this crib "our Jesse" now? Is that naked little girl beating her head on the floor "our Beth"?

When "our Mary Anne" passed away at the age of 56, she had 150 people lining up at the Funeral Home. No, she had no blood family members there, but she had 150 "in spirit" family members who came to pay their last respects to her. NOT ONE DIME for her funeral came from TAXPAYERS money. The entire staff, many who had never even known her, contributed to her funeral and burial. Will Rick Scott and the Florida legislators have people crying at THEIR funerals? I doubt it.

These Florida bastards can take their blood money and go to HELL.

[ScottLand]

174. Wait til Palin hears about this. Isn't this act an insult to

her baby?

[Democat]

182. Has Palin commented on this yet?

Hope she slams him.

[AsahinaKimi]

176. BUT the CORPORATIONS must be fed

IT HUNGERS!!



:sarcasm:

[Fuddnik]

177. He got his ass booed out of the Rays opener today.

[jzodda]

179. We live in SICK times my friends...Something must be done...

We live in a time where millionaires get tax cuts, our military budget is the GDP of many advanced nations and corps can get away with avoiding having to pay any taxes at all.

At the same time we cut heating and aid for the disabled..The disabled-the ones who can't fend for themselves?

I mean what's happened to this country? We need to wake up and soon.

[Harmony Blue]

184. There isn't much that can be done

The major population centers of Florida are extremely far off from Tallahassee. Furthermore, Scott is backed by a super majority Republicans. Our state has been cut at its knees, and our only hope is other states in the region, or even some national attention can slow down this trek down into the darkness. Light must prevail when the shroud of darkness begins to enclose hope in an effort of trying to oppress humanity.

[juxtaposed]

180. I was over 1000 feet from the stadium and could hear the BOOing

Rickhead was to throw the pitch at about 7:00-7:15, he decided to toss it at 6:45 when most seats were not filled. Look at the video's of the crowd. The Tea Party showed up early b/c they were told Scott would throw the first pitch early. I'm not sure if the Tea Party had prepaid tickets funded by Scott or backers of Scott?
I need to go threw about 1600 images of protests outside the stadium.
The Trop. were turning away anything anti-Scott at all gates, Pictures to follow.