Governor Rick Scott’s 7 steps taking Florida to the abyss

[seafan]

ORLANDO, FL - MARCH 08: Ronnie Hawkins stands with other people during one of several 'Awake The State' events held around the state of Florida to protest the proposed budget cuts that Florida Governor Rick Scott wants to pass on March 8, 2011 in Orlando, Florida. Today marked the beginning of the Florida Legislative session in Tallahassee where the new Republican governor has pledged to cut taxes even as the state faces a budget deficit. Getty Images


Daniel Shoer Roth writes in the Miami Herald:


April 5, 2011

Rick Scott won the governorship with his famous slogan: “Let’s get to work” — a seven-step plan to create 700,000 jobs in seven years.

Yet, judging from the winds now blowing in the state capital, his slogan should have been: “Let’s work for business” — a seven-step plan to leave 700,000 Floridians in poverty in seven years.

First Step: Raise insurance premiums.

The Florida Senate Banking and Insurance Committee last week approved a measure to allow Citizens Property Insurance Corp., the state’s largest property insurer, to raise rates by up to 25 percent a year.

Another initiative gives a green light to private insurance companies to raise their premiums 30 percent annually, without prior authorization from the state’s Office of Insurance Regulation.

.....

Second step: Get $1 billion from consumers to return a favor to FPL.

Third step: Raise fees for basic telephone service.

Fourth step: Raise tuition in state universities and colleges.

Fifth step: Cut unemployment benefits.

Sixth step: Shifting patients into private managed care plans.

Seventh step: Less affordable housing.

And with a rigidly compliant Legislature, Rick Scott and his henchmen are forcing everyday Floridians into a place of darkness we've never seen before.

[Drale]

1. You can return from Shadow and Flame

you just must have to will to do so. Its possible to Florida to become the proverbial Gandalf the White, if they have truly learned from their mistakes.

[Scurrilous]

2. Scott coddles BP

<snip>

"While Gov. Rick Scott never fails to mention Florida beaches when extolling the state's virtues to business interests, it appears he is reluctant to challenge polluters who foul our shores and hurt our economy.

As the Tribune's Rob Shaw found, Scott doesn't seem interested in pursuing legal action against BP for the damage caused Florida by the Deepwater Horizon oil spill last year.

Then-Gov. Charlie Crist appointed Tampa attorney Steve Yerrid to serve as a special counsel on the spill, directing him to develop a legal strategy that would enable Florida to recover some of its losses.

But Yerrid's tenure ended last year, and he has yet to hear from Scott.

So the money the state is rightfully due — which could be used to fund key state initiatives, including environmental programs Scott is neglecting — is left in BP's pockets."

more

[provis99]

3. Scott is par for the course for a Republican governor.

Walker sucks, LePage sucks, Brewer sucks, Bentley sucks, Daniels sucks, Branstad sucks, Brownback sucks, etc. Its a contest on DU for people to complain their Republican governor sucks more than the others.

[Eumenides]

4. Four more years of evil

Don't mention cutting ALL funding for the homeless and sheltering programs. Oh, and letting the pill mills churn out 7 deaths a day. I am not for Big Brother databases but for Christ's sake, you are talking about so many addicts being created, not only here but across the south, but Governor Pill head could care less.

Meh.