Tampa Bay Times: Scott worst Florida governor in modern times

[ProSense]

Tampa Bay Times: Scott worst Florida governor in modern times

by VL Baker

In a blistering editorial the Tampa Bay Times eviscerates Florida Governor Scott calling him a tin man without a heart and the Florida governor who has caused the most harm in modern times. I don't think there will be any suspense as to who the TBT's will endorse in Novembers election.

I'll let them speak for themselves because I could not do better. I have never read such a stunning smack-down from the TBT and I encourage you to read the editorial yourself.

This time four years ago Rick Scott was a stranger to Floridians. Then he spent $73 million on his first political campaign and rode an angry voter wave to the Governor's Mansion. For Florida, this has been a hostile takeover by the former CEO of the nation's largest hospital chain. In three years Scott has done more harm than any modern governor, from voting rights to privacy rights, public schools to higher education, environmental protection to health care. One more legislative session and a $100 million re-election campaign will not undo the damage.

This is the tin man as governor, a chief executive who shows no heartfelt connection to the state, appreciation for its values or compassion for its residents. Duke Energy is charging its electric customers billions for nuclear plants that were botched or never built. Homeowners are being pushed out of the state-run Citizens Property Insurance Corp. and into private insurers with higher premiums and no track records. Federal flood insurance rates are soaring so high that many property owners cannot afford the premiums but also cannot sell their homes. The governor sides with the electric utilities and property insurers. He criticizes the president rather than fellow Republicans in Congress for failing to fix the flood insurance fiasco they helped create.

In Scott's Florida, it is harder for citizens to vote and for the jobless to collect unemployment. It is easier for renters to be evicted and for borrowers to be charged high interest rates on short-term loans. It is harder for patients to win claims against doctors who hurt them and for consumers to get fair treatment from car dealers who deceive them. It is easier for businesses to avoid paying taxes, building roads and repairing environmental damage.

Whew, and they are just getting started! Some other adjectives the TBT's uses describing Scott include: callous, soulless, nonempathic and coldhearted. They're getting into the pathological here and I agree.

Scott will continue to destroy Florida if he wins in November. And there is no doubt that he will try any illegal means possible to influence the 2016 Florida election results.

<...>

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/04/08/1290640/-Tampa-Bay-Times-Scott-worst-Florida-governor-in-modern-times

Scott's decision to reject $2.4 billion in federal money for high-speed rail between Tampa and Orlando was just as callous. At a time when the region was desperate for more jobs, Scott dismissed federal guarantees and let the money go to other states. He called high-speed rail financially risky but then approved far riskier projects to please powerful state legislators. He embraced the expensive SunRail project in Central Florida and the creation of Florida Polytechnic University in Lakeland, a boondoggle that diminished the University of South Florida and will cost taxpayers dearly for generations.

This governor shows little respect for individual rights. He advocated drug testing for state employees and welfare recipients; the courts ruled against him. He pursued a purge of voter rolls that threatened to disenfranchise minority voters; the county elections supervisors revolted. He signed into law restrictions on early voting; the public outcry forced changes.

http://www.tampabay.com/opinion/editorials/the-tin-man-if-the-governor-only-had-a-heart/2167877

Historic smack down.

Appeals Court: Rick Scott’s Voter Purge Was Illegal
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10024766297

[deathrind]

1. This man was president of...

A company the was fined over a billion dollars for Medicare fraud and Florida voters still voted him into office...

[HooptieWagon]

10. Fl Dem Party is very dysfunctional,

and the Fl GOP loves them some tea-baggers. Dems actually out -number Reps by about 700K, hell, Ind even out -number Reps. But most of the state party dems are more concerned with hanging on to their spots at the corporate feed trough than they are getting more Dems elected.

[ProudToBeBlueInRhody]

2. I suspect this will only encourage his minions to support him more.

I find every time the news media has the courage to print the truth, the people show a greater willingness to show how stupid they are and say "Oh yeah???"

[madfloridian]

3. He's harming our state.

He is dangerous man to put in control of a state.

[SunSeeker]

4. K & R

[ProSense]

5. Kick for

Governor Skeletor

[Tommy_Carcetti]

6. After Jeb, I didn't even think it was possible.

But yeah. He out Jebs Jeb.

[CFLDem]

7. I can't wait to kick him out on his ass this November!

[Stuart G]

8. K and R thanks for posting..no text..

[joeybee12]

9. Ridiculous...this isn't true...

He's the worst Governor of Flordia EVER!

[HooptieWagon]

11. That might be a stretch...

Florida's had a few epicly bad Governors. But Scott certainly belongs in the discussion.

[Cha]

12. Florida put a criminal in charge.. what could go wrong?