ICYMI: Editorials: Rick Scott A Career Politician With Poor Record
April 16, 2018
For Immediate Release
Contact: Sebastian Kitchen
ICYMI: Editorials: Rick Scott A Career Politician With Poor Record As he announced his Senate campaign Rick Scott’s self-serving record on health care, gun safety, education, transportation and the environment were front and center. Editorials and columns across the state noted he is “mischaracterizing himself as an outsider” and, unlike his first run for office eight years ago, he has a record “and it isn’t good.” Another deemed Scott and House Speaker Richard Corcoran the “enemy” of public education while another dings Scott for “playing election-year politics with drilling.” Here are just portions of the scathing editorials and columns from throughout Florida: The Tampa Bay Times laid out a “stark contrast” between Scott and Sen. Bill Nelson and, in all five areas, Scott’s record was clearly inferior and refers to his “callous efforts” to undermine the Affordable Care Act and “abysmal record” on the environment.
Scott “also flip-flopped on accepting billions in federal Medicaid expansion money, which would have enabled some 800,000 additional Floridians to be covered.”
“In his first year in office, Scott foolishly rejected $2.4 billion in federal money for a high-speed rail line between Tampa and Orlando that would have been a game-changer for Tampa Bay.”
“Scott also refused to support a ban on the sale of assault weapons or closing the so-called gun show loophole on background checks, reforms supported by most Florida voters.”
St. Augustine Record Editorial: Gov. Scott’s per-pupil spending increases wouldn’t cover a pack of gum
“Thus, Florida ranks 49th among the states in per-capita spending for K-12 and 35th in teacher pay; over $9,000 below the national average.”
“There remains an unthinkable, yet unmistakable, mindset in Tallahassee that choking classroom funding and strangling teacher pay will eventually lead to private school education in our state.”
“Floridians have met the enemy – and elected them.”
Palm Beach Post Editorial: Amid scramble to secure schools, money short for teachers
“Take away all the earmarks, and the increase in per-pupil spending for general purposes is a paltry 47 cents.”
“West Virginia, Kentucky and Oklahoma are much worse off economically than Florida. It makes little sense to see teachers treated so disrespectfully in a state as wealthy as ours. Yet here we are.”
“It should alarm all of us that the governor and Legislature have rigged school spending in a way that virtually guarantees that teacher salaries, and the quality of education for today’s schoolchildren — tomorrow’s leaders — won’t be improving any time soon.”
Tampa Bay Times Column: Scott, the ‘outsider’ who has been governor for 8 years, doth protest too much
“But whenever politicians insist they really aren’t politicians it is time to remove small children from the room, hold on to your wallet and begin crawling into a whimpering fetal position.”
“Not a politician? Really? This is the same governor who imposed a Republican Party loyalty litmus test on every appointment he made, right down to the Yeehaw Junction mosquito control board.”
“Rick Scott is indeed a career politician. He’s already proven his great skill at the craft: shameless prevarication.”
“Should Scott arrive in the Senate you better believe he will knock over senior citizens, kick puppies out of the way and brush aside toddlers if they remotely come to represent any threat to holding on to the seat so he can continue to be miserable in Washington.”
“Rick Scott wants to hold a political post in the most political city in the world, but claims he is above the political demands of the position. Shouldn’t that alone be a disqualifying factor for the job?”
Sun Sentinel Editorial: Trump, Gov. Rick Scott too slippery on oil drilling
“The choreography was designed to help Scott look good for a challenge to Nelson this year, which Scott announced Monday. Oil drilling has been one of Nelson’s signature issues during his 18 years in the Senate.”
“Whatever Rick needs,” a Republican source told Politico in January, the Trump administration “will do.” The result will be “a big win, and it won’t be Bill Nelson bringing it home.”
“Twice as a candidate in 2010 Scott favored expanded drilling.”
“Yet Politico’s reporting only reinforces the perception that this ‘commitment’ won’t last past the November election.”
“If you think that President Trump and Gov. Scott are playing election-year politics with drilling, you’re right.”