Florida’s new tea party governor, Rick Scott, didn’t make any friends when he met recently with 20 of Florida’s black state legislators.
The luncheon was billed as a get-to-know-you welcome to Tallahassee from Scott, who has barely been in town a month. But the political novice wasted no time in offending his guests.
In discussing his own humble origins, Scott implied that all black lawmakers grew up poor.
“I grew up probably in the same situation as you guys,” Scott said to the group of 20 Democrats. “I started school in public housing. My dad had a sixth-grade education.”
Rep. Betty Reed, D-Tampa, said she was offended by the remark…Afterward, she said, “He assumed that everyone [in the room] was poor and that can only be because you’re black.”
Rep. Joe Gibbons, D-Hallandale Beach, said Scott’s choice of words was unfortunate even if he was trying to “empathize” with the black caucus.
“Some of us might be from the projects, but we come from all spectrums of life,” Gibbons said.
Scott of all people should know there are rich African Americans. He chose as his lieutenant governor former state Rep. Jennifer Carroll despite her ongoing problems in reporting her net worth. When she was not trying to win minority small business contracts, she said was worth about $23 million. When she was applying for the set-asides, she said it was only $2 million and explained she got her zeros and decimal places wrong. Either way, it’s doubtful the Florida legislature’s first black Republican woman can empathize with those in public housing.
Nor any longer can Scott, who didn’t spend $75 million of his own money to buy the governorship without the expectation of a hefty return on his investment.
Floridians can look forward to four years of prioritizing Scott’s personal interests. Resisting health care reforms is job one for the Solantic Primary Care Clinics CEO, while reworking the state into a tea bagger’s dream is a close second.
…the lawmakers voiced opposition to Scott’s plans to end state support for two historically black colleges, to abolish a state office that helps minority-owned businesses get state contracts and to lower unemployment benefits and health care funding for the poor. They also expressed concern that Scott so far has not appointed any black agency heads…
But the new governor didn’t stop at exposing which stereotypes he holds dear. Scott plumbed the entire depths of offense, referring to the health care reform act only as “Obamacare,” never by its proper name. Scott’s response to being called on his loaded wording gives buckets of insight into his orientation.
When lawmakers asked him to call it by its formal title, the Affordable Health Care Act, Scott said: “You know, when I’m on Fox, they never call it that.” Scott was on Fox News again Tuesday, his third appearance in 17 days, and he slammed Congress for not repealing the law.
Bwaaack, bwaack, bwaaack! Who let all you colored people in here?!
As a Floridian, I am embarrassed to have Scott as my Governor. Time to move back up north before these baggers take over the streets and beaches with their muskets.
Scott doesn’t get out much, does he?
What Else do we expect from the Theif In Cheif?
God that man is ugly in face and in spirit. Thanks again you teabagheadlunatics for giving us a creature nearly as incompetent as that moron w.