Tag: Rick Scott

Scott Favors Science, Technology Over ‘Liberal’ Arts

Buck Banks

art-assault-floridaPart of the series, Assault on Florida.

I confess — I was an English major in college. Fortunately, I somehow parlayed that into a successful career as a journalist and PR guy or else Florida Gov. Rick Scott probably would have consigned me to one of his privatized re-education facilities to teach me a useful trade like welding or astrophysics.

OK, it hasn’t quite gotten to that point, but if Scott has his way, science, technology, engineering and math curriculums will receive more state education dollars and liberal arts courses will receive fewer. I think it’s the “liberal” part of “liberal arts” that sticks in the gov’s craw. Said Scott:

If I’m going to take money from a citizen to put into education then I’m going to take that money to create jobs. So I want that money to go to degrees where people can get jobs in this state.

A quick glance through the Miami Herald’s classified ads does reveal some positions available for computer techs, but nothing specific for scientists, engineers or theoretical mathematicians. Granted, an English degree qualifies one to discuss the French deconstructionist movement while flipping burgers at Micky D’s, but liberal arts also includes journalism and communications majors.

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Florida’s Newest Democrat: Mrs. Charlie Crist

Trish
CaroleCrist
Carole Crist: Too smart to be a Republican?

While the obvious question might be, “What took you so long?” the fact remains that even Carole Rome Crist, wife of former Florida Gov. Charlie Crist, is now a Democrat.

Crist himself, of course, left the Republican party when it went all tea party crazy and lined up behind eventual winner Marco Rubio in the 2010 Florida Senate race. But Charlie simply dropped out of the GOP to become an independent while Mrs. Crist is taking the more active step of registering as a Democrat.

Which straw, we wonder, broke the camel’s back and turned Carole from red to blue?

Another Tired Tea Party Teleprompter Joke Delivered Via Teleprompter

Trish
ScottTprompt
Scott and his two friends, Tele, left, and Prompter, right, at Presidency 5

Florida Gov. Rick Scott (Tea/GOP) misplaced his sense of irony at a recent appearance, according to TPM. Speaking to those gathered in Orlando for Presidency 5 (I don’t know why it’s called that but those at the event — who selected Herman Cain as their straw poll winner — inexplicably think the meeting important), Scott gazed deeply into his teleprompters so he wouldn’t flub the punch line on this joke about the president. Obama, like all presidents and other major public speakers since Herbert Hoover, often uses a teleprompter.

Good afternoon, and welcome to Presidency 5!

“I have to admit, I was a little nervous when I looked out here. I saw all the TV cameras and a teleprompter. I figured President Obama must be here – giving another speech about raising taxes!“[emphasis in the original]

Seriously, though, it’s great to see you all today.

Is that funny or what? Man, he had me at Pres. Obama being there, but then to go on to mention raising taxes – whooey, that is good stuff! I’m just glad he used the teleprompter so he could deliver it verbatim, word for word, just as the mad jokester who wrote it intended, and not lose a single shred of the funny.

It could have been worse, I guess. At least the governor didn’t read off any jokes about Obama’s birth certificate or the first lady’s fight against childhood obesity or any of the other hot button issues surrounding the Obamas of concern to tea partiers today.

Florida Gov. Rick Scott Reads Ad Lib about Obama and Teleprompters from a Teleprompter

Jon Ponder

I have to admit, I was a little nervous when I looked out here. I saw all the TV cameras and a teleprompter. I figured President Obama must be here — giving another speech about raising taxes!

– Florida Gov. Rick Scott (GOPT), who actually read this lame quip from a teleprompter, according to a reporter in the room. The punchline was underlined to remind the governor to play it for laughs.

What Was in Florida Gov. Rick Scott’s Conveniently Deleted Emails?

Trish
ScottsLips
Scott's lips are sealed

From the moment Floridians heard that the penalties for Gov. Rick Scott (Tea/GOP) “losing” emails sent to and from his transition team ranged from a $500 fine to IMPEACHMENT (yeah, baby!), the story grabbed our attention in the way a big, juicy, limping mouse claims the attention of a cat on a diet.

Now Florida Democrats are starting to have fun with that mouse, launching the Rick Scott Email Recovery Fund to help track down the missing missives.

Here’s what happened. Scott, as is his wont, privatized communication handling during the two months after he bought the election and before he was inaugurated. During this time, he was assembling his cabinet and staff, and determining his administration’s agenda. Almost of these emails concerning the public’s business were deleted in mid-January, immediately after Scott took office.

That’s the short version. The long version has us smelling a rat.

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Two Ricks, Both Slick, Both Thick as Bricks

Trish

I’m pretty sure he has a man-crush on Rick Perry.

Scott Maxwell, Orlando Sentinel columnist, about Florida Gov. Rick Scott (Tea/GOP). Scott submitted to an editorial board interview with the paper as part of his “Reinventing Rick” tour, brought on by recognition that his poll approval numbers are, according to Maxwell, “just below head lice.”

Florida Gov. Rick Scott Unveils New, Faux Human Looking Image

Trish
Old-NewRick
The guy on the left looks familiar but Florida voters can't quite place him

Florida residents could hardly be blamed for gazing at the photo shown on the left and exclaiming, “Hey, I like that guy! He looks a little familiar. Wonder who he is?”

Gone is the gleam of crazy in his eyes. Added is black eyebrow pencil to give the humanoid a less reptilian look.

At least that’s the reaction that Florida Gov. Rick Scott’s (Tea/GOP) handlers must have been aiming for when they unveiled the new official portrait of Florida’s chief executive. Scott continues to have the lowest approval numbers of any governor but continues to claim — as do all elected officials with low poll numbers — that he ignores polls and just does what he thinks is right. At the same time, he has launched a massive public campaign that includes enlisting members of the Republican Party of Florida to sign their names to canned letters to the editor about what a great job Scott is doing. He also blitzed voters with robocalls on the same theme and even released a video on YouTube of his mother telling people how proud of him she is.

But apparently Scott was just getting started.

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Rick Scott, Famous Fighter of ‘Obamacare,’ Enrolls Himself and His Wife in Taxpayer-Paid Health Care

Trish

ScottAssinineFlorida’s tea party Republican Gov. Rick Scott has made a point to flaunt the wealth that landed him in office (instead of jail).

One of his first, likely illegal, moves was to sell the state plane that transported his predecessors while on state business. Why? Because Scott didn’t need the taxpayers’ jet, he has his own helicopter and access to his friends’ Lear Jets.

Equally played up was Scott’s decision not to accept a salary. After all, he made so many millions out of defrauding the government on padded Medicare billing in his businesses that he doesn’t need the piddly $130,000 that me and my fellow residents could provide him. Heck, Scott spent $76 million of his “own” money just to buy the office.

But there are some things that even Rick Scott needs help with. Scott, who focused his campaign and every FOX News appearance he’s ever made, on getting rid of the Affordable Healthcare Act which would provide health insurance to millions of uninsured Americans – and Floridians – is accepting our help to pay for his health insurance.

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