This just in: Governor Rick Scott finally gives in to reality

[hossenpepper]

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-0...-reversal.html

Hi all! I thought I would share the news about the wonderful governor of the state of Florida. It seems he has reversed his vehement stance (declared as a "health care guy" who "knows better than the president") against the health care law. It seems he will take that federal funding after all.

It seems he has recognized that these fundamental programs and the way the system really works, is contrary to his, and many teabaggers', belief that the problem lies in all the free clinics (doling out free drugs, abortions, whiskey and cell phones) is fundamentally flawed as a premise and even more so as some attempt at analysis of the role of government.

See, because the reality is, whether it's right or wrong in your political opinion, that the majority of money paid into the private health care system (touted as the only way it should operate) comes from public funding. Why is this? Because the vast majority of average Americans, especially those of the WWII and Korea generations, never made enough money in their working life to fund their retirement. They have to count on Social Security and Medicare/Medicaid to take care of them. Even today, most people don't have a "portfolio". Most people who make an average wage or salary are just getting by. Now this may be "rich" by some world standards, but it is a precarious situation nonetheless. In the end, this means there is rarely enough left over after paying the bills, eating, hygiene and maybe a tiny smidge of fun (or something to keep you from losing your mind), to invest or put away for later. Get married and have some kids and watch this problem get much worse.

The point is this, you can whine and prattle on about how these people are lazy and freeloading and blah blah blah. But the reality is that most of these aren't lazy people, they just don't make a lot for what they do thanks to the wonderful free market that is the neocon savior. It and the greed of many of those gaining the most from it, are what creates stagnant wages and these kinds of problems in the first place. If paid more in line with what it costs to actually live any kind of comfortable existence by any average standard in the US, then perhaps many wouldn't need public retirement. Even then, it does you no good to have money to invest if you can't take off during the work week business hours to go see someone to make that happen.

In short, it seems that once again, reality has a left leaning bias.

I bet if the mainstream press just reported this as it stands on the facts, it would seem they were some liberally biased organization. At least if reality wasn't what you think or Glenn Beck said it was this week and you need a boogeyman to blame.

[Lily Sawyer]

Denmark, Hossie. Denmark. Let's move. World's highest standard of living despite the world's highest tax rates. Great beer and sausage and cheese. Bitchin' awesome amusement park. Fairy tales. Vikings. Good soccer. Proximity to Sweden and skiing. Smørrebrød. And medical help for everyone, no matter what is needed.

[hossenpepper]

Denmark, eh? It gets kinda cold there...

My brother in law lived there for a couple of years with his ex-wife. He is now one of the constant facebook posters of how evil Obama is and how the jackboots are coming right now to take your guns and attach you to the Matrix. I asked him what the people were like there. He said they were very healthy and happy. I asked why he thought that was, given all the evil socialism. His response was they are all ignorant and stupid. I said yeah that seems to be a problem in this mix, but not on their part.

He and my sis in law are having a baby. I asked him recently why he would have a child in such a terrible Obama-laden hellscape filled with socialized medicine and government taking over everything in life. He has yet to respond to that. I don't expect one because it undermines his argument that the world is fundamentally bad now because of Obama.

[Shasta]

I don't know. I think the guy's a moron but I don't think he reversed his position. I feel like he's saying, look, it's a law and we have to follow it. I don't really see anything wrong with that.

[GNTLGNT]

....I'm in favor of tax subsidies for more burrito factories and possum fertility clinics....

[guido tkp]

great scott !!
oh...um...just good scott,eh ?

hoss.... SA-LUTE !!!

as a center leaning R...no truer words ever said, my friend.

the totality of your post ought to be required reading for anyone wanting to even get into this sort of debate

i love capitalism...but, as it is currently played...it is highly immoral, highly unethical and completely one-sided on every level

i'm one of those working class people you mention...so's every member of my family...and we are all in the same economic boat...

and that boat, these days , should probably be more appropriately named the titanic as long as anyone anywhere continues to let any teabagger near any governmental economic policy making issues...

if there actually is a group that will bring about our downfall...it is they

[Terry B]

Ricky Scott - just one of the reasons we left Florida Hoss. Everyday I woke up and he was still Governor I wanted to cry.

[hossenpepper]

I don't know. I think the guy's a moron but I don't think he reversed his position. I feel like he's saying, look, it's a law and we have to follow it. I don't really see anything wrong with that.

Actually S, it is a complete reversal. Here is a quote from an article just last year when the deadlines for the exchanges was looming:

Florida Governor Rick Scott has never been one to let facts get in the way of conservative ideology, and recently he’s been trumpeting a lot of untruths about the Affordable Care Act, aka Obamacare. He claims the law’s expansion of Medicaid coverage will cost Florida $1.9 billion a year; it’s actually closer to $500 million. Regardless, Scott is determined not to implement the health reform law, which the U.S. Supreme Court upheld last month while still letting states opt out of its Medicaid expansion.

Here is the full article:
http://swampland.time.com/2012/07/11/rick-scott-is-turning-down-obamas-medicaid-expansion-is-he-turning-off-florida-voters-too/

If you look back at his 2010 campaign speeches you will see he was totally opposed. Then it was because it was unconstitutional and socialism. Then as that article points out, after the SCOTUS decision, it was because it was going to cost Florida all this money. Now it's "his eyes have opened".

Mysteriously, he has about the lowest approval rating among governors. He also has a re-election next year. I doubt this major policy shift is related in any way.

[Shasta]

Actually S, it is a complete reversal. Here is a quote from an article just last year when the deadlines for the exchanges was looming:

[/FONT][/COLOR]

Here is the full article:
http://swampland.time.com/2012/07/11/rick-scott-is-turning-down-obamas-medicaid-expansion-is-he-turning-off-florida-voters-too/

If you look back at his 2010 campaign speeches you will see he was totally opposed. Then it was because it was unconstitutional and socialism. Then as that article points out, after the SCOTUS decision, it was because it was going to cost Florida all this money. Now it's "his eyes have opened".

Mysteriously, he has about the lowest approval rating among governors. He also has a re-election next year. I doubt this major policy shift is related in any way.

Oh. Well okay then. I will admit I'm wrong.

Thanks for getting that.

I still, either way, think he's an idiot. Not much he could make me disrespect him more than I already did.

[hossenpepper]

Ricky Scott - just one of the reasons we left Florida Hoss. Everyday I woke up and he was still Governor I wanted to cry.

I hear ya. But it sure is fun to watch him try every one of the tea party ideas and them subsequently fail miserably.

If anyone is wondering what would happen if the tea party stuff was implemented, look no further as they have complete control in Florida. Abject failure is what happens.