j_b Posted January 5, 2011 Share Posted January 5, 2011 Reporters Not Welcomed At Corporate-Sponsored Rick Scott Inaugural Jason Linkins The festivities were funded by an array of business interests, perhaps as a way of saying, "Hey, thanks in advance for favoring our interests above the people of Florida." As George Zornick from ThinkProgress noted: The ceremonies cost about $3 million, and are largely funded by business interests in Florida that, as the St. Petersburg Times writes, have "the most at stake in his administration." From tobacco companies trying to avoid taxes, to drug companies and HMOs hoping to benefit from Medicaid changes, Scott's lavish ceremony is being paid for by those who want to be a part of the real party: Florida is the world's twentieth-largest economy and Scott will enjoy almost unchecked control of the state's business, as his party holds super-majorities in both legislative chambers. Zornick goes on to include a litany of what sort of quid the various pro quos are after, including real-estate interests looking for deregulation, a tobacco company interested in getting off the hook for legal settlements, and many health-industry companies hoping for an ally in attacking the deficit-reducing national health-care reform measure passed by Congress last year. Amid all the pageantry, one group of citizens seemed to be pretty unwelcome: reporters. Per Bousquet: Even as Scott promises total openness as governor, reporters had limited access to events in state buildings, something not seen at previous inaugurals. Scott's first official event after being sworn in Tuesday was an invitation-only ``Let's Get to Work'' leadership luncheon with a couple of dozen lawmakers. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/01/05/rick-scott-inaugural-reporters-not-welcome_n_804688.html "In all, Scott spent more than $70 million of his own money (his net worth is 2009 was $218 million) to topple Sink.Scott brings to the governor's mansion in Tallahassee quite a checkered past. For starters, there's that $1.7 billion federal fine—the largest of its kind in American history—slapped on the hospital chain that Scott founded and led as CEO, Columbia/HCA, for health care overbilling. (Scott was not charged in the federal investigation, but the company pleaded guilty to 14 felony charges.) Since then, Scott has fended off similar accusations of overbilling by Solantic, the health clinic chain he subsequently founded and in which he's the majority investor." http://motherjones.com/mojo/2010/11/rick-scott-florida-governor-alex-sink Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevbone Posted January 5, 2011 Share Posted January 5, 2011 Scary times ahead. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j_b Posted January 6, 2011 Author Share Posted January 6, 2011 Like a scary farce! "ISRAEL: Every Republican voted to hide their own government health care, while many of them are pledging to repeal health care for everyone else. So, you go from hypocrisy to hypocrisy; from broken promise to broken promise. And this is just the first day of the new Congress. MATTHEWS: You mean, they didn't want to admit that they're taking health care? ISRAEL: This is a very straightforward amendment that we offered, that, if you're going to take government-sponsored health care and the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program, simply disclose. Let your constituents know that you are taking that government health care. Every single Republican voted to hide their health care while many of them are pledging to repeal it for their constituents." http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/01/06/gop-disclosure-rule-government-health-care_n_805146.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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