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After bashing Obama’s stimulus program, Scott includes federal money in state budget

Sgt Meowenstein

Sgt Meowenstein

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Is there anything redeeming about this Scott guy? I can see why his popularity is so low. I think this gov and other over-reaching, hypocritical GOP govs are a blessing in disguise for Democrats.

After bashing President Obama’s stimulus program, Scott includes federal money in state budget - Political Currents - MiamiHerald.com

TALLAHASSEE -- Gov. Rick Scott campaigned against President Obama’s “failed stimulus” program – yet the freshman politician kept nearly $370 million of the federal cash in the Florida budget he signed last week.

Scott’s decision to keep the stimulus money stands out in a year when the governor touted record budget vetoes of up to $615 million. He emphasized the vetoes of “wasteful” spending at a Thursday event that featured a campaign-style “Promises Made, Promises Kept” banner.

But as he ran for office last summer, Scott said he “would fight all the stimulus money.” He also told reporters “I would have figured out how to balance the budget without it.”

When asked Tuesday why he appeared to reverse himself by keeping stimulus money, Scott didn’t specifically answer.

“I think the stimulus was not good for our state, made us more dependent on the federal government,” he said, echoing a budget-signing letter he issued last week. “I think that we’ve got to watch how we spend money. As you know, in the budget, I focused very much on how we spend our money, stopping the growth of debt in our state and making our state less dependent on the federal government.”

The stimulus money Scott and Republican legislators approved touch every corner of the state: $290 million to improve electronic medical records, $4.2 million to aid disadvantaged children, $3.2 million for fighting wildfires, $12.5 million for drug courts, $8.6 million for county health departments, $1 million to fight infectious diseases, and $4.4 million to help public defenders and prosecutors.
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Re: After bashing Obama’s stimulus program, Scott includes federal money in state bud

I guess you missed the part where the money had been approved by previous administrations and that the money was not included in the overall budget, but as an aside from years past. Your spin has made you dizzy. There is no issue here. Even the article says he made good on his promise.
 
Re: After bashing Obama’s stimulus program, Scott includes federal money in state bud

ksu_aviator said:
I guess you missed the part where the money had been approved by previous administrations and that the money was not included in the overall budget, but as an aside from years past. Your spin has made you dizzy. There is no issue here. Even the article says he made good on his promise.
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You're a loyal little rightie, aren't you? Scott bashed the stimulus and now he's using it. Your spin can't change that fact.
 
Re: After bashing Obama’s stimulus program, Scott includes federal money in state bud

Sgt Meowenstein said:
You're a loyal little rightie, aren't you? Scott bashed the stimulus and now he's using it. Your spin can't change that fact.
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He's not using it...the previous admin is using it. It's absurd to think that money appropriated before the current Gov is the current Gov's fault. Even your article points that out. Your article proves you wrong.
 
Re: After bashing Obama’s stimulus program, Scott includes federal money in state bud

ksu_aviator said:
He's not using it...the previous admin is using it. It's absurd to think that money appropriated before the current Gov is the current Gov's fault. Even your article points that out. Your article proves you wrong.
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No, the article does not prove me wrong. I guess you missed this part.

In all, Florida is on pace to have spent about $24.2 billion of the $787 billion stimulus package. Florida’s share would have been higher, but Scott unexpectedly refused $2.4 billion to build a high-speed rail line linking Tampa and Orlando. Like the rejection of the rail money, he and lawmakers could have refused to spend the $370 million in federal funds.
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Your posts prove that you'll excuse hypocrisy as long as it's coming from a Republican.
 
Re: After bashing Obama’s stimulus program, Scott includes federal money in state bud

Dont forget Pawlenty did the same thing..... in fact quite a few of the "Stimulus bashing" GOP including Tea Party members have been taking credit for and using stimulus money.. the GOP Congressman with the big check is almost a classic now days...
 
Re: After bashing Obama’s stimulus program, Scott includes federal money in state bud

sgt meowenstein said:
no, the article does not prove me wrong. I guess you missed this part.



Your posts prove that you'll excuse hypocrisy as long as it's coming from a republican.
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iokiyar

.....
 
Re: After bashing Obama’s stimulus program, Scott includes federal money in state bud

PeteEU said:
Dont forget Pawlenty did the same thing..... in fact quite a few of the "Stimulus bashing" GOP including Tea Party members have been taking credit for and using stimulus money.. the GOP Congressman with the big check is almost a classic now days...
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Yeah, I remember Jindal handing out those big checks, trying to pretend the money didn't come from the fed.
 
Re: After bashing Obama’s stimulus program, Scott includes federal money in state bud

Governance is far more difficult than campaigning. In the former case, one has to plug actual budget holes, make concrete decisons that affect people, programs, and services, and deliver results that give one a chance to be re-elected. Governance has genuine responsibilities. In a campaign, one can take tough, uncompromising positions, as no responsibilities are involved. Very often, campaign rhetoric and governance approaches are not entirely consistent. That gap can create credibility issues. In turn, those credibility issues can prove serious if one has failed to deliver the kind of performance necessary to be re-elected, as political rivals will exploit those gaps.

While it is true that the funds had previously been approved, it was within Governor Scott's authority to rescind such funding. Instead, he put practical governance ahead of campaign rhetoric. The credibility of his position on the stimulus has been undermined. There are two possibilities. First, the stimulus is funding for Florida did constitute a "failed program," but confronted with fiscal realities, he deliberately embraced that "failed" program Second, the reality of the stimulus was more complex than what Gov. Scott acknowledged during his campaign. It contained some useful benefits for Florida and he chose to include stimulus funding in Florida's budget. In either case, he will find it difficult to wage an anti-stimulus posture in his re-election campaign. However, his prospects for re-election will much more likely turn on his overall performance in office, not whether he accepted $370 million in stimulus funding that he had previously described as arising from a "failed program."
 
Re: After bashing Obama’s stimulus program, Scott includes federal money in state bud

donsutherland1 said:
Governance is far more difficult than campaigning. In the former case, one has to plug actual budget holes, make concrete decisons that affect people, programs, and services, and deliver results that give one a chance to be re-elected. Governance has genuine responsibilities. In a campaign, one can take tough, uncompromising positions, as no responsibilities are involved. Very often, campaign rhetoric and governance approaches are not entirely consistent. That gap can create credibility issues. In turn, those credibility issues can prove serious if one has failed to deliver the kind of performance necessary to be re-elected, as political rivals will exploit those gaps.

While it is true that the funds had previously been approved, it was within Governor Scott's authority to rescind such funding. Instead, he put practical governance ahead of campaign rhetoric. The credibility of his position on the stimulus has been undermined. There are two possibilities. First, the stimulus is funding for Florida did constitute a "failed program," but confronted with fiscal realities, he deliberately embraced that "failed" program Second, the reality of the stimulus was more complex than what Gov. Scott acknowledged during his campaign. It contained some useful benefits for Florida and he chose to include stimulus funding in Florida's budget. In either case, he will find it difficult to wage an anti-stimulus posture in his re-election campaign. However, his prospects for re-election will much more likely turn on his overall performance in office, not whether he accepted $370 million in stimulus funding that he had previously described as arising from a "failed program."
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I agree, campaigning and governing are two different things. However, Scott and his fellow GOP governors will continue to hypocritically complain, if not lie, about the stimulus and Democrats while the same saved them from making more draconian budget cuts. My point is fine, take the money, but stop bad mouthing it.
 
Re: After bashing Obama’s stimulus program, Scott includes federal money in state bud

I remember reading an article in a local paper that we (Texas) tried to refuse funds from the fed, but were told that we would lose other programs the feds subsidize if we didn't take the money. Something akin to refusing highway funds if states didn't lower speed limits / raise drinking ages, I suppose. I can't remember the exact details of what was threatened, but we ended up taking the money.
 
Re: After bashing Obama’s stimulus program, Scott includes federal money in state bud

Sgt Meowenstein said:
No, the article does not prove me wrong. I guess you missed this part.



Your posts prove that you'll excuse hypocrisy as long as it's coming from a Republican.
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Ok....here it is:

Unlike in the current and prior budget year, none of the stimulus money will directly help the state balance its $69.1 billion budget. That enables Scott to make good on his campaign promise to not use “one-time money” to balance the budget.

Read more: After bashing President Obama’s stimulus program, Scott includes federal money in state budget - Political Currents - MiamiHerald.com
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Game...set....match.
 
Re: After bashing Obama’s stimulus program, Scott includes federal money in state bud

ksu_aviator said:
Ok....here it is:



Game...set....match.
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Yep, you sure showed me....that Scott is a hypocrite and you can sure spin spin spin it.
 
Re: After bashing Obama’s stimulus program, Scott includes federal money in state bud

Sgt Meowenstein said:
Yep, you sure showed me....that Scott is a hypocrite and you can sure spin spin spin it.
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"Politician" might as well be a synonym for "hypocrite". Not sure why it's so important to point out the hypocrisy of the other side, as if it detracts from the fact that it exists on all sides, at all levels. Further, since most (if not all) politicians are hypocrites, what's the point in saying so everytime a politician is mentioned that you don't support or agree with? Would it not be better serving to reference their particularly policies and how they affect the electorate as opposed to lamenting their character? And with that, if we were to assume that hypocrisy eliminates one from the political field, why are we not seeing a decrease in hypocrisy? In asking that question, I would fully expect your answer to be something regarding republicans being hypocrites themselves, and other partisan nonsense, so consider it a rhetorical question.
 
Re: After bashing Obama’s stimulus program, Scott includes federal money in state bud

Sgt Meowenstein said:
Yep, you sure showed me....that Scott is a hypocrite and you can sure spin spin spin it.
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By that logic, if a Republican president passes a tax cut that a Democratic governor disagrees with, that governor ought to just say, "SCREW YOU, I'M GOING TO COLLECT THAT REVENUE AND SEND IT TO YOU ANYWAY BECAUSE I'M NO HYPOCRITE."
 
Re: After bashing Obama’s stimulus program, Scott includes federal money in state bud

Gina said:
I agree, campaigning and governing are two different things. However, Scott and his fellow GOP governors will continue to hypocritically complain, if not lie, about the stimulus and Democrats while the same saved them from making more draconian budget cuts. My point is fine, take the money, but stop bad mouthing it.
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are you defending the stimulus?

this could be fun, please say yes
 
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