Rick Scott for Governor?

[Cliffs_Daughter]

Question: Rick Scott for Governor?

Answer: H-to-the-E-to-the-L-L-NO!

[Cricket]

Can money always trump negative baggage in politics? Looks that way. The disgraced Rick Scott is pulling ahead of McCollum. What does that say about us, never mind what it says about Rick Scott?

You would never know it from the barrage of attack ads, but Bill McCollum and Rick Scott agree on many of the core issues GOP voters care about. Smaller government and lower taxes, they argue, are the key to Florida's future.

It's too bad the campaigns are mired in the past, casting them as if they are total and complete opposites.

McCollum, who is currently the state's elected attorney general, visited the FOX 13 studios Friday to discuss the topsy-turvy, increasingly negative campaign for Florida governor. He said Scott's late entry into the race came as a surprise.

"I certainly didn't expect a guy to come into the race who's come out of nowhere, who's a millionaire spending already almost $20 million of his personal wealth," he said. "I did not expect that.”

Recent polling from Quinnipiac University shows Scott is pulling ahead of McCollum. 44% of likely GOP voters chose Scott; 31% said they would vote for McCollum.
McCollum said he is very well aware of the anti-incumbent attitude shared by many voters. Scott has sought to seize on the McCollum's tenure in congress and portray him as an insider.

"If you want a career politician, go with McCollum," he said in a recent ad. Another Scott campaign commercial links McCollum's votes in congress to the housing crisis.

McCollum is undeterred.

"I'm very proud of the public service that I've done," he said Friday.

McCollum has fired back at Scott, highlighting that federal government levied its largest-ever fraud fine on Columbia/HCA, where Scott was CEO. In a new attack ad, McCollum ties that period in Scott's life to abortion, which is consistently a top issue for stalwart GOP primary voters.

"Rick Scott, let's get real," McCollum says. "While your hospitals profited from abortions, I voted 100% pro-life."

On Friday McCollum was unapologetic for the ads.

"I've been attacked ad after ad, dollar after dollar," he said.

McCollum, who is accepting public funding for his campaign, must adhere to a roughly $25 million spending cap. Scott, on the other hand, who is self-financing his campaign, can spend as much as he chooses.

Scott can continue buying a ton of airtime on TV and radio. But McCollum has one tool Scott will not win: Jeb Bush's endorsement.

"Support my friend Bill McCollum, the kind of leader Florida needs," Bush said in a recent video. The former Governor holds a lot of clout with Florida Republicans.

Some polling indicates Bush has the highest approval rating of any Florida politician, and, if he had chosen to again run for Governor, he would have easily won.

McCollum says he is confident his campaign will prevail, despite the negative campaign. Ultimately, he predicts, voters will look past the mudslinging.

“They will see the issues and look for experience,” he said. "At the end of the day we will win because the public is going to want somebody who is a known, trusted conservative."

[reednavy]

"I'll cut taxes to create jobs." Oh yeah, great idea, drive the state deeper in the whole.

[buckethead]

Is it ever reasonable to cut taxes?

What about cutting spending?

No fan of Rick Scott here, but overtaxation is a burden on the economy.

I'd like to see someone propose a (FL) constitutional amendment eliminating property taxation.

I should not be leasing what I own from any government.

[reednavy]

Get rid of property tax, hello serious income tax. Either way, I'm outta here in 2 weeks and if Rick Scott becomes governor, it'll be an even bigger blessing moving out west.

[Charles Hunter]

What services would you cut, or how would you replace the lost property tax revenue?  And, please, "cut waste" doesn't cut it.

[tufsu1]

No fan of Rick Scott here, but overtaxation is a burden on the economy.

except that America's overall tax burden in 2009 was the lowest it had been since 1950.

[buckethead]

No fan of Rick Scott here, but overtaxation is a burden on the economy.

except that America's overall tax burden in 2009 was the lowest it had been since 1950.

Not that I doubt you word...

[stjr]

Rick Scott was an opportunist at HCA.  Looks like he would be one as governor.  Actually, I wouldn't be surprised if Democrats secretly hope he gets the Republican nomination.  Would likely drive the sane electorate, i.e. mostly moderates, to the Democrats, unless they do the same with their nominee.

Extreme and grossly unqualified candidates from both parties tend to scare voters in the middle.  It's why Crist has a chance by running in between Rubio and Meek.

[Ocklawaha]

The end of the Florida Mass Transit renaissance...  Elect this guy and invest in BP stock!

OCKLAWAHA

[buckethead]

Rick Scott was an opportunist at HCA.  Looks like he would be one as governor.  Actually, I wouldn't be surprised if Democrats secretly hope he gets the Republican nomination.  Would likely drive the sane electorate, i.e. mostly moderates, to the Democrats, unless they do the same with their nominee.

Extreme and grossly unqualified candidates from both parties tend to scare voters in the middle.  It's why Crist has a chance by running in between Rubio and Meek.

I'm not sure why I didn't get the HCA reference earlier.
It was one of my duties (while employed by the evil health insurance industry) to recruit providers into a PPO, HMO, and/or NPFFS network.

I had dealings with HCA, and learned that they want higher reimbursement rates than virtually any other health system, while providing the most mediocre facilities.

I'm not sure how Rick Scott  plays into it all, but HCA facilities in Florida were once known as Columbia (Memorial Hospital on University BLVD), whose higher ups (Bill Frist?) had a run in with the Clinton regime.

Of course, Bill Frist is a very accomplished Heart Surgeon so what could he possibly know about health care or health insurance? ... I digress.

All tolled, HCA has a rocky history in the world of politics, whether deservedly or due to political vendetta, is for you to decide, and all you really need to know is which party the group is more affiliated with... right?

My guess is Rick Scott earned his stripes by getting what HCA wanted as well as positioning himself to be greatly rewarded. Corporate executives are rarely the benevolent philanthropists they try to portray themselves to be, but neither is anyone else.

I suppose it's time to actually do some research and get some facts. So far there have been few in this thread, other than comments on personalities and campaign ads.

[reednavy]

I just want to ask him this: "What makes you think you're qualified to run for the highest office in the State of Florida?"

[buckethead]

I just want to ask him this: "What makes you think you're qualified to run for the highest office in the State of Florida?"

Agreed. He needs to demonstrate some extensive experience and success as a community organizer before applying to such a lofty position.

[Cricket]

I have always believed that there are 3 sides to every story but since Scott admitted to defrauding Medicare I don't think he should be given an opportunity to represent the same public that he once defrauded.

[buckethead]

I have always believed that there are 3 sides to every story but since Scott admitted to defrauding Medicare I don't think he should be given an opportunity to represent the same public that he once defrauded.

There we go... Specifics.


Any sources to back that up?