Governor Scott Woefully Lacking in Leadership Skills

Forbes.com


 

Florida's governor doesn't govern in a manner conducive to moving the state in a positive direction.  The most recent case in point involves the voting debacle heaped on citizens by combining a shortened early voting period with an exceptionally long ballot in many parts of the state.  Once again, Florida is the laughing stock of the nation as the only state that didn't report election results on November 6. 

Ham on Wry chose the picture at right, because any governor who oversaw such a disaster should express chagrin about the mess.

However, Governor Rick Scott proves an exception.  He doesn't have the good sense to apologize.  No, instead he offered excuses as to why it occurred.  Readers should know that the final tabulations weren't announced until November 10, showing that Obama won the state.  Citizens have come to expect such behavior from a governor who cares more about reducing business taxes and paying large incentives to attract business than he does in education and programs designed to help people with disabilities.  It seems he missed the civics lesson that discussed constitutions and their purpose to protect the citizens that reside in the area they cover.  That purpose doesn't alter from state to state, and most states model their constitution after the United States Constitution.  Perhaps he should read the state constitution so he can better understand his role.

Scott might have pulled the wool over the eyes of uninformed voters when he was elected in 2010, but those voters didn't read the mountains of evidence linking him to the Columbia/HCA Medicare fraud that required the organization to pay a $1.7 billion dollar fine, the largest fine of its kind ever levied.  Instead, they believe him when he said he took responsibility for it and had no knowledge it was occurring.  Phooey!  The board booted him three weeks before the investigation, and he emerged relatively unscathed.  If a CEO accepts the compensation and benefits of the position, he must also accept accountability for illegal activities.

Unfortunately, he chose to move to Naples, Florida, and lives in an area of other uber-rich transplants.  He doesn't care about Florida, its people, or its environment.  He cares about Rick Scott.  He even stooped to running an ad in which his mother said, "He's a good boy."  Ha!  What would anyone expect a mother to say.  Perhaps he was a good boy, but he's not a good governor.  The only hope for Floridians who consider this state their true home is that the Democratic Party offers a credible candidate in 2012.  Florida can't afford Scott for a second term.