Posted on 01/16/2013 2:25:27 AM PST by SoFloFreeper
Near the beginning of a polite but frank sit-down between Gov. Rick Scott and black state lawmakers, state Sen. Arthenia Joyner cordially told the governor, "We differ on a lot of things."
"You're kidding," Scott replied in mock surprise. As the 23 black House and Senate members laughed, he quickly added, "I care about jobs and education, and I'm sure you do, too."
For the next hour and 10 minutes, the political-philosophy gulf between the wealthy Republican governor and the black Democrats who represent some of the poorest people in Florida was starkly obvious. They aired their differences on health care, schools, sentencing disparities for drug crimes, executive and judicial appointments, election laws, contracting with minority businesses, budget priorities, restoration of voting rights for ex-cons, health care, juvenile justice and pay raises for state employees.
Neither side budged on beliefs, but each agreed to listen.
"Your record of appointments to the judiciary is appalling to us," said Rep. Darryl Rouson, D-St. Petersburg. "There's a sentiment in the black legal community that we need not bother to apply because we don't think like you."
Rouson, a lawyer, said that of 91 judicial appointments by Scott, only six went to blacks. He asked for a commitment to diversity in appointments to regulatory boards and commissions throughout state government. Scott replied that he has to choose judges from lists provided by judicial-nominating commissions and that, in his first two years, he has had limited opportunity to fill vacancies as they occur.
"I don't believe in judicial activism," Scott said. "Applicants, I don't care who they are, if they believe in judicial activism, I'm not going to appoint them."
House Minority Leader Perry Thurston of Fort Lauderdale said legislators were "totally embarrassed" two years ago, when Scott and the Cabinet reversed policy and denied restoration of voting rights to convicted felons for five years after they get out of prison. "We'd like to let you know that this is important to us,"
Scott replied that he and the all-Republican Cabinet stand by their decision.
"Once you are out, as a felon, you should spend time making sure you're doing the right thing before you get your rights back," Scott said.
Rep. Mia Jones, D-Jacksonville, scolded Scott for "foot-dragging" on implementation of the national health care act. House and Senate committees are holding hearings on creation of health-care exchanges, but Scott has insisted that the cost of expanding Medicaid from about 3.3 million to 6.1 million Floridians is not known.
"My concern right now with the current health care law is, it does nothing to reduce health-care costs -- nothing," said Scott, a hospital executive before he got into politics. "I have not found a government program that is free. I want to make sure that everybody has access to quality health care … but what I'm extremely worried about is, can the federal government fund their portion of this health-care bill?"
Thurston told the governor that last year's restrictions on voter registration, slow restoration of voting rights for felons, coupled with his support of tax breaks for businesses in the name of job creation illustrate why black voters don't like him.
"That's what the overall perception is," Thurston said. "There are thousands of individuals in our community who are being disenfranchised, who are being denied their medical rights. We're slow about acting on that. We're fast about giving breaks to big businesses, when we already have a business climate."
Sen. Audrey Gibson, D-Jacksonville, urged Scott to make juvenile justice a high priority in the budget he will send to the Legislature in a few weeks. She said juvenile offenders in state custody need education services, or they will go back to public schools woefully behind and primed to drop out -- leading to more crime.
"There is a human factor in budgeting," Gibson said. "There is a human factor in policy."
Rep. Alan Williams, whose Tallahassee-anchored district includes tens of thousands of state workers, told Scott the black caucus wants a 3 to 5 percent pay raise for employees. Scott said he will again propose a "performance pay plan" based on productivity, which the Legislature did not enact last year.
"That's what I believe in," said the governor.
...the political-philosophy gulf between the wealthy Republican governor and the black Democrats who represent some of the poorest people in Florida was starkly obvious.
&&&
Okay, I admit that I stopped reading right there. No political bias in this so-called report, huh?
Everyone knows that blacks are incapable of becoming educated, forming and maintaining intact, functional families, instilling a work ethic or stopping violent behavior. They won't ever choose to correct the deficiencies that have kept them subservient, so why even discuss it? (Is the < /sarc > tag really necessary, or would a < /unspoken RAT attitude > be more appropriate?)
They want felons to immediately have their voting rights because they assume same will vote Democrat. If felons were assumed to be potential Republican voters, the black caucus would not give a flying flip about the issue.
I went to a retirement party on “the boulevard”, mostly authentic Mexican restaurants, good food. It was completely ugly weather, cold and dreary and a (I assume) Mexican husband and wife were working their hardest painting the outside of their restaurant. They were there when I went in to the party and they were still there when I left.
They showed themselves to be driven, hard workers. Not saying this extends to anyone other than this couple, but this couple was working hard.
“Your record of appointments to the judiciary is appalling to us,” said Rep. Darryl Rouson, D-St. Petersburg. “There’s a sentiment in the black legal community that we need not bother to apply because we don’t think like you.”
Hey Darryl—do you see BathHouse Barry nominating judges that “don’t think like” him? Have you protested that yet?
“Rouson, a lawyer, said that of 91 judicial appointments by Scott, only six went to blacks. He asked for a commitment to diversity in appointments to regulatory boards and commissions throughout state government.”
Hey, Darryl—how come “black leaders” are always agitating for “diversity” but never for “compentence”?
I admire Gov. Scott for sticking to his guns. Someone like Boehner would fold in a heartbeat.
“Denied medical rights...?” What are those? Where is a list of our medical rights?
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