Florida Governor Rick Scott Embarrasses Himself, And America, On National TV

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/rick-scott-trump-islam_us_56e179e9e4b065e2e3d4e2ea?

Florida Gov. Rick Scott (R) just gave one of the more painful television interviews in recent memory -- and, in the process, offered a case study in why Donald Trump’s rhetoric about Muslims is so dangerous.

The interview took place on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” and it began innocuously enough, with hosts Mika Brzezinski and Joe Scarborough asking Scott whether he planned to endorse a candidate for next Tuesday’s Republican primary in the state.

Then Scarborough asked Scott about a major news item: Donald Trump’s statement during an interview with CNN Wednesday night that “I think Islam hates us.”

Scarborough wanted to know whether Scott agreed with that sentiment. Scott dodged the question, saying that Florida is “the best melting pot in the world” but noting that he wanted to stop allowing Syrian refugees in Florida until they could get better security vetting.

Scarborough pressed him. Fine, he said, the vetting of refugees is a fair subject for debate. But what about Trump’s statement?

“I’m just asking generally, do you think that Muslims hate Americans? That Islam hates America, as Donald Trump said last night?” Scarborough asked.

Scott, who has a reputation for evasiveness, once again refused to give a yes or no answer, instead talking about his home state. “I can tell you what’s going on in Florida, we…”

Scarborough tried one more time, again, to no avail:

Scarborough: “No, no, no, I don’t want to know what’s going on in Florida. I want to know what’s going on in your head, Governor. We’re friends. I want you to answer the question. Do you think personally think that Islam is a religion that hates America?”

Scott: “So Joe, what I can tell you, in our state we have a lot of Muslims that live in our state, we have a lot of Latin Americans who live in our state, we all get along … we love people coming to our state.”

At this point, Brzezinski interrupted, and gave it her best shot:

Brzezinski: “Rick, Rick, I know you and Joe are friends and this is a little awkward. Can you answer the question or should we scoot?”

Scott: “I can tell you that I’m glad everybody is in Florida. We’re doing well here. The debate is going to be fun tonight. I hope they talk about jobs. It’s the most important issue.”
Scott either agrees with Trump's characterization of Islam and its 1.6 billion adherents, or he's refusing to condemn Trump for political reasons. Either way, it says a lot about Scott’s character -- or lack thereof.

But the more important story here is about Trump, and why his statements about Muslims matter so much. By saying the things he has -- calling for a total ban on letting Muslims into the country, and now declaring that Islam itself is at war with the U.S. -- he’s made it more acceptable and less scandalous for other politicians to say such things.

Want proof? About an hour after Scott’s appearance, former CEO and Republican presidential candidate Carly Fiorina was on the show -- and dodged the same question, albeit more artfully.

Welcome to Donald Trump’s America.

Editor's note: Donald Trump is a serial liar, rampant xenophobe, racist, misogynist, birther and bully who has repeatedly pledged to ban all Muslims -- 1.6 billion members of an entire religion -- from entering the U.S.


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Thanks for posting this, ppaca.  I hadn't heard about this.  It's awful.  I did give Rubio points in tonight's debate for coming right out and saying that Trump's anti-Muslim position is dangerous, impacting our ability to work with Islamic countries to defeat ISIS, and endangering Americans working -- or, to be more exact in the example he gave, doing missionary work -- in those countries.

I must have switched channels before he said that, in fact I quit watching at first break.

You do know that Rubio voted against the restore act.

ppaca wrote:I must have switched channels before he said that, in fact I quit watching at first break.

You do know that Rubio voted against the restore act.

I'm not sure what the Restore Act has to do with broad-brush condemnation of the religion of Islam and the stupidity of that coming from a presidential candidate.  

I hope you know I am NOT a Rubio fan in any way, shape or form; I just gave him credit for saying a few reasonably sensible things last night, thereby showing he's head and shoulders above Trump when it comes to understanding foreign policy and our position in the world.  Of course, that' not hard to do when it comes to Trump.  He's clueless.

While we're on the subject of Scott, who never seems to be able to give a straight answer to any question:

http://www.salon.com/2016/03/09/floridas_war_on_women_state_passes_massive_anti_choice_bill_to_shut_down_access_to_abortion_and_contraception/



Even though a law almost exactly like it is still being reviewed in the Supreme Court, the state of Florida just passed a massive anti-choice bill that, under the guise of supporting women’s health, is aimed at cutting off as many women as possible from abortion, contraception, and STI prevention and treatment services. Most of the bill is modeled after the one in Texas, the one the court is currently reviewing, which uses medically unnecessary red tape to regulate abortion clinics out of existence.

Supporters of the Texas abortion ban “flash their big anime doe eyes up toward the bench and say they are merely concerned about maternal health,” Dahlia Lithwick writes in Slate, but that’s just a “winking, pretextual shell game” to shut down access to abortion care. The same stupid, nakedly dishonest (wasn’t Jesus against lying?) game is going on in Florida.

“Sen. Kelli Stargel, R-Lakeland, said her bill is not intended to outlaw abortion — which she admitted she would like to do, if the courts would allow it — but to end a ‘double standard’ in clinic regulation,” Bill Cotterell of the Tallahassee Democrat writes. “She said doctors doing colonoscopy or liposuction have to meet higher standards than those performing abortions.”

This is unvarnished horseshit. Liposuction — which, unlike abortion, requires cutting — is 30 times more dangerous than abortion, but it’s still classified as a Level I outpatient procedure in Florida, which means that it is not subject to regulations like requiring hospital admitting privileges. In fact, and this cannot be emphasized enough, many abortions don’t even occur in the clinic. You take some pills and go home and, to be blunt, the pregnancy comes out in the toilet. This bill would require doctors to have a full surgical suite to hand out pills. That’s the level of bad faith that’s going on here.

The anti-woman, anti-sex motives behind this bill are poorly hidden, because, on top of the medically unnecessary regulations, there are also huge cuts to spending on contraception and STI services. Anti-choice legislators are using “abortion” as a pretense, only cutting funding to organizations, like Planned Parenthood, that offer abortion, as well. Similar cuts in Texas led to a massive spike in unplanned pregnancies, which, despite all their doe-eyed claims of innocence otherwise, is exactly the result anti-choicers likely seeks. After all, none of the money being cut went to abortion services. At a certain point, you have to accept that people are taking away birth control because they have a problem with birth control.

The war on women’s health care has been sleazy everywhere it’s being waged, but especially so in Florida. Over the summer, the state, using the pretext of those hoax videos making false accusations about Planned Parenthood, launched an investigation of Planned Parenthood. When investigators in the state found no evidence for accusations that Planned Parenthood was mishandling fetal remains, Gov. Rick Scott’s office literally rewrote the press release to conceal the findings clearing the organization.

The sleaze is clearly not stopping there. This bill proves yet again that conservatives will tell any lie and stomp all over  basic ethical standards in their eagerness to punish women for having sex. Unfortunately, as Gov. Scott is the sleaziest of them all, there’s almost no chance he won’t sign this into law.

***************

FLORIDA NEEDS A RECALL PROVISION!!!

ppaca wrote:http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/rick-scott-trump-islam_us_56e179e9e4b065e2e3d4e2ea?

Florida Gov. Rick Scott (R) just gave one of the more painful television interviews in recent memory -- and, in the process, offered a case study in why Donald Trump’s rhetoric about Muslims is so dangerous.

FOLLOW HUFFPOST

Specifically, what was said by Rick Scott which was embarrassing?

RealLindaL wrote:

ppaca wrote:I must have switched channels before he said that, in fact I quit watching at first break.

You do know that Rubio voted against the restore act.

I'm not sure what the Restore Act has to do with broad-brush condemnation of the religion of Islam and the stupidity of that coming from a presidential candidate.  

I hope you know I am NOT a Rubio fan in any way, shape or form; I just gave him credit for saying a few reasonably sensible things last night, thereby showing he's head and shoulders above Trump when it comes to understanding foreign policy and our position in the world.  Of course, that' not hard to do when it comes to Trump.  He's clueless.

Crap all of us here our above Trump on foreign policy. lol

Markle wrote:

ppaca wrote:http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/rick-scott-trump-islam_us_56e179e9e4b065e2e3d4e2ea?

Florida Gov. Rick Scott (R) just gave one of the more painful television interviews in recent memory -- and, in the process, offered a case study in why Donald Trump’s rhetoric about Muslims is so dangerous.

FOLLOW HUFFPOST

Specifically, what was said by Rick Scott which was embarrassing?

Nothing that is the whole point, he alluded the question and they cut him off after trying to get him to answer 3 or 4 times.

Your bud Scott is a disgrace to mankind. Don't even tell me how many jobs he brought to Florida? Seasonal work always bumps up his number's.

ppaca wrote:

RealLindaL wrote:

ppaca wrote:I must have switched channels before he said that, in fact I quit watching at first break.

You do know that Rubio voted against the restore act.

I'm not sure what the Restore Act has to do with broad-brush condemnation of the religion of Islam and the stupidity of that coming from a presidential candidate.  

I hope you know I am NOT a Rubio fan in any way, shape or form; I just gave him credit for saying a few reasonably sensible things last night, thereby showing he's head and shoulders above Trump when it comes to understanding foreign policy and our position in the world.  Of course, that' not hard to do when it comes to Trump.  He's clueless.

Crap all of us here our above Trump on foreign policy. lol

Ha! You got that right, ppaca!

ppaca wrote:

Markle wrote:

ppaca wrote:http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/rick-scott-trump-islam_us_56e179e9e4b065e2e3d4e2ea?

Florida Gov. Rick Scott (R) just gave one of the more painful television interviews in recent memory -- and, in the process, offered a case study in why Donald Trump’s rhetoric about Muslims is so dangerous.

FOLLOW HUFFPOST

Specifically, what was said by Rick Scott which was embarrassing?

Nothing that is the whole point, he alluded the question and they cut him off after trying to get him to answer 3 or 4 times.

Your bud Scott is a disgrace to mankind. Don't even tell me how many jobs he brought to Florida? Seasonal work always bumps up his number's.

al·lude (ə-lo͞od′)
intr.v. al·lud·ed, al·lud·ing, al·ludes
To make an indirect reference: The candidate alluded to the recent war by saying, "We've all made sacrifices."

e·lude (ĭ-lo͞od′)
tr.v. e·lud·ed, e·lud·ing, e·ludes
1. To evade or escape from, as by daring, cleverness, or skill: The suspect eluded the police. See Synonyms at evade.
2. To escape the memory or understanding of: a name that eludes me; a point that eluded the audience.
3. To be unnattained by: Another championship eluded her.

How are the number of jobs created by Governor Scott, over his entire administration, altered by the season? In other words, regardless of Governor's Scott's SUCCESS, you don't want to be confused by the FACTS.

Got it!

Markle wrote:

ppaca wrote:

Markle wrote:

ppaca wrote:http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/rick-scott-trump-islam_us_56e179e9e4b065e2e3d4e2ea?

Florida Gov. Rick Scott (R) just gave one of the more painful television interviews in recent memory -- and, in the process, offered a case study in why Donald Trump’s rhetoric about Muslims is so dangerous.

FOLLOW HUFFPOST

Specifically, what was said by Rick Scott which was embarrassing?

Nothing that is the whole point, he alluded the question and they cut him off after trying to get him to answer 3 or 4 times.

Your bud Scott is a disgrace to mankind. Don't even tell me how many jobs he brought to Florida? Seasonal work always bumps up his number's.

al·lude  (ə-lo͞od′)
intr.v. al·lud·ed, al·lud·ing, al·ludes
To make an indirect reference: The candidate alluded to the recent war by saying, "We've all made sacrifices."

e·lude  (ĭ-lo͞od′)
tr.v. e·lud·ed, e·lud·ing, e·ludes
1. To evade or escape from, as by daring, cleverness, or skill: The suspect eluded the police. See Synonyms at evade.
2. To escape the memory or understanding of: a name that eludes me; a point that eluded the audience.
3. To be unnattained by: Another championship eluded her.

How are the number of jobs created by Governor Scott, over his entire administration, altered by the season?  In other words, regardless of Governor's Scott's SUCCESS, you don't want to be confused by the FACTS.

Got it!

And does anyone have ANY doubt whatsoever that, should a Democrat -- whether in federal or state office  -- try to take credit for an increase in jobs during a period that encompassed a summer season and/or even a Christmas season, Markle would cry, "SEASONAL JOBS!  JUST SEASONAL JOBS!"

I would also challenge Scott's claims of an improving Florida economy and job picture as being to his credit -- because they just as likely could/should be credited to your hated OBAMA due to an improving NATIONAL economy.   Remember what Kasich loves to say [inserts by me]:  A rising [national] tide floats all boats [including Florida's].

Oh, and are we going to be correcting each others' word usage, spelling, syntax, punctuation, etc.?   That's about the one and only thing I'm good at and I could probably have a lot of fun correcting stuff -- including  Markle's posts, if that's what  he and others want.  Just say the word.

I don't mind... flatex is good at that too... lol. Just don't try to talk me out of using my dots or my poor capitalization.

http://www.natureponics.net/florida-coastal-cities-plagued-by-massive-pollution-brought-to-you-by-big-agriculture/



Florida locals are calling it “the black curtain”: polluted water originating in Lake Okeechobee that leaks out to the state’s east and west coasts. The murky mass has devastated countless businesses whose success depends on annual tourists eager to experience the clean, clear waters of the Sunshine State.

“It’s brown, it stinks, it’s cold” were the words used by one tourist from New Mexico. “It doesn’t look very appealing to get into to go swimming in.”

An innkeeper operating from Captiva Island said, “The dead ocean creatures and red tide have had an immediate impact on my business.”

And so who’s to blame for this environmental crisis? Well, credit goes to none other than Big Agra, specifically Big Sugar and other agricultural companies that operate around Lake Okeechobee with basically complete legal immunity to dump and dispose their waste byproducts.

As if intoxicating the country’s second-largest lake was not bad enough, water managers in Florida decided to release approximately 70,000 gallons of the polluted water per second into two key rivers that connect to the coasts. The end result? Coastal cities and businesses plagued with pollution so severe that, according to one protester, you “can’t go swimming, can’t go fishing, boating’s gone down the tubes.”

But the actions of corporations have only been enabled by a history of government failures. Last month, a law was passed by Florida’s state legislature that discontinued the need for agricultural companies to acquire pollution permits before operating. All of this, unsurprisingly, was supported into law by Florida’s Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam.



This is the State of Florida under the governorship of Rick Scott.

RealLindaL wrote:

Markle wrote:

ppaca wrote:

Markle wrote:

ppaca wrote:http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/rick-scott-trump-islam_us_56e179e9e4b065e2e3d4e2ea?

Florida Gov. Rick Scott (R) just gave one of the more painful television interviews in recent memory -- and, in the process, offered a case study in why Donald Trump’s rhetoric about Muslims is so dangerous.

FOLLOW HUFFPOST

Specifically, what was said by Rick Scott which was embarrassing?

Nothing that is the whole point, he alluded the question and they cut him off after trying to get him to answer 3 or 4 times.

Your bud Scott is a disgrace to mankind. Don't even tell me how many jobs he brought to Florida? Seasonal work always bumps up his number's.

al·lude  (ə-lo͞od′)
intr.v. al·lud·ed, al·lud·ing, al·ludes
To make an indirect reference: The candidate alluded to the recent war by saying, "We've all made sacrifices."

e·lude  (ĭ-lo͞od′)
tr.v. e·lud·ed, e·lud·ing, e·ludes
1. To evade or escape from, as by daring, cleverness, or skill: The suspect eluded the police. See Synonyms at evade.
2. To escape the memory or understanding of: a name that eludes me; a point that eluded the audience.
3. To be unnattained by: Another championship eluded her.

How are the number of jobs created by Governor Scott, over his entire administration, altered by the season?  In other words, regardless of Governor's Scott's SUCCESS, you don't want to be confused by the FACTS.

Got it!

And does anyone have ANY doubt whatsoever that, should a Democrat -- whether in federal or state office  -- try to take credit for an increase in jobs during a period that encompassed a summer season and/or even a Christmas season, Markle would cry, "SEASONAL JOBS!  JUST SEASONAL JOBS!"

I would also challenge Scott's claims of an improving Florida economy and job picture as being to his credit -- because they just as likely could/should be credited to your hated OBAMA due to an improving NATIONAL economy.   Remember what Kasich loves to say [inserts by me]:  A rising [national] tide floats all boats [including Florida's].

Oh, and are we going to be correcting each others' word usage, spelling, syntax, punctuation, etc.?   That's about the one and only thing I'm good at and I could probably have a lot of fun correcting stuff -- including  Markle's posts, if that's what  he and others want.  Just say the word.

More of a spoof for me. Although, when someone doesn't bother to check and intentionally uses the wrong word, I can't resist. The devil made me do it.