Florida, the Cruelest State in the Union

[xchrom]

http://www.alternet.org/tea-party-and-right/florida-cruelest-state-union



In case you’ve been in a cave or on Mars, here’s the update: In response to the acquittal of George Zimmerman for the murder of Trayvon Martin, The Daily Show host John Oliver dubbed Florida “the worst state,” citing the state’s broken laws. As a Floridian for eight years, I say Oliver couldn’t be more right. Much attention has been paid to the state’s asinine Stand Your Ground law, which Oliver described as cut and pasted from 1880s Tombstone. That is just the start of it, however. Below is a small snippet of some of the backwards laws or policies that have been passed, largely under uber-Conservative Governor Rick Scott.

Almost immediately upon taking office, Governor Scott passed a law requiring recipients of welfare benefits to pass a drug test. A federal court overturned the law, noting that the state had not proven that those receiving Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) were any more likely to use drugs than the general population. In fact, before the courts shut down this large-scale gathering of Floridian’s urine, only 108 people had negative tests. This was only 2.6% of the persons who were tested. The state had to pay more than $100,000 to persons who passed the pee tests. Clearly the program was not cost-effective.

Equally problematic is the fact that the law targeted the poor, not the many corporations like Wal-Mart or Kel Tec CNC, which manufactures the gun used to kill Trayvon Martin. Kel Tec CNC receives millions in tax incentives to locate in the state. This corporate welfare is widespread in Florida, a state that in 2012 had to cut $1.8 million for school safety initiatives and $5.7 million for mental health programs, a state that has the highest long-term unemployment and foreclosure rates in the nation.

Another Rick Scott loser is the law that has come to be known as “Docs v. Glocks.” This gem prohibits doctors from asking their patients about guns in their homes. While clearly it is essential that gun owners store their weapons safely, the NRA-backed legislation would make asking this standard risk-assessment question a misdemeanor, subject to a $10,000 fine and even potentially the loss of medical licensure. A U.S. District Court ruled that the law was an unconstitutional restriction on doctor’s right to free speech.


***i think the name of the state is interchangeable -- but rick scott is his own special kind of lightening rod.

[blkmusclmachine]

1. GET OUT NOW

[djean111]

2. Gee, I was thinking it might be more effective if I stayed here and voted.

And I'm sure Alan Grayson would welcome the departure of his voters, just to make some kind of useless point.
But yeah, I'll sell my home at a loss and hope someone in a GOOD state takes me in. Not.
Funny how we are proselytized that Obama is working from within, just be paaaatient, but all Floridians must be punished now.
Bwah!

[RoccoR5955]

3. There's a reason why I call it Floriduh! n/t

[independentpiney]

11. There is, but it's not why you think:

You think it's because you're so clever you may have even thought up that phrase yourself. But it's only because you're arrogant and ignorant enough to broad brush a huge state with a very diverse population and many good progressive people. I saw more confederate flags and ran into more homophobic, racist assholes in New Jersey and Pennsylvania than I've encountered since moving to St Petersburg 'Floriduh' 3 years ago. But please, keep thinking that way and keep you're bigoted attitudes in whatever utopia you currently grace your presence with.

[RoccoR5955]

12. If they are so progressive in Floriduh

than why haven't they stopped ALEC, like we have done here in NY?

I know that there are teems of rednecks all over the place, but many of us progressives know how to organize against the corporate fascism that is slowly taking over the country. No bigoted attitudes, just wonder why people there are not smart enough to organize.

[Mojorabbit]

18. We have Grayson. Give it time. nt

[RoccoR5955]

21. So since 1845 you have ONE....

So with 27 Congress Critters, and one now progressive after 167 years (I know Grayson was elected last year), it would take 4342 years for them to all be progressive.
Sorry, I don't think we have THAT much time.

And people STILL wonder why I call it Floriduh.

[Mojorabbit]

22. We have three of the members of the progressive caucus. It won't take

anywhere near that long. Youngsters are way more liberal than the seniors. Duh back to you.

[Bluenorthwest]

15. In Florida the homophobia is institutional and legally empowered, it is legal to openly discriminate

against LGBT people in the State of Florida as well as in each State with which is shares a border. We can be denied housing, employment, lodging, services. This is not the case in PA nor in NJ. It is the case in Florida.

[cali]

4. It's got some pretty stiff competition.

[KaryninMiami]

6. Indeed we do! Texas for one.

Believe me -I'm not defending my state or our criminal governor who belongs in jail. But there are plenty of other cruel and despicable governors in the country and some really cruel decisions being made in those states.

[skydive forever]

5. I would leave if it weren't

for my family is all here. Just too many damn teabaggers around here.

[secondvariety]

7. "Floriduh" isn't really true.

These policies take cunning to pull off. It doesn't hurt that the average Floridian is apathetic, either. Been here since the late '60s and while Florida has always been an ethically challenged state, I've never seen the likes of this. I think on national elections the state will turn Blue, but the state is so gerrymandered that the worst of the GOP will rule Tallahassee for decades. It doesn't help that the FDP is about as effective as a fart in a windstorm.

16 months until I can retire and relocate to somewhere more civilized.

[edhopper]

10. Not just gerrymandered

but so many voters just don't realize or care to think about how far right their state reps are. How people can vote for Obama and then vote for these Talaban Tea Baggers is inane. I guess as long as they promise to keep the dark people down, they get the vote.

[Boom Sound 416]

8. Yes! Come to NYC! Why stand your ground

When we can stop and frisk!!

[malaise]

9. So what if the taxpayers had to fork out money to pay for stupid drug tests

The money to follow is found when you tell us who owns the companies that did the tests? Remember they have perfected stealing from the government/taxpayers.

[mountain grammy]

13. They do! The applicant for assistance pays the bill and is reimbursed if testing is negative.

Nearly 98% are reimbursed. The drug testing company, of course, keeps the money. Corporations always keep the money. Then they have more to give to the Rick Scotts of the world, who they can count on to find ways to funnel more public money their way. After all, the more money the corporation makes, the more money they can use to corrupt the government.
Oh, what a wonderful idea; drug test the poor. The next best thing will be finding a way to incarcerate them in private, corporate prisons. Oh wait, that's already happening.

My apologies to all the good Democrats in Florida, and to Alan Grayson, who I respect and admire. We have canceled our plans to travel to Florida this year. I will not spend another dime in that state. To me they are like Walmart, Chic fil a, Pappa Johns, Hobby Lobby and other corporations who think because they're rich they can make policy for everyone. I know it might hurt workers but I don't want my money funding anti public schools, anti health care, anti social security, and hate groups of every stripe.

[malaise]

14. Nice post

I'd love to boycott Florida but one of my sisters lives there and we try to see each other at least once a year.

[mountain grammy]

16. I feel the same way about Texas. We have family, so we have to go....

but it hurts every time I contribute a dime to that evil economy.

[malaise]

17. Ha

I have a niece and nephew in Texas and two lovely grand-nieces so I know what you mean

[1monster]

19. The reason Scott wanted the drug testing law for welfare beneficiaries was monetary, not because

of possible drug use.

So, which company do you think has taken over most of the mandatory drug testing done in this area?

http://www.tampabay.com/news/business/gov-rick-scott-solantic-and-conflict-of-interest-whats-the-deal/1161158


If you have a $62 million investment, representing the biggest single chunk of your $218 million in wealth, and you put it in a trust under your wife's name, does that mean you're no longer involved in the company?

Florida Gov. Rick Scott says it does.

Scott has aggressively pursued policies like testing state workers and welfare recipients for drugs, switching Medicaid patients to private HMOs and shrinking public health clinics. All these changes could benefit that $62 million investment, but Scott sees no legal conflict between his public role and private investments.

[MrScorpio]

20. Florida...