Rick Scott Appears to Clinch Governor's Race, Gets Green Light to Abuse State (Updated)

• I hope all you idiots that voted for this buttwipe kick yourselves in the ass. I did not have ONE republican tell me that they voted for him. It must of been the people drinking the tea.

• Regarding Mike's Statement: "The fact is, medicare reporting is like trying to pay the IRS... unless you're doing the very basics, which no hospital is, unlike people, every decision is questionable." Mike, stop rationalizing and please read the facts. The FBI had an undercover agent at Columbia HCA who posed as an employee. They found that Columbia HCA has two sets of books, and employees were instructed not to show one of the sets of books to Medicare auditors. They were also instructed to hide a three million dollar billing error to Medicare, so they could keep the money. Surely, you wouldn't agree that they had entered a "grey" area as far as decision making.

• The name-calling back and forth in this blog between some individuals demonstrates our state of affairs in the U.S.A. Reading this blog is like standing in the schoolyard at recess when the teacher isn't looking. The "Newsatainment" Networks do it, (yell, scream and call each other names) and now we believe it's the way to get our way. People are entitled to their opinions. Here's an idea: express your opinion, and explain why you have this opinion instead of name calling back and forth. My opinion: Rick Scott won for two reasons. First and foremost he ran on the Republican ticket. People have grown impatient with the economy and things weren't happening fast enough (despite the fact that it took eight years to dig this hole we are in). They needed someone to blame, and that would be our President. Logic: since our President is a Democrat now and it's his fault the economy hasn't grown fast enough, it's time to vote Republican. Secondly, Scott had big money to fund his campaign. With respect to the Columbia HCA Medicare debacle, it appears to me that people chose to ignore this in favor of being sure the Republicans could fix this mess we are in. To use the excuse that other medical companies were doing the same thing OR that Rick Scott didn't know that fraud was going on in his company doesn't mean that he is fit to be our governor. To say that some of this fraud occurred before he arrived in the company (despite the fact that it continued) while he was there doesn't make it OK either. This is pure rationalization. I suggest that everyone in our state, Republican, Democrat, and Independents start reading the facts in the Columbia HCA case. Columbia HCA admitted to Medicare Fraud and paid 1.7 Billion Dollars (highest in history), after asking Rick Scott to leave the company. Rick Scott either knew about it or didn't know about it. Either way, we should all be asking the questions: Do we want someone to be the Governor of Florida who headed a company and didn't recognize that his company was committing the largest Medicare Fraud ever found? Do we want someone who headed a company who knew about the Medicare fraud his company was committing? I can list dozens of web articles about this case, which were written long before Rick Scott's campaign. If at all possible, keep an open mind (pretend we don't have a party system and he's not a Democrat or Republican). I urge everyone to do some research on Rick individual, and after doing your research decide if Rick Scott should be our Governor.

• Rick Scott Won you whiny liberal crybabies,get over it because he's going to win reelection in 2014 and there's nothing you can do about it so there,ha ha!!!! Pam Bondi is going to make a great AG for Florida!!!!

• The sad thing is that this type of bantering back and forth is what is wrong with our country...we might not like or have voted for whoever is elected into any position...but unless we stand behind them and find ways to compromise and work together then this country will continue to face problems which at some point will become insurmountable.

• Let's hope he steals more money from the gov and uses it to create new jobs in Fla. Then would all of you whiners still be crying foul?

• Dazzle sounds like a smart, well informed person to me! On the other hand Virgil sounds like a complete MORON! and not sure what's up w/the "gaydar" things but even if it were true- who cares!! What's that got to do with running this state??!! And by the way, NO I ain't gay either! Maybe you morons should worry about more important things like I dunno creating JOBS, fixing the financial ruins of this state that Sink help to create! Republican & Proud! And oh and HAPPY to be rid of your democrats!

• @StarkSwell Being you must be a very tiring job - spending hours everday convincing complete blog strangers that you are as smart as you think you are

• Eric: You were clearly right! Sink just conceded. I am pretty shocked because comparing Sink's role with BOA, which Dazzle attempts to do, with Scott's role as CEO of a company that committed the largest case of medicare fraud in U.S. History, is preposterous on its face. White Rural Males. This is the demographic group that elevated and voted for Sarah Palin in 2008, and this is the group that just put a corporate criminal, one of the worst in U.S. History, into the Governor's mansion. Was Scott just trying to make gov't smaller when his company raided its coffers?

• Virgil, when this was published, the Florida Division of Elections hadn't updated its results with the returns coming in from Palm Beach and Broward counties, and that's why other news outlets haven't reported the full results. But the individual websites for the supervisors of elections and see that it's likely over.

• Oh Virgil....we think alike when it comes to closets and all that jazz....!!!

• When Alex Sink was President of Bank of America she didn't have any problems with Lewis� leadership and Bank of America�s appalling banking practices. She kept quite while tens of thousands of sub-prime borrowers were swindled by Bank of America. Sink and Lewis made millions at their expense. She didn't care about the thousands of Floridians she laid off just to increase short term profits which increased stock prices and her earnings in stocks. In 2000, besides $3.4 million in stock options and lump-sum pension payments, she collected $75,822 in dividends.� (AP, 9/21/02) In brief, Alex Sink and other cabinet members funneled $770,000 in no-bid contract to Bank of America, her former employer which has been indicted. There was no competitive bidding. The state negotiated a deal with a setup preventing open competition that could produce lower interest rates. On top of that Alex Sink used a blind trust to hide her assets and conflict of interests. Conservatives do not want to "conserve" the status quo. Conservatives want smaller government and freedom for all. For everyone to be able to strive for their American dream. Not for governmnet to take care of you, because you are able to work, but choose not to. For government to balance the budget without raising taxes, stop the spending. They are printing more money today, what do you think that does to our economy?

• Dazzle: All kidding aside, Yes! Very odd bird. There is something there and I suspect there may be a "Charlie issue."

• Although I voted for Alex Sink, I will respect the majority and give Mr. Scott a chance to prove himself. I didn't vote for Crist, but in the end, I believe he made some good decisions and stood up to a very right-wing state legislature. As for leaving Florida, as some on this blog have suggested, I would much rather stay and fight the good fight, even if it means the occasional setback. I am a progressive, and will continue to push our state forward, despite those who want to "conserve" the status quo. Lost in all of the bad news for progressives is the fact that amendments 5 & 6 passed. Over time, these amendments will bring back some balance to our representation at the state and national levels. Also, amendment 8 failed to pass, forcing our legislature to address the school class size problem. Matthew 25: 31-46

• Virgil: Why do you think Scott is an odd bird. Because he looks odd to you? One other thing about Sink, in case you didn't know. The [Palm Beach] Post obtained records Friday for 25 insurance agents with a broad variety of criminal convictions, including shoplifting, grand larceny, credit card fraud and passing bad checks among others. All were licensed by Sink�s office in 2009. Among those 25 were at least a dozen who received licenses in 2009 to represent American Medical and Life Insurance Co., which along with Aventura-based Cinergy Inc., was being investigated by Florida regulators earlier this year. Many of those who Sink licensed were donors to her campaign or the Democratic Party in Florida. Think of the untold damage this woman could do in redistricting, appointing people to state jobs, awarding state contracts, etc. This is current, not something that happened back in 1995!

• In response to Virgil Starkwell, my question is why are there still plenty of votes to count? Other than provisional and some absentee ballots, why is it that only 87% of Palm Beach and 98% of Broward precincts are reported the day after the election when 100% of the rest of the state is completed? The incompetence is disgraceful! Or maybe the answer is that there is some collusion to simply delay the final result indicating Rick Scott as the winner.

• Anonymous says: Quit your crying, dumb Dems are always sore LOOSERS Posted On: Wednesday, Nov. 3 2010 @ 9:01AM I'm confused, what are we looser than?

• Cindy, buy a computer and get online or something!

• Dazzle: The question is, who is Scott in bed with because that is one very odd bird. Is he hiding something?

• to willie t boned...You are proud to be a Progressive (Communist)? WOW, that is scary, and Halloween is over. I have to question how educated you truly are, when you don't have the facts. Someone isn't a criminal unless they have been convicted. Scott was never convicted and I think you need to read the other posts with regards to what really happened. Sorry, I forget progressives don't care about the truth. A person is not an elitist just because they are rich. You really need to do your homework and realize who you are in bed with before you start pointing the finger. Sorry, again I forgot that is what progressives do.

• Eric: CNN.com and other national networks state that only 89% of the precints have reported. Plenty of votes for Sink to overcome a 50,000+ votes. Did you jumbo the gun here Eric? I don't accept the premise of your article. Time for an update?

• You can't fool all the people all of the time, but if you fool the right ones then the rest will fall in line

• Rjp3: My Gaydar has been off the charts when I see Scott. I have a feeling you are right about that, which would be classic because he was supported by the evangelical Christian anti-gay crowd. P.S. I don't want to hear about a wife and 3 kids. This country is filled with in the closet types. Floridians, of all people, should be aware of that given our present leader.

• ditto Mike! But these crybabies do not want to hear the truth, they will hang on to any lie they can. It doesn't matter that Sink approved the purchase of the New York property that cost the Florida tax payers lots of $$$$$$. Nor that Sink would have Florida strapped to ObamaCare in a heartbeat. She would not fight against Obama's agenda, instead she'd ask how can I help! I too am schocked there are so many idiots that still don't see what is going on. Instead they climb on board and believe the idiot that wrote this article.

• You can be sure those being duped by this criminal are not living a nice life. Those of us who backed and voted Alex need to remember that it is amazing that almost 50% of the state is Progressive and Educated and not fool by the Corporate GOP/Tea Party that is working to destroy America and it's middle class. This man is an elitist and we all know they LAUGH behind the backs of the working people who vote for them. So Scott supporters - KNOW that he and his wealthy internationalist backers are LAUGHING AT YOU THIS MORNING.

• The company did not avoid criminal charges, in fact the company pleaded guilty to 14 felonies, and 2 Scott associates pleaded guilty to fraud in Texas. Read the papers

• Take a half truth and repeat over and over and it becomes a whole truth? The billing review of HCA went back far beyond the period when Rick Scott was CEO and included the other company's that were purchased along the way. The Federal government has not disclosed when the infractions that resulted in a guilty plea by the Company took place. Secondly, does any sentient person believe that our U.S. political leadership would miss an opportunity to pursue a case against the leadership of a Company where there has been a fraud. If there was a case to be made, someone from management would have had his day in court. As it was, three members of management were pursued and I believe convicted and the cases were overturned upon appeal. None of the senior management was pursued, at least that has been publicly disclosed. As an observer of the industry and in particular of Columbia/HCA and its leadership, I can tell you and your readers that Rick Scott is a man of integrity and honesty. Florida will be better for having elected Rick Scott Governor should this come to pass!

• Anonymous says: Quit your crying, dumb Dems are always sore LOOSERS Posted On: Wednesday, Nov. 3 2010 @ 9:01AM -------------------------------- Really -- I think the T-Party shenanigans proved that Republican will follow whatever corporate America tells them to do and were legendary sore losers after President Obama won the election in 2008. Democratic leaders still control the White House and the Senate. The house is always where the street trash get their politicians in.

• The networks are saying there are plenty of votes to count still. There is a disconnect between the national coverage and the local coverage. This thing is not over yet my friends. P.S. Being a corporate criminal is a positive attribute when you run as a Republican. Yeah, he didn't know his company was defrauding the federal gov't. Only a moron would believe that.

• McGillen says: For those of you who think Floridians are idiots, maybe it is time to find another place to live that more suits your intellect and leave Florida because the idiots are not going to leave! ------------------------- IMAGINE TAKING PRIDE IN ELECTING A KNOWN CRIMINAL and BEING AN IDIOT At least we can go to sleep at night knowing we are not as pathetic as McGillen. FLORIDA LOVES THEIR HOMOSEXUAL POLITICIANS - CLOSETED and CRIMINAL

• @Cindy - Are you tea-tarded? This is a blog...

• The fact that as of 9am on Wednesday all precincts in Florida are not counted is astounding. There are only two counties in Florida without 100% of precincts reporting, and is it any surprise which two? The incompetence of the Palm Beach and, to a lesser degree, Broward Supervisors of Elections' offices is shameful given the debacle of 2000. When, if ever, will they get their acts together?

• At least he isn't Oblahblah! Sink is a carbon copy of Oblahblah

• @Cindy... this IS a blog. :-|

• Well, at least he does not want to MURDER babies in abortion clinics...

• Gooooooooooooooooo Republicans!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

• @McGillen; my sentiments exactly!!!! @rest of you who are crying and complaining because you lost; Y'all (yes I said Y'all and yes I'm educated too) can leave Florida any minute you like!!!! Don't let the door or AMERICAN flag hit you in the @$$ on the way out! Have a nice day!

• Did any of you look into how many medical companies were receiving FBI probes at the time? It was almost all of them, and HCA was the largest fine because they were one of the largest companies. They had grown rapidly, so rapidly in fact that Scott wasn't getting along with the board because of it, and therefore they didn't even own a large number of the hospitals in question when the fraud took place. The fact is, medicare reporting is like trying to pay the IRS... unless you're doing the very basics, which no hospital is, unlike people, every decision is questionable. The laws are so complex no one knew the answers. When the new law passed under Clinton changed the way they interpreted what had been going on, suddenly what everyone had been doing legally, was illegal. That's why so many companies got fines. Scott stepped down because one of his business partners had leveraged the board against him over growth and used this medicare investigate to win the rest of them over. He had nothing to do with it. They weren't doing anything that had ever been wrong before. And he left when he wasn't allowed to fight the charges, an argument he believed he could win that his board members just weren't interested in. So, if you're boyfriend really likes buying you jewelry, and one time someone sneaks a fake by him, if you take him back, aren't you just asking for him to beat you? Oh no, wait, no... You're just taking back someone who was doing a really good job....

• Right, CEO's never know anything - they just reap the profits and never wonder how they got so big of a bonus??????? GTFOH!

• Sounds like a bunch of cry babies to me! You keep forgetting all of the things that Alex Sink has done. This is a newspaper...why not report the news instead of your own opinion....make up a blog or write in to the editor for that crap......

• You can fool some of the people all of the time and all of the people some of the time, but you can't lead a horse to water and make him drink!

• Quit your crying, dumb Dems are always sore LOOSERS

• The ONLY reason he spent his own money campaigning is because he's gonna steal twice as much back from us!

• Anyone that knows anything about how companies with corporate headquarters and CEO's know that they don't know what is going on with the entire company at once. So I know for a fact that Rick Scott more than likely did not know what was going on besides what all the people under him told him. Give him a chance before you bash. Do you get labeled for life for something you might have done wrong?

• You get what you pay for!

• For those of you who think Floridians are idiots, maybe it is time to find another place to live that more suits your intellect and leave Florida because the idiots are not going to leave!

• Your analogy of a boyfriend slapping you around is good, but I think the closer truth could be said more succinctly: we Floridians are mainly pure idiots.

• Hey at least he purchased the office himself.

• notice this is from a WPB blog... can anyone say hanging chad??? can anyone speak for Florida in that county anyway? I mean without humiliating the state to the entire country!

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