So Rick Scott “can’t wait to get to work” — his words on the night he was elected Governor in Florida. Remember his campaign promises — reduce spending, balance the budget, create 700,000 jobs?
But one of his first priorities is planning his inauguration celebration — and getting special interest groups to pony up $25,000 each for the perk of getting up and close and personal with the new Guv as he’s sworn into office. That little bit of grease — chump change for the kinds of people making out the checks — will gain them entré past the rope into the VIP shindigs of the inauguration … while the hoi polloi lines up for influence-deficient tours of the mansion or something like that.
Almost a million dollars folks — and that’s just the beginning of the costs.
‘Course it’s not the taxpayers — ostensibly — who are paying for it. No, he’s getting $25,000 a pop donations from the very special interest groups he decried during his campaign — groups like U.S. Sugar; Blue Cross Blue Shield; Health Management Associates (22+ hospitals and clinics throughout FL); United Automobile Insurance Co; Agro-Industrial Management; Duty Free Air & Ship; Gary Morse (developer of The Villages); and oh, The Villages Corporation (a nice way for Morse to double his donation to $50k) — just to name a few.
While the total fundraising goal for Scott’s “let them eat cake” celebration is undisclosed as yet by inauguration planners (gee, wonder why?), it’s likely at least a couple of million (probably more) when all is said and done. Recession? What recession?
Yeah, let’s get to work, alright, Scott. Get to work on telling us how you’re going to build a different Tallahassee; how you’re not going to be beholden to special interests. How you’re in it for the “little guys” of Florida.
It’ll all be worth a chuckle or two with your cronies at the VIP table — I’m sure the people paying $25,000 to throw you a party will be laughing all the way home from Tallahassee.