Sorry, Florida. He just doesn't care anymore.
When he was running for re-election in 2014, Gov. Rick Scott (R-FL)
cared deeply about the "poorest and weakest" Floridians, and bucked the tea party by supporting Medicaid expansion under Obamacare. But he won in November, so all that concern
is history.
TALLAHASSEE (CBSMiami/AP) — In a flip flop from Rick Scott, the governor now says he is opposed to the state expanding Medicaid.
In a statement Monday, Scott expressed concern that the federal government might not make good on their promise to fund Medicaid for an additional 800,000 Floridians.
Scott had been
essentially AWOL in weeks of
very tense budget debate in the state's legislature and negotiations for a program with the federal government. The Senate included Medicaid expansion in its budget, the House refuses to include it. Scott's announcement Monday makes it pretty clear where he stands on the issue—it's not a priority. He didn't say he'd veto it if the Senate prevails, but he sure isn't going to do anything to help the "poorest and weakest" Floridians now.