Ten Times Rick Scott Treated Floridians Like Garbage

Update 4/9: Gov. Rick Scott officially announced this morning he's running for U.S. Senate. He'll take on longtime Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson this fall, and with untold millions in his war chest and a personal fortune at his disposal, Scott has a great shot of unseating the former astronaut. That means today is the perfect time to revisit the many, many ways Governor Scott has totally screwed over Floridians:  

Until President Trump repeals our right to do so, New Times will steadfastly remind Floridians that Rick Scott is a bewitched, evil hermit crab who lost his shell and accidentally became Florida's governor. That's the only reasonable explanation for Scott's actions since he took office in 2011. He appears to have no regard for the physical or emotional well-being of Floridians.

Friday, Scott refused to extend Florida's voter-registration deadline in the wake of Hurricane Matthew, forcing New Times to ask, for the thousandth time, how Scott can continue to live with himself.

Scott chairs Donald Trump's political action committee. This is a problem on its face, because he's bankrolling a campaign for a racist, sexist, third-string Batman villain. But Scott's two jobs create the space for some serious ethical conflicts: Politico reported Thursday that 488,000 new Democrats have registered to vote in Florida this year, compared to just 60,000 Republicans.

This is fantastic for civic engagement in Florida but dreadful for the Trump campaign. Florida's registration deadline is Tuesday — Scott could have easily extended that deadline, because his administration told pretty much everyone in Florida to stay indoors during the storm. Republican governors in South Carolina and Georgia have extended their states' deadlines. But Scott refuses to do so and appears to be using a legitimate natural disaster as an excuse to game the presidential race.

But for those who know Scott, this is simply par for the course. In case you've forgotten, here are the most egregious examples:
1. Trying to defund Planned Parenthood and set up abortion "waiting periods."
2. Allowing companies to dump more cancer-causing chemicals into Florida's water supply.

3. Writing a pro-Trump op-ed.

4. Supporting oil drilling in the Everglades.
5. Trying to test poor people for drugs before they're allowed to receive government aid.
6. Lying that he would expand Medicare coverage and then admitting to lying about it.

7. Allegedly hiding how rich he was during his run for governor. 
8. Trying to privatize Florida's prison system despite pretty much everybody agreeing private prisons are evil.

9. Getting sued for allegedly discriminating against overweight people and Hispanics.
10. Reportedly refusing to let his employees use the term "climate change."