Health care: Idaho steals McCollum’s applause line, Sink ‘encouraged’ by parts of bill
by George Bennett | March 19th, 2010
Idaho's Otter
McCollum
McCollum has been pressing his Democratic rival, Chief Financial Officer Alex Sink, to take a stand on the health care legislation that appears headed for an historic cliffhanger vote in Washington this weekend.
Sink
She also accused McCollum of “trying to score cheap political points” on the issue.
Read Sink’s statement after the jump….
Florida Chief FInancial Officer and Democratic candidate for governor Alex Sink on health care overhaul:
“Like so many Floridians, I am frustrated and angered that Republicans and Democrats in Congress can take an issue this important and this personal as health care reform and turn it into a political circus. As I travel around Florida, small business owners have expressed to me that one of their primary concerns is the skyrocketing cost of health care coverage, forcing them to make heart wrenching decisions about whether they will be able to provide health insurance to their employees. Every year, my own Department of Financial Services receives thousands of calls from Floridians who face problems with the health care system, such as being denied health coverage because of pre-existing conditions. And four million of our fellow Floridians remain without health insurance.
“Since this debate began, I’ve stated that we need health care reform. And it should to be done in accordance with some important principles – like finally holding insurance companies accountable so they no longer deny coverage to Floridians with pre-existing conditions, and making health insurance more accessible and affordable for small businesses and their employees. I am encouraged that these reforms are in the bill being debated right now and support these measures.
“As I have also stated since this debate began, I am concerned about any proposal to expand Medicaid without a plan to pay for it out of Washington – because Florida’s Medicaid system is already stretched to the limit. Instead of trying to score cheap political points, Bill McCollum should be doing his job and cracking down on the rampant Medicaid fraud that costs Floridians as much as $3.2 billion a year.”
Tags: C.L. "Butch" Otter
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March 19th, 2010 at 7:06 am
Alex McBride Sink was an executive banker. Her husband, Bill McBride, also threw his hat into the governor’s race and lost.
Sink will boldly follow Obama when it comes to energy. Alex will sign an agreement to bind Florida to Cap and Trade (tax). ADDITIONAL TAXING on electricity, gasoline.
Obama’s EPA director, Lisa Jackson, was just in FL. She is attempting to have Floridians foot a $75 BILLION bill for water impurity. You know the water that flows from Georgia (where the EPA is NOT charging residents) and the water that falls from the sky.
There is no question that every single democrat must be voted out of office.
The governor signs the bills that bind Florida. And Alex Sink will jump on the democrat bandwagon.
Democrats need to be thrown out of office in 2010. Don’t stop at state officer holders. Look at your local officials. Those mayors, commissioners, school board members who constantly pick at your pocket.
March 19th, 2010 at 11:19 am
It is about time: in nearly three decades of public service McCollum has been the Beetle Bailey of government. Showing up for roll call and his pay and that’s it. This was the first time that he was bold enough to actually stake out a position of any type and it was in favor of state’s rights to boot! But, unused to the effort, he did so ineptly and without any sign of real fire in the belly or fervor. Probably because during his lengthy Congressional service he was an adherant of Hamiltonian-DC government superiority. That’s Bill: lack of commitment and zeal. Real attributes to get behind in today’s “sinking” economy–Not. Nor is Sink any bargain: sure she has shown some capability as Chief Financial Officer but also has shown her lack of experience and demonstrated that she can screw up badly too. Remember the investment fund she was in charge of with, I believe, Crist and McCollum. Local governments pulled their money over the lack of leadership and sound judgment (No surpise with those three). She has shown that she doesn’t want to lead, she wants to administer. Uhhh…sorry… not interested. Which leaves the lady from Lakeland. State Senator Paula Dockery: Tough, smart, committed and shoots straight. It takes but a moment to distill that analysis and it’s clear that if she can engage McCollum, Paula Dockery will emerge as the Republican nominee and subsequently Governor of Florida.
March 20th, 2010 at 7:50 am
[...] Health care: Idaho steals McCollum’s applause line, Sink ‘encouraged’ by parts of … [...]
March 20th, 2010 at 9:39 am
I don’t care if it is Beetle Bailey or Charlie Brown. I want our elected officials to challenge this monstrosity of a Bill if passed..
And lets have some guts to call out our Senior Senator from Florida:
http://www.bloggybayou.com/2010/03/senator-bill-nelson-sold-his-vote-and.html