You are hereTampa Bay Times: Gov. Rick Scott breaks with Koch brothers over health care in Florida
Tampa Bay Times: Gov. Rick Scott breaks with Koch brothers over health care in Florida
-By John Romano
November 25, 2012- Saw a headline the other day worth repeating.
Koch Brothers "Extremely Disappointed'' in Rick Scott After Obamacare Shift
By itself, the headline is not terribly gripping. It's the context that makes it interesting.
First of all, the net worth of each Koch brother is roughly equivalent to the stock portfolios of several million of your neighbors. So when Charles and David are disappointed, it's the same thing as saying Miami and Fort Lauderdale are peeved.
Beyond that, the Kochs are the omnipresent gurus of Scott's particular brand of conservatism. Think Mr. Miyagi in the Karate Kid, minus the car wax.
So when Scott breaks rank with Americans For Prosperity — the Koch-funded propaganda machine of the obscenely rich — it is not an insignificant matter.
And what was Scott's horribly disappointing misdeed?
He suggested he might be willing to work with the federal government when it comes to implementing the Affordable Care Act in the coming months.
That's it. He didn't say he was raising taxes. He didn't sing the praises of an individual mandate. He didn't even give the president a quick hug.
The governor simply said it might be a good idea to provide an avenue for health care for the citizens of Florida.
