Rick Scott's Oil-Drilling "Win" for Florida Was Probably Illegal

[NCTraveler]

When you're pals with the dumbest person ever elected U.S. president, it's pretty easy to persuade the leader of the free world to do some stupid shit that makes you look good. Take, for instance, Florida Gov. Rick Scott: After Donald Trump's secretary of the interior, Ryan Zinke, announced a plan this week to open every inch of American coastline to offshore oil-drilling, Scott claimed he called members of the Trump administration and, basically overnight, persuaded them to rewrite the rule so that it doesn't affect Florida, America's 49 other states be damned.

That plan seems to have worked for barely a day. Because most D.C. politicians are also lawyers, a whole lot of other state leaders quickly realized the decision to exempt Florida was probably illegal and violated vital rule-making sections of the federal Administrative Procedures Act, which mandates that changes such as this one not be "arbitrary or capricious," among other things.

http://www.miaminewtimes.com/news/rick-scotts-oil-drilling-win-for-florida-was-probably-illegal-9980202

In all honesty, I just liked the first sentence.

Scott has a history of being open to oil wells off the Florida coast, including in writing.

Rick Scott is much more intelligent than Jeb and like Jeb understands how to carry himself to gain favor with Florida voters. I bet twenty percent of the voting age population in this state doesn't know who their governor is. That isn't by accident.

[HopeAgain]

1. This is a big issue that Bill Nelson knows Floridians care about...

Rick Scott tried to keep it from being an issue so that he will not have to defend his past comments when he runs against Nelson.

[NCTraveler]

3. How I wish Nelson wasnt up until 2020.

Nelson isn’t the best attack dog and Scott is going to have to be brought down a couple of notches.

[HopeAgain]

4. Frankly I wished we had a stronger Senator generally

but Nelson is what we have, and a damn site better than Scott.

[NCTraveler]

5. I really hold back when it comes to what I think of Nelson.

Not as a person but as a politician.

I try to think of and say things like this.

The senate has no one as knowledgeable when it comes to Africa and Nelson is instrumental in that area. His is our leading intelligent voice on all things Africa. He is worlds better than any Republican.

[GulfCoast66]

6. Nelson is my Senator

And one of my favorite Democratic Senators.

He will be tough for Skelator to beat although the republicans will bring the cash.

[Blue_Adept]

2. I prefer calling Scott cunning more than being more intelligent than someone else

Not that JEB! is brilliant or anything. But I hate to give Scott anything.

[genxlib]

7. I'm calling it now

With a little bit of vomit in the back of my throat, I am predicting that Voldamort Scott will be the next Senator of Florida.

The GOP has shown a distinct willingness to use the strings of power to favor one of their own.

This is just one example. Hurricane Irma was just one long commercial for Scott. You couldn't find a station that didn't have his ugly mug taking credit for everything that was happening in every jurisdiction. A simple statement about coordinating with FEMA to get supplies where they need to be suddenly becomes credit for everything FEMA is doing. The fact that this was a state wide event made for a captive audience for him to overcome 7 years of disregard and show that he really did care about us after all.

The final straw for me was about waiving the tolls on the Florida Turnpike. There is a legitimate reason for doing that during an evacuation but the roads stayed free for 10 days after landfall. All that time, there were message boards blaring "TOLLS SUSPENDED BY ORDER OF THE GOVERNOR". That is an expensive advertisement paid for by State coffers.

Nelson is good on policy but is seriously challenged on charisma. To be a senior Senator from one of the largest state, he has had surprisingly little profile. I am afraid he is going to get booted.

[Laurian]

9. What about the nursing home residents who died in that storm.

Didn't their call to Scott for help go unanswered?

[genxlib]

11. You are correct.

I think there is some blame there but I think the Nursing Home operator is taking the lion share of the heat.

I believe it would only have an impact if someone was willing to use it as an attack ad and that would be a really scumbag move. I don't see Nelson going there. It could be so distasteful that it would backfire.

[Ilsa]

8. I wish some oil sludge would wash up on maralago. nt

[ProudLib72]

10. Hasn't it already? Very presidential oil sludge to be exact.

[bluestarone]

12. yep

the worst kind