Florida governor presses Obama for help with Zika

[jpak]

Source: The Hill

Florida Gov. Rick Scott warned Wednesday that his state is in dire need of more staff and mosquito-killing tools to effectively prevent an outbreak of the Zika virus.

Scott wrote to the White House on Wednesday with a three-page list of detailed requests from Florida counties to fight Zika. Nearly two dozen counties said they needed to hire additional personnel.

“Florida needs action from the federal government now,” Scott wrote in the letter, dated June 1.

The Republican governor penned a sharply worded letter to the Obama administration, criticizing both the federal health department as well as Congress for failing to act more quickly on funding.

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Read more: http://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/281915-florida-gov-presses-white-house-for-help-fighting-zika

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Did Scott and the FL GOP accept Obamacare Medicaid funding for poor folks that might gt Zika?

[dbackjon]

1. He needs to look at his own party

They are blocking funding requested by Obama

[Delphinus]

8. Amen! n/t

[MBS]

15. You bet!

I can't get the image of Dr. Friedan of NIH just BEGGING Congress to act NOW. . . but, no, they've put it off, even though every week that we delay just makes the potential problem worse and worse and worse. .

[Dustlawyer]

16. It's time the Pest Control Lobby step up and pay these guys to let it pass!

That's how this works, we all know that!

Just think of the effect of all of that spray will have on the environment down there.

[Blue_Tires]

21. +1

[Bigredhunk]

2. Hmm

He's rich. Pony up. Surely he's still got a lot of $$ left, even after the $600 million he had to pay to stay out of jail re: his Medicare fraud.

[bucolic_frolic]

3. Yikes and Gadzeeks

The states' rights crowd expects Washington to provide expertise and money

Sorry, Scottie

You're on your own

[greymattermom]

4. Have his request introduced to congress

verbatim.

[SalviaBlue]

9. Good idea!

[muntrv]

5. Ask Mitch McConnell, dork!

[csziggy]

6. So far as I know Scott has not accepted the Medicaid expansion

But I haven't kept up with the details.

[Monk06]

12. And that should be the Feds reply to Scott Approve Medicaid Expansion if you want funding

to go towards low income people who are the ones most likely to be exposed to Zika in Florida

[csziggy]

14. It would be nice - so many need it n/t

[hobbit709]

7. I thought the Goblin King didn't need anything from the feds.

[herding cats]

10. Why do declare, is that politicking I smell in the air?

Republicans Beg Marco Rubio to Keep His Day Job
http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2016/05/the-gop-begs-marco-rubio-to-keep-his-old-job/484922/


STOP THE PRESSES! Marco Rubio Just Blamed The GOP For Obstructing President Obama
http://www.liberalamerica.org/2016/05/19/stop-the-presses-marco-rubio-just-blamed-the-gop-for-obstructing-president-obama/

And now this?

Republicans are trying to hold onto Rubio's seat. Even if that means pretending to actually care about a public health crisis the president has requested funding to fight, and for which they knee-jerk have been denying approval of said funding. Now they could lose a senate seat if they don't flip-flop, and fast!

[Marrah_G]

11. Sorry Mr. Republican Governor, that requires science.

Please take your party's usual route and pray the mosquitoes away.

[Dustlawyer]

17. No, he should just add "mosquitos" and "Zika Virus " to his list with "Climate Change" of

words people in Florida government are not allowed to say!

[Marrah_G]

19. LMAO

[msongs]

13. he could call the donald nt

[jwirr]

18. I read an article here earlier that said that the feds are

working with all the governors to try to deal with this disease. Now here The Hill is trying to tell us that it is just Scott.

Sorry I think this has only part of the story.

[FSogol]

24. Florida has no State income tax and relies on tourist dollars more than most places

The more zika fears increase, the more Florida's economy goes in the crapper. That will be even faster than Scott's actions would place it.

[daa]

27. Brilliant observation! Nt

[Hekate]

20. He can bloody well press the GOP Congress that won't sign Obama's full funding request

But noooo, the GOP thinks gubmint should be shrunk and starved until they can drown it in a bathtub. Idiots -- wtf do they think government and taxes are FOR?

I don't think mosquitos and viruses discriminate between rich and poor....

[yellowcanine]

26. "drown it in a bathtub" - Yes, Grover Norquist's phrase I think. Big Scotty fan.

[ananda]

22. An appeal to Obama is a backdoor way of shifting blame ...

... from the horrible Reep Congress when the virus wreaks its havoc.

[Sunlei]

23. Florida will never be able to 'control mosquitos', half their backwoods are swamps full of junk-

dumped junk like old car tires and garbage. Clean up your trash Florida, you have 100 years of trash dumped in the backwoods swamps.

[yellowcanine]

25. Why doesn't Scott ask his buddy Grover Norquist for help?

http://www.sunshinestatenews.com/blog/rick-scott-gets-help-grover-norquists-group

Scotty and Grover have been a mutual admiration item for some time now. Seems if the Florida economy is doing as well as Grover and Scotty say it is they should have enough money in their mosquito control program to at least get started on the Zika issue.

[Doctor_J]

28. Should've expanded Medicaid, skeletor

Until then, take a hike