Reality Check

Carl Hiassen of the Miami Herald looks at Florida’s new fraudster-in-chief: Scott wants to clean house? Lotsa luck

“Today is the end of politics as usual in Tallahassee.”

So said Gov.-elect Rick Scott in his victory speech, confirming a severe disconnection from reality.

He won’t change Tallahassee, but Tallahassee will change him.

Nobody who knows Florida believes that last Tuesday’s vote marks the end of politics as usual. It’s just another chapter of politics as always.

The Republicans have controlled the state Senate for 18 years, the state House for 14 years and the governor’s mansion for over a decade. The election changes absolutely nothing.

After his hairbreadth victory, Scott sunnily declared: “Florida is open for business.”

Is he kidding? Florida has always been open for business. Ask any lobbyist.

Developers, insurance companies, utilities, Big Sugar – for special interests with gobs of money to spread around, we’re the most accommodating state in the union.

It’s no accident that the national housing bubble burst here first, or that we’re racking up top numbers in bank failures, mortgage frauds and, of course, foreclosures. They don’t call us the “Ponzi state” for nothing.

Carl has made a little money on the side from writing novels about Florida. He changes a few names and uses the news for his plots. When you read one of his books be aware that you could find the cases involved by reading old copies of the Miami Herald.

If you needed more proof of how ignorant the Tea Partiers are, Florida is an excellent example. They voted for the worst of the local politicians and elected a man who defrauded the government of billions to lead them.