Rick Scott Runs From Austerity

There was a time when Gov. Rick Scott sent out press releases bashing federal government spending.

FROM GOVERNOR SCOTT

“I applaud the proposal released today to require a federal Balanced Budget Amendment as a part of the debt reduction package in the House of Representatives. It is time for the federal government to begin making the tough choices Americans expect to end irresponsible spending and the crushing national debt.

“I am committed to working with our legislative leaders to ensure that if Congress passes a Federal Balanced Budget Amendment to the United States Constitution, Florida will be the first state to set a Special Session to ratify it. This is exactly the type of reform that Floridians have been asking for from Washington, D.C., and the type of leadership our state and nation need to continue growing jobs and the economy.”

Turns out that Scott is now terrified of the sequester. Rupublicans have been planning the sequester since 2011. The Daily Beast broke the story of The PowerPoint House Speaker presented to fellow Republicans in 2011.

Sets up a new sequestration process to cut spending across-the-board—andensure that anydebt limit increase is met with greater spending cuts—IF Joint Committee fails to achieve at least $1.2T in deficit reduction. If this happens, POTUS mayrequest up to $1.2T for a debt limit increase, and if granted, then across-the-board spending cuts would result that would equal the difference between $1.2T and the deficit reduction enacted as a result of Joint Committee. Across-the-boardspending cuts would applyto FYs 2013-2021, and apply toboth mandatory& discretionary programs. Total reductions would be equally split between defense and non-defense programs. Across-the-board cuts would also apply to Medicare. Other programs, including Social Security, Medicaid, veterans, and civil & military pay, would be exempt. Sequestration process is designed to guarantee that Congress acts on the Joint Committee’s legislation to cut spending.

Austerity policies hurt an economic recovery. Hopefully, President Obama can break the Republicans and pass a infrastructure bill.