Florida Democrats: Does Rick Scott Want to Privatize Social Security Too?
The Scott-Carroll Team is on Record Wanting to Privatize Medicare, Medicaid, VA Hospitals – and Now Social Security
Last week, Floridians found out that disgraced healthcare CEO Rick Scott wanted to privatize Medicare, Medicaid and even the Veterans Administration Health Services in his pursuit of profit over doing what’s right. Scott never told Florida’s seniors he wanted to end Medicare as we know it – so what else is he hiding?
“The nearly 3.7 million Floridians who count on Social Security now and all Floridians who are promised Social Security in the future deserve to know just how far Rick Scott feels privatization should go. Does Rick Scott want to privatize Social Security and gamble with Floridians’ savings?” Eric Jotkoff, Spokesperson for the Campaign for Accountability 2010 asked. “Last week Rick Scott chose a running mate who has been strongly in favor of privatizing Social Security, meaning the Scott-Carroll ticket is on record as wanting to privatize Medicare, Medicaid, Veterans Administration hospitals and Social Security – in short, the safety net millions of Floridians rely on.”
Social Security puts almost $4 billion per month into Florida’s economy. Half of the nearly 3.7 million Floridians on Social Security receive at least half of their income from the program, and for 25 percent of recipients, Social Security provides 90 percent or more of their income. Rick Scott should tell Florida’s seniors if he wants to gamble with the money they rely on to live.
Background
Rick Scott Wanted To Privatize Medicare, Medicaid And VA Hospitals – Said, “The Things We Are Doing Wrong In Health Care Can Be Corrected If Private Business Could Run National Health Care Administration.” In September 2010, the Orlando Sentinel reported that, “Republican gubernatorial nominee Rick Scott could have to do some explaining about his past this fall, and not just what he knew about the Medicare and Medicaid fraud at his former company, Columbia/HCA. See, he once wanted to privatize all of it: the government-funded health-care programs that pay for the check-ups, hospital stays and prescriptions for 45 million seniors and millions more poor people. …’If you look at how the government runs VA hospitals and Medicare and Medicaid, you can see that the whole system is inefficient,’ Scott told the South Florida Business Journal the same year. ‘The things we are doing wrong in health care can be corrected if private business could run national health care administration.’” [Orlando Sentinel, 9/3/10]
Jennifer Carroll Advocated For Partial Privatization Of Social Security – Said Private Accounts Would Give Retirees “Far More In Their Pension Funds.” In a candidate questionnaire published by the Orlando Sentinel, in November 2000, Jennifer Carroll wrote, “If younger workers are allowed to invest a portion of their Social Security payroll taxes in their own retirement accounts, over the long run, they will have far more in their pension funds — by their own efforts — than any government Social Security pension fund could hope to provide. [Orlando Sentinel, 11/5/00]
Half Of Floridians On Social Security Rely On The Benefit For Half Their Income – 25 Percent Rely On The Benefit For At Least 90 Percent Of Their Income. In August 2010, the St. Petersburg Times reported that, “Half of Floridians on Social Security rely on the benefit for half their income. Some 25 percent count on Social Security for at least 90 percent of their income.” [St. Petersburg Times, 8/1/10]
