GOP Years for the Good Old Days..

Florida's Governor and its GOP legislature have again placed political slogans over children's needs. This callousness is not unprecedented and consistent with other acts of unnecessary meanness. The simple truth is that the Governor and Republican legislators hate the President to such an extent that, rather than accept federal funding for essential services, they would prefer to put children at risk. There is no other rational reason for the rejection of funds; hatred and political dogma are more important than our children.

There is an organization in Florida, Healthy Families Florida, which is universally considered among the finest in preventing child abuse and advocating child health issues. It has won national accreditation for its efforts. Healthy Families Florida is a "statewide system of voluntary, community-based home visitation services that strengthen families, promote positive parent-child relationships and optimize the health and development of children." These programs "provide free home visiting services to parents expecting a baby and parents of newborns."

In last year's budget, the Legislature slashed $10 Million from the Healthy Families budget. Every year, at the direction of the Legislature, an annual report is prepared analyzing child abuse deaths in Florida. One of the major recommendations of the Report was restoration of funding for Healthy Families to the 2009-2010 level. The Report also noted that such restoration made sense fiscally. "Florida's taxpayers pay an estimated $64,377 a year to care for an abused or neglected child, while Healthy Families Florida prevents the costs of child abuse and neglect for only $1,671 a year per child, saving taxpayers millions of dollars."

The Florida Sheriff's Association, the Florida Catholic Conference and other organizations interested in the welfare of children all have urged restoration of funds to this program. Notwithstanding the need to bring funding at least to its 2009 level, the Republican controlled Legislature refused to act.

But it gets worse! Not only was funding not restored, but the Governor has refused to accept Federal grants. According to child advocate Linda Merrell, of the Florida Child Healthcare Coalition, the state has already lost out on approximately $52 Million that could have gone to protect Florida's children.

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The reasoning behind blocking the funds is because the money comes from the Affordable Care Act of 2010. Scott campaigned against health care reform and has made a political point out of not implementing it in Florida.

This is not the first time Governor Scott has refused Federal funding. Florida voters had approved the start of a high-speed rail system. The proposed system would be funded with a Federal grant had the support of business interests in the state. The funds to construct and operate the rail system would be private.

Governor Scott and the Republican establishment "learned its lesson" when Governor Crist accepted Federal funds and was repudiated by the rabid right fringe. They will not make that mistake again -- regardless of how our state and citizens are injured and threatened.

This is not a situation limited to Florida. In a subsequent post, I will explore how this is consistent and part of an overall plan to return government to an earlier age where the rich get richer and the elderly and poor perish.

God save us all.