By Emily Buckley, JMI Intern and Florida State University Sophomore in Political Science & Criminology
In this economy, few people are putting much faith in the job market. With unemployment rates at all time highs and people struggling just to keep their homes warm and kids fed, Americans are concerned about the outlook for the next decade. They aren’t opening businesses–investors are no longer latching onto risky ventures that might hit it big. We have forgotten our “potential” and settled for where we are now.As a college undergrad everyone tells me “Stay in school!” and “Wait out this job crisis”, but that was not the message that Rick Scott delivered in his Inaugural Address one month ago. The Governor stressed the importance of a quality education but also made it very clear to those of us about to venture into the business world that WORK was in our immediate future. Promoting a business plan that would create a friendlier job market and drive the competitive work force, Rick Scott left no ‘i’s” un-dotted and no “t’s” uncrossed in stating his goals.On January 4, as I sat listening to Florida’s 45th Governor, I couldn’t help but wonder. Is it time Florida had someone who didn’t owe anyone in Tallahassee any favors? Someone with big, bold ideas, willing to stand the heat in the kitchen? An outsider who knows how to run a business but has the insight and ideas to run a state?Whether phasing out the corporate tax, reducing regulation, or providing incentives to employers, Rick Scott has a plan to put Florida back to work and create a business friendly environment. His personal experiences with job loss and his desire to make Florida a light in a dark economic world drove his campaign and hopefully will drive his administration. Scott’s clean slate, top-down, accountability approach to state government is radical. His plan is big, it is bold, and it is most certainly going to ruffle some feathers, even among Florida’s conservative Legislature.It’s time to once again make Florida the place where dreams come true. A place that can see and appreciate its constituents’ true potential. A place where government helps you grow instead of hindering your abilities. It’s time for Florida to be like Rick Scott:
Bold–Confident–Ready to Get to Work
2011
