Gov. Ricky-Jeb
Transparency in government. What a concept.
By now I'm sure you've heard the story of Florida Gov. Opaque And The Missing E-mails.
If not, to make a long story short, it seems that the e-mail accounts of Rick Scott and most of the governor-elect's transition team were deleted soon after he took office, potentially erasing public records that state law requires be kept.
To make a long explanation short, Chris Kise, Scott's transition attorney and public records adviser summed it up this way:
But Kise describes it as an oversight, the result, he said, of a chaotic transition run by a largely out-of-state staff still learning Florida law and unfamiliar with the technology that ran the e-mail system.
A few observations here:
1. Right....
2. Rick Scott has a "public records adviser??"
3. That paragraph pretty much explains the entire Rick Scott administration, which is why many of us said he shouldn't be the governor in the first place.
The governor now claims to be on the case and is investigating himself. The suspense is killing me on just how that will pan out.
However, all was not lost. Some records were actually recovered. Among the recovered e-mails was one from a former governor to the present office holder, and that governor apparently wasn't finished being governor yet.
Despite his two terms in office, it seems Jeb Bush has some unfinished "business" he wants to take care of. Business he was hoping Charlie Crist would take care of for him. Sadly for Jebbie, Crist didn't take the hint, so Jeb tried again, in spite of his claim that he didn't "want to be presumptuous."
Right. Because everyone knows the Bush clan is anything but "presumptuous!" That's why Jeb's little known son recently announced he was endorsing Jon Huntsman for President, and the nation reacted thusly:
"Who? Oh. Whatever..."
So former Gov. Un-Presumptuous sent an e-mail to current Gov. Presumptuous AND Incompetent outlining some to-do items apparently left over from his own list:
"Save the e-mails!"
No, not really. Just kidding. Although I'm sure Jeb wishes the cyber-dog had eaten this particular e-mail.
Here is some of the actual advice and some of the "guidelines" Jeb Bush kindly wrote out for Rick Scott to follow:
"You didn't ask for this, but it is the standard envelope in the desk to the new guy' for words from the old guy," Bush wrote. "To be honest, I did the same thing to Gov. Crist but he did nothing I suggested, so with the risk of being presumptuous, I am trying again."
Bush's list of "lessons learned through trial and error" covered a range of issues, including an assurance that it was "OK to veto stupid bills" from lawmakers and to make sure Scott's wife, Ann, had an effective staff as first lady.
Bush's e-mail was sent just days before Scott was sworn in on Jan. 4.
In two separate documents attached to the e-mail, Bush urged Scott to end one of the state's pension plans, sell the Florida Virtual School and take his first trade mission to Brazil and Colombia. (Scott is traveling to Brazil in October.)
Bush, the state's last two-term governor, also told his fellow Republican to "own the budget," even though lawmakers are in charge of appropriating money.
"By aggressively dominating the budget, the Legislature will grouse but it brings order to the whole process for them to be working off your budget and agenda," Bush said. "The budget drives policy."
Some of Bush's ideas were turned into state law this year, including a plan expand online education in public schools and another to put Medicaid patients into managed care. Scott supported both on the campaign.
Surely his advice on virtual schools and online learning had nothing to do with Jeb's Foundation For Florida's Future, or Ignite!, the education software company run by Jeb's brother Neil?
Bush urged Scott to push for "education savings accounts," acknowledging that the universal private school vouchers would be a constitutional issue.
"I don't know how our court will respond but it will be a game changer for the country and you might have the chance to change the makeup of the court," he wrote.
Coincidentally, Rick is already working on that whole "makeup of the court thing."
Bush also suggested saving more than $150 million a year by stopping the state from paying for "institutes" at universities and selling off the Florida Virtual School while using the proceeds to fund a technology initiative that would lead the nation.
Bush's advice veered away from policy to suggestions on how to lead the fourth-most populous state in the country.
Bush said the ability "to convene to listen and learn" was among the most "understated" powers of the office.
Listen and learn? Sorry Jeb. Scott's ignoring that one, for the most part.
"You can bring together the best and the brightest throughout the state and around the country, and you should take advantage of it," Bush wrote. "If you have a view already, the power to convene can validate that view and allow for a great chance of its implementation."
So it looks like the governor who rarely takes advice from anyone is taking quite a bit from Jeb Bush. For Floridians who thought they were finished with Jeb, only to descend to the bottom of the barrel with Rick Scott, it looks like they're getting the worst of both worlds.
Welcome to your worst nightmare: Jeb 2.0.
