Florida can we talk here, why is this guy one of your leaders?

From the Orlando Sentinel

by B. Shaw

Senate President Mike Haridopolos, clearly smarting from being thrown off the Ray Junior Show yesterday for repeatedly ducking a question about whether he supported the Medicare privatization plan advanced by U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan, is trying to clear the record.

Except he really doesn’t.

In a statement blast emailed by his campaign Wednesday, the Merritt Island Republican and U.S. Senate candidate declares that “I absolutely support the goals of the Ryan Plan,” calling it “an intelligent and serious plan to tackle the largest issue confronting our nation.” Except that…

“While I support almost every provision of the Ryan Plan, I believe that it must be amended to provided greater protections for Seniors.”

And what would those amendments/protections be? Haridopolos doesn’t say. But just so we’re clear on his intent, he adds, “Fighting for Seniors is not new to me.”

UPDATE: An aide to Haridopolos, responding to a question from the conservative blog The Shark Tank, later said in an email: “No, Sen Haridopolos would not vote for the plan as currently written.”

Read the full text of the Haridopolos release

I absolutely support the goals of the Ryan Plan to cut federal government deficit spending and applaud Rep. Ryan’s bold leadership in putting forth an intelligent and serious plan to tackle the largest issue confronting our nation. Rep. Ryan’s leadership in actually putting forth a plan to tackle the deficit is in stark contrast to the irresponsibility demonstrated by President Obama and the Democratic Senate who have failed to pass a budget for over 750 days, adding trillions to the debt during that time. While I support almost every provision of the Ryan Plan, I believe that it must be amended to provided greater protections for Seniors.

Fighting for Seniors is not new to me. One of the main reasons I fought ObamaCare, including passing Florida’s Health Care Freedom Act, is because of the devastating cuts it dealt to Seniors, cutting $500 billion from Medicare to fund ObamaCare-Welfare programs.

Again, I absolutely support the goals of the Ryan Plan and believe in almost all of the provisions to cut federal government deficit spending and address entitlements. As a candidate for the US Senate, I am the only person in this race with a proven record of reforming entitlements [Medicaid, Government Pensions, and Welfare] and a demonstrated commitment to making cuts to balance the budget in the state of Florida without increasing taxes or fees.

http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/news_politics/2011/06/so-senator-h-tell-us-what-you-really-think.html