Discovered in transition e-mails, advice from Jeb Bush to Gov. Rick Scott

[seafan]

Source: St. Petersburg Times

TALLAHASSEE — Former Gov. Jeb Bush offered to be a confidential sounding board for newly elected Gov. Rick Scott while urging him to expand school vouchers to all students, release elderly prisoners early and consider taxing online purchases in exchange for cuts to other taxes.

The suggestions came in an e-mail Bush sent just days before Scott took office.

"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."

The words of wisdom from Bush were released to the Associated Press after the Times/Herald reported Aug. 18 that transition e-mail accounts for Scott and others on his staff were deleted, potentially erasing public records required to be kept under state law.

Read more: http://www.tampabay.com/news/politics/gubernatorial/discovered-in-transition-e-mails-advice-from-jeb-bush-to-gov-rick-scott/1187841

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A few problems with this...

Jeb Bush wasn't handing the leadership baton to Rick Scott, as he wasn't Scott's immediate predecessor. That was Governor Charlie Crist. Why did Jeb Bush feel the need to butt in? We all know it was to push the 'his way or the highway' agenda, do we not?


Governor Crist says he never received any "list of suggestions" from Jeb Bush, only a copy of Team of Rivals.


What is particularly important about this email that Jeb Bush sent to Scott, just days before Scott was sworn in on January 4, 2011, is that it seems to have been a part of a large number of "mysteriously missing" transition emails that Scott's team claims to have deleted 'by mistake'. Well, now.

I've been around some bull$%#* before, and this has the same odor.



More of Jeb's "suggestions" for Scott in his email:


1. End one of the state's pension plans.

2. Sell the Florida Virtual School. (FVS is in a partnership with Pearson, a rival of Rupert Murdoch.)

3. Go to Brazil and Colombia on his first trade mission.

4. Dominate the budget process, over legislators.

5. Expand online education in public schools.

6. Steer Medicaid patients into managed care.

7. Push "education savings accounts".

8. Stop funding "institutes" at universities.



You see, Jeb Bush left office in January, 2007. But he never gave up power. He is still pushing his agenda onto successive administrations when he should just leave the damn stage already.

What other Jeb Bush emails to Scott will surface? This may be just the beginning of some very thorny problems Jeb Bush never anticipated.



This guy never goes away. And he never stops pushing distasteful and extreme conservative ideas.



He must never be allowed anywhere near the White House.