Rick Scott Rips Barack Obama as Government Shutdown Nears

With a federal government shutdown looking increasingly likely at midnight, Gov. Rick Scott ripped into President Barack Obama on Monday.

The impending federal government shutdown represents a failure of leadership. One of the most basic functions of governing is budgeting, Scott said. At the state level, we compromise and negotiate to create a balanced budget every year. But, President Obama has shown no interest in negotiating or compromising. We have paid down state debt in Florida by $3.5 billion and paid back another $3.5 billion federal loan over the last two and a half years while also cutting taxes.

President Obama is failing Floridians, Scott insisted. President Obama is failing to save Florida families from huge flood insurance rate hikes, while also failing to serve Floridians with the responsible budgeting of their federal tax dollars. The buck ultimately stops with the president. The time for leadership is now.