Florida Rallies Against the Scotts’

By Margaret Bastar

Over 15,000 protestors took action across the state of Florida to fight back against budget cuts at Awake the State, on March 8th. A series of rallies broke out across Florida opposing budget cuts targeting working class families and public sector employees. In Orlando, Gov. Scott is talking about removing collective bargaining from the state constitution, laying off teachers, cutting corporate taxes and denying the SunRail, a transportation solution for traffic congestion in Orlando that would have created 6700 construction jobs for its creation.

The stateworkers, firefighters, students, policeman, teachers, parents, and other concerned citizens totaling over one thousand were present to defend our state. Together they marched a mile through the streets of downtown Orlando to the Chamber of Commerce in public outcry to what Governor Rick Scott has planned for our state. Gov. Scott wants to fund big business and those at the top who lobby and receive tax breaks, while schools close and college students are forced to drop out over tuition increases & cuts to aid. Proposing to decrease and eventually diminish corporate taxes, Gov. Scott has proven that he only plans to advocate for himself and big business, reminding us in more than one way of another Scott; Governor Scott Walker of Wisconsin.

Gov. Walker of Wisconsin proposed legislation stripping most state employees of collective bargaining rights, in an effort to close their states $137 million budget gap. What he doesn’t explain, is how taking away worker organizing rights and giving tax breaks and benefits to corporations and the wealthy is going to achieve this goal. Governor Scott Walkers speeches claim that he wants to help the taxpayers, but his actions blatantly demonstrate that he doesn’t care about the working class families of Wisconsin. The similarities between the Scotts are too close for comfort. As Gov. Scott applauds the actions in Wisconsin, it should be a warning siren for any worker, student, or community member. Florida, along with other states, is expected to be facing similar legislation as Wisconsin, and it’s up to us to remind the Scotts that it’s our state.

Awake the State in Orlando was more than just a display of unrest – it was a statement of solidarity. Everyone came together and acknowledged that this is all one fight. State budget cuts are being proposed across the board, and we cannot wait until it’s too late to take action. One of the signs at the rally read “I can’t believe I even have to protest this,” but when basic rights are being challenged by our governors, you better believe we do. I don’t think anyone has made that more clear than the people of Wisconsin. We will continue to fight together until the people are heard, remembering Martin Luther King Jr.’s words: “whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly.”

This entry was posted on Friday, March 11th, 2011 at 5:30 pm. It is filed under Blog. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.