WASHINGTON, D.C. – In case you missed it, American businessman Charles Shor wrote an op-ed for the Washington Examiner on how Washington, D.C., should turn to leaders like Senator Rick Scott who are committed to growing our economy, controlling spending and improving life for every household in America, and follow the model then-Governor Scott set in Florida to turn around America’s scrambling economy.

Read more in the Washington Examiner op-ed, Florida is a model of leadership for a nation on the edge, below:

“…The United States is rapidly approaching an inflection point. In 2022, the federal government outspent revenue by $1.8 trillion. At the same time, America’s trade deficit surged to $1.18 trillion in 2022, leaving us dependent on foreign suppliers such as China for critical goods.

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In Washington, too many so-called leaders are addicted to maintaining the status quo, which will get us nothing but worse outcomes, fewer jobs, and more fiscal uncertainty. To turn things around, federal lawmakers ought to follow Florida’s playbook for exiting the Great Recession. We need to invest in economic opportunity and foster job growth, prioritize domestic industries, restore our nation’s ability to produce, and rebuild the middle class.

From 2011 to 2019, Florida experienced an annualized actual gross domestic product growth of 3.3%. This was 38.6% higher than the U.S. average of 2.4% during the same period. This is remarkable considering that in 2010, Florida’s unemployment rate of 10% was 12% higher than the national rate.

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Because it saw massive job growth in those years, Florida’s tax revenues grew as well. However, no amount of revenue enhancement can compensate for fiscal irresponsibility. While overspending and out-of-control debt financing have become the norm in Washington, Florida has shown that it is possible to increase revenue while also cutting taxes and paying down debt, so long as the government takes its fiscal management seriously. In the eight years that followed the Great Recession, Florida’s focus on fiscal responsibility helped cut the state debt by more than 40%, outpacing every other state (including Washington, D.C.) in debt reduction over that time. To put that in perspective: During those eight years when Florida cut its debt load by nearly half, the U.S. public debt increased by 37.1%.

Importantly, Florida achieved all of this success while simultaneously improving the everyday lives of Floridians, particularly in the areas of poverty alleviation, crime prevention, and education.

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Many Republicans in Washington talk about getting things done. But almost none are willing to say or do what it takes. My advice to these leaders is to turn to a colleague. Go talk to Sen. Rick Scott (R-FL) about how Florida turned around under his watch. As our national debt balloons and GDP crumbles, we need leaders such as Scott, who have the commitment and competency to grow our economy, control spending, rebuild the middle class, and improve life for every household in America.”

Read the full op-ed in the Washington Examiner HERE.

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