IF YOU ONLY READ ONE THING A pre-existing plea for affordable health care for all [Tampa Bay Times guest column] “Yet two days after the election, I felt a bump in a place where bumps are not to be; four days after that, I was diagnosed with cancer…Our political leaders in Washington and in state capitals around the country will face a choice: Implement the law of the land or obstruct and delay. For those of us who stand to gain from the act’s protections, we will be waiting. As cancer and other diseases become a “pre-existing condition” for thousands more, we will be waiting. Until access to affordable health care becomes a possibility for every American, we will be waiting.”

SCOTT STILL GETTING SLAMMED FOR “WAR ON HEALTH” Scott’s pointless war on health law hurts Florida [Orlando Sentinel editorial] “Floridians are paying dearly for Gov. Rick Scott’s obsessive opposition to ‘Obamacare.’ It has cost Florida millions of dollars in federal grants to implement the law, declared constitutional last week by theU.S. Supreme Court. And now it could take away a shot at health coverage for hundreds of thousands of uninsured state residents.” 

Anti-Medicaid dogma [Ocala Star Banner editorial] “If you were governor of a state where almost one-fourth of your residents have no health insurance, compassion might cause you to give thoughtful consideration to a federal program designed to help those residents. You might also want to think carefully about the potential economic benefits that could accrue to your state by an expansion of the health care industry. But then, you would not be Gov. Rick Scott.” 

Rick Scott overstates cost of health care overhaul [AP] “It turns out that he overstated the costs while explaining that despite a U.S Supreme Court ruling on the overhaul, the state would not carry out certain portions of the law, including expanding Medicaid coverage to those just above the poverty level. The court made it clear that Congress could not penalize states that failed to expand Medicaid.”

Scott questioned about accuracy of assertions about Affordable Care Act [News Service of Florida]“Those included queries based on a PolitiFact review – the fact-checking website by the Tampa Bay Times – which awarded Scott a “pants on fire” and two “falses” for remarks he’s made since the ruling.”

As usual, Rick Scott doesn’t get it [The Examiner] “Of course, as usual with Scott, he misinterpreted what any immediate costs of this act would mean to Florida.” 

Imagining a Florida Without Medicaid [Broward Palm Beach News Times] “Scott might have been OK with that. Then he’d have an excuse to divert poor folks to a private health-care market and save some state funds for corporate welfare or international vacations.”

POLITIFACT ON MACK’S PENNY PLAN: “NO ONE WE INTERVIEWED THOUGHT MACK’S PLAN WAS A REALISTIC WAY TO BALANCE THE BUDGET” Connie Mack IV says cutting one penny out of every federal dollar would quickly balance the budget [Politifact] “No one we interviewed thought Mack’s plan was a realistic way to balance the budget…Linden, who called Mack’s plan ‘ridiculous’, noted that this plan could mean an even cut larger than 1 percent for each senior, since the number of seniors getting Social Security will increase. And if Social Security and Medicare were off the table, that would remove about 35 percent of non-interest spending from the chopping block, leaving bigger cuts elsewhere.”

ON THE CONGRESSIONAL FRONT — BILL YOUNG’S CAMPAIGN DAMAGING YOUTUBE MOMENT, RIVERA

THREATENS ROMNEY WITH NO HISPANIC OUTREACH, THUMBS DOWN SANDY ADAMS

Rep. Young Tells Constituent Who Asks About Minimum Wage To ‘Get A Job’ [FLDemocracy2012]“Rep. C.W. Bill Young (R-FL) had some choice words for a constituent who asked the lawmaker Wednesday if he supported raising the minimum wage, repeatedly telling the young man to ‘get a job.'” WATCH IT HERE. 

David Rivera to Romney: More details on immigration or “no Hispanic outreach efforts” [Miami Herald] “Rep. David Rivera, R-Miami., tells BuzzFeed that until Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney clarifies his approach to immigration reform, he won’t act on his behalf as a surrogate to Hispanic voters.”

Thumbs Down: Sandy Adams [Florida Today] “Thumbs down: To Congresswoman Sandy Adams, R-Orlando, for decrying as a “backdoor to amnesty” President Barack Obama’s decision to stop deporting some American-raised children of illegal immigrants. Rather than ‘gnore the rule of law,’ as Adams charges, Obama’s order complies with the Immigration Reform and Control Act, which makes it no crime for undocumented kids to live, work or attend college here” 

OTHER NEWS WE THOUGHT YOU SHOULD KNOW 

Michelle Obama to visit Miami next week [Miami Herald] “First Lady Michelle Obama will be in Orlando and Miami next week, campaigning on her husband’s behalf. It’s one of many trips to Florida recently by either the First Lady, the president or the vice president. Michelle Obama will be back on Tuesday.”

Statement from FDP Chair Smith in honor of Independence Day [FLDems] “‘Today we come together as Americans to celebrate the anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. As we gather with our family, neighbors and community, we re-affirm our commitment to our shared values of freedom, opportunity and equality. These principles are the bedrock of the American promise, and have made our nation a beacon of liberty since the birth of our country. And as we celebrate these values, we honor those brave American service members who have sacrificed to defend them — both here at home and around the world — with our pledge of undying gratitude. On behalf of Florida Democrats, I wish you a happy, safe and joyful Fourth of July. God bless you, God bless Florida, and God bless the United States of America.'” 

MoveOn launches Spanish-language TV ad slamming Gov. Scott’s voter ‘purge’ [Tampa Bay Times] “Moveon.org has launched a Spanish-language TV ad criticizing Gov. Rick Scott for his effort to remove non-citizens from the voting rolls — an effort critics say is trapping innocent Hispanics, some of whom are featured in the spot. It is scheduled to run Thursday through Saturday in Tampa, Orlando and Miami and is described as a “five figure buy.” WATCH “ROMNEY Y LA PURGA” HERE. 

Order gives immigrants a new hope [Tampa Tribune] “It’s a sliver of hope, but it’s enough to give 22-year-old Gerson Gomez