New Study Shows Florida Leads the Nation in Long-Term Unemployed

Rick Scott’s Florida has one of the highest populations of long-term unemployed in the nation, a new report says. Because of Rick Scott’s misguided priorities, nearly half of unemployed Floridians were out of work for at least 6 months last year, and the middle class fell behind.

Rick Scott just doesn’t get it: the middle class comes first.

Governor Scott’s priority has always been helping the wealthy special interests and biggest corporations — not helping the middle class. That’s why PolitiFact says Rick Scott doesn’t look out for “average working people.” That’s why Scott made it harder to get unemployment assistance, and spent months ignoring the human toll of his failed unemployment website.

“Under Rick Scott, the wealthy special interests get handouts while the middle class struggles just to get by,” said FDP Chair Allison Tant. “For three years, Rick Scott’s Florida has had more long-term unemployed than almost any other state. People have cut back until there isn’t anything left to cut. Rick Scott just doesn’t understand that the middle class must come first.”

Background:

Florida Ranks 2nd in Nation for Long-term Unemployment. Despite creating more than 460,000 jobs since 2010, Florida ranks second among states with workers who have been unemployed for at least six months, researchers say. (Orlando Sentinel, 2/8/14).