Screenshot via YouTube
On Tuesday, footage of Cara Jennings, a former city commissioner and stay-at-home mom, confronting Florida Gov. Rick Scott in a Gainesville Starbucks went viral. As the Republican Governor tried to maneuver through the coffeeshop with his entourage, Jennings cried out, "You don't care about working people! You should be ashamed of showing your face around here." Scott retorted that he created a million jobs. "A million jobs!" Jennings replied incredulously. "Great! who here has a great job?"Scott's refusal to expand Medicaid for Florida under the Affordable Care Act left 560,000 Floridians ineligible for subsidized health insurance. Jennings was one of those 560,000.What the footage did not show, was Jennings' initial attempt to engage Scott about a recent bill he signed that could deprive thousands of women access to Planned Parenthood and preventative services. Last month, Scott signed off on HB 1411, an omnibus anti-abortion bill that requires doctors performing abortions to have admitting privileges at a nearby hospital. The bill also targets Planned Parenthood by prohibiting any public funding for non-abortion services, including birth control, cancer screenings, birth control or STD tests.What Scott said in response to Jennings about the bill is what really set her off. We got the whole story from Jennings over the phone last night.BROADLY: What happened at Starbucks when you saw Gov. Scott?
Cara Jennings: I caught a glance of Gov. Scott as he was approaching the counter. I attempted to talk to him about some egregious policies he's passed in regards to women's healthcare. I approached him very calmly and his response was very inappropriate to me, especially for a governor. I said, "Gov. Scott, why did you pass that awful bill last week that effects women's healthcare?"
He said, "I don't vote on bills," which I found disingenuous. I know he doesn't vote on bills. He signs them into law. But I think another person who isn't as familiar with the legislative process might have been confused and not pursued the issue further, I think it was an attempt to derail my attempt to have a conversation with him.So I said to him, "I know you don't vote on bills, but you sign them into law and the bill you signed that defunds Planned Parenthood and puts very prohibitive measures on abortion clinics affects women like me, and I think it's awful that you passed that bill."His response to me was, "Go to the county health clinic." I found that to be the real problem: The governor feels comfortable telling women what healthcare choices they should make, which is what this whole bill is about.
I think it's unfortunate that the governor made it into a confrontation instead of a dialogue about policy issues that effect people's lives. He is not responsive or interested in the impacts have on average person even though his decisions effects millions of lives. If I was a lobbyist or corporation with a lot of money I believe he would have treated me differently.In the video you said that Gov. Scott does not stand for working people, what were you referring to?
A whole list of things: he's opposed to raising the minimum wage, he gives massive tax breaks to corporations, just his refusal to take federal money to assist low income people to have better healthcare. Florida is one the worst rated states in terms of healthcare for women. Did you know that we have the most new cases of HIV [in the country]? And here we have a governor who refuses federal funds for healthcare.He's incredibly wealthy, he's from the elite class, and that's who he serves.
It's very encouraging to see the response. I think, in part, the video went viral because of the way the governor blew me off and it's a reflection of people's frustrations. We live under system that gives people like Gov. Scott so much power but he's incredible unaccountable to the people he serves.When the governor was elected one of his first acts was to push forward laws that enabled voter disenfranchisement. So when you look at how someone wins public office and they try to disenfranchise voters in the process, then it really undermines the legitimacy of that person's position.What do you hope happens next?
The positive feedback is great but the issue at hand is this [Planned Parenthood] bill is going to go into effect on July 1 if something doesn't change. That is horrible. Gov. Scott is part a national movement to defund Planned Parenthood and to obstruct women's access to healthy and safe abortions. That's very serious. I think it's great that the video went viral, but what will really give me a spring in my step is if we are able to stop this bill from moving forward. And [if we are] able to stop people like Gov. Scott from limiting women's healthcare options.
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Cara Jennings: I caught a glance of Gov. Scott as he was approaching the counter. I attempted to talk to him about some egregious policies he's passed in regards to women's healthcare. I approached him very calmly and his response was very inappropriate to me, especially for a governor. I said, "Gov. Scott, why did you pass that awful bill last week that effects women's healthcare?"
What was his response?Read more: Abortion Clinics Are Burning, But No One Seems to Care
He said, "I don't vote on bills," which I found disingenuous. I know he doesn't vote on bills. He signs them into law. But I think another person who isn't as familiar with the legislative process might have been confused and not pursued the issue further, I think it was an attempt to derail my attempt to have a conversation with him.
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How do you feel about the confrontation now?Gov. Scott is part of a national movement to defund Planned Parenthood and to obstruct women's access to healthy and safe abortions.
I think it's unfortunate that the governor made it into a confrontation instead of a dialogue about policy issues that effect people's lives. He is not responsive or interested in the impacts have on average person even though his decisions effects millions of lives. If I was a lobbyist or corporation with a lot of money I believe he would have treated me differently.In the video you said that Gov. Scott does not stand for working people, what were you referring to?
A whole list of things: he's opposed to raising the minimum wage, he gives massive tax breaks to corporations, just his refusal to take federal money to assist low income people to have better healthcare. Florida is one the worst rated states in terms of healthcare for women. Did you know that we have the most new cases of HIV [in the country]? And here we have a governor who refuses federal funds for healthcare.
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Even though the video caught you in a moment of frustration, are you pleased that it's gone viral?Read more: Meet the Terrorists in the War on Women
It's very encouraging to see the response. I think, in part, the video went viral because of the way the governor blew me off and it's a reflection of people's frustrations. We live under system that gives people like Gov. Scott so much power but he's incredible unaccountable to the people he serves.When the governor was elected one of his first acts was to push forward laws that enabled voter disenfranchisement. So when you look at how someone wins public office and they try to disenfranchise voters in the process, then it really undermines the legitimacy of that person's position.What do you hope happens next?
The positive feedback is great but the issue at hand is this [Planned Parenthood] bill is going to go into effect on July 1 if something doesn't change. That is horrible. Gov. Scott is part a national movement to defund Planned Parenthood and to obstruct women's access to healthy and safe abortions. That's very serious. I think it's great that the video went viral, but what will really give me a spring in my step is if we are able to stop this bill from moving forward. And [if we are] able to stop people like Gov. Scott from limiting women's healthcare options.