Sen. Rick Scott: Debt will destroy our country, if we let it

I grew up poor. We lived in public housing growing up. My mom instilled in me the value of counting pennies, a value I utilized as a businessman for four decades before I ever thought about running for office. I had to make payroll and keep the businesses I ran profitable. My employees counted on me to never run out of cash and keep their jobs safe.

I ran for governor of Florida in 2010 because I could not stand to watch the fiscal mismanagement by politicians anymore. My state was heading in the wrong direction: job losses, higher taxes, more debt. Florida was, at that point, like a failing business. I was worried about the state that would be left for future generations.