The Republicans are nervous about Rick Scott’s “agenda” being publicized because they know it would be tremendously unpopular. But that doesn’t mean it isn’t their agenda or that they won’t try to pass it if they win.
Jon Skolnik at Salon reports that Scott thinks he’s US Grant. He should be George Pickett with this thing, but who knows?
Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., on Thursday compared himself to the union general and former President Ulysses S. Grant in defense of his much-reviled “11-point plan to rescue America,” calling himself an “outsider” who will do whatever it takes to push his agenda forward.
“I think of myself more like Grant taking Vicksburg, and I think as a result of that, I’m always going to be perceived as an outsider,” Scott told the Associated Press. “I’m going to keep doing what I believe in whether everybody agrees with me or not.”
Despite receiving considerable pushback from his GOP colleagues, Scott has continued to advocate for a right-wing agenda that clarifies what Republicans stand for. His plan includes provisions like completing Trump’s now-abandoned border wall; limiting federal workers to twelve years of service; providing foreign aid to “countries that are willing to defend themselves, like Israel”; requiring that all children to say the Pledge of Allegiance and stand for the National Anthem; and ending the practice of racial and ethic disclosures on government forms.
“Hopefully, by doing this, we’ll have more of a conversation about what Republicans are going to get done. Because when we get the majority, I want to get something done,” Scott said in a February interview with Politico. “There’s things that people would rather not talk about. I’m willing to say exactly what I’m going to do. I think it’s fair to the voter.”
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., by contrast, has insisted that the GOP refrain from spelling out a concrete agenda ahead of this year’s midterms, instead opting to pick apart any action items the Democrats have and will put forward. McConnell made this clear during a private function with Republican donors and lawmakers back in December, according to Axios.
According to the non-partisan Institution on Taxation and Economic Policy (Itep) Scott’s plan “would increase taxes by more than $1,000 on average for the poorest 40% of Americans.”
Still, Scott has seen praise from a small contingent of Beltway Republicans who stand in support of a more forthright messaging strategy.
Sen. Mike Braun, R-Ind., who recently suggested the Supreme Court was wrong to legalize same-sex marriage, defended Scott’s platform in an interview with the Associated Press, arguing that Republican voters need to know what they’re voting for – not just against.
Republicans should “stake a little ground out that gives independents who elect swing-state senators and the president something other than the party of ‘No,'” Braun said.
Kevin Roberts, president of the Heritage Foundation, also gave Scott plaudits, saying that the GOP’s current debate about taxes is “not an honest conversation.”
Hopefully the Democrats will make sure that the voters know about this but you never know. They seem to be completely on the defensive about everything so it’s possible they won’t even bother to mention this because it might interfere with their message of defeatism. But still, it’s just lying there if they want to take it up.