Rick Scott cautious about Donald Trump’s amped-up stimulus pitch

U.S. President Donald Trump may want a big stimulus bill to move, but if one of Florida’s Republican Senators are any indication, that will be a heavy lift.

U.S. Senator Rick Scott, appearing in the 10 a.m. hour of “Varney and Company” on the Fox Business Network, punted when asked if he would support a stimulus “even bigger than the Democrats” in the House voted for earlier this year.

“We don’t know what’s in the package,” a diplomatic Scott said about the President’s proposal, before going on to say it’s “frustrating” that Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi haven’t signed off on the Republican proposals.

“I agree with the President, we need to help Americans who have gotten hurt,” Scott said.

But as the Senator has said consistently, the goal is to “not bail out states that don’t live within their means.”

The Senator is not alone among Senate Republicans, many of whom believe that lavish spending is antithetical to the principles they ran on.

Scott has been a voice against Florida taxpayers being on the hook for so-called “blue state bailouts,” and it’s clear that the President’s willingness to strike a deal hasn’t changed that position.

Back in September, Scott expressed frustration over Schumer and Pelosi, as a Republican virus aid proposal failed to meet the requisite 60 vote threshold in the Senate.

“They really believe not having a bill is better for them in November,” Scott said. “If people want a bill, call Chuck Schumer and Nancy Pelosi.”

Democratic leadership believes the GOP proposal didn’t go far enough.

Schumer contended it was “emaciated,” as it excised money for state and local governments, funding decried by Scott and others on the right as “blue state bailouts.”

During the segment on Fox Business, Scott touched on other topics beyond stimulus money, including his assessment of the presidential race.

He still predicts a win for Donald Trump, saying that neither Joe Biden or Vice Presidential nominee Kamala Harris “have a story to tell.”