A.G. Gancarski
U.S, Senator Rick Scott addressed the ultimate fruitless push for a pre-election stimulus bill Tuesday, saying it was “frustrating” that a deal couldn’t get done
Scott, appearing in the 8 a.m. hour on CNBC’s Squawk Box, blamed Rep. Nancy Pelosi, the Speaker of the House who looks likely to preside over the chamber long after Nov. 3.
It’s “frustrating that we don’t have a stimulus deal done,” Scott contended, but Speaker Pelosi “has made the calculation that it’s good for her, in hopefully winning elections.”
But that wasn’t the only frustration for Florida’s Junior Senator.
Scott fulminated that it was also “frustrating when they go on television and say ‘Republicans don’t want to do something.’ We do. What we don’t want to do is spend another $2.2 Trillion.”
“What Pelosi wants to do is allow non-coronavirus things,” Scott said, a “whole bunch of liberal priorities.”
“She’s made the calculation that it will help her on November 3 and we’ll see what happens,” the Senator lamented. “I wish she was more focused on helping Americans.”
Throughout the virus crisis, the Senator has taken a stalwart budget hawk position.
He has bashed so-called “Blue State bailouts,” contending that deficits and debt load are real detriments.
Even when the President earlier this month pushed for a stimulus bigger than the Democrats wanted, Scott urged caution.
That posture didn’t change Tuesday morning, with Scott noting $27 trillion in debt and “billion dollar deficits every year” even before COVID-19 as red flags on any new spending.
“We’ve got to get our fiscal house in order,” Scott said, suggesting a tougher course of action than even Senator Marco Rubio.
When told that Rubio had gone on the same program last week and urged a deal, Scott broke with that position, saying Republicans “can’t go and say ‘yeah let’s spend whatever it takes to get the other side to agree’.”
“You can’t be wasting your money,” Scott said. “Somebody’s going to pay for this.”
“We don’t have to say ‘oh, we’re going to spend trillions of dollars’ without having any idea whether it’s going to have a positive influence or not,” Scott said.
The Senator, well-acquainted with brinksmanship from eight years in Tallahassee, held out hope that “maybe after the election the Democrats will want to do something responsible.”
5 comments
Bruderly David E
October 27, 2020 at 9:37 am
Partisan Rick – if you are such a deficit hawk why did you support Trump’s tax cuts for the wealthy and bailouts for farmers caught in the middle of Trump’s tariff battles with China? And ignore obvious corruption by Trump and his family??? Partisan
Frankie M.
October 27, 2020 at 9:41 am
Says the guy who opposed bailouts for “mismanaged” blue states but had no problem taking guvmint cheese when he was busy defrauding the American taxpayer. I guess you can have it both ways.
Ocean Joe
October 27, 2020 at 9:41 am
When they are in control they spend like drunken sailors. They even outspend the Democrats. When they lose they suddenly remember the budget and preach austerity. Government and it’s programs are not free. Somebody has to pay for them. When you tax less you must spend less, but the GOP hands out a giant tax cut to folks who didnt need it and spends more. If the Fortune 500 companies all paid taxes, if folks like Trump paid more than $750, we might have a credible path to bring down our deficits. In the meantime, starving people at the bottom is not a good plan. Pelosi and the Dems presented Republicans with a stimulus package months ago, Republicans would not come to the table, Trump announced ‘no deal until after the election.’ Rick, get serious. If you want government to work, quit agitating on Fox for your doomed presidential run squawking about China and get to work for Florida.
Bruderly David E
October 27, 2020 at 10:24 am
Partisan Rick – if you are such a deficit hawk why did you support Trump’s tax cuts for the wealthy and bailouts for farmers caught in the middle of Trump’s tariff battles with China? And ignore obvious corruption by Trump and his family … and WHY ignore Trump’s criminally negligent responses to coronavirus after 28 January 2020 briefing !!!!
S B ANTHONY
October 27, 2020 at 11:04 am
Rick Scott, if you’re listening, STFU.
No one’s listening to you, Junior. You’re irrelevant.
Comments are closed.