A.G. Gancarski
Rick Scott’s 23-minute speech to the Conservative Political Action Conference doubled down on the ‘unpardonable sin’ of 2022’s failed GOP leadership challenge.
The Florida Senator said he’s set to become the “least popular person in Washington,” and — in fiery remarks punctuated by applause on multiple occasions — the outsider Republican said he’s making progress toward that goal by pushing back against big-spending corruption on both sides of the aisle.
Scott told the activists in the crowd conservatives “cannot put up with the BS anymore,” setting himself up as an antidote to rot, not just among Democrats but among the GOP, continuing a theme of opposition to Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and other “establishment Republicans.”
“Now you’ve heard up here in D.C., Democrats, Republicans say you never lose an election by spending more money. That’s exactly what’s happening in each of these instances. Old establishment leaders from our own Republican Party caved in and gave the Democrats enough votes to nail down victory after victory and pass dangerous left-wing policy,” Scott asserted.
“And that’s why last fall, I committed the unpardonable sin in Washington. I challenged Mitch McConnell to be the leader of the Senate. Now when I took on Sen. McConnell, I didn’t think it was going to be easy. I assumed I’d have a hard time winning. But guess what? We have to start somewhere.”
Scott described himself as unwilling to make amends with McConnell after his failed challenge for Senate leadership despite some trying to build a bridge.
“After I ran against McConnell, many people in Washington quietly advised me, ‘You know what, you should apologize for taking on Sen. McConnell. Look, you’ve got to let things settle down. We’ve got to get back to business as usual in Washington.’ OK, In the infamous words of Conor McGregor, I would like to apologize to absolutely nobody.”
Scott described establishment Republicans as “destroying our country” along with Democrats.
“Some people who say they’re on our side aren’t going to like what I’m about to tell you. It’s not just Democrats in Washington who are destroying our country. You’ve heard the famous quote, ‘We have met the enemy and he is us.’ Unfortunately, some of the leaders of our old Republican establishment, they’ve been in Washington way too long. They’ve forgotten why they came here,” Scott said.
“They’ve gotten used to caving in to the Democrats. They do it over and over and over. So instead of the Democrats compromising their liberal principles, they roll over and we compromise our conservative principles,” Scott added. “You’ve seen it happen: Republicans come to Washington to change it. But some just stay way too long.”
Mocking so-called “responsible Republicans,” Scott said The New York Times pats them on the back, and then “gradually, and sometimes quickly, Washington changes them to fit into Washington to be part of the club.”
9 comments
Rob Desantos
March 2, 2023 at 4:55 pm
We’re all tired of your BS too, Rick
Tineseley
March 3, 2023 at 8:14 am
Mitch is a dinosaur who needs to retire
SteveHC
March 2, 2023 at 5:12 pm
Rick Scott – just another whiney little snowflake among the many in the Republican Party.
Ocean Joe
March 2, 2023 at 5:34 pm
“The Florida Senator said he’s set to become the “least popular person in Washington.” He already IS the least popular person in Washington and the US, and that’s why even Biden uses him and his bad ideas as a foil.
When the GOP had full control of govt in 2016, what did they do with it? Wackos on the court, a giant tax cut for the wealthy that blew up the deficit, and a failed effort to strip healthcare from the poorest 25,000,000 Americans. That’s it. Scott wasn’t there yet. HIs plan: tear down government so the wealthy can take better advantage of everyone else.
Geez
March 2, 2023 at 9:55 pm
Yep! Oh, and 1.1 million Amerikans dead from covid due to months of inaction by Republicans.
Paul roessler
March 3, 2023 at 3:18 pm
Scott, who is the richest individual in the government, who was running a Healthcare provider that operated the largest Medicare fraud is US history, is complaining about corrupt government spending. An example of the new conservatism. He has wet dreams about cancelling Social Security and privatization of the SS trust fund. He must be afraid of not being a full billionaire before he dies. When will they have enough? I used to think they have moved to pilfering the middle class but Scott wants to drain a little more from the poor so they can “get some skin in the game”. Give us a break.
Tropical
March 2, 2023 at 7:08 pm
Least popular? No, but very close.
After his SC dealings, McConnell gets that lifetime award.
I am so embarrassed by all of our Florida ‘representatives’,
Gaetz, Scott and the worst of the worst, desantis.
Donald Veasey
March 3, 2023 at 9:54 am
I would say that Ted Cruz is probably like 10X more reviled than Rick Scott. Rick’s just a thief. A Medicare fraud recipient of millions of dollars now trying to tell us that the Democrats spend too much. What about the Trump tax cuts for Corporation and the 1%. He votes for socialism for corporations and the rich and expects the rest of us to just get by.
Elliott Offen
March 3, 2023 at 6:50 pm
It would be a fine day if this man magically dropped dead in the stage.
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