SMACKDOWN: Biden takes Republicans to the woodshed over plans to sunset Social Security and Medicare
President Joe Biden threw shade at Sen. Rick Scott (R-FL) in a subtle, but delightful, way during a press conference at a White House event on Tuesday – continuing his trolling of the National Republican Senatorial Committee chair for his plans to sunset Medicare and Social Security in five years if the GOP regains control of the chamber. Reading from a pamphlet detailing the former Florida governor’s Rescue America plan, Biden said:
“The 12-point plan to rescue America, by Senator Scott of Florida. I won’t read through it all, but it says ‘All federal legislation sunsets in five years. If it is worth keeping, Congress can pass it again.’ Translated, if you don’t vote to keep it, you don’t get it.”
Two weeks ago President Biden called Sen. Scott’s bluff when the Medicaid and Medicare fraudster attempted to troll POTUS by tweeting outside the White House, “[Biden] said he wished he had enough copies of my Rescue America plan, so I stopped by the White House today to make sure he did,” Scott wrote. “Thanks for spreading the word, Joe!”
The Washington Examiner reported on Scott’s post, prompting a tactfully snarky response on his own Twitter account from the commander-in-chief.
Couldn’t agree more, Rick. And if anyone else wants to read your plan to put Social Security and Medicare on the chopping block, they should go to https://t.co/xDudwYX85v.
Thanks for stopping by. https://t.co/9YXhMisGf5
— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) September 14, 2022
The presidential clap-back delighted “Dark Brandon” stans, who like the aggressive, no-nonsense POTUS:
President Biden is completely fed up with the MAGA Republicans. He just called out Rick Scott — by name — for wanting to cut Social Security & Medicare from working families. He publicly shamed Rick into submission. The gloves are off. Dark Brandon is delivering the blue wave.
— Dash Dobrofsky (@DashDobrofsky) September 14, 2022
While it was evident that the President was enjoying putting his former colleague in the Senate on the spot, his tone took a serious tone, asking “Now what do you think they’re gonna do when the House Budget Committee starts talking about costs of Medicare and Social Security, and why we can’t afford it?”
“Folks, you know, the Senator in charge of re-electing United States senators, Senator Scott, has proposed a plan that’s where Social Security and Medicare, ever five years, is on the chopping block. That means every five years, you either cut it, reduces or completely eliminate it,” Biden said.
With the 2022 midterms less than two months away, President Biden isn’t the only one who knows that revelation of Scott’s plan can be the nail in the coffin of the GOP’s dreams of a Republican-controlled Senate. Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) wasn’t shy about his feelings, dismissing Scott’s plan – which he unveiled at the most recent Conservative Political Action Coalition (CPAC) – and distancing himself and the party from any talk of ending two of the country’s most crucial social safety nets.
“Let me tell you what would not be part of our agenda: We will not have as part of our agenda a bill that raises taxes on half the American people and sunsets Medicare and Social Security within five years. That will not be part of a Republican Senate majority agenda,” McConnell said.
When asked about Sen. Rick Scott's agenda, @LeaderMcConnell: "We will not have as part of our agenda a bill that raises taxes on half the American people and sunsets Social Security and Medicare within five years. That will not be part of the Republican Senate Majority Agenda." pic.twitter.com/XN7q9Kc6b4
— CSPAN (@cspan) March 1, 2022
Despite what McConnell says about Republicans not wanting to sunset Social Security, the rest of America knows better. The GOP cannot be trusted – nor should they be. The clock is ticking, and the alarm is sounding. President Biden knows it and is giving the American people a needed wake-up call. When he said, “if you don’t vote to keep it, you don’t get it,” that goes for democracy too.
Watch a video clip of President Biden’s remarks below:
https://twitter.com/atrupar/status/1574818730525294593?s=20&t=XvbEB9wPgIFHPNOyIqTT8w
Follow Ty Ross on Twitter @cooltxchick