It’s a very rare thing to see one US senator publicly criticize another US senator publicly. Especially when they are in the same party. Double especially when they are both in that party’s leadership.
But that’s exactly what happened on Tuesday as Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell completely dismissed Florida Sen. Rick Scott’s 11-point plan to “rescue America.” Scott, the head of Senate Republicans’ campaign committee, released the proposal last week.
“If we’re fortunate enough to have the majority next year, I’ll be the majority leader, I’ll decide in consultation with my members what to put on the floor,” McConnell said when asked about Scott’s plan at a news conference. Scott’s plan would, among other things, require all Americans to pay income taxes and sunset all government programs – including Social Security and Medicare – within five years. (Under Scott’s proposal, Congress would have to reapprove federal legislation every five years.)
“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,” McConnell added. “That will not be a part of the Republican Senate majority agenda.”
Jake Sherman, a founding editor of Punchbowl News, a Congress-focused news service, tweeted that “the McConnell-Rick Scott episode is about as bad as I’ve seen an intra-leadership feud in a while.”
McConnell has consistently opposed Republicans offering their own policy agenda ahead of the November midterm elections, insisting that the path to victory lies in making the election a referendum on President Joe Biden and the Democrats who control both chambers of Congress.
When asked in January what the GOP’s agenda would be if it took control of Congress, McConnell told reporters: “That is a very good question and I’ll let you know when we take it back.”
Despite McConnell’s stated opposition, Scott decided to release a detailed plan for what Republicans would pledge to do if they retook the Senate majority.
Following McConnell’s remarks Tuesday, Scott said he would continue to talk about his plan. “I agree with Senator McConnell that this election will primarily be about Joe Biden and the Democrats’ failures, but have been clear that I also believe Republicans should talk about a plan for turning this country around,” Scott said.
Why did Scott do it? Because while he, like McConnell, wants to win back the Senate majority in November, he, unlike McConnell, has national aspirations as a potential presidential contender in either 2024 or 2028.
Scott’s plan has to be seen through that lens; it reads like the start of a platform of someone who is running for president. And, in fact, McConnell’s disdain for his plan may well play into Scott’s hands as he tries to position himself as an outsider – despite being in Republican leadership.
“Like the ‘Contract with America’ before it, the Washington insiders will hate this plan,” Scott wrote in his proposal.
Well, Mitch McConnell certainly hates it.
