McConnell: Rick Scott's Social Security/Medicare Plan Is 'Not a Republican Plan'

(CNSNews.com) – President Joe Biden took on Sen. Rick Scott of Florida by name on Thursday, reminding an audience in Tampa, Florida, that Scott wants to “sunset” all federal legislation, including Social Security and Medicare.

Scott says federal programs should be re-authorized every five years if they’re worth keeping.

Biden pretends that Scott’s plan is the Republican plan, but Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell tried to set the record straight in a radio interview on Thursday:

“That was the Scott plan. That’s not a Republican plan,” McConnell said:

“That was the Rick Scott plan. The Republican plan, as I pointed out last fall, if we were to come the majority, there were no plans to raise taxes on half the American people or to sunset Medicare or Social Security.

“So it’s clearly the Rick Scott plan. It is not the Republican plan. And that’s the view of the Speaker of the House as well.”

So what is the Republican plan for Social Security and Medicare?

“Speaker McCarthy said Social Security and Medicare are not to be touched, and I’ve said the same,” McConnell said. “And I think we’re in a more authoritative position to say what the position of the party is than any single senator.”

As CNSNews.com reported, Rick Scott told Fox News on Thursday his plan to sunset all federal legislation every five years makes sense: “There’s a lot of programs that we shouldn’t be doing up here, and then if it’s worth keeping, we keep it,” he said.

“I also said we ought to tell the American public how we’re going to preserve Medicare and Social Security. But here’s how Biden is a hypocrite. He wants to say Republicans want to cut Medicare and Social Security. I never — I never will do that. I’m not going to cut their benefits, but guess what? Joe Biden’s proposed it.”

Scott noted that years ago, as a U.S. senator, Biden proposed a bill “to sunset everything,” Scott said. “And I don’t know if you’ve seen the quote. He says, when I argued we should freeze federal spending, I meant Social Security as well. I meant Medicare, Medicaid, veterans benefits. I meant every single solitary thing in the government. That’s what Joe Biden said. He’s a hypocrite.”

President Biden conceded on Thursday that Social Security and Medicare are “not likely to get voted out, but I tell you…It’s likely (to get) cut drastically if you had to do it every five years.”

Scott is sticking to his proposal, Biden noted: “Well, I guarantee you, it will not happen. I will veto it. I’ll defend Social Security and Medicare.”

The issue of benefit cuts, which came to the fore in the 2022 election (thanks to Rick Scott), looks to be a main argument for Biden and his fellow Democrats in 2024 as well.

Also See:
Sen. Rick Scott: Biden Is ‘A Complete Hypocrite’
 

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