I spoke to Insider‘s Joseph Zeballos-Roig about the fallout surrounding Senator Rick Scott’s “Rescue America” platform and its significance heading into the 2022 midterms.
The Florida Republican is widely viewed as a future presidential contender. Liam Donovan, a lobbyist and former GOP political operative, said he believed the entire proposal was meant to burnish Scott’s conservative credentials ahead of a potential 2024 run.
“This is all kind of vibes-based, riffing off of popular themes,” he said in an interview. “And I think there’s open questions as to how any of those would translate into actual legislation.”
It’s possible that it won’t amount to more than a messaging effort. Other planks of the platform was comprised of a 12-year term limit on all federal employees and members of Congress, slashing the IRS budget by half, outlawing government collection of racial data, and ensuring all federal legislation sunsets after five years. “If a law is worth keeping, Congress can pass it again,” the plan stated. That may mean re-approving landmark laws such as the American with Disabilities Act or Social Security Act on an ongoing basis.
“I just don’t think it is deep enough to be taking the Republican Party back anywhere or even forward anywhere because it’s just a vibe,” Donovan said. “This is meant to get your email address and get you to open your wallet.”
“The provocation is the point,” he added.
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