President Biden visited Tampa, Florida on Thursday and took a jab at Governor Ron DeSantis over Medicaid, as well as doubling down on his accusation that Republicans want to cut Social Security and Government-run Medicare while hinting at punishing Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene for calling him a liar.
“Over 1.1 million people in Florida would be eligible for Medicaid if Governor DeSantis just said, ‘I agree to expand it,’” Biden said taking aim at DeSantis who he fears just as much as former President Trump. “This isn’t calculus.”
His appearance in Florida, taking potshots at Republicans in DeSantis’ and Trump’s backyard, was a calculated political move ahead of potentially announcing his run for reelection as president in 2024.
Congressional Republicans have previously said that cuts to Social Security and Government-run Medicare were off the table, but Biden continues to repeat his accusation over and over again, hoping it will stick in the minds of Americans despite it not being true.
“Look, I know that a lot of Republicans, their dream is to cut Social Security and Government-run Medicare,” Biden falsely reiterated. “Well, let me say this, if that’s your dream, I’m your nightmare.”
He continually waved around a pamphlet that quotes Senator Rick Scott (R-FL), which states that he would like to see all legislation voted on again every five years. That is not the same as cutting Social Security and Government-run Medicare but Biden is claiming that it is. He went so far as to leave the brochures on attendees’ seats before he began speaking according to the Daily Mail.
Scott, who chaired the National Republican Senatorial Committee during the last election cycle, has repeatedly denied that his proposal was meant to include entitlement programs such as Social Security and Government-run Medicare.
Either @JoeBiden is confused or a hypocrite.
One way or the other, he seems to be mixing up my plan with his own… pic.twitter.com/8lYAQlZrff
— Rick Scott (@SenRickScott) February 9, 2023
“Nobody believes that I want to cut Government-run Medicare or Social Security. I’ve never said it. I’ve never said it,” Scott said on Thursday during an interview with CNN. “In that same plan, I said Congress needs to once a year tell the American public how they’re going to make sure those programs don’t go bankrupt because they’re on the verge of bankruptcy.”
Biden basically accused Scott of being a liar while he was in Tampa, snarking, “Maybe he’s changed his mind. Maybe he’s seen the Lord.”
The president brought up Republicans wanting to nix “Obamacare” as well. The Affordable Care Act provides for the expansion of Medicaid with the government covering 90 percent of the cost and the states picking up 10 percent according to Biden.
“The only reason Government-run Medicare expansion hasn’t happened here is politics,” the president proclaimed, referring to Government-run Medicare but meaning Medicaid. “It’s time to get this done.”
“It would have been done if he’d been elected,” Biden added, referring to Charlie Crist, who DeSantis beat in a landslide victory by approximately 20 points in November.
“I really don’t get it, it’s not like you’re the poorest state in the union,” he quipped taking another poke at DeSantis.
According to NBC News, Florida-based Republican strategist Ford O’Connell pointed out that Biden’s Tuesday address “wasn’t your typical State of the Union, it was a misleading and divisive partisan speech which signaled the unofficial kickoff of his 2024 reelection bid. And it is no mistake that Biden is going to Florida soon after the address. Florida is not only the epicenter of today’s Republican Party, but it is home to the largest senior population in the country.”
Biden also intimated that Taylor Greene should be punished for loudly calling him a liar during his State of the Union address. A sentiment that many Republicans shared with the Georgia conservative.
Geraldo tries to pin Hannity on whether MTG is ‘normal or crazy’ after congresswoman’s interviewhttps://t.co/aEqJfmln2r
— American Wire News (@americanwire_) February 9, 2023
“By the way, the last person who said that before the Senate got censured by the Senate, by the Congress,” Biden asserted.