Posted on 04/29/2021 8:30:52 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
The junior Senator from South Carolina delivered in a big way at last summer's Republican National Convention, and he did so again last night. President Biden's speech to a joint session of Congress -- the optics of which are being criticized by some medical experts for discouraging vaccination by downplaying the vaccines' outstanding efficacy -- was a partisan laundry list of breathtakingly enormous spending proposals. Between his "COVID relief" legislation, his "infrastructure" plan, and his family plan, Biden has called for $6 trillion in new federal spending within the first 100 days of his presidency. As a point of reference, the federal government spent $4.4 trillion, total, in 2019. Biden spoke the words, but it was an Elizabeth Warren speech. And his magical math on pay-fors (no new deficit spending, no tax increases on the families making less than $400,000) is utterly unworkable fiction.
Biden closed by calling on Congress to pass immigration reform, gun control and a radical, partisan federal takeover of US elections. The man campaigned and won as a moderate compromiser and healer. He's governing like someone who wants to make Barack Obama look a centrist. Faced with the difficult and often thankless task of responding to a presidential address, Sen. Tim Scott performed superbly. He was warm, engaging and thoughtful; throwing some sharp elbows with a smile. His tone, pacing and substance were terrific. If Scott wasn't already in the 2024 presidential discussion, he is now. He is a likable person and a gifted communicator. Here's the full speech, followed by some of its best passages:
(1) On school closures: "I am saddened that millions of kids have lost a year of learning when they could not afford to lose a day. Locking vulnerable kids out of the classroom is locking adults out of their future. Our public schools should have reopened months ago. Other countries' did. Private and religious schools did. Science has shown for months that schools are safe. But too often, powerful grown-ups set science aside. And kids like me were left behind. The clearest case for school choice in our lifetimes."
(2) On Biden's partisanship and runaway spending: "All five [COVID relief bills signed by President Trump] got 90 or more votes in the Senate. Common sense found common ground. In February, Republicans told President Biden we wanted to keep working together to win this fight. But Democrats wanted to go it alone. They spent almost $2 trillion on a partisan bill that the White House bragged was the most liberal bill in American history! Only 1% went to vaccinations. No requirement to re-open schools promptly. COVID brought Congress together five times. This Administration pushed us apart. Another issue that should unite us is infrastructure.Republicans support everything you think of when you think of 'infrastructure.' Roads, bridges, ports, airports, waterways, high-speed broadband — we're all in! But again, Democrats want a partisan wish list. They won't even build bridges... to build bridges! Less than 6% of the President's plan goes to roads and bridges."
(3) On leftists' racial intolerance and police reform: "Nowhere do we need common ground more desperately than in our discussions of race. I have experienced the pain of discrimination. I know what it feels like to be pulled over for no reason. To be followed around a store while I'm shopping. I remember, every morning, at the kitchen table, my grandfather would have the newspaper in his hands. Later, I realized he had never learned to read it. He just wanted to set the right example. I've also experienced a different kind of intolerance. I get called "Uncle Tom" and the N-word — by 'progressives'! By liberals! Just last week, a national newspaper suggested my family's poverty was actually privilege because a relative owned land generations before my time. Believe me, I know our healing is not finished. In 2015, after the shooting of Walter Scott, I wrote a bill to fund body cameras. Last year, after the deaths of Breonna Taylor and George Floyd, I built an even bigger police reform proposal. But my Democratic colleagues blocked it. I extended an olive branch. I offered them amendments. But Democrats used the filibuster to block the debate from even happening. My friends across the aisle seemed to want the issue more than they wanted a solution. But I'm still working. I'm still hopeful."
(7) On vaccines and the pre-pandemic economic success under GOP policies: "This Administration inherited a tide that had already turned. The coronavirus is on the run! Thanks to Operation Warp Speed and the Trump Administration, our country is flooded with safe and effective vaccines. Thanks to our bipartisan work last year, job openings are rebounding. So why do we feel so divided and anxious? A nation with so much cause for hope should not feel so heavy-laden. A President who promised to bring us together should not push agendas that tear us apart. The American family deserves better. And we know what better looks like! Just before COVID, we had the most inclusive economy in my lifetime. The lowest unemployment ever recorded for African-Americans, Hispanics, and Asian-Americans. The lowest for women in nearly 70 years. Wages were growing faster for the bottom 25% than the top 25%. That happened because Republicans focused on expanding opportunity for all Americans."
Scott's speech prompted an explosion of racist attacks online from "progressives," many of them white, who routinely unleash vitriol on racial minorities who refuse to vote and think as they're told. The venomous attacks and sneering among many elite liberal media commentators are pretty strong indications of how effective the Senator was. The South Carolinian did himself, his state, and his party proud. Bravo.
Great speech by Tim Scott. He hit all the points.
Typical GOP Weak Sauce.
Here’s my personal impression of Biden’s Address:
If you happened to miss Dementia-in-Chief’s big speech, here’s the official State narrative:
* There are all kinds of problems in America, and almost all of them should be blamed on the last legitimately elected president and his coalition of Make America Great Again (yuck!) “white supremacists.”
* Every problem created by those terrible sub-humans can be solved if we just spend more money, give the government more power, stifle economic growth by fighting the weather, stay terribly afraid all of the time, and pray five times a day at the altar of “woke” racial grievance.
* In addition, it is neither the policy nor the preference of the United States government to “make America great” or to imply that America was once great or to suggest, should it later be determined that America was once great, that its past greatness was ever greater than any other nation’s greatness.
* It is the policy of this new administration that no constitutional amendment is absolute, and should a court of law later incorrectly determine that the Bill of Rights is absolute, then such a ruling will do nothing more than perpetuate institutional racism and white supremacy.
* It’s imperative that all constitutional rights first be vetted by trained medical professionals in order to determine whether they can coexist in a “healthy” society. “Unhealthy” parts of the Constitution must go.
* There’s a “systemic racism health emergency” and a “gun violence health emergency” and a “D.C. statehood health emergency.” There are even a “filibuster health emergency” and an “Electoral College health emergency” that might mean the end of “democracy” unless Congress acts fast! The good news is, if Congress fails to pass legislation quickly, Attorney General Merrick Garland has already determined that the president actually has the power to rewrite the Constitution and make law through simple “pen and phone” executive orders.
* Since gun-owners are actually “gun nuts” and must be disarmed before they can defend themselves from those who would wish them harm. They should hand over their weapons before government agents are forced to harm them.
* Oh, and a number of dictionary definitions were officially “improved” by executive order. “Infrastructure project” no longer has anything to do with bridges and roads but instead refers to pork-barrel graft that allows Democrats to launder payoffs to regime-supporters. “Bipartisanship” now simply means that both straight and gay Democrats back Democrat partisanship. And “voter suppression” relates to anything that hinders Democrats from cheating in elections. More new definitions are on their way.
RE: Typical GOP Weak Sauce.
Can you elaborate? A one liner isn’t very helpful.
I wonder who approved “Tim Scott”?
I guess he had all the approved check marks.
The GOP tent folded.
RE: I wonder who approved “Tim Scott”?
I don’t understand the question. It seems to imply that he is not his own man and his speech does not reflect what he believes.
He is your typical republican bullsheeter and chamber of commerce mitch mcconnell acolyte.
Nope.
JoeBama’s speech about jobs is just recycled Obamite material. There are tons of jobs. People have just gotten used to doing what they want and receiving their unemployment checks.
If he’s worried about covid. Why does the border now totally open?
Why did they push vaccinations, only to turn around and lock everything down again.
This regime is a recycled bunch of rhetoric that requires massive spending for JoeBama pet programs and the money will disappear again.
This illegal regime and it’s elect coup are THE WORST thing that’s ever happened to this country.
It is clear that total destruction awaits.
“I don’t understand the question.”
What I mean is there some committee that picked him or is it his position in the party? Why not have Trump.
No defense of Trump or MAGA, just whining. Guess what? The Democrats play for keeps, and just whining about it will get them nowhere.
Now they can’t call us racist because we have black RINOs too! Checkmate Democrats!
RE: He is your typical republican bullsheeter and chamber of commerce mitch mcconnell acolyte.
What part of his speech do you disagree with?
RE: No defense of Trump or MAGA, just whining.
What part of his speech is whining?
The speech means nothing. It’s the general approach of the GOP thinking this is how they will win back voters. It’s weak sauce, nothing personal against Senator Scott, but he shouldn’t be the face of the Party right now.
The Dems are not just playing for keeps. They’re going for blood.
I am fuming at the way Senator Tim Scott, the originator of the Police Reform bill, is being treated. This will not end well.
Sorry but Tim Scott said nothing.
There was one and only one response which is Biden and his administration are illegitimate due to election fraud.
He didn’t say it and he allowed it in January.
Only 7 Senators spoke up.
Scott needs to go.
None of it. His pandering and he is weak.
Actions speak louder than words.
“Great speech by Tim Scott. He hit all the points.”
No. Someone wrote it for him, of course. And exactly what aspect of the conservative agenda is he willing to surrender to find common ground with democrats? Which part of Biden’s agenda are you personally in agreement with?
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