Scott attacks Biden as ‘incoherent, incapacitated’
During his address on Tuesday, President Joe Biden said Sen. Rick Scott was from Wisconsin. This prompted Scott to launch an attack on the president accusing him of being unfit for office without much evidence.
The Federal Reserve’s semiannual Financial Stability Report warned inflation has been “higher and more persistent” than expected and could cause unemployment and higher mortgage rates. Biden said during he is working with the Federal Reserve.
“I understand what it feels like. I come from a family where when the price of gas or food went up, we felt it. It was a discussion at the kitchen table. I want every American to know that I’m taking inflation very seriously and it’s my top domestic priority,” Biden said.
The president just said I’m from Wisconsin…@JoeBiden is so incapacitated and incoherent, he can’t even keep his states straight.
— Rick Scott (@SenRickScott) May 10, 2022
Biden attributed the cause of the surging inflation to the coronavirus pandemic and Russia’s war in Ukraine. He said the Federal Reserve plays a primary role in fighting inflation, so he has forward a list of highly qualified nominees.
“My plan is to lower everyday costs for hardworking families and lower the deficit by asking large corporations and the wealthiest Americans to not engage in price gouging and to pay their fair share in taxes,” Biden said.
Biden referenced Scott’s 11-point plan’s tax increase and the need for congressional reauthorization on Social Security and Medicare. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell rejected Scott’s plan in February.
“The Republican plan is to increase taxes on the middle-class families and let billionaires and large companies off the hook as they raise profit and — raise prices and reap profits at record number — record amounts,” Biden said.
Scott also delivered a statement as the chairman of the Senate Republicans’ campaign arm and he resorted to personal attacks.
“He’s incoherent, incapacitated, and confused. He doesn’t know where he is half the time. He’s incapable of leading and he’s incapable of carrying out his duties. Period. Everyone knows it. No one is willing to say it. But we have to, for the sake of the country. Joe Biden can’t do the job,” Scott said in a statement.
When a reporter asked Biden about Scott’s statement, the president said, “I think the man has a problem.”
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Read the president’s statement:
Good morning. Today I’d like to talk about two potential paths forward to address the number-one challenge facing families today: inflation. This will not be my only speech on inflation, I’m sure. But when you look at the economy today, it’s clear that we’ve made enormous strides. And our plans and our policies have produced the strongest job creation economy in modern times.
In addition, 8.3 million jobs in my first 15 months in office — a record. Unemployment rates are down to 3.6 percent — the fastest decline in unemployment to start a presidential term ever recorded. And in addition, Americans have applied to start three- — 5.4 million new small businesses last year — 20% more than any other year on record. And I see — and as I see it, everything — everything across the country is — as I go across the country, our economy has gone from being on the mend to on the move. But for every worker I met who’s gained a little bit of breathing room to seek out a better-paying job, for every entrepreneur who’s gained the confidence to pursue their small-business dreams, I know that families all across America are hurting because of inflation.
I understand what it feels like. I come from a family where when the price of gas or food went up, we felt it. It was a discussion at the kitchen table. I want every American to know that I’m taking inflation very seriously and it’s my top domestic priority. And I’m here today to talk about solutions. And there’s going to be more we’re going to have to talk about as well.But first, I want us to be crystal clear about the problem.
There are two leading causes of inflation we’re seeing today. The first cause of inflation is a once-in-a-century pandemic. Not only did it shut down our global economy, it threw the supply chain and demand completely out of whack, especially in countries where more effective recovery responses weren’t available, especially in those sectors that rely on semiconductors.
These supply challenges have been further hampered by the onset of Delta and Omicron viruses. And you’ve all seen it and you’ve all felt it. And this year we have a second cause — a second cause: Mr. Putin’s war in Ukraine.
You saw — we saw in March that 60% of inflation that month was due to price increases at the pump for gasoline. Putin’s war has raised food prices as well, because Ukraine and Russia are two of the world’s major breadbaskets for wheat and corn are, essentially, completely stalled.
Ukraine has 20 million tons of grain in storage in silos right now. They’re trying to figure out how to get it out of the country to market, which would reduce prices around the world. Normally, we’d have already begun to export them into the market. But it hasn’t because of Putin’s invasion, so we’re working with our European partners to get this food out into the world so that it could help bring down prices. But it’s difficult because, again, of Putin and the Russian invasion of Ukraine. And those two major contributors to inflation are both global in nature.
That’s why we’re seeing historic inflation in countries all over the world.But here’s the good news: Because of the actions we’ve taken, America is in a stronger position to meet this challenge than just about any other country in the world. Some of the roots of the inflation are outside of our control, to state the obvious. But there are things we can do and we can address and we need to do.That starts with the Federal Reserve, which plays a primary role in fighting inflation in our country.I’ve put forward a highly qualified nominees to lead that institution. And I strongly urge the Senate confirm them without delay.
The Fed has dual responsibilities. First is achieving maximum employment, and second is stable prices. And while I’ll never interfere with the Fed’s judgments, decisions, or tell them what they have to do — they’re independent — I believe that inflation is our top economic challenge right now, and I think they do too. We’ve built a strong economy with a strong job market. And I agree with what Chairman Powell said last week that the number-one threat is the strength — and that strength that we built is inflation. So the Fed should do its job and it will do its job, I’m convinced, with that in mind. Now, as I said when I came to what Congress and the President can do to fight inflation, Americans have two potential paths forward.
The first is my plan, the Democratic plan. A plan put forward by congressional Republicans is a second alternative. Here’s how each of us would tackle inflation: My plan is to lower everyday costs for hardworking families and lower the deficit by asking large corporations and the wealthiest Americans to not engage in price gouging and to pay their fair share in taxes.
The Republican plan is to increase taxes on the middle-class families and let billionaires and large companies off the hook as they raise profit and — raise prices and reap profits at record number — record amounts. And it’s really that simple. But let me explain why this choice is so important.
Torres contributed to this report from Miami.
