By KEVIN DERBY Sunshine State News
Rick Scott, Mike Braun
U.S. Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., teamed up with U.S. Sen. Mike Braun, R-Ind., to propose major changes to the federal political system including a line item veto for the president, term limits in Congress and requiring a super-majority in Congress to raise taxes.
Scott and Braun showcased their “Make Washington Work” plan on Tuesday. Besides the amendments, Scott and Braun unveiled a bill to end automatic congressional pay raises.
As he explained why he was championing these proposals, including supporting amending the U.S. Constitution, Scott pointed to his career in the private sector and contrasted with his short tenure on Capitol Hill.
“I spent my entire career in business. I often bought failing companies and turned them around. The U.S. government is like a failing business right now. We need change,” Scott said.
“I’ve been a member of the United States Senate for four months, and it’s as dysfunctional as you think it is – government needs to be completely reinvented,” Scott added. “If you were going to create a federal governmentsystem today, it sure wouldn’t be what we have now. The people of Florida deserve a government that works. Period. My Make Washington Work plan proposes real reforms, including some that I successfully pushed for as governor. It requires a supermajority to raise taxes or fees, establishes term limits for members of Congress and institutes a line-item veto. It would also eliminate automatic pay raises for members of Congress.
“That career politicians’ gravy train needs to come to an end. It’s clear that now more than ever it will be an uphill climb, but I’m committed to fighting for the people of Florida. I won’t back down,” Scott said in conclusion.
“I knew Washington was dysfunctional, gummed up and not moving, but it’s worse than I ever thought. The Make Washington Work plan is a solution that will help unclog the dysfunction in Washington by creating term limits and eliminating automatic pay raises for members of Congress,” Braun said.
Scott and Braun called for amendments so that “two-thirds approval of each house of Congress would be required to impose or raise any tax or fee” and “no member of Congress would be permitted to serve longer than 12 years in either house of Congress (six terms in the House of Representatives, and two terms in the Senate).”
