Florida senator retaliates after NAACP issue travel warning
On May 23, Florida's Republican Senator Rick Scott issued a press release, containing a so-called 'travel advisory' to socialists intending to visit the Sunshine State. His message was perhaps timed in response to a similar travel advisory that had been issued by the civil rights group - the NAACP - who just days before had warned that Florida wasn't safe for people of color.
In his press release, Scott made his views on socialism and prospective socialist visitors, quite clear:
"Florida is openly hostile toward Socialists, Communists, and those that enable them. Before traveling to Florida, please understand that the state of Florida devalues and marginalizes the contributions of, and the challenges faced by Socialists and others who work in the Biden Administration."
A distraction tactic?
His comments were an another blatant attack on Democratic President Joe Biden - who has often incurred the wrath of Senator Scott. In September of last year, for example, Scott called Biden a "raving lunatic" after comments the president made in what has become known as his 'soul of the nation' address.
In his press release and the apparent 'travel advisory', Scott continued, sharing his reasons for warning communists against traveling to Florida:
"...any attempts to spread the oppression and poverty that Socialism always brings will be rebuffed by the people of Florida. Travelers should be aware that attempts to spread Socialism in north Florida will fail and be met with laughter and mockery,"
There's a sense in his words that the point is as much to offer a retort to the statement from the NAACP as it is to genuinely ward-off socialists or those who believe in the ideals of socialism from traveling to the state.
Whether it will achieve anything remains to be seen.
Repeated calls for Biden's resignation
Scott is certainly not a big fan of President Biden. When U.S. inflation blew past 9% this summer, Scott followed the lead of Florida's Governor Ron DeSantis and placed the blame firmly with the Biden administration. His message to the president was plain and simple:
"Wake up or resign."
This wasn't even the first time that Scott had called for Biden's resignation, after making repeated assertions that he is unwell, unable to serve and that he shouldn't be leading the country.
Biden meanwhile has been confronted with the suggestion from Scott, and has so far merely laughed it off. Biden's response:
"I think the man has a problem."
Scott focused on protecting Florida?
Some Republicans may argue however that Scott is simply protective of Florida and doesn't want its freedoms, or capitalism to be eroded or threatened.
In April for example, he introduced legislation that he'd teased would be coming in the wake of the many mass-shootings witnessed across the U.S. this year, with the unveiling of the "School Guardian Act of 2023".
Scott's bill seeks to reallocate money that House Republicans prevented from being used to recruit a further 87,000 IRS agents to investigate tax fraud by the nation's wealthiest, and instead will provide grants to schools allowing them to recruit armed security guards. Scott has introduced the bill as a means of tackling the rise in violent and deadly shootings witnessed in 2023.
Whether his travel advisory will have any effect other than to make a point, remains to be seen.
Do you think that Senator Rick Scott should be focused on other threats facing Florida than the supposed risk of communism? Let me know your thoughts in the comments section below.
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