🧵 1. McConnell’s attacks on Donald Trump & Rick Scott are indefensible
Those running for Senate GOP leadership posts need to weigh in on this & commit never to sabotage Republican candidates & colleagues—particularly those who are less than two weeks away from a close election
2. We must have clarity from the candidates running to replace McConnell on where they stand on these attacks. They must be clear on how they plan to lead the conference, and on the role of its members
3. The Senate Republican leader is supposed to help Republicans, not undermine them
Sadly, we’ve had too much of the latter
That must end now
4. Remember: McConnell’s superpac has withheld campaign support from Ted Cruz and Rick Scott this election season, an incomprehensible move for a Senate GOP “strong leader” who wants to keep Texas and Florida and gain a majority in the Senate
🧵 1. Progressives love to say “let’s keep politics out of this”
What they really mean is “let’s make sure the people have no say in this”
2. Progressives propose insulating key decisions from politics when they want government “experts” to make decisions that are beyond the power of the people to oversee, or even impact
3. This approach creates a degree of un-reviewable tyranny that would make King George III green with envy
🧵1. Tonight I hosted & moderated a forum for GOP senators, giving my colleagues a chance to hear from each of the three candidates running to replace McConnell. After hearing from each candidate, I’ve decided to support Rick Scott. Here are my takeaways:
2. As I’ve been saying for months, the Senate is supposed to be “the world’s greatest deliberative body,” but it has ceased to function as such in recent years, as majority leaders from both political parties have consolidated power at the expense of nearly every other senator.
3. Senators are supposed to have ample opportunity to debate, discuss, and amend important legislation, and the Senate rules offer important procedural protections to ensure such outcomes. Those rules have been short-circuited by leaders of both parties, empowering what I sometimes describe (in the current configuration of Congress) as “The Law Firm of Schumer, McConnell, Johnson, & Jeffries,” or simply “The Firm.”
🧵 1. Have you ever wondered why reporters don’t seem to hesitate to say and repeat things about Donald Trump that simply aren’t true—as if they have no fear of defamation liability?
2. This sort of thing happens because the Supreme Court, about 60 years ago, invented a First Amendment doctrine that protects the media from defamation liability, at least in lawsuits brought by public figure
3. If you’re wondering which words in the First Amendment tell reporters they are free to defame activists, politicians, and other public figures without fear of getting sued, you’re on the right track
🧵 1. Are you okay with the fact that most new federal laws—roughly 100,000 pages per year—are written by bureaucrats who will never stand for election?
2. Does it bother you that these federal laws—not enacted by Congress but rather “promulgated” as “rules and regulations” by unelected bureaucrats—cost the American people trillions of dollars each year by increasing the price of basically everything they buy?
3. Would you support a simple, legislative solution—known as the REINS Act—that would require Congress to enact federal regulations *before* they could lawfully be enforced against the American people?
🧵1. In an op-ed published today by Fox News, I make the case that the Senate Republican Conference will be made stronger, not weaker, by empowering each senator.
2. When we as Senate Republicans elect new leadership on November 13th, we need to be laser-focused on how best to pursue a bold, conservative legislative agenda—one designed to reform a government that has become far too big, expensive, intrusive, & detached from the people.
3. When Trump wins, Senate Republicans will have a short window in which to bring about meaningful, lasting change. We don’t have time for Senate Republican infighting. We need to use an orderly, established process to resolve our differences.