Fighting for Floridians this week, Marco worked in the Senate toward solutions to our $14 trillion debt crisis and $1.6 trillion budget deficit. Early in the week, he spoke out forcefully against short-term “quick fixes” to the spending bills, and insisted that Congress finally pass a long-term budget plan, something they have refused to do for over a year. See below for more details on these and other issues facing Florida.
Marco Rubio Votes Against The Short-Term Budget Plan
On Thursday, the Senate voted on yet another short-term budget plan to fund the government for another three weeks. But long before Thursday’s vote, Marco came out against this piecemeal approach and insisted that Congress pass a budget for the remainder of the year—something Democrats refused to do when they controlled the House, Senate and White House. Click here to read Marco’s op-ed that ran in RedState, “No More Budget Games.” and see below for Marco’s video response:
Marco’s refusal to be a part of the Senate’s “absurd political theatre” caught the attention of his colleagues and many conservative leaders. On Sean Hannity’s radio show, Marco noted that by skirting our budget and debt issues, we’re hurting our own economy’s recovery and ability to create jobs. Check out the links below for more audio/video clips of Marco this week:
Focus On Cutting Spending…
In a sign of how important the debt crisis is, Marco voted on Monday against proceeding with any legislation that does not seriously address the $14 trillion debt and our government’s over-spending problem. “Until the Senate gets serious about this problem, I will continue standing with my colleagues and blocking any new legislation that fails to directly address this crisis in a meaningful way,” Marco said. Click here to read the full statement.
Keeping with that sentiment, Marco offered two amendments this week aimed at reining in out-of-control Environmental Protection Agency regulations and reducing government spending. Click here for the amendment details, and see below for an excerpt of Marco’s remarks:
“Last year, when they were in charge, the Democrat leadership refused to pass a budget. Now our government is operating on temporary proposals and we face a serious debt crisis. Yet we still have no serious plan from the Senate Democrat leadership. And the President is completely missing in action,” said Senator Rubio. “It is time to stop funding excessive regulations that will put Floridians out of work. And our government needs to stop spending money it does not have.”
Marco & Sen. John McCain Propose The “Debt Buy Down Act”
On Tuesday, Marco, along with Senate colleague John McCain (R-Ariz.), introduced the Debt Buy-Down Act of 2011. This bill would require the IRS to include a check-off box on tax forms that would give taxpayers the opportunity to designate up to 10 percent of their tax liability be used to pay down the debt. The bill doesn’t ask citizens to give up a portion of their return, rather it simply designates a portion of their taxes be used for this specific purpose. This legislation gives you the power to confront the debt crisis yourself—an innovative solution that empowers the taxpayer to deal with issues that Washington politicians won’t address.
In 2010, Marco proposed this very idea in his “12 Simple Ways To Cut Spending In Washington.” Marco is committed to making his “Ideas To Reclaim America” a reality, and this is yet another step in that direction.
Senators Call On President Obama To Demonstrate Leadership
Marco, along with 22 other Republicans on Wednesday, called on President Obama to be more engaged in the major, generational issues being debated in Congress right now. The letter, spearheaded by Sen. Dan Coats (R-Ind.), notes that mandatory spending programs such as Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid are expected to double over the next 10 years. “In order to ensure the long-term viability of these programs, it is imperative that you lead a bipartisan effort to address these challenges,” the Senators wrote to President Obama.
Marco Presses Obama Administration For Libya Stance
During a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing yesterday, Marco questioned William Burns, Under Secretary for Political Affairs at the State Department, about the Administration’s position on the events taking place in Libya. Check out this video of the back-and-forth, and see below for an excerpt of the exchange:
“The United States, quite frankly, looks weak in this endeavor, it looks unwilling to act,” [Rubio] said at the Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing on Thursday, highlighting that Britain, France, the Arab League, and the Libyan opposition are all calling on the United States to support stronger measures to stop Libyan leader Col. Muammar al-Qaddafi’s assault on rebels and civilians.
“The president has specifically said that Qaddafi must go but has done nothing since then except for having general debates about it for a week and a half or two,” Rubio said. “Congressional leadership has strongly called for a no-fly zone and nothing has happened.” |
The Bill that Senator Rubio wants “The Debt Buy Down Act” is the best idea I have heard out of anyone in a long time. I wonder when they will vote on this. Bet the Dems. won’t go for it but they need to. The Debt has to come down and this way the taxpayer would have a say in how their tax dollars are used. Hope it goes through. I’m surprised John McCain helped with drafting the Bill.
Rubio has many great ideas. Now we just need to kick out every Anti-American Liberal socialism-pimp out of our government to restore America to her greatness so we can act on his plans.
The people have awakened. It will take time to resurrect a true Democracy where everyone is treated equally and no groups of people are allowed to suck off the hard working taxpayers while sitting on their asses begging for more handouts. Personal responsibility is makin a comeback baby!
Let Senator Rubio know that I WILL NOT be donating anything to the RNC until the leadership gets a backbone and stands up for MAJOR financial reductions. My MONEY will ONLY go to individual candidates who understand what that last election was about. Many of my republican friends are doing the exact same thing. As a matter of fact my $’s go out of state since GA is Republican where I live.
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From: Senator Marco Rubio
To: XXXXXXXXXXX@AOL.COM
Subject: Republican Victories Depend on You
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Dear Friend,
You and I have an opportunity to write a new chapter in our great American epic together.
The GOP’s big victories last year were a great start! Speaker Boehner and House Republicans have already shown that the Obama Democrats’ politics-as-usual are finished in Washington. The days of 2,000-page bills loaded with pork for leftist special interests being rammed through the legislative process to Barack Obama’s desk for signature are gone.
My Republican colleagues in the House are demanding accountability and transparency.
But we cannot set the agenda — or reverse the damage the socialist Democrats have made — until commonsense conservative Republicans also control the U.S. Senate, and most important of all, we have a Republican President in the White House.
The Republican National Committee is the only campaign organization legally allowed to support our 2012 presidential nominee, and the only GOP committee which helps candidates at all levels — local, state, and national.
Friend, Republican men and women across America are counting on the RNC — and the RNC is counting on you.
Your passion, enthusiasm, and financial support of our Party are more important than ever, and your gift today helps in two ways: by supporting Congressional Republicans as we fight to bring a halt to the radical, runaway agenda of Barack Obama, Harry Reid, and Nancy Pelosi now — and by laying the foundation for their ultimate defeat in November of 2012.
Please help RNC Chairman Reince Priebus and his new team at the RNC provide the volunteer training, polling, advertising, voter registration, and all-important get-out-the-vote effort that will help our Republican candidates win in the 2011 state and 2012 presidential elections.
Friend, we can succeed in returning America to the path our Founding Fathers intended for us. The American people showed their support for sensible, sustainable government policies in our historically sweeping victories last November. Now we must stand together to finish the job.
I urge you to take this opportunity to make a bold stroke for GOP victory with a contribution of $25, $50, $75, or more and help lead the way in the fight to spread our message of less government, more freedom, fewer taxes and greater prosperity for all Americans. Thank you.
Sincerely, Senator Marco Rubio
I have no plans to donate a dime to the RNC. I will back individual candidates that I find palatable and organizations that prove they have America’s best interest at hand. The RNC only wants to elect people with elephants on their shirts, regardless of what that person actually believes.
I agree Rich. Had I given money to the RNC in 2010, at one point it would have went to promote…..Charlie – Rino- Dem Crist! I can’t even imagine if I had given money to Crist through the RNC, how frigging ballistic I would have gone.
I have basically been a proponent of the 2-party system.. until this year. Now I truly believe that we need to create the Teaparty national party tickett. i say this because look at Scott Brown.If we are forced to elect liberal minded RINOS, we have already lost half the battle in Congress before they are even seated..I will get behind any true conservaitive as long as they will shelve the Social Justice/ Welfare Nanny State mentality crap. Look at that vet funding bill that was a de-facto expansion of Obamacare.Instead of defunding it, they expanded the bugger. Government-run animal care? That is what it will turn out to be now that they have their foot in the door.
Big government just got a whole lot bigger and more powerful thanks to the GOP letting it pass the house. WTH was Boehner on that? I think everyone should go to his facebook page and post a million times how we will not tolerate that kind of bill getting out of the house. Slap him silly with this fact.
Honorable Senator Marco Rubio; United States
Senate:
While i am as concerned for seniors as anyone, I also am concerned for Retired Veterans on Disability (VA). I am one of many who share this same concern during this standoff over the budget. What is being done to insure payment of the big three: Social security, Veterans retirement and VA disability? If you could address this issue it would be of great relief to me and many others in my area. This issue is a non-partisan subject and should be addressed as such. If you could reply it will be received with much appreciation.
Yours Truthfully, Walter S. Puette Msgt USAF Retired.
Dear Senator Marco Rubio,
What is it in man or woman that propels them one way or the other? Is it courage, self respect, respect from others? Various options exists but for me, it’s simple, my propulsion fuel is purpose. I am a 25 year old proud American who received a kidney transplant and wrote a novel on dialysis that is about the power of America and the hope that escorts us as her illustrious citizens.
I’ve heard you speak before and I would be very happy to write a 750 word (or more) guest article for your organization newsletter. I could also write guest blog about how as a young man looking for hope I turned to our prodigious history and the founding fathers. I exclusively studied our history with a vigorous appetite for information about men of honor, and it kept me inspired to live on, to keep breathing so that I may accomplish great things for myself and for our nation. Having hope and focusing on the positive through writing about America greatly benefited my recovery before and after my kidney transplant. I could also do a written Q&A interview for you to publish in your newsletter or online.
Please take a look at the link below to see a guest blog I wrote for my publisher’s site along with the University of Michigan where I got the transplant. Once you see it you’ll know it’s a good choice. You’ll get a better look at me through pictures and the encouraging comments fans have wrote so far, it has 562 likes! If you end up reading the book hopefully I can get a short comment or blurb from you saying you liked it.
https://www.americanbookpublishingblog.com/writing-for-survival
I will always stay an ambassador to the two greatest causes of all, the pursuit of the God of heaven and earth and the sculpting of a better America. Thank you for being an authentic representative of our nation’s true beliefs and for supporting America. More and more these days I find myself saying thank God I live a true American as do you, our rank bestowed upon us by the efforts in which we exert ourselves in defending and honoring our home.
May Providence Prevail,
Dominic Matich
Hello,
I am posting this message here, because Senator Rubio does not make his office’s email address public, and when you use the form he publishes to submit comments, he replies to you, but does not give you an email address to reply back to.
I had asked him about his support of the NDAA for 2012 and voiced my concern over provisions to allow detaining Americans suspected of terrorist activities.
He replied : “I believe an act of terror against the United States is an act of war, and I believe those who commit such acts of terror should be treated as enemy combatants not as common criminals. When enemy combatants who wish to harm United States citizens are captured, the rights of these detainees are restricted to basic human rights. ”
I disagree. American citizens are American citizens with the rights of American citizens. You can’t change their rights arbitrarily because of their intent, or “wish,” as you say. A murderer does not get one kind of rights becasue he murdered someone for one reason, but another set of rights becasue he murdered them for another reason. Crime is crime.
War is fought between nations, not between nations and individuals, nor between nations and emotions. You can’t have a war against an emotion – a war on “Terror” makes no more sense than a war on “Anxiety.”
It is already a crime to kill one person, or many, or to plot to kill one person, or many. I prefer a conservative approach and using the laws we ALREADY have.
Thank you