Marco Rubio (second from left) is joined by other Republican officials. From the left are Dennis Baxley, leader of the Christian Coalition of Florida, Rubio, Michelle Finnen, chairwoman of the Levy County Republican Executive Committee, State Sen. Steve Olerich, State Committeewoman Edith McCrimmon and State Committeeman Charles (C.W.) Gilbert.Story and photo by Levy County Journal Terry WittStaff Writer
Former Florida House Speaker Marco Rubio, 37, now exploring a run for the U.S. Senate, told local Republicans Friday the country needs to return to its founding principles that encourage self-reliance rather than dependence on expanded government programs..
Rubio was critical of President Barack Obama’s economic stimulus package because he said the country cannot spend itself out of debt, and he said the package also promotes an expanded role of government in the country.
"I think the government policies that are being pursued now are not what Americans expected or wanted," Rubio said. "They didn’t vote for raising the debt. They didn’t vote for higher taxes or giving government a greater role."
He said a small Laundromat in a small town like Chiefland can’t access the money from Obama’s stimulus plan because the small business owners don’t have the lawyers to lobby for them like the big corporations.
Rubio said he would prefer to live in a country where someone can start a business and make it grow by their own efforts.
"I want to live in a country where a guy can start a small store in a town like Chiefland and put a Wal-Mart out of business," he said.
He expects a great "awakening" in 2010 when he believes people will realize the country is headed in the wrong direction and demand change.
Rubio, a Miami lawyer who specializes in real estate and land use, spoke at the annual Lincoln Reagan Memorial Dinner in Chiefland. He speaks fluent Spanish. He confirmed this by talking to a Spanish speaking couple for several minutes after the dinner.
He said his parents were among the two million Cubans who left their homeland to escape Fidel Castro’s socialism. He said his life as a first generation American demonstrates what self-reliance, hard work and taking advantage of opportunities in the United States can achieve.
Other countries have freedoms and a Democratic form of government, Rubio said, but America is the land of where everyone has the potential to access economic success. This is known worldwide. He said you don’t see boatloads of Americans traveling to Venezuela or thousands of Americans crowding the Mexican border to enter that country.
Rubio left the Florida House due to term limits and is campaigning for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Mel Martinez. He said he has raised a little money and is continuing to travel the state.
If Gov. Charlie Crist runs for the U.S. Senate instead seeking re-election as governor, Rubio said he would re-evaluate his situation and determine where he goes from there. For now, he said he views the U.S. Senate seat as an opportunity.
After his speech to the Republicans, Rubio, in light of his criticism of Obama’s stimulus package, was asked how he would address the downturn in the national economy. He responded that he believes a 21st Century educational system is needed to give young people the tools they need to compete for good jobs.
He believes green technologies and energy efficiency and diversity will generate many new jobs in the years to come, and he said reforming the federal tax code would be helpful. He would support the "fair tax" that would repeal the federal income tax and abolish the Internal Revenue Service. If that were too radical, Rubio said he could support a flat tax that would eliminate the complicated tax system that now exists.
"And we need to stop spending money we don’t have. That’s what got us into it," he said.
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