Washington DC — Earlier this week, Koch-funded LIBRE Initiative launched English and Spanish language TV ads to help boost Sen. Marco Rubio’s re-election bid in Florida. The ads tout Rubio as someone who ‘stands up for “hardworking Floridians.’
But in May 2014, Marco Rubio told ABC News: “You don’t run for president with some eject button in the cockpit that allows you to go on an exit ramp if it doesn’t work out.” Turns out Marco is taking the exit ramp with help from the LIBRE Initiative.
Below is a statement from César J. Blanco, interim director of Latino Victory Fund:
“Marco Rubio is an opportunistic politician who adopts whatever positions are politically convenient at the time. He has the worst attendance record in the Senate, and when he actually showed up, it was to cast votes in favor of his extremist views. He voted against the Violence Against Women Act and the Paycheck Fairness Act. He opposes a women’s right to choose even in cases of rape, incest, or Zika, and is a proven flip flopper on immigration. He also opposed bankruptcy for Puerto Rico and is a know climate change denier. Shame on LIBRE for playing politics and not looking out for the best interest of Floridians or the Latino community.”
A columnist for the Tampa Bay Times once described Rubio as someone “who has spent more time in office writing self-promotional books than sponsoring legislation.” Here’s a look at what he did when he actually showed up:
- Rubio introduced a regressive tax planthat would give the top one percent of earners tax cuts that were more than 103 times larger than the poorest 20 percent of workers.
- Rubio voted against the Paycheck Fairness Act and called legislation requiring equal pay for equal work a “waste of time.”
- Rubio voted against the Violence Against Women Act.
- Rubio opposes a women’s right to choose, even in cases of rape or incest.
- Rubio supports defunding Planned Parenthood.
- Rubio supports discriminatory RFRA laws that allow businesses to refuse to serve LGBT people.
- Rubio voted to cut Pell grants.
- Rubio saidSocial Security and Medicare “weakened us as a people,” wants to raise the retirement age and partially privatize Medicare.
- Rubio opposes President Obama’s immigration relief programs for families (DACA and DAPA.)
- Rubio opposed bankruptcy for Puerto Rico.
- Rubio denies the science behind human-caused climate change.
Here are 9 times Senator Marco Rubio described how much he dislikes being a Senator:
“You know, public service is what I do. It isn’t who I am.”
“I worked in the Senate for four years, but I’m not a product — I’m not of the Senate. I work in the Senate.”
“We’re not going to fix America with senators and congressmen.”
“I went to the U.S. Senate because I didn’t like the direction of this country and I didn’t think either party was doing a good job in that regard,” he continued. “And that’s the same reason why I’m not running for re-election.”
“I’m not running for re-election, and I’m running for president because I know this: unless we have the right president, we cannot make America fulfill its potential, but with the right person in office, the 21st century can be the greatest era that our nation has ever known.”
“If I decide the best place for me to serve America is to run for president, that’s what I’m going to do,” he told South Florida’s Sun-Sentinel in February 2015.
“And I’m not going to have an exit strategy premised on the idea that I’m going to pivot back to a Senate race. We have quality candidates in the state on the Republican side who could run and make great senators.”
h/t CNN Politics: http://cnn.it/28QFHC8
