Sen. Marco Rubio speaks during the final day of the Republican National Convention at the Tampa Bay Times Forum on August 30, 2012 in Tampa, Fla.
/ Chip Somodevilla/Getty ImagesMarco Rubio
Marco Rubio's Republican National Convention speech
If you had to pick an early favorite for the 2016 Republican presidential nomination - and we've still got a lot way to go - you very well could go with the first-term Florida senator and former Florida House Speaker. A politically-savvy Tea Party favorite who offered a well-received keynote speech at the Republican National Convention, the Cuban-American Rubio has been cited as the GOP's best chance to connect with the fast-growing Latino voting bloc that broke overwhelmingly against Mitt Romney earlier this month.
Rubio discusses Obama, Romney, Castro & more
Rubio unofficially kicked off the 2016 campaign this past weekend when he traveled to Iowa, the first-in-the-nation caucus state, for a birthday fundraiser for Republican Gov. Terry Branstad. Rubio has been circulating a draft immigration reform bill that party leaders hope will help bring Latinos and young voters into the GOP fold without alienating the party's older, rural, white voter base. For the most part, however, Rubio argues that the GOP can win without altering its basic positions: He echoes Romney's support for lower taxes and reduced regulations but says that the GOP outlook can be articulated in a way that better connects with minority groups and the middle class.
Rubio's political savvy can be seen in a response he gave to GQ when asked the age of the Earth. "I'm not a scientist, man," he responded, before going on to say that "there are multiple theories out there on how the universe was created and I think this is a country where people should have the opportunity to teach them all. I think parents should be able to teach their kids what their faith says, what science says." It was an answer that left the door open to the creationist beliefs of many highly-religious voters without completely alienating those who ground their views in science.
For more, click the "next" button above.
"THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES" MR. OBAMA.. IS AMERICA'S LEADER HE WAS ELECTED BY AMERICA TO LEAD OUR NATION. "SO LET HIM LEAD" "SUPPORT THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES"
"THIS IS WHY "WE THE PEOPLE PUT HIM IN OFFICE" SO FOCUS ON THE BALL ONLY, COMPROMISE WITH THE PRESIDENT AT ALL TIMES & WORK WITH HIM..THIS IS YOUR JOB..YOUR JOB IS NOT TO WORRY ABOUT WHAT YOUR PARTY THINKS ABOUT YOU ! !
" AND IT CERTAINLY IS NOT PRODUCTIVE TO ANY PARTY OR AMERICA TO HURT AMERICA BY NOT WORKING WITH AMERICA'S LEADER THAT "WE THE PEOPLE VOTED FOR TO LEAD OUR COUNTRY"
(One of you may be walking in his shoes someday and you will remember this message)
If the republicans want votes, stop catering to the rich and corporations. Make them pay their fair share of taxes. Stop your assault on women's rights. Work for the people who put you in office, not the lobbyist, rich and corporations that are trying to fill you pockets with money so you will do their bidding. Work with the other party to fix what Bush screwed up.
Start doing this and maybe you might get some votes, don't and maybe next election, you may not have a job.
Remember Akin, Mourdock, Rivard, Walsh, Smith and Koster? All republicans that made statements against women's rights and abortion. All were defeated, kicked out of their government jobs by THE PEOPLE.
That should be a wakeup call for republicans.
The latest recession was in housing because both Rep and Dem voted to give Fannie and Freddie unlimited reign in making home loans. Banks were punished for NOT making loans that were deemed losers. The government said the government would back those loans. When the loans started going bust (proving the original bankers position of bad loans) the economy tanked. This government policy caused the banking and investment industry to hide high risk loans and spread them (something the government knew the entire time and was OK with because it furthered their cause of universal home ownership). When the loans went bad, the economy tanked and some how the government program was not held accountable. Why?
Bush didn't cause the recession, the housing bust came from Freddie and Fannie and the government forcing bad loans.
When they're questioned by reporters they should learn to take their time and think about their answers and only answer the questions they are asked and answer with intelligence and think about the repercussions of the answer they're about to give!
If the republicans want votes, stop catering to the rich and corporations. Make them pay their fair share of taxes. Stop your assault on women's rights. Work for the people who put you in office, not the lobbyist, rich and corporations that are trying to fill you pockets with money so you will do their bidding. Work with the other party to fix what Bush screwed up.
Start doing this and maybe you might get some votes, don't and maybe next election, you may not have a job.
Remember Akin, Mourdock, Rivard, Walsh, Smith and Koster? All republicans that made statements against women's rights and abortion. All were defeated, kicked out of their government jobs by THE PEOPLE.
That should be a wakeup call for republicans.
What I would like to bring to light is the fact that the majority of Americans do not support a person or party imposing their belief of morality or spirituality upon other people. The issue of gay marriage is exactly this argument. Gay marriage is about FREEDOM, Liberty and the pursuit of happiness for the citizens fighting for the right and pursuing the matter. It is NOT the business of the religious to prevent these CIVIL RIGHTS of others, including their grown sons and daughters. Not their business! NO BUSINESS whatsoever prying into private lives of private citizens! NONE!!
If the GOP can come to terms with this basic truth, I'm willing to hear the remainder of their arguments. Raise your family according to your own beliefs and stay the hell out of mine!!
What I don't hear from 'FREEDOM, Liberty and pursuit of happiness' Democrats is the answer of the following contradiction. How am I free to pursue my own happiness when all of my property belongs to the collective? I enjoy sailing for instance. However the government thinks that my property should be taxed heavily and annually because it is a sign that I am 'rich' so the ability for me to continue to own a boat is in question. The boat makes me happy. It is mine, I paid for it, so why do my rights to happiness get crushed by 'freedom loving Democrats'? I see no difference in oppressing people's right to enter into physical relationships and taking their property to support the 'common good'. If property ownership isn't an individual right, then how can you pursue any happiness that involves enjoying property (boats, planes, cars, homes, vacations, etc...)
So, I agree with Democrats defending individual rights to voluntary romantic relationships but they need to fix the contradiction of denying individual rights to the fruits of their labor.
linkicon reporticon emailicon
They couldn't even win even with all those Republicon governors doing voter suppression and disenfranchisement. And with KKKarl Rove's group doing election fraud.
Without all that right wing fraud Obama would likely have won by at least 10 million votes.
-------------------------------------------------------------
You are such an idiot. You really are. GET OVER YOURSELF. Gee, you really are uneducated