I've watched this happen before: a Miami-Dade elected official with aspirations to national office loses his way because he is not properly prepared to form his own judgments and succumbs instead to the narrow, parochial world view formed in West Miami.
That described Alex Penelas, who could have been a contender, and it also describes Marco Rubio and his position on gun control measures advocated yesterday by President Obama.
On the clear need to inhibit the proliferation of semi-automatic weapons in the wake of multiple mass shooting tragedies that have gripped the national psyche, President Obama is showing the leadership qualities that garnered him two victories to be president.
On the other hand, Marco Rubio -- in attempting to focus public attention on the national psyche -- is forcing a narrow, paternalistic Republican vision forward. It is the same vision that largely defined his mentor, Jeb! Bush, whose accomplishments for governor had to be continuously burnished through a highly sophisticated cadre of message makers and media spinners.
The same talent is at work with the NRA and its mouthpieces like Rubio, who talk as though they are reclaiming some sort of moral high ground while simultaneously doing the business of the base of powerful, wealthy interests who spent and lost hundreds of millions in the last presidential election.
Floridians should be especially critical of Rubio.
When quoted by the national press, Rubio sounds like a candidate reciting from the playbook that lost the last election. Like Penelas, who was once a Democrat with a future, Rubio is too pliant and risks being overtaken by facts.
The facts are on the side of controlling the proliferation of semi automatic weapons, bullets, and strengthening help for the mentally ill in the United States. President Obama is right: ordinary citizens need to take the time out of their daily lives to push back against Congress and the entrenched forces that will exploit guns to butter their own toasts.
Tell Marco Rubio to stop the politicking and support the President.
That described Alex Penelas, who could have been a contender, and it also describes Marco Rubio and his position on gun control measures advocated yesterday by President Obama.
On the clear need to inhibit the proliferation of semi-automatic weapons in the wake of multiple mass shooting tragedies that have gripped the national psyche, President Obama is showing the leadership qualities that garnered him two victories to be president.
On the other hand, Marco Rubio -- in attempting to focus public attention on the national psyche -- is forcing a narrow, paternalistic Republican vision forward. It is the same vision that largely defined his mentor, Jeb! Bush, whose accomplishments for governor had to be continuously burnished through a highly sophisticated cadre of message makers and media spinners.
The same talent is at work with the NRA and its mouthpieces like Rubio, who talk as though they are reclaiming some sort of moral high ground while simultaneously doing the business of the base of powerful, wealthy interests who spent and lost hundreds of millions in the last presidential election.
Floridians should be especially critical of Rubio.
When quoted by the national press, Rubio sounds like a candidate reciting from the playbook that lost the last election. Like Penelas, who was once a Democrat with a future, Rubio is too pliant and risks being overtaken by facts.
The facts are on the side of controlling the proliferation of semi automatic weapons, bullets, and strengthening help for the mentally ill in the United States. President Obama is right: ordinary citizens need to take the time out of their daily lives to push back against Congress and the entrenched forces that will exploit guns to butter their own toasts.
Tell Marco Rubio to stop the politicking and support the President.
7 comments:
The curse of Alex Penelas. We will be seeing more them in Miami. Let's hope it takes Marco Rubiio down a few pegs, where he belongs. Anyone can recite talking points. He just does them more eloquently: He adds some of his own words.
Marco is very bad. He is a follower of the tea party and you speak to nicely about him. He has nothing to speak well of him. No one should vote for him when he next runs. He is even worse than our Governor. I am being nice here so I do not excite comment moderation.
I don't know that we have ever been fans of Rubio. Read our Archives on him (over 100 posts, I would guess 100% negative).(http://eyeonmiami.blogspot.com/search/label/rubio?updated-max=2010-04-22T03:17:00-04:00&max-results=20&start=40&by-date=false&m=1).
In fact, I invented the Stop-o-Marco, Rubio Sucks campaign.
NO FAN OF MARCO
But everyone pushing for more gun control is looking for something that does exist as a matter of fact those pushing against gun control are looking for the same thing.
SECURITY
NO ONE not OBAMA or MARCO can give you security only the short lived illusion of it.
Rule #1 in understanding Rubio: Rubio has a constituency of one...himself...his political future. So the question is, what is the long term pay off for this position...which I am sure is savvy when put into the long term self-aggrandizement calculus? Is NRA going to give him 'that much money'? What is the quid pro quo with other politicians for carrying this controversial message and providing them cover? I guarantee Rubio has a well considered pay off for this position. He is incapable of taking a position based on principle, since all decisions come back to Rule #1.
Rubio forcefully supports the Second Amendment. Good for him. That's not going to hurt him now or later. I did think he pushed back harder than necessary on the President's executive actions, more on style than substance, but that can be calculated to show a "line in the sand" that other gun controllers should not cross.
I'd like to know who anointed Marco Rubio, a mediocre state legislator from Miami, who never accomplished much in Tallahassee other than defaulting on his mortgage, the next President of the US.
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