These are busy days for U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio.
Just in the last week, the Florida Republican has been hounded by questions about his potential vice presidential candidacy, watched his immigration reform efforts detonate because of a presidential order, and flooded the media with interviews about his new memoir, "An American Son," released last Tuesday.
Rubio spoke with the Daily News about his book, which he'll be signing at noon on July 1 at Costco, 6725 Naples Boulevard.
At times, the book is an homage to family, a self-help guide for busy parents and an against-all-odds story of political accomplishment. Rubio recounts a few moments of levity — he once vomited in front of a sitting congresswoman, former Gov. Charlie Crist reeked of Red Bull during a debate — but the book largely steers clear of salaciousness.
Instead, the 41-year-old Cuban-American sticks to his family story and documents his political ascension, paying tribute to those who helped along the way.
Q: You've repeatedly said you won't be discussing the vice presidency selection process, but did it matter to you that Gov. (Mitt) Romney came out and adamantly refuted the report that you weren't being vetted for the position.
A: I'm still not going to be discussing the process. What I'm confident of is that Mitt Romney is going to make a great choice, but I want to be respectful of the process that his team is conducting, and that's why I've just decided a couple months ago not to talk about it anymore.
Q: Why did you choose to focus a large part of the book on the 2010 U.S. Senate campaign?
A: It's hard to tell the book and not talk about the campaign because of the lessons I learned in the campaign. It was through the campaign that I went through that adversity and self-doubt and wondered if I was in the right race or should get out altogether. Quite frankly, I found strength in both my parents' journey and also in my wife and my family's support.
Q: You write that Ronald Reagan's election and your grandfather's allegiance to him were defining influences on you politically. Yet last week, a prominent supporter of yours, (former Gov.) Jeb Bush, said his father and Reagan would have a hard time in this current Republican party because it's less likely to find common ground with Democrats. Do you agree with that sentiment?
A: Well, I think Reagan lived in a very different time and he confronted a very different Democratic party. The Democratic party has drifted much further to the left since that time. Even during the '90s, Bill Clinton was much more centrist than Barack Obama's administration is. … Look, I don't think Republicans are blameless by any means. I think Republicans are guilty of harsh rhetoric from time to time, and certainly many Republicans are guilty of being for politics instead of solutions. I think the Democrats are too.
Q: There's only one mention in the book of Rep. Connie Mack, and it's actually a note mentioning that Mack's family is close with Crist. How would you characterize your relationship with Rep. Mack, and what role do you expect to play in his U.S. Senate campaign coming up, assuming he's facing Sen. (Bill) Nelson?
A: I think we know each other fairly well. We've worked together on some issues here in Washington as well. I'm going to support the Republican nominee. My understanding is there is still a primary there in Florida, and obviously when that is done, I look forward to endorsing and supporting our nominee.
Q: What happens next (in the immigration debate)? Where does it go from here?
A: I don't know the answer to that. It's obviously not only up to me.
Part of it is that we're confronting so many important issues in this country, and one of the questions I would get all the time is, 'Why do we need to move on this issue now? What about the other issues? Why is this one more important?' … Part of it is that (Obama's order providing relief from deportation for young illegal immigrants) injected a partisan, political, election-year narrative into the equation. That just makes it harder to come to an agreement. People go into their corners.
We worked very hard over the last three months to try to overcome that, engaging multiple stakeholders, and I think a lot of that is undone by this. I guess it's a brilliant political move in the eyes of some, but I think long-term, it's very hurtful to these kids and their efforts."
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Comments » 21
KlausStoertebeker writes:
"Look, I don't think Republicans are blameless by any means. I think Republicans are guilty of harsh rhetoric from time to time, and certainly many Republicans are guilty of being for politics instead of solutions."
How right this guy is. Republicans are not electable in this year. To many yesterday people with no solutions and visions at all. Marco Island is the best example what happened, if Republicans have the political power and nobody can stop them. Before them Marco Island has money, was not divided and close to a paradise! After they take power Marco Island has debts, is divided and a resort destination.
Over $ 300 000 000 on debts! Republicans can not manage money. Like Florida's son Marco Rubio stated. I am agree with him.
Ruger writes:
In reality .... democrats are even worse at balancing budgets KS, especially the progressive liberals. Yes the "liberal Republicans" are almost as bad, but only the conservative Republicans are pushing for Austerity measures (like Germany has used) that we need now. How do you feel about the demonetization from the democrats when such measure have come to the table? Our VP called them terrorists for wanting to get spending under control.
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/...
This is the type of politics we are dealing with here in America, if you think Obama has the solution just take a look at the budget he proposed. It was so bad that democrats wouldn't vote for it..
http://thehill.com/blogs/floor-action...
Senate rejects Obama budget in 99-0 vote
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001...
Obama proceeded to pass his own $830 billion stimulus, auto bailouts, mortgage relief plans, the Dodd-Frank financial reforms and the $1.7 trillion ObamaCare entitlement (which isn't even accounted for in the chart). While spending did come down in 2010, it wasn't the result of spending cuts but rather because TARP loans began to be repaid, and that cash was counted against spending.
KlausStoertebeker writes:
The only demonetization of politics I realized in the last 16 years coming from the Republicans and the former President W. Bush.
Remember "Weapons of mass destruction" in Iraq he still looking for. Costs America a useless war with thousand of casualties and trillions of $$$. I feel sorry for every lost American soul. Sacrificed for nothing. What do you guess is for America more healthy? A useless war or a stimulus package to force the American economy. America over extended his lifestyle on credit and tax reductions under Bush to long. Great President Barack Obama has to face the disastrous Bush politics and has to pay the bill. Unfortunately to many Americans too. This people living on the edge of or in dire poverty. You like to blame people they have nothing to do with the present situation. But you like to use the new bridge built with Obamacare proudly.
Americas problems are build on bad politics. The solution is never the balance of some budget. By the way, the last President has an even budget was the great President William Jefferson Clinton, a democrat.
No - the American solution is in produce more and better products than the rest of the world, be productive, stronger motivated to work and put the lazy attitude in the garbage.
Try to go the German way. Strong hardworking people with a goal to b the best in modern products and productivity.
That maybe is Americans solution. The good numbers coming by themselves.
WhiskeyTangoFoxtrot writes:
It isn't that Republicans can't manage money. Government can't manage money. The entire Western world has has lived a credit fueled bubble that is about to pop. The "hard working" Germans are backed into a corner. Support the EU sovereigns and their banks or BOOM! The choice Merkel makes will be interesting. There are actually German corporate bonds coming to market with secondary currency guarantees. Guaranteed in DM if the Euro is no longer used as the primary currency in Germany.
The $830 billion was actually shoved down Bush's throat by Turbotax Timmy and Hank Paulson claiming that the world would end if they didn't save the banks. Since then Obama has pumped trillions into these institutions. Romney will continue to do the same. So will Obama. When you can sell unlimited amounts of treasuries (debt) to your new best friend the Federal Reserve why talk about austerity or making budget cuts? Why even bother with a budget? Oh wait, we don't have a budget and haven't had one in years!
The market will see this for what it is as they did in Greece and now Spain and Italy. When the market does and yields rise to 6% or 7% as they have been in Spain and Italy (Italy is the 3rd most indebted country in the world) it's game over here in the U.S.
We need people in D.C. that understand this. I don't care what side of the political spectrum they are on.
KlausStoertebeker writes:
Quiet frankly! Do you understand what you wrote? All what you did was nothing else than the try to describe the present situation. More wrong than right. But - if I give you credit, what I will not do, what is your solution?
"We need people in D.C. that understand this. I don't care what side of the political spectrum they are on."
Maybe right. But where will you found them? Where will you get them? Your egg of the Columbus is so stupid weak. I have no words for that.
What we need in America is hardworking people, don't blame somebody else for this disaster in America and not the horse featherser like you
"We need people in D.C. that understand this. I don't care what side of the political spectrum they are on."
Be god and create them or be quid.
Ruger writes:
But Iraq? Really??
How could you not know that Bush inherited that war?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bombing_...(December_1998)
Bombing of Iraq (December 1998)...
Former U.S. Army intelligence analyst William Arkin contended in his Washington Post column January, 1999 that the operation had less to do with WMD and more to do with destabilizing the Iraqi government....
The four-day bombing campaign occurred at the same time the U.S. House of Representatives was conducting the impeachment hearing of President Clinton.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_N...
United Nations Security Council Resolution 1441 is a United Nations Security Council resolution adopted unanimously by the United Nations Security Council on 8 November 2002, offering Iraq under Saddam Hussein "a final opportunity to comply with its disarmament obligations"
KlausStoertebeker writes:
You do the same like German neo nazis do with the holocaust: History forgery!
The war of George Bush SR was sanctified by the UN. The biggest mistake of Bush SR was to stop General Schwarzkopf 3 days before he finished up.
The W. Bush war against Iraq was just an American war with some Allies. Useless. Cost America trillions of $$$ and to many casualties.
That is the true history.
1Paradiselost writes:
Did the Democratic party move to far to the left? Or did the Republican party move to far to the right?
Without any type of compromise between parties this county is about to head off the cliff.
Expect to see riots in the streets in a city near you! The people in this county will only take so much.
Our county has lost it's compassion & caring for it's people. Instead you see more of the "I got mine, you get yours" attitude.
No mater which party you support we need to look at history to find the answers needed to resolve the issues at hand.
We need to work together or we will fail as a people, and more importantly as a country.
WhiskeyTangoFoxtrot writes:
Yes Klaus, I did describe the present situation. Is it not relevant? There is nothing wrong with my description of the situation. There are many hardworking people in America. I blame nobody but the people that allowed the Government to get out of control creating a socialist like country. I think it was only a few months ago you said the EU would never break up? That it was great? Ask the people in Greece how great the EU is today. Or Spain or Italy for that matter. I guarantee the EU won't exist in it's current form in 1 year or less.
There are people out there that understand these issues. http://frettsforcongress.com/ I'm not saying all his answers are perfect, but at least they begin putting us on the right track. Unfortunately the largest portion of the voting public believe the fantasy of Democrat vs Republican.
As 1Paradiselost wrote in government there is no compromise. I'll add that nothing gets done but a bunch of pandering and false promises to constituents to get re-elected or elected. Expect the lies and the rhetoric to increase after the elections as the fiscal cliff talk turns to reality.
$16, $17, $19Trillion here we come. Maybe we should just raise the debt ceiling to $50Trillion and call it a day? Then we will never have to cut anything. Health care and welfare for everyone. The government can employ everyone that wants to work a little. Who needs hard working people? Isn't that what the great Obama stands for? I think I've seen this movie before? I think it was called....Greece!
Looking back to history we may find some ways avoid repeating the mistakes of the past. Those mistakes, the ones that led to not so nice entries in the history books, are rapidly appearing again on the horizon. No one in DC even sees it coming, maybe they do? I don't think they care.
Oh yeah, I don't know what "your egg of the Columbus" means. And what is a "horse featherser"?
KlausStoertebeker writes:
WTF - I like that you have an opinion and can phrase that. 95% f the hard(?) working Americans can't do so. However - you need some tutoring:
Your first these:
"I blame nobody but the people that allowed the Government to get out of control creating a socialist like country."
America a socialist country? Socialism of the 21st century is a political term and a slogan. It was used by Hugo Chávez during a speech at the World Social Forum of 2005 and it has been publicized worldwide since 2000, especially in Latin America. According to this, neither “industrial capitalism” nor “real socialism” have managed “to solve the urgent problems of humanity, like poverty, hunger, exploitation, economic oppression, sexism, racism, the destruction of natural resources, and the absence of a really participative democracy.
When you are agree with that, you are right. America is a socialistic country. Maybe America merged with Venezuela.
Your second these:
"Ask the people in Greece how great the EU is today. Or Spain or Italy for that matter. I guarantee the EU won't exist in it's current form in 1 year or less."
I guess the people in Greece, Spain and Italy are happy that they are member of the European Euro zone. Otherwise they will be rated bankruptcy. I bet you 10 beers that in one year The European Community will still exist in the present form. No doubt about that. It is even in the strongest interest of America that their will be no change. America banks are the biggest foreign lender in Europe. If the EU will not be anymore America is bankrupt.
Your third these:
"Unfortunately the largest portion of the voting public believe the fantasy of Democrat vs Republican."
Democracy is terrible and the majority of Americas voters are stupid. That is what you stated.
The majority of Americans voted for the right guy 4 years ago. Great President Barack Obama made a great job. He will continue his successful politic for the next 4 years. I bet you another beer.
Your fourth these:
"$16, $17, $19Trillion here we come. Maybe we should just raise the debt ceiling to $50Trillion and call it a day? Then we will never have to cut anything. Health care and welfare for everyone. The government can employ everyone that wants to work a little. Who needs hard working people? Isn't that what the great Obama stands for? I think I've seen this movie before? I think it was called....Greece!"
I am 100% agree with you.
Your fifth these:
"Looking back to history we may find some ways avoid repeating the mistakes of the past. Those mistakes, the ones that led to not so nice entries in the history books, are rapidly appearing again on the horizon. No one in DC even sees it coming, maybe they do? I don't think they care."
Even here I am 100% agree. That is the major reason WHY Romney can not win the 2012 election. That is the person you addressed.
KlausStoertebeker writes:
PS:
An egg of Columbus or Columbus's egg refers to a brilliant idea or discovery that seems simple or easy after the fact. The expression refers to a popular story of how Christopher Columbus, having been told that discovering the Americas was no great accomplishment, challenged his critics to make an egg stand on its tip. After his challengers gave up, Columbus did it himself by tapping the egg on the table so as to flatten its tip.
horse featherser? Did I wrote that?
WhiskeyTangoFoxtrot writes:
Klaus,
On Socialism-
I did not mean socialism to the exact definition. But basically the words above do sum up American government today.
On the EU-
This is a bet I will take! Yes the Euro going down will send deflationary pressures around the globe. That's where helicopter Ben begins dropping money from the sky! More likely the money will end up in EU banks. Somebody better tell Merkel that the world will end if she continues to say Nein! The Germans better open up the check book quick. The ECB continues to reduce collateral standards for what they will accept from EU banks for short term funding. That game is almost over.
What you and many others don't understand is that home prices, cars, healthcare, education, energy, nearly everything has increased in price out pacing inflation and actual need over the last 30 years. Credit creation has allowed demand to be pulled forward. Now, Europe and the US with others have reached a point of debt saturation. Nations, people, business, city, state, and local governments are buried in debt. Stockton CA ring a bell? Durable goods and service sector prices must contract to a point where the demand comes from real capital formation (savings) and can clear the market. Especially in home prices. The Government through Ally bank (Formerly GM Rescap) is lending money to nearly anyone that wants to buy a new car. FHA, 3.5% down ring any bells? The ECB, Federal Reserve, Japan central bank, etc are all desperately trying to prevent deflation. Japan has been fighting this fight for nearly 25 years now. Why? because if the price of everything collapses that the banks have lent money against then the banks go Boom. Accounting games like the ones enacted in 2008 removing mark to market can only work so long. What I have described here is a natural part of the free market cycle. This time though someone decided we couldn't have the deflationary portion (bubble deflating) of the cycle. (except in housing because the bubble got too big) You can't get in the way of natural cycles.
Romney, Obama, Rubio, whoever, is never going to get in the way of the train wreck thats been started. Doing so would / will have nasty effects on the economy. No matter though. The market will force it on us. As it is in the EU nations. Spain asking for a bail out today from the ECB and then the IMF because the bond market is demanding a higher yield and Spain can't pay the interest on new debt at 6.8%. What is the interest payment at 6.8% on $16trillion? One last ? How is lending more money to Greece, Spain, Italy, Cypress, whoever, going to help when the problem is too much debt already?
Thanks for the Columbus egg definition.
KlausStoertebeker writes:
One or two bets?
KlausStoertebeker writes:
"How is lending more money to Greece, Spain, Italy, Cypress, whoever, going to help when the problem is too much debt already?"
Don't forget France The new elected President - a real Socialist - will put France workers with 60 on retirement. Who shall pay that?
However I miss your statement about the American banks bought national European bonds of Greece, Spain, Italy, Germany and all others.
Is that responsible to the American people? And will you blame great President Barack Obama for this next miss-management after their disastrous mortgage politics?
Ruger writes:
The only 'history forgery' here is your own sweetie. Take the time to read the facts instead of all the political propaganda you hold so dear. The fact you had to evoke Nazi's (a godwin) in you counter argument shows your desperation.
The truth about democrats approving the Iraq war is out there!
http://articles.cnn.com/2002-10-11/po...
The measure passed the Senate and House by wider margins than the 1991 resolution that empowered the current president's father to go to war to expel Iraq from Kuwait. That measure passed 250-183 in the House and 52-47 in the Senate.
KlausStoertebeker writes:
"In a major victory for the White House, the Senate early Friday voted 77-23 to authorize President Bush to attack Iraq if Saddam Hussein refuses to give up weapons of mass destruction as required by U.N. resolutions."
Can you read? ".. to give up weapons of mass destruction..."
Did everybody ever found this mystery weapons of mass destruction???
"That measure passed 250-183 in the House and 52-47 in the Senate."
Based on faked information. Do you call that a serious politic.
Unfortunately great President Bill Clinton lies under oath. Inexcusable!
But it was just a simple sex act. Not even creative. And both reported fun.
No loss on $$$ for the American taxpayers. No killings. No casualties.
W. Bush betrayed the American people with faked information's. Costs trillions of $$$. And thousands of casualties. Innocent soldiers, kids women. If that is acceptable for you it shows your unsavory character. Bullhead. I feel sorry for you.
A professional action of a SWAT team to eliminate Saddam Hussein was the much better solution. I miss John Foster Dullas. That was the last effective CIA director.
WhiskeyTangoFoxtrot writes:
One bet. I should clarify. Not all EU members use the Euro as their currency. I will make the bet a full 12 pack betting that the Germans discontinue using the Euro and revert back to the DM. Germany may remain a EU member though.
One of two things happen here. Germany caves and pays for the periphery and soon France as you pointed out. Or the Federal Reserve begins pumping Dollars into insolvent EU banks allowing EU banks to continue buying their countries debt.
Obama will allow this to happen as will Romney, Rubio, Clinton, it doesn't matter because 95% of Americans won't know it's happening. Ron Paul is back with his audit the FED bill. He's tried for years to do this. He's tried for years to tell the American people what is happening to the monetary system. No one will listen. No, I do not believe in a gold standard as Paul does. I do agree with many of his other views.
You asked -However I miss your statement about the American banks bought national European bonds of Greece, Spain, Italy, Germany and all others.
Is that responsible to the American people? And will you blame great President Barack Obama for this next miss-management after their disastrous mortgage politics?
All countries own each others bonds to some degree. I mainly talk about the emergency buying the ECB has been doing to force yields down in the troubled nations. It hasn't worked as Spain 10years are back over 7%. Obama will share the blame with all the other western leaders of the last 30 years. Along with the people that allowed their governments to get out of control. There are so many warnings about government getting too big, or too powerful, etc, written in the history books by the people involved in founding America. No one is listening.
What is happening in Europe is fascinating. It looks to me like the Keynesian experiment is ending. It will end here too. I believe we are going to see a world wide depression similar to the 1930's. It's hard to say exactly how it will play out. Maybe it will cause war. I hope not. Of course, I and others could be wrong. And soon money could grow on trees and we will all ride unicorns that crap gold coins. The deflationary part of the cycle is coming. The more money the central banks use trying to stop it will just make it that much worse.
If I was Obama or Romney I would not want to be president in 2012. Rubio should say NO if he is asked to be VP.
KlausStoertebeker writes:
"You asked -However I miss your statement about the American banks bought national European bonds of Greece, Spain, Italy, Germany and all others.
Is that responsible to the American people? And will you blame great President Barack Obama for this next miss-management after their disastrous mortgage politics?
All countries own each others bonds to some degree."
Is that an excuse or an explanation?
Both is really not acceptable. American is the lender number 1 in Europe.
Great President Barack Obama understand that without any doubts. But if somebody called a stronger bank control system from the political side you will hear an outcry: America on the socialistic trial. But in the moment the system covered the bank losses. Profit for the bank manager, losses for the American taxpayers. You like that?
"What is happening in Europe is fascinating. It looks to me like the Keynesian experiment is ending."
Fascinating? For me it is a disaster. And Keyne
Advocates of Keynesian economics argue that private sector decisions sometimes lead to inefficient macroeconomic outcomes which require active policy responses by the public sector, particularly monetary policy actions by the central bank and fiscal policy actions by the government to stabilize output over the business cycle."
Quit frankly: Where is the end? For me it looks like a beginning. Maybe it is the beginning of the end. But it needs still time.
OK - we have bet! Germany will continue wit the Euro in one year. That means: If Germany has on July 1, 2013 still the Euro I got a 12 pack of Erdinger from you. If not you get an American beer of your choice from me.
Deal?
WhiskeyTangoFoxtrot writes:
We have a deal. No I don not like bank losses being put on tax payers. Never, ever should that happen! But the Governments and central banks cry end of the world every time a bank nears collapse. That seems to be frequent lately.
95% of the people have no comprehension of what is really happening. 95% of people do not understand what debt saturation is, what fractional reserve banking is, how a debt based monetary system works, what the Federal Reserve actually is, etc. They think if they vote Democrat or Republican all will be okay if their party wins. On top of them you have people that don't vote at all and don't even understand or care about basic government functions. These people are in for a very rude awakening in the near future. I hope I'm wrong. I just can't see a way that I can be.
KlausStoertebeker writes:
I am agree with you. But it is not just an American problem. It is a problem of all western democratizes.
5% of the peoples population - I call them the elite - run the countries. The rest are followers. Unfortunately we have to live with them. A major laziness is the school system and the not very strong motivated teacher. Maybe that is the prize of freedom.
Fortunately I am part of the 5% elite.
panola64 writes:
When Pelosi / Reid / Obama took over Congress in Jan 2007, after 12 years of Republican prosperity, unemployment was at 4%, DOW was at a record high, we had had 54 straight months of economic growth and we had a boom housing market.
The recession and mortgage meltdown started in late 2007, nearly A YEAR AFTER the Democrat Congress took power. The Republican Congress had 4 budget surplus years, and left in 2006, with the DOW at a record high, unemployment sub 4%, deficits were moderate and trending down, and after 52 straight months of economic growth.
The crash of the Frank/Dodd financial and mortgage debacle, 100% of the recession, 100% of unemployment, a 40% growth in Govt spending, and $5 Trillion of new deficit debt belongs to the DEMOCRATS!
Bush -- 2001 $127.3 Billion Surplus
Bush -- 2002 $157.8 Billion Deficit
Bush -- 2003 $374 Billion Deficit
Bush -- 2004 $413 Billion Deficit
Bush -- 2005 $319 Billion Deficit
Bush -- 2006 $248 Billion Deficit
Bush -- 2007 $162 Billion Deficit
Bush -- 2008 $455 Billion Deficit
Obama - 2009 $1.416 Trillion Deficit
Obama - 2010 $1.294 Trillion Deficit
Obama - 2011 $1.299 Trillion Deficit
Obama - 2012 $1.330 Trillion Deficit
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