Will Any Rubio Please Stand Up

Evan Romero
Jul 20, 2017 · 3 min read
Marco Rubio pauses while addressing supporters during a campaign rally in Sarasota, Florida, March 8, 2016.REUTERS/Steve Nesius

The year is 2007. The young man is Senator Marco Rubio, Speaker of the Florida House of Representatives. Rubio was shooting up the ranks in popularity and admiration; 3 of us* (Adrian Diaz, David Baez Esq., and myself) being a few of the many Floridians that fell in that bucket. It was more than just admiration though, it was excitement and pride. Like Rubio, we 3 are first generation Cuban-Americans born and raised in Miami. Rubio was inspiring Floridians to write the future of innovation. His idea was to make Florida the ‘Silicon Valley’ when it comes to Energy Diversification in an effort to combat Global Warming.

Flash forward now to 2017, and whether it be knowledge and experience we may (or may not) have gained over the last decade, or just a change in the direction Senator Rubio has taken, the former presidential candidate is no longer our* voice. I would go as far as to say that Senator Rubio is now someone I’d have a hard time defending. Hell, would 2007 Rubio even defend 2017 Rubio?

During the primaries, Rubio firmly stated policies to fight climate change would do nothing, and ‘make America a harder place to create jobs.’ Additional examples of Rubio’s inactions that have instilled lack of trust are: not fighting the nomination of Rex Tillerson for Secretary of State, backing down on the ‘Donald Trump’s taxes’ saga, not pushing on Attorney General Jeff Sessions’ lies about his contacts with Russian officials, going mum on the American Health Care Act, as well as not fighting Trump’s firing of FBI Director James Comey or the unconstitutional Muslim ban.

Marco stands up to Donald Trump’s views on Muslims.

Marco, why are you not standing your ground today as you said you would?

Marco Rubio, where is that strength and hope you showed us a decade ago?

What happened?

Once a shining light for the GOP, and I really wish this hadn’t happened, the nickname given to you by our bully of a president has become the one consistent thing about you for a while now.

When many question, ‘Who has enough of a backbone in the GOP to fight for our country rather than fight for Donald?’, Marco, you still have a chance to add that bite to your bark. I say this because no one else is doing it and the GOP is on the brink of big change (more on that in a later post).

Freedom Tower in Downtown Miami (photo http://www.alexfeldsteinphotography.com/Florida/Miami/i-GZ5SFsQ )

Like us*, you and your parents emigrated from Cuba and benefitted from all that makes our beautiful country so great. When in Miami and driving by Freedom Tower, I can’t help but smile and feel a sense of pride thinking about the stories my father told of driving to the building with family for their weekly pickup of powdered milk and eggs. A country where if you work hard, get your hands dirty, and do what’s right, you can build a better life for the future.

Yet you fight for Social Security and Medicare benefits to be slashed or perhaps done away with altogether (*Please note that Florida has the second most Medicare beneficiaries). You want to eliminate the Department of Education. (*Florida’s education ranks 30th in the country). You’ve gone back and forth on immigration more than we can keep track of (We are talking about the state of Florida. A quarter of the state is Latino alone. Including you).

Senator Rubio, you were, and can still be, a hope for immigrants and their families. Someone that can continue to lay the groundwork for the future leaders of this amazing land full of opportunity. Please show a backbone. Don’t let our bully of a president put you into your ‘Little Marco’ shell. Stand your ground and face challenges dead on like you used to say you would.

Senator, while I have your attention here: Will the promising Marco Rubio please stand up?

Quattuor

Just 4 gents in the middle of our life trying to figure out what the hell is going on here. Interested in many things, experts in none.

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Thanks to David Baez Esq.

Evan Romero

Written by

Lucky to be @Twitter. Born in Miami, Livin’ in Manhattan. Go @Stanford

Quattuor

Quattuor

Just 4 gents in the middle of our life trying to figure out what the hell is going on here. Interested in many things, experts in none.

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