CANDIDATE IS ENTITLED TO HIS OWN VOTE … NOT HIS OWN FACTS
|| By FITSNEWS || U.S. Senator Marco Rubio of Florida cast the deciding vote for president Barack Obama‘s crony capitalist trade bill in the U.S. Senate last month.
That’s terrible optics for a guy campaigning for the “Republican” presidential nomination … especially when the deal was rightfully pilloried by the vast majority of GOP candidates, including runaway frontrunner Donald Trump.
Embraced by Obama and status quo “Republican” leaders – Obama’s Pacific Rim trade deal is going to be a disaster for the U.S. economy (see HERE and HERE) and the South Carolina economy (see HERE and HERE). Sadly, that didn’t stop so-called “conservatives” like U.S. Senator Tim Scott, U.S. Rep. Trey Gowdy and U.S. Rep. Mark Sanford from voting for it.
All in the name of (cough) “free trade.”
Anyway, Rubio is entitled to vote how he pleases … but he’s not entitled to make up facts in defense of his vote.
But that’s what he’s doing.
Rubio was recently asked by Truth in Media’s Evan Mulch about his support for crony capitalist trade deals.
“Wouldn’t it be in our best effort to repeal the North American Free Trade agreement (NAFTA), because NAFTA basically sent the manufacturing jobs to Mexico from the U.S.?” Mulch asked.
Rubio’s response?
“No, we have a trade surplus with virtually every country in the world that we have free trade with,” he said.
Um, no.
According to a report released last February, NAFTA exploded America’s trade deficit by 580 percent, cost the country a million jobs, doubled immigration from Mexico, sapped middle class wages and perpetuated income inequality in our country.
Also, as we’ve exhaustively pointed out, it wasn’t free trade.
NAFTA did promote international competition – but only up to a certain point. It didn’t eliminate tariffs, it manipulated them for the benefit of specific corporations. It also extended government-granted monopolies via patent and copyright “reforms” (similar to the Hollywood handouts envisioned by Obamatrade). Additionally it created environmental and labor bureaucracies – and empowered them with the ability to levy sanctions and fines. All while shredding the rule of law related to disputes involving American corporations.
What do trade experts think of Rubio’s statements?
“The guy is either ignorant or he’s lying,” said Curtis Ellis, an authority on Obama’s proposed Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP). “This is a talking point put out by apologists for these free trade agreements.”
“He is repeating talking points given to him by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce,” Ellis added. “He is knowingly trying to mislead us.”
Expect Rubio to hear about his betrayal at next month’s “Republican” debate in Cleveland, Ohio …
U.S. Senators Ted Cruz of Texas and Rand Paul of Kentucky (both of whom are also seeking the presidency) voted against Obamatrade, while Trump and numerous other GOP candidates have aggressively opposed it.
Maybe Rubio can trot out Obama or liberal U.S. Speaker John Boehner for moral support?
Political calculus aside, this was a terrible vote for the American economy … which is still struggling to fire on all cylinders. Rubio deserves whatever criticism he gets for it.
24 comments
Marco no lie. He tell truth. He great man. Short, yes. Balding, a little. But great man.
You’re such a dumb Guinea.
Rubio is a lying son of a illegal immigrant. He hates America. He wants to see America fail. We can’t trust anything he says. His parents came to this country illegally and remained here. He is an anchor baby. We can’t afford another foreigner in the White House. We need to take our country back.
What are you
Not to worry. Hillary was born in the USA.
You’re so far out of your league when you opine on trade — and economics more generally.
http://www.cato.org/publications/commentary/dont-drink-obamatrade-snake-oil
“In other words, economic growth has been more than twice as fast, on average, in years in which the current account deficit grew sharply compared to those years in which it actually declined. If trade deficits drag down growth, somebody forgot to tell the economy.”
http://www.cato.org/publications/free-trade-bulletin/are-trade-deficits-drag-us-economic-growth
This group of Republicans in Congress, under the leadership of Boehner and McConnell has been the most feckless Republican Congress in my lifetime. It is really a treat to have a Republican House and Senate and then have them hand everything to Obama that he wants.
U.S. Senators Ted Cruz of Texas is a wimp. He was for TPA before he was against it. All of his political career, he has been for “Trade Promotion Authority.” He coauthored an op-ed with Paul Ryan in favor of TPA and voted for TPA the first time. Then the House voted it down when it was connected to a Jobs retraining program. Then Cruz could not stand the political heat so he went against his principles and voted against it a couple of weeks later. Cruz won’t stand by his principles and wimped out.
“Then Cruz could not stand the political heat so he went against his principles and voted against it a couple of weeks later.”
“I have given up on candidates that merely occupy the high moral ground.”
Sooo….which is it you desire? Someone who sticks to his principles or someone that wins?
It’s simple. Key word is “merely”. He/she must conquer the field while occuping the high ground.
He/she must be right, but successful. You can take advantage of timing. You can change your mind, but you must have a llegitimate reason. I read Cruz’s reason for changing his mind. It wasn’t convincing. Haley took risks when she changed her possition, but did in a way calculated to be successful. Cruz change seemed more like a self serving retreat, not a tactical one.
It’s simple. Key word is “merely”. He/she must conquer the field while occuping the high ground.
He/she must be right, but successful. You can take advantage of timing. You can change your mind, but you must have a llegitimate reason. I read Cruz’s reason for changing his mind. It wasn’t convincing. Haley took risks when she changed her possition on the flag, but did in a way calculated to be successful. Cruz’s change seemed more like a self serving retreat, not a tactical one.
If you are against TPA, then you were with the Liberal Democrats.
If you are for TPA, then you were with the Conservative Republicans.
No, you are with the people willing to outsource more American jobs for money. If Rubio is for it, you can bet the Koch Brothers and their billionaire buddies, who are meeting with Rubio are for it.
Is there anyone in Congress or running for President that will tell the truth other than Donald Trump?
Nope. That’s why as it now stands, Trump will get my vote.
This isn’t about lying, it’s about stupidity. Anyone can Google the Mexican – US trade balance.
So you are saying Rubio is a stupid liar. I would not dispute your characterization.
No
Posted: Tuesday, July 28, 2015@129
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If you mean his version of the “truth”, no, no other pol will do that. He’s refreshing in that he says exactly what’s on his mind with little to no filter-whether his “truth” is “the truth” is another story….every other pol constantly hedges/phrases everything to a special PC format that is poll tested when possible.
I haven’t considered voting for Rubio since he started his “amnesty” talk. Ditto Lindsey, Bush, and a few more of these traitors. Of course, with Lindsey and Bush, there were multitudes of other reasons for not considering them, too.
A yes vote is assured $ big from Chamber of Commerce and their controllers.