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Marco Rubio on Government Reform
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More government breeds complicated rules & holds us back
More government isn't going to help you get ahead. It's going to hold you back. More government isn't going to create more opportunities. It's going to limit them. And more government isn't going to inspire new ideas, new businesses and new private
sector jobs. It's going to create uncertainty. Because more government breeds complicated rules and laws that a small business can't afford to follow. Because more government raises taxes on employers who then pass the costs on to their employees
through fewer hours, lower pay and even layoffs. And because many government programs that claim to help the middle class, often end up hurting them instead.
Now does this mean there's no role for government? Of course not.
It plays a crucial part in keeping us safe, enforcing rules, and providing some security against the risks of modern life. But government's role is wisely limited by the Constitution. And it can't play its essential role when it ignores those limits.
Source: GOP Response to 2013 State of the Union Address
, Feb 12, 2013
Choose more freedom instead of more government
We are all just a generation or two removed from someone who made our future the purpose of their lives. America is the story of everyday people who did extraordinary things. A story woven deep into the fabric of our society. Their stories may never be
famous, but in the lives they lived, you find the living essence of America's greatness. To make sure America is still a place where tomorrow is always better than yesterday, that is what our politics should be about. The story of our time will be
written by Americans who haven't yet been born. Let's make sure they write that we did our part. That in the early years of this new century, we lived in an uncertain time. But we did not allow fear to cause us to abandon what made us special. We chose
more freedom instead of more government. We chose the principles of our founding to solve the challenges of our time. And because we did, the American Miracle lived on for another generation to inherit.
Source: 2012 Republican National Convention speech
, Aug 30, 2012
Choose more freedom instead of more government
written by Americans who haven't yet been born. Let's make sure they write that we did our part. That in the early years of this new century, we lived in an uncertain time. But we did not allow fear to cause us to abandon what made us special. We chose
more freedom instead of more government. We chose the principles of our founding to solve the challenges of our time. And because we did, the American Miracle lived on for another generation to inherit.
Source: 2012 Republican National Convention speech
, Aug 30, 2012
Accused of using campaign funds for personal expenses
I decided to run to be Florida's speaker of the House, and from the start I made a series of terrible blunders. I decided Jeanette and I would manage the fund-raising and reporting for the campaign committee ourselves. That decision proved to be a
disaster. I often used my or Jeanette's personal credit cards to pay for many of the campaign's expenditures. I would spend hours trying to figure out which expenses were political, and which were personal. Jeanette, as the committee's treasurer, had
to jog my memory to determine which credit card purchases were campaign expenditures, sometimes weeks after I had made them. It was an imperfect accounting system, to say the least.
Years later, my lack of bookkeeping skills would come back to haunt
me. The press and Gov. Crist raised the matter during my US Senate campaign, implying I had pocketed money from my finance committee & used it to pay for personal items. It wasn't true, but I had helped create the misunderstanding my opponents exploited.
Source: An American Son, by Marco Rubio, p.126-127
, Jun 19, 2012
Used earmarks early in legislative career, then stopped cold
Rubio embraced the tenets of the Club of Growth, which eventually became one of his largest sources of campaign donations. Still, it took a while for the doctrine of low spending and small government to take hold. During his early years in the
legislature, he made heavy use of earmarks, which are often considered pure budget pork. In 2001 he asked for a total of $101 million for 72 projects. The next year he requested $43 million for 37 earmarks. There was money for autism treatment, flood
mitigation, brain and spinal cord injury research; but there were also small, less vital sounding projects such as money to design the restoration of an historic home and to build a picnic shelter. Only 4 lawmakers in Florida's 120-member house sought
more money.But then he stopped. Cold.
In 2003 he made nary a penny of earmark requests. And he wouldn't seek a single one for the rest of his tenure in the state house. Later, Rubio would campaign against earmarks during his run for Senate.
Source: The Rise of Marco Rubio, by Manuel Rogi-Franzia, p.106-107
, Jun 19, 2012
2003: Anonymous contributors; 2004: backed down & disclosed
The secrecy of campaign donor lists was contrary to the state's spirit of open government, and after much public outcry the law was reformed in 2004 to require more disclosure. In 2003, while Rubio was running for speaker, some lawmakers were
voluntarily disclosing the names of their donors. Rubio initially defended keeping contributors anonymous, saying, "It makes people feel comfortable." But with public outrage about committees increasing, he backed down, announcing that he
would reveal the names of his donors at the next filing deadline. When the names were unveiled, the public discovered that Rubio had received a $50,000 lump sum from a political group run by Alan Mendelsohn, a politically active eye doctor from
Broward County. The donation matched the size of the largest single donation received by any of the committees. It wasn't the last time that Mendelsohn would pitch in to help Rubio.
Source: The Rise of Marco Rubio, by Manuel Rogi-Franzia, p.112
, Jun 19, 2012
$400,000 for Members-only House lunchroom kept out lobbyists
Rubio had preached a gospel of fiscal conservatism, but some of his first acts as speaker were to spend a lot of money. [For example], he dedicated nearly $400,000 to office renovations and to build a members-only dining room.Rubio could be impulsive,
and it was as if he hadn't thought through the way his actions would be perceived. His reasons for the spending were not entirely without merit, but he had misjudged the reaction. Newspaper editorials ripped into him for contradicting his rhetoric.
Counterintuitively some of the spending was the result of changes designed to clean up Florida government and prevent lobbyists from buying votes. In previous years lobbyists swarmed the capitol, lining up lunch dates with lawmakers. The lobbyists, of
course, picked up the tab. Lobbying reforms changed all that. "Once you couldn't get your free lunch anymore, immediately the members' lunchroom became overcrowded. The remodeling was more of a practical thing," [one legislator] said.
Source: The Rise of Marco Rubio, by Manuel Rogi-Franzia, p.128-129
, Jun 19, 2012
America is greatest country; but not our government
While there have been many great countries in the past, how many were so bold as to declare themselves the "greatest country"? Very few that survived, anyway.Yet for well over 200 years, generations of
American have proudly--and rightly--made this claim. This bold statement rings just as true today, and Americans remain just as great as we have ever been. But the same cannot be said for our government.
Source: Now Or Never, by Sen. Jim DeMint, p. 36
, Jan 10, 2012
Reduce paid petition business in citizen initiative process
Securing Florida's Place on the National Stage- Move up the timing of Florida's presidential primary
- Protecting the Citizen Initiative Process from Special Interests
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Enact legislation to reduce the growth of the paid petition business and the influence of moneyed special interests in the citizen initiative process
Source: 100 Innovative Ideas for Florida's Future by Marco Rubio
, Nov 1, 2006
Texas Sunset Review abolished 47 agencies; do same in FL
Agencies and their advisory committees should be assessed periodically to determine their efficiency. Floridians want a system that eliminates spending on unnecessary or obsolete programs by forcing a program's proponents to justify, on a regular basis,
the need for the program and its benefits. Florida's 2006 Legislative Sunset Advisory Committee is modeled after the Texas Sunset Review Commission, which abolished 47 agencies or programs, saving $736.9 million in taxpayer dollars. Like the Texas
Commission, the Florida Legislative Sunset Advisory Committee will systematically review ALL the duties, operations, and programs of state agencies and their advisory committees. The committee should also determine whether certain public/private entities
have upheld their promises. Many agencies and programs may continue unaltered after the review; however, having been subjected to a critical review these programs will hold a greater accountability than any non-reviewed program.
Source: 100 Innovative Ideas, by Marco Rubio, p. 50-51
, Nov 1, 2006
Early FL primary forces diversity into presidential process
Florida lacks real influence in national primaries. None of the states with earlier primaries than Florida's can match our diversity in population (both ethnic and socio-economic), and range of ecosystems. The impact of this diversity would manifest
itself on election day.Currently, a small, non-diverse group of citizens (the voters of IA and NH) have a disproportionate impact on the nomination of presidential candidates. While these states provide the benefit of beginning the presidential
election in small communities that can be easily traversed and thoroughly campaigned, a large and diverse state should follow them. The only way to change the status quo is to force candidates to be tested by more diverse populations and to address a
wider range of issues. Holding Florida's primary earlier would apply that force.
Moving Florida's presidential primary to a time that would highlight Florida's concerns and issues would ensure our national influence in choosing a presidential candidate
Source: 100 Innovative Ideas, by Marco Rubio, p. 57-58
, Nov 1, 2006
Closer regulation of petition verification process
Florida's Constitution is commonly viewed as the easiest in the US to amend: via citizen initiative petition. The process, originally created in 1968 to empower citizens to amend their constitution, has morphed into an expensive undertaking dominated by
special interest groups that pay professional signature gatherers to collect petition signatures. Examples of citizen initiatives adopted in 2004 include authorization of the use of slot machines, and an increase in the minimum wage. These provisions
do not belong in our Constitution. The purposes of these amendments could have been accomplished by legislative action.
A 2006 bill established closer regulation of the petition process. Legislation should require paid circulators to wear a badge
identifying them as paid circulators; prohibit compensation of petition circulators on a "per signature" basis; and create a process for revoking one's own signature. These changes would help return the citizen initiative process to its original intent.
Source: 100 Innovative Ideas, by Marco Rubio, p. 60-62
, Nov 1, 2006
Allow transferring surplus campaign funds to other campaigns
Rubio voted YES on HB 1037, Campaign Financing (Passed House, 81 - 36). State government synopsis: Allows unopposed legislative candidates to transfer surplus campaign funds to or retain such funds in a campaign account for reelection to the same
office; establishes limits on the transferable amount of such funds; provides a prohibition from fundraising under certain conditions; deletes certain filing requirements for candidates for other than statewide office.
Source: Florida state legislative voting records
, May 2, 2006
Identify constitutionality in every new congressional bill.
Rubio signed the Contract From America
The Contract from America, clause 1. Protect the Constitution:
Require each bill to identify the specific provision of the Constitution that gives Congress the power to do what the bill does.
Source: The Contract From America 10-CFA01 on Jul 8, 2010
Audit federal agencies, to reform or eliminate them.
Rubio signed the Contract From America
The Contract from America, clause 5. Restore Fiscal Responsibility & Constitutionally Limited Government in Washington:
Create a Blue Ribbon taskforce that engages in a complete audit of federal agencies and programs, assessing their Constitutionality,
Source: The Contract From America 10-CFA05 on Jul 8, 2010
Moratorium on all earmarks until budget is balanced.
Rubio signed the Contract From America
The Contract from America, clause 9. Stop the Pork:
Place a moratorium on all earmarks until the budget is balanced, and then require a 2/3 majority to pass any earmark.
Source: The Contract From America 10-CFA09 on Jul 8, 2010
Ban stock trading based on Congressional insider knowledge.
Rubio co-sponsored STOCK Act
Congressional Summary:Stop Trading on Congressional Knowledge Act (STOCK Act): Amends the Securities Exchange Act and the Commodity Exchange Act to prohibit purchase or sale of either securities or commodities by a person in possession of material nonpublic information regarding pending or prospective legislative action.
- Amends the Ethics in Government Act to require formal disclosure of certain securities and commodities futures transactions.
- Amends the Lobbying Disclosure Act to subject to its registration, reporting, and disclosure requirements all political intelligence activities, contacts, firms, and consultants.
Bill explanation (ProCon.org, "Insider Trading by Congress", Feb. 3, 2012):
- On Mar. 17, 2011, Tim Walz (D-MN) introduced the STOCK Act where it gained nine co-sponsors by Nov. 4, 2011.
- On Nov. 13, 2011, the TV show "60 Minutes" reported that several members of
Congress allegedly used insider information for personal gain. The STOCK Act received 84 additional House co-sponsors in the five days following the report, and Scott Brown (R-MA) filed the STOCK Act in the Senate on Nov. 15, 2011. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) also filed a variation of the STOCK Act in the Senate on Nov. 17, 2011.
- On Jan. 24, 2012, in his State of the Union Address, President Obama said "Send me a bill that bans insider trading by members of Congress, and I will sign it tomorrow."
- Immediately after the speech, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) told reporters, "I think people should have enough sense not to do it [insider trading] without legislation, but I will support legislation."
- On Feb. 2, 2012, a revised version of the STOCK Act passed in the Senate by a vote of 96-3 with Senators Richard Burr (R-NC), Tom Coburn (R-OK), and Jeff Bingaman (D-NM) dissenting.
Source: H1148/S1871 11-S1871 on Nov 15, 2011
Page last updated: Apr 22, 2013
