Marco Rubio - U.S. Senate - 2010

With coverage in Jacksonville, Orlando, Tampa and across the state, Marco “took aim at Washington” with 12 simple ideas for cutting spending and reducing the size of government. Check out the coverage below:

• Republican U.S. Senate candidate Marco Rubio unveiled his fiscal policy plan Monday, arguing that Congress should balance the budget while recouping unused stimulus money and enabling taxpayers to aim tax dollars directly at the national debt. Rubio rolled out “12 Simple Ways to Cut Spending” in front of about 175 people at Meridian Technologies, a Jacksonville-based data management company he credited as an example of a successful business. Meridian started 13 years ago and now has 200 employees serving high-tech businesses. Rubio argued that continued rises in government spending would lead to tax hikes that would stunt growth at companies such as Meridian. – Florida Times-Union

• In other parts of his plan, Rubio called for cutting the budgets of the Obama White House and Democratic-run Congress by 10 percent, banning federal earmarks, and passing a constitutional amendment requiring Congress to approve a balanced budget. He would give the president line-item veto power and also sunset government programs every 10 years, an approach similar to the reviews Florida government requires for many programs and agencies. “That could be a silver bullet that shoots some of the entrenched programs and bureaucracy that tends to perpetuate at the federal level,” Snaith said. – News Service Of Florida

• Former House Speaker Marco Rubio, Republican front-runner in the U.S. Senate race, promised Monday to rein in federal spending and offered proposals to help slash the size and cost of the federal government. … Rubio took aim at policies backed by President Barack Obama, calling for the elimination of bank bailouts and the federal stimulus. Rubio called for taking the money saved by eliminating those programs to be used in reducing the size of the national debt. Crist, who was a Republican at the time, had been an early backer of the Obama economic program, including embracing the stimulus plan. The Republican also praised a measure backed by U.S. Sen. Jim DeMint, R-South Carolina, one of Rubio’s biggest sponsors at the national level, that would eliminate all congressional earmarks. Rubio argued that this would save the federal government between $15 billion and $20 billion each year. Noting that the White House budget has grown by $4 million since Obama took over, Rubio took aim at Washington, arguing that the budgets of both the executive branch and Congress need to be reduced by 10 percent. – Sunshine State News

• Republican Senate candidate Marco Rubio stopped by a Jacksonville business Monday to outline a 12-point plan for cutting government spending. Supporters gathered at Meridian Technologies on the Southside to meet Rubio. Among the points in his plan are a ban on all earmarks, which Rubio said could save $15 billion to $20 billion a year. Rubio wants to end the stimulus program and use the money to help reduce the debt. He’s also calling for a constitutional amendment requiring Congress to balance the budget. – WJXT

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• Jacksonville WTEV:

Lays Out Second Set Of “Ideas To Reclaim America” As Clear Alternative To Washington

Jacksonville, FL – Today, at a town hall meeting in Jacksonville, U.S. Senate candidate Marco Rubio made the second in his “Ideas to Reclaim America” proposals to offer a clear alternative to the out-of-control spending in Washington. America is the greatest country in the world but Washington has been taken over by big spending politicians from both parties who will say or do anything to get elected. Marco is the only candidate who will challenge the direction they’re taking our country.

“My children – Amanda, 10; Daniella, 8; Anthony, 5; and Dominic, 2 – are too young to understand what Washington politicians are doing to them and their generation. But I do, and it’s what motivates me each day to do something about it. The decisions we make today and in the coming years will determine what kind of country they live in. Every day we postpone acting decisively to rein in wasteful spending and cut the debt, we pile even more on the backs of millions of young Americans,” said Marco Rubio.

To start cutting spending in Washington and begin to reclaim our country, Marco has proposed 12 simple ideas:

• IDEA #1: Cut The Budgets Of The White House And Congress By Ten Percent. As recently documented, the budgets of the White House and Congress are out-of-control. Salaries alone at the White House have increased by at least $4 million from 2008. We must cut the budgets of Congress and the White House by 10%. One of the first things Republicans did when they took over Congress in the 1990’s was reduce the number of committees, committee staff, and cut the Congressional budget. We need to do it again, this time adding in the White House budget.

• IDEA #2: Reduce The Size Of The Federal Bureaucracy. To get spending under control, we must cut the size of the government workforce. To begin, we should freeze federal civilian workforce pay for one year and bring the pay scale back in line with market rates. In addition, we should reduce its’ size to 2008 levels. To accomplish this without disrupting critical government services, we should implement a policy of only hiring just one civilian employee for every two that leave government.

• IDEA #3: Reallocate The Bank Bailout Program Funding To Cut The Debt. While the TARP program needs to be ended, using it to help offset the Financial Regulation Reform, which is beyond its purpose, is wrong. The funds should be returned to the Treasury and other spending cuts should be made to offset the financial regulation reform costs.

• IDEA #4: End The Stimulus Program And Use The Savings To Cut The Debt. We must end the wasteful stimulus program that has failed to create jobs. Stimulus money that has not been spent should be used for something that will actually help the economy and create jobs, or to pay down the debt. Canceling unspent stimulus funds could save over $300 billion.

• IDEA #5: Ban All Earmarks. We should ban earmarks as Sen. Jim DeMint proposed in Congress this year. This could save $15-20 billion annually and stop Congress from using pork barrel projects to buy votes for things like the health care bill. Marco will also demand on-the-record votes for any proposal that requires taxpayer money to be spent on a specific federal program.

• IDEA #6: Pass A Constitutional Amendment Requiring Congress To Balance The Budget. A balanced budget amendment will force Congress to make cuts by eliminating spending, not raising taxes. If the Florida Legislature and almost every state in America is required by their state constitution to pass a balanced budget each year, so should Washington and Congress.

• IDEA #7: Require Any New Federal Taxes Only Be Approved By A Two-Thirds Vote Of The House And Senate. With the out-of-control spending and our mounting debt crisis, Democrats in Washington will be pushing an agenda to increase taxes on Florida families. To prevent that, Marco believes that any new taxes require a two-thirds vote of the House and Senate to pass. This will ensure that the balanced budget amendment achieves its’ goal via spending cuts, not tax increases.

• IDEA #8: Put A “Check-Off” Box On The Federal Tax Form Allowing Taxpayers To Designate 10 Percent Of Their Existing Tax Bill To Go Toward Paying Down The National Debt. In the Senate, Marco will support proposals that would allow individuals and businesses to check-off an amount, up to 10 percent of their existing tax bill, to be dedicated to retiring the national debt. Congress would have to match the amount contributed by taxpayers from taxes they already owe with spending cuts. If not, a Gramm-Rudman style across-the-board reduction would occur, exempting certain critical spending such as Social Security and defense. This would help Congress to prioritize spending.

• IDEA #9: Automatic Sunset Of Government Programs. We need to end the permanent lease on life that government programs are given. Too often, Congress creates a spending program, increases its’ funding and never looks back to see if it is actually working. We should mandate that all discretionary spending programs end every 10 years after the Census unless Congress specifically votes to continue them.

• IDEA #10: Freeze Federal Non-Defense, Non-Veterans Spending At 2008 Levels. We should freeze non-defense and non-veterans discretionary spending at pre-Obama levels. In addition, we should actually enforce our goals to cut spending and reduce the deficit by making automatic cuts if politicians won’t. This could save hundreds of billions of dollars over 10 years.

• IDEA #11: Give The President The Line-Item Veto. Marco believes the President should have the authority to make line-item vetoes to the federal budget. If most state governors have the power to veto unnecessary individual spending, so should the President.

• IDEA #12: Reform Entitlement Programs. Over the next 75 years, the present value of the total shortfall in Social Security and Medicare will exceed $45 trillion. Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid are going broke and will bankrupt our country. Benefits for those currently receiving them or those approaching retirement should not and will not change. But the truth is that for those who are younger, the programs will need to change or they will no longer exist when they themselves approach retirement age. Unlike his opponents, Marco has been willing to confront this reality, to talk about it with voters, and to come up with common-sense solutions that will safeguard our economic future.

In Pensacola and Navarre, Marco talks about his 23 ideas to spark job creation, promote economic recovery and help the Gulf Coast recover. Check out the coverage below:

If Marco Rubio were in the Senate today, his No. 1 priority would be to establish a Gulf Opportunity Zone to help those suffering financially from the ongoing BP oil spill. “We did it once before with (Hurricane) Katrina,” Rubio told about 100 people gathered at the Fish House in downtown Pensacola on Wednesday. “It was passed in 2005 and provided targeted tax relief to businesses and individual in the region.” Rubio credited U.S. Rep. Jeff Miller, R-Chumuckla, with having begun work on that project. Miller introduced a package of tax breaks earlier this month modeled after legislation approved after Hurricane Katrina in 2005 aimed at helping businesses and individuals cope with the spill’s economic aftermath. – Pensacola News Journal

The Republican U.S. Senate candidate spoke and took questions from a few dozen people at D’Wons Bayou Buffet, sharing his view on the Gulf of Mexico gusher. Without calling President Barack Obama or his campaign rival Gov. Charlie Crist by name, Rubio criticized politicians for dipping their fingers in oil for a photo op without getting anything done. – Northwest Florida Daily News

At the same time, Marco continued to call Charlie Crist’s “photo-op” special session a “political stunt” and Washington-style gimmick that won’t help save one job in the Panhandle, keep one small business open or prevent one future oil spill:

He called the special legislative session called by his opponent, independent Gov. Charlie Crist, to consider a constitutional ban on offshore drilling in state waters “symbolic.” Such drilling is currently forbidden by state law. “You’re going to call the Legislature to ban something that’s already illegal, that would not have prevented this oil spill, that will do nothing to encourage tourists to come to Florida, that will do nothing to help the business people,” he said. “It would have no impact.” – Pensacola News Journal

Rubio, the former state House speaker, criticized the decision by Crist to call a special legislative session with the aim of putting an offshore drilling ban on the ballot in November. Lawmakers will meet next week to consider whether voters should be able to decide on a constitutional amendment that would prohibit drilling in state waters. Rubio said the move is “nothing but a political stunt that uses this region and its suffering as a prop for a political campaign.” – The Associated Press

“Rubio Goes For Growth”
By Cesar Conda
National Review Online’s “The Corner”
July 14, 2010

Yesterday, Florida Senate candidate Marco Rubio announced a pro-growth plan that channels Ronald Reagan and Jack Kemp. The “23 Ideas to Reclaim America” Rubio laid out is a refreshing step in the right direction of serious policymaking: His ideas would halt massive tax increases, help bring certainty to the market, and give the Gulf region tools it needs to recover. While incentive-based tax rate reduction make up the bulk of Rubio’s job creation plan — extending the 2001 and 2003 tax cuts, slashing the corporate tax rate, permanently abolishing the death tax, and ending double taxation — he also calls for repealing and replacing Obamacare, opposing card check, preventing energy and value-added taxes, and halting regulations that hurt job creation, especially for smaller businesses.

And, unlike most Republican candidates, who are focused solely on slashing Obama’s spending (as important as that is), Rubio proposes encouraging economic growth and job creation through expanded trade, specifically calling for adopting already-negotiated free-trade agreements with Colombia, Panama, South Korea, and other nations around the world. Free trade is an often-overlooked approach to economic growth and debt reduction. Let’s remember, by generating new tax revenue and automatically reducing spending on jobless benefits, welfare, and other means-tested transfer programs, rapid and sustained economic growth has a powerful impact on the budget: According to OMB’s economic rules of thumb, a sustained 1 percentage point higher GDP growth rate produces $2.8 trillion reduction in the baseline deficit by 2019.

However these ideas are only part of the equation, as spending and entitlement reform are both needed to bring the deficit and national debt in check. Tax cuts plus limits on spending can turn the deficit into a surplus like we saw in the 1990s. Rubio’s spending- and entitlement-reform ideas will be released in the coming weeks and, combined with today’s release, will present a balanced approach to tackling the growing national debt that threatens to swamp us all.

— Cesar Conda, a former economic and domestic policy advisor to Vice President Dick Cheney and the 2008 Mitt Romney for President campaign, is a member of Marco Rubio’s Policy Advisory Committee.

Begins Laying Out “Ideas To Reclaim America” As Clear Alternative To Washington

Miami, FL – Today, at a town hall meeting in Tampa, U.S. Senate candidate Marco Rubio made the first in a series of proposals to reclaim America’s future by offering a clear alternative to the anti-growth, anti-job creation economic policies coming out of Washington. America is the greatest country in the world, but Washington has been taken over by big spending politicians from both parties who will say or do anything to get elected. Marco is the only candidate who will challenge the direction they’re taking our country.

“As Americans, we have reached a point in our history when we must decide if we are to continue on the free market, limited government path that has made us exceptional, or if we are prepared to follow the rest of the world down the road of government dependency. It is a clear choice between two very different futures, and I believe the American people are prepared to make the tough, but necessary, choices to ensure future generations enjoy unrivaled levels of job growth, freedom, security and prosperity,” said Rubio.

Furthermore, we need real leadership to ensure that Florida’s Gulf Coast recovers economically from the oil spill. Instead, we get Washington-style gimmicks like a special session to ban something that’s already illegal under Florida law. The governor’s constitutional amendment won’t help one small business keep their doors open, save one job, or speed-up one economic claim from BP. Marco’s ideas to help the Gulf Coast are derived from the town hall meetings he has held with Panhandle residents, officials and employers over the last month.

To foster a pro-growth economic environment in Florida and across our country, Marco has put forth 23 simple ideas:

Marco’s 12 Simple Ways To Grow Our Economy:

•    IDEA #1: Permanently Extend The 2001 And 2003 Tax Cuts: Allowing the 2001 and 2003 tax cuts to sunset would be the largest tax increase in American history, and would fundamentally harm small businesses, which are the job creators in our economy. If we do not make these tax cuts permanent, the child tax credit will fall, the marriage penalty will be re-imposed, working families and small businesses will see their income tax rates jump, capital gains and dividends will increase, and the death tax will return to a prohibitive 55 percent.

•   IDEA #2: Cut Taxes On American Businesses. More than any other tax, the corporate tax hurts economic growth and reduces living standards. Unfortunately, the United States has the second highest corporate tax rate of any advanced industrial economy. By cutting this tax, we can spur job creation in America and build a more competitive economic environment to attract businesses from across the world.

•   IDEA #3: Permanently End The Death Tax. The death tax, which is set to rise from zero to 55% in 2011, will discourage saving and investment while undermining job creation and income growth, when we need them most.

•    IDEA #4: Ending Double Taxation. Washington shouldn’t be able to tax the same income two or three times. That means no more job-destroying double taxation of capital gains, dividends or death.

•    IDEA #5: Reform the Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT). If nothing is done to fix the AMT, taxes will spike dramatically for over 28 million families.  Relying on yearly congressional action to keep the AMT current with inflation is risky and sends a message of uncertainty to millions of American families.  The AMT is an onerous tax that we should be repealed when possible but at the very least, we should immediately index it to inflation.

•    IDEA #6: Fundamentally Reform The U.S. Tax Code. The current tax code hinders economic growth. Too many years of special interest lobbying and class warfare politics have cemented it as anti-family, anti-jobs and anti-competitive. The U.S. should have a tax system that is simpler, fairer and promotes economic growth.  We should start moving toward being able to pay our taxes with a single rate on paper the size of a postcard.

•   IDEA #7: Stop The Value-Added Tax. Democrats know they cannot fund their spending ambitions without a giant new tax. Some have sought to impose a valued-added tax in addition to the income and payroll taxes already in place. This would subject American taxpayers to European levels of taxation, depriving workers of a substantial portion of their take-home pay and further burdening the economy.  For the U.S. to retain its vibrant and dynamic economy, we must block efforts to dramatically increase the government’s share of the economic pie.

•   IDEA #8: Repeal And Replace ObamaCare. We must repeal ObamaCare and replace it with common-sense reforms that will actually lower health care expenses for American families and businesses like allowing people to buy health insurance across state lines, encouraging the use of electronic medical records and requiring transparency in health care costs.

•    IDEA #9: Prevent A National Energy Tax. The cap-and trade plan proposed by Democrats in Washington will substantially raise energy costs and result in countless lost jobs.

•    IDEA #10: Oppose Efforts To Strip Away Workers’ Right To A Secret Ballot. By eliminating secret-ballot union elections, the deceptively named Employee Free Choice Act (EFCA), or “card check,” would fundamentally violate the freedom of workers and result in lost jobs.

•   IDEA #11: Halt Regulations That Are Hurting Job Creation. Too often, government regulation does not provide effective oversight and only hurts job creation in America. We should streamline regulations to help foster economic growth while providing proper oversight. We need to rein in out-of-control federal agencies, stop any effort by the Environmental Protection Agency to back door a cap-and-trade system and remove regulatory barriers to the flow of credit from community bankers to small businesses.

•   IDEA #12: Promote Economic Growth And Job Creation Through Trade. We must continue reducing barriers to free and fair trade. We should adopt the free trade agreements that have already been negotiated with Colombia, Panama, South Korea and other nations around the world. We should also insist that other countries reduce their own barriers to trade so that American goods can find new markets.

Marco’s 11 Simple Ways To Help The Gulf Coast Economy Recover:

•   IDEA #1: Make The Claims Process Simpler, Transparent And Efficient (Idea From July 1st Town Hall). The filing and payment of claims will not end when the leaking well is finally capped. Throughout the foreseeable future, businesses and individuals will be seeking to recoup losses and the process, as currently conducted, is broken. As a U.S. Senator, Marco will ensure that the claims process is simpler, transparent and efficient, and that when Gulf constituents leave the claims office, they will do so with clear expectations of when and what funding amounts they will receive from claims.

•    IDEA #2: Pass A Gulf Opportunity Zone. Similar to the GO Zone Act that followed Hurricane Katrina in 2005, this zone would provide targeted tax relief and authorize the establishment of bonds focused on recovery. Rep. Jeff Miller (R-FL) proposed this plan to President Obama last month and introduced legislation on July 1.

•   IDEA #3: Start An Economic Development Fund. The lack of tourists driving, flying and spending money will cause seemingly unrelated businesses to fail due to the region’s complex economy. As noted in the Pensacola News-Journal, it will be nearly impossible to “make it right” to all those who have been adversely impacted by the oil spill. This is why we need to call for the establishment of a Gulf region Economic Development Fund. BP should commit a significant amount of funds that, immediately and over time, will go toward rehabilitating and investing in the region as a whole. Delivered directly to county Economic Development Councils, these dollars would be used to recruit new employers, give residents an opportunity to start their own small business, develop incubation programs and prompt existing businesses to expand.

•    IDEA #4: Sales Tax Partial Holiday. We should allow businesses in affected areas to keep a portion of the sales tax they generate. BP would be responsible for all lost tax revenues.

•    IDEA #5: Property Tax Relief. For homes and businesses that see their property values diminished, assessed values should go down as well. All lost property tax revenue should be reimbursed by BP.

•    IDEA #6: Make Claims Checks Tax Exempt. The Gulf Oil Spill Relief Fund is designed to help those whose economic well-being and revenue has been impacted. Similar to legislation after September 11, the federal government should act immediately so that Floridians and the people of the Gulf Coast receive a full gross relief check. BP should cover any tax losses.

•    IDEA #7: Small Business Administration (SBA) Reform (Idea From July 1st Town Hall). Through its disaster loan program, the SBA is accustomed to dealing in the shorter-term to assist in business recovery, but this oil spill response will be longer and much more involved than usual disasters. The SBA needs to recognize this and adapt its processes and policies. An example of a flaw in the process is the SBA offering one-year deferments on all approved loans to affected businesses. It is likely that the spill’s clean-up and response will be ongoing when loan payments start coming due. A common-sense alternative is for the deferment to begin, if requested by the lendee, when the spill is certified to have been cleaned-up.

•    IDEA #8: Support Bipartisan Relief Efforts (Idea From July 1st Town Hall). The Senate package of tax breaks would go towards those hit hard by the oil spill. Ranging from tax deferrals to the extension of the net operating loss (NOL) carryback period, these breaks would go a long way to helping the region rebound.

•   IDEA #9: Stop Foreclosures For Those Affected. People adversely affected by the oil spill should not have to worry about losing their homes. Congressmen Miller and Adam Putnam (R-FL) have put forth a bill that would allow for the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to provide forbearance for those sustaining economic losses due to the oil spill and to evaluate what resources and programs available within the agency could provide further assistance.

•   IDEA #10: Relax Onerous Fishing Bag Limits And Seasons. Recreational, for-hire charter and commercial fishing is an important driver to the Gulf economy. Beyond a robust commercial fishing industry, many businesses, hotels, and restaurants depend on the visitor traffic created by those seeking adventure off the Florida coast through deep-sea or back-bay sportfishing. Yet reckless, inflexible regulations imposed upon anglers by fishery oversight bodies have often served as a death nail to communities reliant upon sportfishing and related tourism. Last year, we witnessed the dramatic impact of an abrupt closure of the Amberjack fishing season right in midst of the economically important Destin Fishing Rodeo. We need to stop placing knee-jerk policies ahead of fishermen’s livelihoods merely because well-funded outside groups push for such policies to further their self-interested agendas. When it is safe to do so for the next two years, we need to focus on opening our waters with relaxed quotas for all fishing.

•    IDEA #11: Tourist Development Council (TDC) Reserves (Idea From July 1st Town Hall). We should access TDC reserves to provide local businesses with tax relief or credits. BP would reimburse the TDCs for used reserves. In addition, any money given by BP for TDC advertising should have spending deadlines that are flexible and long-term.

Rubio To Announce 23 Simple Ways To Create Jobs, Grow Our Economy And Help The Gulf Coast Recover

Tampa, FL - At a town hall meeting in Tampa today, U.S. Senate candidate Marco Rubio will announce the first in a series of proposals to reclaim America’s future by offering a clear alternative to the anti-growth, anti-job creation economic policies coming out of Washington.

In a web video this morning, Rubio highlighted the problem of big spending politicians from both parties who have taken over Washington and say or do anything to remain in power, and why Washington needs a clear conservative alternative to help jumpstart the economy and begin the path to recovery in the Gulf Coast.

WATCH THE VIDEO:

“For over a year now, I’ve traveled across Florida and listened as people told me not only about the challenges they are talking about at their kitchen tables and the problems they see in Washington, but also about the solutions they want,” said Rubio. “Today, I will begin laying out simple ideas to start to reclaim America’s future from those in Washington who are taking us down the wrong path.

“All we hear out of Washington is talk of comprehensive plans while say-and-do anything politicians utterly refuse to do the simple things to get our spending under control, our economy back on track and our health care costs lowered. Floridians want a leader to go to Washington to be a check-and-balance against the policies that are taking our country in the wrong direction, but also offer a clear and positive alternative. And that is what I promise Floridians.

“Some of these ideas will be so straightforward it’s amazing that Washington has refused to do them. And some will be controversial because politicians believe they aren’t convenient to winning an election.

“When I was Speaker, we put forth ‘100 Ideas’ to improve Florida’s future that were proposed to us by Floridians. Today in Tampa, we will begin proposing a new set of ‘ideas’ to help Floridians, grow our economy, get spending under control and reclaim America’s future.”