Several days ago I sent an email to Senator Marco Rubio requesting that the Senator please walk away from the Gang of 8 Immigration bill. I confirmed he personally received the email and was asked if he could read some parts of it on the floor of the Senate, which he did today. Below is my email in its entirety.
Honorable Senator Rubio:
I write to you today to request that you please walk away from the Corker-Hoeven Amendment and the Gang of 8 immigration bill.
I first heard you speak in the late fall of 2009 at an event in Tampa hosted by the New Tampa Republican Club. I was so impressed by your Conservatism, your optimism and your message that America is exceptional and that we must remain so. I became an ardent supporter that evening and worked to do my best in 2010 to get you elected. I trusted that you would do the right thing and stand up to Washington's status quo establishment of either party that has created such a mess over the last decades.
I understand, empathized and truly believed that you had the best of intentions when you decided to get out in front and take on the immigration issue. However, today, June 2013, we are in a very different political climate than we were even after last November's election. We are in the political climate of Distrust. Distrust of government and elected representatives is at it's highest. That is not a good sign for any nation. Trust has broken down due to too many broken promises of major comprehensive bills passed - Stimulus, Farm Bills, Dodd-Frank, Sarbanes Oxley, Patriot Act and, of course, ObamaCare. And distrust has risen as a result of the recent scandals and government officials of this administration lying to Americans. Do we want to trust this Administration to faithfully enforce a bill to the best interests of All Americans with a bill that few have read?
Americans are fatigued of 1000 plus page comprehensive bills that are rushed through a process that lacks transparency and consists of back room deals and buy offs. Very few Senators and Americans will have had the time to fully read and digest the Corker-Heuven 1200 page amendment that is to be voted on today. All Senators, whether they support this bill or not, should at the very least know exactly what they are voting. All Americans deserve the time to read and digest this bill as well. You are not voting on 5 broad talking points but a huge complex bill. The devil is always in the details. I understand the bill includes pork, payoff to special interests, conflicting statements and will increase unemployment and decrease wages. Worst of all, I do not believe this bill will resolve the issue of illegals.
Trust is earned and when it's lost can be hard to win back. I believed you in 2010 when you stated "we've got to secure the borders in our existing system first before we can even begin to have a conversation about the other elements of immigration and that "earned path to citizenship is basically code for amnesty." Most Americans, I believe, are appalled and find it unacceptable that 12 years after 9/11 we still have not secured our borders. If Senators Schumer, Durbin and Reid were serious about securing our borders, they would not have stopped building the fence and they would help pass a border security bill separate from the immigration issue.
I do not believe the face of the future Republican party is Senators McCain and Graham. I do believe this issue is splitting the Republican party and may cause irreparable damage if the Conservative base pulls away. You have a great, appealing message that can win the hearts and minds of many Americans. I believe you can be a champion for Conservative principles without pandering to any segment or ethnicity. Remember when the government gives something to one group, they must take something from someone else.
I ask that you reconsider your position and please walk away from the Gang of 8 bill. We need to secure our borders first and then we can address immigration in a transparent, piece by piece manner. I pray you will do the right thing.
Thank you.
Sharon Calvert
Tampa Tea Party
Scroll to the end to watch the video of Rubio's Senate floor speech
here. Unfortunately, it appears Senator Rubio will not walk away from this immigration bill. But the bill has not passed yet and hopefully it will never see the light of day in the House.
That was an excellent letter. It's clear that he gets the complaint and he is sympathetic. And he makes a strong argument as to why he is supporting the bill.
ReplyDeleteBut he did not address the issue of why the bill has to be passed so quickly before it can be read and understood. He knows that delay in passing the bill will allow its flaws to be found and perhaps sink the bill's passage.
He echoed your point about distrusting gov't and claims to be sympathetic. I believe him. But I also wonder if he is just being naive by claiming that somehow this time, with this bill, everything will go as planned. Obama ignores laws he does not like and makes up laws to suit his purposes. Rubio reminds me of the naive hero of Game of Thrones who loses his head by underestimating the ruthlessness of his political enemies.
It's not the "exact same bill". Rubio knows it. And yet he claims it's the exact same bill. That's Obamaland -- telling us something we know is not true.
Thanks you Sharon This is the best letter I have seen. I am proud to have in the years to have had the chance to stand with such a great leader that you are. Though we all know in our hearts Rubio drank the DC sewer water, we had expected him to do this. He is again speaking out of both sides of him mouth. He is doing the same as he did in the Florida House. He is working his magic behind closed doors.
ReplyDeleteThank you for being such an important AMERICAN and taking him to task. We now know he would be worthless as a Presidential candidate if he does not change his views and remove his support from this bill.
ReplyDeleteWhen a Democrat goes to a constituency splinter group, and LIES to them, then goes to another splinter group, and lies to them, the Democrat base, has the security of knowing that LIES are the ticket to power, and that the overall agenda will still move forward.
ReplyDeleteMr. Rubio, is just not that good at lying, and his conservative base, having a weakness for the truth, will not accept lies. Worse still, the underpinning of the lies is the destruction of the Constitution, and our unique dedication to the rule of law.
So Marco Rubio, having the opportunity to stand with Cruz, Rand, Sessions and others who actually want a bill that solves the immigration problems, has chosen instead to desert those that put their reputations on the line, the men and women who worked so hard, in an uphill fight to get him elected.
Once a man has thrown away his reputation, it is pretty hard to get it back.