Background
Marco Rubio was born in Miami in 1971 to a blue-collar family. His Cuban parents came to America after Fidel Castro’s takeover of their home country.
Family
Rubio and his wife Jeanette Dousdebes Rubio were married in 1998 and have four children. They live in West Miami, four blocks from the home his parents bought in 1985.
Religious Affiliation
Although Rubio is a Roman Catholic, he belongs to the Christ Fellowship Nondenominational Church, leading some to believe that he is truly Protestant. About his faith, Rubio has said “For those who have the Christian faith and are in politics, there is a constant struggle between a desire to do what is right and how that sometimes may not coincide with what is popular,” he said. “I hope that, more often than not, I make the right choice.”
Education
After beginning his college education with Tarkio College in Missouri on a football scholarship, Rubio transferred to Santa Fe Community College. In 1993, he graduated with a bachelor of science from the University of Florida. He earned his juris doctor in 1996, graduating cum laude from the University of Miami.
Political Start
Rubio served in the Florida House of Representatives from 2000-1008. While there, his roles included Majority Whip, Majority Leader and Speaker of the House. His agenda was one of lower taxes, better schools, a smaller more efficient government and free market empowerment.
Political Career
Before becoming speaker, Rubio traveled around the state for 2 years hosting “Idearaisers” to hear from his consitutents on ways to make Florida better. This resulted in the book “100 Innovative Ideas for Florida’s Future,” on which he based his term. All 100 ideas were passed by the Florida House, and 57 became law. Newt Gingrich called this “a work of genius.”
Rubio has worked to develop a public school curriculum that would match the best in the world, increase performance-based accountability, allow for greater school choice and target factors which affect academic underperformance.
In 2010, Rubio was elected US Senator for Florida. He sits on the following committees:
Private Sector Career
After his time as Speaker, Rubio returned to practicing law. He also acted as a visiting professor at Florida International University, was Florida Chairman of GOPAC and a political analyst for Univision.
On the issues
Abortion- Pro-Life
Budget- Supports moratorium on all earmarks until budget is balanced
Economic- Supports a balanced budget and a line item veto
Economic- Supports a limit on federal spending growth to per-capita inflation rate
Education- Supports more scholarships for private schools
Education- Supports less federal control of education with increased local control, including increased parental choice
Energy- Supports exploration of proven energy reserves including ANWR
Environment- Opposes Cap & Trade. Does not believe it has had an impact on the global climate
Environment- Signed the No Climate Tax Pledge by AFP
Healthcare- Supports the repeal of any government-run healthcare
Healthcare- Supports a marketplace of affordable health insurance
Healthcare- Supports alternatives to employer-based insurance
Immigration– Believes Arizona law may unreasonably single out some citizens
Immigration- Opposes counting illegal aliens in the census
Immigration- Supports in-state tuition for children of illegal aliens
Immigration- Opposes amnesty in any form
Immigration- Supports full implementation of current border security laws
Legislative- Supports identifying the constitutionality in every new congressional bill
National Security- Believes that Islamic terrorists are the greatest threat to America
National Security- Supports the 2007 troop surge
National Security- Opposes timetable for Afghanistan withdrawal
Other- Opposed Ground Zero Mosque
Other- Opposes card check & Employee Free Choice Act
Second Amendment- Opposes restrictions on the right to bear arms
Social- Supported amendment to ban same-sex marriage and supports the ban of gays in the military
Tax- Supports making Bush tax cuts permanent
Tax- Supports replacing property taxes with state sales tax
Tax- Opposes capital gains tax
Tax- Supports flat-rate federal tax
Tax- Supports repeal of death taxes
Sources:
Rubio.senate.gov
Ontheissues.org
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