Another thing I find soul-crushingly boring is reading about Marco Rubio’s evolving tax plan. I don’t blame Brian Beutler for this; his article is quite good. It’s just that this topic involves taxes and Marco Rubio. Everyone keeps trying to tell me that I need to pay attention to Marco Rubio, but I have no idea why. I understand that the guy doesn’t look like a decrepit old horse and that he’s supposed to have some kind of nominal appeal to Latinos, but he’s about as substantive as Fred Thompson and at least as crooked as Senator Bob Menendez. Furthermore, his one political claim to fame is being a point man on the Senate’s comprehensive immigration reform plan, which is a little like being a Delta Tau Chi member at an Otis Day and the Knights concert, if you know what I mean.
What Beutler is (too) politely pointing out is that Rubio has managed to propose the biggest, most regressive, most budget-busting tax cuts in history, all while in the guise of standing up to the supply-siders and sticking up for the struggling middle class. Beutler calls him the most ‘disingenuous’ candidate in the race, which would, if true, be something like running a two-minute mile.
So, maybe it is true. Who can really say, though? It’s not like Mitt Romney didn’t set several Guinness Book world records for disingenuousness the last go-round, and look where there that got him.
Anyway, smart people are telling me that I really only need to pay attention to three candidates: Jeb, Scott Walker, and Rubio. I understand the first two, but I’m still not getting the third.
Rubio in a nutshell
His last name isn’t Bush
Christie has imploded
He’s from Florida
He is Hispanic
Plus he’s well hydrated.
I’m sorry, but from what I can see, Rubio is in trouble in Florida. 18 months from re-election and his approval ratings are consistently below 50%. Even RedState is having anxiety attacks on re-election chances.
Of course, maybe that’s WHY he is running for president. Perhaps FL has drifted bluer in the past 4 years, and an R has less chance … especially if the non-crazy vote is not split 30-20. Remember, Rubio won with less than 50% of the popular vote.
As with many political matters Southern, Ed Kilgore’s take is worth reading:
“He’s the candidate Republican Establishment elites are almost certain to drool over if Jebbie blows up or fades. He’s the symbol of change in the GOP, without really making many concessions that strain conservative orthodoxy. A relatively young guy with a Latino background who is (it appears) the closest thing to a Reformicon champion (though again, what Reform Conservatives offer is more an add-on to conservative fiscal policy making it even more fiscally irresponsible than any sea change), and also a favorite of Neocons, is going to get massive positive media attention if and when he becomes more viable….[snip]
He really is the perfect second-tier candidate, though. If, for example, Bush and Walker get into some toxic competition that produced a political murder-suicide, it’s hard to imagine anyone benefiting more than Marco–unless it’s HRC.”
http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/political-animal-a/2015_04/rubio_cant_fail055062.php
Wasserman-Schultz just put out a killer witticism on Rubio: “Folded like a house of cards on immigration”. That’s going to kill him with Republicans because it points out he’s sorta-supportive of immigrants AND a wimp. Republicans like people who like to beat up on people lower than them on the totem pole, and they hate wimps.
I agree “house of cards” Rubio has next to no chance for a Presidential nomination and a rough road for re-election.
How often do the “smart people” get it right? My observation is that generally they do worse than flipping a coin. Much worse the more authoritarian/antidemocratic they are. Remember when Paul Ryan was the super-duper-budget guy in Congress?
Guess liberals should be heartened that Republicans have focused their “love” on the charisma challenged, not too bright Rubio and not on the one Latino in their ranks that does have charisma.
Remember when “smart Democrats” thought that Wesley Clark would be the Democratic Ike? And Kerry-Edwards would best Bush-Cheney?
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Mortal Kombat X TÉLÉCHARGER
Marko Rubio is the youngest candidate for the presidency, in opposition with Hillary Clinton. But his candidacy is still missing one thing: support.
official source
yes, he have no optimal support yet
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