Archive for the ‘Congress’ Category
The following is from the Marco Rubio Website. It’s kinda long, but it’s a good read.
My father Mario Rubio passed away on Saturday night.
My father knew real adversity from early in life. His mother passed away just days shy of his 9th birthday. By the time he was 14, he was working as a security guard at a La Casa de los Tres Kilos (“The Home of the Three Cents” – a kind of five and dime) and at night he slept in a small room in the storage area.
A few years later, he met a young 17-year-old cashier named Oriales. They married a year later and their first son, my older brother Mario, was born in Havana one year after that.
Soon after, they left their country behind and came to America. They tried their luck in several cities, New York, Los Angeles, even a brief stint in Las Vegas. But they wound up back in Miami.
In America, my father tried his hand at many different things. He opened a small sandwich shop, a beauty supply store and even a dry cleaner. It was his dream to own and successfully run his own business. But by the time he was my age, in the mid 1960’s, he realized they would not be returning to Cuba anytime soon.
Faced with the growing obligations of his young family, he had to abandon those dreams for something more stable. He settled down as a bartender for a chain of hotels on Miami Beach and rose from bar boy to head bartender in less than five years.
For the first time in his life, he had stability, and he and my mother embarked on the second act of their life. I was born in 1971 when my dad was 44 years old. And then 18 months later, they had my sister Veronica
No matter how hard he worked, he always made sure we knew that we were his first priority.
As a young child, I wore braces on my legs to correct a knee problem. I hated to wear them. So my dad would call from work and pretend to be Don Shula telling me I needed to wear them if I wanted to play for the Dolphins. (I always wondered why Shula had a Cuban accent on the phone but not on TV!)
I remember we would drop Veronica and my mom off at the movies and we would go to the Dolphin games at the Orange Bowl.
Sometimes, he would take us to a fire station on NW 7th Street and LeJeune and ask the firefighters if they would let us sit on their truck (they always did).
Every so often, they would wake us before the sun came up and surprise us with a one-day trip to Disney World.
And every Sunday, it was breakfast at the International House of Pancakes, or as my dad would call it, “Pancake House.”
By the late 1970’s, the hotels on the beach were struggling and my dad left Miami for Las Vegas to find work and set us up to move there. He found a job working as a bar boy at a new hotel called Sam’s Town.
He had 20 years of bartending experience but was now working under people just out of bartending school. He took it all in stride and soon he was a bartender during the most coveted shift. In May of 1979, he moved the whole family to Las Vegas. But not before he took us all to the Kennedy Space Center as a birthday gift.
The next 6 years were among the best of our lives. Both my parents worked in hotels; my dad a bartender, my mom a maid. But they did everything they could to make our lives fun. My dad built an above ground pool in the backyard and a basketball net in the front. He was the equipment manager for my Pop Warner football team. And in 7th and 8th grades, every Saturday he would drop me off at the roller skating rink at 6 p.m. and pick me up at 11 p.m.
In Las Vegas, my parents had steady jobs that paid well and jobs in the hotel industry were easily available. That was great for them, but they cared most about what was best for us. My parents feared that if we stayed in Las Vegas we would be drawn into the same employment they had. They wanted us to have dreams and to be in a place where we would have more success pursuing our dreams than they had pursuing theirs. So in 1985, they moved the family back to Miami.
They bought a house in West Miami and my dad went to work at Mayfair House Hotel in Coconut Grove. Two years later, my mother began to work at K-Mart as a stock clerk.
After high school, I went away to school in Gainesville. I lived on student loans, grants and a part time job. But every few weeks, my dad would send me a $20 bill. (I know he wished it could have been $200 or $2,000.)
My father was the most unselfish person I ever met. You had to be careful not to mention any particular need or wish around him because before you knew it, he was solving it for you.
Like the Christmas after my wedding, I happened to mention I needed to go get a Christmas tree. One hour later, I see my dad driving up with one of those trees you can buy at Winn-Dixie. It was the smallest tree we ever had. And the one I will always remember the most.
Neither as a child nor as an adult, do I ever remember my dad having the “day off” to do his things. His things always seemed to be about someone else. Usually about us.
The last 13 years of his life, in retrospect, were his best years.
He retired from bartending in 1997 at the age 70 and went to work as a school crossing guard, where he was made supervisor after the first two years. He didn’t stop working until he was 78.
He came to love working on my campaigns. And he regularly monitored the radio for news of what they were saying about me.
We also had the chance to do things he never had before. We went to the 2004 GOP Convention in New York and visited the old places he used to live and work. We got a tour of the West Wing of the White House and took a picture together behind the podium in the press briefing room. And he got to go to a Super Bowl game in Jacksonville along with my brother and me.
He also got to meet some of the famous people he admired from television. He met Lennox Lewis at my sister’s house. And he met Mayor Giuliani at our endorsement event in April.
By the time my U.S. Senate campaign had begun in March of 2009, my father’s energy level and health had started a slow but steady decline. But he literally spent all day monitoring Fox News to see if I was coming on. After missing a few appearances because no one told him about it, he placed the network on permanent TiVo.
Many of us make the mistake of not remembering that our parents were once our age. It was around the time my father was my age that he realized he had to make a choice. He was never going to go back to Cuba, back to the dreams he had for himself as a boy. Now he had to focus on his family’s future and set them up so they could do the things he never could.
I realize everyday, and today more than ever, that every opportunity I have had is the result of the selfless decisions he made, even before I was born.
We, his four children, were the purpose of his life. And our accomplishments were not just a source of natural parental pride, they were and are affirmation that he mattered. That his life had real purpose. That his sacrifices were not in vain.
My dad was proud of all of his children and grandchildren. And he would have been proud of me no matter what I chose to do. But I think what made him especially proud of the career I have chosen is because of how far it is from the one he had.
For years, my dad would work banquets at hotels. Many times, these events featured a well-known figure giving a speech. At these events, there are usually only two people standing behind a table. The speaker who is behind a podium, and a bartender behind the bar.
My dad was the one behind the bar. But he worked all his life so that his kids could make the symbolic journey from behind the bar to behind the podium. And in fact, I literally did.
That journey is a testament to the greatness of America. And that journey was the purpose of my father’s life.
My father mattered. He was not famous, wealthy or influential. But he mattered in a way we too often overlook today. He mattered not because of what he accomplished himself, but because of what his life allowed others to do.
I am grateful that God blessed me with this man as my father.
We will be honoring his life with a visitation service tonight, Tuesday, September 7, from 6:00 P.M. until 10:00P.M. at Memorial Plan Westchester, located at 9800 Coral Way in Miami, Florida.
In lieu of flowers, we are asking for donations to be made to The League Against Cancer/La Liga Contra El Cancer.
Contributions can be made via their website or brought to tonight’s service.
ligacontraelcancer.org…
Mailed to:
2180 Southwest 12th Avenue
Miami, FL 33129-2615
(305) 856-4914On behalf of my family, thank you for your prayers and words of support during this difficult period.
Sincerely,
Marco Rubio
Alvin Greene, a relative unknown, surprised everyone in South Carolina on Tuesday night by winning the chance to face Sen. Jim DeMint, a Republican, this fall with a victory over state lawmaker Vick Rawl in the Democratic primary.
The Democrats elected this guy in a primary election and now, not wanting to admit that the Democrat voters really are that gullible, they are asking him to step down, as if a mistake were made. Now that’s laughable!
South Carolina Democratic Party Chair Carol Fowler on Wednesday asked Greene to withdraw from the race for U.S. Senate because he supposedly showed some dirty pictures to a college student. I suppose that’s a worse offense than having Barney Frank romantically involved with a male prostitute, but that seems to be the typical values represented by the lefties.
In reality, the lefties are asking him to step aside because they can’t believe he actually won. That tells me that either A) Democrats really are that stupid, or B) They gave the wrong name to the people that were supposed to fix the vote.
Check out this interview with FOX News:
The following was written by Gina Miller. Her opinions don’t necessarily reflect those of ScottFactor.com, but because they’re here, they probably do.
Conservative Bachmann
This will probably aggravate some folks, but, in general, I prefer that leaders be strong conservative men, and if they’re Christian men, that’s even better. I don’t usually like to see women in positions of political power. That’s just me, and I know I’m not the only one who feels this way, though many who do probably won’t admit it publicly.
That being said, I must say that I am happy to see the refreshing boldness of the truly conservative Republican Congressman Michele Bachman of Minnesota, who has actually earned the title of Congressman by really representing the people of her state. No, I’m not politically correct; she’s a Congressman in my book, period. Just as “man” and “mankind” includes women, so a congressman can be female. I’m old-fashioned that way.
Michele Bachmann takes strong stands against wasteful government spending and has cosponsored a bill to reduce the deficit and promote real economic recovery. She has introduced four pieces of legislation that would free up our access to our own energy sources here in America, while at the same time continuing to invest in the search for effective alternative energy sources. She’s pro-life and supports our right to keep and bear arms. The NRA likes her. And, she supports the repeal of the grossly unconstitutional health care deform bill.
Congressman Bachmann jumped up another notch in my mind this week when Dr. Michael Savage had her on his show to talk about the United States and the world’s response to Israel stopping the group of Turkish ships that attempted to break Israel’s very legitimate blockade of Hamas-controlled Gaza.
She pointed out that this was an obvious test by the “radical, shariah-compliant terrorist types” to see what kind of response they would get from not just Israel, but the United States, as well. She pointed out that they learned that the United States did not stand by our ally Israel.
Instead, Washington condemned Israel’s defending of its blockade, which, in turn, is a defense of Israel’s right to exist, in my opinion. The blockade is in place to keep Muslim terrorists from arming up Gaza.
Michele Bachmann went on to point out that American terrorist Bill Ayers and his wife Bernadine Dohrn were also involved in backing this flotilla. And, I might add, so is the Muslim Imam who is behind the proposed Ground Zero mosque.
It was just really good to hear a politician, and a woman at that, speak with such a backbone. She said it remains to be seen if we’re going to stand by Israel or abandon them. There will be more tests. And, these Jewish-hating Muslims will never be satisfied with any concession. Their ultimate desire is to see all Jewish people removed from the face of the earth.
Congressman Bachmann concludes her words on Israel with this :
“We need to really ask our question now. Will the United States man up? Will we man up—will we stand by our ally Israel, and will we deliver some tough love to the thugs out there, or won’t we? And, unfortunately, the tepid response of the United States, I think, sends yet one more signal from the Obama administration of weakness when it comes to our friend, Israel.”
Right on, Michele Bachmann! You’re a breath of fresh air, and Minnesota is blessed to have you.
Originally from Texas, Gina is a graduate of William Carey College in Gulfport, MS, with a Bachelor of Fine Arts. Gina currently presents an audio blog on News Radio 104.9 FM in Biloxi, MS. Her blogs can be heard twice weekly on the Kipp Gregory morning show.
Well, the most flamboyant moron in the House of Representatives, Alan Grayson, is at it again. In a TV interview, Grayson decided to compare Republicans to Al-Qaeda. He says, “Why would you want to put people in charge of government who just don’t want to do it? I mean, you wouldn’t expect to see Al-Qaeda members as pilots.”
The Grayson Mansion
Well, Mr. Grayson, I’m at a loss for words to describe your wacky motives for your exercise of free speech. Let us not forget that this is the same clown who said the American health care system was a “holocaust in America”. Coming from a guy who lives in a $1 million mansion, I suppose he finds it easy to give away other people’s money. Look at this beauty of a house that he owns….nice!!!
Schultz, or........
Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D.-Fla.) has been blathering about the new health care law not making it mandatory that individuals buy health insurance. Apparently she didn’t read it, because the bill’s language says otherwise.
At an April 5 town hall meeting in Fort Lauderdale, someone asked Wasserman Shultz where the Constitution authorized Congress to mandate that individuals buy health insurance. She responded that the new health care law did not require individuals to buy health insurance. “We actually have not required in this law that you carry health insurance,” Wasserman Schultz said at the town hall meeting.
...Schultz???? Quite the Resemblance!
Her mis-informed press secretary, Jonathan Beeton, said it was true that the health care law did not mandate that individuals buy health insurance and that Wasserman Schultz stood by her assertion at the town hall meeting.
He said Schultz’s remarks were, “…accurate. You have a choice of insuring yourself with affordable coverage, or paying an assessment that will offset the burden you place on other insured Americans and taxpayers by not being insured.”
Her ability to represent people reminds me of the famous character of the same last name…Schultz, from the old television series, “Hogan’s Heros”. Schultz had a famous line that went like this: “I see NOTHING! I know NOTHING!” Seems appropriate to compare images of the two.
I think I see a resemblance.
A nutbar indentified as Gregory Lee Giusti was arrested today for threatening Nancy Pelosi over the telephone. He reportedly called her San Francisco and Washington offices, and suppossedly spoke to her at least once. He threatened her life if she voted fo the healthcare bill.
Now, how much you want to bet that if you dug into this guy’s record you will find that he is indeed a Democrat?
The Stall Says "Congress", not "Democrats".
People who have spent time around me have often heard me refer to people who are, “…victims of the great marketing machine”. What I mean by that is simple. Although mass marketing existed in the 19th century, it really didn’t take off running until after World War II. New electronic medium made possible the sending of messages to millions of people through radio and television, newspapers and magazines. The idea of “mass” really means more than mass messaging, taking into account mass wealth and mass spending that occurred after that war.
Companies sprang up that specialized in developing messages that would target certain groups of people. These messages had to be communicated in such a manner as to make the receiver see them in the most favorable light. Soon it became apparent that these messages could make people see themselves as they wanted to be seen, not as they think they are seen. How exactly does that work?
If a man wants to be seen as attractive to women, put a pretty girl in a commercial for a car and that man will think that pretty girls will come running to him if he buys that car. Ladies, you’re guilty, too….only the youngest, freshest faces are in the commercials for make-up, so if you want to look that young again, buy that Covergirl brand and you will regain your youth. What does all of this mean?
The political parties have also become experts at marketing themselves. The Democrats have convinced the working class that they are the party to represent hardworking, middle-class, blue-collar union folks. On top of that, the Democrats have also convinced ideological doo-gooders that the Party will help the doo-gooders spread the wealth and prosperity by going after those mean rich people. Funny, but most of the representatives in Congress were wealthy long before they got there.
The Republicans, on the other hand, have marketed themselves as the champions of free enterprise, less spending, lower taxes, and more personal freedom. Funny, but all of those bank bailouts that former President Bush started sure don’t look like free enterprise to me…..and the deficits that were incurred during the Bush years don’t resemble a “less spending” policy, although the Bush backers like to use the war spending as an excuse.
The reality is that both parties have only one true goal: Survival of the party. Congress has made this evident, especially in the House. From the time they are elected, they spend the next two years of their term raising money to get re-elected. To do this, they go out and convince the voters that they are representative of the voters’ desires, making the labels of liberal and conservative muddy. Republicans seem to excel at this.
Edward H. Crane, founder of the CATO Institute, has some great insight into this in his article that appeared in the National Review (Online) on April 29, 2009. Mr. Crane states, in part:
Strategically, conservatives have made three major mistakes. The first was to follow the advice of supply-side guru (and big-government Democrat) Jude Wanniski and not talk about spending cuts, much less the proper role of government. Economic growth replaced individual liberty as the rallying cry of far too many GOPers. Second, the neocons — mostly statists themselves — should never have been accepted into the fold. All they give us is a war against a country that never attacked us and schemes for “national greatness” like going to Mars. Enough. Finally, conservatives should jettison the social agenda of gay marriage, flag burning, and school prayer, and focus instead on federalism. Politics is about man’s relationship to the state. That relationship, to be healthy, should be minimal
Party politics should be the cement that holds people of a common bond together. It has become nothing but a monster that feeds on the very people it was meant to serve. Until the leadership of the Republican Party comes to this conclusion and makes changes – serious changes – it will not be able to regain control of our government and the Democrats will hold onto our government in 2010. Anger with the Democrats will only get the Republicans so far…. Are you listening RNC?
Harry Reid: Stick It In And Snap It Off
Senator Harry Reid, acting like a guy who thinks he’s going to keep his job, decided that it would be beneficial to poke fun at Sarah Palin at a campaign appearance in his hometown today. Reid told the small crowd of liberal lefties, “I was going to give a few remarks on the people who were over here a week ago Saturday, but I couldn’t find it written all over my hands.”
Imagine how much fun it will be when he gets voted out of office in November.
The Democrats have been crying about recent death threats and acts of vandalism in the wake of the healthcare legislation they voted into law last weekend. It appears by news reports that there have been death threats phoned in to several members of Congress, shots fired through windows of Democratic party offices, and bricks thrown through windows.
While I do not condone violence, I have to say….what did they expect? They were elected to represent the American people and instead they assume this role of “leader” and make decisions not based on the needs of their constituents, rather their own ideological dreams of conquest. Who do these idiots think they are?
What’s even more disturbing is that these idiots point a finger of blame at some of the news pundits, insinuating that they are fueling these violent acts. Hey, Reid and Pelosi, I have a clue for you!! These acts of violence are directed at you because you yourselves have fueled them with your tax-and-spend mentality that is driving our country into bankruptcy. If you want to know where the problem lies, look in the mirror. You have aligned yourselves with the likes of the king whom the revolutionaries of the 1700’s rebelled against. They took up arms, decided they had enough taxation without representation, and took control of their own destiny.
Sound familiar?
http://www.rules.house.gov/bills_details.aspx?NewsID=4606
Ok…game on. Let’s see if it’s possible to read this thing by the Sunday vote.
Just remember this ridiculous timeframe when you vote this election cycle.
