Juan Escalante: “If he wants to be president, Marco Rubio needs to get serious about the threat Donald Trump poses to this nation”
On Sunday, Marco Rubio responded to the President’s remarks on the San Bernardino attacks by asking, “Where is there widespread evidence that we have a problem in America with discrimination against Muslims?” The next day, Donald Trump called “for a total and complete shutdown of Muslims” entering the US.
Despite the fact that the evidence is widespread, Rubio had his head in the sand and refused to acknowledge it.
On Tuesday morning, Congressman and Florida Republican Senate candidate David Jolly took to the floor of the U.S House of Representatives to ask Donald Trump to terminate his presidential campaign in light of these comments.
“I rise today to call on Donald Trump to withdraw his candidacy for the White House,” Congressman Jolly stated, and continued that “it should be heartbreaking to every American that we have a frontrunner in the presidential race, that suggests that there will be a religious test to anyone who wishes to come to our shores.”
Jolly’s comments cannot go unnoticed – particularly since so few other Republicans have been so forceful and because Florida’s very own Marco Rubio is so unaware about the very real consequences anti-Muslim sentiment is having on Americans.
Other Republican leaders have denounced Trump’s toxic and insulting rhetoric, but Jolly is one of a very few who has followed the logical conclusion of his criticism and called on Trump to end his campaign. Instead many, like Speaker Paul Ryan, have criticized his policy but said they would still support Trump if he wins the Republican nomination.
So, let’s look at what other Florida Republicans have said about Trump, starting with the guy Jolly is trying to replace: Marco Rubio.
Marco Rubio @marcorubio:
I disagree with Donald Trump’s latest proposal. His habit of making offensive and outlandish statements will not bring Americans together.
So far Marco Rubio has called Trump’s plan to ban Muslims from entering the United States “offensive” and “outlandish,” falling short of actually condemning Trump’s candidacy or pledging to oppose him as a presidential candidate.
“Marco Rubio is a candidate for the highest office in this country, yet the farthest he’ll go is to slap the wrist of one of the our country’s biggest racist demagogues. That’s not presidential leadership, that’s business as usual for Rubio and most other members of the GOP. If he wants to be president, Marco Rubio needs to get serious about the threat Donald Trump poses to this nation, and the credibility of his party on the national stage,” said Juan Escalante, Director of Florida’s Voice.
However, all we have gotten from Rubio is half baked statements that one might confuse for excuses about why Trump’s is continuing to amplify his racist messaging. Like this interview on the Hugh Hewitt Show yesterday:
And in the case of, look, of Trump’s comments, I would just say that, this is a very serious issue. We need to deal with it in a serious way. What [Trump] proposed was not well thought out. It was impulsive. He didn’t think it through. It violates the Constitution.
It seems that Trump knew exactly what he was saying. Just like his earlier attacks on immigrants, women, and African Americans. This was not impulsive. It was Trump being Trump.
But once again, Marco Rubio refuses to stand up to the hateful rhetoric that Trump espouses. At one of the first debates, all of the GOP candidates, except Trump, vowed to support the eventual GOP nominee. Apparently that still holds – despite the ever devolving hate spewed by the front runner. The bold thing for Rubio to do would be to publicly state that he won’t support Trump as the Republican candidate for president. But, that would take leadership – and leadership and boldness are not qualities Rubio exhibits.
David Jolly might be just another Republican who opposes immigration relief programs like DACA and DAPA, but when it comes to Donald Trump he is right, while Rubio has showed us – again – that he’s willing selfishly put his own interests, and those of the Republican Party, ahead of everyday Americans.
“Yes Senator Rubio, there is an anti-Muslim backlash in this country that we need to stand up to. Yes Senator Rubio, Donald Trump is leading the charge. But it doesn’t stop with him; it’s up to you and other GOP leaders to silence the demagogues and move this country forward,” said Escalante.
Florida’s Voice is a project of America’s Voice.
