Posted on 06/26/2013 12:12:14 PM PDT by Sub-Driver
Rubio calls Tea Party attacks on immigration 'a real trial for me' By Ramsey Cox - 06/26/13 02:06 PM ET
Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) on Wednesday defended his decision to work on bipartisan immigration reform and said "it has been a real trial" hearing Tea Party charges that he has turned his back on conservatives.
“I have received numerous emails and calls from conservatives and Tea Party activists,” Rubio said on the Senate floor Wednesday. “Their opinions and concerns really matter to me because they stood with me during my election.”
Rubio said Tea Party activists aren’t “anti-immigrant” — they just don’t trust the federal government to enforce immigration laws that have gone unenforced over the last 30 years.
“It’s because the government has failed them so many times before,” Rubio said.
Rubio enjoyed strong support from Tea Party activists when he won his Senate seat in 2010 and has been touted as a potential 2016 GOP presidential nominee.
But some conservative Republicans have said his bipartisan work on immigration reform could hurt his chances of winning the nomination.
Rubio was a central player in the Gang of Eight negotiations that produced the immigration reform legislation, and led the early effort to sell the bill to conservatives.
Former Rep. Allen West (R-Fla.) has said he wouldn't rule out a primary challenge to Rubio if he runs for reelection in the Senate.
"To hear the worry, anxiety and growing anger in the voices of so many people who helped me get elected to the Senate, who I agree with on virtually every other issue, has been a real trial for me,” Rubio said.
Rubio has repeatedly said he’s not working on the legislation to increase his political stock and got involved in immigration reform talks for the right reasons.
“I got involved in this issue for one simple reason: I ran for office to try to fix things that are wrong with this country,” Rubio said. “And that’s what this is about for me.”
Rubio said he didn’t want to leave immigration reform simply to Democrats because he knew the issue of border security wouldn’t have been strong enough.
Earlier Wednesday, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) applauded Gang of Eight members, but noted their work might not be appreciated by all of their constituents.
“This is really America at its best. Each one of those eight senators don’t know, just as I don’t know, whether this work will help them or hurt them in their political careers,” Reid said. “But we have a broken immigration system, and they have come up with a solution to fix it.”
The Senate is expected to pass the Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act later this week.
The bipartisan group of eight senators, known as the Gang of Eight, introduced S. 744, which would create a pathway to citizenship for illegal immigrants already in the country, toughen border security, create a guest-worker program and boost high-skilled immigration.
Rubio, Sens. John McCain (R-Ariz.), Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.), Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Robert Menendez (D-N.J.) and Michael Bennet (D-Colo.) comprise the Gang of Eight.
Bye Bye Marco...Bye BYe GOP... time for a Tea Party revolution..
An VERY apt description - that or the Titanic.
I hear ya!
“Senator Rubio, this is going to be even harder for you to hear. Any man in the Senate that has to be defended by Harry Reid on this (on your actions)is an out and out traitor to American Sovereignty, period.
You apparently got into the Senate by lying about your convictions. Let’s see how you do come 2016.
Go chew on that for a while.”
Roger that Gaffer.
What an outright lying fraud.
Marco, you insult every Constitutional loving Conservative with your arrogance.
Rubio is a racist looking to represent foreigners and not Americans.
Why do we pay taxes?
NO TAXATION WITHOUT REPRESENTATION!!!
The UU Assn will tar and feather you for having truck with EV Christians.
.... Well Mr. Rubio .... If Republicans and Conservatives would actually learn to become team players and stop breaking away from core beliefs and staying together on the same page when we need them to stick together the most ..... heck .... we might actually be able to accomplish something!
At first glance I really thought that said “Marco Enema”. Which is also appropriate.
Contrition — only because he saw the polls showing him dropping 15%.
==
Marco, you will probably never get the stench of stepping into the Gang of 8 off your shoes.
They own you. Did you hold out for a hefty sum or did you sell yourself cheap?
Sounds like something Hillary would say. Maybe Rubio just needs to tear up a little bit.
Rubio channeling obama again. Everything is about him. Just like the kenyan.
Plus heavily tax remittances
Lying to us is what you did wrong.
Now just go away!
Michelle Bachman explained. ANY bill no matter if it promises all the border security in the world will be a trojan horse.NO bill at all must come out of the House because it will be merged with the Senate Amnesty and trojan horse bill. Call congress.
Tell them to stop all Amnesty or immigration bills.they are all trojan horse bills. some will promise border security that will never be enforced anyway. but in the bill will be the virus:
at least 3 ways to destroy the USA
1. amnesty to 30 million illegals and chain migration.
2. Amnesty forever to ANY foreigner in the 3rd world. all he has to say is he’s seeking political asylum .there are 6 billion poor in the 3rd world . and this bill will allow any of the to come here , all they need is to get on a boat.
3. many more work visas for many occupations
Bachmann explained it . The House will write a border security bill only . then in conference the senate will add the virus and then bring it back to the house. then the conservatives won’t vote for it but democrats will all vote for it so only need 10% of republicans to pass Amnesty and the virus that will destroy America. so any bill at all will be added the virus . so best thing is for Boner to not let any immigration bill at all come out of the House. that is the only hope . call boner and the House
Go to hell rubio you racist traitor.
I can’t see how anyone could believe in more promises to secure the border given the abysmal record of broken promises and violated laws.
What Jim Robinson said up thread goes DOUBLE for me...I feel sorry for the Florida voters who bought into your bullsh*t in the first place, Rubio. (spit)
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