Marco Rubio Mocks Lilly Ledbetter Act

Sen. Marco Rubio's fails to answer why Mitt Romney and his fellow Senate Republicans refused to support the Lilly Ledbetter Act. The law gives women the right to equal pay. Senator Rubio sees a fiendish conspiracy afoot.

“But just because they call a piece of legislation an equal pay bill doesn’t make it so,” he added. “In fact, much of this legislation is in many respects nothing but an effort to help trial lawyers collect their fees and file lawsuits, which may not contribute at all whatsoever to increasing pay equity in the workplace.”

It's interesting that Rubio has such a dislike for trial lawyers. Rubio made $1.2 million working for Broad and Cassel. Rubio couldn't tell Jim Secede what he did at the law firm.

... When Rubio first entered the Florida Legislature in 2001 he was making less than 100,000 a year. But by the time Rubio left in 2008 his income shot up to more than $400,000, including a $300,000 a year salary from the law firm Broad & Cassel.

The I Team asked Rubio if he would have been hired by the firm if he hadn't been selected speaker of the House?

"It's hard to tell with a hypothetical," Rubio said. "I certainly would have worked somewhere. I had made a career of working at big firms up until last year when I went out on my own."

During the four years he worked at Broad & Cassel, Rubio was paid $1.2 million. When Rubio was asked if he was worth it, he laughed. ...

"Well you would have to ask them," he said. "I hope I was."

It must be hard making $1.2 million for a part-time job. No wonder Rubio hates trial lawyers so much.

Rubio obviously doesn't hate trial lawyers. Rubio will use the lame trial lawyers talking point because he can't defend Romney ducking the Lilly Ledbetter question.

Marco Rubio Interview

Javier Manjarres interviews Marco Rubio about his senatorial bid. The interview covers conservative hot button issues of abortion, guns, national security and the stimulus bill. My impression of the interview is Rubio is ready for prime-time.

Manjarres took shots at President Barack Obama and Gov. Charlie Crist. Manjarres went into a long-winded spiel about Obama being a socialist. What differentiates Rubio from a Sarah Palin is he refused to personally attack Obama and Crist. Rubio said he would stand with Obama on issues they agreed upon but not the stimulus package. Rubio has the self-disclipine not to go off in wacky attacks. John McCain never learned that message.

Rubio reiterates Jeb Bush's message that Republicans must change the tone of their anti-illegal immigrant message. Rubio is incorrect that the GOP loves immigrants. Republicans have lost Hispanic votes in the last two election cycles. Republicans have built their empire on the Southern strategy. Rubio does deliver the

Rubio sounds more like David Brooks than Michele Bachmann. I disagree with Rubio's conservative ideology. It is interesting to hear a Republican coherently define why he is a conservative. Too many Republicans repeat trite talking points. Rubio comes off as an intellectual compared to his fellow Republicans. That says more about the current GOP talent pool than it is a statement on Rubio. He is a savvy politician. The GOP hasn't had a good policy idea since welfare reform and Bill Clinton made that his own.

If I was a GOP operative, Rubio would be the kind of candidate I would be recruiting for all levels of the party. John Boehner and Eric Cantor only make Democrats look better. I see Rubio and pray Democrats will recruit Pam Iorio. Kendrick Meek and Dan Gelber will have problems against Rubio.

What really bothered me about the interview is Rubio's insistence that trickle down economics works.

Rubio: The economic role of government should be very, very limited, in paticular. I don't want to live in a country where government gets to pick the winners and the losers in our economy. When government picks the winners and the losers; the winners are always these big business companies that can influence the process. The small entrepreneur, the ones whose creates jobs and opportunity, the ones whose always lead America through tough times into the good times are hurt in an environment where government picks winners and losers.

But Florida Republicans do pick winners and losers. Rubio attempted to cut funding into Medicaid. Rubio attempted to implement what would have been of the highest sale tax increases in the country. Rubio talks about big bussiness wielding influence on legislators. As he was about to become Speaker, Rubio landed a Ray Sansom-style deal. Rubio was hired by Broad & Cassel to a $300,000-a-year job.

Rubio is beatable if Democrats attack his record. Personal attacks will not work. Rubio is to likable.