Marco Rubio, then and now

Amid the ugly partisan meltdown on the floor of the Florida House Friday, it's worth recalling House Speaker Marco Rubio's reassuring rhetoric as he gaveled his first regular session to order in 2007.

"True legislative bipartisanship, the kind envisioned by those who designed this system of government, the kind our people deserve, is one where both parties share a common vision of the future, and spend all their time and energy debating how to bring that vision into reality. That is what I hope the culture of the Florida House will be," Rubio said on March 6, 2007. "For too long politics has been about scoring political points rather than solving problems. By adopting and adhering to this one simple rule, our work here will become about problem solving." Want more? The transcript of Rubio's 2007 speech is here.

Meanwhile, check out this photo of the handwritten note tucked inside the House seal on the chamber doors listing eight of Rubio's council chairs, the only ones with permission to leave the chamber during this marathon session. These are the ones with a Get Out Of Jail Free card.

 

Comments

As recent events continue to remind us, "Actions speak louder than words".

I know it has been a long day, but they really should learn how to spell their own members names. "Regan"

Ken Pruitt for House Speaker

Just get Hasner out of the chair.

[Donald Lance]

Marco Rubio? We hardly knew thou!

Funny- members are walking all over the House Office Building...and not just council chairs.

It's the idiot democrats causing all the problems.

It started in 2007 with them blocking meaningful property tax relief as demanded by Floridian.

These democrats are so out of touch with the people of FL

The Florida GOP leadership is a national embarrassment. They've failed on insurance, failed on taxes, and now they are presiding over a kangaroo legislature. They are an embarrassment to all Floridians.

11:17- Don't be too hard on them. It looks like the truck nut ban is going to pass this year.

[promotion through attrition]

Too bad all Gelber has is a former intern as a media person. It would certainly help if his media spokesperson was at least somewhat pithy in writing Gelber's response.

Who has time to read a 5-paragraph response to this lockdown?

Someone was asleep during the "How to Talk to the Media" workshop!

Did Rubio also refer to himself as a "Compassionate Conservative"? I guess we all misunderestimated the lengths the GOP would go to achieve their War on Middle Class America.

"middle class" to "working poor" - courtesy of the Rubio gang.

You are all embarassing! If I were one of the members not named, I would have walked out and told Rubio to stick it where the sun doesn't shine.

Wow Steve...I know you're a liberal and all...but remember Gelber started all this. Thanks for the unbiased article.

Wow Steve...I know you're a liberal and all...but remember Gelber started all this. Thanks for the unbiased article.

Finally someone sees through the cloud of lies, the smoke and mirrors...to see that this leadership team is WORSE than Byrd's...at least Byrd was up front about things...this bunch of romper room fools says one thing and does another...they treat the process like a game and ignore the fact that their actions hurt people, hurt the Republican party, and hurt to institution and process....yesterday was a sad day in Florida...

Last week: Rubio again promises not to squelch the rights of the minority .
This week: Rubio squelches the rights of the minority.
The stated reason-time. Result 13 extra hours. What a lie.

[Clyde]

To all the little villages in Florida:
Your idiots have been found. Please contact the legislature to arrange for pickup.

[Alex]

Speaker Rubio would be a joke if Florida wasn't spinning around the drain.