Throughout this election season, one phrase has been foremost in my mind and in the minds of Americans everywhere: let’s take a step back and just calm down. By far, this is the angriest, loudest, craziest and most unpredictable election year in anyone’s recent memory.
On one side of the spectrum we have Bernie Sanders, a self-proclaimed democratic socialist that is capturing the minds of many Americans by promising to transform America into a European-style socialist state, filled with “free” government programs that will be funded by the icy-veined, capitalistic monsters who actively steal from the poor for their own gain and pleasure.
On the other end lies Donald Trump. Trump is an angry, hot-headed and loudmouthed B-list celebrity who says all of the country’s dilemmas can be blamed on a distant “they,” whether it be Muslims, illegal immigrants or China. He goes further to say that under his potential reign, he would use his iron fist and unbreakable will to defeat all of our “enemies” in one fell swoop, ushering in the most prosperous era in American history, complete with the bikini-clad women and marble and gold trim that Trump loves so much.
Sanders and Trump do not have much in common, except for two things: they rely on fear and anger to drive their campaigns and they both share a pessimistic view of the world. So, where does that leave us? Has the country as a whole lost its collective mind? Is there a single sane candidate who doesn’t seem to get too close to the rhetoric of Vladimir Lenin or Adolf Hitler? The answer to the last question is a solid “yes” that comes in the form of Florida Senator Marco Rubio.
To start with the basics, Rubio is a passionate, fresh-faced, young man with Reagan-style optimism and who truly believes that America is the greatest country on Earth. His message of a bright, moral and self-reliant America that still has its best years to come is one that appeals to everyone. This is exactly why his slogan is “a new American century.” On the issues, Rubio is a conservative and a realist. He appreciates traditional American values while still understanding that the world is an ever-evolving place in which America needs to grow if it wants to remain a global superpower. How exactly does Rubio incorporate these traits into his policies? Here are a few examples.
On immigration, Rubio has a track record of creating and supporting sensible policies that still acknowledge and effectively deal with the problem at hand. While in the Senate, Rubio was a member of the Gang of Eight, a bipartisan coalition of Senators tasked with creating comprehensive solutions to the issue of illegal immigration. These solutions included creating a feasible path to citizenship for illegal aliens already in the United States, an expanded and improved employment verification system for all employers to confirm employee work authorization and an updated system of work visa options for low-skilled workers. Unlike Trump and Cruz, Rubio does not support harebrained ideas like mass deportations of illegal aliens or the idea of building some kind of Iron Curtain-esque wall between Mexico and the US.
Regarding the issue of taxes, Rubio has a realistic plan that will positively affect American citizens and businesses. Marco Rubio is for lowering taxes and simplifying the complicated monster that is the current federal tax code. For businesses, Rubio has proposed a flat rate of 25%, roughly ten percent lower than the current rate. This cut would leave businesses with more money to innovate and prosper and would also attract more international investment in the American economy. For citizens, Rubio believes that people should be able to keep as much as their hard-earned money as possible and that they best know how to spend their own money. The Rubio tax plan includes three rates of 15%, 25% and 35% that are based off of yearly income. This lowered and simplified system of rates would leave Americans with more of their own money, allowing them to fuel the economy.
For job creation, Marco understands that the private sector creates jobs, not the government. Rubio wants to limit economic regulations for businesses, allowing them to grow and innovate without unnecessary government interference.
Rubio also has an effective plan for defeating ISIS. The solution is rather simple: rebuild our crippled military, actively fight ISIS and utilize our international alliances to form a coalition to combat the Islamic State. He supports putting boots on the ground and creating a no-fly-zone in Syria. This is really the only effective solution to solve this problem. Rubio believes that we as a country must act with strength and speed to defeat ISIS, before they can become more powerful.
In an uncertain and ever-changing world, Marco Rubio will make sure America is not swept to the wayside. It is always easy to listen to the loudest person in the room, but not always right. Rubio’s optimism and feasibility make him a perfect candidate for President of the United States. His track record of reason, cooperation and morality will ensure that America will remain more powerful and stable than ever and not become a nation in decline.
