Fresh from a New England Patriots-Miami Dolphins Watch Party, the Florida Senator joined Chris Ryan for an exclusive, extended interview to discuss a little football and a lot of domestic policy issues. During the watch party, Senator Rubio would occasionally look up from the his meeting and greeting with the voters to see how his Dolphins were doing in the game. In the interview, Rubio showed his knowledge of the Miami Dolphins and the NFL. Also, the Senator was asked to discuss the possible similarities of successful organizations like the New England Patriots and government. Marco Rubio referenced books about the habits and practices of successful people, like Coach Bill Belichick. The first step is to understand your plan. Next, your team has to buy into your plan, doing things the Patriot way. Rubio believes that this is why the Patriots have been able to move forward despite so many injuries this year. Lastly, you have to execute the plan. Senator Rubio feels that a political campaign is very similar.
Then it was time to get down to business and to discuss a variety of domestic issues, starting with the economic struggles facing the middle class. The title of the Senator Rubio’s book is “American Dreams: Restoring Economic Opportunity for Everyone.” Consequently, this is one of the senator’s favorite topics. Rubio believes that it is the large, vibrant middle class which has made America unique. He listed the various forces and events which have caused the decline of this vital sector of the economy, such as, the decline of real estate values in 2008; and job loss due to automation and global competition. Senator Rubio favors more emphasis on vocational and career training and better control of the cost of college education. Marco Rubio wants to reduce government regulations and restrictions on new industries. It is in these areas where innovation can cause the creation of new jobs. However, Rubio feels that it is necessary that American workers have the skills and training which will be required in the global economy of the 21st century.
Another group which has gained attention in this election cycle are the millennials. Debt from college loans is a major problem facing this segment of the population. Senator Rubio who had his own issues with student loans pointed out that student loan debt has reached an amount of $1 trillion. This is a problem for the government and the individual. Senator Rubio offered several solutions. One way out for individuals caught between college loan debt and low paying jobs is income based repayment. In this way, individuals pay off some of the loan, thereby avoiding default and damage to their credit rating. Rubio is sponsoring a Right to Know Law. The college would be required to tell students what the income is for a graduate from that college with a degree in a particular field.
Marco Rubio also has a plan for replacing the Affordable Care Act. The senator feels that the one size fits all approach of Obamacare is why the program has floundered. Rubio favors creating competition for healthcare among the insurance companies. If your employer pays for your healthcare, the money would go into a tax free account that individuals could use to buy the insurance which fit their needs. If you are self insured, you would get a refundable tax credit which would be used in the same way. For instance, a younger person could use their tax credit to fund a health savings account and a catastrophic hospitalization plan. Someone else might choose to buy a full spectrum health insurance plan. Senator Rubio believes that giving 200,000 Americans the ability to buy health insurance would create the kind of competition which we see among the auto insurance companies. The result would be lower costs.
Finally, Senator Rubio shared why he enjoys campaigning for president. He enjoys interacting with people and hearing about their lives and their problems. In addition, as the son of Cuban immigrants, Marco Rubio feels that he has a debt to repay to America for his mother and father.
