Did hosts kick politico from GOP meeting in Ft. Lauderdale over immigration questions?

Marco Rubio, according to The Miami Herald, has "quietly" registered as a candidate for the U.S. Senate. [Photo from media kit/Marco Rubio website.]When political strategist Lisa Rader began to ask former Speaker of the Florida House of Representatives Marco Rubio questions about immigration during a March 14 event, she was asked to leave the meeting.

(Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.)—Political strategist and GOP committeewoman Lisa Rader attended a meeting hosted by the Latin American Republicans of South Florida at the Blue Martini Lounge on Mar. 14, and once the evening’s speaker Marco Rubio finished, she began to ask questions. Those questions resulted in what sounds like a hostile invitation to leave the meeting.

Rader emailed The US Report to describe what happened next: “Having 'done my homework' I attempted to ask Mr. Rubio to explain why he, as speaker of the Florida house, killed immigration bills. I posed these questions to him 'after' he gave his speech on stage. As I was asking the questions and showing him my sources on my Blackberry, the goon squad arrived and told me I had to leave! They claimed that I was yelling and I wasn't, that was someone else who was also asked to leave. I was being very civil to Mr. Rubio and just asking him a couple of questions. I was told by the manager to leave and he told one of his henchmen to call the Sheriff, so I left and waited by myself outside for my ride to come out."

Rader continued, "[W]elcome to socialist America where you can't ask a politician a question because you might get arrested!”

Americans welcome immigrants, fear costs for illegals
Rader echoes the frustration of many Americans over the issue of those who come into the country without proper documentation. Polls consistently show that Americans welcome legal immigrants but believe illegal immigrants are a negative. A roundup of polls from different organizations can be found at the Polling Report website.

When Rubio served as Speaker of the House, he was criticized in various media stories and on blogs for being soft on illegal immigration. It must be pointed out much of this occurred during the presidential campaign when neither party addressed the issue, focusing instead on the economy. Sen. John McCain was also widely perceived as being soft on the issue. The Democratic Party was even softer, though that was rarely pointed out. Democrats wanted the Hispanic vote in order to win and they succeeded in that goal.

Florida’s budget woes are no secret, and there is no exact figure on what illegal immigrants cost the state. In 2005 the Federation for American Immigration Reform conducted a study. The study found, “Analysis of the latest Census data indicates Florida’s illegal immigrant population is costing the state’s taxpayers nearly more than $1.7 billion dollars per year for education, medical care and incarceration.”

Most would believe that to be a conservative figure that has certainly risen over the last several years. A story published at Covering Florida reported one hospital administrator testified in 2008 that a man who entered the country illegally from Guatemala cost her hospital $1.5 million in healthcare services.

The cost of healthcare for Americans has skyrocketed and indications are that President Barack Obama plans to nationalize the healthcare system, flip-flopping on the issue of taxing healthcare benefits from employers. Obama criticized his opponent’s healthcare plan during the campaign; McCain’s plan however would have provided a tax credit to offset the taxation of those benefits. Obama has left the door open on the tax increase without mentioning an offset.

Will illegal immigration costs result in even more tax increases?
Many fiscal conservatives believe that, considering the deficit the Obama administration has already expanded in a very short time, Obama will be forced to enact a variety of tax increases that affect far more income ranges than he promised during the campaign.

Reportage about illegal immigration since Obama took office has focused on the drug cartels in Mexico and the corresponding sale of weapons to those cartels, likely by organized gangs in America. Obama has nixed the workforce enforcement the Bush administration began. Bush took that initiative only because of public pressure to ensure employers did not hire those in the country illegally.

Rubio's dilemma common for both parties' candidates
Rubio, according to the Miami Herald, has “quietly” registered as a candidate for the U.S. Senate seat that will come open when Sen. Mel Martinez leaves that office in 2010.

Rubio’s dilemma is paralleled by that of any candidate—how to appease the Hispanic and Latino lobby while ensuring constituents’ welfare and taxes. Most state officials point to the federal government as the arbiter of immigration. Even former Florida governor Lawton Chiles endorsed that attitude in 1994 when a report he commissioned found 345,000 “illegal aliens” costing Florida $884 million. Chiles wanted reimbursement from the federal government.

Many conservatives also view the illegal immigration situation as a national security threat.

Although Democrats portrayed their party position as friendly to immigration, including illegals, McCain actually risked American goodwill in his efforts to ease restrictions and penalties for those in the country illegally. Obama portrayed McCain as unfriendly to immigrants. Some would call that a lie.

American taxpayers, however, subsidize the cheap labor pool that undocumented workers provide.

Rader concluded her email by saying, “We definitely don't need any lame politicians in the Senate who can't even take a stand and do what's right on the local level, let alone in the US Senate. We need strong men and women in politics who follow our Constitution to the letter!!! IMMIGRATION AND NATIONAL SECURITY GO HAND IN HAND!”

Rader is supporting Dr. Marion Thorpe for Martinez’s U.S. Senate seat.

We have contacted Rubio for a response, and we will publish that if and when we receive one.