Morally Bankrupt
Sen. Marco Rubio (R-TeaBagistan), touted regularly as the Republican's "rising star," is a firm believer in his own press, and based on pretty much that alone, sees himself as President someday. If all that was required to hold that office was being able to recite talking points dictated to one by the leaders of a tin foil hat think tank somewhere, Rubio would be a shoo-in. Unfortunately for Rubio, the majority of Americans prefer fact based leaders over the conspiracy wing of the Republican Party. Also like many members of the GOP, he didn't get the memo on November 6th.
So yesterday, along with others in his party, he shamelessly voted against the U.N. Convention on the Rights of Persons With Disabilities, a human rights treaty negotiated during the George W. Bush Administration.
The treaty ensures that countries ratifying it work toward equality for persons with disabilities in accessibility, health, education and employment, among other areas.
Seems like a no brainer, and until recently it had bipartisan support. But that was before Republicans like Rick Santorum began spinning conspiracy theories about the treaty. Even John McCain supported it and tried to reason with those who vowed to vote against it when they signed a letter opposing it:
“I have not forgotten that 36 senators signed a letter opposing consideration of the treaty,” McCain said. “There is no reason we shouldn’t have a vote on this. ... The letter says they oppose consideration ... but we have adopted consideration.”
McCain also pointed to the fact that treaties have been approved by the Senate 19 times during past lame-duck sessions.
McCain and Senate Democrats have been urging Republicans to vote for passage of the treaty, which requires two-thirds approval, with the help of former Sen. Bob Dole (R-Kan.). Dole, a veteran with a disability, has argued for passage because it would benefit U.S. citizens and veterans with disabilities, who travel, study, do business or reside abroad.
“There’s no reason that we cannot say that we lived up to our obligations,” McCain said. “We need to step up and do the right thing for Bob Dole and the rest of our U.S. veterans.”
Bob Dole, who has been in ill health recently even traveled to the Senate and witnessed the vote from his wheelchair, in the hopes that those voting against it would have a change of heart.
Or have a heart, period.
Nope. Not Sen. Rubio. Instead he put on that tin foil hat, tuned into it's receptors, and voted nay because the powers that be wanted no part of this treaty which they felt would have an impact on things like home schooling and abortion. It has nothing to do with either of course, but no matter. The channel Rubio picked up in his head told him abortion would be involved, so he voted as he was told: no.
He tried to explain his way out of it later when thinking people called him out on the vote. Rubio's statement of explanation made absolutely no sense whatsoever, but was very wordy. Because that's how Rubio rolls. Take lots of big, nice sounding words and throw them together and hope people will become so lost trying to find logic in there somewhere that they'll just give up. Kind of the way Sarah Palin does it, but Rubio's is more like a tossed salad, where Palin's resembles something in a coleslaw.
Rubio used 679 words (which you can read here if you're up for the task) to say what can be summed up this way in just a few sentences:
His grandfather was a Cuban immigrant who loved America, was his hero, and was stricken with polio as a child and disabled for life. This treaty was not supposed to address abortion. It didn't. Regardless, Rubio offered an Amendment to point out that it had nothing to do with abortion, but his Amendment was rejected. So Rubio voted no.
That's it.
Rights of the disabled be damned. Rubio's meaningless, conspiracy theory based Amendment was not included, so Rubio took it out on the rights of the disabled. I might add that he did this on the same day that he accepted a "Leadership Award" from one of those tin foil hat brigades. Because true "leadership" means signing a pact with the crazies who bankroll your political campaigns and proving your loyalty to them by voting to knock the wheelchairs out from under those who are disabled. Let them pull themselves up by their own boot straps and fend for themselves, right Marco?
Oh, wait.
Some brave leader you are, Sen. Rubio. I'm sure your disabled grandfather would be so proud.
