Seeking to 'Reclaim America,' Rubio Gets an Earful from Southwest Floridians

In addition to just saying "no" to Obamacare, cap-and-trade and union card checks, Republican Senate candidate Marco Rubio is saying "yes" to a series of job-creating initiatives.

Hosting a virtual town hall meeting via teleconference Monday evening, Rubio touted an economic agenda that "channels Ronald Reagan and Jack Kemp."

Emphasizing global trade, domestic job creation and tax cuts, the Senate hopeful laid out "Ideas to Reclaim America." He then opened the mike to listeners to solicit their input.

As he did as Florida House speaker, when he gathered 100 Innovative Ideas for Florida's Future, Rubio got an earful from Southwest peninsula residents -- from Naples to Brandon -- who phoned in with concerns about federal overspending, spiraling health care costs, taxes and lax immigration control.

Rubio pledged to vote to "repeal and replace Obamacare" by permitting citizens to purchase coverage across state lines and write off their costs, "just like businesses do now."

He also:

• Opposed illegal immigration and amnesty programs, while allowing for special-entry visas when domestic work force demands warrant. "Only when border security is accomplished can we modernize the (immigration) system," said Rubio, who noted that he and his wife are the children of immigrants.
• Vowed to vote to ban budget earmarks, while calling for more transparency.
• Called for the permanent abolition of the "death (estate) tax," which he termed "immoral."
• Supported a pending term-limit bill which would limit senators to two terms (12 years) and restrict representatives to three terms (six years).