U.S. Rep. Carlos Curbelo, R-Fla., was put on notice by a liberal political group that he can expect to be a top target for Democrats in 2016.
Curbelo represents a swing-district in South Florida where incumbents -- Republican David Rivera in 2012 and Democrat Joe Garcia in 2014 -- lost the last two elections.
On Wednesday, Curbelo voted for the House Republican budget plan. After the vote, Curbelo explained his reasons for backing it.
Todays vote is an important step forward in creating a long-term and sustainable federal budget that empowers individuals, families, and our local communities, Curbelo said. The FY 16 House budget balances over the next decade by reducing $5.5 trillion in government spending. Unlike President Obamas budget, which never balances despite trillions of dollars in tax increases, the FY 16 House budget puts us on a path to pay down our national debt with the freedom to build a healthier economy, without having to raise taxes.
The FY 16 House budget ensures that the United States maintains a strong national defense through robust funding of troop training, equipment, and military pay, Curbelo added. Our plan boosts defense spending above President Obamas current levels while putting in place a plan to responsibly address the current spending caps. The House FY 16 House budget ensures that we continue to provide our men and women in uniform the resources they need to complete their mission.
Curbelo praised the Republican budget for reforming Medicare and contrasted it to Obamas federal health-care plan which ended up cutting Medicare Advantage.
While making no changes for those in or near retirement, our plan strengthens Medicare by offering future seniors guaranteed-coverage options, including traditional Medicare, regardless of pre-existing conditions or health history, Curbelo insisted. All seniors will have the support they need to get the care they deserve.
Liberal Americans United for Change, which has a former aide to U.S. House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., as its executive director, maintained the budget Curbelo backed hurts seniors and took aim at the South Florida Republican. Brad Woodhouse, the president of Americans United for Change, claimed the Republican budget would slash Medicaid and hurt seniors.
The GOP budget endorsed by Congressman Carlos Curbelo is a blueprint of broken promises to seniors and a roadmap to ruin for millions of Americans who would lose their health coverage, Woodhouse said on Wednesday. Its a great deal for big health insurance companies, outsourcers and billionaires like the Koch brothers, but its a raw deal for everyone else. Republicans say their budget plan is serious and makes tough choices to balance the budget. The fact that they dont close a single special-interest tax loophole says otherwise. The fact they stuffed their budget with even more irresponsible tax giveaways to millionaires and outsourcers while hiking the average working familys taxes by $2,000 shows that they arent serious at all. Never mind that they use Enron-style accounting gimmicks to cover up the fact they dont come close to actually balancing the balance.
What is very serious, however, is the consequences of the GOP plan for seniors, the middle class and most vulnerable Americans, Woodhouse added. Congressman Curbelo wants to immediately take away new prescription-drug benefits under the health law that have already saved seniors billions of dollars. Without offering any replacement for the Affordable Care Act, Curbelo would leave 16.4 million Americans uninsured and make legal again the worst wealth insurance industry practices dropping people when they get sick, deny(ing) care to kids born with pre-existing conditions, or charging women double the premiums men pay. At the same time, Republicans offer Big Oil companies uninterrupted taxpayer subsidies, they want to voucherize Medicare, gut Medicaid, freeze Pell Grants and slash food assistance for single-parent families. Their priorities couldnt be more mixed up.
When has robbing from the poor and middle class families to give to the rich ever been a recipe for a strong economy? Woodhouse asked. Ask President George W. Bush how well it worked out for him. While President Obamas policies have led to 60 straight months of private-sector job growth, Carlos Curbelo wants to slam on the brakes and go back to the failed trickle-down policies that caused the Great Recession.
Curbelo did not back down from supporting the House Republican proposal.
I came to Congress to make the difficult decisions that are necessary to get our country back on sound financial footing, and the FY 16 House budget leads us down that path, Curbelo said. Although this budget is not perfect, I believe this plan will lift the cloud of uncertainty that is hanging over our economy and create an environment conducive to economic growth and success. For too long, outdated federal policies have set back Americas low and middle income families, inhibiting the growth I feel our country could be experiencing. That is why I cast my vote in favor of the FY 16 House budget to provide certainty and move our country forward.
In the meantime, Curbelo is kicking off his 2016 campaign. Earlier this month, he sent out a fundraising email to supporters and the Miami Herald reported this week that he will hold a major fundraiser in South Florida on Monday.
While Garcia has shut the door to a rematch with Curbelo, a crowd of Democrats are looking at running. Former Miami-Dade Democratic Party Chairwoman Annette Taddeo, best known for being the Democratic lieutenant governor candidate last year, has been looking at running. Other names in the mix include Miami-Dade County Commissioner Daniella Levine Cava and businesswoman Gloria Romero Roses.
Reach Kevin Derby at kderby@sunshinestatenews.com or follow him on Twitter: @KevinDerbySSN
