ORLANDO, Florida — Florida Sen. Marco Rubio focused on the threat that Marxism poses to American freedom and culture during a speech Friday morning at the Conservative Political Action Conference.
“Everybody thinks Marxism is some sort of economic theory. Marxism is a lot more than an economic theory. Marxism is a pain point. It’s a philosophy,” Rubio said. “At the core of that philosophy is that there are a handful of people that know what is good and what is right and they’re smarter and better than everybody else.”
“It’s infused every aspect of our lives and our society,” Rubio continued. “Every single person in this room, and the overwhelming majority of people that you know, are one word away — it doesn’t matter if you are 13 years old when you said it — you’re one word, you’re one statement, you’re one retweet, you’re one like away from destroying your life.”
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His speech was emblematic of a wider theme at the annual gathering of conservatives, putting a focus on the importance of cultural issues rather than relying on traditional economic and taxation policies. This year’s conference theme is “awake not woke.”
“We can always cut taxes. You can always roll back regulations. You can always elect better people. But when freedom is lost and it’s eroded, it is so hard to reclaim it and to get it back,” Rubio said.
Rubio returned to CPAC after he canceled his appearance last year due to an “unexpected family issue.” The Florida senator is up for reelection this year. He sought the Republican presidential nomination in 2016 and is the subject of 2024 speculation.
His philosophical speech stood in contrast with the lively speeches from some of the major speakers on the first day of the conference. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis had a victory-lapping, campaign-style speech, while Texas Sen. Ted Cruz worked in plenty of jokes and jabs.
“Few people call themselves Marxists,” Rubio said. “Marxists are never self-described Marxists.”
The Florida senator referenced his Cuban heritage and many others who escaped from the Castro regime.
“Imagine that you once lived in a country that you had to flee because in school they were telling your kids that God didn’t exist, turn your parents in if they say something against the revolution,” Rubio said. “Now imagine you’re living in a country and some of the same things seem to be happening: how your kids are being told in schools things about history, about society, and about our country simply are untrue.”
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He issued a warning.
“If this trend continues, and I tell you this now because it’s already happening all over the world, we will live to see the day where mainstream Judeo-Christian values, when excerpts out of the Bible, are considered hate speech,” Rubio said.
