At a rally in South Carolina Monday, Senator Marco Rubio was asked a question from an African-American man about race in America and the Republican Party, and Rubio’s answer is going viral. Radio host Erick Erickson said, “The Rubio camp should get this video out everywhere. No robot there.”
The Rubio camp should get this video out everywhere. No robot there. https://t.co/ZKOZTdo8QI
— Erick Erickson (@EWErickson) February 15, 2016
The man had talked to his pastor, who was skeptical of the GOP:
Instead of denying racism exists or delivering a canned answer, Rubio spoke for more than eight minutes. He shared true personal stories, combined with his personal thoughts about improving race relations and “breaking the cycle” of poverty in poor communities.
Confronting race in America is a topic most Republican politicians run from. Rubio didn’t. He touched on both school choice and criminal justice reform, but mentioned that solutions only ” have a little bit to do with government.”
His answer won’t only resonant with minority voters, it will also make normal Republican voters rethink these topics.
“Here’s a fact: If you are born into a dangerous neighborhood, living in substandard housing. You’re being raised by your grandmother because your father has never been around and your mother is working two jobs or moved in with her boyfriend… the school you’re forced to attend by the government is failing, and you — because you don’t have money — you can’t choose a better setting.
“Those kids have five strikes against them. Statistics will tell you, a kid that’s facing five strikes against them at two or three years of age is going to struggle to succeed unless something happens to break that cycle. And there are things that help break the cycle, and there are examples of things that help break that cycle — and they have a little bit to do with government — but a lot to do with the community around it.”
Rubio also used relatable situational examples that are real to Americans in poverty — and followed them up with conservative solutions.
Breaking the cycle of poverty needs to be a fundamental Republican platform — not only because it will help Republicans win younger and more diverse voters — but because it’s also the right thing to do to help the most people and make America greater than it’s ever been.
Can anyone imagine Rubio delivering this message in the church the questioner mentioned? Republicans should hope he gets the chance.
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MLCgeRN_FAE]
