WWMC--What Would Marco Charge?

Marco Rubio wants to be the next U.S. Senator from Florida (or should I say the next Senator from American Express)?


You see, on the one hand, Marco is being lauded as "the next great Conservative." On the other hand, the partial release of his credit card expenditures on his Florida GOP American Express Card (while Marco served as Speaker of the Florida House of Representatives) demonstrates anything but conservatism.


Marco's questionable spending habits and his comments regarding them give us some insight into his mindset when it comes to public service. He just loves spending other people's money on himself.


Let's explore the snipets revealed in the St. Petersburg Times' article on February 25, 2010.

"I was as diligent as possible to ensure the party did not pay for items that were unrelated to party business," Marco said when questioned about his expenditures of more than $100,000.00 from November 2006-November 2008.

So, let's look at the charges and see what Marco thinks "diligence" is and what he thinks are things that are "related to party business."

$765 at Apple's online store for "computer supplies;" $25.76 from Everglades Lumber for "supplies;" $53.49 at Winn-Dixie for "food;" $68.33 at Happy Wine in Miami for "beverages" and "meal;" $78.10 for two purchases at Farm Stores groceries in suburban Miami; $412 at All Fusion Electronics, a music equipment store in Miami, for "supplies." Plane tickets for Marco's wife. Deductibles on his car insurance and rental car expenses while his personal automobile was in the shop. Payments totalling $1,024 to a Tallahassee property management firm (which Marco admitted were personal expenses, but according to the St. Petersburg Times article, were not repaid to the GOP). Oh yea, and don't forget the reported $7.09 charge at Chick-fil-A.

Really, Marco, Chick-fil-A?

So what can we learn from these things?

Well, for starters, the GOP sure does need alot of different "supplies." And, secondly, if Marco is eating, chances are extremely good that it's "party business."

And as for diligence, let's look at the simple concept of opening one's wallet and looking at more than one credit card inside. Many of us do that daily. Many of us have personal credit cards and business credit cards.

Diligence would be pulling out your own personal credit card for your own personal expenses, and pulling out the other GOP issued credit card for expenses that are used exclusively for influencing elections. (After all, that's what the IRS expects the GOP to do with its donations--use them exclusively for influencing elections).

But, hey, maybe the Clerk at Farm Stores or the gal behind the counter at the Chick-fil-A is more likely to vote for Marco because he walked in or pulled through the drive-through and bought some stuff on the GOP's dime. Ya think?

And, although I've lived in Florida most of my life, I didn't realize that we have a "First Lady of the Florida House of Representatives." But, according to Marco, we do, and he thinks that it is "absolutely appropriate for her to accompany me to official events and party functions." Sure, I understand that--no problem, but at whose expense? Is anyone voting for the First Lady of the Florida House?

Doesn't all of this sound alot like the escapades of Sarah Palin and the First Dude and their interesting expense reports chocked full of charges when she flew her family all over Alaska on "official business" at taxpayer expense?

Of course, the GOP and Bill McCollum say this is all just a private matter. No taxpayer money involved. No need to look under the hood and see how the engine is running or why it is leaking oil. We'll clean up our own mess--move along--nothing to see here.

But that's the lesson here. These free-wheeling Republican spenders are running the State of Florida's fiscal house. They are making all of our budgetary decisions--and have for many years. Republican Party business--and how lavishly they spend money for themselves-- is a mirror of their fiscal habits. Is it any wonder we are in such a mess financially in Florida?

If Marco thinks that everything he does is party-related or business-related, and charges it all to others, what is he going to do if he gets the chance to exercise his diligence in Washington? I think we know. We've already seen his lavish spending in Tallahassee when he was Speaker of the House.

"I'll have a number one, extra pickles, hold the mayo, and 367 B-22 bombers." (Or, perhaps he'll spend alot of money to refurbish his office, just like he spent $400,000 as House Speaker to remodel his office and to build a members' only dining room.)

What? Were the lines at Chick-fil-A too long?

Marco calls these leaks of his AMEX spending "a political act of desperation by his opponent."


It's more than that. Marco doesn't connect that dots.

It may be that by not paying back personal expenses to the GOP, or by paying them back more than 6 months later, that he essentially received income (for the personal expenses he didn't pay back) or interest-free loans (from Republican Party donors for those expenses that he eventually paid back months later).


Think we need to look under the hood a little more before the election?

That's the conservative thing to do.