He addressed a wide range of political, military, and economic issues that are central to the American-European relationships. One of the better speeches I’ve heard in a long time. Rubio displays a breadth and depth of knowledge and understanding of international dynamic that is rare. And he’s not afraid to acknowledge the elephants in the room. He was not unprepared to answer questions.
Once upon a time, I had temporary duty on a “country desk” at State. The desk officer dumped his least desirable task in me: write a speech for the ambassador.
Very few senior officials write their own speeches. If Rubio has impressed you with his breadth of knowledge, it’s because you are naive enough to think the knowledge reflected in the speech is his.
Rubio is a Florida Republican. That means he’s beholden to the Cuban refugee community and to AIPAC – two of the most harmful influences in U.S. politics in the past half century, two of the biggest diversions away from U.S. natiinal interest in U.S. foreign policy. So of course, you’re a fan boy.
Bruce Hall
You might want to compare Rubio’s ability to speak extemporaneous to the style of the speeches. You’ll find them not dissimilar. He may not write every word, but it’s damn sure he sets the tone and content… and, no doubt, heavily edits. Regardless, the speech in Munich was well received and mollified the Europeans even when Rubio indicated “blunt talk” was still on the table. Perhaps you didn’t read the link to the Radio Free Europe article.
With regard to Rubio’s connection to the Cuban diaspora, that’s a connection that supports the values of freedom (and responsibility) so sorely missing from the Left. That’s not a condemnation; that’s a compliment. But I can comprehend (without appreciating) your entrancement with Fidel and Raul Castro and their “legacy” of the communist “paradise”. All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others.
Macroduck
Or perhaps I did read it. Nice tey, Brucie.
I did for a living what Rubio pretends to do as a hack, and I’m amused by your starry-eyed fanboy reaction to his speech. You’re falling for the made-for-MAGA version of international relations. In the same way that Newt Gingrich was the simpleton’s image of what a smart person looks like, Rubio is the naive right-winger’s version of what sophistication looks like.
Dan Quayle is another example of that kind of made-for-right-wingers politician. In front of the general public, he was a laughingstock, but he could wow a roomful of true believers. You’re living in an echo chamber; only things that sound like an echo of something else from insidethat chmaber eases you. That’s what you like about Rubio.
2slugbaits
I really liked the part where Rubio credits Trump with bringing Putin to the table for peace talks. So sad. Trump and Rubio (and apparently Bruce) are too stupid to realize that Putin is just stringing them along. Trump and his fragile ego seems to need Putin’s attentions.
2slugbaits
You might call it “a wide range of political, military and economic issues”, but I would call it rambling. Rubio has always been an intellectual lightweight and this speech is further proof of that. One lesson from history that Rubio doesn’t understand is that multi-polar worlds are a lot more unstable than bipolar worlds. Trump is moving us towards a multi-polar world. European countries are already talking about building their own nuclear deterrence programs. Gee…what could go wrong? Rubio also needs a lesson in demographics. The fact is that the US native born population is in serious decline and will need immigration….lots of it. Rubio’s own parents were immigrants, as were two of Trump’s wives. Just allowing white Afrikaners into the country isn’t going to cut it. And as an old man you really ought to be concerned. Did you know that over a quarter of all US doctors are foreign born? You better hope you never need to go to a nursing home because immigrant labor is what keeps those homes afloat.
And then Rubio the Economist talking about international trade was a real hoot.
The crux of Rubio’s speech is that human nature is inherently xenophobic and opposed to immigrants. I would suggest that historically that’s been true for about 30 percent of the population, but if you’re a xenophobic racist who thinks in terms of blood and soil, then you can’t imagine why other people might not feel that way. Again, tell it to the ancient Romans that alliances were a waste of time and that race mattered.
Bruce Hall
Rubio has a good grasp of both cooperative and adversarial relationships and what is needed to navigate them. He may be a “lightweight” with regard to aligning with the globalist view of the world, but he understands that power comes before prosperity and you don’t abdicate power in the hope of a properous future.
Look around the world if your think that “xenophobia” is an exclusively Western pheonmenon. There is more cultureal “diversity” in the West than anyplace else in the world, but if the rate of “diversification” isn’t managed, it becomes fragmentation. Assimilation was and still should be the goal of any country accepting immigrants. That’s not an abandonment of heritage, but it is an acceptance of the values and norms of the host country.
But feel free to test your theories in the Middle East or South Asia or East Asia or Africa. Just go in and tell them how things should be.
Oh, and the ancient Romans? They tried that with the Visigoths and it didn’t turn out too well.
Macroduck
Brucie, you are arguing by assertion. “Rubio is Wonderboy because I say so!” You have repeatedly shown yourself unable to understand economics, unable to understand the implications of links you provide, unable to understand your own arguments. Yet hear you are, expecting us to accept your version of Little Marco.
If you want yoir opinions to be taken seriously, spend a few years being credible with regards to simple facts. Otherwise, we’re just gonna have to keep rolling our eyes.
Bruce Hall
Still have learned how to address people, eh? Be careful about rolling your eyes too much. It may leave you dizzier than you already are. Your assertions are simply that Rubio doesn’t understand either foreign relations or economics based on your biases. Other economists are not necessarily in agreement with you. I seem to remember a lot of remarks about rampant inflation and unemployment last year.
Macroduck
Address people? That’s all you have. I’m not addressing you properly? You sad little man. You don’t understand economics. You don’t understand foreign affairs. You don’t know when you’ve been duped by MAGA hucksters. Find some non-MAGA economists who disagree with me. Real economists, not just talking heads. Find some, you dupe.
james harold mcClure
Your usual incoherent ramblings. Except you are clear on how you adore Rubio’s racism.
Jake formerly of the LP
No one is buying it, Basement Boy Bruce. Marco Rubio is a spineless neocon, and inflation is 3-4 times 0.69%.
Why do you waste our time trying to speak your BS into reality? This isn’t Faux News, bud.
Bruce Hall
Jake you jester. if you need to understand price increases, I’m sure Menzie can offer you some resources. Total price increases under Biden were over 20%. The price increases were significantly higher in his administration than either of Trump’s. So what the hell are you babbling about? Truflation? LOL! Anybody can come up with an algorithm to fit a narrative. That has nothing to do with Rubio or Trump or accepted inflation rates. Maybe Rust has something of value, maybe not. He uses some “blockchain” proprietary methodology. Still irrelevant to any discussion about Rubio’s speech (which I stated was off topic).
baffling
there is a reason that Rubio has been spurned by the Republican Party multiple times for president. you are embracing a three or four time loser for president, bruce. think about that for a minute.
and my opinion has not changed at all over the past year. Rubio is not very intelligent at all. he tried to stand up to trump, got trounced, and pleaded his way back into the cabinet. probably because he is no longer electable in a trump world. not a smart cookie, at all. no wonder bruce is embracing him.
Bruce Hall
Baffling,
Rubio doesn’t have the aggressive personality of Trump that appealed to many people who viewed Biden as a mindless puppet of a leftist cabal (President Autopen). But he has fit in well as USSOS. He’s smooth enough to say difficult things without causing apoplexy among the delicate Europeans. Whether his style will make him a viable candidate for POTUS remains to be seen. He would certainly match up well against Newsom. And Kamala… he’d wipe the floor with her. But there may be others the Democrats can run that Rubio would have a tougher time with. Perhaps Josh Shapiro.
It’s like basketball. Even the best teams run into a matchup that hurts them. Look at the University of Wisconsin that beat Michigan, Michigan State, and Illinois. They have seven losses, but that didn’t make them a “lightweight”.
Baffling
Bruce, rubio is a simplistic fool. You saw how his knees shook and his hands trembled when he took on trump, and failed. He has a relevant job right now because trump gave it to him, after he bent the knee to trump. Rubio has no spine. Bruce, that is an accurate characterization of your new hero.
The lasting vision of a sweating and thirsting rubio is ingrained on the nation’s consciousness. He has not gotten any better with time.
baffling
I made a negative comment about truflation a couple of posts ago. still standing by it. either they are normalizing to a new factor at the start of the year (and dishonestly keeping that change quiet), or their numbers are subject to the whims of the directors. who want to obtain business from trump as the private sector official inflation number.
baffling
the momentum of that chart indicates truflation should be claiming deflation by next month. how in the world can any credible economist point to deflation in this economy?
Optimistic but Sceptic
If someone wants to exaggerate real GDP growth by 2%, claiming inflation is 2% lower than reality is one way to do it.
Macroduck
Now that the felon-in-chief is a la.me duck, Brucie seems to be looki g around for a new idol. “Oooo, Rubio! He’s so wonderful!” Heart flutters. Eyes moist.
Midterms are in November. Every Republican in high office is having themself measured for an inauguration suit. This “Oooo Rubio!” performance suggets Brucie will be back, over and over, making the argument for this lackey.
Daniel Herkes
I went through two bags of popcorn reading this thread.
rjs
and even after all that popcorn, you didn’t learn anything new about inflation…
myself, i am immediately skeptical of any site that has the stars and stripes as their favicon…
Completely off topic, but significant. Marco Rubio’s speech at the Munich Security Conference.
https://www.state.gov/releases/office-of-the-spokesperson/2026/02/secretary-of-state-marco-rubio-at-the-munich-security-conference
He addressed a wide range of political, military, and economic issues that are central to the American-European relationships. One of the better speeches I’ve heard in a long time. Rubio displays a breadth and depth of knowledge and understanding of international dynamic that is rare. And he’s not afraid to acknowledge the elephants in the room. He was not unprepared to answer questions.
Some reactions from Europe:
https://www.rferl.org/a/rubio-warning-munich-speech-/33678260.html
Once upon a time, I had temporary duty on a “country desk” at State. The desk officer dumped his least desirable task in me: write a speech for the ambassador.
Very few senior officials write their own speeches. If Rubio has impressed you with his breadth of knowledge, it’s because you are naive enough to think the knowledge reflected in the speech is his.
Rubio is a Florida Republican. That means he’s beholden to the Cuban refugee community and to AIPAC – two of the most harmful influences in U.S. politics in the past half century, two of the biggest diversions away from U.S. natiinal interest in U.S. foreign policy. So of course, you’re a fan boy.
You might want to compare Rubio’s ability to speak extemporaneous to the style of the speeches. You’ll find them not dissimilar. He may not write every word, but it’s damn sure he sets the tone and content… and, no doubt, heavily edits. Regardless, the speech in Munich was well received and mollified the Europeans even when Rubio indicated “blunt talk” was still on the table. Perhaps you didn’t read the link to the Radio Free Europe article.
With regard to Rubio’s connection to the Cuban diaspora, that’s a connection that supports the values of freedom (and responsibility) so sorely missing from the Left. That’s not a condemnation; that’s a compliment. But I can comprehend (without appreciating) your entrancement with Fidel and Raul Castro and their “legacy” of the communist “paradise”. All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others.
Or perhaps I did read it. Nice tey, Brucie.
I did for a living what Rubio pretends to do as a hack, and I’m amused by your starry-eyed fanboy reaction to his speech. You’re falling for the made-for-MAGA version of international relations. In the same way that Newt Gingrich was the simpleton’s image of what a smart person looks like, Rubio is the naive right-winger’s version of what sophistication looks like.
Dan Quayle is another example of that kind of made-for-right-wingers politician. In front of the general public, he was a laughingstock, but he could wow a roomful of true believers. You’re living in an echo chamber; only things that sound like an echo of something else from insidethat chmaber eases you. That’s what you like about Rubio.
I really liked the part where Rubio credits Trump with bringing Putin to the table for peace talks. So sad. Trump and Rubio (and apparently Bruce) are too stupid to realize that Putin is just stringing them along. Trump and his fragile ego seems to need Putin’s attentions.
You might call it “a wide range of political, military and economic issues”, but I would call it rambling. Rubio has always been an intellectual lightweight and this speech is further proof of that. One lesson from history that Rubio doesn’t understand is that multi-polar worlds are a lot more unstable than bipolar worlds. Trump is moving us towards a multi-polar world. European countries are already talking about building their own nuclear deterrence programs. Gee…what could go wrong? Rubio also needs a lesson in demographics. The fact is that the US native born population is in serious decline and will need immigration….lots of it. Rubio’s own parents were immigrants, as were two of Trump’s wives. Just allowing white Afrikaners into the country isn’t going to cut it. And as an old man you really ought to be concerned. Did you know that over a quarter of all US doctors are foreign born? You better hope you never need to go to a nursing home because immigrant labor is what keeps those homes afloat.
And then Rubio the Economist talking about international trade was a real hoot.
The crux of Rubio’s speech is that human nature is inherently xenophobic and opposed to immigrants. I would suggest that historically that’s been true for about 30 percent of the population, but if you’re a xenophobic racist who thinks in terms of blood and soil, then you can’t imagine why other people might not feel that way. Again, tell it to the ancient Romans that alliances were a waste of time and that race mattered.
Rubio has a good grasp of both cooperative and adversarial relationships and what is needed to navigate them. He may be a “lightweight” with regard to aligning with the globalist view of the world, but he understands that power comes before prosperity and you don’t abdicate power in the hope of a properous future.
Look around the world if your think that “xenophobia” is an exclusively Western pheonmenon. There is more cultureal “diversity” in the West than anyplace else in the world, but if the rate of “diversification” isn’t managed, it becomes fragmentation. Assimilation was and still should be the goal of any country accepting immigrants. That’s not an abandonment of heritage, but it is an acceptance of the values and norms of the host country.
But feel free to test your theories in the Middle East or South Asia or East Asia or Africa. Just go in and tell them how things should be.
Oh, and the ancient Romans? They tried that with the Visigoths and it didn’t turn out too well.
Brucie, you are arguing by assertion. “Rubio is Wonderboy because I say so!” You have repeatedly shown yourself unable to understand economics, unable to understand the implications of links you provide, unable to understand your own arguments. Yet hear you are, expecting us to accept your version of Little Marco.
If you want yoir opinions to be taken seriously, spend a few years being credible with regards to simple facts. Otherwise, we’re just gonna have to keep rolling our eyes.
Still have learned how to address people, eh? Be careful about rolling your eyes too much. It may leave you dizzier than you already are. Your assertions are simply that Rubio doesn’t understand either foreign relations or economics based on your biases. Other economists are not necessarily in agreement with you. I seem to remember a lot of remarks about rampant inflation and unemployment last year.
Address people? That’s all you have. I’m not addressing you properly? You sad little man. You don’t understand economics. You don’t understand foreign affairs. You don’t know when you’ve been duped by MAGA hucksters. Find some non-MAGA economists who disagree with me. Real economists, not just talking heads. Find some, you dupe.
Your usual incoherent ramblings. Except you are clear on how you adore Rubio’s racism.
No one is buying it, Basement Boy Bruce. Marco Rubio is a spineless neocon, and inflation is 3-4 times 0.69%.
Why do you waste our time trying to speak your BS into reality? This isn’t Faux News, bud.
Jake you jester. if you need to understand price increases, I’m sure Menzie can offer you some resources. Total price increases under Biden were over 20%. The price increases were significantly higher in his administration than either of Trump’s. So what the hell are you babbling about? Truflation? LOL! Anybody can come up with an algorithm to fit a narrative. That has nothing to do with Rubio or Trump or accepted inflation rates. Maybe Rust has something of value, maybe not. He uses some “blockchain” proprietary methodology. Still irrelevant to any discussion about Rubio’s speech (which I stated was off topic).
there is a reason that Rubio has been spurned by the Republican Party multiple times for president. you are embracing a three or four time loser for president, bruce. think about that for a minute.
and my opinion has not changed at all over the past year. Rubio is not very intelligent at all. he tried to stand up to trump, got trounced, and pleaded his way back into the cabinet. probably because he is no longer electable in a trump world. not a smart cookie, at all. no wonder bruce is embracing him.
Baffling,
Rubio doesn’t have the aggressive personality of Trump that appealed to many people who viewed Biden as a mindless puppet of a leftist cabal (President Autopen). But he has fit in well as USSOS. He’s smooth enough to say difficult things without causing apoplexy among the delicate Europeans. Whether his style will make him a viable candidate for POTUS remains to be seen. He would certainly match up well against Newsom. And Kamala… he’d wipe the floor with her. But there may be others the Democrats can run that Rubio would have a tougher time with. Perhaps Josh Shapiro.
It’s like basketball. Even the best teams run into a matchup that hurts them. Look at the University of Wisconsin that beat Michigan, Michigan State, and Illinois. They have seven losses, but that didn’t make them a “lightweight”.
Bruce, rubio is a simplistic fool. You saw how his knees shook and his hands trembled when he took on trump, and failed. He has a relevant job right now because trump gave it to him, after he bent the knee to trump. Rubio has no spine. Bruce, that is an accurate characterization of your new hero.
The lasting vision of a sweating and thirsting rubio is ingrained on the nation’s consciousness. He has not gotten any better with time.
I made a negative comment about truflation a couple of posts ago. still standing by it. either they are normalizing to a new factor at the start of the year (and dishonestly keeping that change quiet), or their numbers are subject to the whims of the directors. who want to obtain business from trump as the private sector official inflation number.
the momentum of that chart indicates truflation should be claiming deflation by next month. how in the world can any credible economist point to deflation in this economy?
If someone wants to exaggerate real GDP growth by 2%, claiming inflation is 2% lower than reality is one way to do it.
Now that the felon-in-chief is a la.me duck, Brucie seems to be looki g around for a new idol. “Oooo, Rubio! He’s so wonderful!” Heart flutters. Eyes moist.
Midterms are in November. Every Republican in high office is having themself measured for an inauguration suit. This “Oooo Rubio!” performance suggets Brucie will be back, over and over, making the argument for this lackey.
I went through two bags of popcorn reading this thread.
and even after all that popcorn, you didn’t learn anything new about inflation…
myself, i am immediately skeptical of any site that has the stars and stripes as their favicon…