An Idea, a Book, an Agenda in Florida, the Speaker Thinks the Best Policy Might Just Come from the People

An Idea, a Book, an Agenda In Florida, the speaker thinks the best policy might just come from the people. by the Republican Party of Florida, a decision BY STEVE BOUSQUET that has subjected Rubio to some criticism. He says he had no other way to pay for it, and that it would have been wrong to directly solicit donations from special interests with a Speaker Marco Rubio involved Florida citizens in com- The Florida Legislature stake in pending legislation. piling 100 Innovative Ideas for Florida’s Future, which is brimming with new ideas. It’s the result of will guide the Legislature in upcoming sessions. a unique collaboration between residents of SHARING THE IDEA the fourth-largest state and the new speaker Rubio has shared his concept with poli- datory in public schools. Require equal press of the Florida House, Marco Rubio. He’s a ticians all over the country, and the idea is coverage for all candidates for public office. 35-year-old Republican with a mission to being imitated everywhere. Georgia pub- Impose mandatory death sentences on repeat create a fresh vision for Florida’s future, one lic health officials say their 100 Ideas for sex offenders. Restrict coastal development that gives people a more meaningful say in a Healthier State “was borrowed from our and set larger minimum lot sizes for new how laws are made. friends in Florida.” Iowa candidate for gover- homes to slow sprawl. Rubio’s goal: Put policy first and politics nor Jim Nussle assembled “99 Ideas to Ener- On the website, Ed Baranowski of Mel- second, by encouraging lawmakers to solicit gize Iowa’s Future.” Ohio Representative bourne, Fla., posted a lengthy proposed bold ideas from their constituents and find Mark Wagoner contacted Rubio’s staff about solution to Florida’s homeowners insurance ways to make them happen. launching a similar program in his state. crisis, including state-imposed limits on “I honestly and truly believe that people are The book is an outgrowth of a website company profits and a ban on insurers and dying for problem-solvers in politics,” Rubio started last year by Rubio and House Repub- their lobbyists from making campaign con- says. “I think we have to show how innova- licans, www.100ideas.org. Thousands of tributions to candidates. tive ideas can be a catalyst for change.” people have posted ideas on the site, and leg- Martha Monroe of Gainesville wants A son of Cuban exiles, Rubio is the first islators and candidates have held “idea-rais- Florida to get serious about bicycle safety, Cuban-American speaker in Florida’s his- ers” to seek new ways of dealing with famil- including adding bike paths and roadside tory. He was born and raised in Las Vegas, iar problems. In August, hundreds of people travel lanes for bicyclists. where his father tended bar in a hotel. When filled a hotel ballroom near Disney World Chuck Schroeder of St. Petersburg sug- Rubio was formally designated as speaker on for a statewide policy summit, that featured gested that all restaurants be banned from Sept. 13, 2003, Radio Marti, the U.S. govern- speeches by Jack Kemp, Newt Gingrich, Ste- using hydrogenated oil, which produces ment-funded channel, beamed the ceremony phen Goldsmith and others. artery-clogging transfats. to Cuba. The 100 ideas in the book were narrowed Rubio on that day challenged his col- FROM THE PEOPLE down from thousands by a committee of leagues, Republicans and Democrats alike, to The ideas posted by everyday Floridians Republican legislators. Nearly one-third of fill the pages of a blank book with 100 inno- on the website range from thought-provok- them relate to education, Rubio says, the issue vative ideas that reflect “the real hopes and ing to old hat to weird to we-tried-this-and- that consistently resonates strongest among the real anxieties of real Floridians.” it-didn’t-work. Florida voters. Some Democrats criticized The book, 100 Innovative Ideas for Flori- Among them: Ratify the ERA. Require Rubio and the Republicans for omitting ideas da’s Future, was published in November by prison inmates to learn how to read before that are popular among Democrats, such as conservative publisher Regnery and financed they are released. Relocate the state capitol paper trails for electronic voting machines and to a more densely populated city, such as an independent redistricting commission. Steve Bousquet is the Tallahassee capital bureau chief for Orlando. Levy fines on people who don’t As he seeks to implement the people’s ideas, the St. Petersburg Times. vote. Make physical education classes man- Rubio has the advantage of an overwhelming 26 STATE LEGISLATURES JANUARY 2007 team for reducing the list of ideas to 100 in will know exactly what they can expect from private. But he says it’s important to give their Legislature over the next six years.” Rubio the benefit of the doubt overall. “An idea can be both good or bad, or mean- A VISION ingless,” Gelber says. “I’m all for efforts by Bogdanoff added that the long-term vision either party of seeking ideas that presume to sought by the 100 Ideas project could serve be innovative. The test will be when we look at to counteract the negative side effects of them. I don’t think it would be fair to prejudge term limits. A revolving-door Legislature Marco’s efforts until we see the product.” has robbed the body of much of its institu- tional knowledge in addressing challenges in THE BEGINNING education, growth management, health care, Rubio discovered political activism while transportation and tax policy. attending college at the University of Flor- The Florida Legislature historically has ida. In a five-year span, from 1993 to 1998, had rapid turnover in leadership, with speak- he served as an intern in the office of U.S. ers and Senate presidents usually selected Representative Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, got a among their peers years in advance and serv- law degree at the University of Miami, vol- ing for a single two-year term. unteered on Bob Dole’s 1996 presidential Through a mix of happenstance, luck and AP/WIDE WORLD PHOTOS WORLD AP/WIDE campaign and won a city commission seat in the personal magnetism of ambitious politi- majority of Republicans under his command West Miami. cians, the system has produced its share of of the Florida House. Even though the Demo- He won a House seat in 2000, and immedi- outstanding visionaries and narrow-minded crats picked up seven seats in the November ately went to work campaigning to be speaker. partisans. election, the GOP has a 79-41 majority. Rubio, who speaks rapidly and is possessed In 1992, Florida voters amended the state Rubio’s ideas will need to attract support of a quick wit, realizes he doesn’t have much Constitution by passing a citizens’ initiative in the Florida Senate, which is also controlled time. That’s why he has made the 100 Ideas known as “Eight is Enough,” which limited by Republicans. But the Senate is considered project a joint venture with the two men in the terms of legislators to eight years. The more moderate than the House on most issues, line to succeed him as speaker: Republicans effect has been dramatic. Freshman House and has been resistant to tackling wedge issues Ray Sansom and R. Dean Cannon. members jockey for support for the speaker’s that are important to social conservatives. By promoting the power of ideas, Rubio post almost from the day they are elected, In addition, Rubio also will have to deal may be the Florida politician who comes with the goal of holding the position in the with a new governor, Charlie Crist, who ran closest to continuing the legacy of Governor final two years of their eight-year careers. a centrist campaign devoid of emphasis on Jeb Bush, who led with a strong, decisive It is at that point in his political career social issues. And Florida, despite its popula- hand and often brought a missionary’s zeal to where Rubio finds himself now, and he tion of 18 million, still has a part-time legisla- the pursuit of a broad policy agenda. wants to make the most of it. ture that meets for only 60 days every spring. “Marco is a person who believes in the “If the purpose of partisanship is to Watching closely across the aisle from power of ideas,” Bush says. “He’ll be fair, advance ideas, then partisanship is good. But Rubio is Representative Dan Gelber, a Miami and he won’t be timid. And I think timidity if the purpose of partisanship is beating peo- Beach Demo rity leader. He says previous in politics is the death knell of a party that ple up for the sake of winning an election, policy efforts by the Republican majority doesn’t stand for anything.” then partisanship is bad,” Rubio says. “This have been driven too often by conservative To some legislators, Rubio’s crusade for is designed to elicit heated debate, but for the ideology. new ideas offers a newfound enthusiasm for purpose of coming up with solutions.” As examples, Gelber cited House passage the work of lawmaking. Rubio himself chaired a select legislative of a bill that would have required additional “Government has a tendency to crisis-man- committee that studied Florida’s eminent state intervention in the Terri Schiavo end-of- age,” says Representative Ellyn Bogdanoff. domain law, the first time in his six years in life case and a measure opposing embryonic “For the first time in a long time—or prob- office that he played a leading role in a major stem cell research.

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