A.G. Gancarski
For those in Jacksonville looking for constituent services from Sen. Marco Rubio, the nightmare is over.
Rubio had to close his office on Jacksonville’s Southbank this year, but now has permanent digs in a zone as secure as anywhere in the city: the federal courthouse downtown.
The precise location: Suite 8-111.
“I am happy to announce the opening of our new Jacksonville office inside the federal courthouse,” said Rubio in a press release.
“As we serve constituents from this new location, my staff remains focused on ensuring Floridians are getting the help they need on issues related to Social Security, Medicare, veterans’ benefits, and more,” Rubio contended.
“It’s unfortunate that the disruptions at our previous location became problematic for the children’s health center next door,” added Rubio. “I’m grateful for the center’s patience over the past few months, and I’m hopeful the children receiving treatment there will no longer be impacted.”
14 comments
Sharon Hatchell
May 3, 2017 at 10:49 am
Senator Rubio,
I was there.
The chants from your constituents outside your office in the Baptist Health building were heard by the children ONE brief time…not more than two hours.
When the class complained, your protesting constituents immediately moved to the far end of the block.
If you would be brave enough to hold a town meeting to LISTEN to the people who elected you, there would not be a group of your constituents trying to communicate with you outside your office.
By the way, the people outside your office were not the ‘paid protestors”.
I was one of them.
They were school teachers, retired business owners, parents, grandmothers, young professionals who sacrificed vacation time to get your attention.
We left you stacks of comment cards with your staff with our concerns….which you ignored in your Senate votes.
Talk to the people Senator Rubio. Then they won’t have to bother you.
Debbie Busch
May 3, 2017 at 7:39 pm
Well said. If they are paying for protestors I am sure that many more would be there . I am very interested in where Mr Rubio stands on the”opt out” option in the newest healthcare bill he will vote on without a CBO report assessment? How many of us newly diagnosed with leukemia and the like who cannot afford health insurance without the subsidy I am grateful for will be without or in a “risk pool” ? I worked for years caring for the sick and dying and when I lost my health insurance I was already sick but didn’t know it. I am only 47 years old and until I can rely on having insurance I will be negatively impacted by stress. I am not a profit for an insurer therefore I am not worthy of health insurance. Where are your morals and values when it comes to human beings of this state and the USA?
Marie Reeder
May 4, 2017 at 10:30 am
I, too, attended the rallies at Rubio’s office. We were courteous AND outspoken in our efforts to get our concerns heard. If he is offended by passionate disagreement how is it that he thinks he can represent all of us?
Heidi Greenfeig
May 4, 2017 at 3:42 pm
Senator Rubio,
Although I am a registered Democrat, I have voted Republican since Reagan. The new Repblican health plan allowing the states to op-out of coverage for pre-existing conditions is terrible. Shame on the House. You as a Republican Senator have the ability to back an amendment to change that horrific plan.
In the 8 years that the Republicans stewed over the ACA, they waited until now to first come up with a plan!!
I disliked the ACA but this new plan is worse. Since you and your colleagues now have the majority, I strongly implore you to fix this fiasco of op-outs before you vote.
If something isn’t done I definitely will go back to voting Democratic even though I disagree with most of their beliefs. Swinging the majority back to the Democrats will be easy with these changes.
Jim Robins
May 4, 2017 at 11:20 pm
Politicians have become used to a public with short memory span. People who are sick and suffering without care will remember you every day. Do the right thing while you can.
Linda Wooddell
May 6, 2017 at 8:11 pm
We are all looking to make changes in Congress due to our elected officials voting party instead of what their constituents want. We will remember your voting record come election time!
Catherine Morgan
May 6, 2017 at 9:45 pm
Senator,
I echo the comments of Ms. Hatchell above. I was not at every rally but I was at many of them.
Friends of mine in the rally leadership reported that the children’s health center will not validate your claim that we disturbed them to the point that you had to leave.
Out of respect for the children’s center we moved to the far end of the block.
You and the building owners did everything you could to discourage us. We were not allowed to park near the building. We had to park further away and walk even though there was more than ample parking in the back.
Rally participants went to your office in small, quiet groups of 8 or so at a time. We left written feedback and talked to the office staff. At no time did we ever get a response from you.
I read your newsletter where you describe people that you have met with. I don’t see where you have had a town hall with constituents.
Your move to the federal courthouse smacks of authoritarian efforts to squelch feedback and dissent.
Mary G
May 6, 2017 at 9:50 pm
A nightmare? Do you think the First Amendment is a nightmare when citizens exercise their rights to protest? I was at several rallies and we weren’t at that end of the building and we were very respectful and just wanted our views heard. Many of the protesters were retirees like me and we were not part of any “nightmare.” Your comment is very misleading. We will be rallying outside your office wherever you go.
B. M Ros
May 6, 2017 at 11:40 pm
Senator Rubio:
Meet with us …talk to us..we are the peoepl who placed our TRUST in your care.. No more or less shoudl be given to meet and discuss your votes and what we like to see you do SINCE your represent WE THE PEOPLE! Town hall with open meeting to focus on direction of our Great country! The peoepl have been very respectful and will in that setting if you will meet with us.
Mary Coffman
May 7, 2017 at 8:49 am
Shame on you for distorting the truth about the demonstrations. I was there. We did not bring the bull horn nor the big hulking loud figure of the Trump supporter. The new health care bill is a disgrace. As are the Executive Orders which will have an extremely adverse effect on Florida’s suffering
environment. Why won’t you meet with your constituents? I do want to complement your staff who were patient and courteous and did meet us face to face. Where were you?
Diane Eger
May 7, 2017 at 2:19 pm
Would be nice if you would open an office in the Ft. Myers/ Naples area or at least have a published phone number for the area. Are you afraid to meet and interact with us? WE are ignored. don’t appreciate it.
Katie Carlsson
May 8, 2017 at 9:12 am
Re: Senator Marco Rubio’s Weekly Newsletter
As to writing NOAA to extend the red snapper season, really? How about
supporting NOAA by standing up against Trump and his disgusting budget cuts
to NOAA. NOAA stands to lose Sea Grant with these budget cuts. You probably
still have red snapper to catch due to Sea Grant and the scientists this
invaluable resource has trained. Sea Grant costs tax payers .50 per year.
How much do they spend to go out and catch fish? The fish that Pruitt is
trying to poison with toxic waste as fast as he can? Yeah, extend the
fishing season because they probably won’t be alive next year to catch.
And how about you vote a big fat NO to repeal the ACA and replace it with
TrumpDon’tCare? Just like many Floridians, many people in my family have
preexisting conditions that will cause us to lose coverage or have to opt
out because of the exorbitant premiums. I think we can last until 2018 and
2020 though so we can get people in office that actually care about the
people they serve. Many of the people in the hospital where I work will not
last long if they lose coverage. In fact I can always tell when something
horrible is going on with health care news now because of the increase of
heart attacks, strokes and overdoses.
Before this travesty of an election I always voted but never protested or
called an elected official. I call every week now. I donate to Democrats
running in Georgia and Montana. I support newspapers, NPR, musicians, and
the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund. I have traveled back to Miami to march
for Science and to DC to march for Climate action. We won a small battle
here in Martin County and were able to beat back the developers trying to
pave over our wetlands and we have started to win the battle against the
Sugar Companies to stop dumping their discharges into our estuaries (the
same estuaries where red snapper young grow up).
I am starting to get a lot of people interested in calling you guys out so
get ready for some more calls and hope the worst thing we have to worry
about is a short fishing season.
Thank you ahead of time for not voting for TRUMPDON’TCARE. What have you
got to lose,
Katie Carlsson
Robin Rutledge
May 8, 2017 at 9:34 am
Sen. Rubio-
Thank you for letting us know your new location in Jacksonville. Quite obviously your constituents want to communicate with you. You should hold a Town Hall meeting during this long break. You know it is the right thing to do. So, DO THE RIGHT THING!
Sharon Hatchell
May 8, 2017 at 9:49 am
Yes!
Thank you, Robin.
If he doesn’t want to perform his Senator job, he should quit.
Sen. Rubio won’t take time to listen to his constituents. All I received was form email that just repeated his party’s line. He didn’t respond to one concern I voiced.
We need a Senator who will —at least TRY–to represent us.
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