Rubio Warns Of Marxism Influence Threatening 'Freedom and Culture'

ORLANDO, Florida — Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) kicked off the second day at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC), warning how the infusion of Marxism influence has threatened American freedom and culture.

“I believe there are a lot of people in this country influenced by Marxism that don’t even realize they’re being influenced by Marxism. And it’s infused every aspect of our lives and of our society. And so, for the first time, in my lifetime, and probably your lifetime, we have witnessed things that we have never seen in this country before,” Rubio said.

The Florida Senator rallied against cancel culture, alluding to how much society is heavily influenced by Marxism, which has become a threat to Americans’ “freedom and liberty.” Rubio cautioned that despite it being to change lawmakers and the laws, once “freedom is lost and eroded,” it is difficult to reclaim it back.

He said that cancel culture, in which you are “one ‘like’ away from destroying your life,” and coronavirus regulations requiring people “to produce papers to go in somewhere, to sit somewhere” amount to a society being influenced by Marxism, even if it’s going by another name.

Rubio referenced his upbringing, being a son of Cuban immigrants and surrounded by people who escaped the Communist regime from “various nations” who moved to Florida. He recalled their warnings regarding political leaders using their “power to impose their will on society.”

“I was raised by people and surrounded by people and to this day live surrounded by people that know what life is like in other countries. And so they know how special America is, and they know what real tyranny looks like and what real oppression looks like,” Rubio said.

“As I look back now, [I] took for granted some of their warnings years ago about what happens to a society and to a people when we empower those who believe that their job is to tell the rest of us how to live and think and believe and how we are allowed to do. And I think in many ways if you want to define what is so unique about this moment in our history is that for the first time, perhaps in recent memory, and certainly, in recent history, Americans have come face to face with what it looks like when people use power to impose their will on society,”

Rubio pointed to the Ukrainian civilians, calling them inspirational in their willingness “to sacrifice everything,” including their lives in their refusal to give up their country to become Russian President Vladimir Putin’s “slaves” and “live under tyranny.”

He equated the stories of Ukrainians using weapons to fight back to show how “precious freedom and liberty,” alluding to Americans fighting back not with bearing arms but in the voting booths. Rubio noted how the momentum is swinging for the Republican Party, referencing those who don’t agree with us on “a variety of issues” are “really angry” and are voting to get rid of Democrats on all levels nationwide.

“All across this state, and all across America, there are people… that may not agree with us on a variety of issues. There are people that perhaps have never voted the same way any of you have in a presidential race. And they’re really angry. And they’re getting rid of school board members because they’re coming for their kids. And they’re getting rid of local government officials because they’re coming for their business. And they’ll get rid of federal leaders that are coming for their freedom.”

“And that’s why I believe that for all the negative we’ve heard, the pendulum is swinging. The pendulum is swinging. And I believe we are on the precipice, on the verge, of a reinvigoration of the American spirit that will not just strengthen America–it will leave us freer and more prosperous than we have ever been,” Rubio concluded.

Rubio returned to CPAC after two years with his appearance last year, unfortunately being canceled due to an “unexpected family issue.” This year, the Florida Senator is up for reelection, seeking a third term against Democratic Rep. Val Demings.

This year’s CPAC conference theme in Orlando, Florida, held for a second year, is “awake not woke.”