Florida Republican senator and White House contender Marco Rubio said no presidential candidate should try to separate a culture of life from a culture of opportunity, because the two depend on one another.
“The goal of reclaiming the American dream, which is precisely about defending the value of every human being, can never be achieved if we don’t defend the right of every human life to exist,” Rubio said Friday at the National Right to Life Convention in New Orleans.
AP
Rubio, who has been a top-tier candidate for GOP nomination in most recent polls, made a pitch to abortion foes, pointing to his time in the Florida state legislature when he tied anti-abortion and economic issues together.
“As fundamental as we know life is to every person, it is unfair to assume it is always simple,” Rubio said.
Rubio told the audience about a speech he gave when he was speaker of the Florida state House of Representatives about ensuring that a child born in poverty is able to achieve economic opportunity.
“The dignity of that childhood is pursuing the American dream, and the hope of pursuing God’s plan for every child and every parent in every circumstance,” Rubio continued. “I’m proud to say we fought that fight as well during my time as speaker.”
He went on to say that he supported creating economic conditions where children born in poverty can go on to get a good paying job, affordable education, and have a “pro-growth and pro-family tax reform.”
“Public policy and public service are not about abstract ideas,” Rubio said. “At its core they are about human life.”
