· Republican
Marco Rubio
Architect of the hard line on Venezuela and Cuba and a serious China hawk. Still more interventionist abroad than the Society.
Preliminary grade, based on the public record to date.
OverallBGPA 3.11
The grades
- SovereigntyDid they put American interests first and keep decisions in American hands?B+
- HemisphereDid they guard the Americas against rival powers and threats?A
- RestraintDid they keep the country out of wars of choice that weakened it?C
- StatecraftDid they use diplomacy, force and alliances skillfully, on American terms?B+
- Industry and tradeDid they protect and build American industry?B
- Working AmericansDid ordinary working families do better because of them?B-
- BuildingDid they build things that lasted and push the frontier forward?B-
- NationDid they strengthen a shared American identity and the Union?B+
- CompetenceWere they capable, honest and effective in office?A-
On the axes
MarketEconomyPopulist
Free tradeTradeProtectionist
RestraintForeign policyInterventionist
CosmopolitanNationNational
Dark dot: Marco Rubio. Red mark: the Monroe Society. Ideological closeness to the Society: 69%.