Sen. Rubio Tackles 'Bottlegate,' State of the Union - Politics - CBN ...

Florida Sen. Marco Rubio gave the GOP response to the president's State of the Union address, while Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul spoke out on behalf of the Tea Party.

Both accused the president of continuing to push big government spending and tax increases.

Rubio gave his response in both English and Spanish. He accused the president of hurting, not helping the middle class with deficit spending and tax hikes.

"The idea that more taxes and more government spending is the best way to help hardworking middle class taxpayers -- that's an old idea that's failed every time it's been tried," he said.

Watch more from Sen. Rubio's conversation with David Brody, on The Brody File.

Rubio said America needs an accountable, efficient government that allows small and new businesses to create middle class jobs.

"In order to balance our budget, the choice doesn't have to be either higher taxes or dramatic benefit cuts for those in need," he said. "Instead we should grow our economy so that we create new taxpayers, not new taxes, and so our government can afford to help those who truly cannot help themselves."

Dr. Paul Bonicelli, professor of government and executive vice president of Regent University, shared his analysis of the president's State of the Union address and the GOP response. Click below for his comments.

Rubio added that every problem can't be solved by the government.

"Many are caused by the moral breakdown in our society, and the answer to these challenges lies primarily in our families and our faiths, not our politicians," he said.

One part of Rubio's speech that garnered attention on social media wasn't a policy idea, but his brief sip of water.

As the water break gained notice online, Rubio appeared to have fun with it, sending a photo of the water bottle from his Twitter account.

"I needed water," he told CBN News. "What are you going to do? God has a funny way of reminding us we're human."

Meanwhile, Sen. Paul's response to the president's address proved the Tea Party's ideas are alive and well.

"To begin with, we absolutely must pass a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution!" Paul exclaimed. "The amendment must include strict tax and spending limitations."

"Liberals complain that the budget can't be balanced," he said. "But if you cut just one penny from each dollar we currently spend, the budget would balance within six or seven years."

Paul asserted that the Tea Party will continue to stand against excessive government power.

"We cannot and will not allow any president to act as if he were a king," he said. "We will not let any president use executive orders to impinge on the Second Amendment."

Watch the GOP response, delivered by Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla.

Watch the Tea Party response, delivered by Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky.

Source: http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/politics/2013/February/Economy-Debt-Focus-of-Response-to-State-of-the-Union/

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