Jamie Lober, Next U.S. Senator from Florida, to Speak for National Cancer Awareness Day

Loyal, genuine, youthful and influential are just a few words to describe Jamie Lober.  “She has a big mind and an even bigger heart,” said Bill Matson, 64, New Jersey, who heard her address the cancer epidemic at a breakfast earlier this year.  “What was unique about her when she ran for mayor was that her message, style and disposition was the same no matter who she was talking to; what you see is what you get and everyone liked her for that because she was honest,” said Mark Fowler, 30, who knew of Lober through her college years.  “I did not have a personal relationship with her but my dog attended incredible events she planned for the Humane Society and I know she led women’s health and sexual health education initiatives on campus,” Fowler continued.  When Charles Worm, 37, Oregon who follows Lober’s advice in his local parenting publication was asked where he envisions Lober in years to come he replied “as the first female president.”  Perhaps there is truth in jest.

Lober departs for the Capitol next week to speak for national cancer awareness day.  “This is something that I have to do and I look forward to the evening that my father can be in the audience,” said Lober.  She said that her priority is to heighten rare disease awareness, advocate for legislation and funding benefitting patients with cancer, promote research and personalize the cause so people understand why she is there.  Unprompted, Lober chimes in with a wake-up call to who she calls nicotine addicts.  “Tobacco companies need to start providing truthful information about their products to consumers including that smoking takes more lives each year than AIDS, drugs, car crashes, murder, suicide and alcohol combined,” said Lober.  As a nonsmoker, she goes on to critique those who opt to light up.  “I want people to stop polluting my air and to get over the fad of electronic cigarettes because the truth is that there is no safe cigarette,” said Lober.  Lober tells that her best speeches are off-the-cuff and unplanned but that her main talking point of the night will be that she wants everyone to come together and make the fight to defeat cancer a national priority.  

As the Public Relations Chairman for her local American Cancer Society, talking about cancer is not new turf and Lober prays for a chance to finally vote on finishing the fight.  “Marco Rubio has been waiting some years for a partner in Washington as he fights for Florida and I cannot wait for the day that I can join him in dealing with appropriations for research, prevention and early detection like increasing funding for the National Institutes of Health, supporting every opportunity to increase the federal tobacco tax and talking about initiatives that emphasize diet and exercise as cancer prevention strategies,” said Lober.  Acknowledging that progress has been made, Lober stresses that there is a lot of work to be done particularly with regard to rare cancer.  “When you have a rare disease it is harder to get proper diagnosis, accurate information and treatment and I hope the Orphan Drug Act will continue to take this into consideration,” said Lober.  

Named a winning Republican woman of the year more than once and in several states, Lober is climbing up the ladder quickly and not only knows the majority of her Party on a personal basis – they are anxiously awaiting her grand entrance on the national stage.  “It is going to be historic and I believe cards did not fall the way I once aspired because I have been dealt an even better hand,” said Lober.  With a historic run for mayor at age twenty-one under her belt, Lober says that she seeks a life of service and there is no time to start preparing like the present moment.  “The only people who may think my dreams are stupid are those do not have any of their own,” said Lober.  People love hearing Lober’s first-hand account of her life experiences, as she always speaks with wisdom, emotion, practicality and occasionally a sense of humor.  

Lober has done a lot for her years and while she is one of the mightiest and sharpest voices in the young conservative movement today, she is humble.  She works in health communications and is also fluent in Spanish which makes her an asset in many arenas.  “It is great to see a bigger focus on bilingualism in schools today but I have yet to understand why it is so often necessary to press 1 for English, it is not like America has moved,” said Lober.  While some may find her political opinions forthright, she essentially insists they are wearing blinders and need to take them off.  “People’s ignorance on world affairs is astonishing and I would say I get my information right about ninety percent of the time, so that leaves some space to miss some math problems,” laughed Lober.  While she is not in favor of the President’s actions over the past four years, Lober praises diversity and names her three year presidency at a Latino cultural center as one of the best experiences of her life.  “Someone once told me that the Republican Party of Texas was founded in 1867 by 150 African Americans and 20 Caucasians and people should be aware of that since I can promise they will not find that tidbit on the news,” said Lober.

Citing that one of the Palm Beach County Republican Party’s main goals for 2013 is outreach, as a member of their Republican Executive Commtitee Lober tells that she is eager to get started particularly in the Hispanic community but that the GOP should not forget their roots.  “We need a President that will stand up for Americans and not illegal aliens and people need to recognize the symbolism behind the American flag and either support the country they live in or go back to the country that is hanging on their car mirror,” said Lober.  Forecasting her role in the future, Lober is vague and simply expresses that she sees herself becoming an increasingly recognized and well-liked face and voice for the issues that she claims matter such as healthcare and the economic situation.  

As for healthcare, Lober says that Florida is fifty percent headed in the right direction, referring to what she calls “Rubio’s fine work.”  “Rubio is getting after those gross individuals who prey on seniors and protecting them from fraud and changes to their benefit plans, ending taxes that work against the financial security that people take many years to establish and most of all, he is repealing and replacing Obamacare,” said Lober.  She goes on to express her belief that Rubio will remain a central piece to Florida politics in the coming years.  “I hope to get to know him better and also hope that he tightens up his immigration stance because I feel loose policies can compromise our health, safety and workforce,” said Lober.  On the topic of jobs, Lober believes there is no reason someone cannot create their own just as she did. “Businessmen have their mind in the right place; and if you think a wealthy businessman does not add anything to the economy, I encourage you to find a poor man with a business that is expanding and hiring,” said Lober.  

Lober expresses that if Floridians have some work ethic that the drug and alcohol epidemic will improve dramatically.  “It is absurd that there are unmotivated people getting welfare checks who do not have to do as much as pass a urine test while there are hardworking people in corporate jobs who have to pass one to earn checks for the lazy,” said Lober.  Serving on the emerging issues and prescription drug task forces of the Palm Beach Substance Awareness Coalition, Lober is a leader and brings expertise gained from earning a master’s in health psychology.  “I am proud that these task forces allow me to be a player in coordinating Palm Beach County’s efforts to keep our communities healthy, safe and drug-free,” said Lober.  Out of her time in Florida, Lober says it is the lack of working class people that she finds the most disheartening.  “For the taxes that are being taken out of so many people’s paychecks, the least they could get are photos of the families they are supporting to flaunt in their home,” said Lober.  

As Floridians wait for her to file down the road, they can expect to see Lober campaigning for others that she believes in and getting her feet wet on social issues.  “Having been considered a reputable source of health information for a decade now, I feel strongly about protecting the wellbeing of people of all ages and that starts in the womb,” said Lober.  Lober claims the pro-choice population does not even have an argument to their name.  “They believe abortion is correct and ethical, so shouldn’t they want to see pictures of it on billboards instead of responding so angrily?” said Lober.  Lober goes on to condemn the President’s goal of making abortion free and available to all while he is requiring co-pays for lifesaving medications and treatments.  “Some things just do not make sense in liberal politics today and I think fixing the country entails getting back to basics,” said Lober.  When asked what people can do to make a difference, she tells that it is really not that hard.  “They just need to get back to asking what they can do for their country instead of acting like Sandra Fluke and other Democratic rock stars who are asking what their country can do or even buy for them,” said Lober.