Is Jeb Bush seriously running?

[Politics4us]

He's running to the left of John McCain. How can he believe he's going to win? He also hasn't shed any pounds as Huckabee did before running in 2008 and Christie has.

[mystery-ak]

I personally don't think he will last long in this race...

[andy58-in-nh]

He's running to the left of John McCain. How can he believe he's going to win? He also hasn't shed any pounds as Huckabee did before running in 2008 and Christie has.

He's got tens of thousands of reasons to run. And every one of them has Ben Franklin's picture on it.

[truth_seeker]

He's got tens of thousands of reasons to run. And every one of them has Ben Franklin's picture on it.

I suppose the same would be true of every one else that has said they may run, right?

Buchanan, Palin, Keyes, Santorum, Huckabee, Trump and others have likewise made TV appearance, speaking and book money from their teasing to run.

So why single out Bush? Unlike most of the others, he is actually qualified, and leads polls.

[andy58-in-nh]

I suppose the same would be true of every one else that has said they may run, right?

Buchanan, Palin, Keyes, Santorum, Huckabee, Trump and others have likewise made TV appearance, speaking and book money from their teasing to run.

So why single out Bush? Unlike most of the others, he is actually qualified, and leads polls.

None of those third-tier candidates have a fraction of the establishment bucks that Jeb can lay claim to. And Bush already has a ready-made campaign slogan: "If you like your gardener, you can keep your gardener".

[Lando Lincoln]

I personally don't think he will last long in this race...

I don't know myst... we'll see.  He can muster the $$$ and the ground game. 

On another front... Doesn't it seem that Perry might be getting his act together?

[alicewonders]

I don't know myst... we'll see.  He can muster the $$$ and the ground game. 

On another front... Doesn't it seem that Perry might be getting his act together?

Rick Perry seems to be taking it slow and steady this time around.  There's something to be said for letting a few of the front-runners get clobbered right out of the gate, while you are quietly gathering steam.  I hope he does well, he is in my top tier.

 

[Politics4us]

I suppose the same would be true of every one else that has said they may run, right?

Buchanan, Palin, Keyes, Santorum, Huckabee, Trump and others have likewise made TV appearance, speaking and book money from their teasing to run.

So why single out Bush? Unlike most of the others, he is actually qualified, and leads polls.

I'm singling him out, because he is running to the left of McCain. I'm also asking if there's another reason he's running, whether it's to block a Tea Party candidate somehow or make himself more rich.

[Luis Gonzalez]

He's running to the left of John McCain. How can he believe he's going to win? He also hasn't shed any pounds as Huckabee did before running in 2008 and Christie has.

Are you serious?

How is he running to the left of McCain?

Here's an online review of a book you should read. I assume that you read stuff other than what's posted in these forums and WND. The book is called "Conservative Hurricane. How Jeb Bush Remade Florida."

This is an at-times-dry but generally useful assessment of Jeb Bush's eight years as governor of Florida. After a couple of introductory chapters covering the history of Florida and of the Republican Party, the author, a professor of political science, makes the case that Bush turned Florida into "an executive-driven conservative public-policy showcase."

On economic policy, Mr. Bush turned Florida, which already had no state income tax, into an even lower-tax state by implementing what Professor Corrigan describes as “the largest tax cut in Florida’s history,” a reduction of about $20 billion. Tort reform capped punitive damages for businesses. He privatized the state government’s personnel department, its child protective services, its prison food services, its Medicaid program, and its defense of death-row inmates.

The state government workforce was reduced by 12%, as Mr. Bush pursued a goal he set out in his second inaugural address: “I look forward to the time when these buildings of government are empty. There would be no greater tribute to our maturity as a society than if we can make these buildings around us empty of workers — silent monuments to the time when government played a larger role than it deserved or could adequately fill.”

On education reform, Mr. Bush gave schools A through F letter grades based on student test scores, gave students in failing schools vouchers for private schools, and implemented merit pay for teachers. Test scores jumped, as did high school graduation rates.

On social issues, Mr. Bush put an emphasis on life. The state issued optional “choose life” license plates, passed a parental notification law for minors who wanted abortions, and restricted late-term “partial-birth” abortions. He went to great lengths in an ultimately fruitless attempt to prevent Terri Schiavo’s husband from having Schiavo’s feeding tube removed.

He created two “faith-based prisons” over the objections of the American Civil Liberties Union. By executive order, he eliminated race and gender-based affirmative action in public college admissions and in state contracting, denouncing a sit-in protest by two black lawmakers as “childish.”

Mr. Bush backed gun rights by supporting a “stand-your-ground” law, signing legislation preventing gun ranges for being sued for causing pollution, requiring stores that sell hunting and fishing licenses to make voter registration applications available, and exempting concealed-weapons licenses from disclosure under the state’s public records laws.

Philosophically, as Professor Corrigan describes it, Mr. Bush saw big government as eroding character and virtue. Bush is certainly no pure libertarian; among other things, he approved half a billion in state and local incentives to lure the non-profit Scripps Research Institute to Palm Beach County from California. While Mr. Bush used his line item veto to block hundreds of millions in spending approved by his Republican legislature, the state budget overall did increase on his watch to about $74 billion from about $49 billion, according to Mr. Corrigan. Some of that increase was hurricane relief and Medicaid, partially reimbursed by the federal government, and it also came at a time when the value of the dollar was declining relative to gold.

Professor Corrigan, who teaches political science and public administration at the University of North Florida, delivers a sometimes critical but nonetheless generally admiring portrait of Mr. Bush’s record as governor from 1999 to 2007. The point is that, like his record or hate it, Mr. Bush's policy accomplishments were substantial.

This weekend marked the 10th anniversary since the death of Terri Schiavo.

jeb Bush was Governor of Florida at the time, and he fought side by side with Social nd Religious Conservatives trying to keep Schiavo alive. So much so that Michael Schiavo is volunteering to campaign against him in the upcoming election.

Jeb Bush, by any measurable standard, a strong conservative Governor during his tenure.

[aligncare]

All true, Luis. But, if he wants my vote he's got to convince me he's changed his stance on immigration--important to me because it touches every aspect of America's security and prosperity.

[Luis Gonzalez]

All true, Luis. But, if he wants my vote he's got to convince me he's changed his stance on immigration--important to me because it touches every aspect of America's security and prosperity.

You do realize that he's the only person considering running or actually declared that they are running who has addressed the issue of what to do about the millions of people in the country illegally, don't you?

Cruz tiptoed around the issue in his announcement speech, Rubio was one of 2013's Gang of Eight and is now a hardliner against the path to citizenship and Walker was for it before he was against it. Walker's people say heat the Governor is changing his stance as he learns more about the issue.

Really?

He didn't know enough about the issue but he used to support a path to citizenship?

In an email, Walker's spokesman explained the Governor's stance in an email to Breitbar:

“He’s for border security first, enforce the laws on the books, fix legal immigration system with national interest in mind and then deal with those here."

What does that mean exactly?

In contrast, when asked directly about how his stance on immigration could hurt his chances to win the nomination, Jeb replied that he's not going to change his stance on his core beliefs due to political heat.

I guess I prefer a candidate who tells me where they stand on issues over one who waits to figure out what it is that I want them to say to get my support.

I LIKE Scott Walker, but I just don't have as clear a picture on what his core beliefs are as I have with Bush.

[MACVSOG68]

You do realize that he's the only person considering running or actually declared that they are running who has addressed the issue of what to do about the millions of people in the country illegally, don't you?

Cruz tiptoed around the issue in his announcement speech, Rubio was one of 2013's Gang of Eight and is now a hardliner against the path to citizenship and Walker was for it before he was against it. Walker's people say heat the Governor is changing his stance as he learns more about the issue.

Really?

He didn't know enough about the issue but he used to support a path to citizenship?

In an email, Walker's spokesman explained the Governor's stance in an email to Breitbar:

“He’s for border security first, enforce the laws on the books, fix legal immigration system with national interest in mind and then deal with those here."

What does that mean exactly?

In contrast, when asked directly about how his stance on immigration could hurt his chances to win the nomination, Jeb replied that he's not going to change his stance on his core beliefs due to political heat.

I guess I prefer a candidate who tells me where they stand on issues over one who waits to figure out what it is that I want them to say to get my support.

I LIKE Scott Walker, but I just don't have as clear a picture on what his core beliefs are as I have with Bush.

You are absolutely on target here.  Bush is the only candidate that has laid out his plan, which BTW also includes executing it through Congress, not around it.  The other candidates are playing to the base using as little details as absolutely necessary, while really ducking the entire issue.  Jeb is in favor of comprehensive immigration reform similar to the 2013 Senate bill and the 2007 failed legislation.  And that includes border security and improved immigration laws as well as dealing with those already here.

I don't know if Jeb is the candidate I want to vote for yet, but he has good experience, an in-depth understanding of the issues of importance, a much better personality than his brother, and more than many of the potential candidates, an ability to bring in those groups less inclined to support Republicans in the past.

[Lando Lincoln]

I like Scott Walker a lot and I find it amusingly satisfying that his most bitter haters helped propel him to national prominence. However, I have this intangible feeling he should stay where he is at. Hope I am wrong.

Interesting isn't it that we potentially have three governors or former governors of crucial electoral swing states in the mix; Walker, Bush and Kasich.

Luis - last compliment for awhile, I swear...  Thanks for the thoroughness of your posts. You might even compel me to think!

[flowers]

bkmk

[Politics4us]

Are you serious?

How is he running to the left of McCain?

Here's an online review of a book you should read. I assume that you read stuff other than what's posted in these forums and WND. The book is called "Conservative Hurricane. How Jeb Bush Remade Florida."

This weekend marked the 10th anniversary since the death of Terri Schiavo.

jeb Bush was Governor of Florida at the time, and he fought side by side with Social nd Religious Conservatives trying to keep Schiavo alive. So much so that Michael Schiavo is volunteering to campaign against him in the upcoming election.

Jeb Bush, by any measurable standard, a strong conservative Governor during his tenure.

John McCain moved to the right in 2008. Jeb Bush has remained a moderate. Look at his C-PAC speech. Where has he criticized Obama, a socialist for the past 6 years? On federal issues, he's not going to be a conservative. He's for amnesty too.

[Politics4us]

an ability to bring in those groups less inclined to support Republicans in the past.

They said that about McCain and then they said Romney was the only electable one in 2012. Even if Jeb could get other groups, too many conservatives would stay home, so it wouldn't matter. As far as Jeb laying out a plan before congress, when have Tea Party candidates advocated going around congress?

[MACVSOG68]

They said that about McCain and then they said Romney was the only electable one in 2012. Even if Jeb could get other groups, too many conservatives would stay home, so it wouldn't matter. As far as Jeb laying out a plan before congress, when have Tea Party candidates advocated going around congress?

Anyone on the right side of the aisle who would stay home isn't a conservative.  Standpatters perhaps, even reactionaries, but certainly not conservative, even with the strange definitions advanced today by the media and the right wing.  If they refuse to support the GOP nominee resulting in a Democrat victory, I doubt their candidate would have pulled in those who already shun Republican/conservative principles.

Whether or not any of the TP type candidates would advocate bypassing Congress, it's hard to say, few have laid out any details other than one-line rhetoric., and what they're going to repeal.  Still I for one haven't written them off...or any of the potential 2016 candidates.  As a few here have assured, many of us will vote for the GOP candidate...period.

[Luis Gonzalez]

Anyone on the right side of the aisle who would stay home isn't a conservative.  Standpatters perhaps, even reactionaries, but certainly not conservative, even with the strange definitions advanced today by the media and the right wing.  If they refuse to support the GOP nominee resulting in a Democrat victory, I doubt their candidate would have pulled in those who already shun Republican/conservative principles.

Whether or not any of the TP type candidates would advocate bypassing Congress, it's hard to say, few have laid out any details other than one-line rhetoric., and what they're going to repeal.  Still I for one haven't written them off...or any of the potential 2016 candidates.  As a few here have assured, many of us will vote for the GOP candidate...period.

In addition, the fact that the Evangelicals stayed home in droves due to Romney's religion makes them glaring hypocrites in my book.

So much for religious freedom.

[Lando Lincoln]

There is no way that I'd ever sit out the general or vote third party. I will not have a role in ceding advantage or enabling any Democrat to reach the Oval Office.

[MACVSOG68]

In addition, the fact that the Evangelicals stayed home in droves due to Romney's religion makes them glaring hypocrites in my book.

So much for religious freedom.

I'd forgotten about that, but you're right.  TOS was unmerciful in "educating" the freepers about the horrors of the Mormon faith, and how no good Christian could vote for a Mormon.

[DCPatriot]

I'd forgotten about that, but you're right.  TOS was unmerciful in "educating" the freepers about the horrors of the Mormon faith, and how no good Christian could vote for a Mormon.

"TOS" isn't what it used to be.  Takes almost the entire 'quarter' period to raise the fund goal.

IMO, we all have a tendency to think our numbers (like-minded people) are greater that what they actually are.

Supposedly, about 5 million people elected not to vote in 2012 that participated in McCain-Palin back in 2008.  "Supposedly", being the key word.

[MACVSOG68]

"TOS" isn't what it used to be.  Takes almost the entire 'quarter' period to raise the fund goal.

IMO, we all have a tendency to think our numbers (like-minded people) are greater that what they actually are.

Supposedly, about 5 million people elected not to vote in 2012 that participated in McCain-Palin back in 2008.  "Supposedly", being the key word.

Yeah, talk is cheap I guess.  If you venture over to DU, you will learn that America truly wants a Warren/Sanders ticket, and many over there just won't vote for Hillary under any circumstances.  Here, only Ted Cruz can bring America together.  Perspective in the world of politics is an interesting thing.

[Luis Gonzalez]

"TOS" isn't what it used to be.  Takes almost the entire 'quarter' period to raise the fund goal.

IMO, we all have a tendency to think our numbers (like-minded people) are greater that what they actually are.

Supposedly, about 5 million people elected not to vote in 2012 that participated in McCain-Palin back in 2008.  "Supposedly", being the key word.

http://www.redstate.com/diary/griffinelection/2012/11/14/what-went-wrong-in-2012-the-case-of-the-4-million-missing-voters/

[Lando Lincoln]

Yeah, talk is cheap I guess.  ...Perspective in the world of politics is an interesting thing.

If only everyone could see things as I do.  It is so frustrating.   

[MACVSOG68]

If only everyone could see things as I do.  It is so frustrating.   

We do!