WTF, Bush III now?

[luzribeiro.livejournal.com]

With eye on 2016, Jeb Bush resigns from all boards

"Former Florida governor Jeb Bush, moving closer to a possible presidential run, has resigned all of his corporate and nonprofit board memberships, including with his own education foundation, his office said late Wednesday night. He also resigned as a paid adviser to a for-profit education company that sells online courses to public university students in exchange for a share of their tuition payments. Bush’s New Year’s Eve disclosure, coming in an e-mail from an aide to The Washington Post, culminated a string of moves he has made in recent days to shed business interests that have enriched him since leaving office in 2007. The aide said the resignations had been made “effective today.”"

Really... I find it hard to believe that a great and democratic nation like America would only be able to elect members of two families into the presidency for 9 (possibly 10) out of the dozen presidential terms between 1989 and 2024. It just doesn't make any sense - at least from the standpoint of someone who has bought into the "democratic and free nation" narrative to any extent.

If the 2016 election does boil down to Clinton II vs Bush III eventually, this must be telling a lot about the democratic process in the US and the grip on power of the political elites in the Land of the Free - and it won't be good things that it'll be telling us.

Of course, Jeb Bush, like any other political candidate, should be viewed by his merits, skills and personal and political characteristics, and by his record - not by the guilt by association principle. Whether his record (and his stances on important policy) is dubious and questionable or admirable, is another question. More curiously though, apparently being related to a previous president (or presidentS, as is his case), in the opinion of a majority of Americans, is generally not only NOT a hindrance, but rather an asset to a candidate:

Question: "If Jeb Bush and Hillary Clinton decide to run for president, do you think they will be more helped or hurt by being related to previous presidents?"
Answer: "41% said it helps them, 30% said it doesn't, 16% Mixed feelings."

Not so funny any more, huh? (Ironically, the linked movie features an actor who only has a job because of his brother, who in turn is also a terrible actor. So there).

All that said, Hillary must be very happy if Jeb does somehow get the nomination (preliminary indications seem to suggest that he still has a good shot at this early point). Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't he largely seen as a corrupt man, the face of electoral fraud (you do remember that drama in Florida, don't you), is said to be heavily related to the Miami mafia, his business associates have been convicted of racketeering, fraud, real estate scams and ponzi schemes? All in all, he definitely doesn't come across as someone who could rally the nation behind a cause. But we'll see how this unfolds. Of course much will depend on how well the conservative spin machine will sell their preferred flavor of Kool-Aid to the public.

Comments

[nairiporter.livejournal.com]

On that picture he look as if he is saying, "I have done nothing wrong, bro!" :-)

[yes-justice.livejournal.com]

[cindyanne1.livejournal.com]

I really hope he doesn't run.

[ddstory.livejournal.com]

Why, wouldn't that make him easily defeatable?

[luzribeiro.livejournal.com]

Depends if you're rooting for Team Red.

[cindyanne1.livejournal.com]

That's the thing... I am getting the feeling that even if a cockroach with sunglasses ran under the Republican ticket, it would win this time. For that reason I'm hoping at least there's a halfway decent Republican candidate.

[badlydrawnjeff.livejournal.com]

Really... I find it hard to believe that a great and democratic nation like America would only be able to elect members of two families into the presidency for 9 (possibly 10) out of the dozen presidential terms between 1989 and 2024. It just doesn't make any sense - at least from the standpoint of someone who has bought into the "democratic and free nation" narrative to any extent.

I hear this a lot. It only really makes sense if you think people aren't voting for them, but they're taking office anyway. Thankfully, Jeb Bush is going to have some significant trouble in a Republican primary, largely due to his support of Common Core, his position on immigration, and that Chris Christie already stakes out a lot of the area he holds.

I'm not really too concerned.

[luzribeiro.livejournal.com]

but they're taking office anyway

Hence the link to the Idiocracy movie. ;-)

You're not a big Jeb Bush fan, I take it.

[badlydrawnjeff.livejournal.com]

If he's the choice against Hillary Clinton, I'll vote Jeb. Right now, my horse is Scott Walker, but I reserve the right to change my mind.

[mahnmut.livejournal.com]

Then how do you explain his current support (http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-fix/wp/2014/12/16/jeb-bush-is-a-front-runner-but-an-underwhelming-one/) among the Republican base?

[badlydrawnjeff.livejournal.com]

It's January 5, 2015.

[telemann.livejournal.com]

What's crazy interesting, Romney in some trial polls, does better than Jeb Bush. (http://thehill.com/blogs/ballot-box/presidential-races/228086-romney-tops-2016-gop-candidates-in-new-poll) Mitt's sons could up the ante, and then run against Jeb Bush and Hillary! All we need is Megan McCain to throw her hat into the ring! Or hell, let's go for broke maybe Sarah Palin's husband, too!

[htpcl.livejournal.com]

This comes much in line with two of the more prominent supporting characters in the 1st and 2nd book (http://teatarnamechtite.blog.bg/zabavlenie/2013/01/05/vekyt-na-lyva-sydyrjanie.1038701) that I've finished out of the book series that I'm currently working on. It's essentially a fantasy/sci-fi story about a parallel antediluvian history of Atlantis, which is basically a close match and parody of our current times - and these political dynasties that have emerged in what is presumably the most advanced society in the world at the time, are at the core of the oligarchic structure of the Atlantean society that I'm describing there. All in all, it's a mirror image of some of the most developed "great powers" of our real world, but portrayed in a sarcastic manner. And guys like this one and his relatives definitely provide a lot of lullzy material.

But I digress. The Bushonites may still be in the game, but they don't look very likely to retain power any time soon.

[airiefairie.livejournal.com]

That sounds fascinating. Have you been published?

[htpcl.livejournal.com]

Not yet, but I'm already in negotiations with an online publishing house. Been working on the 3rd one in the meantime.

[sandwichwarrior.livejournal.com]

Jeb Bush is a "Company Man" and will likely be sold as the moderate / bipartisan choice,

The establishment wings of both the Democratic and Republican parties appear to be deeply worried about the possibility of a Tea-party or other "Deep-State" opposition candidate running away with the GOP nomination and the Presidency. Bush III vs Clinton II really is a best case scenario in their eyes as the winner will be "one of them" regardless of who looses.

[kylinrouge.livejournal.com]

Tea Party candidate running away with the Presidency? That's uh, that's some good wishful thinking there.

[sandwichwarrior.livejournal.com]

Did you read past the first sentence? I didn't say that it was likely only that the establishment was worried about it.

From a "maintain the current power structure" point of view the ideal scenario is for Hillary to defeat either Jeb Bush or Chris Christie in 2016 (or vice versa). Can you imagine the absolute shit-storm that an anti Deep-State candidate like Gov. Walker or Perry could cause? Republican incumbents will want to prevent this as much as the Democrats do.

[policraticus.livejournal.com]

Bush was a good, solid campaigner, but he's been out of office and out of the retail politics business for a long time. He has also staked some positions that put him at odds with a lot of the GOP's primary voters. I think it would take a couple disastrous GOP meltdowns to give him a realistic path to the convention. Also, right or wrong, fair or unfair, the name is a road block both in the primaries and the general election. Still, it is so early that almost nothing is off the table.

It just doesn't make any sense - at least from the standpoint of someone who has bought into the "democratic and free nation" narrative to any extent.

Why? Should JEB lose his right to run for office because his father and brother also did? I agree it would be an historical anomaly, but I don't see anything particularly nefarious. Parents who've been active in politics instill the ethic of public service into their children all the time. It also gives them a natural advantage, having seen up close what to most people, even very successful people, is a byzantine world. This generational politics goes a long way back in US history, the Adamses being the obvious first example. But, Al Gore's father was a senator. Mitt Romeny's father was a senator. Joe Biden's son was Delaware's Attorney General and there was widespread belief that he would follow his father into the Senate until his stroke, he still might. They called it the Kennedy Dynasty, for heaven's sake. You may not like it, but I don't think it makes perfect sense that a child would be inclined to follow a path started by their parents and charted by their sibling.

So, get ready for Bush IV. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_P._Bush#Career

[luzribeiro.livejournal.com]

Should JEB lose his right to run for office because his father and brother also did?

Who said anything about rights? Don't get paranoid, nobody is stomping on your precious Constitution.

[telemann.livejournal.com]

He's not being paranoid. You've confused how he's using the word right.

He's using in the sense of being disqualified from running, not right in the sense of constitutional rights. The only disqualification mentioned in the Constitution, is the age requirement.

[policraticus.livejournal.com]

telemann is right. Chill out.

[oportet.livejournal.com]

I'd have to agree it's an asset. Not that there isn't any downside - there's just more upside. Bill and W can hand over donors, Bill and W can give speeches, and unfortunately for us here in TP - I see very little significant dirt being dug up on Jeb or Hillary. (Not that they're perfect little angels, but the skeletons in their double dead-bolted closets probably can't be identified)

[luzribeiro.livejournal.com]

Don't underestimate the ability of the 24/7 news cycle to dig up all sorts of dirty laundry just to fill the gaps in their program. These elections will run for many months, after all. Plenty of time for all the mud in the world to be poured upon the candidates.

[kylinrouge.livejournal.com]

I see very little significant dirt being dug up on Jeb or Hillary.

Hillary? Maybe not, we would've seen it in the 2008 Primaries.

Jeb? Oh boy oh boy.