Undoubtedly, Bill and Hillary Clinton would dispute any possibility of another Bush winning the presidency, but a Bush family member is moving in that direction. The media is buzzing with video, articles, tweets and questions for Jeb Bush, son of former president George H.W. Bush and brother of Bush 43, aka “W.”
The New York Times dug deeper recently into Jeb’s history through a public records request of all the emails written when he was the 43rd governor of Florida. These emails are thought to reveal the actions and conservative agenda items carried out by Bush during his two terms as governor.
One of Jeb’s goals as stated in the emails “was to reduce the size of the state government.” The New York Times stated, “Mr. Bush…did not slash the number of state employees by half, but he did privatize thousands of public jobs.”
Another topic of discussion has centered around Bush’s financial status. The LA Times reported on Christmas Day that “When Jeb Bush completed two terms as governor of Florida in 2007, he reported his net worth at $1.3 million, about $700,000 less than when he took office. Today, nearly eight years later, he is a wealthier man.”
The LA Times also states that Bush has begun to unwind some of his financial affairs, apparently to avoid the kind of criticism that handicapped fellow Republican Mitt Romney in his unsuccessful bid for the White House in 2012.
“Bush is quitting Tenet Healthcare Corp. — a company that has profited from Obamacare — and is ending a consulting contract with Barclays Bank to focus on his political future,” the LA Times observed. “Aides say he also has stopped giving highly paid speeches to focus on traveling America, meeting with potential donors and testing what a friend calls a ‘visionary’ brand of campaigning.”
One area that may cause some concern for Bush’s conservative base is his position on immigration. A staunch conservative on taxes and social issues, Bush developed a reputation as a reliable centrist on immigration.
The New York Times tells MHProNews that “Mr. Bush’s positions on these topics are certainly challenges, but probably overrated ones. Tone and message, not the specifics of his policy agenda, will probably determine whether he can strike the balance necessary to appeal to the party’s donors without losing too much ground among staunch conservatives.”
Some are noting that Jeb Bush is far from a carbon copy of his brother, George W.
For example, Jeb has a more distinguished educational background. While attending Phillips Academy, at the age of 17, he taught English as a second language in Leon, Guanajuato, Mexico. While in Mexico, he met his future wife, Columba Garnica Gallo. This, say some pundits, gives Jeb a solid ‘in’ with the Hispanic voting block.
So Jeb Bush is reasonably fluent in Spanish. He became Catholic to please his wife Columba. Jeb graduated Phi Beta Kappa from the University of Texas at Austin with a B.A. in Latin American Studies. Jeb’s 38 year old son, George P. Bush, was recently elected Texas Land Commissioner. So yet another Bush is waiting in the wings.
Be it Hillary challenger Elizabeth Warren or other serious contenders who emerge for the 2016 presidential race, MHProNews will track their positions on issues impacting housing, finance, business, etc. that these contenders represent.
Manufactured housing professionals and average Americans could use a supporter in the White House. Who will emerge on top and with what platforms? Its a long campaign ahead, stay tuned. ##
(Photo Credit: Susan Walsh, Associated Press)
