Jeb Bush, the future of the GOP?

In an interview with Esquire, Jeb Bush defends intellectualism and social conservativsm and manages to avoid ticking off Rush Limbaugh while lamenting his party's damaging rhetoric on immigration. Worthwhile to read the whole thing.

Here's his case against Barack Obama: It's important for people who have a different view to explain the breathtaking, dramatic expansion of government. I mean, breathtaking. Unprecedented. This year's fiscal deficit will be $1.8 trillion. It's his deficit. He owns it. $1.8 trillion. That's 12 percent of our gross national product. The scope of government will — when you add federal, state and local government on a net basis — consume at least a third of our economic activity. The deficits projected go out as far as the eye can see. President Obama says he will cut the deficit in half. Well, he'll cut it from $1.8 trillion to $900 billion — almost a trillion based on rosy GNP numbers for the next five years. The debt that will be created in his four years as president will exceed the debt that was created by all presidents before him. These are numbers that once people understand the scale of them, they'll be very concerned about. What's the alternative? The alternative is to take time-tested practices and convert them to the world we live in. Which means you're going to cut taxes and cut spending.

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Jeb Bush raising money for Bill McCollum

Poll: Jeb trails Palin, Romney, Huckabee for 2012

CNN/Opinion Research May 14-17, 448 Republicans nationwide. MoE ± 4.5.
Mike Huckabee  22%
Sarah Palin 21%  
Mitt Romney 21%.
Newt Gingrich 13 % 
Jeb Bush 6% 
Someone else 10%  

Jeb endorses Negron for state Senate

The Joe Negron for Senate campaign has announced he has earned the endorsement of former Gov. Jeb Bush with these crucial words: "Joe is a true conservative and has my complete support."

Negron, a Republican and former state representative from Stuart, is running to finish the term of Sen. Ken Pruitt who is retiring from the Florida Senate.  

Drafting Jeb Bush for governor

It was only a matter of time: www.JebAgainIn10.com.

Dear Gov. Bush,

With the recent announcement that Gov. Crist will run for Mel Martinez' U.S. Senate seat, Floridians need to make certain proven leadership is restored to the Executive Office of Governor. During this exceptional period of financial unrest and the historic unemployment rate in Florida, we need an exceptional solution and leader to steer us through this.

Responds Bush: Um, no.

 "Governor Bush is not considering a 2010 gubernatorial run in Florida. He will continue to play a constructive role in the future of the Republican Party, advocating conservative solutions to the 21st century challenges we face, specifically in the area of education," said spokeswoman Kristy Campbell.

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Jeb makes Daily Show

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Republicans: The Lost Party
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Jeb Bush on reality show

... Or at least as imagined by the DNC.

Limbaugh dismisses Jeb

Rush Limbaugh today scoffed at the Council for a New America event Saturday featuring Jeb Bush, Mitt Romney and Eric Cantor. Limbaugh was especically unimpressed with Bush's suggestion that the GOP needs to move beyond nostalgia for days gone by.

Limbaugh: "But, I'll tell you what, whether Jeb is saying it or not -- and we've discussed this countless time on this program. There are people in the, quote, unquote, conservative movement or in the Republican Party who sure as hell want to leave Reagan behind.  Everything Reagan stood for, the man, policies, and everything else.  And it is a battle. It's an internecine battle that is going to go on in the Republican Party....Something else you have to understand, these people hate Palin, too.  They despise Sarah Palin.  They don't like her, either.  According to them, she's embarrassing....Now, everybody on this Speak to America tour has presidential perspirations.  Mitt Romney is out there.  He wants to be president again.  Jeb may someday.  Eric Cantor, some of the others, McCain, I don't think he does, but you never know.  So this is an early campaign event, 2012, presidential campaign, primary campaign with everybody there but Sarah Palin."

Winner and loser of the week

Winner of the week: Charlie Justice. For three years, the Democratic state senator from St. Petersburg has been trying to pass a bill preventing local governments from spending taxpayer dollars to launch political campaigns under the guise of citizen “education” on issues such as sales tax initiatives or charter amendments. His bill passed last week and is awaiting the governor’s signature. “In this rough economic time,” Justice said, “public funds should be spent on services, education and infrastructure not political campaigns. I look forward to Governor Crist’s favorable support.”

Loser of the week: Jeb Bush. The former governor is still widely viewed as an idea-driven savior for an adrift national Republican Party, so it was no surprise he’s joining the likes of Mitt Romney and Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal in leading a new group, the National Council for a New America. The group is supposed to generate new ideas for the GOP. But for all the glowing national publicity, back in Florida Jeb's political juice looked strikingly diluted after a top Bush priority – raising high school graduation standards by phasing in algebra II, biology and chemistry – failed to get through the GOP-controlled legislature.

Jeb Bush, GOP rebuilder

Jeb Bush joined Mitt Romney and Eric Cantor outside of DC today for the first event of the new National Council for a New America, a group aiming to infuse the GOP with some new policy initiatives. From Politico: At the forum, there was little talk about the president’s recently passed budget and stimulus proposals, which were vigorously opposed by Republicans. Instead, the GOP trio talked about bread-and-butter issues that directly impact voters – the rising cost of health care, merit pay for teachers, and the price of college tuition.

“From the conservatives, it’s time for us to listen first, to learn a little bit, to upgrade our message a little bit and to not be nostalgic about the past,” Bush said. “You can’t beat something with nothing, and the other side has something. I don’t like it but they have it and we have to be respectful and mindful of that.”

Bush added: “We have principles and values that are shared by the majority of Americans, but we have to now take those principles and apply them to these challenges are country faces today.” 


The former Florida governor offered a panoply of proposals on education reform, citing a study showing the United States lags well behind other developed countries in math and science