A Fatal Family Trait? A look at Jeb Bush
There’s an article in the NY Times this morning about Jeb Bush pondering his near future since he’s no longer Governor of Florida. Now, even though by this time I get the chills up my back even thinking that there’s yet another Bush who might eventually run for President or as a VP, with vague thoughts of Canada looking mighty attractive as a future home, I do try to keep an open mind. I try. It is VAGUELY possible this brother could be totally different. Less dogmatic. Less stubborn. Less Fascist. Less apt to listen to God whisper in his ear. Right?
Well, if some of the things stated in the article are true, there is no reason to think that Jeb Bush is any much different than Dubya, even if he does speak better English. For instance, this quote:
“Bush was the type that if you did not agree with him, he really didn’t have time for you,” said State Senator Frederica Wilson, Democrat of Miami. “He wanted you to rubber stamp every idea he had, and he wouldn’t listen to reason.”
That sounds to me like a fatal family trait, at least in this Bush generation. How many people told Dubya he needed to take a different direction in Iraq? Sheesh, we voted out his rubber stamp congress and he’s STILL proceeding as if he has the mandate to WIN in Iraq, as if such a thing were possible and palatable, given an additional future cost that very few Americans are willing to pay. After all, I don’t see any Bush family members being shipped home in body bags.
Howard Simon of the Florida ACLU, in talking about Jeb’s stint as Governor, pointed out that Jeb’s popularity derides from the cult of Personality, and not from any skill he had at policymaking: “It needs to be said that the personal appeal and likeability of Jeb Bush has led the press and the public to overlook the extremism of many of his policies,” said Simon. Simon pointed to an effort to lower class sizes in Florida Schools and a program to add prekindergarten classes to help working parents as two initiatives that were passed by referendum over Jeb Bush’s strenuous objections, and despite Jeb’s insistence that he’s a politician who cares about Education.
His “official” portrait as Governor has a Bible in the background. Nuff said about that.
But the most chilling part of this NYT article was the last few paragraphs:
he has appointed more than a third of the state’s judges, assuring that his socially and fiscally conservative beliefs will continue to hold some sway.While others have emoted about Mr. Bush’s departure — including his father, who wept as he described his second son’s “decency” and “honor” in a speech in Tallahassee last month — he has characteristically avoided introspection. Asked last month what he would miss most about the Governor’s Mansion, he cited its beauty, its staff — and its towels.
“Fresh towels — all you want,” he said. “Here, although I’ve been trained to do otherwise, it’s just any time I want I can have many towels.”
I shudder to think what he might do to regain that type of luxury again . . .
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