It’s becoming apparent that Jeb Bush has decided to run for President. He’s been the GOP establishment’s top choice since Chris Christie destroyed his own chances with his childish bridge-closing scandal. And now Bush is signaling to the establishment that he’s willing to play ball with them and ignore the desires of the conservatives. Last Friday he made a speech to business leaders in Florida and said that illegal immigrants are “risk takers” who embody the entrepreneurial spirit of America. This has to be music to the ears of people like John Boehner and John McCain, both of whom are pushing strongly for immigration reform, which is just code for legalizing illegal immigrants.
Miami Herald – Bush has advocated for pathways to citizenship and residency for illegal immigrants, enhanced border security and immigrant tracking technology and an emphasis on admitting immigrants based on the nation’s needs, not family relationships with current U.S. citizens.
Bush said immigrants capture the entrepreneurial spirit of America.
“People who come here legally and illegally are the risk takers,” Bush said. “If you’re living in a rural area of Guatemala and you come, you’re a bigger risk taker than those who stay.”
Bush also doubled down on his support for Common Core, accusing those who oppose it of embracing the “status quo.”
Aside from immigration, Bush’s advocacy for Common Core State Standards has earned him enmity on the right.
Bush has repeatedly explained the standards, implemented and controlled by the states, are designed to make the United States more competitive with the rest of the world. He said those who oppose the standards support the “status quo,” oppose testing and are worried too much about children’s self-esteem.
“Let me tell you something. In Asia today, they don’t care about children’s self esteem. They care about math, whether they can read – in English – whether they understand why science is important, whether they have the grit and determination to be successful,” Bush said.
“You tell me which society is going to be the winner in this 21st Century: The one that worries about how they feel, or the one that worries about making sure the next generation has the capacity to eat everybody’s lunch?”
In all of the articles, blog posts, editorials and commentary that I’ve read in opposition to Common Core, I have yet to come across one that says Common Core should be opposed for reasons involving a child’s self-esteem. Have I completely missed that or is Jeb Bush coming up with a straw-man argument to avoid discussing the real reasons conservatives oppose Common Core?
It’s no surprise that the establishment has latched on to Jeb Bush to be their candidate. After Romney and McCain I would expect them to support a liberal Republican and, with his statements, Bush is solidifying himself as a liberal. A more conservative candidate, such as Rand Paul or Ted Cruz, will never get the support of the establishment. In fact, if either of those two end up getting the GOP nomination for President I predict the establishment people such as Karl Rove will work behind the scenes to sabotage their campaigns in an attempt to ensure their defeat on election day.
The question is, do the establishment GOPers truly believe they can win the White House with a liberal Republican? The last two elections should be a big clue for them. Or are they not serious about electing a Republican as President and they secretly want a Democrat to win so they can run against his (or her) record in Congressional campaigns? Basically, are they conceding the White House in order to maintain control over Congress?
It seems clear to me that the GOP establishment is either devious or stupid. Neither option is good for the country or for the future of the Republican Party. As long as the establishment people maintain any kind of control over the party, the Democrats can sit back and watch the show as the GOP forms a circular firing squad. One way or another, through stupidity in candidate selection or deviously planning to lose, those in charge of the GOP will bring another victory for the Democrats in 2016 and their new candidate Jeb Bush is just the man to help them do it.
The self-esteem angle in Common Core is not one I had heard of.
Personally, I am afraid the GOP establishment is preparing to shoot itself in the foot and hamstring any possibility we might have of winning the White House in 2016. The rumblings are already being heard about electability, etc. They have no intention of allowing someone like Rand Paul or Ted Cruz anywhere close to the nomination or the White House.
It’s a sorry state of affairs when you have to defeat liberal factions in your own party before you can even take on the people who are supposed to be the common enemy.