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Jeb Bush on Principles & Values

Republican FL Governor


Poll: Jeb would lose to Hillary because of “Bush fatigue”

In the latest national voter poll, voters were asked to pick between Sen. Clinton and Florida Gov. Jeb Bush and, if the election were held today, Clinton would top President Bush’s brother handily: 51% to 35%.

Overall, only a handful of voters think Jeb Bush would make a good president. About one in five (22%) think the governor would make a good choice and 57%disagree. As Jeb Bush is relatively unknown to many Americans, it’s a safe bet that much of the reaction is based on his last name and Bush fatigue.

Among Republicans, 43% think Jeb Bush would make a good president, and 26% disagree. Fully 81% of Democrats and 61% of independents do not think he would be a good choice.

“These results have almost nothing to do with Jeb Bush personally,” the pollster said. “Most Americans know little about him. The negative reaction flows from his brother’s current low approval ratings and, most probably, from a natural aversion to too long a ‘dynasty’ in American politics.”

Source: 2008 speculation: FOX News Poll May 22, 2006

Pres. Bush plugs Jeb for President; Jeb declines comment

President Bush thinks his little brother Jeb would make “a great president” but says that no matter how many times he prods his sibling about his plans, he doesn’t get an answer. Bush said he is convinced that his brother still does not know what he will do when he leaves the governor’s office in January. “In my judgment, his political future is very bright if he chooses to have a political future,” the president said. “But he’s an independent-minded guy. His priority is his family. Like a lot of other people, I’ve pushed him fairly hard about what he intends to do. I don’t think he knows, and if he did know he wasn’t going to tell me because he’s afraid I’d tell you.“

By law, Jeb Bush cannot seek a third consecutive term as governor. There has been speculation in political circles that he could run for president, but he has insisted he will not run in 2008. ”I think Jeb would be a great president, but again, it’s up to Jeb to make the decision to run,“ President Bush said.

Source: 2008 speculation: Brian Crowley, Palm Beach Post May 11, 2006

Priorities: public education & public safety

As governor, I would work to restore public education and public safety as the two most important priorities of state government. Our education plan would fully fund education, create financial incentives for all public schools that show improvement, improve accountability through higher standards and strengthen school safety. On the crime front, we have a comprehensive strategy for reducing the prevalence of drugs in Florida and would implement strict mandatory sentences for criminals who use guns.
Source: Vote-smart 1998 Florida NPAT Jul 2, 1998

Focus on virtue & character, not values

We must do a better job of instilling character and virtue in our children and helping those institutions charged with this task. It means not getting bogged down in the current and unwinnable debate over values. That debate must be redefined in the context of virtues.

Values have replaced virtues as our moral lighthouses, and there are many different value systems present in our culture. Our character-building institutions have bought into the idea that we have to recognize all kinds of value systems and, instead of providing us guidance, now provide us with tools to justify a wide variety of deviant behaviors. In other words, they do not teach our children right from wrong, but rather how to make informed choices.

Our children need direction, not choices. If we give them the proper direction, the principles by which to live their lives, then in the long run they will be more likely to make the right choices. We must become more virtue oriented and less value oriented.

Source: Profiles in Character, by Jeb Bush & B.Yablonski, p. 21 & 35 Nov 1, 1995

Pass moral judgement & teach virtue to our children

Correcting our social patholpogies will take time. Foremost, it will require a renewal of virtue and character and a rejuvenation of those institutions that teach virtue and character. We need to teach our children that there are universal rights and wrongs, that you can’t spend your life explaining away or justifying deviant conduct. This means, then, that we must regain confidence in passing moral judgments, using the language of virtue and teaching virtue to our children.

It is important that we begin to discuss virtue and character in the context of those who exhibit true virtue and character on a routine basis. We must elevate the people who are redefining our culture every day for the better for they are the profiles in character from whom we must learn.

Following their lead, we must make a conscious effort to practice even small acts of character and virtue. If we roll up our sleeves and do our part, the answer to our cultural problems will come.

Source: Profiles in Character, by Jeb Bush & B.Yablonski, p. 41-42 Nov 1, 1995

Religious affiliation: Catholic.

Bush : religious affiliation:

The Adherents.com website is an independent project and is not supported by or affiliated with any organization (academic, religious, or otherwise).

What’s an adherent?

The most common definition used in broad compilations of statistical data is somebody who claims to belong to or worship in a religion. This is the self-identification method of determining who is an adherent of what religion, and it is the method used in most national surveys and polls.

Such factors as religious service attendance, belief, practice, familiarity with doctrine, belief in certain creeds, etc., may be important to sociologists, religious leaders, and others. But these are measures of religiosity and are usually not used academically to define a person’s membership in a particular religion. It is important to recognize there are various levels of adherence, or membership within religious traditions or religious bodies. There’s no single definition, and sources of adherent statistics do not always make it clear what definition they are using.

Source: Adherents.com web site 00-ADH11 on Nov 7, 2000

Member, National Governors Association/Economic Development.

Bush is a member of the National Governors Association:

The National Governors Association (NGA) is the collective voice of the nation’s governors and one of Washington’s most respected public policy organizations. NGA provides governors with services that range from representing states on Capitol Hill and before the Administration on key federal issues to developing policy reports on innovative state programs and hosting networking seminars for state government executive branch officials. The NGA Center for Best Practices focuses on state innovations and best practices on issues that range from education and health to technology, welfare reform, and the environment. NGA also provides management and technical assistance to both new and incumbent governors.

Since their initial meeting in 1908 to discuss interstate water problems, governors have worked through the National Governors Association to deal with issues of public policy and governance relating to the states. The association’s ongoing mission is to support the work of the governors by providing a bipartisan forum to help shape and implement national policy and to solve state problems.

Fortune Magazine recently named NGA as one of Washington’s most powerful lobbying organizations due, in large part, to NGA’s ability to lead the debate on issues that impact states. From welfare reform to education, from the historic tobacco settlement to wireless communications tax policies, NGA has influenced major public policy issues while maintaining the strength of our Federalist system of government.

There are three standing committees—on Economic Development and Commerce, Human Resources, and Natural Resources—that provide a venue for governors to examine and develop policy positions on key state and national issues.

[Note: NGA positions represent a majority view of the nation’s governors, but do not necessarily reflect a governor’s individual viewpoint. Governors vote on NGA policy positions but the votes are not made public.]

Source: National Governors Association web site www.NGA.org 01-NGA0 on Jan 1, 2001

Member of Republican Governors Association.

Bush is a member of the Republican Governors Association:

Founded in 1963, the Republican Governors Association (RGA) is the official public policy and political organization of the Republican governors and governors-elect of the United States of America

    RGA Mission Statement
  1. To assist in the solution of significant national public policy problems.
  2. To enable the Republican governors to take their proper position in expressing the philosophy of the Republican Party within the national party framework.
  3. To assist in the election of Republican gubernatorial candidates and the reelection of incumbent governors.
  4. To provide a mechanism to facilitate communications and cooperation among its members; with local, state and national Party organizations; with Republicans in the US Congress; and with Republicans in the Executive branch of government during a Republican administration.
The RGA also will work closely with local officials, including state legislators, mayors, county executives and other municipal and county leaders to assist in a free exchange of ideas. As it looks ahead, the RGA is preparing for the 2001- 2002 election cycle in which 38 gubernatorial seats, with 25 seats currently held by Republicans, will be at stake. The cycle begins this year with two highly competitive races, in New Jersey and Virginia. For this and the 36 races in 2002, the RGA will create strong recruiting and fundraising programs to provide maximum political assistance to all Republican candidates.

The RGA will enhance the visibility of the Association as a unified policy-making and political force with the national media, business community and government through a coordinated communications strategy. By building more awareness of the policies of the Republican governors, the political and policy objectives of the Association as a whole can be achieved. Currently, there are 29 Republican governors representing roughly 60 percent of the American people.

Source: Republican Governors Association website, rga.policy.net 01-RGA1 on Aug 15, 2001

Member of Southern Governors' Association.

Bush is a member of the Southern Governors' Association:

The Southern Governors’ Association first met in 1934 to discuss the repeal of discriminatory rates for transporting goods by rail, [and since then SGA] has represented the common interests of southern states’ chief executives and provided a vehicle for promoting them. The ongoing mission of SGA is to support the work of the governors by providing a bipartisan, regional forum to help shape and implement national policy and to solve state and regional problems.

    Objectives:
  1. Identify Vital Issue Interests of Southern States. Through SGA, governors identify federal issues of regional concern. SGA then closely follows these issues, analyzes their regional impact and communicates information back to the governors’ offices through reports and meetings. On select federal issues, governors and their staffs formulate regional policy and make recommendations.
  2. Advocate Regional Interests in Washington. Through SGA, governors advance their mutual interests in Washington and speak with a unified voice on issues important to the region. Through resolutions, joint letters, Congressional testimony, meetings, and other vehicles, SGA communicates the region’s concerns to Congress, the Administration and federal agencies.
  3. Enhance Regional Cooperation. SGA serves as a forum to expedite cooperation among the southern states in solving regional problems. State initiatives reduce dependence on the federal government, maximize state resources, benefit the individual states, enhance interstate relations and place the South in the forefront of regional cooperation and innovation.
  4. Promote Innovative Southern Programs and Practices. SGA provides comparative policy information to its members on pressing issues. Through report and other mechanisms, SGA facilitates the exchange of information on individual state responses to pressing regional concerns or federal government actions.
Source: SGA website, www.SouthernGovernors.org 01-SGA1 on Sep 9, 2001

Other candidates on Principles & Values: Jeb Bush on other issues:
Nominees:
GOP: Sen.John McCain
GOP V.P.: Gov.Sarah Palin
Democrat: Sen.Barack Obama
Dem.V.P.: Sen.Joe Biden

Third Parties:
Constitution: Chuck Baldwin
Libertarian: Rep.Bob Barr
Constitution: Amb.Alan Keyes
Liberation: Gloria La Riva
Green: Rep.Cynthia McKinney
Socialist: Brian Moore
Independent: Ralph Nader
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Gun Control
Health Care
Homeland Security
Immigration
Infrastructure/Technology
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Principles/Values
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Tax Reform
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Page last updated: Feb 08, 2010