Jeb Bush in Detroit News

On Budget & Economy: 6-year recovery has been slower than other comebacks

"The central question we face here in Detroit and across America is this: Can we restore that dream--that moral promise--that each generation can do better?" Bush outlined what he called a set of principles embracing "reform everywhere, especially in our government," giving more power to the states to solve problems and relying less on directives from the federal government.

On Welfare & Poverty: Vision for a right-to-rise society

The former Florida governor told listeners at the Detroit Economic Club that they "are part of a great story--the revival of a city that means so much to all Americans.

"In these past few years, when confronted with grave challenges, you have seized the opportunity to reform the city you love," Bush said. "And you have begun to repair the damage done by decades of mismanagement and empty promises."

It took the right kind of policies for Detroit to emerge from bankruptcy, a city that "under a previous administration was so proud of shutting down businesses that hadn't paid their licenses and fees, they bragged about it in press releases," he said.