Leave it to Jeb to add a declaration to the prez-election that its now a Bush-Free Zone.
“…tremendously frustrated by the abject failure and inability of leaders in Washington, D.C. to make anything better.
American voters have made it clear that Washington is broken, but I’m not optimistic that either of the leading candidates for President will put us on a better course.
The American Presidency is an office that goes beyond just politics. It requires of its occupant great fortitude and humility and the temperament and strong character to deal with the unexpected challenges that will inevitably impact our nation in the next four years.
Donald Trump has not demonstrated that temperament or strength of character. He has not displayed a respect for the Constitution. And, he is not a consistent conservative. These are all reasons why I cannot support his candidacy.
Hillary Clinton has proven to be an untrustworthy liberal politician who, if elected, would present a third term of the disastrous foreign and economic policy agenda of Barack Obama.
In November, I will not vote for Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton, but I will support principled conservatives at the state and federal levels, just as I have done my entire life. For Republicans, there is no greater priority than ensuring we keep control of both chambers of Congress. I look forward to working hard for great conservatives in the Senate and House in the coming months.”
Funny how the guys that were all for supporting the Republican nominee suddenly now cannot. Well, you got the “tremendously frustrated by abject failure” part right. But thanks for the Bush-Free Zone, Jeb. That was a solid.
John Kasich said that Donald Trump has created “a toxic environment.” So Trump is to blame, apparently, for these protests and large group that shut down a rally in Chicago.
Now I know people appreciate Kasich for his record and success, and so do I, but I have to take issue with his statements. Let’s put the blame where it lies, can we?
Trump is not an isolated factor nor the cause of everyone’s opinions. He is not the cause of the anger, it predates his run by far. What has failed us is our Party and leaders. To ignore the cause of this movement, the anger and disgust is to dismiss the purpose. Many people try to ignore and dismiss the purpose of this.
In Chicago, a protest organizer explained that, after they positioned themselves all around the venue, their goal was “for Donald to take the stage and to completely interrupt him. The plan is to shut Donald Trump all the way down.” Now is that perfectly clear?
Then Kasich’s spokesperson came out, also condemning Trump, but saying we understand the reason people are mad as heck and he[John] understands that anger. Does he really? He seems to dismiss the voices of masses so easily, but put some blame where it belongs — with politicians and the establishment status quo.
How come when someone surges like that on the uber-Left everyone celebrates them, they gush praises on them? But on the right, they rush to condemn them. Why is that?
Rubio says he doesn’t know if he could support the nominee if it was Trump. “I don’t know.” He believes trump would shatter and fracture the [party] movement, as the nominee. Again, what has fractured and shattered the right has been the establishment politics as usual. Only insiders or estabo hacks could claim that… because it already is.
Cruz said the “responsibility for any campaign begins and ends at the top.” Maybe for others, not considering camp Cruz’s dirty tricks applied in Iowa. Cruz implies that if we just talk a certain way and act a certain way — like him — and have a dialogue, it eliminates problems like the Chicago protests. Please, is this really Ted’s understanding and knowledge of the Left?
Their Marxist purpose is to shut popular voices on the right down. It is not about dialogues or reasoning with them. All these front groups on the left operate the same way, or in concert with one another.But their objective is to stifle opposition to themselves any way they can. All of us should appeal to civility or appeal to our “better angels,” Cruz said.
Carly Fiorina said Trump “has taken advantage of [people’s] anger and frustration.” Blind are leading the blind. When she was talking about people’s anger that was different. Was she extorting that and her female credentials? Now just blame Trump for having given voice to the exact issues GOPe wanted to bury.
Obama, for the second time in a week, took his time to delve into politics namely on the right, in his roadshow tour. He said:
(Wa Po“)What is happening in this primary is just a distillation of what’s been happening inside their party for more than a decade. I mean, the reason that many of their voters are responding is because this is what’s been fed through the messages they’ve been sending for a long time — that you just make flat assertions that don’t comport with the facts. That you just deny the evidence of science. That compromise is a betrayal. That the other side isn’t simply wrong, or we just disagree, we want to take a different approach, but the other side is destroying the country, or treasonous. I mean, that’s — look it up. That’s what they’ve been saying.”
He went on to add that there are “thoughtful conservatives” out there — read who agree with him — that care about poverty, climate change, don’t insult people, who are concerned about what is going on. Well, everyone is concerned, supposedly, one way or another. But more of the same is not exactly the answer to any of it, or what they are asking for.
Then Obama said:
“We’ve got a debate inside the other party that is fantasy and schoolyard taunts and selling stuff like it’s the Home Shopping Network,” he joked.
“Now, the truth is, what they really mean is their reaction to me was crazy and now it has gotten out of hand. But that’s different. I didn’t cause the reaction. The reaction is something that they have to take responsibility for and then figure out how do we make an adjustment.”
We are being bamboozled people. This is the way the left operates and made to order for the party of Alinsky radicals. I’m not saying we are playing into their hands. Heaven knows they are going to do and act this way no matter what. I’m saying Trump presented them with an ideal opportunity for their tactics. Maybe this is one of the ways Carson can help Trump, by knowing and understanding their exact tactics.
What they have done is use Trump to personalize their attacks to broad brush the whole conservative country. Trump gives them a personal target. This is what they’ve always done. So while Ted Cruz rails about the Washington Cartel, that’s fine. But we also have to focus on left-wing fascism, too. Let’s not look at Trump as the problem when, in fact, he has been one person to speak out about the problems. So naturally he would be a target of theirs.They want to destroy anyone and anything that gets in their way. Why should it surprise us?
Give me a break though, as everyone comes along to say “we know people are angry…” blah, blah and it is justified. Well, if they do know, then why do they face off with and criticize the people for taking action? In fact, they tell us they understand it that they too are angry. Really, what are they doing?
Maybe Trump is getting the hang of it and understands this radical dynamic of the Marxist Left. He has taken to pointing to the protestors as Bernie’s people, and indeed many were Bernie people in Chicago’s protest. He calls them out and personalizes who they are.
Hillary could not pass the opportunity to say “When you play with matches, you could start a fire you cannot control.” Let’s talk about playing with matches and starting a fire you can’t control sometime. It’s a long conversation.
Bernie continues to say Trump stokes anger while his campaign throws the “revolution” around loosely. Now considering Bernie’s chances against Hillary, what happens when he loses and when everyone does not get their totally free college education? Talk about stoking people’s anxieties, anger and expectations. What are those people going to do? You and I both probably have a good idea what they are going to do.
Now have you ever seen a candidate or someone take as much incoming attacks and criticism as Trump, especially from powerful places and the media? And it keeps coming.
Jekyll Island redux. A group of top Republican establishment, operatives and donors organize a meeting to take out Trump. Of, course the strange thing is it is not in secret, they are right out in the open about it. Jeb Bush has a private meeting with Kasich, Cruz, Rubio strategizing a take down before the debate.
I’ve already talked about Mitt Romney fiasco, also scheming behind the scenes. Then there is the matter where Republicans or Trump critics cannot oppose protests or Romney attacks because both comports with their own opposition. What kind of Party?
MSNBC has been reading motives into Trump all along, like racism. Other media jumped on to condemn Trump for what happened in Chicago. Glenn Beck a week ago referred to Trump supporters as Nazis and brownshirts. Talk about doing the Left’s work for them. Then another news broadcast said the rallies are WWE-type events where Trump incites and promotes violence. Two weeks ago, and still, they were stuck on a KKK message trying to tie Trump to racism. Is there anything they haven’t thrown at Trump? Not much.
“Imagine what Trump would say if he had a record like this – [his]?” Just imagine.
Barry, just imagine if you had half of your records (in question) thrown at you?
The first major victory in 2016 is complete: Jeb is out of the running.
Congratulations people for a hard fought race. It wasn’t easy. There was the presumptuous front-runner status. There was the endless fundraising campaign and the “Right to Rise” Pac — who could go wrong with that name?
Then there was the endless spending campaign for Jeb started right after his inevitable announcement. There were the celebrity endorsements, complete with family patriarchs with more pomp than a season of Dynasty.
I mean what could go wrong? Oh, you mean that little thing like no one wanted him? Like that ever mattered. It’s about the spending, stupid! That is to say the Citizens United case that made it all this possible. So we were told.
Turned out Citizens United was not the be all end all. Well, seems all that Right to Rise spending could not join Jeb with the White House. Wedding plans fell apart and invitations were rescinded. All the money in the world couldn’t put Jeb’s house back together again.
So what of the famous Right to Rise pac? Its illustrious leader was stymied. Mike Murphy may still be counting(or denying) his salary but the mission was a bust. Jeb suspended his campaign the night of the South Carolina defeat.
Scorched earth politics is an expensive proposition, and so is losing. Murphy denied leaked reports on his lucrative compensation package. Whatever it was, it did not pay off.
In life you're either in the battle or carping from the safe sidelines. I'm proud of @r2rusa. We fought our corner. https://t.co/7dLUzn3rY3
There are two candidates that I have questions about this week. They are Jeb Bush and Marco Rubio. I won’t get into the details everyone knows.
Maro Rubio is lying about Ted Cruz. He was basically pointing to Jeb and to Ted Cruz saying everyone’s hands are dirty on amnesty, so that is supposed to mitigate himself. He was a chief designer of the gang of eight and amnesty.He lies about Cruz supporting it by his amendment to kill it. Marco now wants to be credible that he doesn’t want amnesty. So Rubio’s plan seems to be to call everyone else a liar. Media is pushing Rubio.
Jeb Bush finally comes around to embrace his family. That was bound to happen sometime. Now he is desperate so his mother made an ad, what I call the “push comes to shove” ad.
Then at the debate he sort of accepted the “establishment” mantra about him. But the heirloom name is not the only thing branding him establishment. Then he employed the help of brother Dubya to help him in Iowa. in the last days he hands out a letter from George Dubya supporting him. So the I’m all by myself, Bush disassociation campaign he was running is over. It is the next heir to the Bush throne campaign after all. I say, “Read my lips. no new dynasty.” Jeb’s attack ads don’t appear to be working either.
This week with all the hub bub about the Republican campaigns, a new factor came to light.
It seems Jeb, ever desperate for a new something to light a fire under his campaign (that would be him), is pimping his endorsement from a not so likely place to make his case.
To paraphrase Jeb: “what I’m going to do is” ignore what people are clearly saying they don’t want — who also don’t want me — and continue to campaign in NH and South Carolina and show the momentum…[see video] The momentum is against him but who cares about that?
The former Republican leader, read defeated, Eric Cantor has stepped up to put his support behind Jeb for president. If that doesn’t excite you, something is wrong.
Yeah, I know what is wrong. First it was the idea that we somehow care what Eric Cantor thinks or wants. Second that it means anything in the election. Eric, you throw around worthless endorsements, don’t you. Do you have any predictions to share with us?
According to Cantor, in the end this “anger will then funnel itself” into support for Jeb Bush. Is he dreaming or what? Bad enough Obama tells us we’re dumb and don’t understand, now Jeb implies we are ignorant if we don’t support him.
.@JebBush is a true leader w/ a long-term vision for our country and the know how to implement it– not just talk about it. I'm #AllInForJeb.
So far, Eric, all Jeb is doing is talking. It doesn’t look like he can even lead his campaign let alone the primary. Oh right, it’s that “long-term vision” thing. Well, maybe if he was running for president in 2024, then he is on track for the nomination?
Since Cantor was out doing an interview, as if someone were interested what he says, I thought it was worth bringing up. A CNN news alert: Cantor is still a power player in the Republican Party process. (more like power player pretender)
Trump said in August: “Who wants the endorsement of a guy (@EricCantor) who lost in perhaps the greatest upset in the history of Congress?”
“Clearly Trump is full of vulgarities,” Cantor says, “he’s full of insults, and he’s just not serious.”
In November, Cantor tried to sound prophetic and influential.
“Clearly Jeb was back… “I think that Jeb’s clearly focused on winning this campaign, will win this campaign and I think his position on immigration is where most Republicans are and certainly most of the country is,” said Cantor.
Now Bush again says Donald Trump is not a serious candidate for President. Gee, speaking of serious, Jeb and Eric.
Eric Cantor now says “you can’t defeat Hillary Clinton without serious policies.” How can we take serious anything that promotes Jeb for president, from a guy evicted for the same reasons? Cantor says “clearly” a lot. Calling Jeb “a leader” over and over doesn’t make it so. Eric says people are angry, but he is determined to make them even angrier.
I was going to do a post on Obama’s statements and threats. But why give them more attention if we aren’t going to do anything about them anyway? They get plenty.
I thought about doing a post on Hillary’s latest lies. But they are just like all the other lies, and all the other posts. All blend into the septic stew.
I thought about doing one on the real principles Jesus espoused, you know, opposed to lessons liberals harp about. Nah. He drove the money changers from the temple and look where they went.
I thought about doing one of my trademark satires but they end up being too true.
Well, I did notice something weird about this presidential race. Everyone says it’s about the outsiders vs the establishment. It probably is; though this election also seems to be about story lines. Most every Republican candidate has their own story line they are pushing. Not to mention most of them also have a book.
They have constructed or extorted these story lines so that, in turn, it is not an election about a certain individual, it is about the story he/she is promoting. I’m led to think that we are supposed to vote for best story line. It’s not just an outsider story. It’s an outsider, non-politician, neuro-surgeon. It’s about a mega-mogul, celebrity, real estate developer and builder.
So with that background, someone like Cruz has a problem that even his story line is not that big of a deal. Then you have Carly vying for any attention as a woman and business executive turned politician. We’re not asked as much to judge their qualifications as their degree of separation from establishment and their creative story line. Some are naturally better at promoting their story lines than others.
I wonder if we have not now entered the age of the story lines in politics? Is that the natural extension of identity politics? I think it might be. Look on the ither side and you have Hillary running as … are you ready for it…a woman. Then she adds that she would be the ultimate outsider as the first woman. And she already has her own story line which she doesn’t even have to promote. Everyone knows it and does it for her. So the first woman, who was also first lady, married to the serial rapist president doesn’t really work but all the other parts of it are there for the extorting. Now, whether they planned or want it to, this becomes a battle of story lines. That is if you follow the tactics the left uses in politics. Obama was much the same way. The Kenyan, Indonesian black kid rise to president. (we’re still trying to digest that story line and some of us cannot)
Now Trump takes that to the next logical stage. He gave a speech wherein he goes on a rant talking about the details of Ben Carson’s story line — in brief: angry poor black kid to Christian, to top surgeon, to candidate. Media has already gone all-in after Carson’s story. Knocking the candidate’s story is a twofer for the media, it also attacks his trustability polls that are higher than anyone’s. Of course Jeb Bush’s story line that he tries to ignore is the third in line to the Bush dynasty. So instead he promotes his preferred story line, and also tells it in Spanish — a real plus in his case. That includes leaving out the part about Bloomberg’s Foundation promoting abortion around the globe. He tries to make it as attractive as possible.
So we also have Rubio pushing his Cuban ancestry, only in America, story-book story line. Christie pushes his tough guy prosecutor thug image. Trump pushes his anti-P/C story line which allows him the freedom to say just about anything that in some way fits or works in his favor. People seem to like that ballsy approach even if they occasionally blush. Kasich has his own story line, a player all the way. Oh, Carly promotes the ‘woman’ secretary to CEO, to president story. Fill in the others. Cruz may be out-storied.
Is it not about character or ability anymore but about the story line? You can expect that blunt approach from Democrats in the general election.(who are still searching for a black or Hispanic transsexual woman candidate – man doesn’t work) Whoever promotes their story line narrative the best wins. Bernie Sanders has his own story working. He and Hillary are vying for historical firsts. Trump is an expert promoting his. Do people just want a story? Are we bored with positions and policy preferring a narrative instead?
Jeb Bush — why does that always sound redundant — is now focusing on the VA scandal. Should I say the ‘problems’ in the VA he is now seeking to politicize? He’s on the job. Just let Jeb at it.
Of course the one resounding question that comes up to all his campaign promises is does this problem require a dynasty to fix it? According to Jeb’s best rhetoric, it seems to. Only he, he claims, is capable of solving these problems. Only he has the experience. Only he has the pure motives for wanting to fix all these problems. The running joke is if you have a problem, from a leaky roof to needing a baby sitter, just call 1-Jeb-will-fix.
Sort of makes the case for Nanny Government, doesn’t it? It’s as if the only real problem with this Federal Leviathan is it just needs the right Nanny to whip it into shape. Got a cold sore? Call Jeb. Got a bitch, call Jeb. He’s the vaccine.
However, as Mark Steyn has noted, he never does make a case for why only this family is the proper cure for all our ills. What is it about this family that, well, we can’t do without? Why is only he the correct treatment for the disease? And does he have a patent on that medication? He better have. But even based on his exclusive experience, he can’t seem to sell the snake oil. Here, as only Steyn can say it:
I seem to remember someone else four years ago telling us only he was the solution. Before that another mainstream moderate told us the same thing, both of which crashed and burned. (some more than once).
Now more than ever, I am convinced that we have to treat this elitist, establishment medicine as the disease — not the cure. It would be akin to going to the doctor to treat a broken leg and his solution is to break the other one to match. So back to the analytical question of the campaign, why does it take a dynasty to solve the nation’s ills, and only that will work?
Jeb tells us in his new ad, or should I say in his “Right to Rise” pac ads, that “it’s not about yapping!” No, Jeb, it isn’t but why is it about a dynasty? So far Jeb has told us everything except why we need to continue that dynasty.
He also increasingly looks angry in his ads. (should I say their ads?) Jeb is the Irrelevant Candidate” who can only hawk his family heirloom to the crown for the nomination. Onto this narrative of his — which is unavoidable and the only one who cannot face it is Jeb! — we graft the reality of the disease metaphor. We are a nation diseased both culturally and politically by the very medical system they said would cure us. If that makes any sense.
When did medicine become the problem? It’s a bit like those infomercials for drugs that advertise it as the fix but then lists all the numerous and exhaustive side-effects. Well, if you can live with the very real risk of all those side-effects, then this drug might be right for you. Do you dare to try the cure? Once you are on that medication then you must take it because, after all, it is the only one you should take or trust.
In view of that, I would like to change his official campaign theme from ‘Jed can fix it’ to the “Jeb can fart” campaign. Jeb can fart better than any of the establishment rivals. In fact, he can play a whole tune because he is well practiced. Do you prefer a nice little diddy or do you want a full-blown classic like the 1812 Overture, with all the interactive sound effects? He’s the man. Got a problem? “Jeb will fart on it,” like Triumph the dog: “for me to poop on.” Surely, Jeb’s fart campaign could be as well-received as his ‘fix it’ campaign.
You might be ready for the newest technology or the latest Iphone or gadget, but I doubt you are ready for the newest Jeb. That’s if you are like most people polled who show less than room temperature for him.
Way before he announced his run I said if he’s in it then I’m loaded for bear. I wasn’t alone. But up until now the critics have been pretty quiet, almost as quiet as his supporters. There just is not any enthusiasm for him and those that dislike him as a nominee are everywhere.
Still Jeb puts forth this line that he is not in it for the short run but the long run. He also muttered something before announcing about not wanting to get dragged into current debates. (read relevant issues)(1) No, he was above that. Then he said he doesn’t want to be lumped in with his brother and father that he’s his own man. (2)
Now he makes this call it the state of his campaign speech(3)
Politico reports that Bush was meeting with family and wealthy, big donors. So it was originally supposed to be a pep rally for the third heir in the dynasty, like sort of a send off into securing the nomination, at least by best guesstimates. Only now on skid row, the same meeting looks more like he is bringing up the rear with no sign of gaining traction, he is forced to cut back on his campaign’s expenses.
“The patient is either in intensive care and in need of some good doctors who can save him or being put into hospice and we’re going to see a slow death,” said one K Street lobbyist supporting Bush.
Now infamous line
Then came the line from Bush that did make it to front page news, from same article. Sounding angry himself he says:
“I’ve got a lot of really cool things I could do other than sit around, being miserable, listening to people demonize me and me feeling compelled to demonize them. That is a joke,” he said in South Carolina. “Elect Trump if you want that.”
Whoa, let’s stop right there. He has a lot better things to do. I guess managing director in Bloomberg’s fund was really cool compared to this, even if it was engulfed in a global abortion agenda. He can always return to that. No one forced him to do that either.
We didn’t exactly force or draft you to run. It’s all your decision. (2)The family thing you didn’t want to be known for is exactly who you are. Nothing will change you being a Bush, Jeb. America does not like dynasties. But you knew all that before you plunged into what you expected to be a rocket climb only to be burned out on the launch pad.
Now you can blame Trump or whomever you want. You won’t blame 43 or the Bush dynasty syndrome. So maybe it is a good thing, for your sake, Trump is there to blame? And you wouldn’t dare blame the establishment or RNC Party for sabotaging your run with its questionable reputation.
How bad is the dislike for Jeb Bush? Its so bad that it is just a symptom of a greater problem that doesn’t even deserve the specter of the press to cover it in detail. Yet it is emblematic of the whole establishment problem.
(1)He didn’t want to get drawn into current issue debates like all other candidates. He shouldn’t have to, he’s a governor and a Bush. We don’t play that. Other candidates should have to go through that not a favorite son. It sounded elitist and arrogant.
He didn’t want to be labeled a Bush, which is why he used only the Jeb name. Buried in hypocrisy and contradiction he keeps saying he’s his own man but proves himself a Bush at every turn. His donor list looks typical and probably a hand-me-down like everything else. He’s been planning this run for years. But don’t play the Bush card against him. More elitist arrogance, he relies on the Bush Dynasty to seal the deal.
It doesn’t seem to matter that people have moved on and said no dynasty. Establishment, dynasty, elite, insiders are not in vogue. He’s still a Bush with all the baggage. He doesn’t seem to understand the word no — so typical. We aren’t smitten any more with you for the long run than we are for the short run. Evolve away it won’t pay. 3 big strikes….
“The Democrats would revise history to rationalize a return to bigger government, higher taxes, and moral relativism. The Democrat Party has forgotten its origins as a party of work, thrift, and self-reliance. But they have not forgotten their art for dissembling and distortion.
The Democrats are trapped in their compact with the ideology of trickle-down government, but they are clever enough to know that the voters would shun them if their true markings were revealed.
America had its rendezvous with destiny in 1980. Faced with crisis at home and abroad, Americans turned to Republican leadership in the White House.”
This is a quote from Republicans platform back in 1992. From then until now, one must ask “what happened?” We appear now to be a ship without a rudder, stranded in a stormy sea. Where are those tried and true principles that supposedly guide us? Have they been moth-balled in favor of Big-Government Lite rhetoric?
Along came George W who arrogantly claimed to have redefined conservatism and Republicans, (unbeknownst to conservatives) with his compassionate hubris he sailed us into uncharted waters of amnesty plans, appointments, enforcement failures, all while failing on most occasions to make the case for true conservative values. He waffled on this or that and then, after trying to foist crony Harriet Miers on us, gave us a nominees that again deceived. John Roberts turned into John Dud. He had already given a peace offering on the 4th circuit to Dems. (which meant nothing to Dems)
Then came not so popular President W deriding his own base who protested Miers. He steamed full speed ahead despite all conservatives lobbying efforts and letters to the contrary. But the Left didn’t like Bush and never would. Who was he fooling? What made him start down the road to concessions? Only he could know but it didn’t work. Appeasement was not the bomb, it never is with the radical left.
And leaders in Congress did virtually the same until turning over their majority to the libs — who were already quite skilled at minority power. Now along comes Trump to remind the RNC of its long trail of inconsistencies. Some deep irony there.
More from ’92… as painful a reminder as that is:
“While our goals are constant, we are willing to innovate, experiment, and learn. We have learned that bigger is not better, that quantity and quality are different things, that more money does not guarantee better outcomes. We have learned the importance of individual choice—in education, health care, child care—and that bureaucracy is the enemy of initiative and self-reliance. We believe in empowerment, including home ownership for as many as possible. We believe in decentralized authority, and a bottom-line, principled commitment to what works for people.
We believe in the American people: free men and women with faith in God, working for themselves and their families, believing in the value of every human being from the very young to the very old.”
Have we really learned the tough, necessary lessons? Are we now better for it? Are we now defining progressives, socialists and Marxists as they should be? Are we telling the truth about the Left’s agenda and schemes to correct the record? Are we seizing leadership opportunities to provide the kind of example of conservative values our country so desperately needs? Or are we cowering in a corner declaring to be beaten before we even throw the first punch? Shamefully, I say it is more of the latter. Time and time again we have seen deals being cut that display no conservative values, gaining nothing.
For a moment in time I almost lost my head and optimistically thought we returned to foundations and principles. But Jeb Bush came saying it’s his turn — to try the moderate, Rodney King approach to liberals who will never be appeased and always demand more. Compromise to progressives only amounts to doing it their way, and giving them the credit. I regained my sanity seeing the defense of Jeb Bush. Did we ever want to see a dynasty, be it on the Democrat side or the Republican side?
Yet here we are again fighting for our values to be relevant in a system given over to thugs, elites and special interests. We haven’t yet found the way to master real leadership. It must come from within, but our leaders still have not gotten that message. They even resign in a strategic way to hedge the opportunity for the establishment’s benefit.
But the RNC acts as if that is not an issue. We claim to want to move forward while estabos dredge up people who only exhibit the worst of the past. We provide the big hammer to our opponents and then ask them to hit us over the head. Only we don’t even play the victim very well. We blame everything only on ourselves — on stoopid people and “right-wing extremists,” not Estabo leaders. Then we proceed to ask for more of the same treatment. So reactionary disenfranchised voters embraced Trump as an Apprentice.
The shark-infested waters are just begging to be fed. Some in the Republican Party are determined not to disappoint them. It’s hard to stop this abuse of the base that’s been tolerated till it can’t be anymore. Yes, there are a lot of golden quotes in those old platforms and some good lessons, if we could only see them.
Now, true to the form of uncharted course, it threw Jeb Bush at us along with a wide selection of alternatives that were supposed to be chum to bait us so their selection would rise to the top. Ironically, his “Right to Rise” pac is in your face elitism. Jeb’s scolding lectures on the campaign trail aren’t much of an appetizer either.
There were also at least 20 donors who gave the super PAC $1 million, including healthcare investor Miguel Fernandez, California billionaire William Oberndorf, Iranian-American diplomat Hushang Ansary, along with his wife Shahla, and hedge-fund manager Louis Bacon.
The 236 donors who gave six-figure checks also include former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman, Citadel Investment Group founder Kenneth Griffin, and Houston businessman Robert McNair, Politico reports.
Jeb was a founding member and head of Michael Bloomberg’s foundation, which supports all kinds of liberal agenda items. Not in ancient history, he only stepped down prior to starting his pac and running for president. Just last year a major part of its effort was to lobby “foreign nations to ease restrictions on abortion.” Not exactly a Mexico City Policy.
Now he distances himself from the agenda that was a central priority of the foundation. I hope the money he got paid was worth it. He didn’t have to sign off or vote on it, as he asserts, but he was part and parcel to the agenda. For him to claim how pro-life he is/was is ludicrous when this is the very last place he was before running. What other GOP was promoting abortion around the globe? As for Jeb, no wonder George W is getting riled up.
“I don’t know if it’s panic or paranoia in Miami, but they are losing [Scott] Walker people to Marco, and if you say what’s true, they get mad,” said one Bush donor, who spoke to POLITICO on the condition of anonymity. “I think it’s just reflective of what’s been going on for the past month or so and the way the race, at least in the establishment lane, has shifted. It’s really Jeb or Marco now. Marco’s fundraising has picked up, and Jeb’s has stayed flat.”
Now they will begin shifting the estabo steam from Jeb to Rubio.
Maybe I’ll post more highlights and low expectations from the past.
SO the love fest begins, I mean its a family thing… W trying to slay dragons for Jebby. For a guy who distanced himself from his brother not wanting to be defined by him, or the Bush name, now appears to be just that….only another Bush.
The RNC took down mentions of George Bush so there were no reminders to distract or harm Jeb in his cruise to the nomination. But a few things still managed to get in Jeb’s way. Now W has taken aim at Cruz. Well, I’ll be doggone. George W might have just hurt Jeb’s chances a lot more than he ever helped them, even if this was a fundraiser.
“I just don’t like this guy” – George W. Bush TRASHES Ted Cruz at Jeb Bush fundraiser
Apparently W doesn’t care much for Ted Cruz, as he was the only candidate that he trashed at a Jebby fundraiser. But for what it’s worth, he sees Cruz as the biggest threat to Jeb, not Donald Trump:
POLITICO – Inside a sleek Denver condominium, George W. Bush let a hundred donors to his brother’s campaign in on a secret. Of all the rival Republican candidates, there is one who gets under the former president’s skin, who he views as perhaps Jeb Bush’s most serious rival for the party’s nomination.
It isn’t Donald Trump, whose withering insults have sought to make Jeb pay a political price for his brother’s presidency. It also isn’t Marco Rubio, Jeb’s former understudy who now poses a serious threat to his establishment support.
“I just don’t like the guy,” Bush said Sunday night, according to conversations with more than half a dozen donors who attended the event.
That’s quite okay, Ol’ W, we aren’t all that fond of you or your brother right now either. Since you claimed to redefine Republican conservatives, I imagine you are a bit miffed that it didn’t stick. But then that redefinition was pretty much all in your mind too. You only wish that Cruz was a product of your imagination.
“These polls really don’t matter,” Bush said in an interview on “Fox News Sunday.” “They don’t filter out the people that aren’t going to vote. It’s just…an obsession, because it kind of frames the debate for people for that week.”
Let me translate: “they don’t filter out people that aren’t going to vote” — means polls are skewed by people who will not be voting. Why pay any attention to that, or those people? In typical elite-speak he stepped in the dodo.
He adds he expects his poll numbers — the ones he doesn’t care about — to rebound as he cranks up his ad campaign. Those TV ads that will influence the people who won’t vote.
The only thing optimistic in the establishment 2016 race now is it looks like both dynasty types are being flushed at the same time — or trying to be — in conjoined toilets At least according to assorted media reports anyway. It’s still worth broadcasting.
Hillary is going down in flames, even white women are aborting Hillary. So her prized constituency of estrogen is not so stimulated with Hillary’s “war on women” demagoguery. If that can’t keep them on board, what can?
The Planned Parenthood’s videos didn’t help much. Even NY Times announced she is now in danger of losing the primary. Seems Hillary’s presumptive anointing is being canceled with no rain date.
So, what is going on among women voters? What seems clear is that Hillary is trying to appeal to women in an old-fashioned way that doesn’t work as well as it once did. Her team apparently thinks that by aggressively selling hard facts, advancing policies or giving her version of the email controversy, Hillary’s campaign will have women flocking to her banner.
Depends on the definition of “facts.” But we’ve heard the Hillary death rattles before.
Jeb, for his part — if he ever did get off the ground – is stumbling over itself on the way to the exit. His fundraisers and bundlers are now bailing out. But his campaign says not to worry, they were let go because that phase of the campaign is over. Say what? Ushering in the end of presumptive nominee Jeb era.
Earlier this week, the New York Times revealed that it had taken steps to rein in some of its spending and had gone so far as to cut some employee salaries. And POLITICO reported one Bush fundraiser expressed concerns about the slowing pace of the campaign’s fundraising after Bush’s shaky debate performance.
Since when did anyone throw out his bundlers and fundraisers? Especially a big money guy like Jeb Bush. What phase of his campaign is he in then, the postmortem phase or digging part? Sounds like another “Read My Lips” moment for another Bush.
Could it also be that the people – for their phase – have decided they really don’t like the idea of a Clinton vs Bush ticket? (and it does seem to be one ticket)
Well, the low-energy Bush is getting rolled by high-energy Marxists anyway.
We were treated to some answers to questions by whom MSM, Clintonistas and establishment seem to think is our nominee.(we’re only going through the superficial motions) I highlighted two of them, both show his arrogance. Both have that air of inevitability hanging over them.
I guess it would have been appropriate to have some music accompanying his answers and bobble-head gestures.(click for for effects). It must be lost on Jeb that the gangster Godfather comparison does not actually help his dynasty sales pitch.
BAIER: Governor Bush, you have insisted that you’re your own man. You say you have a life experience uniquely your own. Not your father’s, not your brother’s.
But there are several opponents on this stage who get big- applause lines in early voting states with this line: quote, “the last thing the country needs is another Bush in the Oval Office.”
So do you understand the real concern in this country about dynastic politics?
BUSH: Absolutely, I do, and I’m gonna run hard, run with heart, and run to win.
I’m gonna have to earn this. Maybe the barrier — the bar’s even higher for me. That’s fine.
I’ve got a record in Florida. I’m proud of my dad, and I’m certainly proud of my brother. In Florida, they called me Jeb, because I earned it.
I cut taxes every year, totaling $19 billion. We were — we had — we balanced every budget. We went from $1 billion of reserves to $9 billion of reserves.
We were one of two states that went to AAA bond rating.
They keep — they called me Veto Corleone. Because I vetoed 2,500 separate line-items in the budget. (APPLAUSE)
(Too bad he can’t veto his dynastic ambitions with such gusto. He understands those concerns? Help me.)
I am my own man. I governed as a conservative, and I govern effectively. And the net effect was, during my eight years, 1.3 million jobs were created. We left the state better off because I applied conservative principles in a purple state the right way, and people rose up.
Mod: Governor Bush, you released a new plan this week on illegal immigration focusing on enforcement, which some suggest is your effort to show that you’re not soft on that issue. I want to ask you about a statement that you made last year about illegal immigrants. And here’s what you said. “They broke the law, but it’s not a felony, it’s an act of love. It’s an act of commitment to your family.” Do you stand by that statement and do you stand by your support for earned legal status?
BUSH: I do. I believe that the great majority of people coming here illegally have no other option. They want to provide for their family.
(So he stands by his “act of love” statement. They have “no other option” which makes them robots who just have no choice — victims of their circumstance, victims of love… I have to stop before I get sick)
But we need to control our border. It’s not — it’s our responsibility to pick and choose who comes in. So I — I’ve written a book about this and yet this week, I did come up with a comprehensive strategy that — that really mirrored what we said in the book, which is that we need to deal with E-Verify, we need to deal with people that come with a legal visa and overstay. We need to be much more strategic on how we deal with border enforcement, border security. We need to eliminate the sanctuary cities in this country. It is ridiculous and tragic… (APPLAUSE) … that people are dying because of the fact that — that local governments are not following the federal law.
There’s much to do. And I think rather than talking about this as a wedge issue, which Barack Obama has done now for six long years, the next president — and I hope to be that president — will fix this once and for all so that we can turn this into a driver for high sustained economic growth. And there should be a path to earned legal status… (BUZZER NOISE) BUSH: — for those that are here. Not — not amnesty, earned legal status, which means you pay a fine and do many things over an extended period of time.
Okay, Jeb — if that’s what they call you because you “earned it”? — or Veto Corleone — maybe you should enlighten people on what you mean by “turn this [illegal immigration] into a driver for high sustained growth.” There must be details we commoners are not aware of that are not visible to this point in our border crisis, amnesty disaster. You’d think all the benefits would have revealed themselves by now. If immigration was such a net gain, then we’d have double digit growth.
“I do” and “I do,” he must have thought he was taking some wedding vow. We aren’t so impressed. Meanwhile, the Godfather explanation or justification is not working for me. If he thinks calling himself Jeb evades being a Bush, he must be in sad shape. There just is no answer for dynasty except “No!”
According to the sources in this article, sixty wealthy players have donated to both Hillary and Jeb — ‘Clinton mega-donors also funding Bush’. I could understand some but when there are 60 of them, what’s that say?
It seems to me a lot of people believe in the end it all comes down to Hillary vs. Jeb and want to be on the winning side, no matter which. And that they know the race is only between Hillary and Jeb anyway. That’s exactly what the people don’t want.
Read at the Daily Beast — the only source on it I’ve seen.
President of the Conservative Victory Committee Brent Bozell III endorsed Texas Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) for president on Friday, urging conservative Republicans to rally behind Cruz “immediately.”
“I wholeheartedly endorse Ted Cruz for president of the United States, and urge all conservatives nationwide to rally behind Ted, immediately,” said Bozell in his endorsement video. “The Republican party establishment is counting on conservatives to be divided, so that they can nominate a moderate, do-nothing candidate. Make no mistake: If the Republican Party repeats what it’s done for the last two elections, Republicans will lose. I guarantee it.”
Bozell praised Cruz as a brave candidate who would defy the entrenched interests of Washington’s political class.
“If, on the other hand, we nominate a principled, passionate conservative America can count on to restore her greatness, there will be an outpouring of support,” he continued. “We need a courageous conservative who tells the truth and does what he promises. We need to nominate an inspiring leader, who’s proven he’s willing to take on the Washington cartel and buck the political establishment of both parties. We need a leader who will win and reignite the promise of America.”
“And there’s some good conservatives running for president,” Bozell added. “But we need more than a ‘campaign’ conservative. We need a consistent conservative who has led the fights important to us. Ted Cruz is this leader. I support Ted Cruz for president unconditionally and enthusiastically.”
I’ll call this the first of many pleas. I knew it was a case of division, but I was hoping it would be with a number of establishment RINOS. Apparently the fearless establishment have been thinking of this too.(Bozell is no establishment) While the number of candidates and conservatives is great, it does raise those prospects.
So short of dividing the establishment RINOs, we have a limited choice. Though I think it too early to consolidate to that degree. But has anyone noticed the one guy that has not seemed very concerned is Jeb Bush? Trump has just been a weird distraction for him so far. Meanwhile, Jeb horded lots of money and his pac is poised like a vulture.
If the doors aren’t breaking down with more estabos, then we have to start strategizing. I take it RINOs are being shooed away by Jeb’s committee. I like Cruz but consolidate just yet? We also haven’t seen a debate or vetted anyone. I am a little surprised by this.
And if so, Cruz better be prepared for the ambush to follow if he unifies support. He will have incoming from both sides. Jeb has in effect had years to plan this run. Frank Luntz already seems to be concentrating on Cruz. Then the Left. I hope he’s ready.
I thought you had that nomination process all under control? You raised all that money and timed your announcement right. So what if you had to drown out other announcements of lesser candidates. I thought you were right on schedule, according to plan. Dubya is so looking forward to your run. You even have Mama Bush on your side now, after initially saying no more Bushes.
So what happened? A little billionaire came out and stole your thunder? But you were looking so good, even lost some weight. You raised tons of money. And yet you let a little old rich guy wreck your bandwagon on the beltway? I thought you were a little smarter than that. Now you are going to have to work and spend some of that money to defend yourself against attacks. Hey, that wasn’t part of the plan, now was it? Your Radio Flyer wagon got stuck in a traffic jam. How’s that going to look at the family reunion? You won’t be having the carefree wind in your hair photo-ops in daddy’s speedboat this summer. You might have to defend yourself. Do you think you can… I mean without getting ticked off the way you do?
Heck, you can hardly plan early how you are going to contrast yourself with Hillary when you got this train wreck to deal with right now. You still have to figure out all those differences. I know there are a lot of people that really would like to help you right now but, frankly, we are a bit concerned about your prospects — what with your waffling and positioning and such. You didn’t want to have to run in the current issues, and thought yourself above getting mired and drawn into recent political debates on issues. I guess you were surprised, uh? You didn’t want to get down into the fray on important events and say weaken your chances, but it looks like you did. Your nose was so far up in the air you didn’t see what was going on right in front of you.
So all that in mind, remember the big donations your were expecting? Well, maybe don’t count on all those just yet. Let’s not get ahead of ourselves. Besides, you haven’t even done the first debate yet. That’s right, Jeb, only the first one with plenty more. I don’t know about you but a lot of things can happen in debates. You might want to compare notes with Rick Perry on that. In fact, a lot can happen between debates too, depending on what you might say. It might be best if people hold off on, you know, rushing into the deep end too fast. Let’s all just take our time here, maybe take some time to think about things, clear the air.
Look on the plus side, Jeb, how many more people could possibly jump into this race? And say hello to Christie for me.
Your friend still,
Con-science.
PS: maybe go get yourself a pint of Chunky Monkey and do some soul searching.
I’ll be in touch.
Getting into the political weeds, or cobwebs, a few things occurred to me. Start with the candidates for president. Is this going to be a primary or a parade? Cause for a rant.
When things become a pattern I start to poke fun at them. Today it’s the announcements. Every few days I get an email from someone but the subject is mostly the same. Uusually something like “should I run or not?” Whoa, are you talking to me? Glad you asked. It’s amusing how they all claim to be asking if they should run. That’s sort of like Hillary asking people “should I run?” You know there is no question in her mind, she decided long ago. Same thing with Jeb Bush and most of the others. Huckabee, there was another. In his case he parlayed his show on Fox into that question prompting his step down.
One of the latest in particular was a message from Jeb before he formerly announced. That one had a family member saying something close to: “urge my father to run”, he’s sitting on the fence wondering. Really, he was just waiting for me to tell him whether to run or not. Oh, I’m the one he is waiting to hear “yes” from before jumping in. A little sarcasm is appropriate. He seemed to have decided without my urging.
It’s almost too much for me to bear that all these people are waiting for my humble opinion on running. I must be pretty important. Of course, I know none of it is true. I have to joke about it because it is funny when they all do and say the same thing. It’s not true that they want to know much less care what you think. They want your money. What if you say no, don’t bother running or wasting your time? And every one of them has that handy-dandy link for a contribution, to “be as generous” as you possibly can. Never mind how they are going to spend it. It’s like Jim and Tammy Faye Baker shaking you down: “I know you’re heart is just telling you “give give give.”” Right, I just can’t refuse a great cause. (sarcasm meter is redlining)
Back to the announcements. When they do announce, they send you helpful notes to tell you to tune in to their announcement speech — which hopefully won’t be at the same time the other guy is also announcing. Talk about scheduling conflicts? Then you get to read the headline that indeed they announced. Woo–hoo! Was there any question about it?
But I’m just kicking the tires of the process. Well, after it happens a dozen of times or so there is no suspense to it. What people say really doesn’t matter anyway. And how about those lists they are building? That’s half the purpose of it. Why else do they do all those petition drives between runs? There is not much mystery about it. Well, accept that most of it is staged in a phony way. They’ve strategized a reason for a run, known to them.
There is one other point. If history is any example, then I figure that there is really only a potential for 2 runs. You can claim ignorance and inexperience after losing the first time and do a 2.0 revision run. That leaves us with where we are. I see Huck is running the second time. Does he realize this is it? Rick Perry is doing a second-time-around run. Rick Sandtorum. Hillary’s doing her re-fried-beans run. Oh, sure they may think they can go three but by that time they are stale as a brick. You go from household name to household blame. By then, the jig is up and it looks more like a full time job running for president. And no one wants to look like a “professional candidate”.
That leads into another issue with Jeb. You know he can run again if for some reason it doesn’t work out. It’s a rather depressing thought. Who knows, maybe he could run against one of his relatives next time? Well, that could be more like family feud, imagine those email campaigns. It’s all just a put-on anyway. We have plenty of real problems and these guys personalize it like a seer-sucker suit. It really is about them. Does he have the stuff, is what people are supposed to look at. To them the message is “why not me?”
I suppose one of the most depressing parts of it — while it is supposed to be an optimistic thing — is that it starts by getting us sick of the process before we really start. It’s like watching the holding pattern for Chicago’s O’hare airport. And let’s leave the pollsters out of it for the time being. So maybe it is a little different on the Democrats’ side. They knew four years ago who was going to run, and who was going to be the nominee. I’m sure she had the same email approach despite that.
If they based their popularity on their twitter accounts we’d be in deep kim-chee. How many phony followers does it take to decide to run? Obama and Michele have their army of followers. Obama has his own email campaign to lobby himself. He ran an insurgent campaign as the incumbent president. Follow that logic. Then he won and people voted for him the 2nd time. So this running for president thing is many various things, but straight forward and honest is not one of them.
“Then I’ll get on my knees and pray we don’t get fooled again…no no.” – Who
We might need a Candidates’ Anonymous. It would probably be government funded.
Bernard Goldberg has written a stimulating column on the Papal pronouncements, albeit endorsement, of Global Warming and Climate Change.
He argues against the Pope getting involved in the politics. So has Jeb Bush insinuated he does not march to that tune. Here’s an excerpt of the column hoping others check it out.
Liberals will love that message too. But here comes the uh oh alert. This was also in the encyclical on global warming: “Since everything is interrelated, concern for the protection of nature is also incompatible with the justification of abortion. How can we genuinely teach the importance of concern for other vulnerable beings, however troublesome or inconvenient they may be, if we fail to protect a human embryo, even when its presence is uncomfortable and creates difficulties?”
I’m guessing liberals weren’t too happy with that part. But abortion is also a moral issue at the core of the church’s teaching. And so is gay marriage and to some extent, Bruce Jenner too.
Right Ring 