Jeb Bush

The Bush-Clinton Connection Has A New Twist

Ronald 6 Comments

It is hard to believe, but the Bush Family and the Clinton Family have dominated American Presidential politics for more than a generation, exactly 28 years in 2016.

If Hillary Clinton wins the Presidency, it will mean that we will have had 12 years of Bush, father and son, and at least 12 years of Clinton, husband and wife–24 years out of 32, and possibly, if Hillary Clinton were to win a second term, 16 years of the Clintons and a total of 28 of the 36 years from 1988-2024!

Students would learn that the order was Bush-Clinton-Bush-Obama-Clinton, and it would be confusing to explain in future generations.

Bill Clinton defeated George H.W. Bush in 1992, and there was bad blood, but the two men got closer at the time of Hurricane Katrina in 2005, and the earthquake in Haiti in 2010 brought George W. Bush closer to Bill Clinton, even when Jeb Bush was trying for the GOP nomination this year against Donald Trump. In many ways, as George W. has said, Bill Clinton is like a “brother from a different mother”, and is like another son to father Bush, and even mother Barbara.

And now Father Bush is going to be voting for Hillary Clinton, since son Jeb is out of the race, even though Jeb does not plan to vote for her, and the intention of George W is unknown.

Both First Ladies Barbara and Laura seem likely to vote for First Lady Hillary.

So the Bush-Clinton connection has a new twist!

The Myth That The Election Victory Of Hillary Clinton Is Narrowing: The Misunderstanding Of The Electoral College As Against Polls

Ronald 11 Comments

It is amazing to this author and blogger that so many Americans seem to think that the election victory of Hillary Clinton is narrowing, according to some public opinion polls.

There is a failure to understand that news media have an investment in building up that there is a real battle between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump, when there is absolutely no realistic chance for Donald Trump to overcome the deficits that he has created for himself over the past 15 months.

The point to be made is that it is the Electoral College and 270 electoral votes that elects our President, and in fact, as George W. Bush reminded us, a candidate can actually lose the national popular vote and still be elected President, as happened in 2000, and also in 1824, 1876, and 1888.

There are 18 “Blue” states and the District of Columbia, which have voted Democratic from 1992 on, and are not about to change. But even if Pennsylvania and Wisconsin somehow surprised us, which is not going to happen in the real world, Hillary Clinton is presently ahead in all of the “Swing” states that Barack Obama won, plus she is even or slightly ahead in a number of “Red” states.

If she wins the likely 242 from the 18 states and DC, all Hillary needs is Florida OR Ohio and Virginia OR a combination of other “Swing” or “Red” states, the latter including, possibly North Carolina, Georgia, Arizona, Utah, Montana, South Carolina, and even in new polls the states of Texas and Mississippi, and even possibly one vote in Nebraska in the Omaha area, since Nebraska, along with Maine, allows splitting of electoral votes.

To believe that Hillary will somehow lose is totally preposterous, while it can be said that IF the Republican Party had nominated John Kasich, or even possibly, Jeb Bush, all bets would have been off.

And while Gary Johnson will have some effect in some states, the Libertarian nominee is not going to be the spoiler he thought he would be.

And the Green Party and Jill Stein—just forget it, not worth one’s time and attention!

Hillary Clinton’s Strong Advocates: Bill Clinton, Tim Kaine, Barack Obama, Michelle Obama, Joe Biden, Jill Biden, Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren!

Ronald Leave a comment

Hillary Clinton has a tremendous edge that Donald Trump does not–support of Democratic party faithful.

Hillary has strong advocates who know how to arouse a crowd and motivate people, including her husband, Bill Clinton; Vice Presidential nominee Tim Kaine; President Barack Obama; First Lady Michelle Obama; Vice President Joe Biden; Second Lady Jill Biden; and Senators Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren.

Donald Trump cannot brag about such support, as key Republicans, including former Presidents George H. W. Bush and George W. Bush; 2012 Republican Presidential nominee Mitt Romney; 2008 Republican Presidential nominee John McCain; Speaker of the House Paul Ryan; former Florida Governor Jeb Bush; Ohio Governor John Kasich; and innumerable others, are not willing to campaign for him, and in many cases, have not endorsed him, and are critical of his campaign.

Hillary Clinton has a record of accomplishment and commitment, while Donald Trump has a record of failing at business and in marriage; being totally untrustworthy and unstable; and having large numbers of conservatives, intelligence and military officials, diplomatic leaders, and economists condemning his rhetoric and attitudes on a multitude of issues.

Trump is the most divisive figure in American politics since Senator Barry Goldwater of Arizona 52 years ago, in the Presidential Election of 1964, but in many ways, Trump is more divisive and dangerous than even Goldwater was.

Temperament And Judgment Of Donald Trump Seriously Lacking, Making Him An Extremely Dangerous Potential President!

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Donald Trump is proving more and more daily that he has the wrong temperament to be President. He is extremely erratic in his public moments, and very unpredictable.

He also has demonstrated that he lacks good judgment in how he deals with opponents, amd critics, as he is a clear danger to civil liberties.

He has shown that he has no filter, and says everything that crosses his mind, which is dangerous in a government leader, and can lead to misunderstandings and potential warfare.

He has shown signs of paranoia, split personality, and a sense of being persecuted, while he has no issue with promoting persecution of groups that he loves to scapegoat for the problems not easily resolved.

Many observers wonder if he has signs of dementia, as he is a senior citizen of 70 years old, and would be the oldest inaugurated President in his first term, older than Ronald Reagan by seven months.

The fact that Trump has no organized plan to win, and has no advertising and small staff, makes one wonder if he is simply naive about campaigning for President, or has simply given up, as he probably is surprised that he won the Republican Presidential nomination over far better qualified candidates, most specifically Jeb Bush and John Kasich.

The long term effect of Donald Trump is that he is extremely likely to lose the election in a landslide, and in so doing, destroy the party of Lincoln, TR, Ike, and Reagan.

Can Bill Clinton Hold Government Position Under Hillary Clinton? NO, As Of 1964 Nepotism Law

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The Hillary Clinton Presidential campaign is spreading information that former President Bill Clinton may be utilized by his wife in a government position if she wins the White House.

However, under the 1964 Nepotism Law, passed after Robert Kennedy left the government to run for the US Senate, it is illegal for a relative of any President to be in a public, paid position in the government. It is seen as a conflict of interest, so for instance, Jeb Bush, after leaving the Governorship of Florida in 2007, was not eligible to serve in the administration of his brother, George W. Bush.

RFK was Attorney General under his brother, President John F. Kennedy, but the Congress decided after the Kennedy Administration’s end, that such a situation should not happen again. Also, JFK’s brother in law, R. Sargent Shriver, served as head of the Peace Corps.

So Bill Clinton could be an unpaid advisor, but cannot go on the government payroll, even assuming he would agree to donate any government paycheck to charity, as RFK did under his brother.

It is clearly assumed that Bill Clinton would have an important background role, but again, it cannot be as a cabinet officer or an official part of the White House staff, unless Congress agrees to change the law, but that is highly unlikely in the present political climate, with a Republican Congress, and the likelihood that at least the House of Representatives will remain Republican after this year’s Presidential and Congressional elections!

Republican Party Split Begins Around Presumptive Nominee Donald Trump!

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The Republican Party is deteriorating before our eyes, as they face the threat of Donald Trump.

George H. W. Bush, George W. Bush, Mitt Romney, Jeb Bush, Lindsey Graham all reject him.

So does Erick Erickson, Bill Kristol, most of the Weekly Standard and National Review conservatives, and most US Senators and Congressmen of the party.

Others such as John McCain and Susan Collins and Kelly Ayotte are steering clear of him, while not repudiating him.

Many Republican Senators running for reelection are in a no win situation, including McCain, Ayotte, Rob Portman, Ron Johnson, Pat Toomey, and Mark Kirk.

Many Wall Street Republicans, and much of the Wall Street Journal group, and even elements of the Fox News Channel crowd, reject Trump’s candidacy.

Neoconservatives in the party are infuriated with Trump’s foreign policy views.

Social conservatives cannot accept Trump’s support of limited abortion rights and LGBT rights, including transgender bathroom issues.

And Speaker of the House Paul Ryan stating his inability to support Trump at this point is totally stunning!

There is a sense of desperation, and the belief we are in the midst of a revolution in the party system!

First Time Since 1928 That There Has Been No Nixon Or Bush As Part Of A Winning Presidential Race For The Republican Party!

Ronald Leave a comment

In 1928, Herbert Hoover won the Presidency, the third Republican President in a row in the 1920s.

Ever since, there have been NINE elections for President in which the Republican nominee has won, for a total of 36 years, while the Democrats have won 12 elections for a total 48 years.

In each election in which the Republicans won, there has been a Richard Nixon (4 times) and a Bush (five times) on the ballot, for President or Vice President, and the GOP has never won an election without one or the other name on the ballot!

Nixon was on the ballot for Vice President in 1952 and 1956, and for the Presidency in 1968 and 1972, while George H. W. Bush was on the ballot for Vice President in 1980 and 1984, and for President in 1988, while his son George W. Bush was on the ballot for President in 2000 and 2004.

Of course, Nixon was on the losing side in 1960 and Bush Sr. in 1992.  So since 1952, there have only been five times that a Nixon or a Bush was not on the ballot, all losing years as well, including Barry Goldwater in 1964, Gerald Ford 1976, Bob Dole in 1996, John McCain in 2008, and Mitt Romney in 2012.

But now they will have to overcome that reality, as Jeb Bush is out of the race, and there will be no Nixon or Bush on the ballot.  Can a Non Nixon or Non Bush actually win the Presidency without a running mate named Nixon or Bush?

This will be a challenge for the Republicans, and it will be interesting to see if there is a hex on the Republicans, which will undermine them in the Presidential race!

The “Dynasties” Under Attack: The Bushes Done, The Clintons?

Ronald 21 Comments

This morning, it is clear that the Bush Dynasty is history, with Jeb Bush’s poor performance in the South Carolina Republican Presidential Primary, and his announcement of his withdrawal from the Presidential race.

A year ago, it seemed obvious that he would likely be the GOP Presidential candidate, but the entrance of Donald Trump eight months ago destroyed that possibility, and once Trump called Jeb “low energy”, Jeb was befuddled what to do in response.  It took him a long time to mount a serious attack, and it was too late.

Jeb was supposed to be the Republican nominee in 2000, the favored younger son, smarter and more knowledgeable than his brother George W, and Jeb had avoided being the “black sheep” of the family with the alcoholism and drug use of George W making his parents very unhappy with him.

But Jeb lost the 1994 Florida gubernatorial election by 60,000 votes, most of the margin for Governor Lawton Chiles being in South Florida, while George W,  despite a pitiful debate performance against Texas Governor Ann Richards, was able to win the Texas Governorship in the same year, 1994.

One will always have to wonder whether Jeb would have been able to be elected as George W was in 2000; whether he would have won on his own power in his home state, instead of having a Supreme Court case to win the Sunshine State and the election; and whether he would have acted differently around September 11, Afghanistan, Iraq, and Hurricane Katrina.

Jeb was a lost opportunity, one of many who wanted the Presidency; were considered serious contenders; and yet lost the chance, while lesser candidates won.

In this category, we could, in the past half century, put Hubert H. Humphrey in 1968; Ted Kennedy in 1980; Al Gore in 2000; John McCain in 2000; and Hillary Clinton in 2008, along with Jeb Bush in 2000 and now in 2016.

And now, the question is whether Hillary Clinton can overcome Bernie Sanders for the Democratic Presidential nomination, after failing to overcome Barack Obama eight years ago.  Or will she, like Jeb, expected to win, end up failing, as Jeb has done?

In any case, George H. W.  and Barbara Bush may, very well, live to the next inauguration and beyond, at age 92 and 91 respectively in January 2017, but they will NOT see the inauguration of a second son to the Presidency.

The other question that arises is whether Bill Clinton, age 70 by the time of the inauguration in 2017, see his wife, on her second try, now 16 years, not 8, since he left the Oval Office, become President, or have the ultimate failure, despite all evidence that she would become the first woman President?

We shall see soon enough over the next number of months!

The Revival And Rebirth Of Marco Rubio: Now The Only Hope Left For The Republican Party Future?

Ronald 15 Comments

Twelve days ago, Florida Senator Marco Rubio looked like a ‘dead man”, after his disastrous debate performance, repeating a statement about Barack Obama four times.

It was embarrassing for Rubio, and even if one does not care for Rubio, anyone with any empathy had to be embarrassed for him.

Everyone thought New Jersey Governor Chris Christie would benefit from calling out Rubio, but the following week, Rubio ended up in third place, ahead of all of the Governors in the race—Jeb Bush, John Kasich, and Christie, with Christie in sixth place, and out of the race.

Some would say that Christie’s collapse was fundamental justice, and one can be sure Rubio has thought that.

But now, Rubio has impressed in the most recent debate, and also, particularly in a Town Hall last night on CNN with Anderson Cooper, which had separate 40 minute discussions between Cooper and each of three candidates, rather than a debate, and with ordinary citizens asking the questions.

It is as if there has been a revival and rebirth of Marco Rubio, and on top of all this good news for him, South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley has endorsed him for Governor ahead of the South Carolina primary, a major boost.

Haley gained positive reaction to her reaction after the Charleston Massacre at a African American church last June, and African American Senator Tim Scott had also, earlier, endorsed Rubio.

The possibility of a serious challenge to both Donald Trump and Ted Cruz has now grown, and the “Establishment” wing of the Republican Party is likely to gather around Rubio after the South Carolina primary, and doom the chances of Jeb Bush and John Kasich, as well as Dr. Benjamin Carson.

And the idea of a Presidential ticket of Rubio and either Haley or Scott is growing—a Cuban American with an Indian American (from India) or an African American.

This would bring two “minorities” together, with Rubio being 45 and Haley reaching the same age precisely on Inauguration Day 2017, and Scott being 51—a youthful generation challenging an “old timer”,  such as Hillary Clinton, age 69 by Inauguration Day, and Bernie Sanders age 75 (the oldest first term President in American history).

This ticket, more likely Rubio and Haley, could be a difficult match for either Democratic Presidential candidate!

John Kasich Offers Sanity To The Republican Party, But Other Candidates Need To Drop Out!

Ronald 6 Comments

With the second place finish of Ohio Governor John  Kasich in the New Hampshire Republican primary, the Republican Party has been given a lifeline to avoid the total disaster of Donald Trump!

But this requires other candidates to drop out, including Dr. Benjamin Carson, Carly Fiorina, Chris Christie, and Marco Rubio in particular, as all have failed to prove they are electable.

Ted Cruz should also drop out, as it is clear legally that he was born in Canada, and cannot, therefore, become President.

Were this to occur, it would leave the race as three men–Donald Trump, Kasich and Jeb Bush, and that would be good for the party, and would insure that Trump would not be the GOP nominee for President.

Whether one agrees or not with any of the candidates, it is clear that Kasich more so, Bush less so, would, ultimately have the best opportunity to keep the Republican party viable in the future, as both would promote mainstream conservatism, instead of the right wing extremism promoted by other candidates.

The spotlight, whatever happens with others dropping out of the race, will be on Kasich, and it would seem his chances of ending up as the GOP nominee have been greatly improved, as the Ohio Governor now seems very electable!