I was shocked at the news report coming out of UK online news magazine called Mail online that is part of the daily mailer. Seems that Jeb Bush’s “friends” are positioning themselves to advocate on Jeb’s behalf as a possible candidate for 2012 if none of the 2012 Republican Candidates do not meet the delegate count to win the Republican Presidential nomination outright. The mail Online reports that, Al Cardenas, head of the American Conservative Union, has said that Republican turmoil might lead to a brokered convention in which Jeb Bush, former Florida governor, would emerge as a “possible alternative” party nominee. Mr Cardenas, who is running this year’s Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC), a gathering in Washington of some 10,000 conservatives, told MailOnline that it was not certain that one of the four current Republican candidates would emerge victorious.
The problem is that Mitt Romney, the GOP Establishment’s choice has not been able to seal the deal with Tea Party Conservatives. The base wants someone that will tout conservatism and not just good business values. The GOP got scared and dumped thousands of TV ads on Newt Gingrich in Florida after the people voted for him in S.C. Romney won Florida only after tar and feathering Newt with misleading ads of partial truth. It is true that Newt has baggage but the unfair barrage of TV ads shows us how scared the Washington GOP Establishment is of welcoming a Tea Party backed candidate to the White House.
Cardenas is expecting a negotiated horse trading to go on in the Republican Convention that will be held in Tampa Florida this year. He believes that Jeb Bush could unite the party if he was introduced as an alternative to the current candidates. He suggests this because of all the grumbling that the current crop of candidates is not good enough. Maybe if the Establishment kept their mouths shut and observed Ronald Reagan’s 11th commandment of not speaking ill against another Republican then the doubt of winning would not have permeated into the Republican voters. It’s the Establishment’s tactic to execute a whisper campaign against the Tea Party’s choice. The base always look to the most conservative candidate. Many in the base do not see a serious contrast between Obama and Romney since Romney’s four years as MA governor was extremely liberal.
The Question to ask is should the powers that be manipulate the Tampa GOP convention to introduce Jeb Bush as a presidential contender when he first refused to go through the meat grinder state-to state? If you say no then get ready because Al Cardenas is raising a trial balloon to test that theory. Even the Romney campaign discounted the idea of a brokered convention where a dark horse would come forward to save the day. “Fantasy,” said Stuart Stevens, Mr Romney’s chief strategist. “All my life I’ve heard that. Pigs will fly. Total fantasy.” The better questions to ask is will the Conservative base accept that alternative to Rick Santorum or Newt Gingrich?
With two presidents having the Bush name will America accept a third? I say not since the other two failed conservatism greatly. Let’s get real here – GW Bush was no fiscal conservative and he helped pave the way for Obama to continue the Stimulus give away of funds. He helped government grown and not shrink as we were promised. He did not fight strong in helping to change the U.S. Constitution to include that Marriage is between a man and a woman, an issue dear to all conservatives. Many now see the Patriot Act as a “taking away” of freedoms guaranteed in the Founder’s document. Bush may have been conservative in his first four years but in my opinion he failed the party in his last four years.
I do not believe that the Conservatives will accept Jeb as an alternative when they find out about his liberal immigration policies. Jeb Bush attacked the Arizona Immigration Law that Marco Rubio endorsed after reading it. “I think it creates unintended consequences,” said Bush in an interview with politico “It’s difficult for me to imagine how you’re going to enforce this law. It places a significant burden on local law enforcement and you have civil liberties issues that are significant as well.” This inlight of the majority of Hispanics in AZ supporting the Immigration law passed in AZ. Will the Tea Party Conservatives embrace Jeb in 2012? I don’t know but it will be a hell of a convention in Tampa if it comes down to him!
