[nathanbedford]

We deplore the effect of the Civil War for pitting brother against brother but we can at least say that those brothers who divided their families and fought each other did so for principle.

Now we have the spectacle of George W. Bush fighting the primaries not in opposition to but in support of his brother and I am compelled to ask, upon what principle? What principle energizes the candidacy of Jeb Bush? I can discern no other principle than a claim based on blood tie, it is within the gift of the Bush family to become president so, of course, a Bush candidacy.

Normally, family unity is praiseworthy but in this case I think that George W. Bush plays the hypocrite. He is the president who would scarcely fight his own corner as an incumbent and who witnessed carnage in the ranks of Republicans in Congress as a result. Here is a man who did not stand for normal Republican principles such as controlling spending but who presided over the greatest spending increases in the history of the nation until then. Apart from two disastrous wars, George W. Bush showed no animation for any conservative principles in deed rather than in word. Yes he kept the country safe after 9/11 and for that he is to be respected but he consciously refused to enforce the immigration laws or to control the border and thus he has practically wrecked the Republican Party and made it more difficult for any Republican much less his own brother to get elected. More difficult because there are more newcomers who would vote against any Republican and more difficult because there are more Republicans who would vote against his brother in backlash.

So the man who would not fight his corner on behalf of the nation when he was entrusted with that job as president of the United States, now enters the fray to fight on behalf of of a brother's forlorn campaign, a campaign which seems to represent no constituency other than fatcat donors and the Bush family.

I liked George W. Bush much more when he was chopping wood.

[bassmaner]

I liked George W. Bush much more when he was chopping wood.

Tagline material!

[ripnbang]

Excellent...hat tip.

[chajin]

There are only two people who are running on principles, Ted Cruz and Bernie Sanders. All the other candidates, from Trump to Bush to Kasich to Clinton, are attempting to sell themselves primarily on pragmatism, something like, “Vote for me, I can make it work.” Each of the selling-as-pragmatists defines “make it work” differently, but the generic message is the same—and Trump is the one who is selling himself as The Fixer most effectively.

[tbw2]

Too many people want another Clinton vs Bush rematch, or they are sinking into the mistaken habit of aristocracy - that some bloodlines/names are superior to others.
Both types of nostalgia are bad.

[MaxFlint]

Normally, family unity is praiseworthy but in this case I think that George W. Bush plays the hypocrite. He is the president who would scarcely fight his own corner as an incumbent and who witnessed carnage in the ranks of Republicans in Congress as a result.

The carnage was a direct result of supporting unpopular GOPe policies which Bush fully endorsed. If Bush had gone out and campaigned he might have made it worse.

[steel_resolve]

+1

[bill1952]

“The reactionary is always willing to take a progressive attitude on any issue that is dead.”

Theodore Roosevelt

So goes George Bush in the name of familial blood.
I understand, but their time is as Carter’s.
Elder statesmen and power brokers.