The surname ‘Bush’ evokes a lot of mixed emotion, let alone the name of Jeb Bush, a man who will tout himself as the Republican Presidential Candidate for 2016 next monday.
So, will we expect the same old thing on the off chance he reaches the White House next year?
He learnt from ‘his brother’s success protecting the U.S’.
When it comes to foreign policy, it’s hard to really differentiate between the two. He was asked if in retrospect he would have authorised the invasion of Iraq. His initial response was a yes, before pandering to the populist view, retracting his view and saying that he would not have invaded Iraq. He wants America to increase military spending, seeing it as conducive to world peace and also wishes for a larger US presence in Europe, where there remains an abundance of military bases.
He’s perhaps more conservative on social issues than George
Both brothers are generally pro-life, unless incest, rape, or the life of the woman is endangered take place. However, the fact that Jeb rallied against a 13 year old girl getting an abortion will leave many thinking his policies are a step backwards for the Republican party. On marriage his stance is similar to his brother’s, with both rather ambiguously suggesting that the law could potentially change on a federal level but personally describing it as ‘between a man and a woman’.
The brother’s have left very different environmental legacies
George was heavily criticised by many for his staunch opposition to the Kyoto Protocol. While he did take the issue of climate change ‘very seriously’ he argued that it was still debatable whether humans were the reason behind temperature spikes. I’m sure many would say otherwise. Jeb however, was widely credited with the conservation of the Everglades in Florida, having spent $8 billion on its restoration.
