GOP dopers in support of Jeb! Bush: Why?

[Sam_Lowry]

@ITR_champion

I am neither a Republican nor a Bush voter, but I think any thinking person should understand why he appeals to some folks. He did a good job as governor of Florida.

[ul]
[li]He cut taxes to among the country’s lowest.[/li][li]He kept spending decently low.[/li][li]He kept the level of state regulations decently low.[/li][li]Because of the previous three things, economic growth was strong during his terms.[/ul][/li]

I’m not from Florida, I don’t really know a whole lot about his record as governor, but his economic record doesn’t sound stellar to me. From the Tampa Bay paper: What you don’t know about Jeb Bush’s economic record

“I cut taxes to the tune of $19 billion. We reduced the state government workforce by 13,000, but we took on the entrenched interests in our state, whether it was the trial bar or the folks that were making a lot of money off our workers’ comp system. We reduced those costs and the net effect of this was we had 1.3 million net new jobs during my eight years,” Bush told a crowd recently in New Hampshire.

Never mind that four governors who preceded Bush — Lawton Chiles, Bob Martinez, Bob Graham and Reubin Askew — could boast of better or comparable job creation numbers.

<snip>

Paying down Florida’s debt is not something Bush can boast about. While he was in office, Florida’s outstanding debt rose from $15 billion to more than $23 billion. The state’s annual debt service payments rose from $928 million to $1.7 billion.

<snip>

An analysis by Reuters last month found that between state, city and county funding, Florida spent $1.3 billion on Scripps and anticipated spin-off companies. The effort has generated fewer than 1,400 jobs to date, a fraction of what had been projected in a study touted by Bush. Put another way, Florida taxpayers spent $1 million for every job created.

Also he did cut taxes, but it didn’t benefit everyone:

But it may not just be Democrats who will criticize the Jeb Bush tax cuts. Other Republican candidates who are more conservative than Bush — like Sens. Ted Cruz of Texas and Rand Paul of Kentucky (who favor a flat tax) — may also want to highlight his tax relief for rich investors. They will want to portray the current front-runner as a country-club Republican who is only catering to more ideologically pure conservatives until the primaries are over.

[Dr.Drake]

@ITR_champion

What’s not to like?

[ul]
[li]He cut taxes to among the country’s lowest. [Low taxes are nice but not necessarily good][/li][li]He kept spending decently low.[/li][li]He kept the level of state regulations decently low.[/li][li]He introduced charter schools and vouchers, helping thousands of poor children get a better education and dramatically improving the state’s public schools.[/li][li]He eliminated affirmative action in public universities and government contracting.[/li][li]He killed off an expensive high-speed rail system.[/li][/ul]

[BobLibDem]

@ITR_champion

I am neither a Republican nor a Bush voter, but I think any thinking person should understand why he appeals to some folks. He did a good job as governor of Florida.

[ul]
[li]He cut taxes to among the country’s lowest.[/li][li]He kept spending decently low.[/li][li]He kept the level of state regulations decently low.[/li][li]Because of the previous three things, economic growth was strong during his terms.[/li][li]So was population growth.[/li][li]He introduced charter schools and vouchers, helping thousands of poor children get a better education and dramatically improving the state’s public schools.[/li][li]He eliminated affirmative action in public universities and government contracting.[/li][li]He improved environmental protections for the Everglades and other areas.[/li][li]He killed off an expensive high-speed rail system.[/li][/ul]

What’s not to like?

Did he cut taxes as much as he says? Half true, quoth politifact.
Economic growth. Yeah, due to rising property values. But then the bubble burst.
Did he cut spending? Eh, Cato says not so fast.

Jeb Bush was in office from 1999 to 2007. Florida general fund spending increased from $18.0 billion to $28.2 billion during those eight years, or 57 percent. Total state spending increased from $45.6 billion to $66.1 billion, or 45 percent. (This is NASBO data from here and here). Over those eight years, Florida’s population grew 16 percent and the CPI, which measures inflation, grew 24 percent.

Population growth? Yeah, boomers retire and move south. I doubt we can credit Jeb!

Has Bush overseen improvements in education. Nope.

But he doesn’t mention a 2014 report that Florida charter schools had math and reading test scores that were either no better or worse than traditional public schools. Or that under his program of assigning letter grades to schools based on test scores, a disproportionate number of charters get failing academic letter grades from the state. Or that Florida’s charter sector has been marred by numerous closures of charters — some even during the school year — and repeated financial mismanagement scandals.

Yes, Bush did end affirmative action. Not that it’s a good thing morally or even wise politically. It will help him with angry white voters, as if they wouldn’t vote R anyway.

Everglades? Yeah, I’ll give him some credit. Blind squirrel and nuts and all

Yep, he killed high speed rail. Not that that’s a good thing.

[Boyo_Jim]

I hope Bush gets the Terri Schiavo incident shoved up his ass during the campaign. His behavior was appalling.

[ElvisL1ves]

@BobLibDem

Everglades? Yeah, I’ll give him some credit. Blind squirrel and nuts and all

Nothing that’s lasted. The GOP-run legislature has been fuck-you-ing the people on their passage of Amendment One.

Yep, he killed high speed rail. Not that that’s a good thing.

The corridor down I-4, yes. All Aboard Florida (Miami-Orlando) is well under way, though.

[ITR_champion]

[Quote=Sam Lowry]
I cut taxes to the tune of $19 billion. We reduced the state government workforce by 13,000, but we took on the entrenched interests in our state, whether it was the trial bar or the folks that were making a lot of money off our workers’ comp system. We reduced those costs and the net effect of this was we had 1.3 million net new jobs during my eight years," Bush told a crowd recently in New Hampshire.

Never mind that four governors who preceded Bush — Lawton Chiles, Bob Martinez, Bob Graham and Reubin Askew — could boast of better or comparable job creation numbers.

<snip>

Paying down Florida’s debt is not something Bush can boast about. While he was in office, Florida’s outstanding debt rose from $15 billion to more than $23 billion. The state’s annual debt service payments rose from $928 million to $1.7 billion.

<snip>

An analysis by Reuters last month found that between state, city and county funding, Florida spent $1.3 billion on Scripps and anticipated spin-off companies. The effort has generated fewer than 1,400 jobs to date, a fraction of what had been projected in a study touted by Bush. Put another way, Florida taxpayers spent $1 million for every job created.
[/quote]

Well, yes, Bush isn’t perfect. I fully agree. Nevertheless, I would say he has a good record when compared against other presidential contenders, Democratic or Republican.

Pointing out that job growth numbers in Jeb’s term are no better than previous governors’ means little. The American economy grew quickly from 1980 to 2000. Bush took office in 1999, just in time for the dot-com crash. Florida’s growth numbers during his terms were above the national average.

Things like the handouts to Scripps and the pension legislation are bad, to be sure, but we’d be hard pressed to find any governor who hasn’t ever done things like that. Jeb can point out that, whatever his faults, Florida’s financial situation is better than many other states. Florida has an AAA credit rating; most states don’t.

[BobLibDem]

Let’s not forget this about Jeb!. He badgered his legislature to get himself appointed the guardian of Terri Schiavo to keep that brain-dead women artificially alive in order to gain some cred with the social conservative crowd. He interfered with what should be a family decision on when to turn off life support for his own political purpose. For those who are anti-government zealots, how does this square with your worldview? How do you support a guy who stole the guardianship of a dead woman away from her spouse?

[Sam_Lowry]

@ITR_champion

Well, yes, Bush isn’t perfect. I fully agree. Nevertheless, I would say he has a good record when compared against other presidential contenders, Democratic or Republican.

Pointing out that job growth numbers in Jeb’s term are no better than previous governors’ means little. The American economy grew quickly from 1980 to 2000. Bush took office in 1999, just in time for the dot-com crash. Florida’s growth numbers during his terms were above the national average.

Things like the handouts to Scripps and the pension legislation are bad, to be sure, but we’d be hard pressed to find any governor who hasn’t ever done things like that. Jeb can point out that, whatever his faults, Florida’s financial situation is better than many other states. Florida has an AAA credit rating; most states don’t.

All valid points. And they I was curious about the credit ratings, Florida does still have an AAA credit rating, unlike the states of Jindal, Christie, Walker, and Huckabee.