Jeb Bush: What He Thinks of Trump, Biden, DeSantis, and 'Florida Man'
Nov 22, 2023
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Former governor Jeb Bush discusses his views on Florida's growth and success, the influence of immigrants, special tax districts, migrants and immigration law. They also explore the concept of the 'Florida man' meme and Bush's thoughts on current politicians.
Florida's growth can be attributed to its infrastructure, tax code, and hands-off approach in micromanaging people's lives.
Florida's education reforms have led to improved performance and positive results in national assessments and university rankings.
Florida has successfully implemented environmental and conservation efforts, balancing preservation with economic growth and long-term investments.
Deep dives
Florida's Growth and Livability
Florida has become the fastest-growing state in the country and a popular destination for people wanting to move, live, and work there. Its growth can be attributed to its relatively lower problems compared to other states, such as better infrastructure, fewer potholes, and a comparatively functioning road system. The state's tax code, smaller government, and hands-off approach in micromanaging people's lives have created an environment that fosters economic opportunity and attracts business investment. Governor Jeb Bush highlights the importance of maintaining limited government and investing in long-term infrastructure and natural system preservation to sustain Florida's growth effectively.
Education as a Key Priority
Governor Jeb Bush has been an advocate of educational choice and reform throughout his career, believing that parents should have more control over their children's education. Florida has made significant progress in education with initiatives to empower parents through school choice, robust accountability systems, and a focus on early childhood literacy. The state has created expansive public and private parental choice programs that offer options for parents to choose the best educational environment for their children. Florida's education reforms have led to improved performance, particularly among lower-income communities, and the state has seen positive results in national assessments and university ranking.
Florida's Approach to Environment and Conservation
Florida has implemented successful environmental and conservation efforts, recognizing the importance of protecting natural resources and maintaining a balance between development and preservation. Former Governor Jeb Bush discusses the state's land purchasing program, which identifies and protects pristine areas and watersheds from potential development. Through direct appropriations and conservation easements, Florida has invested billions of dollars in preserving these areas. The state has taken a bipartisan approach, acknowledging the need for protection while also promoting economic growth and maintaining water capacity for urban development and agriculture. Bush highlights the importance of balancing conservation with limited government and maintaining a focus on long-term investments.
Florida's Cultural Transformation
Florida has experienced a transformative shift in its culture, moving away from a Southern town perception to becoming a vibrant, diverse, and aspirational mega-state. The state's cultural transformation can be attributed to an influx of immigrants, both from other countries and other parts of the United States, as well as progressive leadership striving for success at the state level. With an emphasis on economic development, Florida has fostered a shift toward a more entrepreneurial and forward-thinking mindset. The state celebrates and embraces its diverse population, focusing on being a region that fosters growth, values freedom, and encourages a forward-thinking mentality.
The Future of the Republican Party
Governor Jeb Bush reflects on the current state of the Republican Party, acknowledging the rise of populist sentiment and the emphasis on immigration and border security issues. He discusses the need for the party to address legitimate concerns about border control and broken immigration systems while maintaining a pro-immigrant stance. Bush suggests reforms such as changing asylum laws, securing the borders through a combination of technology and physical barriers, simplifying the legal immigration system, and finding a path to residency for undocumented immigrants already in the country. He advocates for a conservative approach that offers solutions for immigration challenges while emphasizing freedom, limited government, and entrepreneurial capitalism as guiding principles.
Born and raised in Texas, Jeb Bush moved to Florida in 1980. The son and brother of presidents, he was governor of the Sunshine State from 1999 to 2007, where he quickly became known as a champion of school choice and fiscal responsibility. In 2016, he made an unsuccessful run for the Republican presidential nomination and he now resides in Miami-Dade County—happily retired from political life.
A self-proclaimed "old-school conservative with libertarian blood running through [his] veins," I talked to Bush a few weeks ago for our new special issue of Reason devoted to all things Florida (subscribe now and read the full issue online!).
He told me that more people are moving to Florida than any other state in the country because "we don't try to micromanage people's lives" and that the government "works pretty good," especially when it comes to education, regulation, and infrastructure. We discussed what he really thinks of Gov. Ron DeSantis, former President Donald Trump, current President Joe Biden, and whether the "Florida Man" meme captures something essential about the state's residents. "It's probably not fair, but who cares?" he says. "It's funny. We should embrace it. We're striving to have a disproportionate number of candidates for the Darwin Award each year. We should be very proud of it."
And we talked about what really makes America great. "I would say the shared identity should be that it doesn't matter where you start in life," Bush told me. "It doesn't matter where you were born. What matters is that you have a chance to rise up, that your hard work will be rewarded, and that you will be part of the exceptionalism of our country where people…have a chance to succeed. That's being challenged like never before."
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