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Jeb Bush's paymasters will command his loyalty and gratitude
Jac Wilder VerSteeg at the South Florida Sun-Sentinel cuts to the chase......
Which brings us to Jeb Bush. He released tax records showing that he has earned about $29 million since leaving office, mostly from speaking and consulting fees.
Bush is neither a scintillating speaker nor a business genius. Bush commands those high fees because of his family's longtime links to government — federal and state. Wealthy and privileged folks didn't pay to hear and consult with Bush, they paid to stroke the president's son, the president's brother and a potential presidential candidate.
As he released his tax returns, Bush attempted to compare his situation with that of a regular taxpayer. "I paid the government more than one in three dollars that I earned in my career," he said. "Astounding. I think I speak for everyone, no matter your tax rate: We need to get more money back in your pocket and less in the federal kitty."
Poor Jeb. The government only let Bush keep about $19 million that very rich and privileged people paid him. And he vows to overturn the policies of President Obama, who used government to save jobs during the Great Recession and now wants to use government to literally put more overtime money into exploited workers' pockets.
You'd think Bush would be grateful to government for the leg up it has given him. But Bush essentially is an employee of his wealthy donors. They — not middle class Americans — will command his loyalty and gratitude.
Which brings us to Jeb Bush. He released tax records showing that he has earned about $29 million since leaving office, mostly from speaking and consulting fees.
Bush is neither a scintillating speaker nor a business genius. Bush commands those high fees because of his family's longtime links to government — federal and state. Wealthy and privileged folks didn't pay to hear and consult with Bush, they paid to stroke the president's son, the president's brother and a potential presidential candidate.
As he released his tax returns, Bush attempted to compare his situation with that of a regular taxpayer. "I paid the government more than one in three dollars that I earned in my career," he said. "Astounding. I think I speak for everyone, no matter your tax rate: We need to get more money back in your pocket and less in the federal kitty."
Poor Jeb. The government only let Bush keep about $19 million that very rich and privileged people paid him. And he vows to overturn the policies of President Obama, who used government to save jobs during the Great Recession and now wants to use government to literally put more overtime money into exploited workers' pockets.
You'd think Bush would be grateful to government for the leg up it has given him. But Bush essentially is an employee of his wealthy donors. They — not middle class Americans — will command his loyalty and gratitude.
Jeb Bush is selling neither expertise nor business acumen in grabbing at that $29 million for himself since he left office in 2007, as those skills are nonexistent.
He is selling access to his father's and brother's political connections, influence and power. It is how he has operated his entire life, and it has paid him obscene amounts of corporate money. These are the qualities of a self-entitled leech.
Greed rots the soul.
It will be up to the people and non-bought media investigators to short-circuit his cash-greased steamroll to the White House.
Paging David Corn, Robert Parry, Greg Palast and Juan Cole.
