Jeb Bush CPAC Speech Says GOP Must Stop Being 'Anti Everything' Party

[Grassy Knoll]

Source: huffingtonpost.com

NATIONAL HARBOR, Md. -- Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush beseeched a gathering of conservatives in remarkably frank terms on Friday night to change the course of the Republican Party and to become a more diverse, welcoming and understanding party to minorities and low-income Americans.

Bush, speaking at the Conservative Political Action Conference annual dinner, made the heart of his speech a call to the GOP to "learn from past mistakes." He made his case in some of the bluntest language he has used.

Read more: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/03/15/jeb-bush-cpac-speech-2013_n_2857496.html

[Archae]

1. If Jeb actually meant that...

He'd be drummed out of the GOP faster than you can say Bush.

[Iliyah]

2. Teabots, Rovebots, Paulbots

who will win? All are crazy as hell.

[lexw]

11. :D

[NRaleighLiberal]

3. ...including being the "anti-Bush" party. enough, already!

[Left Coast2020]

4. No No No Jeb! Thats the wrong speech!!

You forgot to say you want to oppose any min. wage increase for working class people--that cutting taxes makes economy work better. And that you will work hard to end healthcare and ObamaCare" and entitlements are not necessary for seniors.

Get on the right page Jeb for 2014. Its important.

[Thinkingabout]

5. Jeb is trying to save the GOP party from itself. I do not think it is possible for the TP to agree

with anything reasonable and this is who has been invited to CPAC. The real GOP needs to kick the TP to the curb before the last breath leaves the GOP.

[frazzled]

6. Why, oh why, are we so obsessed with every sentence uttered at CPAC?

There must be two hundred threads on the vicissitudes of the CPAC conference on this board. Various blogs are obsessed with it. Why do we give a flying f*** what stupid utterance emanates from Jeb Bush or Donald Trump's mouth? Why does the media grant this get together such special scrutiny?

I hardly ever see threads when the Netroots Nation national conference is going on, which features many prominent Democratic political figures, including senators, representatives, and even presidential candidates. (I was there at Yearly Kos, its former name, when all 8 presidential candidates appeared and spoke.) The media pays no attention to it whatsoever.

Why is everyone so interested to hear what these buffoons say? Why do we give them such publicity? It's pissing me off. I choose to ignore their little unimportant conclave. And you should, too.

[olddots]

9. Don't get mad organize

most people like to get mad with good reason but its not doing much good .
We feel like there is no hope because the media tells us that there is no hope .

[mpcamb]

28. I agree....

It's disgusting and dangerous that they control (own) so many state legislatures.
There's so much bad-outcome and energy-down-a-rathole trying to fix the stuff they do.

[lexw]

12. I ignore it. The news doesn't, that's what's shocking.

[LovingA2andMI]

13. Attended Netroots Last Year and....

It was awesome. Plan on going again this year if I can afford it. Buying my Netroots ticket and plane fare when I get my tax refund back. Then I be this summer in Santa Ana, CA!

[DFW]

14. As long as they can block every initiative and nomination we put forth in Congress

We have every reason to to be interested in hearing what these buffoons say.

We can't counter their arguments and statements on the campaign trail if we don't know what those arguments and statements are. On the other hand, if progressives can effectively tear apart every argument being put forth by the extremist right (aka the Republican Party) in debates and on talk shows, it makes our case before the voters. If we can't, it makes their case.

[DonCoquixote]

15. Because this, like the 47% bit, is where the GOP takes their mask off

This is where they show their fangs and brag about hurting people, and we need to stay on them so that when they slip up,we do not let mr and mrs low information voter forget it.

[4dsc]

17. One must know and understand the enemy

to better fight him.

[frazzled]

18. No, I think this is just about the sport of it

It's easier to be oppositional, and to get all outraged or giggly about the things they say, than to actually focus on policies and issues we should be understanding and promoting. It's just a fun pastime for a lot of people, to get snarky.

By posting so many threads, and by the media paying attention, it just spreads their message and overplays their influence. If this were happening on both sides, liberal as well as conservative, I might not mind. But the silence about liberal conclaves that are similar in nature suggests a double standard. They are completely ignored--not just by the media but by us as well.

I'd respond to you by saying: you should know and understand your own friends, too. Not just spend time scouting out your powerless, hapless, and often buffoon-like "enemies."

[24601]

20. Al Qaeda is an enemy. Americans who join Al Qaeda are aiding and abetting enemies of the US.

Americans who who hold different, even detestable, political views are not enemies, they are opponents.

Consider the alternative - Presidential election outcomes are reasonably close to splitting the US down the middle. Is the winning candidate then the President of the US (After all, President Obama has said that he's the President for all Americans) and the President of US's enemies? Chilling thought and that line of thinking leads to advocacy for killing the enemy's President. That's a road no one here should ever consider crossing.

[llmart]

30. For the same reason as more people watch Honey Boo Boo....

than will watch a PBS special on poverty in America. CPAC is a reality show with lots of dysfunction and things to make fun of

[frazzled]

31. Bingo /nt

[AlbertCat]

7. GOP Must Stop Being 'Anti Everything' Party

And be FOR stopping Obamacare!

be FOR stopping SS and medicare!

be FOR stopping higher taxes on those who can afford them

be FOR stopping women from getting equal pay!


There are all kinds of things they can be for!

[24601]

21. Anti-Everything? Thanks for clarifying that are against tax cuts for the 1%. Who knew?

[Notafraidtoo]

8. Hehe

If they could "Learn from past mistakes"they wouldn't be conservative.

[jaysunb]

10. Well said !

Welcome to DU

[jerseyjack]

16. ---but,...but,...but then, they would be "The Party Of Yes."

[hatrack]

19. Which is like saying that frogs must stop living in water, breathing through their skins and hopping

Lots of luck, Jebbie.

[sakabatou]

22. They'll throw him under the bus.

[SmittynMo]

23. That was Jeb?

I thought this guy was dumber than George. On most things he actually is. But this one he nailed. I am totally shocked that he said this. But it is the truth. The GOP is anti everything, including anti America, as far as I am concerned. They are against everything. What ever happened "One nation, indivisible, under God?". Well the GOP has successfully divided this country in two, and they're losing big time. And until they change their ways, they'll never win another major election. Nothing has changed. They learned absolutely nothing with their last election loss. They are still preaching the same old crap they spewed for months. Look at Ryans budget proposal. What a joke this guy is. They flip flop on everything. And now Portman has changed his stance on gay's, only because his son came out of the closet? WTF!! Maybe they'd change their stance on poor people too, if only they knew some. They all live in a bubble, and anyone outside of that bubble is wrong. The hatred from these people is unbelievable. McConnell calling Hillary a rerun of the golden girls? Hell, he could be a co star on the program. What a friggin hypocrite!! They will never change, and they will never win again until they get with the program. God help us all.

[hatrack]

24. Don't worry - he'll find a new position tomorrow.

[drm604]

25. Reading the article, it sounds like he's still trumpeting conservative principles.

In fact, it doesn't sound like he's advocating any change beyond just changing spin; keep the principles, just present them differently.

[madamesilverspurs]

26. Jeb,

like the rest of his family, never says or does anything that doesn't lead to some benefit for himself. He, like his siblings, was raised to put self first; personal gain is at the root of their every ambition, the "greater good" is a quaint advertising mechanism. The Bush family is no asset to the country, we forget that at our peril.

[Blandocyte]

27. But I want them to stay just the way they are!

Ya know, abhorrent to the majority of voters.

[underpants]

29. CAN'T WE JUST GET BACK TO WHERE IT WAS MY BIRTHRIGHT TO BE #1?!?!?!??!?