Nepotism

[Marshal Qin]

Bush senior wants another son to run


12:00 AEST Wed Jun 1 2005
AAP
George Bush, the US president's father, would like to see another Bush in the White House one day, saying that he would want his son Jeb to run for president when the timing is right.

Florida Governor Jeb Bush has repeatedly said he does not plan to run for president in 2008, trying to dampen speculation that another Bush could be on the next Republican ticket for the White House.

In an interview on CNN's Larry King Live, former President Bush said he would want Jeb to run for president "some day", but now was not the time.

"The timing's wrong. The main thing is, he doesn't want to do it. Nobody believes that," Bush said.

But he and wife Barbara both said they believed Jeb, 52, did not want to run in the next presidential race.

Bush said he did not have a favourite candidate for the Republican nomination to succeed his son, President George W Bush.

Barbara Bush said she believed Senator and former first lady Hillary Rodham Clinton would be the Democratic nominee in the 2008 presidential race.

"I'm not going to vote for her, but I'm betting on her," she said.

©AAP 2005

For me, Ithink one of the biggest image problems that the US has is the fact that so many of its high profile leaders are part of 'royal' families. It really looks from the outside like the US has a defacto nobility.

[Kanaric]

lol, if jeb runs for president i will simply laugh. There are so many other good people in the republican party that should be nominated besides him afterall. He would win simply because people like Bush if he ran.....

[Gelatinous Cube]

Not true at all. It's quite odd that things are developing the way they are, but it's purely coincidental. Didn't we have this discussion before, Qin? The US government has it's flaws, but anyone can work their way up to the top spots with a little hard work. Being rich helps, but it's not necesarry.

[Marshal Qin]

Not true at all. It's quite odd that things are developing the way they are, but it's purely coincidental. Didn't we have this discussion before, Qin? The US government has it's flaws, but anyone can work their way up to the top spots with a little hard work. Being rich helps, but it's not necesarry.

yep, we did, but this sort of thing just keeps reminding me of how much easier it is for an elite few. I know what you said before about all having the chance to reach the top. I wonder how much pressure is put on those who are not a part of any powerful familes. How is it that a family can have so much power in a democratic republic?

[Gelatinous Cube]

yep, we did, but this sort of thing just keeps reminding me of how much easier it is for an elite few. I know what you said before about all having the chance to reach the top. I wonder how much pressure is put on those who are not a part of any powerful familes. How is it that a family can have so much power in a democratic republic?

Power is a very relative thing. The USA is arguably one of the most entrenched Capitalist societies, so clearly Money = Power to a certain degree. But it surely isn't everything. I don't have a history book on hand, but I believe many presidents were from the Lower Classes. Bush's own Attorney General is a second-generation immigrant from poor upbringings.

One of the main reasons you see the same "elite" involved in politics like this, is because they're the ones who really want to. There's not a very big drive to become politicians among most Citizens, but Rich people feel an unstoppable urge to run for office.

[Kanaric]

Face it, the presidency and all of the government for that matter is the millionaires club. Its like skull and bones or freemasons.... you need connections & $$$ to get in, you are indoctrinated and everybody does the work for you to rise you above everyone so they can get ahead as well.

Especially the house of representatives, its like the house of lords. You are guarnteed a position for life due to the idiotic rules of that section of government save some major catastrophy. Hell you can even probably fondle hookers in public in front of a church and keep the job if you are in the right party and in the right area.

[Gelatinous Cube]

Face it, the presidency and all of the government for that matter is the millionaires club. Its like skull and bones or freemasons.... you need connections & $$$ to get in, you are indoctrinated and everybody does the work for you to rise you above everyone so they can get ahead as well.

Especially the house of representatives, its like the house of lords. You are guarnteed a position for life due to the idiotic rules of that section of government save some major catastrophy. Hell you can even probably fondle hookers in public in front of a church and keep the job if you are in the right party and in the right area.

An understandable but uneducated viewpoint. As I said before, being rich helps, but it's not necesarry. Poor people feel discouraged about running for higher political stations, so you only have rich people doing it. And, clearly, being rich is an advantage. But there's nothing in the system itself that garuntees the presidency to the rich, and not the poor.

Now, the House of Reps, that's not really true. An elected official in the House of Reps is only there for 2 years, and has little real power compared to the Senate. What Congress does is come up with ideas, pound them into an agreeable format, and pass them along to the Senate. You see alot of people who are Reps for such a long time simply because it's an unpopular political station. The public rarely takes notice, and oftentimes there's nobody even running against you. Peter DeFazzio, for example, is my congressman, and he's been my congressman for as long as I can remember. Luckily, he's a good guy. Also, he's not rich.

The Senate is another story entirely. They get corrupted real easy, and the Senate will either make or break your personal integrity.

[Kanaric]

You obviously dont know much about the house.

States that are dominated by a particular party can redraw boundries so that a person of a that party placed there is not only guarnteed to win but is guarnteed a job for life short of a catastrophy or short of him offending the party. You may not need to be as rich as the senate HOWEVER they are DEFINATELY not middle class. Connections mean everything, if you have political connections you are guarnteed a job, and if you have charisma and the ability to keep secrets you are guarnteed office. You agree they are reps for life and nobody runs against them because they KNOW its futile simply because of my points above, no other reason. Obviously if there was a chance in him losing somebody will take the office. If you are in a political seat, especially the house, that means power and favors. A job in the house isn't as "weak" as you might think.

Also if there is nothing in the presidency that guarantees presidency to the rich, and not the poor then how come the only way a person from modest roots can become president is when he has a major success story or if hes vice president and the elected president has some unfortunate "accident" fall upon him.

Also do you even KNOW how much money it takes to get elected? To run ads? To convince people that you are the right person to be nominated? To convince political groups that you are the right candidate? If you think a poor person can handle that you are sadly mistaken. Its not only an educated viewpoint but its everyday knowledge, even politicians agree to that.

The Senate is actually the opposite of what you think. They are the only ones who really have to battle for their seats so they have to keep themselves clean and "kiss babies" to keep their office. They actually have to take action and do things while in the house all you have to do is make sure you party is happy and the literal lines are drawn in your favor. Sure like any other politicians they are corrupt they just have to make themselves clean looking in order to get elected and they actually have to do work to keep their seat.

Its ironic they call the house democratic when in many areas reps literally name heirs to their fiefdoms for their retirement. Which is probably the only time they actually would have to fight for their seats short of some massive scandle.

[Gelatinous Cube]

You obviously dont know much about the house.

States that are dominated by a particular party can redraw boundries so that a person of a that party placed there is not only guarnteed to win but is guarnteed a job for life short of a catastrophy or short of him offending the party. You may not need to be as rich as the senate HOWEVER they are DEFINATELY not middle class. Connections mean everything, if you have political connections you are guarnteed a job, and if you have charisma and the ability to keep secrets you are guarnteed office. You agree they are reps for life and nobody runs against them because they KNOW its futile simply because of my points above, no other reason. Obviously if there was a chance in him losing somebody will take the office. If you are in a political seat, especially the house, that means power and favors. A job in the house isn't as "weak" as you might think.

Also if there is nothing in the presidency that guarantees presidency to the rich, and not the poor then how come the only way a person from modest roots can become president is when he has a major success story or if hes vice president and the elected president has some unfortunate "accident" fall upon him.

Also do you even KNOW how much money it takes to get elected? To run ads? To convince people that you are the right person to be nominated? To convince political groups that you are the right candidate? If you think a poor person can handle that you are sadly mistaken. Its not only an educated viewpoint but its everyday knowledge, even politicians agree to that.

The Senate is actually the opposite of what you think. They are the only ones who really have to battle for their seats so they have to keep themselves clean and "kiss babies" to keep their office. They actually have to take action and do things while in the house all you have to do is make sure you party is happy and the literal lines are drawn in your favor. Sure like any other politicians they are corrupt they just have to make themselves clean looking in order to get elected and they actually have to do work to keep their seat.

Its ironic they call the house democratic when in many areas reps literally name heirs to their fiefdoms for their retirement. Which is probably the only time they actually would have to fight for their seats short of some massive scandle.

You must live in California In my state, we see little of those problems.

[Carousel]

In America:

Yes, money = power

but bending over and taking it from some major corporations whilst shouting 'ill do anything you want' = money

[Wild Bill Kelso]

It really looks from the outside like the US has a defacto nobility.

And just as inbred, judging by G.W.B's actions.. I jest, I jest. Seriously though, I personally don't like too many members of the same family, i.e more than one, to hold the keys of power to the most powerful nation on earth.

[Tacticalwithdrawal]

Does get a tad worrying, especially since the longer one power base (be it political party, family, whatever) is in power the more likely they are to succumb to corruption.

Of course, that assumes they weren't corrupt in the first place.......

[Profler]

States that are dominated by a particular party can redraw boundries so that a person of a that party placed there is not only guarnteed to win but is guarnteed a job for life short of a catastrophy or short of him offending the party. You may not need to be as rich as the senate HOWEVER they are DEFINATELY not middle class. Connections mean everything, if you have political connections you are guarnteed a job, and if you have charisma and the ability to keep secrets you are guarnteed office. You agree they are reps for life and nobody runs against them because they KNOW its futile simply because of my points above, no other reason. Obviously if there was a chance in him losing somebody will take the office. If you are in a political seat, especially the house, that means power and favors. A job in the house isn't as "weak" as you might think.

Ahh, that's the House of Commons in 1850, not quite the House of Lords, we've at least never pretended that the noble peers represent anyone but themselves

[Big War Bird]

Are people here forgetting the Kennedy clan? The democrat party is infested with them. Or perhaps the Jackson's? Or the Clintons for christ's sake. If any party has cornered the market on 'family values' its the demonrats.

[Bovril]

I think the discussion is about U.S politics generally, rather than any contrast between Republicans and Democrats.

[ablitzkrieg]

U.S politics is just like U.S business. You need a good name, a good image, and a :wub: load of money. Why do you think Bush got elected? Why do you think Hillary Clinton is keeping Bills last name?

Money IS power here in the US, because politicians arent going to listen to anyone but the people who are contributing to their campaigns. That is why you hear so much :wub: about "The Corporations" and soft money. This also creates the image of this american nobility, because they are the ones with the good names, good images, and money.

[Gelatinous Cube]

Are people here forgetting the Kennedy clan? The democrat party is infested with them. Or perhaps the Jackson's? Or the Clintons for christ's sake. If any party has cornered the market on 'family values' its the demonrats.

The Bush's are worse than all of them, by far.

[Pent uP Rage]

OMFG...If another Bush gets elected, I'm moving to Britain or Canada or ANYWHERE else but here.

[Erik]

I think connections are even more important than money.

Of course the initial money the Bush family earned (by cooperating with the nazi's) put them in power but connections are what KEEP them in power.

If a president takes good care of a company then this company wil likely support his family members in future elections.

Bush I and II also had the same campaign leader, Karl Rove.
This guy was essential for all their election victories, and he wil likely support Jeb too.

[internationalist]

Jeb would be a great president- As govenor for two terms hes done jack :wub:. In his second term, just about all he did was try to keep Terry Schiavo from being taken off life support, and that failed.