2012 SelectSmart.com Presidential Candidate Selector Positions Jeb Bush John Ellis "Jeb" Bush (born February 11, 1953) is an American politician and was the 43rd Governor of Florida. He is a prominent member of the Bush family: the younger brother of former President George W. Bush. Republican.

Foreign policy and war issues: Statements on a two-state solution to Israeli/Palestinian conflict not found. However the GOP platform "support the vision of two democratic states". Source

Security/liberties: Views unknown at this time.

Social Security: Jeb Bush made an argument against privatization. "Jeb Bush warns against letting all of the state's pension funds ride on the stock market. Jeb Bush wrote in the April 18 Tallahassee Democrat of his concern that state workers' retirement money was at risk because stock market losses had caused the Florida Retirement Fund to lose about $8 billion in a week -- $4 billion in one day." Source Maintain long-term solvency of Social Security and Medicare. (Aug 2001) Source

Stem cell research: "Florida Gov. Jeb Bush said Tuesday that he opposes human embryonic stem cell research because it requires the destruction of days-old embryos." Source

Same sex issues: "Marriage is safe in Florida," Gov. Jeb Bush declared on Tuesday, telling a travel industry conference that he will not support civil unions. Gay marriage is already illegal in the state. Bush said the he supports his brother the President in a constitutional amendment to bar same-sex couples from marrying. Of civil unions, he said that he would veto any bill coming before him that would recognize gay and lesbian relationships. Source

Trade issues: Bush's remarks focused on the evolution of global commerce, growth of free trade areas and the emergence of Asian markets. He called the entrepreneurial spirit within the state's Hispanic population growing asset and he championed the continued effort to name Florida the permanent home of the Free Trade Area of the Americas secretariat. Bush hailed the recent signing of DR-CAFTA, indicating that growing free trade in the region could lead, both directly and indirectly, to 36,000 new jobs statewide over the next several years. He cited that more than $16 billion was generated last year for Florida by pan-regional trade, and predicted sizable growth of this benefit with increases in free trade. Source

Budget issues: The National Taxpayers Union Campaign Fund (NTUCF), the political action arm of the 335,000- member National Taxpayers Union (NTU), today announced it has endorsed Jeb Bush for Governor of Florida. NTUCF President John Berthoud observed, "Jeb Bush's leadership and hard work on behalf of the taxpayers of Florida have been proven throughout his term as Governor. He is the candidate of less government and lower taxes and is most attuned to the families of the state of Florida." Source

Business & labor issues: The AFL-CIO has little love for Bush saying, “'Before Bush and his brother Jeb entered politics, they were businessmen who benefited from crony capitalism—now they are simply taking care of their constituents,'” says Gerald McEntee, AFSCME president. Since 1998, Jeb Bush has repeatedly attacked Florida state workers’ rights and made his state government a gold mine for Big Business—to privatize the state’s human resources department, for example, his administration hired a company that had a financial relationship with the consultant that advised privatization." Source

Abortion issues: Bush is a staunch opponent of abortion. "Jeb Bush, the governor of Florida and brother of the president, has ignited a fierce new debate on abortion after ordering the appointment of a legal guardian to represent the interests of an unborn foetus being carried by a woman with severe learning disabilities who was raped." Source

Capital punishment: An advocate of capital punishment Source

Marijuana: Mandatory prison sentences for drug offenses. (Nov 2001) Reduce drug use by 50% by prevention & enforcement. (Jul 1999) More federal funding for all aspects of Drug War. (Aug 2000) Source

Gun control: Jeb Bush just signed into law the Florida no-retreat bill, which provides that a person need not retreat from an attack, may "stand his ground" and use deadly force if he reasonably believes he or another person is threatened by death or serious physical injury. Source

Minimum wage: In 2005, Bush opposed an initiative to increase the minimum wage in Florida to $6.15. Voters approved the initiative. Source

Environment: Bush signed legislation to protect the Everglades and opposed federal plans to drill for oil off the coast of Florida. In early October 2005, Bush attempted to strike a compromise with fellow Republicans that would allow offshore drilling in an area that stretches 125 miles off Florida's coastline and give the state legislature the power to permit drilling closer to the state's coastlines. The compromise was warmly received by some Florida Republicans and U.S. Congressmen, such as bill sponsor Richard Pombo, but has yet to be agreed upon; others including Republican U.S. Senator Mel Martinez, objected to any backtracking on the drilling moratorium. Jeb Bush is skeptical about man-made global warming. Source

Health care: Views unknown at this time.

Prescription drugs: Views unknown at this time.

Immigration issues: Advocates open immigration laws. Source
One of the first big-name Republicans to criticize the Arizona law. "I don't think this is the proper approach," said Bush, who supports comprehensive immigration reform. He warned of "unintended consequences" in an interview with Politico on Tuesday. "It's difficult for me to imagine how you're going to enforce this law. It places a significant burden on local law enforcement, and you have civil liberties issues that are significant as well," Bush said. Source Share costs of legal immigration between states & federal. (Feb 2001) Federal government should deal with criminal repatriation. (Feb 2001) Import farm workers from Mexico. (Sep 2001) Source

Education issues: Favors vouchers for parents who choose to send their kids to private schools. Source

Jeb.org.