In Dubya's Brother's Announcement:


I saw that you posted here claiming that you can fix what ails America
because you’ve done it before — in Florida. That’s a pretty amazing
argument coming from a man whose my-way-or-the-highway approach put you
at odds with the legislature, the courts, and most importantly, the
hardworking families of Florida who had to live with your disastrous
decisions.

After reading through your argument, I’m frankly a little confused. I’m
confused because I witnessed firsthand your reckless economic agenda
play out as families across Florida suffered. I’m confused because in
line after line you make claim after claim that simply doesn’t jibe with
reality.

Shall we go through them? Let’s.

“So many challenges could be overcome if we just get this economy
growing at full strength. There is not a reason in the world why we
cannot grow at a rate of four percent a year.�

Then why on earth didn’t your brother do this? After 8 destructive years
in office riddled with policies you endorsed, like the failed tax cuts
that benefited millionaires, George W. Bush left us with the worst
economic collapse since the Great Depression. We know what a Bush
economy looks like and we can’t afford another one.

“And that will be my goal as president — four percent growth, and
the 19 million new jobs that come with it�

You shouldn’t make promises you can’t keep. We’ve heard this tune before
from both you and your brother. We know what the end result looks like:
economic policies that favor the rich over the middle class,
ever-increasing debt, and cuts to programs that help middle class and
struggling families get ahead — all in the name of a failed,
trickle-down agenda that does nothing to lift up hardworking families
and only serves to benefit people just like you. We’ll pass this time
around.

“Economic growth that makes a difference for hard-working men and
women — who don’t need reminding that the economy is more than the stock
market.�

This is incredible. A reminder for you, Governor Bush: Since leaving
Tallahassee, you’ve created a multi-million dollar fund that operates
like an offshore tax haven, you’ve continued to leverage your family
name for personal gain, you sat on the board of a company that defrauded
investors of millions of dollars and you’ve cashed in on your Wall
Street connections right as many Americans were hit by the financial
crisis. I’m referring of course to your stint at Lehman Brothers, the
now-defunct Wall Street titan that epitomized Wall Street greed,
self-destructing at the expense of Main Street.

“Growth that lifts up the middle class — all the families who
haven’t gotten a raise in 15 years. Growth that makes a difference for
everyone.�

Next time you’re in a town hall in Iowa or New Hampshire, why don’t you
explain to the families living on $7.25 an hour why you don’t support
raising the federal minimum wage? I’m sure they’d be thrilled to hear
what you’ve said before, that “we need to leave it to the private
sector.� And if you want to talk about the middle class, let’s talk
about your agenda to take away quality health care from millions, slash
Pell Grants, privatize Social Security and turn Medicare into a voucher
system. Truly stellar.

“We made Florida number one in job creation and number one in small
business creation. 1.3 million new jobs, 4.4 percent growth, higher
family income, eight balanced budgets, and tax cuts eight years in a row
that saved our people and businesses 19 billion dollars.�

Let’s talk about some other numbers: income inequality exploded in
Florida under your failed economic agenda, you ballooned our state’s
debt, tuition skyrocketed, and your tax policy gave massive breaks to
the wealthy and powerful corporations. That’s your Florida story,
Governor Bush. You may not want to tell it, but the people of Florida
remember it. We remember it, and we will continue to remind the American
people why your misplaced priorities are wrong for America.


from Debbie Wasserman Schultz, my favorite member of the U.S. House of
Representatives.