Martin O'Malley Is Absolutely Correct: America Doesn't Need a Bush (or Clinton) Dynasty

It's MY turn!

NO! It's MINE!

(Huffington Post) - Former Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley echoed the sentiment of millions of Americans, especially Democrats, when he made the following statement about "crowns" and political dynasties:

"Let's be honest here, the presidency is not some crown to be passed between two families. It is an awesome and sacred trust to be earned and exercised on behalf of the American people," O'Malley said in an interview on ABC's "This Week."

With these words, O'Malley is the first Democrat to openly challenge a deep-seated paradigm ...within American politics...if you're a conservative, why does Jeb Bush deserve to be commander in chief?...

As Governor of Florida from 1999-2007, Bush's impact on his state isn't necessarily what most Americans would want for their country. In a 2007 Washington Postarticle titled The Jeb Bush Era Ends In Florida, the former governor's tenure is summarized in less than admirable terms:

In the ensuing eight years, Bush sent shivers through Florida's status quo as he gathered more power than any previous governor and reshaped state government to fit his vision.

Nicknamed "King Jeb," the Republican transformed what he saw as a tangle of red tape and squanderer of public money into a smaller, business-friendly administration needing fewer tax dollars to run.

... Yet, while his tenure coincided with a sizzling economy and an overflowing treasury, Bush's back-to-back terms were marred by frequent ethics scandals, official bungling and the inability of the government he downsized to meet growing demands for state services, including education and aid for the infirm and the elderly.

In 2007, a Washington Post article referred to Bush as "King Jeb" (a reference to Bush amassing more power than any previous Florida governor) and cited "frequent ethics scandals" during his tenure. Therefore, how does this bode well for the rest of America? Bush's conservative "business friendly" policies had the usual economic consequences; education, the elderly, and others paid the price.

Regarding Jeb's ethical scandals, a Newsweek article by Lou Dubose titled Tricky Ethical Questions Jeb Bush Must Answer highlights one of several scandals during Bush's tenure:

Bush was both a director on the corporate board and a marketing consultant for InnoVida Holdings LLC while it was the subject of a criminal investigation that sent its two top executives to jail.

..."A Securities and Exchange Commission lawsuit filed against InnoVida alleges that Bush was brought on 'to add an air of legitimacy to InnoVida.'"

...Why didn't Bush or someone on his staff look deeper?

...And Jeb Bush either had a front-row seat to a corporate scam or he ignored his duty to the shareholders he represented on a corporate board.

If Jeb Bush had a different last name, would conservatives inquire as to why he was both a director and consultant for a corporation that was "the subject of a criminal investigation" and lost investors millions? The fact is that Jeb isn't that far removed from his brother George in regards to his economic philosophy. Unfortunately, this also means that another 2008 financial collapse (that resulted in $19.2 trillion in lost American wealth) could be on the horizon with a future Bush administration in 2016. Read more.