Jim Kingston: Consider Jeb Bush on his merits, not his name

As we start the Presidential nominating process, more and more people wail, “I will not vote for another Bush!” I am not sure if he is the guy or not, but voters should consider more substance than just surname when picking a candidate. Jeb Bush was born with the name he was born with, just like I was, and just like you were. Governor Bush can not help who is relatives are, and we should not make snap judgments on him or anyone else running for office.

Voting against a candidate based on their name is antithetical to Republican principles. If we don’t want to have political royalty, neither should we discount someone’s record of personal and political achievement just because of their name.

As a Republican, you should be bringing maturity and intelligence to the debate instead of jumping to conclusions about someone based on who their Dad or Mom is.

Voting against Jeb Bush just because of his last name is no different than voting for someone based on their religion or their skin color.

While that may happen all the time, as a democratic society, we shouldn’t encourage that. History is filled with leaders who were elected because of their good looks, likeable personalities, and public speaking talents. If we are to learn from our past mistakes, we should remember that great leadership requires more than a passable first impression or rockstar charisma.

I first noticed voters categorizing the electorate in 2008 when Senator John McCain announced Sarah Palin as his running mate. Someone told me “he is trying to get the women’s vote by picking a female for Vice President.” Assuming that women will just vote for you just because you are a woman is ridiculous. Ask Michelle Nunn how that worked out. There may be some outliers who vote based on gender, but the assumption that most women will blindly vote on this characterization is wrong.

I also have heard people lament that the Republican party needs to stop nominating “old people” because that will not help young people, or millennials, go out and vote.

As a young voter, let me set the record straight. Age is not the main factor when I walk to the ballot box.

Suggesting that a nominee who looks like me is going to influence my vote is offensive. I would rather vote for someone who is 90 years old and shares my values than someone who is 50 years old and does not.

Implying that the candidate’s appearance should reflect the demographic you’re trying to attract is pathetic.

That would be like saying the Atlanta Hawks need to recruit more white players in order to get more white people to buy tickets to games.

Most people are not that shallow, and don’t buy into stereotypes. Hawks fans want to see the most talented players and the most productive team play the game. Young voters want to see an effective, debt-free, government function to its most efficient capacity.

If your criticism of Jeb Bush is his position on taxes, or if you think that he did not nominate the right people to the Florida Supreme Court as Governor, then those are valid reasons why not to vote for him. You vote should be based on research. To draw premature conclusions on politicians based on name, gender, and race might be the norm, but it is not helpful to the process.

I have heard several times that Governor Bush was born with a silver spoon in his mouth.

That statement is debatable, but let’s assume that it is true.

Since then, Jeb Bush earned a degree from the University of Texas, served as Florida Secretary of Commerce, managed the campaign of the first Cuban-American to serve in Congress, served as Dade County Republican Party Chairman, volunteered for the Reagan-Bush Presidential election and reelection, ran for Governor and lost, ran again and won, and was reelected for a second term.

The list goes on, but the point is, his name may have opened some doors that would have otherwise been shut, but he also worked hard to walk into the rooms.

When I was in high school, a teacher told me that George W. Bush had his Dad get him into Yale. But as far as I know, however, Yale does not just hand out degrees once you are enrolled.

I am not encouraging people to vote for Jeb Bush. I have not picked a candidate, but I do encourage people to research the candidates on their individual merits, vote in the primary and general elections, and support the candidate who best matches their values. When you are discussing who should lead our country, let their stances on the issues lead the debate. Don’t let labels, generalizations, or surnames affect our judgment.

By cutting your research short, you only hurt the country, the party, and your own image.