Jeb Bush distances himself from GOP on taxes

J. Scott Applewhite

(CBS News) Showing his willingness to break from his party, former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush said on Friday he would accept $10 in spending cuts for every $1 in revenue increases and criticized activist Grover Norquist's no-tax pledge that most GOP lawmakers have signed.

Bush's comments came during an appearance before the House Budget Committee, where he testified at a hearing called "Removing the Barriers to Free Enterprise and Economic Growth." The hearing began as a question-and-answer session on many of the legislative battles occurring since he finished his term as governor in 2006.

Regarding the 10-to-1 question of cuts to increases - a hypothetical offer that every single Republican candidate for president said they would turn down during a debate last August - Bush said: "If you could bring to me a majority of people to say that we're going to have $10 in spending cuts for $1 of revenue enhancement -- put me in, coach."

As if to reiterate his oft-stated opposition to another election in the near future, he quipped, "This will prove I'm not running for anything."

He also said he had rejected three offers from Norquist, the head of Americans for Tax Reform, to sign a pledge refusing to ever support a tax increase. "I don't believe you outsource your principles and convictions to people. I respect Grover's political involvement, he has every right to do it, but I never signed any pledge," Bush said.

Though he called Mitt Romney "" great guy," Bush reiterated that he isn't interested in being Romney's running mate. He still favors fellow Floridian Marco Rubio -- whom he called, "the most articulate spokesman for conservative principles I think in America today" -- for the job.

On other issues, Bush showed he is in sync with the GOP. He said he agreed with Romney's argument that the auto industry should have been allowed to go bankrupt ("they did go bankrupt," he said, though in a way that he deemed inappropriate because of the government's "muscular" involvement).

He said that the $700 billion financial rescue of Wall Street banks - a deal engineered by the administration of his brother, President George W. Bush -- "was probably the right thing to do." He also was critical of the Dodd-Frank legislation that followed for heaping more regulation on an industry that he said suffered from poor enforcement rather than regulation.

Bush at times found himself the subject of harsh critiques of both his own and his brother's records. Budget Committee ranking member Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., opened the session with a blistering critique of President Bush's economic policies, and various Democratic members of the committee - including Democratic National Committee chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz - used their question time to bash Jeb Bush's record as governor or subsequent work.

But he took the criticism in stride. ""I didn't come to criticize anybody, just for the record, I came to share my views," he said in response to Van Hollen's remarks. "I'm not used to the 9 o'clock food fight that starts bright and early around in Washington; I'm in Florida where you don't start that way in life, but it's great to be here."

[TJSpeakout]

Isn't it time to stop the hyperbole about evil liberals and evil conservatives? Let's just look at the facts. The federal deficit is out of control and every Republican and every Democrat and every Independent is screwed until something is done.

We need a break from dogma on both sides and I think it's refreshing to see a GOP standard-bearer break from the party orthodoxy to look at fresh ways to close the gap. Now if others on both sides of the aisle can start looking at fresh ways to approach the deficit, then MAYBE something can actually get done. Stop the bickering, stop the dogma and try a pragmatic and bi-partisan approach.

[minniesucks]

Wow. I can see why these looney idiots only watch and read the far-left liberal 'news'. I've never seen such a bunch of dumbed-down kool-aid swilling tools all in one place. These fools have no facts, but live on assumption, conjecture, innuendo and character assassination. CBS has done a fine job preaching to the choir- keeping the sheep in tow. George Soros is proud. The UN is licking its chops. Communists and all other enemies of freedom are smiling. But our founding fathers are rolling in their graves. If any of you freaks have an inkling of integrity and intellectual curiosity you would do well to at least read The Amateur- just for a start. Stop worshiping at the alter of your false messiah and the party of blame, and read some things which may challenge your ignorance to what is really happening in the cesspool that is Washington DC. Entrenched politicians on both sides of the aisle have been destroying our nation while enriching themselves, and then with the assistance of the media, they mean to throw us all off the scent/ stench- of corruption- by propagating myths that keep us fighting amongst ourselves. Way too often, to be a professional politician is to be intentionally disingenuous. You knuckleheads are buying all the snake oil that's pushed under your noses. Wake up!

[thefatcat2]

Sounds like the Typical Country Club Republican Liberal to Me.
For Every $10 in Promise to do Cuts > I will Give you $1 in ACTUAL CASH - Now.

[TimeToEvolve]

You completely lose all credibility when you use the term socialist for Obama or the Democrats. Obama is a right of center Democrat who is very close to a Republicon. He loves big business and their fake free market scam which only benefits the few at the expense of the many. But at least he realizes that to have real freedom and democracy you need a strong middle class and work toward progressive change. This FACT appears to be lost on the Republicons.

[minniesucks]

You're just joking, right? Unbelievable that anyone except a puppet drunk on kool-aid would not realize obama is a staunch Marxist who believes in spreading the wealth around, promoting class/ race/ gender... warfare in order to divide and conquer. He was the most liberal in the US Senate each year he was an incumbent. Stop deviating from the facts just to slander the Republican party and foist up your messiah. He's never been right of center on any single issue, but far to the left. He has HAD TO act otherwise a few times since getting elected in '08, but it's also that he couldn't fight the majority - and win.. if he wanted to at that time. You need to get some factual information from other sources- away from this bastion of liberal talking points.

[TimeToEvolve]

Republicons HATE facts. They hate the truth because it has a liberal bias. If this was not so true and so sad, it would be funny. But The Cons have lied their way into too much money and too much power and it is a disaster for America and for world and for the earth as well.

[TimeToEvolve]

There used to be Republicans who were reasonable people. Now there are extremist Republicons. There is no such thing as a liberal Republican nor is there any such thing as a moderate democrat. Those would both be Republicons.

[minniesucks]

Thank God we now have the tea party to right this corrupted ship which was driven by sleazy people in both parties; far more in the democrap party. The vitriol and hatred spewed by people like deb schultz and obama only proves that they can't argue anything on the merits. they got nothing! So they make up their own "facts", mostly which only slander their oppositions' character and distort actual facts and rewrite history. The sad thing is that moronic parrots like timetoevolve have no original thoughts of theirn own, and only repeat everything these scumbag professional politicians want them to believe. It's a sad time in a great nation. But I thank God for the tea party every single day. Of course this idiot above will only vilify me and the TP, erroneously labeling us as extremists and racists because he has no ability to debate, but to cast aspersions and false conjecture. But liberalism is a brain disorder, so we understand the intellectual ineptitude of the left. And we feel very sorry for you.

[TimeToEvolve]

This is just another Republicon who is four letter word. They say one thing and mean the opposite, that's how they roll. That way when you lie, you might be telling the truth but no one can tell. And you can do the opposite of what you said with ease because lying becomes second nature. And so it is with Republicons.

[Debauchee69]

As a RONALD REAGAN REPUBLICAN (AKA Someone who puts his country ahead of his party), I PUBLICALLY DENOUNCE ALL 'TEA-BAGGERS' (except the ones at my favourite AMP)and EMPERIOR Norquest as UNAMERICAN!!!

What was the first thing Governor Reagan did when he became Governor of CA? Raise Taxes and Raise Revenues. What was the first thing President Reagan did when he came into office? Raise Taxes and Raise Revenues!!! What was the end result of his actions---the GOGO 80's-90s of economic prosperity. Is there ANYONE out there willing to call Ronald Reagan a 'Tax & Spend' Democrate?!!!

What did Idiot W do when he went into office? Give the largest TAX REFUND in American History, thus emptying the hard fought Reagan/Bush/Clinton surplus and then expanded tax loop holes & credits. This was before 9-11 and his attack on Afghanistan and IRAQ. BUSH Caused the Panic of 2008 by killing off Glass Stegman (1934) in effect putting Banks & Insurance Companies in the Casino Business with OUR TAX PAYER'S MONEY!!! Get yer facts straight---BUSH BAILED OUT AIG and the Car Companies NOT OBAMA!!! Bush is the Marxist-Leninist-Maoist Commie dup, not Obama. My beef with Obama is that he continued Bush's socialist experiments instead of letting GM, Chrysler, AIG and Bear Sterns go under like Bush Liman Brothers!!!

My heart swells to see all the Republicans now denouncing the "PLEDGE" no new taxes!!! I am not a fan of Taxes but I do know that you can't have things if you don't have money to pay for it.

Let me show you why Obama is going to win and why we are going to be stuck with 4 more years of Socialism. On the SENATE FLOOR, Republicans beat their breasts and rendered their clothes because Obama DARED to revoke the Oil Companies TAX CREDITS. Having GOUGED the American People on the GREATEST OIL PROFITS IN AMERICAN HISTORY, the oil companies want their WELFARE CHEQUES on top of their profits?!!! And what was the Republican Parties reaction to ending this outrageous handout? "I am glad the oil companies are making money---they should make more!!!" CLOSING a TAX LOOPHOLE/SUBSTIDY is kinda-sorta a NEW TAX---and we say NO NEW TAXES?!!! I want to give the bum oil companies another dollar per gallon in substidies because---they need the MONEY?!!! Can you say lets make the Republican Party into a small religious party like they have in 'Is-unreal' that can be ideologiacally pure and unelectable!!!

[minniesucks]

This troll who has nothing else to do w/ his time but to crap on republicans is filled w/ fear. Fear becomes hatred. I can name twenty five incumbent democrats who should be sitting in jail for their crimes. And it's not only my opinion that they've committed crimes, unlike this buffoon writing all this drivel. He must be a real joy to know. You get what you give. You should try to understand your adversary- or someone who is different than you, not simply hate them and then make up all this garbage that everyone in the republican party is friggin evil. Do you ever stop and look at the ludicrous, ridiculous trash you write? Do you think all people in any group is evil? Or is it that you HATE that they may disagree w/ you? We know the answer; hold your breath. And btw, I won't be back here to see your response anyway. I'm doing a fly-by. Tough **** for you. hehe. I have a life. I was just reading about Jeb. Can't let a total moron get off w/ the dumbest things ever written in the history of the planet. bye-bye zero. Have a nice life hating. Oops! Btw, the tea party turned the whole country so red in the mid-term elections that no-one had ever seen anything like it... EVER!! And you are just frothing at the mouth hysterical due to it. I understand. HAHA! Sucks being you.

[hypnotoad72]

And once he gets elected he'll toe the line once more.

How is this article news?

[The_Truth_Is]

I am so curious about this...why ask a man who has been out of office, VOTED out of office by the people of Florida, about something that HE HAS ABSOLUTELY NO BEARING ON.

This is yet another attempt to bring up ANYTHING they can to keep people from paying attention to the economy, the jobless problem and our fiasco of a foreign policy.

americasopinionon.com

[speakthetrut]

The truth is, there were no WMD in Iraq. The whole reason for iraq war was OIL, and trillion dollars in tax money to evil Cheney's defence companies. Nuf said.

[tmittelstaed]

Truth, your a liar, he wasn't voted out of office by the people of Florida, he was prevented from running a 3rd term due to the term limitation law. He was re-elected to his second term.

His opinion has just as much bearing on the current situation as anyone else's. Including years.

[democracy8]

Wow, I think I have some new-found respect for ol' Jeb!

[speakthetrut]

Hey Bush, why not let the crooked banks go belly up either. Oh that's right your brother wanted to bail them out.

Guess what? It was you brother that started auto bailout. And it was your bother that started the paperwork to sponsor Solyndra.

Next time you are visiting your brother in Texas, hike down to Ausin and check out the government loans your buddy Rick Perry made to companies on their promise to create thousands of jobs, when in fact they laid off 90% of the employees while they swallowed the government loans.

Repulican idiocy never stops.
Lets start some more wars. That will take care of unemployment.

[speakthetrut]

Why are these disgusting perverts like GenetiveTexan get ticked off when someobody presents true facts on the Repugnant party members?

Go back under the rock where you came from, will ya? Your war mongering rapist corporations will come and toss some mud on ya, when ya get ill. Okay?

[GwenEams]

@GenetiveTexan, take your mouth away from the pipe and wake up to reality. The GOP feed you and yours complete fabrications through their buddies at Fox News, and you eat it up and spew it back. We don't mind criticism of the President, but the name calling and fantasy fabrication have to stop.