The Nuance of JEB

Yet again, Jeb has taken a stand at odds with the people who must vote for him if he is to win the Republican nomination.  While Republican, and even Democrat, governors are lining up in the wake of the Paris attacks to refuse to accept Syrian refugees and Speaker Ryan is suggesting a pause in such refugees, Jeb announces that he would not stop accepting refugees.  No, he says he would deal with the problem in Syria.  Gee, that's great Jeb but, with Obama as president, that isn't going to happen.  Deal with what is, not what you wish it was.  Again and again, Jeb appears to be completely oblivious to the current political realities.  He calls illegal immigration an 'act of love' and looks ready to try to push his brother's failed 2007 Amnesty.  The voters keep announcing what they want and Trump espouses it.  Voila!  Trump is in the lead.  Jeb then bashes Trump and his poll numbers sink further.  Despite repeated restarts of his campaign, he remains tone deaf to his electorate.

 

Jeb is ever eager to announce his prior gubernatorial experience in a year when candidates with no political experience at all are leading by double digits.  The voters have seen the wonders worked by 'experienced' politicians with decades in government and the results speak for themselves.  Trump and Carson, two men with zero elective experience lead the field.  In such an environment, running on elective experience is counter-productive but Jeb still hasn't figured that out.

 

It is time for Jeb to join fellow governors Bobby Jindal and Scott Walker and bow out.  Jeb is in the mold of Romney, Dole, and McCain.  They were all moderate Republicans with plenty of experience and no desire to attack the Democrat nominee.  Jeb has more venom for Trump in the primary than he will ever have for Hillary in the general election.  That is a losing strategy.  Even his brother would likely have lost in 2004 if not for the Swift Boat Veterans attacking Kerry.  Given a choice between the perfect candidate who will lose and an imperfect one who will win, choose the winner.