Jeb Bush preparing for White House run.

[Drew Phipps]

http://www.aol.com/article/2014/12/31/je...d%3D591925

Jeb Bush resigns from remaining board memberships

STEVE PEOPLES Dec 31st 2014 11:36PM


WASHINGTON (AP) - Jeb Bush has resigned all of his board memberships - both nonprofit and business - in a move that helps clear a path toward a 2016 presidential campaign. The former Florida governor stepped down from his remaining board memberships on Wednesday, the last day of the year, an aide said Wednesday night. It's a continuation of a process that began earlier in the month when Bush announced plans to actively explore a White House bid.Spokesman Kristi Campbell called Bush's review of his business interests "a natural next step as he turns his focus to gauging whether there is support for a potential candidacy."

Bush, the son of one president and brother of another, is seen as an early favorite of the Republican establishment as the next presidential primary season begins. He launched a series of private business ventures after leaving the Florida governor's mansion in 2007. Potential foes in both parties have already begun to pour through Bush's extensive private dealings in search of fodder for criticism. The Wednesday moves, first reported by The Washington Post, do not affect other business interests in which he is a partner. Those include his business consulting company, Jeb Bush and Associates, and Britton Hill Holdings, a Florida-based private equity and business advisory group.

While some strategists have said Bush's private-equity work could open him to some of the same criticisms that dogged Mitt Romney, the GOP's last presidential nominee, Bush himself has said his business record would be an asset in a campaign. He previously announced plans to step down from the board of Tenet Healthcare Corp. and leave his advisory role with British banking giant Barclays by Dec. 31. He severed ties to other business entities on Wednesday including the for-profit education company Academic Partnerships, Empower Software Solutions and CorMatrix Cardiovascular Inc.

Earlier in the week Bush resigned from the board of timber company Rayonier Inc. Meanwhile, Bush's team also confirmed Wednesday that he had declined an invitation to speak at a political event organized by Rep. Steve King, R-Iowa, one of Congress' most strident immigration critics. An aide cited a scheduling conflict, although Bush is one of the few high-profile presidential contenders not attending the Iowa Freedom Summit in late January. Bush is one of the GOP's most vocal advocates for comprehensive immigration reform. King generally opposes such efforts.

[Magda Hassan]

I knew they were going to wheel this creature out at the last minute.And he will come across as sane and reasonable compared to the exotic wing nuts in the clown car that is the GOP. And that is scary but I think that has been their plan all along.

[Paul Rigby]

I knew they were going to wheel this creature out at the last minute.And he will come across as sane and reasonable compared to the exotic wing nuts in the clown car that is the GOP. And that is scary but I think that has been their plan all along.

I agree. Which makes America what exactly? An hereditary plutocracy?

[Peter Lemkin]

Shows how blind Americans [most of them] are to how they are being lied to, led by the nose, propagandized, blinded, hoodwinked, swindled, conned, robbed - and still they play on in their 'Master's' game. Nation of Sheeple who seem unable to learn the lessons of their own and other's history....to see through the psywar and psyops they are victims of.

The U.S. two party con game is really a shell game of the crudest type.

[Dawn Meredith]

If people just studied who and what the family Bush actually is this would be a no brainer. But American's don't want to know. Entertainment now passes for news. First thing I heard on the news this am is that N. Korea is back as the "Sony hackers". I mean just how long can they keep this silly story alive? And the right wing talking heads are calling for ACTION. Against a nut with nukes? Scary times these.

No Kennedy dynasty but certainly a Bush free for all. And yes Maggie, he does sound "reasonable" compared to the tea party nuts. I predict it will be Hillary v Bush and Bush will steal it- again like he did for his brother, twice. To stay sane I have to pretty much avoid all MSM.

I keep reading Kurt and Lori Haskill's facebook page about life in our beloved Costa Rica. For those who don't remember they were they the Michigan lawyers who saw the fake underwear bomber Christmas day 09. Talk about catching on really fast to deep political truths. I just posted a video of Kurt on my fb page, discussing his experience and what happened at the "trial". We are a long way to be able to afford retiring so I guess I will just have to be content with our glorious 12 days there every winter. Costa Rica abolished its military in 1949. "Imagine ".

Dawn

[David Guyatt]

The U.S. two party con game is really a shell game of the crudest type.

So what happens if Bush runs for the Republicans and Hilary for the Democrats? It doesn't matter who wins, it's the same tag-team playing acting in the wrestling ring. The same long term strategies will be played out whoever wins.

But the two party game game is changing, albeit marginally, and now in the UK and Europe we are seeing the emergence of minority parties holding the balance of power, as voters have lost confidence in the two party structure. Instead, they'll now get small beer to serve with their cake and think that makes a difference.

However, the reality is that it's still the same shell game in operation.

How we, the public, continue to believe this is representative democracy in action, God only knows. It's a farce.