Jeb Bush and His Identity Crisis
Jeb Bush is having some sort of identity crisis. Former Governor and possible future Republican candidate for president, is able to fluently speak Spanish. He has lived in Mexico and Venezuela teaching English and met his wife who is Latina. Bush’s children are Latino, in Miami Dade County, which is 60 percent Hispan. Jeb Bush himself is not Hispanic.
Bush’s 2009 voter registration says that he is Hispanic. Bush’s son makes jokes about his dad’s mistake. Bush’s 2009 voter registration form has been found and published by The New York Times. Jeb Jr. tweeted the New York Times link and added, “LOL – come on dad, think you checked the wrong box #HonoraryLatino” On Twitter Monday, Bush posted a response to his son’s post saying that it was his mistake and he does not believe he has fooled anyone.
Even though Bush is not Hispanic, he has created a relationship with Hispanic voters while he was in office. In 1998, when Bush was elected as Governor of Florida, he won out over Buddy McKay (D), 61 percent to 38 percent with Latino voters.
Even Cuban-Americans in Miami consider Bush an ‘honorary Hispanic’. This year, Spanish-language media has referred to him as a ‘Hispanic candidate’ as well. However, it is evident that he is not really Hispanic. He is simply having an identity crisis.
Bush is depending on those Hispanic voters as he gets ready to announce his presidential candidacy. Hispanic Americans are the fastest growing demographic in the United States. Hispanic Americans will be a target for Republicans and Democrats alike in the 2016 election.
Jeb Bush may not actually be Hispanic, but he is bilingual and has learned much about the Hispanic culture and lifestyle. His wife, Columbia, was born in Leon, Mexico. Bush has lived in Caracas, Venezuela while he was the vice president for Texas Commerce Bank.
Bush had better figure out his identity fast because it is a third degree felony to write false information on the voter registration form. The maximum penalties are $5,000 and/or five years in prison. This is stated directly on the form signed by Jeb Bush.
Bush has supporters of his Hispanic identity on Twitter. It has been said that being Hispanic is more cultural than a race. In that capacity, Bush fits in well with the Hispanic community. Bush’s strongest weapon is Hispanic voters. Many Spanish-language news affiliates have referred to Bush as a Hispanic candidate. On Twitter, it was even stated that He is culturally more Hispanic than second generation Cubans in Miami. According to an Atlantic writer named Hanna Rosin, anyone is Hispanic, if they say they are Hispanic. Rosin does not have a strong following on that argument, however.
In the 2012 Massachusetts Senate race, Elizabeth Warren falsely claimed that she was a Native American. However, her false claim was overlooked because liberals liked her progressive politics. What Warren did was not miss-check a harmless box on a voter form. Elizabeth Warren claimed that she was Native American for years on questionnaires in a law professor directory that in the 80’s and 90’s was used for hiring while she was climbing ladder from the University of Texas to the University of Pennsylvania, and then finally to Harvard Law School. In 1995, after Warren acquired a tenured position at Harvard Law School, she then stopped claiming to be a Native American. In 1993, when she was a visiting professor at Harvard Law School, she was listed as a “Woman of Color in Legal Academia” by the Harvard Women’s Law Journal. After Warren was hired, Harvard promoted her as a Native American hire immediately.
Warren claimed that she thought she was Native American due to her genealogy. Her family line does not show a Native American history. Warren does not appeal to Native American culture, she does not associate with Native Americans, she has not helped a Native American student group, and she has also not even represented a Native American as an attorney.
Jeb Bush is deeply engrained in the Hispanic culture, language and people. Hispanic voters are his strongest backers. His wife and children are Hispanic, he is fluent in Spanish and there are many who consider him to be an ‘Honorary Hispanic’. He got carried away when he filled out his 2009 voter-registration form and had an identity crisis.
By Jeanette Smith
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Photo courtesy of The World Affairs Council of Philadelphia – Flickr License
Added by suyog on October 5, 2017.Saved under candidate, Cat A-1, Politicians