Indian American Republicans rallying behind Jeb Bush

Indian American supporters are rallying behind Jeb Bush, former Florida governor, who has turned the front runner for Republican nomination with the withdrawal of Mitt Romney from the scene.

They say that Bush is more qualified than his brother or father to become the President of America.

Republicans have a tradition of picking an anointed one early. That establishment candidate almost always ends up with the nomination, although not without a fight and some speed bumps along the way, Washington Post reported. “It’s a great day for Jeb Bush,” Brian Ballard, a lobbyist who led Romney’s 2012 fundraising effort in Florida and switched to Bush this time around told the Post. “I think Jeb had 75 percent of the money folks here. This brings in the other 25 percent.”

Bush supporters are once again energized. Fort Lauderdale, Florida based Dr Zach Zachariah, one of the top fund raisers for Republican candidates since 1992, when President George HW Bush contested for a second term and lost to President Bill Clinton, said that Jeb Bush, whom he termed a good friend, would run and win the primary and presidency. “It is good for the country. Bush is an ideal candidate, who understands the problems of the people. He has a clear vision of things,” Zachariah noted.

He said no campaign committee is set up yet and no fundraiser is planned till he officially announces his candidacy. “We are waiting for the announcement.”

In the last election, he supported Mitt Romney. He termed Romney as a good candidate though he moved to Bush campaign this time.

Dr Zachariah, a prominent cardiologist, has also good words for New Jersey Governor Chris Christie as a person, who is also one of the top contenders, though he is not sure if some of his policies as governor were acceptable.

Dr Zachariah, who was the co-chair of the Republican campaign committee for his brother in 2008, raising record amounts, said Jeb Bush, 61, was a great governor during his eight years in office. He thinks Hillary Clinton will be the Democratic candidate and Bush will have a fair chance to defeat her.

Prakash Khatri, who was appointed by George W Bush as Ombudsman of the US Immigration Service, too is eagerly waiting for Jeb Bush to come to the center stage. Khatri, an attorney with residences in Florida and Maryland, said he knows Jeb Bush personally having some dealings earlier when he was governor.

Khatri thinks that Jeb is more qualified than his brother or father for presidency with his varied life experience and relations with the common man.

“As governor Bush did really a good job. He appears to be the most qualified candidate to take charge for the next decade, not only for 2016, but in 2020 too.

“He is the kind of leader we rally need. He creates unity where others make divisions. His approach to issues too makee him a good candidate. Many of the politicians speak with a racist angle, but not Bush.”

Khatri does not think it a dynasty if Bush returns. Candidates are elected on their merits, not based on their family. Moreover, there were an eight year gap between the elections of each Bush. After the defeat of President George HW Bush in 1992, there was no trace of any Bush influence for the next eight years under Clinton. Yet George W Bush became president. It is the same now. It will be another eight years for another Bush, if he wins.

In a dynasty, the power automatically goes to the heir, which does not happen here, he noted.

Khatri noted that we should look at certain things in a historical perspective. For example, some people might question what President Obama has done for the African Americans. But a generation later the people will have a different perspective of Obama and his contributions.

“Like Obama, Bush has an ability to unite all. Since his wife is from Mexico, he has better connection and understanding with the Hispanic community. His life story too is very inspiring. He also speaks Spanish very well. We really need a President who is above the politics of language.”

Khatri said Jeb is a friend of the Indian Americans too. He had very good relations with the community when he was governor.

“He is very centrist in his policies. He is the type of leader who wants to be more inclusive. There are few leaders in the Republican Party with the same capacity.

“In fiscal area, his understanding is astute. He ran Florida, one of the bigger states for eight years, successfully in all aspects, especially with financial discipline.

“He knows well about domestic problems as well as international issues as people from all over the world reside in Florida. Moreover, Cuba is neighboring country and many Cubans live in Florida too.”

Khatri said Jeb knows more about the common man and his problems than his father or brother. He understands more of the struggles of the poor as he lived with ordinary people.

If Bush faces Hillary, Bush has a fair chance to win, according to him.

Khatri said he joined the administration with a condition that he would remain only for 1500 days. Yet he remained for five more months before leaving. If you taste power, it may corrupt you and take away many of your abilities, which he did not want.

But Khatri said he will consider joining the administration if Bush wins and offers him a chance.

Dr George Thomas, Bradenton, Florida based cardiologist, who was a former president of the AAPI too is for Bush. “Jeb is the best, he  has done a great job as our Governor in the past. He has the right goals, values and strength. All the people will be best served to have him as our next President. We are supporting him and hope that he will get the nomination.

“I am a Republican since I became a US Citizen over 30 years ago and have attended previous conventions. I was part of the Florida delegation in 2004 convention, but holds no positions in the party,” he said.

Both Dr Zachariah and Thomas are members of the Florida Board of Medicine.

Meanwhile, news reports portrayed Bush as a moderate, who moved away from many of his ultra-conservative ideologies. He once emphasized jail time for juvenile offenders, but now prefers reforming the criminal justice system, arguing that incarceration can harden low-level lawbreakers into career criminals.

Earlier he stressed using deportation of unauthorized immigrants, but now he terms they jumped the border as ‘an act of love’ for their family and supports legalization.

Once he opposed environmental programs, but now he is a champion of state-sponsored conservation, celebrated for his $2 billion program to restore the Everglades.

Bush, a Catholic, once denigrated gay people, now he asks to ‘respect’ for the unions and offered words of conciliation to same-sex couples ‘making lifetime commitments to each other.’