Former Republican Florida Gov. Jeb Bush proposed three steps to a sold-out crowd at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum today to put the U.S. economy back on track — expand domestic energy, reform immigration laws and transform the education system.
"They're not necessarily ideological that if we just pause and said, ‘We'll have the food fight on all the other stuff,' and there's some good things to fight about, trust me — that we could get to the point where we could have higher sustained growth," Bush said.
After leaving office six years ago, the son and brother of presidents George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush, respectively, was thrown back into the national spotlight with this week's release of his new book, "Immigration Wars: Forging an American Solution," which he signed copies for event attendees today.
Bush picked up widespread media attention and some criticism for the book's proposal to provide a pathway to legal residency — not citizenship — for undocumented immigrants. Other Republicans, such as those on the bipartisan Senate committee seeking immigration reform, have advocated for an eventual path to citizenship for people in the country illegally.
Regardless of the book release, immigration reform did not dominate Bush's speech in Simi Valley.
Before launching into detail on economic growth policies, Bush cracked a few jokes, talked about life as a grandparent and gave praise to President Ronald Reagan in front of an audience of 650 that included former U.S. Rep. Elton Gallegly, Ventura County Supervisor Peter Foy, Ventura County District Attorney Greg Totten, Simi Valley Mayor Bob Huber, Westlake Village Mayor Philippa Klessig, Simi Valley councilmen Mike Judge and Keith Mashburn, Ventura Councilman James Monahan and Thousand Oaks Councilman Al Adam.
Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation Executive Director John Heubusch introduced Bush by comparing the former governor to Reagan and the "fundamental, important issues where the two men match," including tax cuts, government spending reductions and business growth.
"There's been a famous question often asked when there's a particularly vexing problem facing our country What would Reagan do?" Heubusch said. "Bush understands this He remains an extremely important national voice in the Republican Party."
To speed economic recovery and reduce that national deficit, Bush suggested eliminating regulatory barriers to accelerate the use of natural gas through responsible drilling and approval of the Keystone pipeline.
On immigration reform, Bush said there needs to be border security improvements and laws that make it easier for immigrants to come to the United States legally rather than illegally. He also wants to see an effective guest worker program and pathway to residency for undocumented immigrants that includes civic education and learning English.
Bush also stressed the need for major transformation of the K-12 education system that focuses on school accountability to improve college and career readiness.
Following the speech, an elderly woman was helped out of her chair to ask Bush if he was going to "save" them. Bush did not confirm nor deny a possible future bid for the Republican nomination for the 2016 presidential election.
"The Republican Party has seen the need for a more positive, proactive message — not just to be against things, but to go back to the days of being the place where the interesting ideas were developed and advocated," Bush said. "If we do that part, then the country is going to be saved by the American people, not by, you know, an aspiring elected official or one that might ponder it later on."
Royal High School sophomore Fred Ganados of Simi Valley asked Bush what he thought should happen to the children of undocumented immigrants who were educated in the United States after being brought into the country illegally.
Bush said President Barack Obama's deferred action for childhood arrivals policy helps "the so-called DREAM Act students" without creating a permanent solution.
"We propose a path to legalization for adults, a path to citizenship for their children under the theory that the sins that if illegal immigrants break the law, that their children should not be penalized."
Ganados, who moved from Manila, Philippines, with his parents four years ago, said he hopes to see the immigration system streamlined to make it easier for people like him and his family to become citizens.
"It took us nine years," he said. "It was really hard on us and we spent a lot of money."