海角大神

Jeb Bush really is going to run for president, isn鈥檛 he? That鈥檚 the implication of today鈥檚 Bushworld news: The former Florida governor announced on his that he鈥檚 filed paperwork to form a 鈥渓eadership鈥� political action committee. That will give him a legal way to raise money and hire staff in advance of an official campaign declaration.

鈥淩ight to Rise鈥� is the new PAC鈥檚 name. Mr. Bush is using the same title for a super PAC that will be able to receive truly large donations that ostensibly aren鈥檛 supposed to be used for direct electioneering. There鈥檚 no word yet on how (or if) these two organizations will work together.

So where did this name come from? That鈥檚 our question. It鈥檚 a bit out of the mainstream of PAC monikers. Most of them tend to be bland, even vague. This one seems to fulfill a descriptive purpose.

Bush himself has given us a road map here: He says it鈥檚 from Rep. Paul Ryan (R) of Wisconsin. It鈥檚 supposed to recognize the right of everybody to pursue economic freedom and happiness.

But its real roots might stretch back to the late Jack Kemp, the former pro football quarterback, congressman from New York, and 1996 GOP VP candidate. Bush has pointed to Kemp as a political role model for 鈥渞ight to rise,鈥� as well.

鈥淭he name of the PACs reflects the developing theme of Bush鈥檚 possible campaign,鈥� writes Robert Costa at The Washington Post. 鈥淎n admirer of the late New York Republican Jack Kemp, whose politics revolved around poverty issues, Bush is hoping to cast himself as a new kind of Republican, in the Kemp mold, by touting his ideas on economic empowerment.鈥�

If that鈥檚 true it鈥檚 an interesting peek at Bush鈥檚 (possible) campaign-to-come. Kemp was a combination of moderate Republican 鈥� he emphasized outreach to minorities, and spoke often about the need to fight poverty 鈥� and economic conservative. Tax cuts were his big thing. He was an original Reagan-era supply-sider who insisted that lowering tax rates would pay for itself in increased economic activity.

鈥淛ack was a compassionate man and an ideas man,鈥� said Jeb Bush in at a Jack Kemp Foundation event. 鈥淚t is interesting we find ourselves as a party and a movement and as a nation confronting many of the same policy challenges Jack predicted and presented solutions to decades ago 鈥� from immigration to private sector growth to education reform.鈥�

In practical terms, this might mean that Bush is not going to tack right on immigration or education to try and please conservative primary voters. Kemp favored immigration reform in his day, for example.

And Bush has already pretty much indicated that he still supports Common Core educational standards.

Theof the Right To Rise PAC notes it stands for giving 鈥渁ll children a better future by transforming our education system through choice, high standards and accountability.鈥�

So Bush is trying to frame himself as a happy middle-of-the-road warrior. Whatever he鈥檚 doing, it鈥檚 got him in the lead for the Republican nomination: At this point he鈥檚 about six points ahead of his challengers in rolling average of major polls.