Bush Urges Truckers to Participate in National Politics
ORLANDO, Fla. – Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush (R) exhorted truckers to use their influence in Washington to redirect the federal government toward policies focused on economic growth through a blend of policy changes and a new approach to leadership.
Speaking Oct. 21 at American Trucking Associations’ Management Conference & Exhibition here, Bush prescribed stronger economic growth as a tonic.
Most of Bush’s comments were focused on four steps to encourage that growth: using more domestic energy to further revive the economy; fixing the immigration system to allow more skilled workers; taking a long-term view that restores transportation infrastructure; and upgrading an educational system that properly prepares only one-third of high school graduates for college.
“All of these things are doable,” Bush said, citing a lack of public-sector leadership. “Use whatever influence you have with every elected official to say that the greater good is more important than a special need.”
Specifically, Bush noted the potential benefits to trucking from more use of natural gas-powered equipment due to cost savings and securing that fuel without purchasing petroleum from overseas.
His comments also addressed Washington’s political climate, such as the ever-increasing burden of “rules on top of rules” that have blocked projects such as the Keystone XL Pipeline from Canada, and the prospect that the Affordable Care Act would likely further increase health-care costs.
