Jeb Bush: Growth above all

DETROIT -- Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush tested his economic message here Wednesday in a speech that laid out his vision for restoring equal opportunity and upward mobility in America or, in his words, the "right to rise."

"The American dream has become a mirage for far too many," said Bush, who is actively considering a run for president. "So the central question we face here in Detroit and across America is this: can we restore that dream, that moral promise, that each generation can do better?"

Speaking to a crowd of about 600 at a luncheon hosted by the Detroit Economic Club, Bush stayed true to many of the points he has made in recent appearances, including his last major speech in San Francisco, and the described mission of his leadership PAC, Right to Rise. He blamed Washington, which he referred to as a "company town," for "recklessly degrading the value of work" with its welfare and tax programs."

"Instead of a safety net to cushion our occasional falls," he said, "they have built a spider web that traps people in perpetual dependence."

He instead emphasized how a growing economy, one of the core principles of what he calls a "Right to Rise society," can close the gap between America's wealthy and poor. He suggested education --an area in which his policies have inspired both admiration and harsh criticism -- as the key to addressing inequality.

"To address the income gap, let's close the opportunity gap, and that starts with doing everything we can to give every child, from every neighborhood, a great education," he said. "This won't happen overnight, trust me, I know." Later, during a question and answer session, he went further: "I'd like to see more people marching in the streets for rising student achievement," he said.

He went on to reiterate his stance on immigration, which often puts him at odds with other members of his party, including other potential Republican candidates for the presidency."I view fixing a broken system as a huge opportunity to get to that four percent growth," he said. "Immigration has to be part of that. We need young, dynamic people that can make an immediate contribution to our economy."

Bush said he would like to see an immigration system that welcomes more skilled workers, investors, and students to the U.S., on the condition that the border is secure. "We should embrace our heritage and we should encourage immigrants to do so as well," he said. "And that will reestablish this unique American experience which is: you come, you work hard, you embrace these values and you're as American as anybody that came on the Mayflower."

He briefly touched on a variety of other topics, including the fight against terrorism, and when asked to weigh in on the debate over vaccinations across the country, Bush tried to keep it simple. "Parents have a responsibility to make sure their children are protected," he said. "Over and out."

Bush has been in Michigan fairly recently -- he traveled the state to campaign for Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder in October -- but this is his first trip to the state since Mitt Romney, the son of a former Michigan governor, removed himself from the race for the presidential nomination. Should Bush decide to run, those votes, along with donations, might be available to him.

When asked for his expectations for the 2016 primary season, Bush was confident on behalf of the GOP.

"It's lonely sticking your head through the White House gate and wondering what's going on," he said. "Eight years in exile is a long time. I think there will be some discipline to recognize how important this race is for the future of the country."