George P. Bush
Since moving to Austin in 2008, Jeb and Columba Bush's eldest son has worked to bring Hispanic voters into the Republican fold. A real estate investor, Bush, 34, is currently serving in an overseas combat zone as an intelligence officer with the U.S. Naval Reserve.
Who is your political hero/inspiration?
It goes without saying that I admire and am proud of my family's record of public service and they serve as political mentors in my life — outside of this great gift of being related to highly successful politicians — I look to Winston Churchill for inspiration. He was a scholar, a man of the arts, and the world's most resolute leader during WWII in the face of Nazi Germany. He certainly had his personal challenges and faced political defeat on numerous occasions; however, he never gave in and he led his country from the brink of Nazi occupation against all odds.
What's your go-to political blog?
I always check out realclearpolitics.com for the latest statistical breakdowns in pivotal races, politico.com for balanced coverage of recent developments, and redstate.org for my conservative "red meat."
If you weren't working in politics, what would you be doing?
I don't consider myself a politician per se, but I am certainly politically active. My sincere hope is that I will continue to be involved with Hispanic Republicans of Texas (HRT), a political action committee focused on recruiting and supporting capable Hispanic candidates for office and MAVPAC, another political action committee composed of young professionals that seek to support and engage political candidates for office that effectively represent the needs of younger professionals. I am honored to have partnered with some great investment professionals at Pennybacker Capital, a Texas-based investment fund, and we are focused on delivering strong results to our investors.
What's the most overlooked issue facing America these days?
It is debatable as to whether this issue is considered overlooked but I believe that the looming fiscal crisis as it relates to entitlements is one of the biggest problems that my generation faces. Already we have witnessed the deleterious effects of a weaker dollar abroad and fiscal insolvency in countries like Greece. As many in leadership look the other way on the issue, our generation already faces the grim decision of austerity measures that would hopefully reign in future entitlement spending or severely raise taxes on individuals and those that create jobs and wealth in our society — either way, our generation is stuck with the mortgage without adequate representation (in my opinion) in Washington DC. If individuals are asked to balance their budget and pay their own debts promptly, why shouldn't the wealthiest, most powerful country in the world do the same?
Where do you see yourself professionally in five years?
I see myself continuing my role at Pennybacker Capital and also continuing to be politically active in causes that matter to me and with candidates who can demonstrate a track record of reforming the size of government and making it more responsive and efficient for those it is intended to serve.