Faith and Freedom Roundup — Social Conservative Edition

• Marco Rubio's dog whistle to religious conservatives on Hobby Lobby and religious discrimination laws. YouTube

• Ted Cruz announces 2016 will be the "religious liberty election." YouTube

• Steve King calls for civil disobedience over gay marriage. YouTube

MEMO: Social Issues Front and Center at Faith and Freedom Conference

The gravitational pull of religious conservatives at this weekend’s Faith and Freedom Conference in D.C. is too much to resist for the Republican presidential field. Look no further than their partner, Concerned Women of America, to see that social issues will be front and center. For a primer on the Koch-backed CWA, read Bridge Project’s just-released report here. Jeb Bush, Marco Rubio, Scott Walker, Rand Paul, Ted Cruz, and the rest of the GOP contingency (remember Chris Christie?) will be speaking in between breakout sessions on “The War On Christianity: How Religious Freedom Is Under Attack” and “Tolerance Vs. True Love: When it Takes Courage to Protect Your Conscience & Compassion to Reach the Lost.” Attendees will be demanding their speeches focus on social conservative issues; after all, that’s why they’ve all trekked to Washington.

Jeb! Didn't Last Long

Jeb Bush's formal entry into the presidential race this week lowered the bar for White House aspirants everywhere. Not since Ludacris has America been forced to endure such a terrible "roll-out." For a typical candidate, the attention gleaned from a campaign announcement results in a media honeymoon. Bush, however, is not your average candidate; he's plagued by his lockstep support for his brother's unpopular polices and positions that are either toxic to the conservative base or unacceptable to the general electorate. A scratch beneath the surface of his record as governor and in the private sector reveals a reality not matched by his rhetoric. Whether its challenging the pope, promoting cuts to social security, or giving the voters and the conservative base more reason for suspicion, Bush's campaign is tripping over itself right out of the gates.

Jeb! In NH: Privatizing Social Security? My Brother Tried, 'Next President' Will Too

Speaking in New Hampshire today Jeb! showed that his ties to his brother's unpopular policies don't stop with Iraq.  Watch American Bridge tracking footage of Jeb! taking passive-aggressive shots at Social Security and telling voters that while his brother tried and failed to privatize it, the "next president" would "try again."

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Campaigning On "Crap"

Scott Walker's week is quickly nose-diving into another disaster for the governor. Frustrated with his continued absence from important budget decisions, Wisconsin Republicans aren't wavering on their rejection of the governor's "crap budget." Meanwhile, Walker's flagship jobs program, the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC), still can't get taxpayers' money back from the outsourcing company it loaned it to. Already receiving criticism for phoning it in, these latest developments promise to ruin the very reputation Walker is counting on to win.

From the Associated Press:

While Scott Walker's fellow Republicans were grousing about his budget plan and part of his proposal to overhaul higher education, the governor was more than 1,000 miles away, gripping the wheel of the Mt. Washington cruise boat on New Hampshire's Lake Winnipesaukee.

And when lawmakers met Monday night to reach a final deal on other elements of that budget, the likely presidential candidate was in Canada on his fourth international trip in less than five months.

MEMO: Jeb Bush Enters Phase Two

Jeb Bush is launching Phase Two of his campaign today and is hoping to overcome what has been an underwhelming start. He’s still the same out-of-touch Republican who’s carrying over his brother’s policies and misrepresenting his record to squeeze it into something that passes for a 2016 winning message. Unfortunately for Jeb, he’s facing the same problems among conservatives in the GOP primary and independents in the general election – nobody thinks he should be president. Maybe Jeb Bush’s campaign slogan should be “Right to Return” – return to his brother’s failed foreign policy and tax cuts for the wealthy.  He’s already returned to a spectacularly failed shock and awe strategy.  In the last week, Bush has demoted his campaign manager-in-waiting, reminded voters that he would publicly shame unwed mothers, “offered little to differentiate himself from Obama” on his trip to Europe, and sent conflicting signals about whether his super PAC will or won’t raise the $100 million he set as the goal in January. (Not to mention the goal was originally to raise $100 million by March.) Now Jeb is starting his campaign trailing Lord Voldemort and in a virtual tie with Scott Walker, Marco Rubio, and Ben Carson.

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