Jeb Bush: I’m running to change the culture in Washington

Every time I come to Iowa, I'm struck by how Iowans view Washington, D.C. They see it as the remote and gleaming city of marble and glass I like to call Mount Washington.

There's a lot of frustration with Mount Washington right now - and I agree. Taxes are too high, regulations too intrusive, spending too reckless and borrowing too irresponsible.

That's why my goal isn't to climb Mount Washington to take in the view from the heights. Rather, I'm running for president to disrupt the established order, change the culture and make possible the real changes that this nation needs.

I'm familiar with this kind of challenge. When I got to Tallahassee as governor in January 1999, I called the city 'Mount Tallahassee” because it was so remote from the people. But I took it on, and we ended the status quo. That made it possible to do some really big things: Balance budgets, cut taxes, rebuild reserves, reform education and make the state's government more efficient and more accountable.

It's that record I plan to repeat when I take on Washington D.C.

Now is time for a new approach: It starts by cutting off the oxygen to Mount Washington - the tax-spend-and-borrow culture of Washington.

Here's how I think we can repeat this record in Washington, D.C.: First, I will urge Congress to submit a balanced-budget amendment to the states and let the people decide. Second, I would seek a constitutionally sound line-item veto.

Third, I will push to budget the way most Americans do - start from zero every year, and end the assumption among government agencies that they are owed an increase just because the population and inflation went up.

If we do these things, we will change the culture in Washington. And if we change the culture, we will be able to do some really big things: Bring the deficit down. Reform our tax code. Fix our broken immigration system. Double the pace of economic growth. Create 19 million new jobs.

It's all possible, and it's all within reach.

' Jeb Bush is the former governor of Florida and a Republican candidate for president. Comments: gov@jeb2016.com