Ron wrote:
Is anybody making the ridiculous claim that GWB "made it on
his own?" He wouldn't have gotten any of those jobs without
parental influence...and he certainly wouldn't have gotten into
the Texas Air Guard.

Parents can not get you your BA or BS degree.

They can indeed, especially if they are alumni and/or are public figures.
They're what are called legacy degrees.

They cant get you thru UPT

They cant get thru F-102 training.

The offspring of public figures often are extended courtesies and consideration
not available to others.

Parents cant make you excel at pilot training and ACM.

I don't believe I ever read of a claim that he excelled. When he took his
AFOQT, his application form reflected a pencil entry of 25th pctl, which was the
lowest level acceptable for entrance into pilot training. I'm not even sure if
the pencilled in entry didn't replace a lower original one.

They also cant get you your MBA.

He himself acknowledged that he was a mediocre student who spent most of his
time drinking and doing as little as possible in order to get through the
program. My father was a sheet metal mechanic and with a similar academic
performance from me, Harvard would have bounced me out on my ass in a heartbeat.
Let's not be so naive about the influence of parents who are public figures
and/or alumni.

Nor do parents just give you leadership.

He has accomplished far more than most people, and while connections may help
open the door, they do not get your thru or guarantee success. If a Democrat
or Green had done many of the things he has, they would be trumpeting those
accomplishments left and right.

It's all in the eye of the beholder. When all is said and done, he can't
divorce his parents nor can he deny that he knows them when they make a
judicious call here or there and good things result for him. It doesn't mean he
did it all on his own. Bill Gates did it all on his own, but Dubya's nowhere
near in the same class.

George Z.