Wednesday, November 24, 2010

Is Bobby Jindal Having a Toga Party?

Jim Brown is not happy with Governor Bobby Jindal who is currently traveling the country on a book tour:

When the election season came to an end in early November, many expected Jindal to come home and face his gubernatorial responsibilities.  After all, the state is facing a monumental deficit that now approaches $2 billion for the coming fiscal year.  Education at all levels is on the chopping block with universities facing major cutbacks requiring wholesale layoffs to make up the shortfall.  The state health delivery system is mired in controversy as the medical community raises troubling questions of how indigent healthcare needs will be met and paid for. Time for the Governor to come back home and take control...

...Remember the scene in “Animal House when the Delta Tau Chi fraternity is close to being kicked off campus for various shenanigans?  The members turn to John Belushi for advice. What does he propose?  Toga Party!  So we have Louisiana facing major financial and governmental service problems that continue to grow with no rational solution in site.  And what does the Governor propose?  Book Tour!

Read the whole thing.

Stephanie Grace at NOLA isn't particularly impressed with the book, for that matter:

Don't read it for a serious exploration of policy. With few exceptions, Jindal sticks close to well-trod Republican talking points on limited government, freedom and the like. "We don't need so many czars in the White House!" he exclaims at one point. And don't read the book to glean insight into Louisiana's political scene. Major episodes from Jindal's tenure earn only glancing mention. Even when he delves into a topic like ethics, he skips over major controversies such as the fight over whether his own official records should be public. 

Jeff Crouere at Bayou Buzz thinks it might be time to expose Jindal's part-time governorship philosophy:

Clearly, he does not have to resign, like Sarah Palin, because he is only a part-time Governor anyway. With all of his exposure on national television and profits from the new book, the Governor can have the best of both worlds by keeping his position and cashing in on his national profile. So, he is having his cake and eating it too. But, in the process, he is saying “let them eat cake” to the struggling people of Louisiana.

As he prepares for the re-election campaign, there are no challengers on the horizon for Jindal, so he will probably win re-election. But a real question demands an answer; does he deserve a second term? What are Jindal’s real accomplishments? Why are the national media and the Republican Party touting his so-called credentials? Maybe it is time to expose this emperor with no clothes.

The problems in Louisiana are looming.  Where is Bobby?



(H/T:  The Dead Pelican)

No comments: