Gov. Bobby Jindal: Cutting Class (Shreveport: 2013, insurance, homes)

[BeenThereDunThat]

This editorial in today's Shreveport Times by long-time journalist & professor Wiley Hilburn takes a look at the rise and fall of Governor Bobby Jindal. If you're not familiar with the gov's rise to power, it's worth a read. The cuts to higher education have amounted to about $690 million, students pay more tuition for fewer classes, teachers are leaving for better pay in other states. All this from a guy who promoted higher education in our state as essential for economic prosperity and developing a stronger middle class. Wiley put it best: hubris.

Read more at the link below:

http://www.shreveporttimes.com/apps/...nclick_check=1

[scorpioqueen]

Brace yourself he is aligning himself to throw his hat in for the next presidential election.

[hdwell]

Unfortunately Jindal represents the opposite of everything he stood up and preached about in his stump speeches. I never have seen a bigger turncoat in La.

To you who may think he should run for prez- don't. He has not been good for La and I don't see him any different in DC.

[annie_himself]

Most people don't want him as governor, much less the presidency. He will run for the GOP nomination though.

[BeenThereDunThat]

Everything about the Jindal administration has been a 180 degree opposite of what he promised. He promised an end to obstructionist policies and vowed to have "transparency" in how things were going to be administered. Yet his administration has yet to fulfill this promise. Anyone who asks why is summarily fired or forced to resign. The recent healthcare privatization is just one example... multiple blank pages in the contracts yet they want everyone to approve and sign-off.

He has gutted higher education in this state and many prospective college students from modest means are either paying more for less, opting to go to another state or forgoing college altogether because they simply cannot afford the high cost.

He has misled Louisiana through demagoguery and his attempt to brand himself as the creator of "The Smarter Republican Party" in Louisiana has actually created more setbacks for the state than good.

Hey he can go ahead and become the GOP favorite. If that happens, it would indicate that the GOP hasn't wised up one bit. They would rather believe their own press releases instead of dealing with the facts. All the Dems have to do is point out his past failures as governor in Louisiana. No leadership, just hubris. No political skill really, just rule by fear and intimidation among your own party and ignore the other side entirely. No real measure of accomplishment, just keep blaming and putting out your own press release. People in Louisiana may have lacked the smarts in figuring this guy out from the onset, but I have a feeling the national electorate has more intuition on him given his history.

We can hope.

[hdwell]

^I'm afraid that all you said may be true, Been There.

[aab7855]

I hope he wastes a bunch of his own money trying to run for president-- he doesn't stand a chance. Everyone I know whose job has anything to do with the state is totally fed up and disgusted by everything he has done, or hasn't done. I never, ever liked him and now his true agenda is clear. I strongly doubt that our people have learned anything from this, however.

[Dale Cooper]

Originally Posted by annie_himself

Most people don't want him as governor, much less the presidency. He will run for the GOP nomination though.

If most people don't want him, how did he win?

How does that happen? Explanation?

[annie_himself]

Originally Posted by Dale Cooper

If most people don't want him, how did he win?

How does that happen? Explanation?

He was the only Republican, he was incumbant, and many of his unfavorable actions happened within the last 2 years.

[BeenThereDunThat]

Jindal appealed to the Tea Party mindset. He was a neo-con in reformist clothing. The other candidates were tied to business and folks thought that Jindal talked a good schtick (which he did). But they didn't look far enough in his resume. His first job out of college was working for an insurance company to find ways to deny claims legally. Gov. Foster picked him to handle the state medicare situation and the first thing he did was cut funding to rural nursing homes.

The simple explanation is that ...Jindal got elected by dumb people in large groups who like to follow slogans and pitches. Unfortunately the Louisiana electorate isn't the most educated nor astute. We have simple minds seeking simple solutions to complex issues and IMHO it just doesn't work that way ...ever! Jindal talked a good game but didn't have a solid plan to change things. He also made sure that there was no transparency in his administration and when he did reveal a plan, the committees would see it for the first time during session and had little head's up as to what they were to be legislating, so many of his proposals failed.