First, Happy Birthday, RedState! As you celebrate another year on the web, we are continuing to push for reforms to create a New Louisiana. We recently concluded our regular legislative session here, following our first special session on ethics reform and our second special session to cut taxes and invest in our roads and infrastructure.
In the regular session, we completely overhauled the workforce development system in our state to connect the more than 100,000 existing job opportunities in Louisiana with our skilled workers. To do this, we eliminated the Department of Labor and instead created the Louisiana Workforce Commission to match the needs of businesses with workers and to ensure our workers have the skills they need to succeed in the workplace. We also invested in a rapid response fund to support high-demand, high-cost training programs, and in dual enrollment programs to allow students to earn credit for college courses and workforce training programs while they are still in high school.
While we made several critical investments to support our reform agenda during this legislative session, we also worked to hold the line on spending by using the line-item veto authority to eliminate hundreds of spending items put into the budget by legislators. Last week, I issued 258 line item vetoes, which produced a direct savings of more than $16 million and an indirect savings of $27 million in the state budget. This was more than double the number of line-item budget vetoes issued by a Louisiana governor in the last 12 years combined. Additionally, in the supplemental budget, I vetoed several legislative projects to produce more than $9 million in savings for our state.
For too long, government has spent and spent, with little regard for taxpayer’s money. Pork barrel projects and waste were considered not just acceptable, but part of doing business. When I took office, I said that we must strive for real reform and not mere cosmetic changes to create a New Louisiana and make a clean break from the past where who you knew was more important than what you knew.
I campaigned on eliminating slush funds and I sent a letter to legislators to tell them I would veto any non-governmental project that did not meet our required criteria of having statewide or regional impact, being openly discussed, completely disclosed, and being a state agency priority.
We are striving for an efficient state government that operates transparently, and wisely invests taxpayer money in our state priorities. Of course, we have a lot more work to do and many more reforms to tackle, but I am excited to say we are already producing incredible results for the people of Louisiana and sending a signal to the world that Louisiana isn’t just open for business, but we are working to become the best place in the world to raise a family and pursue a great career.
Thank you, Gov. Jindal
Vladimir July 22nd, 2008 at 8:16 a.m. (link)
We Louisianians appreciate the energy, vision and new direction that you have brought to Baton Rouge.
And we at RedState are among your biggest fans.
Go, Bobby, go!
“The best time to plant a tree is twenty years ago. The second best time is now.”
Come assist Michigan Gov Jindal
IndependentfrMI July 22nd, 2008 at 8:33 a.m. (link)
As you may have seen here in Michigan we have the highest unemployment (8.5%) rate in the nation, and have had for many years. I want to commend you on hard decisions and the guts to stand up to leglislators recless spending. Maybe you could come to Michigan and advise our govenor (Grandholm) on how to curb unecessary spending and cut our tax rates. While skilled workers are losing their jobs and moving out of Michigan some here promote unskilled labour and minimum wage jobs. What workers are left are being taxed out of Michigan and the goverment continues to fund bad programs, public universities and failing schools. You are an example for all govenors to look up to in this uncertain time.
Send us some of your 8.5%
Vladimir July 22nd, 2008 at 9:55 a.m. (link)
There's no end of work in LA for welders and other skilled trades in the refinery, construction & offshore oil production industries.
“The best time to plant a tree is twenty years ago. The second best time is now.”
Send an idea to Grandholm
IndependentfrMI July 22nd, 2008 at 3 p.m. (link)
I think if you have an idea of how to get the skilled labour to LA share it with Gov Grandholm. I don't think she would want to send anymore electorates out of state because that will mean redrawing districts and loss of taxpayers. Better yet share it with the workers. Maybe I'll share it with the media or labor news.
Thank you Gov. Jindal.
Brian Hibbert July 22nd, 2008 at 8:41 a.m. (link)
I'm from Illinois, not your state, but I do appreciate the work you've been doing to clean up corruption and the display of good governance that you have shown. I hope it will be an example to my own state.
I also want to thank you for being an honest reformer. I hope you can continue to be held up as an example of Republican and conservative principals in action. I just wish we had more like you!
Socialism doesn't work. It looks nice on paper, but it's been tried and it's failed miserably every time (usually accompanied by widespread death and suffering). Proud member of the V.R.W.C.
Thank you Governer Jindal for showing
Jaded July 22nd, 2008 at 9:12 a.m. (link)
the GOP what it means to be a CONSERVATIVE....keep it up because you are doing a great job!
Whoever has his enemy at his mercy & does not destroy him is his own enemy
Mixed feelings...
James July 22nd, 2008 at 9:27 a.m. (link)
Ever since I heard about Mr. Jindal and the work he is doing in Louisiana, i've been extremely excited that he might usher in a new day for conservatism.
However, I read an article from Slate (possibly) about an exorcism he preformed... personally. I really hope this is not true... has it been debunked or explained yet?
Do us the favor of assuming triple-digit IQs, Sparky.
Moe Lane July 22nd, 2008 at 9:41 a.m. (link)
Because while I'm sure that you think that it's cute to try to revisit the exorcism thing, the truth of the matter? Nobody cared in LA when it was first tried, and trust us: real conservatives actually do know how to Google things.
But, hey: you got to sneer at Catholic religious beliefs*. So go you, I guess.
Bye.
Moe
*Really, mainstream Christian religious beliefs; even the Methodists have exorcists. Yeah, surprised me too,.
The Fuzzy Puppy of the VRWC.I've been usurped!jindal is not a preist
Brandon July 22nd, 2008 at 9:56 a.m. (link)
So the idea that he could perform an exorcism is not a mainstream catholic belief.
Catholics don't just for the hell of it get together and perform an exorcism with their college buddies as jindal did.
I haven't read his essay, but without a catholic priest present, this is not a mainstream catholic belief, so this will be hard to defend under that umbrella.
I'm a cathoic and a fan of Jindal, so I'm not criticizing you or jindal, I'm just saying this isn't going to go away by describing it as a mainstream catholic belief, because in the way he did it - it is not.
Well... [Huh. I thought that I had turned you off.]
James July 22nd, 2008 at 9:59 a.m. (link)
[Oh, right, I need to look at original name, not site handle. Ach, well: it'll take me a while to get used to the new site, too.]
[BTW: I'm really sorry that you got exposed first time out, but please: do some elementary oppo research next time.]
Thanks for not only being discourteous but for equating conservative intelligence with the ability to google.
I am well aware of the world's top search engine... I also stated I read it from Slate. If I read it on slate.com, chances are the vast left wing conspiracy posted it throughout the web.
I have not had time to do a follow up on the story... nor would it make me not vote for him in the end. I've voted for a few christian nuts in my time, because my #1 issue is free-market economics.
Again, thanks for reaffirming the religious-right stereotypes.
What happened Moe? Misfire? <nt>
bs July 22nd, 2008 at 10:12 a.m. (link)
The Unofficial RedState FAQ “You are not only responsible for what you say, but also for what you do not say. ” - Martin Luther
Pretty much. Fortunately, I know what I did wrong...
Moe Lane July 22nd, 2008 at 10:21 a.m. (link)
...so hopefully I won't have it happen again.
The Fuzzy Puppy of the VRWC.I've been usurped!James
Rod_Patrick July 22nd, 2008 at 10:59 a.m. (link)
I think the conflict in this series of comments is the fact that you "have negative feelings/connotations" about exorcism.
Exorcism, for many Christian conservatives, is part of their religion and belief*. One of their core doctrines is the existence of God's adversary whom we usually refer to as the Devil. If you study the writings of Christ's apostles, you'll find that some forceful emotional disturbances (or mental illness) that grossly impede the person's capability to act and think normally and rationally are considered a manifestation of the Devil's control of the person. Any internal/external means to save the person may be considered exorcism. Note that exorcism can be mental (e.g. prayer of rebuke), verbal (giving counter arguments) or physical (especially if person is attempting to do physical harm to him/herself).
Christ himself is the greatest exorcist, and he performed his first exorcism to himself (he defeated the Devil during his 40-day fasting as accounted in the New Testament).
Unknowingly, we also tend to subconciously exorcise ourselves of some evil and lustful things (temptations) that come in our minds everyday. And it's normal because we try to hold on to some lifestyle that we consider best for our own sake.
Exorcism is not bad at all,unless you have imbibed every hype demonstrated by that film popularised by the Hollywood.
If Jindall performed exorcism to others, it's not really a big deal. In fact, RS is technically acting like an exorcist to those people who have been deceived by the "evil" lies of the democrats.
*I'm controlling my urge to assume that all Reps/Conservatives are Christians. There may be some republican/ conservative moslems and atheists too.
Keep up the good work Gov Jindal
Brian Simpson July 22nd, 2008 at 10:25 a.m. (link)
The work that you are doing is helping to restore the image of the GOP.
Government´s view of the economy could be summed up in a few short phrases: If it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving, regulate it. And if it stops moving, subsidise it. ~ Ronald Reagan
Visit me here for more of my musings.
Thanks for all your hard work, Governor
Finrod July 22nd, 2008 at 11:12 a.m. (link)
.. and for all your hard work to come. I always find it gratifying to see posts here by you and Newt and Fred and the various Senators and Congressmen that post from time to time. It reminds me of when I first got onto Usenet twenty years ago, when nobodies like me could make a name for themselves and be taken seriously simply by posting intelligently.
I've seen people talk about how the Prime Minister of the UK has to get up in front of the House of Commons and have a regular give-and-take with the members there; to me, Redstate is the modern American version of that kind of stage. Sure, it would be nice to have a dialogue with our opposite political numbers, but from what I've seen of them, they don't want to have a dialogue, they simply want to impose their views. Hence I see forums like this as the modern version of the old Town Square, where even curmudgeons like myself that are horrible at public speaking can say our peace and learn from others.
Good luck in your work as Governor, and no matter how bad it gets, you can always know that there are a large number of us here that are always pulling for you.
Finrod's First Law of Bandwidth: A picture may be worth a thousand words, but it takes the bandwidth of ten thousand.
Thanks for posting here Gov.
itrytobenice July 22nd, 2008 at 12:15 p.m. (link)
And thanks for working so hard to improve the lives of the people of LA.
I meant what I said and I said what I meant. An elephant's faithful 100 percent.
Jindal sums up my ambivalence.
fadei July 22nd, 2008 at 5:10 p.m. (link)
As a libertarian leaning independent, Jindal basically sums up my love/hate relationship with today's Republicans.
And, as you get ready to write your scathing replies - remember that I started with the love.
On the one hand, how can you not admire what he's trying to do for the state economically and politically? When I read about what the Governor is achieving in ethics reform, tax policy, and infrastructure development - I'm pretty much up from my seat pumping my fist in the air. If only we had this guy in all 50 states! Go get 'em!
But then you keep reading, and things start to slide off the rails. Exorcism?
http://www.time-blog.com/swampland/2008/06/jindals_exorcism.html
OK, that was 1994 - give the guy a break.
But then we get to the Louisiana Science Education Act - and this is 2008. And Mr. Wonderful signs it! This huge, wet, sloppy kiss to the mullahs in the creationism and young earth camps.
What is Jindal aiming for - to make his state the best run, most ethical, most competitive state - in the 15th century?
I'm right there waving the flag with principled Republicans on economic policy.
But all too often, it completely falls apart on social issues.
Exorcism? So what.....and it matters why?
Michael Dugas July 22nd, 2008 at 9:37 p.m. (link)
This whole matter concerning exorcism shouldn't matter a one iota. It's not like he's setting up exorcism clinics with state money or insisting that it be taught in LA schools. To be honest, within the Christian faith, there are all kinds of practices that other Christian doctrines disagree with and even consider a sin. For example Catholics light candles and pray to the saints and Mary. Many non-catholic Christians consider this wrong and a sin as the bible(NT)states you pray to the Father in the name of his Son. There are Christians who will not have a crucifix or cross in their homes as they consider them idols and graven images and others who sing their praises to God but won't allow musical instruments.
These are just a few examples but none of them should effect your support for a good politician when a majority of his political agenda agrees with our conservative values and he is in no way inflicting his personal religious beliefs on his constituents or peers. Doing so will only bring success to those liberal socialists who try and make such stories an issue by constantly bringing them up.
Intro to Federalist Papers; section 5; paragraph 4. "...dangerous ambition more often lurks behind the specious mask of zeal for the rights of the people than under the zeal for a firm and efficient government."