Being from Louisiana, I am never surprised by its oddball politics. Many of the people who now have an “R” next to their names for the longest time had a “D” next to their names. And many of them call themselves “fiscal hawks.”

These self-proclaimed fiscal hawks have decided to join the remaining liberals in the Louisiana House of Representatives and jack up taxes significantly.

The tax increase will be about $500 million and will be used to fund an expansion of government in Louisiana, putting Bobby Jindal in the unique position of both opposing big government and tax increases all on the same day. That day would be today. The Speaker of the Louisiana House, Chuck Kleckley, seems ready to go with this plan.

What’s so interesting here is that Speaker Kleckley, the Black Caucus in the State House, and these Republican fiscal chicken hawks will get rid of tax exemptions designed to help small businesses comply with state government bureaucracy. In other words, the Louisiana House Republicans intend to drive up the costs of small business to fuel the drive for even bigger government.

What really is aggravating is that these guys call themselves conservatives. If the word means anything, it means these “fiscal hawks” need to be beaten back. But kudos to Governor Jindal who, thanks to the fiscal chicken hawks, can be against tax increases, for the little guy, and against big government all with one swipe of the veto pen.