Jindal Signals He May Refuse Stimulus Money For Louisiana

From CBS:

Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal, a potential 2012 GOP presidential candidate, has suggested his state may not be interested in all of the roughly $4 billion allotted to it in the economic stimulus package to be signed by President Obama today.

Read the whole story from CBS

Comments

[cajunsanity]

As a native Louisiana girl I find everyone's interest in Governor Jindal truly skewed. Never have I heard such venom interlaced with racism (half of you make fun of him because he looks different). How is it a mistake to actually "read" the proffered documents to determine long-term consequences from incorporating these monies into our state? Where has logic gone? And as far as our "poor" state goes, Louisiana is and has always been a welfare state. Where do you think most of these displaced people from New Orleans came from? The "Projects", where most have never held a job, the saddest group of lost human beings one has ever seen. I think Jindal will eventually accept the money because he will be forced to. The local word here in LA is that Jindal won't be able to make much of a change at all in his tenure, because of the old established "keep the ignorant fed enough to be quiet" attitude here and the old "Edwin Edwards" machine. I'd suggest you talk about something you know about - think!

[tamted]

No that is not the reason he will not be able to make any changes, the reason is because he is just as crooked as the rest. I too am from La.

[Emerald1943]

Well what a true patriot!!! You can tell how much he cares about his people!

Mr. Jindal, you can start by giving your people housing, moving them out of those horrible toxic trailers provided by FEMA!!! You can continue by putting people to work fixing the levees so the horror of Katrina can never happen again! You can boost law enforcement to stem the tide of murders in the streets!

Wake up! Your people are hurting! You may have your "Republican principles" but your people deserve better! Shame on you for even thinkiing this!

[ChicagoSuz]

Of course he should refuse it. It's not like Louisiana isn't in great shape - especially after Katrina. It's not like he needs it to rebuild an entire City that drowned, shore up the levees, rebuild schools, homes, hospitals, etc. Feed or provide healthcare to those living in abject poverty.

What a jerk!

[Marie Godbout]

I e-mailed to my friends of Louisiana this afternoon., as I read this unbelievable article about Bobby Jindal....

I had the opportunity to spend 3 months in Baton Rouge for business and pleasure, from August to November 2008. As Canadian, I was there for work and on my spare time, I decided to volunteer for the Obama-Biden campaign. During these 3 months, I visited Louisiana and as for many other states in the South, I was struck by the poverty I saw. And the Governor of Louisiana would refuse to take the money offered under the stimulus plan? It is the summum of political cynicism!

So, I asked my Louisiana friends to get rid of their "Country First" (Remember McCain slogan?)

Governor...as soon as they can ! And by the way, President Obama will be in Ottawa, our national capital for his first foreign visit, tomorrow, Feb. 19..

Our media and the Canadian people are extatic about his visit. After 8 years of the Bush Republican rhetoric and namely of his non-respect of our contribution to the war effort in Afghanistan, Canadians are very happy, for a change, to hear a US President who has a much better sense of history and who already has shown his appreciation to my country.

CanadianforObama.

[Emerald1943]

Thank you! We like him too! Just make sure you send him back!

On the other hand, when Bush comes up to make his speech, PLEASE keep him!

[separatingwheatfromchaff]

What a joke,if he doesn't take the money I wouldn't be surprised if they threw him out of office on his keester.We need more like him in the party,all he needs to do is cut the budget and repeal all taxes and they'll ride out the storm on the way to the sewer.

In case you forgot Bobby,you still have people in real trouble there and to make such ignorant statements and scaring your constituents is nothing but publicity seeking buffoonery.

[tamted]

Listening to the local talk radio shows here, he has a lot of support in regards to the not accepting the money from the stimulus. In the end he will accept it because he spent our surplus as soon as he got in office, that is why we are 2 billion plus in the hole, but right now he is playing to his base and some of them can be real stupid.

[Emerald1943]

Wow! That's amazing! I am still stunned at the ignorance of some of the voters out there! Why do they continue to support policies that are completely against their economic interests???

[blkbtrfly1]

Sure he will. And Madoff is sitting on my toilet!

The most that will happen is he will verbally refuse to take the money. The state legislature will "make" him take it because LA is broke. He'll pay the bills and fix stuff and take credit for it. Then when it's election time, he'll say "but i really didn't want it....they made me take it!"

[Altruth]

Jindal: "I may not eat crow"? Oh dare!

After all, I must put the Republican party before the need of the people or good of the country.

[JumpyJack]

Ha ha, Jindal... "I will review the offered money VERY carefuly before I take it. I will only take it if it comes completely free and without 'strings attached'. If it comes with 'strings attached' (i.e. responsibility), then I will not take it."

[separatingwheatfromchaff]

He'll review it for ten seconds,then make his decision public after a long and arduous battle with himself.Who's he trying to kid?

[mattwin]

He stands on his record of fiscal responsibility. His state is $2B in the hole and he wonders if money would negatively impact his budget?

Funny, he was for giving Wall Street million dollar bonuses.

[roybattyjunior]

Ooooooh, Jindal, you're such a true Republican! Such a bright star of integrity in the GOP black hole that you're even thinking about not taking the stimulus money! Such conviction! Wow, and that southern accent of yours...so sexy (although cognitively dissonant as it doesn't quite match your physicality). I wonder who will lead the Party in the future, you or Eric Cantor? I think if you lay on a thicker southern accent than his the base will like you more. I heard he's talking trash about you, by the way...

Now lets get real: you're going to take the money. I'll bet you, Jindal, you will. How much do you wanna bet? And you can pay me back with the stimulus money you take.

[naeldwyck]

Let him refuse the money, playing his Russian roulette with the livelihoods of his constituents, and then channel the funds to these constituents locally, as the mayor of New Orleans suggests.

[ideasmatter]

Press him on a definitive yes or no. It's a lose-lose question for him now.

[maxfax]

We would press him for an answer, but he's difficult to pin down, anyone know where he is?

"...Jindal continues raising political money and making speeches around the country, befitting his status of rising Republican star."


http://blog.nola.com/johnmaginnis/2009/02/jindal_going_places_but_is_he.html

Priorities.

[SimJack]

Bobby Jindalaya meet gumbo pot upside your arrogant self-serving melon.

[happyatlast]

Maybe Bobby is one of those people who say things like "Don't bring birthday presents. Your presence is enough." Or maybe he doesn't take medicine when he gets a headache. Or brings his own bottle to the restaurant. Maybe he grows his own vegetables and makes his own moonshine. Just maybe he believes in complete self-reliance, making his own clothing and maybe he built his own house with his own hands. My imagination is wandering.....maybe he is trying to get his state so independent that they can breakaway from the Union and create their own nation. We need to watch Bobby - he is goofy. Just goofy enough to get us all to wonder what he's up to.

[paixa3]

LOL....he is blag the second. King george's replacement.

[DFutureIsNow]

Is any republican NOT willing to play politics with their constituents lives? 4 Billion feeds a lot of people no matter what your politics are, Jindal should remember he doesn't work for himself he works for the people and the people needs help.