The Future of the GOP
March 15th, 2008 at 12:04pm Mark Noonan
Bobby Jindal leading the way in Louisiana:
Jindal ‘bats a thousand’ at session
BATON ROUGE — The state Legislature on Friday wrapped up its second special session during the 2-month-old administration of Gov. Bobby Jindal by completing a full sweep of the governor’s proposed package of business tax cuts and $1.1 billion in surplus spending priorities.
Jindal and his legislative allies won all the initiatives they set out to accomplish during the six-day session, including a controversial bill to grant a partial tax deduction for private school tuition.
Flanked by many members of his supporting team of lawmakers at an evening news conference, the governor framed the results as a positive statement on Louisiana’s national image.
“This group should be proud of batting a thousand,” Jindal said. “The country’s watching us … we know they’ll like what they see.”
The session followed a February lawmaking period in which the governor passed a slate of new ethics laws. A regular spring session of the Legislature will begin March 31.
Lawmakers passed bills to eliminate a 1 percent sales tax that businesses pay on utilities, an estimated annual savings to Louisiana companies — as well as a loss of state revenue — of $69 million. They also passed an expedited phaseout of taxes on corporate debt and on manufacturing machinery and equipment. Those taxes were widely seen as burdens on companies that expand their operations, therefore placing Louisiana at a competitive disadvantage with other states.
What have you Democrats got as your “breath of fresh air”? Barack Obama - an ultra-liberal product of the corrupt Chicago Democratic machine…you can keep him; we GOPers have genuine change we can believe in. Bobby Jindal is just starting out, and he’s already done more real things for people than Barack Obama could ever dream of doing - it is in this youthful, idealistic conservatism where we’ll finally win all down the line, crushing the life out of that leftwing thought which has been desrtoying our nation for decades.
You can’t win, lefties - your worldview is built on lies and thus it never, ever works when put into practice. Sure, you’ll be able to win an election or two, from time to time, but not by running on what you are; only by hiding it…but we’re out there, telling people what we believe, and then putting it into place…and it works, every time we try.
Entry Filed under: General Government, Republicans
56 Comments
1. Obama08 | March 15th, 2008 at 1:20 pm
So the $200 Billion bailout of Bear Stearns on Friday was another success of the free market, self regulating system that you GOPers praise?
I guess you can heap praise on the GOP economic policies for the all time low the dollar is against other currencies, eh?
Or claim that the $3 Trillion added to the Federal debt is evidence of successful GOP fiscal policies.
You best toot your own horn now, because the rest of the country is gleefully singing taps on the bankrupt politics of “conservatism”
Speaking of singing, the Fat Lady is coming on the stage any moment for you gang of fools.
2. neocon | March 15th, 2008 at 1:29 pm
Pay attention to the sagging economy folks, there’s nothing in Lousiana that needs your attention now.
Thankfully we have people like Obama to keep us focused.
3. frenchCon | March 15th, 2008 at 1:58 pm
Right - thats why every poll in the universe disagreees with you Mark. You will lose and you will get destroyed and I WILL LAUGH
4. phnx | March 15th, 2008 at 2:20 pm
frenchCon does that nom de plume mean French convict? Because everyone knows that French conservative is an oxymoron.
5. Mark Noonan | March 15th, 2008 at 2:25 pm
french,
Yeah, I remember those polls and how we all learned to live by them when they predicted President Dukakis’ landslide victory in 1988…
6. Diana Powe | March 15th, 2008 at 2:30 pm
The quandary for the Republican Party is that so long as they actually hew to their putative belief that “government is the problem” they will govern incompetently. Of course, the last seven years have soon a ballooning of government in size and intrusiveness under President Bush. However, as repeatedly demonstrated by the Bush Administration, people will advance in government by virtue of their skill in mouthing the words of conservative orthodoxy rather than by their skill at carrying out their missions. Until they rid themselves of this paradox, the Republican Party will suffer the results of all the current trends which point towards declining identification with the GOP.
7. Mark Noonan | March 15th, 2008 at 2:35 pm
Diana,
Thanks for the DNC talking points - we were wondering what they would be on this issue.
Now - contrast Jindal to Obama and tell us why Obama is better…
8. Arctic Fox | March 15th, 2008 at 2:41 pm
Deleted - off topic.
9. Arctic Fox | March 15th, 2008 at 2:54 pm
Deleted - off topic.
10. Diana Powe | March 15th, 2008 at 2:56 pm
Mark,
They’re not talking points. (Ed. Note: yes, they are. And you will discuss Bobby Jindal, or not comment at all on this thread).
11. Canadian Observer | March 15th, 2008 at 2:57 pm
Now - contrast Jindal to Obama and tell us why Obama is better…
7. Mark Noonan | March 15th, 2008 at 2:35 pm
Jindal should be drafted to be the Republican candidate in the Presidential race. Forget McCain. A fight between Bobby Jindal and Barack Obama; now that would be awesome.
12. Arctic Fox | March 15th, 2008 at 3:18 pm
You know, it’s very interesting
$1.1 billion in surplus when a Republican takes over as governor. Must have been taking over from another republican, right?
Wrong. A Democrat left Louisiana’s governorship, in this case Kathleen Blanco, not because she was voted out but because she declined to run for re-election.
Now we get to see how, in the same way Bush wasted the surplus Clinton left him with, Jindal will proceed to waste the surplus Blanco has left.
Yes, it will indeed be interesting.
13. Tractatus | March 15th, 2008 at 3:40 pm
You can’t win, lefties - your worldview is built on lies and thus it never, ever works when put into practice. Sure, you’ll be able to win an election or two, from time to time, but not by running on what you are; only by hiding it…but we’re out there, telling people what we believe, and then putting it into place…and it works, every time we try.
It’s both funny and sad that you actually believe this and demand that it be accepted as “fact.” It works pretty well as schtick (imagine Colbert saying it to get the full comedic effect), but you aren’t doing schtick. You are dead serious. And that is funny…but also sad that somebody could so eagerly give himself over to such blind foolishness.
You wonder why people call you dishonest, Noonan? Because it takes a good amount of dishonesty to come to your conclusion–ignoring liberal successes and conservative failures alike. I’d suggest you think about it, but we both know you won’t.
14. Ricorun | March 15th, 2008 at 3:40 pm
Louisiana has been a political cesspool for decades, the brunt of jokes for decades. No matter what one’s partisan persuasion it is hard to ignore that — or to condone it. Jindal really does appear to be a breath of fresh air, and he is off to what appears to be a great start. He also appears to have broad bipartisan support. Look at how lopsided the votes on most of the bills were. If anyone has the ability to avoid the corrosive swamp that has been Louisiana politics, Jindal is arguably that person. I wish him the best of luck. He’s certainly going to need it.
Jindal also ran a campaign very reminiscent of Obama’s. In fact, he has had some very good things to say about Obama. And though he recently endorsed McCain, he has acknowledged that he has voted for both Republicans and Democrats in the past, saying that he votes for who he thinks the best person is. I say good for him for that, too. Then again, in Louisiana you can vote for the same person and still switch your party voting patterns over time, lol! Politicians there are notorious for switching allegiances. Jindal didn’t, but John Kennedy (no relation), the guy that is running as the GOP Senatorial candidate against incumbent Mary Landrieu did. Likewise Ray Nagy, now the Dem mayor of NOLA, was a life-long GOPer until two weeks before he announced his candidacy. Nagy is struck from the old mold though. Jindal doesn’t appear to be. I sincerely hope he stays so. Louisiana needs it in the worst (best) way.
15. Brian (Boston) | March 15th, 2008 at 3:55 pm
Apples and oranges. What Jindal is doing is great. However, why not compare him to a newly elected Democratic governor instead of Obama?
16. Diana Powe | March 15th, 2008 at 4:01 pm
Deleted - off topic.
17. neocon | March 15th, 2008 at 4:16 pm
A fight between Bobby Jindal and Barack Obama; - CO
Why CO? What specific policy positions of each candidate would make for a great debate? Or is it strictly their ethnicity that you like?
18. Piggy | March 15th, 2008 at 4:21 pm
LOL, you GOPers would never vote for a person of color anyways.
Yes I understand Jindal is of color, but he is not running for national office is he?
19. Ricorun | March 15th, 2008 at 4:30 pm
Brian(Boston): What Jindal is doing is great. However, why not compare him to a newly elected Democratic governor instead of Obama?
Considering the fan-fare Jindal is getting, if you are an Obama fan you’d have to be brain dead not to compare the two. Far be it for me to connect the dots for Obama fans, though.
20. Sue | March 15th, 2008 at 4:32 pm
“18. Piggy | March 15th, 2008 at 4:21 pm
LOL, you GOPers would never vote for a person of color anyways.
Yes I understand Jindal is of color, but he is not running for national office is he?”
I haven’t seen a single GOPer comment negatively on Barak’s ‘color” (sure they’ve talked about what liberals are saying, but not personal opinion), yet I have seen MANY liberals comment on it. Oh sure ththere are probably a few conservatives who have commented on it, but it’s not the mainstream conservative view on it.
Using broad strokes to smear conservatives, and perpetuate the myth that conservatives are bigots and racists only points. out. your. ignorance. and. your. own bigotry.
Don’t bother to reply, because I don’t converse with those who are only out to disrupt.
21. Diana Powe | March 15th, 2008 at 4:54 pm
Sue,
The reason they’re not commenting on the particular amount of melanin present if Senator Obama’s skin is because they’re busily trying to paint him as anti-American, a Muslim and probably a terrorist.
22. Magnum Serpentine | March 15th, 2008 at 5:03 pm
Mark,
There is nothing wrong with being a liberal, its just another point of view.
23. neocon | March 15th, 2008 at 5:06 pm
Diana,
Really? Show me where conservatives are painting Barack as a terrorist, or anti-American (aside from his relationship with anti-Americans), or a Muslim (aside from his middle name). And not from the random right wing poster.
24. Diana Powe | March 15th, 2008 at 5:38 pm
neocon,
Does Mona Charen at National Review Online count?
25. Diana Powe | March 15th, 2008 at 5:39 pm
or Blogs For Victo(r)y poster, Leo Pusateri?
26. Diana Powe | March 15th, 2008 at 5:45 pm
Granted, Debbie Schlussel is rather lame:
27. Diane Tomlinson | March 15th, 2008 at 5:47 pm
I think Bobby Jindal would be a great candidate in 2012 if the Democrats control the White House. He is the breath of fresh air that the GOP needs if it is going to survive as a party. Michael Steele in Maryland is another potential superstar that has to get some DC time under his belt to be considered for national office. However, and yes there is always a however, as long as the sole purpose of the GOP is a vehicle to overturn Roe v Wade by packing the Federal Appeals Courts the GOP will be slipping deeper and deeper toward their ultimate schism between the Christian Right and the Center Right. If the GOP wants to be a party of the 21st century it has to jettison the religious crazies and the “family values” charlatans and seize the center which is conservative in matters public and liberal in matters private.
28. Diana Powe | March 15th, 2008 at 5:59 pm
Or Steve Doocy of Fox and Friends?
29. TiredofLibBullSh** | March 15th, 2008 at 6:28 pm
Kathleen Babbling Blanco did not run for reelection because of her massive failure after Katrina, her failure Road to Home program and her govern by committee attitude (heaven forbid if she should make a decision on her own).
The surplus left was from the billions of dollars from FEMA and overtaxation that made companies leave Louisiana in droves.
She finally saw the writing on the wall that there was no chance that she could run and win with massive failures on her record.
30. neocon | March 15th, 2008 at 6:29 pm
So FACTS about Obamas upbringing is “painting” him to be Muslim? When in fact he was born to a Muslim? Are you saying that certain FACTS should be excluded from the political public discourse if they shed negative light on a candidate? Or just your candidate?
And another FACT is that Obama does not wear lapel pin and failed to respect the flag on occassions, but any mention of that FACT is again not appropriate in your view?
And you have failed to demonstrate the terrorist connection you previously asserted.
31. SEW | March 15th, 2008 at 6:44 pm
It looks like the Dems are in control. They are too unified with the unity Barry brings to the table. Change, Peace and Hope. UNITY.
http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/03/15/blogtalk-pro-clinton-bloggers-walk-out-of-kos/
32. Michael | March 15th, 2008 at 6:51 pm
Jindal is a new name on the fringes of the big time and far too little is known about him to assign him as the future of the GOP. He needs some serious vetting and a few yeaers at the helm of a state in chaos, like LA, will give him some needed creds if he does well. There are likely many other young Republicans out there we haven’t heard about just like most had never heard of Obama before this election. All I hope is that we get a better fielld next time to choose our canndidate from. Romney would have been good. Maybe McCain will make him his running mate.
33. SEW | March 15th, 2008 at 6:58 pm
And did I mention Barry was a COURSE INSTRUCTOR in law school before becoming POTUS. And he has such an engaging smile.
He will reach across the aisle to Republicans, coming up with team unity, so that the causes of his Church can be met. All Clinton supporters will follow the messiah as well. McCain is toast.
That is the future of the GOP until they find a uniter, instead of evil doers Bush/Cheney/Rove.
But this is an enjoyable political season even though the GOP will awaken with a huge hangover in November.
34. bongoman | March 15th, 2008 at 7:10 pm
This is a great read about Obama.
The aspects of his character revealed in such a commentary are far more relevant than the madrassa, Hussein meme that the right are using to try and smear him with.
35. Nietzsche-Is-Pietzsche | March 15th, 2008 at 7:40 pm
Neocon-
“And another FACT is that Obama does not wear lapel pin…..”
OMG someone who is actually expressing their individuality by not being bullied into wearing a little piece of tin on their chest!!!!
I thought you conservatives were about individuality.
Guess that’s another myth shot down in flames.
36. Mark Noonan | March 15th, 2008 at 8:00 pm
CO,
That might be fun - but if McCain looses, then Jindal (presuming he’s a success as governor, as I expect he will be), is our very logical candidate for 2012…or 2016, if McCain wins this year. As long as Jindal can do a good job as governor of Louisiana, I think he can then write his own political ticket.
37. Mark Noonan | March 15th, 2008 at 8:01 pm
Magnum,
Its a point of view based on a lie, though…therefor, it can’t get anything right except by accident.
38. Mark Noonan | March 15th, 2008 at 8:03 pm
Piggy,
Errrm…well, GOPers in Lousiana did vote for Jindal, a person of color…so, that blows your foolish, little theory out of the water…
39. Darva Conger | March 15th, 2008 at 8:07 pm
The future of the GOP?
All you have to do is look to the past. In ‘80 Reagan asked the American people “Are you better off now than you were four years ago?”
The answer was Carter lost big time.
This fall Obama will ask the American people, “Are you better off now than you were eight years ago?”
The answer will be the WH, the Senate and House going for the Dems. The WH will be close, it will be a rout in Congress.
Case closed.
40. phnx | March 15th, 2008 at 8:27 pm
Darva…once again for the umpteenth million time…President Bush is not running.
41. Diana Powe | March 15th, 2008 at 8:37 pm
neocon,
You’re changing the subject. The question was whether or not anyone on the right, other than some “random right wing poster” was, as I put it, trying to “trying to paint him as anti-American, a Muslim and probably a terrorist” (emphasis added). Mona Charen of NRO says that Senator Obama “does not love” America. Leo Pusateri of Blogs For Victo(r)y states that Senator Obama has “contempt for America”. Debbie Schlussel headlines her piece “Barack Hussein Obama: Once a Muslim, Always A Muslim” and wonders out loud, “…when we are fighting the war of our lives against Islam? Where will his loyalties be?” Steve Doocy of Fox clearly implies that the Senator went to a school that teaches “Wahhabism which pretty much hates us (sic)” even though it did not. The fact that so much attention is being paid to these “facts” is evidence that Republicans are desperate to find any way to impugn Senator Obama because they obviously are in fear of his ability to energize audiences unlike Senator McCain.
phnx,
Strictly speaking, President Bush is not running. It would be an electoral massacre. However, the Democratic nominee should have an easy time as accurately portraying Senator McCain as simply a substitute for a third Bush term.
42. Darva Conger | March 15th, 2008 at 8:46 pm
phnx:
Why do you insist on running from GWB? He will campaign with McSame. You know it. Don’t you support the President now?
43. SEW | March 15th, 2008 at 8:55 pm
And it is the arrogance of Americans like DP that has the Muslim world enraged. No respect for Islam. Sharia law states once a Muslim, always a Muslim, and DP in her arrogange makes light of the entire Muslim world, thus creating this Jihad.
Shame on you DP and the other liberal posters here for your arrogance and lack of respect for the Religion of Peace.
44. Brian (Boston) | March 15th, 2008 at 9:08 pm
“Considering the fan-fare Jindal is getting, if you are an Obama fan you’d have to be brain dead not to compare the two. Far be it for me to connect the dots for Obama fans, though.” -Ricorun
I am not a fan of Obama, Clinton nor McCain. I was suggesting that since he is a Governor of a State, which has completely different responsibilities than a Senator, that it would be fair to compare him to someone with the same responsibilities.
A person who possesses greatness and strives to be greater, whether Republican, Democrat or other, is someone that I would hope a majority of people can stand behind.
45. Jonathan | March 15th, 2008 at 9:13 pm
Deleted - substandard comment, insulting.
46. Pain | March 15th, 2008 at 9:27 pm
Deleted - off topic.
47. phnx | March 15th, 2008 at 9:40 pm
Darva & Diana,
Painting McCain as a Bush clone is a pretty lame strategy, but its to be expected from you losers. If that’s all you’ve you’re in big trouble wth all the divisions in your party.
48. Darva Conger | March 15th, 2008 at 10:13 pm
phnx:
Do you support President Bush? McCain does. Do you think Bush’s surge was the right policy? McCain does. Do you think Bush’s tax cuts should be renewed? McCain does. Bush wanted comprehensive immigration reform. So did McCai,
Please name one important policy difference between McCain and Bush?
49. Ricorun | March 15th, 2008 at 10:17 pm
Brian (Boston): I was suggesting that since he [Jindal] is a Governor of a State, which has completely different responsibilities than a Senator, that it would be fair to compare him to someone with the same responsibilities.
The fact is though, before he became governor he had no executive experience. And yet in two months time he is being hailed as such a success that he’s considered a viable VP candidate right now by some (e.g., Limbaugh), and a viable presidential candidate 4 or 8 years hence by others (e.g. Mark). So apparently at least in some circles within the GOP the “breath of fresh air” argument (or, as you termed it, “a person who possesses greatness and strives to be greater”) gets more traction than the “experience” argument — well, as long as you like the party he’s currently affiliated with.
50. Diana Powe | March 15th, 2008 at 11:08 pm
phnx,
Feel free to imagine the huge divisions in the Democratic party. I’ll see your huge “divisions” and raise you a Rush Limbaugh and a Melanie Morgan bashing Senator McCain.
51. Diana Powe | March 15th, 2008 at 11:15 pm
SEW,
I don’t whether it’s more sad or comical when you and others try to be concern trolls for Islam. I’d recommend another tack, frankly.
52. MM13 | March 15th, 2008 at 11:56 pm
For those of you interested Rush has an insightful interview he did with Jindal on his website.
For those of you questioning why some of us are a little concerned that Obama has associated himself with a hate america first, anti-semite, let me give you some details that have emerged over the last year (I hate doing this, like some of you it feels as though we are doing the media’s work).
- When Obama announced his candidacy in the Land of Lincoln he had originally asked Jeremiah Wright to attend and say a few words. A few days prior to the event Obama pulled the offer and was later quoted saying ‘He can get pretty rought in his sermons” (which seems to contradict his statements that he didn’t hear his pastor say some of these awful things)
- Obama has called Wright his “Mentor and Spiritual Advisor” of more than twenty years.
- Obama said that he chose that Church because ‘it fit his style of beliefs and where he was most comfortable”
- Obama’s pastor married him and his wife and baptized both of his daughters(not a job that you leave to your old crazy uncle).
- Yes Obama has been pictured not being reverent during the national anthem and he has said “that wearing a lapel pin does not prove your patriotism”(which is funny cause it always reminds me of Kramer refusing to wear the AIDS ribbon).
- Yes his wife was recently heard saying “For the first time in my adult life I’m proud of my country”(And yes she attends the same church as her husband)
- Obama is a friend of admitted Weather Underground terrorists William Ayers and Bernardine Dohrn. Is anyone other than me noticing a trend?
And I’m not even going to talk about Farrakhan or Syrian born Atoin Rezko. Let me tell you, being from Chicago I have a little different perspective about that whole fiasco. So if you want to know just ask.
The majority of us are not accusing Barack of being a foreign agent or wearing a Muslim mask. What we have are questions that need to be asked and he needs to answer them honestly. I do not accept that out of the presumebly hundreds of sermons he’s heard this man preach, he’s never heard this vile hate come out of his mouth? Can some of you people really believe that? Could Pastor Wright only preach hate when Obama and family are absent from the pews?
Obama has compared his Pastor to an “old uncle who says things I don’t always agree with”. The problem with that statement is you don’t get to choose who your uncle’s are.
What kind of man seeks out this type of church and would subject his family to it. What kind of man associates himself with leftist radical terrorists? These are questions that are going to dog him through the general election, if he’s fortunate enough to win the nomination.
53. Canadian Observer | March 16th, 2008 at 8:04 am
What specific policy positions of each candidate would make for a great debate? Or is it strictly their ethnicity that you like?
17. neocon | March 15th, 2008 at 4:16 pm
I realize that their ethnicity may be of historical significance, neocon; but no, I was thinking along the lines that the Republican party would finally offer the American people a viable and credible candidate in the 2008 Presidential race.
54. phnx | March 16th, 2008 at 9:18 am
Darva,
The surge, most americans now understand that it is working.
Taxes, other than the looney left, what american wants higher taxes.
Immigration, most americans are for a sensible immigration policy which McCain supports.
McCain was very critical of Bush. In addition, he is revered by the press and independents as a maverick who doesn’t hew to the party line.
McCain actually has a record of achievement in the Senate, unlike either Hillary of Obama.
Diana, Rush Limbaugh, Bwwwahahahaha!!!!!
I love how Rush give you leftists fits. Do you even listen? If you did you wouldn’t be quite so smug about his bashing McCain.
55. Almiranta | March 16th, 2008 at 3:54 pm
Diana, I doubt that you even know what Bush’s policies are. The radical Left seems to think that outcomes are the same as policies, and furthermore that interim outcomes are the same as final outcomes. In other words, they don’t have a clue.
Some GOP policies are:
Strong national defense;
Strong borders and immigration control;
Lowered tax rates for all;
Increased international trade;
Strong tactics against terrorism;
Increased independence from foreign energy sources;
Development of alternative energy sources;
Improvement of education through the making choices available to more students and parents;
Addressing problems in the health care and insurance industries;
Revising the Social Security system to make it viable throughout the next century;
Working on the income tax problems, with solutions varying from simplfying the tax code to initiating a Fair Tax and getting rid of the IRS;
Stopping the growth of government and, if possible, shrinking government;
Adhering to the United States Constitution as the law of the land;
Stopping the growth of entitlement programs and, if possible, reducing them;
Eliminating pork from national budgets and bills.
This is a partial list, and certainly not every Republican agrees fully with every other Republican on every issue, or on the best ways to approach every issue. But these are broad brushstrokes of Republican pollcies.
Feel free to address them—NOT how various Republicans have failed to enact them, or any other mudslinging, but the policies themselves—what do you like or dislike about any of them?
And how do they agree with or differ from Dem policies?
Off the top of my head, I can come up with some differences.
Higher tax rates, at least for the most productive.
Increased size and, as Diana put it, “intrusiveness” of government, putting it in charge of health care for example.
Keeping Social Security the way it is, just increasing SS taxes.
Treating terrorism as crimes and not as acts of war;
Vastly increasing government spending on a variety of programs;
Open, or nearly open borders, with amnesty, including citizenship, for illegal aliens;
Protectionism in trade;
Encouraging interpretation and modification of the Constitution, seeing it as a “living document” subject to easy change;
The appointment of activist judges who can and will legislate from the bench;
Gun control.
People who are genuinely interested in issues, and who vote on issues instead of identity, can and will be able to discuss the merits of each policy, without resorting to snide comments or personal attacks.
56. Canadian Observer | March 16th, 2008 at 5:53 pm
I doubt that you even know what Bush’s policies are.
55. Almiranta | March 16th, 2008 at 3:54 pm
Would they be the same as the GOP policies you listed, Almiranta, or did Bush go off the rails to become the ‘decider guy’ so he could, you know, do his own thing?