From the Times-Picayune:
BATON ROUGE -- Gov. Bobby Jindal urged lawmakers Wednesday to reverse enactment of a raise that would double their pay by taking immediate legislative action before the current session ends in five days.
But with Jindal repeating a pledge not to veto the measure, lawmakers said they considered the issue closed.
"I don't know why he is trying to antagonize the Legislature," House Speaker Jim Tucker, R-Algiers, said of Jindal's request.
OK, someone please explain this to me. Our guv is asking the legislators to reverse the bill that they passed to more than double their salaries. The guv has something called veto power, which he is not willing to exercise. He has antagonized the legislators by his request for reversal of the bill, but he will not veto the bill and please many, many, many other citizens of Louisiana. He won't sign the bill, but if he does not veto by July 8, the bill will become law.
He now seems to be in the position of pleasing no one. Perhaps, he thinks that as long as the lawmakers get their money, they will forget that he antagonized them. Perhaps he thinks the people of Louisiana will forget that he broke his campaign promise to "prohibit the legislature from giving themselves raises that take effect before the subsequent election." Jindal was a Rhodes Scholar, as was our Sen. David Vitter, who admitted to patronizing prostitutes. Having been a Rhodes Scholar does not seem to be a sure-fire predictor that one will serve well in a public office.
I am proud to say that my representative in the legislature, Dee Richard, voted against the pay raise and that he will refuse to take the raise, along with others in the legislature. Good for them. I can't say the same for my senator, Joel Chaisson.
Something about being in government warps people. Or maybe they were that way to begin with. But whatever happened to "public service?"
ReplyDeleteWow. I am right now writing a state government handbook (not for Louisiana). In the state I'm writing about, it is constitutionally prohibited for a legislature to enact a pay raise that goes into effect during that session. That was also true of the last state government handbook I did and the state in which I live (Illinois, often rated the second-most corrupt state in the country).
ReplyDeleteYour governor needs to grow a spine.
I'm inclined to agree with Ruth, though I what I might suggest the governor needs to grow tend to be a little further down on the male body than the spine.
ReplyDeleteAh yes. To quote my own Governor Blagojevich (whom I despise for many reasons, not the least of which is this quote), he needs to display "testicular virility."
ReplyDeleteSeithman, I can't think what you mean. No. Don't tell me. This is a family friendly blog.
ReplyDeleteOh well. Maybe the kids won't know what those big words mean, Ruth.
ReplyDeleteMimi, if Rod (er, Gov. Blagojevich) can proudly proclaim it on the six o'clock news--and he did--then I think it's blog appropriate.
ReplyDeleteSo how much do your legislators get paid anyway? And how can they justify a raise like that when there is still so much misery over Katrina?
Bobby Jindal is the best governer ever. All of you are jealous.
ReplyDeleteRuth, he said that on the tee vee!
ReplyDeleteAnonymous, jealous of whom? The best governor ever? I'm rolling on the floor. You can't know how many former admirers have already told me that I was right about him before the election - that he would not be a good governor. Talk about quick disenchantment!
ReplyDeleteIf you post here again, please make up a name and sign your post. You don't have to register. Just sign a name. Perhaps "a Jindal admirer" would work for you.
I like the name anonymous so I'll stick with it. Apart from this "Pay raise" (that we can debate about), can you please name one bad thing he has done for Louisiana after being elected governor.
ReplyDeleteOkay maam, I've taken your advice and gotten a name.
ReplyDeleteNot Anonymous, much better. Jindal promised transparency in the governor's office, but rather has conducted an extremely secretive administration. Tommy Teepell and Melissa Sellers serve him ill. They have antagonized the Louisiana press and are on their way to antagonizing the national media by their lack of response.
ReplyDeleteJindal will sign into law SB 733 - the Louisiana Science Education Act which will introduce religion into science classrooms, where it does not belong, and HB 1347, which will provide vouchers to parents to send their children to private schools.
SB 733 will be challenged in court and will likely be ruled unconstitutional, as was the last Louisiana law allowing creationism and ID to be taught in science classes, resulting in a total waste of money.
That's enough for now.
Okay, on the transparency issue, I wonder how that affects the common man (or woman) in Louisianna who is simply trying to make ends meet and provide for the family. I don't think that he should be labelled a "bad" governor with "poor governance" for this.
ReplyDeleteOn SB 733 and HB 134, it would be presumptuous to conclude anything just yet.
I agree that the pay raise is excessive but over the four year period of having been governor he would have done enough good when no one would even glance back at this issue.
Cheers!
Not Anonymous, on the lack of transparency, what is he trying to hide? That's the first question that comes to mind. He can still show me that he can be a good governor. I'm open to changing my mind. So far he is all that I thought he would be.
ReplyDeleteCheers back to you.
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ReplyDeleteBobby, are you hitting the blogs and posting as 'anonymous' again? I think the gov has really 'stepped in it' this time.
ReplyDeleteJim, yes. He's doing it again. But we're on to him, aren't we? We know.
ReplyDelete