Jindal's Reform Agenda

By TChris, Section Other Politics
Posted on Wed Jun 25, 2008 at 08:06:00 PM EST
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Gov. Bobby Jindal, often mentioned as a running mate for John McCain, was against a legislative pay raise in Louisiana before he wasn't against it enough to stop it.

During his election campaign, he vowed to prohibit legislative pay raises.

The legislature more than doubled legislative salaries, a particularly undeserved raise in light of the state's slow recovery from Katrina and the economic devastation that haunts many of its residents.

Even while denouncing the money lawmakers are giving themselves, the governor has tried to depict the matter as an internal legislative affair that does not require his meddling.

Jindal has two more weeks to pull the trigger on a veto, but he apparently doesn't want to derail support for his "reform" agenda, which includes "allowing science teachers to use 'supplemental' material that critics say is merely a stalking-horse for teaching creationism." For this they're getting a raise?

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Jindal's Reform Agenda | 12 comments (12 topical)

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I guess (5.00 / 1) (#3)
by Ga6thDem on Wed Jun 25, 2008 at 08:24:10 PM EST

we can safely say that Kerryitis has affected every party nominee and potential vp pick so far. Now we have Jindal being against raises before he was for them. Obama was against FISA before he was for it and McCain was for immigration reform before he was against it. What a comical political year.

: That's unfair to kerry (none / 0) (#12)
by Salo on Thu Jun 26, 2008 at 01:00:39 PM EST

he was just Rhetorically Kerryish about one version of a bill.
These guys are actually changing their minds about policy. It sounds pragmatic.

[ Parent ]

The Creationist Agenda is much more (4.00 / 1) (#7)
by Valhalla on Wed Jun 25, 2008 at 09:24:18 PM EST

worrisome than Jindal going back on his legislative pay promise.

First off, if reneging on the pay promise was the only bad thing Jindal had done, then he'd just be the Little League version of Renege Olympiad going on at the national level. Second, legislative pay always gets big press when criticized by either side of the aisle, it's make-hay issue, esp. in a year like this where a lot of people don't have jobs or aren't getting raises if they do. I'm guessing that's why it was framed as 'doubling' here instead of quoting the actual numbers. Really, I could give two figs about the raise.

Promoting creationism, though, and using public money to pay for it, is truly scary and unconstitutional.

A little sad. (none / 0) (#1)
by Dalton Hoffine on Wed Jun 25, 2008 at 08:15:42 PM EST

I've seen him on CNN and other places and he always seemed like a smart guy with a level head, despite being on the other side of the issues for me. I even thought at one point: "Gee, I wonder if I'd rather have him in Congress than Mary Landrieu," a person who I can't exactly say I've been happy with since she's been in office. I think Jindal would probably be a decent pick for McCain, although I doubt that will happen.

Legislative pay raises are something that have always bugged me as seeming to go against "checks and balances." I'm fine with our officials getting pay raises, but doing it their own selves just reeks a little to me. Can't the executive branch do it instead, and have the legislatures do it for the Execs and the Judiciary? I know you could still have alliances there, but at least that's one degree of separation...

Oregon's Rep Peter DeFazio (none / 0) (#2)
by Newt on Wed Jun 25, 2008 at 08:20:08 PM EST

always votes against House raises, then gives away that percentage increase in pay (the bills always pass of course, he's one of a few that vote against them consistently).

I've wanted him to run for Prez for years. Good guy, probably no skeletons in his closet.

[ Parent ]

: Russ Feingold... (none / 0) (#13)
by Ramo on Thu Jun 26, 2008 at 02:08:44 PM EST

... has always done the same thing.

[ Parent ]

I like him too, even though I don't (none / 0) (#10)
by Grace on Thu Jun 26, 2008 at 04:27:22 AM EST

live in Louisianna. I "hope" he figures this one out.

Figure it's his first really big challenge as Governor: How to appease two sides of an issue and still accomplish your agenda.

This is what scares me about Obama. He's never faced any sort of challenges like this. NONE!

Anyway, I like your governor even though I'm a Democrat in another state. He seems like a really capable guy so we'll see how he works his way through this mess! I think he is rather level headed so I don't think this will end up being that big of a deal. He'll work it out. ;-)

[ Parent ]

Great. (none / 0) (#4)
by Marco21 on Wed Jun 25, 2008 at 08:45:25 PM EST

Not only are LA residents still struggling, soon their kids will be saddled with "scientific facts" like the planet is 10,000 years old and Jesus got into fistfights with dinosaurs.

C.mon, let's get real here. (none / 0) (#5)
by Donald from Hawaii on Wed Jun 25, 2008 at 09:08:03 PM EST

How would it possibly serve the best interests of Louisianans to continue to maintain the pay of their state legislators at a paltry $16,800 annually? The time-honor maxim of "You get what you pay for" most definitely applies in this case. Even now, the pay is only going to be $37,500.

With a few exceptions, such as California and Massachusetts (which have full-time legislatures), state legislator salaries across the country are caught in a time warp. Here in Hawaii, a state legislator's salary is $32,000, which hasn't been raised in over 15 years. That means most legislators must seek alternate income to subsidize their public service, which can lead to legislative mischief and fiscal chicanery.

With such absurdly low pay, the only people who can realistically afford to serve in those vital public offices are the personally wealthy and the corporate-sponsored -- and then we wonder why our own respective state legislature is generally unresponsive to constituent needs.

: Heh (none / 0) (#6)
by Steve M on Wed Jun 25, 2008 at 09:13:37 PM EST

They meet for two whole months out of the year. I sure hope they're forced to seek alternate income!

[ Parent ]
: Um... No Donald, low pay doesn't lead to (none / 0) (#8)
by Newt on Wed Jun 25, 2008 at 09:54:19 PM EST

legislative mischief and fiscal chicanery.
Bad ethics and lack of morals is what takes them down that road. Ask Robert Watada and his staff at the state Campaign Spending Commission about the millions of dollars they've uncovered.

[ Parent ]

jindal (none / 0) (#9)
by rak on Wed Jun 25, 2008 at 10:16:42 PM EST

I think the legislators should be paid well. I like the Singaporean approach in this regard.