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George_1950 · Feb 18, 2009, 11:50 AM

"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.

"'We'll have to review each program, each new dollar to make sure that we understand what are the conditions, what are the strings and see whether it's beneficial for Louisiana to use those dollars,' Jindal said, according to CBS affiliate WWLTV."
Jindal Signals Louisiana May Not Take Stimulus Money - Political Hotsheet

TexasParent · Feb 18, 2009, 11:59 AM

Well until we know what those strings are, it's not really worthy of comment. If those strings are to buy American, and fraud prevention, and a solid accounting reporting system on where the money was spent, etc.. I think that is a good thing.

I haven't heard of what a bad 'string' might be, so it's difficult for me to comment at this time. If you know what they might be, please post.

tomder55 · Feb 18, 2009, 12:12 PM

Buy American is a bad string for one thing but I could have a whole debate on it. Jindal should take the Fed money and refuse to comply with the stipulations... or redirect it to Fed projects he deems more imperative like perhaps finishing levee improvements .

This is a good thing .There is a huge problem with Federal mandates to the States .Under normal conditions they can be burdensome to states . Jindal is highlighting the problem.

TexasParent · Feb 18, 2009, 12:24 PM

I would agree that levee improvements are a priority in that state. From a risk reward standpoint; money spent on improving the levees will provide jobs and the risk of not improving them is too great if they break again as it will end up costing the state and feds even more money down the road.

The smart money says improve the levees.

Hopefully there is some wiggle room for each individual state to present their case as to how they might better spend the money and still meet the objectives of the stimulus package.

tomder55 · Feb 19, 2009, 07:36 AM

The economic stimulus signed by President Barack Obama will spread billions of dollars across the country to spruce up aging roads and bridges. But there's not a dime specifically dedicated to fixing leftover damage from Hurricane Katrina.

And there's no outrage about it.

Democrats who routinely criticized President George W. Bush for not sending more money to the Gulf Coast appear to be giving Obama the benefit of the doubt in his first major spending initiative. Even the Gulf's fiercest advocates say they're happy with the stimulus package, and their states have enough money for now to address their needs.

"I'm not saying there won't be a need in the future, but right now the focus is not on more money, it's on using what we have," said Sen. Mary Landrieu, D-La. who has criticized Democrats and Republicans alike over Katrina funding.

It's a significant change in tone from the Bush years, when any perceived slight of Katrina victims was met with charges that the Republican president who bungled the initial response to the disaster continued to callously ignore the Gulf's needs years later

The Associated Press: Democrats strike different tone on Katrina

excon · Feb 19, 2009, 07:59 AM

Originally Posted by George_1950

Can Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal avoid the fix?

Hello George:

I'm a gambler. I LOVE another gambler. If the stim fails, and Jindal is right, he can LEAD the GOP to victory in 2012. The GOP is so far behind now, it takes a really big bet to get even again, and he's betting the ranch..

Politically, I think he's right. Economically, I think he's wrong... Do I think his mind is on his constituents or on his career. Hmmm, I'm going to pick career.

excon

TexasParent · Feb 19, 2009, 08:24 AM

Politically it doesn't make a lot of sense right now when the stimulus package is to address the plight of all American's during the financial crisis and to highlight specific funding for Katrina reconstruction would have people in other areas of the country crying "what about us?".

Politically it would be like taking a .22 caliber to the thigh, it probably won't kill you; but if left untreated you could bleed out. Especially in light of all the campaign promises. If the economy starts to rebound in early 2010, I can assure you that Katrina reconstruction will be addressed by the administration; they are too smart a team to not come back to it.

As excon said, it's a gamble. Right now they lowered it on the priority list and hopefully nothing else happens to push it further down or off the list; like a terrorist attack.

The gamble in my mind (not sure what excon was referring to) is if another hurricane blows threw the Obama administration like the Bush administration won't get off the hook either. If a hurricane comes through in 2009, they might avoid the worst political damage; if it happens in 2010 and they haven't addressed the reconstruction problems by then politically they may have lost that leg.

tomder55 · Feb 19, 2009, 08:42 AM

Sure it does... this was touted as shovel ready projects that would create immediate jobs. Working on the infrastructure in NO makes a hell of a lot more sense to me than building a frisbee golf course in California or a gangster museum in Las Vegas .

There was this kid I grew up with; he was younger than me. Sorta looked up to me, you know. We did our first work together, worked our way out of the street. Things were good, we made the most of it. During Prohibition, we ran molasses into Canada... made a fortune, your father, too. As much as anyone, I loved him and trusted him. Later on he had an idea to build a city out of a desert stop-over for GI's on the way to the West Coast. That kid's name was Moe Greene, and the city he invented was Las Vegas. This was a great man, a man of vision and guts. And there isn't even a plaque, or a signpost or a statue of him in that town! (Godfather II)

tomder55 · Feb 25, 2009, 09:28 AM

Now a Dem Guv may refuse the stimulus money over mandate strings attached to the provisions

Tennessee may reject stimulus aid for jobless | www.tennessean.com | The Tennessean

Choux · Feb 25, 2009, 11:19 AM

Bobby Jindhal made a fool of himself last night. Firstly, his ghastly speech made even Fox Noise cringe... 2. he **is finished** as a contender for 2012, and Sarah Palin is jumping for joy!!

Americans are *overwhelmingly* behind Obama and his plans to CHANGE AMERICA as outlined in his speech last night.

The Confederate Party is in deep dodo. They are increasingly marginalized and have confirmed themselves as the modern *NO(KNOW) NOTHING* political movement up against America's POPULIST surge.

NeedKarma · Feb 25, 2009, 11:23 AM

Yay! More Sarah Palin!

Choux · Feb 25, 2009, 11:28 AM

You bettcha! Lol

tomder55 · Feb 25, 2009, 11:35 AM

I did not see the speeches . I was at a local town meeting discussing one of those shovel ready projects that I'll have to pay an additional $400 /year in taxes for as long as the eye can see (that's in the unlikely event that it comes in budget.. but I expect by the time it's finished it will cost me $500 /year).

I just finished reading Jindal's short response and can't find anywhere where he made a fool of himself.

Want to elaborate with exact quotes ;or are you just blowing smoke ?

Choux · Feb 25, 2009, 11:41 AM

I speak the truth and move on.

Everyone knows that. :)

NeedKarma · Feb 25, 2009, 11:42 AM

Originally Posted by tomder55

I just finished reading Jindal's short response and can't find anywhere where he made a fool of himself.

Bobby Jindal Response Panned By Pundits, Republicans And Democrats Alike

tomder55 · Feb 25, 2009, 12:04 PM

Yeah like I said . I can't form an opinion about performance... just the substance

RealClearPolitics - Articles - The Republican Response: Americans Can Do Anything

I'm sure Obama's was a premier "performance" . When I finish reading the address I'll comment on the content .

NeedKarma · Feb 25, 2009, 12:43 PM

Originally Posted by tomder55

yeah like I said . I can't form an opinion about performance ...just the substance .

Oh you mean like when people here were counting the number of "uhs" Obama said during a speech?

tomder55 · Feb 25, 2009, 01:01 PM

Yesterday wouldn't count . They were both on teleprompter .

galveston · Feb 25, 2009, 05:17 PM

Originally Posted by Choux

Bobby Jindhal made a fool of himself last night. Firstly, his ghastly speech made even Fox Noise cringe....2. he **is finished** as a contender for 2012, and Sarah Palin is jumping for joy!!!

Americans are *overwhelmingly* behind Obama and his plans to CHANGE AMERICA as outlined in his speech last night.

.

As of a report I heard yesterday, Obama's support is somewhat less than overwhelming, while still some under 60% is heading in the direction of "underwhelming".

inthebox · Feb 25, 2009, 06:50 PM

Originally Posted by tomder55

yeah like I said . I can't form an opinion about performance ...just the substance

RealClearPolitics - Articles - The Republican Response: Americans Can Do Anything

I'm sure Obama's was a premier "performance" . When I finish reading the address I'll comment on the content .

I missed it also, but the last half of the speech is standard conservative philosophy which I agree with.

Obama is such a good teleprompter speaker, but what matters to me and most of Americans is results.

I think Jindal has done a much better job in LA as compared to what Obama has or has not done so far.

G&P