New governor in Louisiana
By estherlou
@estherlou (5015)
United States
October 21, 2007 11:32am CST
In the news today, the election of new Governor U.S. Rep. Bobby Jindal. My son lives in Shreveport, so this caught my eye. Jindal is the younger governor in the US. He carried more than half the vote to defeat 11 opponents. My son was so excited he called me this morning to tell me all about it. Jindal is extremely smart with well-thought out ideas and answers to problems. In debates he wouldn't spout the normal political rhetoric and double-speak we are all used to, but actual, real answers. My son was so afraid he would lose. There is what he calls the "good-ole-boy" political network that is corrupt in the state that had a lot of power for many generations. They were famous for busing people to the poles if they would vote for the then corrupt Democratic candidate. In the last election, the entire state voted against Gov. Blanco except the area of New Orleans which carried the most weight and so she won. In the aftermath of Katrina, and the change in population...change has happened. Now Louisiana will have a conservative with good moral values to lead them forward. Here is an article
http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/10/21/louisiana.governor.ap/index.html
2 people like this
4 responses
@Drakhan (240)
• United States
22 Oct 07
I really want to like Bobby Jindal. We've run into each other a few times at political functions and he does seem to be a genuinely nice guy with a lot of intelligence and some good ideas. Of the people running for governor this year, he truly did seem to be the best of lot. Unfortunately, that doesn't mean much. The other candidates were pretty horrible. My biggest concern is that although Bobby Jindal is a genuinely good guy, in congress, he pretty much followed George Bush's lead. In once case, he actually voted against legislation he'd amended himself because the Bush camp didn't like it. If Bobby Jindal will break away from the Bush camp, think for himself and do what he knows is right, I have no doubt he'll be a good governor. If he doesn't ... it could be a disaster for a state that has grown far too accustomed to wealthy people using politics to make the gulf between the rich and the poor even wider.
@estherlou (5015)
• United States
18 Nov 07
Did you ever watch a show called I think "Mr Sterling"? It was fascinating. It was about a new senator and all of the political insides involved in our congress. How the new members learn who has the power and prestige and who to get close to and who to be careful of. How any new politician can do anything and keep their standards without caving in to political pressures and pressures from lobbyists is amazing. Not sure how much of this might affect a governor, but I'm sure there is some. Hopefully he will be someone who will look out for Louisiana. My son lives in Shreveport and has mentioned in the past that it had seemed as if New Orleans and it's wishes and morals seemed to lead the state, despite the wishes of all of the voters elsewhere in the state. Perhaps now the population of New Orleans has changed, so will how the voting goes.
@sedel1027 (17846)
• Cupertino, California
21 Oct 07
I saw the Jindal won today and was annoyed. I really don't think he is the best leader for the state because he is too soft and doesn't push to get things done. He has some good points - like child health care - however he did not run a clean election run as he promised. Overall, base don prior political acts, he is more speak than action so no changes for Louisiana.
The heading in the New Orleans paper that he is the first "Indian decent" governor in the US, like they were amazed someone who wasn't white won.
@tigertang (1749)
• Singapore
22 Oct 07
Well, it does amaze alot of people that someone from an immigrant community can win political office in Singapore. Most people from migrant communities are more interested in making money than in politics.
Having an "Indian" born governmor is a good sign. It shows us that America is exceedingly diverse and the definition of what an American is cannot be defined by ethnicity and that is s sign of progress.
@GardenGerty (160883)
• United States
21 Oct 07
So perhaps the entire country will be watching to see what changes take place in Louisiana in the course fo this change.
@suspenseful (40192)
• Canada
22 Oct 07
It is good to have a Conservative governor in Louisiana. It is too bad that his being East Indian was given precedence on CNN rather than his moral values. I hope his influence helps turn the country around and defeats those ill -advised immoral laws that the Democratic run congress has passed and that people can once again be proud of America.
