JIndal Speech: Common Sense and Louisiana Hubris

Bobby Jindal delivered his third legislative session speech yesterday and while there were no “rip-roaring” cheers but for a reference to putting sexual Internet “monsters” into
Angola, nobody can deny that his agenda is very ambitious--yea, for Guns, Guts and Prisons.

Jindal started his speech by reminding the legislators of the good work they have done during the past sessions.

While, he did not say that we achieved across-the-board “gold standards” in Ethics, he did say “We worked toward the gold standard and, in fact, our reforms now rank us above all of other states in disclosure, and among the best in almost every other category.”

Jindal also talked about the onerous taxes that Louisiana was able to get rid of during the second session.

However, it was one statement that I really felt the Governor engaged in a some old-fashioned hubris:

Jindal said, “But we all agree on one central point: Louisiana is the best place in the world to raise a family.”

Oh, Really?

Perhaps after four years of matching our work force with lower level jobs, after taking care of the mentally ill post-Katrina, after providing help to small businesses and after taking full advantage of the natural resources and “future economy” assets, after protecting our people from future natural and man-made tragedies can we begin to say that Louisiana is even a good place to raise a family.

Perhaps if you live in the Governor’s mansion and are able to send your kids to LSU subsidized schools, it would be great.

But, in reality, Louisiana is one of the very worse states to raise a family if you want your family to be a CEO, COO, or high officer in one of the industries found in the major capitals of the world.

If Louisiana was such a great place to raise a family, then why is it that individuals with college educations and high skills cannot find employment, so must go to Austin, Nashville, Atlanta, New England, Silicon Valley and even off shore to locate a job that meet their “skills sets.”

This is not to say that I disagree with Jindal’s emphasis on bridging the job gap. I also think his plan could be very helpful in filling those lower level jobs that will build ships, transport goods, help oil companies, and provide medical services. He absolutely should be congratulated for focusing upon part of the immediate problem of today, which is to get the economy to be the engine that should.

But, despite our wonderful culture in Louisiana, the music, the food, the people, Louisiana is not what it must be.

When we fix our levees for total Category Five protection, when we strengthen out wetlands, we will see more businesses and homeowner willing to take more risks despite our porous and shaky infrastructure.

When we create an environment for the truly “best and the brightest”, here in Louisiana where we don’t have to send our kids off to colleges far away and lose them because of much better paying opportunities in the New Economy, then, yes, we might become one of the best states in the country to raise a family.

Without doubt, the major battle in the legislature will be between money for higher education and funds for immediate job training. Jindal will prevail in that fight between among education, community colleges and two-year tech schools.

So, hopefully in four years we can fill those jobs and focus on the “knowledge economy” before we remain dead last in those related industries. Hopefully, we can build the necessary infrastructure to ensure that our coast and our levees are fortresses, so we do not find all of our efforts destroyed once again.

Until these issues are addressed, many of the so-called intelligentsia are going to wonder why should I stay in Louisiana if I cannot find a job” Investors are going to continue to ask how safe are we from protection from the next Katrina? .

When we fill Jindal’s job gap with welders, drivers and nurses (all that are needed), when we totally protect our wetlands and our towns and cities into Fort Louisiana, then perhaps we can focus on the Cultural Economy, the New Economy which is growing by leaps and bounds elsewhere but here.

One day, Louisiana can be a good place to raise a family. However, quite frankly, many of us just don’t know if we can stick around long enough to reap any of the fruits for our kids.

Louisiana Politics: 6th Anniversary of Political Comedy In New Orleans

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