The people of Louisiana can breath a HUGE sigh of relief: failed governor and now failed presidential candidate Piyush “Bobby” Jindal is stepping down as the governor and handing over the title to Democratic victor John Bel Edwards.
Edwards, a moderate Democrat, defeated serial adulterer and “family values” hypocrite David Vitter, current United States Senator, in the November 21st election. The Republican reign in the governor’s mansion has come to an end, and it couldn’t have come sooner.
Here’s how Bobby Jindal, the “fiscally conservative, family values” Republican, ruined the Bayou State:
- Took an $865 million surplus (left by his predecessor, Democrat Katherine Blanco) and turned it into a $1.6 billion deficit - which is growing.
- Turned down $16 billion for a Louisiana Medicaid expansion, thus depriving over 240,000 low-income citizens healthcare (Edwards pledges to accept the expansion)
- His refusal to stand up to the gun lobby has allowed Louisiana to become number one in the country for gun violence.
- Cut $300 million from public education, bringing state universities like LSU to its knees
It doesn’t take a genius to know Bobby Jindal has been a complete and utter failure. His policies have pushed Louisiana to the bottom of the barrel (unless you count being number one in gun violence as a positive). It’s no wonder his approval rating hemorrhaged and David Vitter lost last November. While Jindal was busy focusing on Muslim ‘no-go zones’ (which don’t exist, and fighting gay marriage, his state slipped into economic, educational and healthcare catastrophe. In 2014, Jindal was out of the state for 154 days, or just over 40 percent of the time. No wonder things turned to hell.
As of January 11, Louisiana can rest assured that they will have a governor who fights for their economic security, their healthcare and their education - not against their marriages or faiths.
Former Louisiana Senator Mary Landrieu said it best:
I’ve never said this about any other politician in my life, I’ve never seen anyone promote himself at the expense of the people that he’s supposed to serve — and it’s shameful — and I am so happy that he is at 1 percent and I hope he stays there.
And that’s why he dropped out. The people (not just in Louisiana) are fed up with him and his narcissistic attitude. He hails himself as a conservative dreamboat but can’t even get the Louisiana Legislature - which is majority Republican - to budget correctly.
His policies failed. His policies have allowed people, his fellow citizens, to die. His policies have separated classes and divided people based on their religion, their skin color and their sexual orientation.
Louisiana now has a governor that will fight for all people and hopefully — restore responsibility to the Legislature.
Goodbye, Bobby Jindal, you will not be missed! Now fade back into obscurity.
Featured image via Gage Skidmore