[StBernard] (no subject)

[Westley Annis]

Louisiana Elections: Jindal And The Black Hole 
Written by: Stephen Sabludowsky 

The candidates for Governor were competing for the top job in front of the
Baton Rouge Press Club on Monday.  These individuals attending were the
media (who for better or for worse) hold some sway regarding public opinion.
They are also there to report on what they see and hear so that the rest of
the state can be better educated. 
 

However, predictably not in attendance, was front-runner, Bobby Jindal.

 

Not that Jindal was in Congress doing the people's business.  Instead, he
was in Lafayette doing his campaign, again, far away from the spotlight of
the media and their questions.

 

Some say that we now have a statewide debate on Thursday on PBS and that is
enough.  There will be two other televised debates that are not statewide.

 

While some daily newspapers are beginning to place comparative questions and
answers of the four main candidates in their papers, which are helpful,
nothing is more important than watching numerous debates to get a better
feel for the competition.

 

Thinking about all of the issues that confront this state and comparing it
to the lack of debates can really blow your mind.

 

We have questions concerning ethics in government, education at all levels,
crumbling roads, hurricane preparation, economic development, hurricane
recovery, storm preparedness, life versus choice, women's rights, municipal
services, workforce, culture and the economy, national questions such as
Iraq and Afghanistan and funding, wetlands, budget surpluses versus
deficits, technology in Louisiana, tax credits, law enforcement and I can go
on forever.

 

So many organizations and groups have legitimate questions and they needed
to hear from the candidates.  Again, as I have mentioned, four years ago,
there were dozens of forums and debates attended by very large groups of
people who wanted to get a feel for the competition.  Farmers,
technologists, parishes, students, agriculturists, city planners,
legislators, lobbyists of all sorts, bankers, realtors, the young, the old,
the rich and the poor and so many more wanted to know what these candidates
meant to them.

 

So, no, one statewide televised debate is far from enough.  The process
requires churning of ideas, not commercials, not single debates focused upon
one hour or so of time between four candidates.  

 

Ultimately, as I have written, I might vote for Bobby Jindal as I did
before.  But, I truly do feel cheated by him and the entire process
including how the parties chose their candidates.  In the case of Jindal,
his dodge will definitely play a factor in my entire decision-making process
once I go to the polls.  But, it will only be a factor among many including
comparing him to the other candidates.  

 

By comparison, I watched a sorry football game last night and realized that
the New Orleans Saints coaches researched, processed information, weighed
decisions and considered a full variety of factors before deciding upon whom
they wanted on the field.  

 

Also, by comparison, ironically, the Presidential candidates spend tens of
millions of dollars trying to convince Iowa and New Hampshire voters, they
frequently hold open forums for a primary and a caucus that are relatively
meaningless compared to what Louisiana is facing this election for its
Governor.  Yet, we get hardly obtained any information from the person we
are supposed to coronate.  There is something utterly wrong with that entire
political phenomenon.

 

With both the Saints and the Iowa and New Hampshire primary analogies,
Louisiana voters will have gone through one thousandth of that entire
decision-making process before they ultimately vote.  

 

 

When we do vote, many will vote along party lines which in my view would be
unfortunate.  Others will vote on skin color or TV slogans or who is the
fastest talker or who is the richest or who had the best commercial.
Hopefully, we take in all the factors including national issues before we
pull those switches, come election day and not the email spats or even the
single statewide debate spin.  

      

I urge that we listen intensely to what is being said these next few weeks.
Hopefully, all the candidates have the guts to stand up and speak their
minds and not be plastic candidates but real people who happen to want to
serve the real public.  

 

With oil prices being what they are today, Louisiana has a chance to make
major inroads and be competitive or we can decide to save much more for
those very rainy days.  Whomever, we decide, we will need an honest decent
leader and administrator to take us through the first decade of the 21st
century.  It is just a shame that we were deprived of being able to have
real conversations with those who want to be Governor.  It will be a moment
in our state's history where we look back at what could have been and we
will see a black, blank void.  If there is any shame being thrown around
this campaign, the lack of information should top the list.