Posted on 07/01/2008 2:08:16 AM PDT by abb
Area lawmakers who opposed raising their pay praised Gov. Bobby Jindal’s veto of the volatile increase on Monday.
But two Democratic lawmakers interviewed said Jindal broke his word and others said the veto may jeopardize his proposals in the Louisiana Legislature.
“When someone gives you his word and takes it back, you lose a lot of respect,” said state Rep. Damon Baldone, D-Houma and a supporter of the increase.
The legislation, Senate Bill 672, would have raised the pay package of rank-and-file lawmakers from about $38,000 per year to nearly $60,000. It was set to take effect today.
But Jindal on Monday reversed days of saying he would not veto the bill and did just that. He told reporters that the legislative pay raise “is inconsistent with a new Louisiana.”
Legislators dismissed any thought of trying to override the veto, which requires two-thirds majorities in both chambers.
“He did the right thing,” said state Sen. Jody Amedee, D-Gonzales and an opponent of the increase. “The people spoke and he listened.”
State Rep. Clif Richardson, R-Central, said while Jindal’s action may leave a political “scar or two,” he was pleasantly surprised by the veto.
“Either way that he went was very difficult,” said Richardson, who voted against the pay raise.
Jindal repeatedly said in recent days that, while he considered the pay raise excessive, he would not veto it. However, during his bid for governor last year the Republican said he would oppose legislative pay raises that take effect before their next term.
“It was always going to come down to which commitment he would honor,” said state Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-Baton Rouge and an opponent of the increase.
Cassidy and others said Jindal clearly heard the torrent of public criticism aimed at both lawmakers and the governor.
“The people have spoken and he was a wise man to listen to the people,” said state Rep. J. Rogers Pope, R-Denham Springs and an opponent of the increase.
Veteran state Sen. Butch Gautreaux, D-Morgan City and a backer of the increase, issued a prepared statement that said he was disappointed Jindal failed to keep his word to lawmakers.
Fourteen area lawmakers who backed the pay raise did not return telephone calls for comment on Monday.
State Rep. Joel Robideaux, No Party-Lafayette and an opponent of the pay raise, said it is too early to tell whether Jindal’s veto will hurt him in the Legislature.
“It’ll certainly test his political ability and his leadership skills, but he’s got three years to figure out how to make it work,” Robideaux said.
State Sen. Ben Nevers, D-Bogalusa, voted for the pay raise but also said he does not see Jindal’s veto hurting the governor in future sessions.
“I don’t think you are going to see any type of retaliation for this,” Nevers said.
State Rep. Jonathan Perry, R-Kaplan and a pay raise opponent, echoed the view of several lawmakers when he said he was relieved the issue is settled.
“I would hate to believe that anybody’s going to hold it against the governor when there’s a possibility that their constituents could end up suffering from it,” Perry said.
Asked about an override, state Rep. Mert Smiley Jr., R-St. Amant, noted that the legislative pay raise won approval by razor-thin margins. .submission
JindalWatch® Ping
http://www.2theadvocate.com/news/politics/22748834.html
Other officials up for large pay raises
http://www.2theadvocate.com/news/22748944.html
Jindal vetoes pay raise
http://www.2theadvocate.com/news/politics/22748754.html
Scores of state, local officials quit over law
http://www.2theadvocate.com/opinion/22748194.html
Our Views: Good vetoes from Jindal
http://www.2theadvocate.com/opinion/22748169.html
Letter: Jindal: new face on old politics
http://www.2theadvocate.com/opinion/22748139.html
Letter: Reader says Jindal set up lawmakers
http://www.2theadvocate.com/opinion/22748129.html
Inside Report for July 1, 2008
http://www.thetowntalk.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080701/NEWS01/807010320&referrer=FRONTPAGECAROUSEL
Jindal vetoes raises
http://www.thetowntalk.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080701/NEWS01/807010321/-1/NEWSFRONT2
Cenla applauds pay raise veto
http://www.theadvertiser.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080701/NEWS01/807010321/-1/NEWSFRONT2
Ethics reform forces officials to resign board positions
http://www.theadvertiser.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080701/NEWS01/807010325
Jindal recall, veto rally called off
http://www.theadvertiser.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080701/OPINION01/807010303
Pay-raise veto was right thing to do
http://www.americanpress.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2811&Itemid=105
Area lawmakers: Let’s move past pay
http://www.thenewsstar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080701/NEWS01/807010307/-1/NEWSFRONT2
Residents respond to Jindal’s change of heart
http://www.thenewsstar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080701/NEWS01/807010309/-1/NEWSFRONT2
Leaders: Jindal breached trust
http://www.thenewsstar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080701/OPINION01/807010304/1014/OPINION
In the end, people win
http://www.nola.com/news/t-p/frontpage/index.ssf?/base/news-11/1214890224123810.xml&coll=1
Jindal does about-face, vetoes raise
http://www.nola.com/news/t-p/capital/index.ssf?/base/news-6/1214890805159290.xml&coll=1
Jindal carves up state spending package
http://www.nola.com/news/t-p/editorials/index.ssf?/base/news-4/121488964782720.xml&coll=1
EDITORIAL: The veto victory
http://www.nola.com/news/t-p/letterstoeditor/index.ssf?/base/news-12/121488973682720.xml&coll=1
Promise was to the people
http://www.nola.com/news/t-p/letterstoeditor/index.ssf?/base/news-12/121488989382720.xml&coll=1
Veto was the right thing to do
http://www.nola.com/news/t-p/deberry/index.ssf?/base/News/121488967782720.xml&coll=1
Voters can do a victory dance now
http://www.nola.com/news/t-p/grace/index.ssf?/base/news-0/121488984782720.xml&coll=1
Veto won’t magically erase all the damage
http://www.shreveporttimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080701/OPINION/807010307/1007
Who’s the boss?
Not Jindal and not the Legislature
The Loosie legislaters tried to trick the young gov into not only raising their pay but shooting himself in the political foot.
The jaded old farts told the gov he ain’t getten’ nothin’ through without greasin’ their skids and he almost fell for it.
Fortunatly,at the last moment,he pulled out his copy of,”Doing The Will Of America” or “How I Slapped And Ignored Elected Idiots” By Ronald Reagan—THEN he came to Jesus.
Gov. Jindal has a BIG future and,IMHO,would be a top notch VP pick.
But McCain’s a jerk so I ain’t holdin’ my breath.
http://media.www.lsureveille.com/media/storage/paper868/news/2008/07/01/Opinion/Gov-Bobby.Jindal.Makes.Right.Choice.For.Wrong.Reason-3386778.shtml
Gov. Bobby Jindal makes right choice for wrong reason
Louisiana Blogs and links
http://www.bayoubuzz.com/
http://www.louisianaconservative.com/
http://forgotston.com/
http://www.thedeadpelican.com/
http://www.legewatch.com/
http://centrallapolitics.blogspot.com/
http://www.thereductbox.com/
http://www.recallmichot.com/
http://www.recallpayraisetucker.com/Home_Page.html
http://www.moongriffon.com/
http://jeffsadow.blogspot.com/
http://www.lapolitics.com/
http://onlyinlouisiana.wordpress.com/
http://ringsidepolitics.com/
http://www.wwl.com/
http://redstick.wordpress.com/
http://biggs-bullets.blogspot.com/
http://www.conservativecajun.blogspot.com/
http://gocitizencan.com/rally/
http://www.bayoubuzz.com/News/Louisiana/Politics/Louisiana_Poll_Jindal_Veto_Landrieu_Kennedy_President_Bush__6692.asp
Louisiana Poll: Jindal Veto, Landrieu, Kennedy, President Bush
http://www.louisianaconservative.com/
The Re-Education of Bobby Jindal
DID BOBBY SEE THE LIGHT,
OR FEEL THE HEAT?
http://www.wwltv.com/topstories/stories/wwl063008tpnorthshore.eb90aac.html?npc
North shore lawmakers glad pay raise issue over
http://redstick.wordpress.com/
Jindal Charting His Legacy
http://biggs-bullets.blogspot.com/
Jindal Touches The Third Rail
http://www.nbc33tv.com/news/local/22744994.html
Duplessis Blames Talk Show Host
Will you be staying home in November?
Maybe a write-in?
What is it with you people? Nowhere in this thread have I commented or opined one whit. I’ve merely posted news stories, links and headlines. This is a hot issue here in Louisiana and it’s newsworthy.
Now to answer your question, no I’m not happy with McCain. I don’t trust him as far as I can throw him. But I will vote for him, just as I did for Bobby Jindal. And this may come as a shock, but I’ll probably vote for Jindal again if he runs for re-election.
But I’ll never trust him again. Never.
“What is it with you people? Nowhere in this thread have I commented or opined one whit. I’ve merely posted news stories,”
Yea, and MSNBC merely reports news stories.
The more you all bellyache and whine, the more I will post. There’s plenty of news stories and blogs talking about this.
http://www.rogersrants.com/blog/default.aspx?id=200&t=Thank-You-Louisiana
Thank You Louisiana
Watch the TV33 interview with Duplessis
http://www.nbc33tv.com/
I just don't know how I got the impression you were actively promoting the recall of Bobby Jindal.
Just maybe from the website you promote where I see you people indeed filed a recall petition June 27.
The recall petition has been dropped. The intent of my JindalWatch® threads was to inform (which it did), to chastise Jindal for stabbing us in the back (he seemed chastened yesterday), and to convince him to veto the pay raise (which he did). I’m satisfied.
But I don’t trust him any more and will watch every move he makes.
And as far as some of the legislators who started this, there are some scores yet to be settled.
Rule number one in politics: Don’t get mad, get even.
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