Posted on 04/28/2009 4:16:44 PM PDT by St. Louis Conservative
In a week when Washington is obsessed with the arrival of the 100-day milestone in President Barack Obama's presidency, it's easy to forget that, for the opposition Republicans, the crucial political testing ground likely doesn't lie in the nation's capital at all.
Instead, it's found in cities such as this one, Louisiana's state capital, and in the hands of new leaders such as Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal. He speaks with the rapid-fire cadence of a man brimming with youthful confidence that he can craft a conservative alternative to the path Washington is taking to escape today's economic hurricane.
Whether Mr. Jindal and a few fellow GOP governors can lead an outside-in conservative revival may be the most important question facing Republicans today. Despite the disastrous reviews he earned in giving the televised response to Mr. Obama's address to Congress earlier this year, Mr. Jindal, a 37-year-old Rhodes Scholar, remains one of the bright young policy wonks of his party.
And, as he notes in an interview, the last time Republicans were this deep in the political wilderness, it was policy-wonk governors who led them back.
The year was 1993, and President Bill Clinton and the Democrats had taken command of all levers of the federal government. GOP governors in Utah, Wisconsin and Michigan helped turn the tide by demonstrating that Republicans still could offer a workable conservative solution to an expensive and emotional social problem. The issue was welfare, and those Republican governors showed it was possible to transform the traditional system by tying benefits to work requirements and job training. "This was considered a very radical reform," Mr. Jindal says.
But it worked, and later was embraced by Mr. Clinton, who ultimately signed a national welfare-overhaul bill into law.
(Excerpt) Read more at online.wsj.com ...
“GOP’s Hopes Bloom Outside D.C.”
The GOP’s hope currently resides in Wasilla, Alaska.
What about Columbia, SC?
“What about Columbia, SC?”
Sanford’s a good governor, but I just don’t think he can unite so many people, like Sarah Palin can!
The liberals did go after Sanford, but they’re not attacking him nearly as hard as they are Palin. They know that Sarah is a threat to their “anointed messiah” and they’re trying to take her out.
Not to worry, though! SARAHCUDA’s gonna come roaring back, with so many people behind her! WE WILL WIN IN 2012!!!
Bump for Jindal! (not to say there’s not a lot of other great talent out there, as well).
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.