Governor Bobby Jindal has opportunity to reshape Louisiana
Posted on 07/09/2010 9:05:26 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal has a lot more work to do to see his way out of the political mess that is the Gulf oil spill. There are a number of factors that could hamper his progress, If he takes his time and uses all the resources available then he could come out of it in good shape. As an added bonus he could get a fair amount of credit for leading Louisiana out of the dark ages.
How much credit. Would it be 55% of the credit. That's not important now. What's important is getting something good out of the federal partnership that is being established. So down the road people will say. "you know we came out of that O.K.
On the other hand if all they remember is Governor Jndal yelling about "rocks" or "sand berms". That's going to create a whole lot of confusing thoughts on where to place blame. Noise is not a message. It just gets people's attention for a short amount of time.
But let me be blunt. It will be impossible to accomplish without the proper use of some of the Federal government's superior resources and planning capabilities. To go it alone would put citizens of Louisiana at a distinct disadvantage.
Citizens are also smart enough to know that Jindal asked for Federal help. Then after getting that help at times he has said "we are not happy with it". That's confusing to voters. Especially when Jindal's complaints are "always" expressed so vociferously to the media. Voters will start to wonder if there is more than one game being played here? That could create a sense of resentment in the eyes of some.
So it's O.K. for Jindal to want to get his fair share of credit. But he should be careful not to disgruntle voters or other stakeholders in the Gulf restoration process that have a difference of opinion about who is doing what. That goes back to rhetoric and debate skills. Excepting feedback. Something I touched on a few weeks ago. Some debate is good for better outcomes. It satisfies a stakeholders need to be heard. It will also wash away some doubt if the effort to listen is seen as honest.
The Governor will have to learn these techniques if he wants to be taken seriously as a possible presidential candidate in 2016. Otherwise he will only be used as a "play thing" by the Republican party. That would be a waste, considering he has the potential to take over a good deal of the whole operation.
Even though the end decision is going to be Jindal's on a lot of issues. He can hedge his bets by including a good mix of stakeholders.
Now just forming a group or board and not acting or taking into consideration the opinions of the stakeholders. That is worse from a political standpoint than not having one.
The time for pointing fingers is over. Now is the time to think of the future of Louisiana. A time to reward the citizens for all they have been through. In these difficult economic times voters are looking for results. It's not a good time to play politics. Jindal could end up not only burning himself but any other politician that gets too close to the fire.
Voters know one thing. There have been some large figures thrown around surrounding the oil spill. If jobs, a better standard of living, and economic expansion do not result then it will likely result in a backlash for politicians. Decisions made in haste will get thrown on the microscope. Buying votes and paying back supporters with BP money would be a big mistake in my opinion.
Jindal has a great opportunity to really accomplish something. So he should take his time and not worry about the politics of it all. Sand berms and rocks are not going to bring back fish, oysters, or the seafood industry.
Sound decisions irrespective of party affiliation will have to be incorporated into any plan to restore the Gulf. Otherwise half the of the stakeholders will be helpful and the rest will try and tear it down every step of the way.
Good Grief!!! *Sitting pretty*????
Could the writer not come up with a better headline???
How about: Louisiana’s Republican Governor, Jindal, is the leader in Gulf Oil spill solutions.
i jus add ‘pretty’ as keyword for this article.
The author looks at this oil spill disaster from the prism of who gets the credit, or who will look good from the standpoint of the polls, not how the problem will be fixed.
In other words, he seems to insinuate that looking “pretty” ( his words ) is Jindal’s main concern and not solving the immediate problem at hand.
He believes every politician or governor thinks like our current President.
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