Governor Bobby Jindal's "Response"

It's impressive how some people can talk for so long without saying anything. Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal provided a compelling example of this phenomenon on Tuesday night when he gave the Republican response to President Obama's first speech in front of Congress as the president.

After a speech in which the president outlined in frank terms the current economic situation in this country as well as some of his ideas and strategies for improving the economy, reforming national problems such as health care and education, and finally his hope for cutting the national deficit in half by the end of his first four years, Governor Jindal provided nothing but some personal history and clichéd party lines.

It was yet another example of pure Republican obstructionism: saying "no, no, no" to every idea offered without bothering to come up with any solutions with which to replace them. These kinds of political tactics are bad enough normally, when there's always something that can be improved, but they are beyond irresponsible in a time like the present, when bold and immediate action is required. It would be one thing if the governor had offered substitute ideas and solutions instead of simply saying he has concerns about the stimulus, but no such help was offered to the nation.

Instead, Governor Jindal repeated what is perhaps the favorite Republican mantra: that government is bad, and Republicans "put our hope in you, the American people" more than Democrats.

At a time when government unemployment and the stimulus package is for many people the only thing protecting them from foreclosure and bankruptcy, this argument is particularly empty. It's also odd that, as much as Republicans say they care about Americans more than Democrats (at least according to Mr. Jindal), they usually insist on cutting the taxes of the rich (even if it increases our national deficit) and leaving the poor and the middle class to fend for themselves.

Even while repeating this Republican fallback saying, the governor contradicted himself: only four sentences after he said that "the strength of America is not found in its government," he told us that "to solve our current problems, Washington must lead."

This is the same kind of Bush-ian doublespeak that caused Republicans to go from controlling both Congress and the White House to losing both after only two consecutive elections.

Governor Jindal also criticized money being spent for high-speed rail systems and to purchase hybrid and electric vehicles for the government after saying we must improve our energy efficiency. And, in an incredible example of being out of touch, the governor declared that "we need to bring transparency to Washington" so that we don't pass any more big spending bills that "the American people haven't even seen." Perhaps he was unaware that President Obama's administration is one of the most transparent we've had in a long time, maybe he hasn't heard about www.recovery.gov, the website where Americans can see where every dollar from the stimulus goes, and he must have just forgotten that the stimulus bill was posted online for perusal and comment by the public before the president signed it into law.

It's also worth nothing that the governor is among a handful of Republican governors who are drawing attention to themselves by squabbling over a few minute portions of the recently passed stimulus bill. As President Obama himself has conceded, the stimulus is not perfect (as if a piece of legislation could be), but it provides massive help to companies and states and individuals who are trying to stay afloat during this economic dry spell. Governor Jindal, and the other Republican governors who are using this bill to draw political attention and media time for themselves, are complaining about 1 to 2 percent of the stimulus bill, which makes about as much sense as complaining about a lifeboat provided to save you from drowning because you don't like its color.

Governor Jindal is frequently cited as a rising star in the Republican party and is seen as a possible presidential nominee in 2012; all I can say is if this empty nay-saying is the best Republicans have to offer us during this severe economic downturn, we should all be grateful that President Obama is unafraid to get things done. America can't take "no" to the bank.

All quotes are taken from a transcript of the governor's response, taken from "Transcript of Gov. Jindal's GOP response to Obama speech", CNN.