Window Dressing Isn’t Enough
Have Republicans found their Barack Obama in Bobby Jindal? Some seem to think so. After all, he’s young (37), not white (Indian), and smart (Rhodes Scholar). Surely that’s the new winning combination. And I guess this makes sense for a party who’s struggling to look past the surface.
Youth is the new Republican buzz word, and I’m not denying that they will need new blood to survive. What I’m saying is that what ails the Republican Party can’t be solved by simply repackaging the same, old ideology in a youthful, brown face. Psst… Obama didn’t win because of his skin color or his age. In fact, both were considered obstacles. Treating Obama’s win like the latest fad, worthy of duplicating, is not only politically shallow it also demonstrates a complete and total unwillingness for serious introspection.
Not seeing my point? Then let’s look past Jindal’s trendy exterior.
…social conservatives like what they have heard about the public and private Jindal: his steadfast opposition to abortion without exceptions; his disapproval of embryonic stem cell research; his and his wife Supriya’s decision in 1997 to enter into a Louisiana covenant marriage that prohibits no-fault divorce in the state; and his decision in June to sign into law the Louisiana Science Education Act, a bill heartily supported by creationists that permits public school teachers to educate students about both the theory of “scientific design” and criticisms of Darwinian evolutionary concepts.
Sounds a little out of step with moderates, don’t ya think? And this is the real problem facing Republicans. Didn’t anyone ever tell them that no matter how “pretty” someone is on the outside, it’s what’s inside that counts? These extreme, militant positions on abortion, stem cell research, marriage, and creationism scare the hell out of average people.
Honestly, did the Republican Party learn nothing from Obama’s win? Did they not notice how much time and effort he put into reassuring the middle? Obviously not, since the only names we’re hearing out of the Republican camp are Jindal, Palin, and Huckabee.
The truth is that Republicans have a golden opportunity at this moment in time. They need to scrap the “loyal opposition” rhetoric, roll up their sleeves, and get to work helping to fix the country. Why in the world they are focusing so much of their energy on 2012 instead of 2008 boggles the mind. Don’t they understand that what happens in 2012 will be shaped by what happens in 2009, 2010, and 2011? Are they only about winning elections?
Jindal’s sudden rise to the top demonstrates how little Republicans have learned. I don’t care how you dress it up. It’s the ideology, stupid.
Tags: Jindal, Republicans
Is this guy a Hindu or Catholic???? Just asking
What’s awesome about this is, they (Burris included) will say this has nothing to do with Obama and is just a sign of the times or some other bs reason why the party of the South is putting up an Indian guy.
Wasn’t Jack Abramoff an indian?
A jewish indian? who knew…
Right, DV. Just like Steele has nothing to do with Obama.
what’s even better is now that the GOP is forced to “react” and not act, more people will see just how transparent they are as a party.
I just want you to know that I personally enjoy reading you guys talk about the GOP. It’s wildly entertaining.
Steele and Jindal were both “rising stars” pre-Obama. Not that facts matter here or anything. Carry on.
Jindal is Catholic. Another no-compromise, no-exception Catholic who will give those of us who are more moderate and reasonable a bad name.
You know, we should just let the Republicans go right. It’s their funeral. Let’s sit back an enjoy it like a New Orleans funeral procession.
Dave, I’m having trouble reconciling what you write here and what you write over at Delaware Politics.
IMO, both Jindal and Steele are riding Obama’s coattails – for all the wrong reasons. Neither would have have risen so fast without the GOP’s flawed “Obama” model. You guys need to dig deeper. This surface crap ain’t gonna cut it.
I just want you to know that I personally enjoy reading you guys talk about the GOP. It’s wildly entertaining.
we know, it’s your radio stations first blog they read in the morning
Steele and Jindal were both “rising stars” pre-Obama. Not that facts matter here or anything. Carry on.
You say rising star, we say propped up as a distraction to make people think that your party is inclusive and tolerant of other cultures and races.
Nemski, that’s the problems with liberals. We can’t just sit back. It’s in our DNA to right wrongs.
“we know, it’s your radio stations first blog they read in the morning”
I have to come here every day, if only to learn more about what I’ve done wrong.
“You say rising star, we say propped up as a distraction to make people think that your party is inclusive and tolerant of other cultures and races.”
And yet both have more experience than Obama did when he announced his bid for the Presidency. Nice that we “prop up” people by electing them to statewide office. Works for me.
“Neither would have have risen so fast without the GOP’s flawed “Obama” model.”
This is beautiful. Jindal was elected to Congress the same year Obama was, and Steele was elected statewide in Maryland in 2002.
So were we using the “Obama model” before Obama was? That’s priceless.
Not talking statewide, but you know that, Dave. What I’m talking about is Steele becoming the new leader of the Republican Party and Jindal suddenly in line for President in 2012.
And Jindal launched into the National spotlight during McCain’s mad VP search. He’s remaining in the spotlight for exactly those same reasons.
FSP: Are you playing stupid, or is this not an act?How is Michael Steele, currently out of a job, a “rising star” in the GOP? Is he a rising star the way J.C. Watts was a rising star — heaped with praise based on the curiosity of being a black Republican?
Likewise, don’t you understand the problem with the GOP’s portrayal of Jindal? They aren’t raving about his ability to make health programs work — they’re raving about the personal choices that show he’s “like them,” that is, opposed to modern science, aligned with an intolerant religion and, such people hope, will be inclined to impose those views on others.
Finally, it’s rich irony to watch a Ronald Reagan fan sermonize against the triumph of style over substance.
Steele was mentioned as a front-runner for the RNC chairmanship in November of 2006, before Bush gave the position to Sen. Mel Martinez.
And Jindal has remained in the spotlight because of his resume. Like turning around the Louisiana Medicaid program at 25 and passing major ethics reform and transparency legislation after being elected Governor.
You’re simply seeing what you want to see.
Geezer,
it’s no act. It’s blind loyalty
FSP: Are you playing stupid, or is this not an act?
Of course they’re going to talk about Jindal’s social conservatism when he goes to Iowa to talk to a social conservative policy group.
Of course they’re going to talk about Jindal’s social conservatism when he goes to Iowa to talk to a social conservative policy group.
I get it. Just giving the lions what they want to eat.
If that’s your response, then I suppose DV is wrong. People do not support Obama because of such positions — they support him because he strikes them as a grown-up.
A guy who believes in creationism and the hard-line Catholic social positions will not strike anyone outside your choir as a grown-up. You are in the unenviable position of forcing candidates to kow-tow to the most ignorant elements of our society as a first hurdle to enter the presidential race. It’s self-defeating, as McCain just finished demonstrating.
Republicans: Building a New, Better Bubble.
then I suppose DV is wrong
NEVER!
Doesn’t this guy believe in exorcisms?
BOOGIE-WOOGIE!!!!
Is the new Republican plan to simply try and sneak an extremist past the American people and hope we don’t notice? If so… good luck with that.
Social Conservatives aren’t out of touch because of what they believe. They are out of touch because of what they insist others believe.
That’s what scares people. Even if you’re a person who agrees with 90% of what the right wing says, you’ll start to worry about that missing 10%.
If he’s a birthright ‘Indian’ his first name ain’t Bobby……so, what is it Vishnu?
“Is the new Republican plan to simply try and sneak an extremist past the American people and hope we don’t notice? ”
Yeah, it’s called the “Obama plan.” It worked for y’all.
His birth name is Piyush.
“Born in Louisiana as Piyush Jindal to highly educated immigrants from India, he decided as a young child to nickname himself “Bobby,” after his favorite character on the TV show “The Brady Bunch.”
Dave, Obama is not an extremist… no matter how often you make the claim. You guys really need some new material – in more ways than one!
his decision in June to sign into law the Louisiana Science Education Act, a bill heartily supported by creationists that permits public school teachers to educate students about both the theory of “scientific design” and criticisms of Darwinian evolutionary concepts.
*buzzer sound*
Thanks for playing Bobby. The rest of the country now thinks you are a nutbag.
“Dave, Obama is not an extremist… no matter how often you make the claim. ”
I was kind of joking.
I think Obama believes in whatever he needs to believe in at any given moment. These days, he’s feeling quite free-tradish and more than a bit hawkish!
Like Jason pointed out in post 30, Jindal’s support of creationist hacks kind of makes him a non-starter for me. If there’s one place where you could call me a single issue voter, that would be it. I’m guessing the biology degree has something to do with it.
I actually find his position on the matter a little perplexing. He is supposed to be a Hindu-turned-Catholic. To the best of my knowledge both of those religions, at least in their mainstream forms, have no real qualms with evolutionary theory and tend to take a kind of hands-off approach to any idea of incorporating so-called “intelligent design” into science curricula. In some cases (Ken Miller comes to mind) there are Catholic biologists who are vehemently and actively opposed to the ID movement.
I’m guessing Jindal must feel that if he wants to continue getting elected with an R next to his name he has no choice but to pander to the folks who think The Flintstones was a documentary.
Bingo!
Thanks Pandora…..do you happen to have his middle name too 😉 ?
Jindal is just a smarter version of Sarah Palin. What’s the point of him being smart if he still supports dumb policies (like teaching creationism in schools).