Gov. Bobby Jindal didn’t have to wait long for the opposition to jump on words he used to respond to President Obama’s speechCNN Report. Jindal was picked not only because he is a rising star within our party, but also because he has two traits that Republicans need.
First, it is he is young. Let’s face the facts; most people associate the Republican Party with a bunch of middle age guys in suits. Now, here is Jindal on the other side of the middle age factor and a seemingly “down to earth” sort of guy. Wham, a new face for the party!
Second, he speaks well. Jindal is well versed and uses language to his benefit. With a little more practice, he could be the new Reagan our party has been seeking. After all, who could look past such remarks as his reference to being a “pre-existing condition” when his family arrived with him still in the womb? He has the wit, and he has the words. We need this on the front lines for the party.
As for the attacks, sorry folks, Jindal is right. The statement about throwing money into volcano monitoring is right. Let’s not forget that Jindal comes from a state where big government failed to act during what should have been their finest hour. Maybe Jindal could have seen a little better if the money had been marked for hurricane monitoring. Take a moment to count the number of volcano eruptions and compare them to the number of hurricanes and you might find a better place for the money to go.
Finally, just ask the people of Louisiana who was there when recent storms hit. They are quick to tell you that Jindal cancelled his speech at the Republican National Hooray, packed his bags, and came home. The result… Louisiana had their governor on the home front, working for the people who elected him and he conducted one of the best evacuations in the state’s history. He did it without big government, but even more importantly he did it for the people who put their trust and faith in him. Jindal may very well be the man on his way to a future position as President of the United States. If he takes the same attitude toward that job that he has the governorship, then America will be in safe hands.
Hurricane prediction technology is already in place and has been since before Katrina. In fact, many predictions were made about what would happen if a hurricane like Katrina came along and at least some of the predictions came true. For example: http://www.prospect.org/cs/articles?articleId=9754
ReplyDeleteWhat Jindal claimed was "volcano monitoring" was actually only part of what that money was going for.
More from Sen. Mark Begich:
The Honorable Bobby Jindal
Governor of Louisiana
Baton Rouge, LA 70804
Via fax: (225) 342-7099
Dear Governor Jindal:
I write to take issue with your comments on national television last night following
President Obama's speech regarding federal spending on volcano monitoring.
Specifically, you listed "volcano monitoring" in a series of projects you consider
'''wasteful spending."
Volcano monitoring is a matter of life and death in Alaska. The science of volcano
monitoring and the money needed to fund it is incredibly important in our state and could affect the economic well-being of other states and countries because of Alaska's key role in international commerce.
In December 1989, Alaska's Mount Redoubt had a serious eruption that caused a Boeing 747 to lose power in all four engines with hundreds of passengers on board. Fortunately, the aircraft was able to restart and land safely, but damage to the airliner exceeded $80 million. Obviously, had the aircraft not been able to restart its engines, the result would have been catastrophic.
Alaska's largest international airport in Anchorage is one ofthe world's busiest cargo airports, with more than 600 wide-body cargo jets delivering millions of dollars of goods between Asia, North America and Europe each week. Any interruption of that traffic by a volcanic eruption could be felt in Tokyo, New York or even Baton Rouge.
Currently, the Alaska Volcano Observatory monitors 31 active Alaskan volcanoes and works closely with other federal, state and municipal agencies to ensure public safety and minimize disruptions. Eruptions often spew curtains of ash miles into the air that impact communities hundreds of miles downwind, causing severe health consequences for our citizens. When there is a significant eruption, those with respiratory challenges must stay indoors.
For Alaska and our country, monitoring volcanoes is important business. The more we know about what might happen, the better our citizens and industries can plan for the potential hazard. Feel free to contact my office so we can provide you with further information regarding this important subject.
Sincerely,
Mark Begich
U.S. Senator
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