Cleaning Up
Bobby Jindal, the new Republican governor of Louisiana, is proving that cleaning up government is possible. He has rammed sweeping ethics rules changes through a reluctant legislature and has even managed to extract praise from the New York Times in doing so.
BATON ROUGE, La. — Downstairs, legislators gnashed their teeth, while upstairs at the Capitol here this week, the new governor claimed victory against the old customs down below.
Six weeks into the term of Gov. Bobby Jindal, an extensive package of ethics bills was approved here this week, signaling a shift in the political culture of a state proud of its brazen style. Mr. Jindal, the earnest son of Indian immigrants, quickly declared open season on the cozy fusion of interests and social habits that have prevailed among lobbyists, state legislators and state agencies here for decades. Mostly, he got what he wanted.
Mr. Jindal, an outsider to that rollicking if sometimes unsavory banquet, a Republican with a missionary’s zeal to smite Louisiana’s wickedness at one of its presumed sources, called on the Legislature to reform itself and its high-living ways.
Grudgingly, pushed by public opinion and business pressure, it went along. When the legislative session ended Tuesday, lawmakers had passed bills aimed at making their finances less opaque, barring their lucrative contracts with the state — some have been known to do good business with them — and cutting down on perks like free tickets to sporting events. The bills, which advocates say will put Louisiana in the top tier of states with tough ethics rules, now await Mr. Jindal’s signature, which should come early next week.
Mr. Jindal overcame resistance by convincing lawmakers that no job growth would occur in the state until it cleaned up its act and brought its ethics laws into the national mainstream.
“I’ve talked to C.E.O.’s in New York, even the president of the United States,” Mr. Jindal said in an interview, and when “you ask them for more investment, more help on the coast and other areas, their first reaction always is: ‘Well, who do you need to know? Who do I have to hire? Is this money going to end up in somebody’s pocket?’ ”
That had to change, the governor said, and he was using his “narrow window” — his honeymoon at the Capitol — to do it.
The volume of grumbling suggested real change was afoot.
“This is huge,” said D. W. Hunt, a veteran lobbyist at the Capitol. “This is a sea change. This will seriously, dramatically change things. The meta-theme is the transparency.”
Barry Erwin, president of the Council for a Better Louisiana, a good-government watchdog group, described the new bills as “a major change in the culture.”
“It’s a world of difference, particularly on the disclosure side, and the same thing with conflict-of-interest,” he said.
Louisiana has long had a reputation for utter corruption in politics. Change is long overdue. Too bad he can't take this show on the road - there are other states that could benefit from this kind of change (Illinois comes to mind). Jindal did not get everything he wanted, he was unable to strip convicted politicians of state benefits. But it is a start - a big one - toward draining Louisiana's political swamp. Or bayou, if you prefer.
By syn, Thursday, 28 February , 2008 @ 8:41 am
Great leaders actually do something, they don’t just talk about doing something.
Gov Jindel is going to do more for America as Governor of LA than all the Senators and House Reps in Washington DC say they do.
I am so looking forward to the day Gov Jindel runs for President, it will be lovely to support a Conservative for a change. I was on the other side during the Reagan Revolution calling him a warmonger who caused AIDS; man was I stupid, naive and blinded by liberalism.
By NortonPete, Thursday, 28 February , 2008 @ 8:54 am
I was wondering why I was seeing so many Louisiana license plates driving around here in New Jersey.
By Anthony (Los Angeles), Thursday, 28 February , 2008 @ 9:49 am
Good job on Governor Jindal’s part. I hope a successful career cleaning up Louisiana leads to national office for him.
By FedUp, Thursday, 28 February , 2008 @ 10:36 am
Harry… Nancy… Rahm… Murtha… Teddy… Stevens… and all the rest of you… are you paying attention???
By martian, Thursday, 28 February , 2008 @ 3:05 pm
I’m surprised we’re not hearing rumblings about VP Jindal.
By Maggie, Thursday, 28 February , 2008 @ 4:03 pm
@syn
Me too …
By Mockinbird, Thursday, 28 February , 2008 @ 5:41 pm
Good job, Gov. Jindal!
For Pete’s sake, let him finish a couple of terms cleaning up Louisiana before we see him on the national scene.