Kevin’s Word

Front page, The Baton Rouge Advocate, June 25th, 2008

An Open Letter to Mr. Bobby Jindal

Welcome back, Mr. Jindal! I say Mister, of course, because calling you a governor would imply the citizenry of Louisiana would like for you to continue to represent our state to the rest of the country and the world. And judging by the fact you went from salt to scum in the eyes of most citizens here in less that 24 hours, I’d say, yeah, we really don’t want you.

You screwed up, Mr. Jindal. You promised during your campaign for governor (which was little more than a formality to give Walter Boasso and John Georges thinking that they might win) to never allow the legislature to have a pay raise. Now you really wish they hadn’t invented the printing press so that could have never been printed on your own campaign literature.

And the sad part is that if one of two things had happened in the October 2007 gubernatorial election, you wouldn’t be in this predicament. You wouldn’t be facing four members of state legislature facing a possible recall, and a rumored recall petition filed against yourself. A recall petition, by the way, I will happily support in any way possible. If you had not have positioned yourself as “the reformer”, as Louisiana’s knight in shining armor, riding up on horseback to throw former governor Kathleen Blanco and the rotten stench that lingers over downtown Baton Rouge (and on a busy day, makes it down to my home) when stupidity, greed, and just plain incompetence meet for legislative sessions; if, sir, you had not have decided to be the Louisiana Barack Obama, giving “hope” and promising “change”, but unable to show where you have the credibility to spew those words; and instead, Mr. Jindal, had you decided to be honest with the people of Louisiana and tell them you want to get things done but you can’t promise anything, if you had made it clear to them that you’re running for the office of Governor of the State of Louisiana, and not for the office of “God which will solve all our problems”, and had you decided to maybe come off your high horse of “almost winning the 2003 election, and losing to Ms. Blanco who people now hate and so I must be able to win” and actually talk to the people of Louisiana beforehand, and not micromanage the media into playing positive sound bites of you talk about change, but instead had you maybe decided to show up to a debate, it’s possible people could have gotten the full picture.

The second thing that could have happened last year to solve all these problems you’re experiencing now? If the people of Louisiana, battered from two hurricanes and an embarrassingly incompetent New Orleans, state, and Federal government, seen through your smile and stories about your childhood, and seen you, Bobby Jindal, for who you are. Not an amazing defeater of special interests, not a triumphant and morally clear public servant the likes of Louisiana has never seen, but instead another politician. An arrogant politician who had the election wrapped up so you didn’t bother to talk with the people. And people fell for it. Not everybody. Certainly not me.

Mr. Bobby Jindal, as I said earlier, you screwed up. Everybody screws up. Most politicians screw up. Hillary Clinton screws up stories. Ron Paul hired people who screwed up his newspaper columns many years ago. Bill Clinton screws interns. Not quite the same thing, but we’ll go with it. But you know what these people did, Mr. Jindal? They admitted they screwed up and apologized. You apparently aren’t entirely off of your high horse. Where’s your apology? That newspaper headline, the one from your and my hometown and current residence of Baton Rouge (if you haven’t seen it, I’m sure it’s right outside the front door; wave to the angry citizens beyond the fence while you’re out there), says that you believe you learned your lesson. But then the subtitle says that you still plan on passing the pay raise bill. So what does that prove? What exactly, Mr. Jindal, did you learn? “I’ve learned my lesson” is the quote of a reprimanded toddler, trying to convince his parents he won’t eat another cookie before supper. Mr. Jindal, do you want to have the credibility of a toddler to the people of this state? What did you learn? That, for the first time in recorded history, the state of Louisiana is mad at you? Do you subscribe to the Bush theory, that the masses are too lazy and stupid to realize when they are being screwed over? If so, look around that governor’s mansion. It won’t be yours for long.

People know you made a backroom deal with the legislature to get you’re own bills passed. People know you said you were better than that. And they’re learning, for the first time, that you, sir, are just another politician.

Veto the bill, Mr. Jindal. Will you still have a negative view around the state? Yes. Will I like you? I never have, but don’t worry about me. Worry about the thousands planning on marching on the capital in early July, and the thousands that can force a recall election.

Veto the bill, Mr. Jindal.

UPDATE: And now it’s happened. A recall petition has been officially filed against Bobby Jindal.

Baton Rouge District - The Thanks And The Jeers

State Senator Rob Marionneaux: You voted for the pay raise. Sir, if you would like to earn some extra cash, I have the perfect job for you. Between sessions, how about you work at Burger King and serve fries to some of our good politicians, such as State Representive Karen Gaudet St. Germain, who voted against the pay raise. We thank you, Rep. St. Germain, and Senator Marionneaux, why don’t you make it easy on yourself and resign?

For the unintiated: What’s Going On And Why We’re So Angry

Now, if you’ve made it this far, you have to have some idea of what is going on. Here’s a little summary: Governor Bobby Jindal was incredibly popular amoung most every Louisianian with the exception of a few (and I include myself in the few). He promised to clean up Louisiana politics, notorius for basically being the most corrupt and stupid in the nation. Everybody loved him, and one of his campaign promises was to not let a pay raise for the state legislature pass. Now that they tried it, however, he’s backing down under threats of not allowing his legislation get through. And the entire state is now furious, at least four official recall petitions have been filed to get many of the idiots who voted for this pay raise out of office. And the rumor is the governor himself could be facing a recall (for the love of God, we can only hope).

What is crazy is this is Jindal being a complete idiot. Which newspaper headline (excluding the real one above) sounds better to Jindal to you?

Governor’s reforms shot down after legislative pay raise vetoed

or…

Governor caves in to legislative pressure, allows pay raise

…and now you know why we used to call him Mr. Arrogant.

Which brings me to my next point…

…I Called It!

From Kevin’s Word archive, October 2007: Election 2007 Special: This Is Our Informed Public

From Blanco Ain’t Coming Back!, March 2007:

What was I talking about? Oh, yeah. Vote Jindal. Not that I’m biased, or anything.

—

See, things change a lot. By the way, congratulations, Mr. Arrogant.

Wow. Double quote. I will explain, that for a while I was a Jindal supporter, until I, you know, researched the information.

All that explains… that I didn’t like Bobby Jindal from the get-go. I don’t think he’s genuine, and he was extremely arrogant during the 2007 election.

So, What Can I Do?

If you’re a Louisiana citizen, visit the Louisiana State Legislature website, get the contact information for your members of legislature, and see if they voted for the pay raise. If they did, rip them a new one. Remember, they’re “worth it”. (And yes, the member of legislature that said that quote is the subject of one of the recall petitions).

Contact the governor, and ask him to veto the bill:

225-342-7015

And next time a candidate for any office tries to convice people he’s all “change”, look beneath the smile, and judge his character. If it isn’t honest and humble, you can bet you’ll be in for disappointment after the election.

Note: Now on Digg. http://digg.com/political_opinion/An_Open_Letter_To_Bobby_Jindal_More

A surveillance society. It’s a government who has all the information about it’s citizens and knows where they are at all times. It’s something we’ve thankfully mostly avoided in the United States, but it could be coming faster than you think. Actually, May 11th, 2008.

What is Real ID?
The REAL ID Act of 2005 made a nationwide standard for national ID cards, in the form of state-issued driver licenses. After 2013, older non-REAL ID compliant ID cards would not be accepted to open bank accounts, enter federal buildings, board commercial airlines or trains, or or passports. Not having a government approved ID card so they have all your information would mean you would be an illegal citizen in your own country! It passed in both the House of Representatives and the Senate in 2005. The bill, however, faced no opposition in the Senate, passed 100-0! The reason? Look at the title of the bill:

An act making Emergency Supplemental Appropriations for Defense, the Global War on Terror, and Tsunami Relief, for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2005, and for other purposes.

REAL ID was in the text of the bill, along with money for Tsunami Relief, Military Life Insurance, and other things that are widely supported by the people. If a Senate member had voted against the bill, surely their opposition would have run ads saying they “hate the poor tsunami victims”.

What about the Presidential candidates? What do they think?
Of the remaining Presidential candidates who were in Congress at the time this bill was voted on, only Rep. Ron Paul (Republican from Texas) voted against the bill. John McCain, Barack Obama, and Hillary Clinton all voted for the Senate’s bill. That, however, may not be an accurate measure of their support, since their was much more good stuff in the bill besides the ID act. Let’s see what they say now:
(source)

Sen. Barack Obama:

I do not support the Real ID program because it is an unfunded mandate, and not enough work has been done with the states to help them implement the program.

Here, however, Sen. Obama does not support the ID program not because of the violation of privacy rights, but instead because the states don’t have enough help with it!

Sen. Hillary Clinton:

I believe we need to seriously re-examine Real ID and make changes that take into account legitimate concerns raised by states. I have long expressed concern with the Real ID Act, dating back to its initial consideration in the Senate in the spring of 2005.Had there been an opportunity to properly consider this legislation, it would have been revealed that the Real ID Act imposes dramatic new burdens on our states and substantially changes our immigration and asylum laws in ways that deserve critical examination.

Among other things, Real ID’s driver’s license provisions impose a massive unfunded mandate on states, while ignoring our broken immigration system.

But there never was an opportunity to consider it properly. Senate Republicans brought this legislation up for a vote without holding hearings or engaging in serious debate, and by tacking it on to an emergency spending bill for our troops. By employing these tactics, Republicans revealed that they were determined to bulldoze this law through without serious discussion.

I support a comprehensive review of Real ID to determine whether its various ID provisions make sense in light of our very real security needs and the challenges facing our states.”

Although Clinton leave it open for debate and further review, it doesn’t specify whether she seriously supports or opposes the idea of a federal ID card. However, she is absolutely correct in saying that many Republicans tried to force it though by tacking it on a bill funding widely supported programs.

Sen. John McCain:

“The 9/11 Commission recommended that the federal government set standards for the issuance of birth certificates and sources of identification, such as driver’s licenses. Consistent with these recommendations, the Real ID act established federal guidelines to prevent fraud in the issuance and acquisition of identity documents. I support full implementation of Real ID but understand that states need to be given enough time and funding to implement the requirements.”

Sen. McCain is the only candidate to fully support REAL ID in it’s current state. Which proves either ignorance or stupidity in the highest magnitude.

Rep. Ron Paul:

“I do not support any Real ID program, and I would seek the repeal of all federal laws mandating a Real ID program. The Real ID Act imposes tremendous costs on state governments, yet any state that opts out will automatically make nonpersons out of its citizens.The citizens of that state will be unable to have any dealings with the federal government because their ID will not be accepted. They will not be able to fly or to take a train. In essence, in the eyes of the federal government, they will cease to exist.

However, the most objectionable feature of the Real ID Act is that it turns state driver’s licenses into de facto national ID cards, thus facilitating the massive invasion of an American’s privacy, facilitating the growth of the surveillance state, and turning America into the type of country where citizens must always have their ‘papers in order.’”

Rep. Paul speaks the best on this subject. He notes that citizens who don’t have a REAL ID will no longer be able to do dealings with the federal government.

Note we’ve also contacted Kat Swift’s campaign about her opinion of the REAL ID program and we’ll update the article when we get it back.

When is all this going to happen?
Depends by state. Some are already issuing REAL compliant cards. Some have banned the issuing of REAL ID for the exact reasons we’ve talked about above. Most states will have to begin issuing REAL compliant IDs by May 11th, 2008 unless they’ve filed an extension, in which case that date is December 31, 2009. In May 2013, all people with non-REAL ID cards will no longer be allowed to enter federal buildings, get a passport, travel on planes or trains.

You can help. Contact your state legislature and tell them you want them to block REAL ID cards in your state. Support politicians who don’t support REAL ID. And inform your friends, neighbors, and family members about the horrors of REAL ID.

It’s Valentine’s Day 2008.
And in celebration, Republicans in Washington D.C. today marched out of the House of Representatives to protest the Democrats trying to protect the rights of American citizens by not passing a law that makes telephone’s cooperation with NSA’s illegal spying program legal, and make current lawsuits including one large suit against AT&T void.

I’m calling it the 2008 Republican March Against The Bill of Rights.

How about we tax dumb people? That way we could get some money from the politicians finally. But, no, instead the mayor of San Francisco would like to tax sugary soft drinks. Yes, people, the Dumbasses of America want to tax my Coca-Cola. Well, not mine, since I don’t live, and will never, at least until this idiot is gone, live in San Francisco.

Why? Well because the people are fat. And it would probably be against some law to tax people based on their weight. I mean, wouldn’t you hate to go down to the IRS office to weigh yourself to determine how much you owe the Government to spy on you? I have a better idea: why don’t we tax Vitamin Water, since that makes people healthy, thus making them go to the doctor less, and thus contributing less to the economy.

I hate dumb politicians.