He could his diminishing statewide political capital into a Senate race. The benefits of a win there would be renewed "rising star" momentum and a return to Washington where he'd be politically insulated from the various time bombs his policies have set in Louisiana . And, of course, he could continue to build his Presidential campaign which is inevitable either way.
Or he could wait it out here in the sinking paradise. No matter how low his approval ratings get among Louisiana voters, his program is sure to continue impressing the national Republican donors it's designed to play to.
He’s pushing to eliminate all corporate and personal income taxes, in favor of sales tax increases. He’s refused to expand Medicaid under Obama’s health care overhaul, and he’s dismantling the state’s unique public hospital system, in no small part through his control over the leadership of the LSU System that runs the health care enterprise. He has privatized parts of the Medicaid insurance program for the poor along with state workers’ health care plan.Plus, by staying in the Governor's chair, Jindal doesn't run the risk of losing an election to Mary Landrieu which is the one thing most likely to kill his ambitions.
He’s dramatically cut the number of state workers, though mostly by issuing contracts to pay private firms to do the same work. He’s created one of the nation’s largest school voucher programs, with a price tag of $25 million this year and more than 4,900 students enrolled.
Update: Mary is already firing preemptive shots across the bow
U.S. Sen. May Landrieu blasted Gov. Bobby Jindal on Tuesday morning saying he is putting his political ambitions ahead of the health and economic interests of Louisiana.
Her comments came over Jindal’s rejection of “Medicaid expansion” as part of the federal Affordable Care Act, called ‘Obamacare,’ which goes into effect in 2014. The expansion would allow people who earn too much money or otherwise don’t qualify for Medicaid, but too little to buy their own insurance, to get coverage under the government program.
“He just seems to be adamant about pushing his political future ahead of the economic interests of the people of Louisiana. It’s very disheartening to me and a growing number of people in our state,” said Landrieu. D-La. “It’s his quest to be the next president and to check off the tea party ‘I am the most conservative person in America’ check list. If he were to get his mind and heart on the people he’s representing, we might have better outcomes.”
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