Caffeinated
Thoughts
November 6, 2015
We Endorse Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal for President
President Barack Obama kept his promise
eight years ago that he would fundamentally transform America. He
certainly has, but not for the better. Our national debt has
skyrocketed. Our Constitution has been largely ignored, and our nation
has become a nation governed by rule and court opinion rather than by
law. We have seen incredible encroachment by our government into our
liberty, in particular religious liberty, and it appears that it will
only get worse.
We face extraordinary times, so our nation
needs an extraordinary leader.
Looking for this leader has been a
difficult process, but not because of a lack of choices. To the
contrary, the current GOP field of presidential candidates is the
strongest we’ve seen in decades. There are a number of candidates we
believe could serve with distinction and honor in the White House, but
there is one who we believe stands out.
Caffeinated Thoughts is proud to endorse
Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal for President of the United States.
Governor Jindal has an impressive
resume by any standard, but considering he is 44-years-old it is truly
remarkable. Graduating from Brown University as a double major with
honors at the age of 20, Jindal went on to study as a Rhodes scholar at
Oxford University where he would later earn his master’s degree.
Jindal, at the age of 24, was appointed head of Louisiana’s Department
of Health and Hospitals. He was later appointed by President George W.
Bush as Assistant Secretary of Health and Human Services. He served two
terms representing Louisiana’s 1st Congressional District in the U.S.
House of Representatives after which he was elected Governor of
Louisiana and is currently serving his second term.
Jindal speaks of a seven-year long
spiritual journey that began while he was in high school, and, at Brown
University, culminated in a personal faith and acceptance of Jesus
Christ as Lord and Savior. He freely speaks of the realization that he
had that Christ died for sin not in some generic way, but for him and
his sin personally. He points to the time of that realization as the
“most important moment in my life.” Having such a clear profession of
faith in Christ is something that we are pleased to see in a
presidential candidate.
Jindal also makes it plain that his
faith is not something that he keeps put away except for Sundays. His
worldview is built upon his faith, and his governance is guided by his
worldview. An example of that is his support of the Louisiana Marriage
and Conscience Act, in which protections would be given to individuals
or businesses who oppose same-sex marriage. A number of corporations
opposing the bill expressed their disapproval to him, but his reply was
firm: “They are free to voice their opinions, but they will not deter
me.”
According to the Cato Institute, of the
governors that were or still are GOP candidates for the presidential
nomination, Jindal is the only one that has actually cut spending in
his state. Cato Budget Analyst Nicole Kaeding wrote this: “Louisiana
general fund spending has fallen during Bobby Jindal’s tenure as
governor. At a time when states were increasing spending, Jindal
instituted reforms that cut the state workforce and lowered per capita
spending. This feat makes Jindal unique among Republican contenders for
the presidency.” We are confident that when Jindal says he intends to
reduce federal spending, he will succeed in getting it done. He has a
unique credibility in that regard.
Louisiana, under his leadership, was
named by Americans United for Life as the most pro-life state in
the
nation six years in a row. He has signed numerous pro-life bills as
Governor that led to his state’s status. In light of recent videos
exposing Planned Parenthood’s involvement in harvesting fetal body
parts for profit, Jindal ordered an investigation of Planned
Parenthood. He also rescinded Medicaid contracts his state had with the
abortion provider that fully defunded Planned Parenthood of all
taxpayer funds that provided a model for governors in other states to
follow. He has stood and fought in federal court over his
decision, and
we applaud the fortitude he has shown that is unfortunately rare among
many governors and in Washington, DC.
With Jindal at the helm, Louisiana has
consistently been graded an A+ by the National Rifle Association. As
Governor he signed legislation that strengthened Louisiana’s stand your
ground and castle doctrine laws. In 2012 Louisiana also passed its own
constitutional amendment guaranteeing the right to keep and bear arms.
As a member of Congress, Jindal received the NRA’s Harlon B. Carter
award for working to address gun confiscations that took place in New
Orleans after Hurricane Katrina in order to prevent them from happening
again.
Jindal is not perfect. No candidate is,
of course. He, like many other governors, signed onto adopting the
Common Core State Standards. Unlike many of his colleagues, Jindal has
not only demonstrated humility in acknowledging that he was wrong, but
he has been a leader in fighting the implementation of the Common Core
in his state through executive action, proposed legislation, and legal
action. While he hasn’t been successful fighting on numerous fronts
with his own state board of education, legislative education leaders
and the Obama administration, he proves actions speak louder than words
and has fought the good fight.
His willingness to fight is something
needed in Washington, DC. He is willing to fight the leadership of his
own party if need be and has been very critical of the lack of
principled leadership shown by establishment Republicans when it was
warranted.
He has been a doer, not just a talker,
and as a presidential candidate he has dived deep into policy something
that we appreciate.
For instance, his tax plan also has a
unique feature: Everyone will pay some taxes. To use his words,
everyone “will have skin in the game.” Jindal’s website says this: “The
idea that half of American wage earners would pay no taxes at all only
reinforces the fact that we are creating two classes in America, the
tax paying class and the dependent class. Instead of fewer people
paying more taxes, more people should pay fewer taxes.” We heartily
agree with this approach.
Jindal’s three-tiered personal income
tax plan is both simple and fair. At the same time, his plan eliminates
corporate income tax, making corporations globally competitive,
encouraging investment in business expansion, and brings jobs and
wealth back home from abroad.
Jindal was the first of the few
Republican candidates to release a detailed plan to not only repeal,
but replace Obamacare. His plan focuses on lowering healthcare costs,
protects those with pre-existing conditions, and respects the free
market by offering portability and choice.
Jindal also offers a detailed plan that
would elevate parental choice in education and roll back federal
involvement in education. Jindal has also offered detailed policy
positions on energy, defense, and ending sanctuary cities. Jindal has
shown from his time as Governor, and from his approach in this
campaign, that he is an ideas man.
Jindal has campaigned hard in Iowa
respecting the state’s first in the nation status and tradition of
retail politics. He has spent much time in the state, and is currently
on a 99-county tour. He takes time to answer every question he is
given, either during town hall meetings he participates in throughout
the state, or in person afterwards. This hard work is starting to bear
fruit with a rise in Iowa polling without having a presence at
prime-time debates.
He has earned our vote and we ask that
you give him an opportunity to earn yours.
About
Begun in 2006 Caffeinated Thoughts
is about looking at culture, current events, faith and politics
from a
Christian and conservative point of view. We like to think our thoughts
are stimulating hence the name “Caffeinated Thoughts,” and many of us
love coffee as well. We just don’t blog about it.
Shane Vander Hart
is Caffeinated Thoughts’ founder and editor-in-chief, and he is joined
by an excellent team of past and present contributors.
Reprinted by permission of Shane Vander Hart.
________
ed. note: In the last cycle Vander Hart endorsed
Santorum on Nov. 7, 2015.