More than 225,000 disadvantaged Louisianians do not have access to federally-funded health insurance.
Gov. Bobby Jindal’s abuse of power and outright refusal to buck the conservative base in favor of pragmatic solutions to jumpstart Louisiana’s ascent in the 21st century has led to many of his citizens without access to lifesaving services.
Jindal’s abdication and dereliction of his duties as the caretaker of our great state is criminal. A recent poll conducted by The Advocate/WWL-TV found his wrongdoings so overwhelming that, in a head-to-head match up with Democratic frontrunner and former Secreatary of State Hillary Clinton, she would defeat him 45 percent to 42 percent.
To lose in his home state to Clinton, a supporter of Planned Parenthood and gleeful overseer of every abortion they perform, is a striking critique of how awful his tenure has been.
As he has floundered the last six years, articles referencing another Jindal debacle appear and he is slammed in comment sections by Jeaux Q. Public and descriptions of how much better the state could be “if only he left” run rampant.
The time has arrived to stop Jindal bashing in comment sections, run to the ballot box and put some political action behind such big talk.
State Rep. John Bel Edwards is not just big talk but big action. He has made it the hallmark of his campaign that on day one, he will seek approval from the federal government to expand Medicaid in our state.
The issues outside health care are monumentally important as well.
People on this campus claim to respect our veterans and the elderly. This upcoming Election Day will prove if these sentiments are true. If elected, Lt. Gov. Jay Dardenne has promised to elevate the Office of Elderly Affairs and make it a cabinet level position. This is a good thing, as the Office has not had a director in three years because Jindal fired the previous director for speaking out on his disastrous plans for the Office’s future.
Dardenne, however, plans to do this by combining it with the Department of Veteran’s Affairs. This will force both populations to fight over allocated funds and create a system where the needs of one group will compete against the needs of another.
Voters did not think through the vote to create a Department of Elderly Affairs and only took it as expanding government, which would, in their eyes, increase spending. When the opportunity to vote on creating the Department rises again, which it will if Public Service Commissioner Scott Angelle or Edwards becomes governor, it should pass with flying colors. The care and concern for the “900,000 people in Louisiana over the age of 60” must be paramount, and these people need a person whose one job, every day, is to make sure they can age in peace.
On higher education, each of the candidates is clear on their plans for TOPS and protecting funding for these institutions.
NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune reported that Sen. David Vitter has openly trumpeted his willingness to explore “reforms to the TOPS program.” This reform is allowing the Legislature to cap the amount of money it allocates for spending in the program and making sure as tuition goes up, TOPS does not match the increase.
Edwards has a plan that will rebalance state budget priorities and attempt to make both students and the state each cover half of the cost of attendance, increasing funding from the drastic $700 million cuts enacted during Jindal’s tenure. This balanced approach to the problem inspires confidence in his sound leadership abilities.
Angelle is the only candidate who has promised not to tackle the issue head on and has instead pandered to voters by saying he thinks no changes need to occur.
When TOPS began, this state was seeing record oil revenue and had experienced a stable line of governorship, which while colorful, was also effective in managing the state in a practical manner.
The reality is, things have changed and voters should expect the candidates to be real about the speed bumps ahead.
Edwards supports raising the minimum wage, passing legislation for equal pay for equal work and forcing businesses to hire legal, tax-paying Louisianians to do the work so desperately needed in our state. He has been a tireless advocate for teachers and has consistently been against Jindal’s catastrophic policies, long before it became political popular.
Oct. 24 is the first chance we the people will have an actual shot of ridding Jindal and his horrible crop of cronies. Supporting Edwards will be the first step in a long marathon to correct Jindal’s misguided path.
Garrett Hines is 21-year-old political science major from Monroe, Louisiana. You can reach him on Twitter @garrettH_TDR.