Bobby Jindal Wins

Congratulations are in order for the South.

Bobby Jindal won the race for Governor of Louisiana. The smartest, most effective , and most qualified candidate won. This is a departure for Louisiana, which, apparently, has finally bored of the status quo.

In 2003, assumptions about Mr. Jindal's race, in my opinion, ultimately led to his defeat. This year, an ineffective candidate, similar to Ms. Blanco, didn't get into office out of fear of a minority leader.

I do not agree with Mr. Jindal on several fronts, but i applaud Louisiana for electing him. It was clear in the debates of 2003 and it is clear now that he was, and is, the most intelligent person in the room.

This is a small step for Louisiana, but an important one.

Kurdistan

According to the Bush Administration, the Kurdistan Workers Party (P.K.K.) is a terrorist group.

According to the Bush Administration, the Party for Free Life in Kurdistan (P.J.A.K.) is not a terrorist group.

The difference being that the P.K.K. is attacking the border of Turkey while the P.J.A.K. is attacking the border of Iran. Both groups are fighting for the same cause: autonomy for the Kurds. The groups may even be one.

The term "terrorist" has become, to the Bush administration, a catch-all term for anyone not an ally. The term is thrown around to insight fear in the public. The President would not mind if Iran was occupied by guerrillas, but the thought of turmoil in Turkey? Turmoil in Turkey would, of course, make it more difficult to get our alloted tax dollars into Iraq. We certainly can't have that.

The Dalai Lama and the Armenian Genocide

The Bush administration took a hypocritical stance by honoring the exiled Dalai Lama yesterday. Mr. Bush is taking the risk of upsetting the Chinese government, an important trade partner, but is not willing to upset Turkey, the conduit to his project in Iraq.

The Armenians deserve their place in the history books. If the resolution fails, or doesn't even get to the floor, the U.S. is then aiding a country re-writing history.

Our elected officials should look beyond personal interests and do what is right. That is, after all, what they are elected to do.

Bobby Jindal and the Armenian Genocide

In the NYTimes today it was reported that Robert L. Livingston(R), a former Louisiana congressman, lobbied many to change his/her vote regarding the Armenian genocide resolution.

One of the lawmakers mentioned was Bobby Jindal. One day after first backing the resolution, Mr. Jindal reportedly received a call from Mr. Livingston. He immediately withdrew his name from the resolution.

The Times also reported that the Livingston's Firm contributed $10,000 to his campaign.

This news is disturbing. I have no choice now but to no longer back Mr. Jindal as a candidate. This is another example of politicians folding to lobbyists without regard to moral obligations.

The genocide of the Armenians in 1915 should be acknowledged officially by the U.S. It does not matter that the resolution may create tension between the Unites States and Turkey. The only reason to not acknowledge this fact is to maintain a conduit (Turkey's air base) to Iraq. The opposition to the resolution is claiming a matter of convenience as the reason to withhold acknowledging the systematic murder of 1.5 million Armenians.

Lawmakers should look beyond their infatuation with Iraq to do the right thing. The right thing being to recognize the murders as genocide regardless of the selfish consequences.

[photo via CNN]

S-CHIP

The President SHOULD veto this version of the S-CHIP bill and congress should not attempt to overturn the veto. The S-CHIP plan should eventually be approved but not in its current form.

Currently, the majority of the funding would come from a higher cigarette tax. This is counterintuitive for two obvious reasons:

First, the government, as it should, is trying to curb the nation's smoking habit. The percentage of smokers in our society has grown smaller and will continue to do so. Thusly, the funding for the bill would continue to dwindle.

Second, the majority of the country's smoking population is low-middle income. The same income bracket the S-CHIP bill is meant to help.

Cigarettes should be taxed as a deterrent to smoking. The money could be dispersed evenly through the state's expenses. Lagniappe money for the betterment of society. The taxes to fund S-CHIP, however, should be levied upon all making an income above the threshold for S-CHIP.

The President is vetoing this bill, not because those benefiting would actually be funding it, but because he will not raise taxes.

Unfortunately, the current administration would not dare to approve a bill that raises taxes on the more fortunate.

Clearly, until 9/20/09, this issue is a stalemate.

Bobby Jindal

Bobby Jindal is a Republican. I am not a Republican. Bobby Jindal is also, arguably, the smartest man in the South. He lost the race for governor of Louisiana, in my opinion, based on the color of his skin.

Kathleen Blanco is a Democrat. I am also a Democrat.

At each debate leading to the 2003 gubernatorial election Mr. Jindal was victorious. He made Ms. Blanco appear to be the failure that she inevitably turned into. Ms. Blanco's failure to lead during and after the hurricane's of 2005 was the moment that leaps out nationally, but her mishandling of local issues have rendered her re-election chances so slim she decided not to run.

Bobby Jindal's ideas are as forward thinking as any Republican's can be. I am proud to say that I voted for Mr. Jindal in 2003 prior to moving to New York. I wish Mr. Jindal well in the election this year. He will be the leader the State of Louisiana needs to bring a new order of government to the state.

The 2003 election sparked my interest in politics. The national travesty of an election in 2004 deepened my interest. I then moved to New York to begin my career in architecture. Since then my focus has not been on current events, but rather on the insulated world of architecture.

I will write in this journal as often as possible. The main reason for writing is to share my opinions. But, just as importantly, this writing will also serve as a means to stay current.