Republican Candidate: Bobby Jindal

Piyush "Bobby" Jindal is an American politician who is the 55th and current governor of Louisiana and the former vice chairman of the Republican Governors Association. Jindal is married with two children. He is currently campaigning for 45th President of the United States.

On the Issues:

Abortion:

 He favors a human life amendment to define the legal existence of a "person" at the moment of conception, but he is also a strong advocate for the cheap and wide distribution of contraceptives.

• Human life amendment: define "person" from conception. (Sep 2014)
• Offering contraception is dangerous federal overreach. (Jun 2014)
• 2003: In first race, admitted to liberals he was pro-life. (Nov 2010)
• Judeo-Christian heritage fosters culture of life. (Nov 2010)
• I’m pro-life. (Jun 2008)
• Voted NO on expanding research to more embryonic stem cell lines. (Jan 2007)
• Voted NO on allowing human embryonic stem cell research. (May 2005)
• Voted YES on restricting interstate transport of minors to get abortions. (Apr 2005)
• Rated 100% by the NRLC, indicating a pro-life stance. (Dec 2006)
• Prohibit transporting minors across state lines for abortion. (Jan 2008)

On the Economy:

"Our economy (in Louisiana) has grown 50 percent faster than the national GDP, even since the national recession." (June 2015)

• Replace "obsession with zeroes" with growth strategy. (Mar 2013)
• Invest the retirement benefits for teachers & state workers. (Mar 2008)
• Encourage investment in our low-to-moderate income areas. (Mar 2008) 

On Social Security:

Jindal has not offered a stance on Social Security except to say if GOP Candidate tampers with it they are unelectable.

On Civil Rights:

• Institution of marriage existed long before our laws existed. (Apr 2015)
• I pledge support for a religious freedom law. (Apr 2015)
• Ok to deny services to gays based on religious beliefs. (Apr 2015)
• Let's have religious liberty without anti-gay discrimination. (Apr 2015)
• Find common ground on gay marriage even when we disagree. (May 2014)
• Strong views opposing same-sex marriage. (Nov 2010)
• Supports constitutional amendment to define marriage. (Jun 2008)
• Voted YES on Constitutionally defining marriage as one-man-one-woman. (Jul 2006)
• Voted YES on making the PATRIOT Act permanent. (Dec 2005)
• Rated 0% by the HRC, indicating an anti-gay-rights stance. (Dec 2006)
• Rated 33% by the NAACP, indicating an anti-affirmative-action stance. (Dec 2006)

 On Gun Control:

• Yes, we proudly love our guns and religion. (Mar 2015)
• Voted YES on prohibiting product misuse lawsuits on gun manufacturers. (Oct 2005)
• Ban gun registration & trigger lock law in Washington DC. (Mar 2007) 

On Drugs: 

• No legalization; but focus on rehabilitation for addicts. (Jun 2014)
• We lock up too many people for casual drug use. (Feb 2014)
• Never experimented with drugs as a youth. (Nov 2010)
• Rated -10 by NORML, indicating a "hard-on-drugs" stance. (Dec 2006) 

On Education: 

• Teach kids the best science; but no comment on evolution. (Sep 2014)
• Local control instead of Common Core. (Sep 2014)
• I am for standards, but against Common Core. (Jun 2014)
• Supported Common Core initially; now opposes it. (Jun 2014)
• $141M more to train students for the jobs of the future. (Mar 2014)
• Fight to give parents choices in schools. (Mar 2014)
• For school choice & tenure reform. (Feb 2014)
• Reward good teachers with flex pay. (Nov 2010)
• Pay 90% of public school cost as private & parochial tuition. (Nov 2010)
• Tap faith-based groups to run charter schools. (Nov 2010)
• I favor whatever works, including vouchers & charters. (Nov 2010)
• Reinvented New Orleans with private/parochial scholarships. (Feb 2009)
• Increase completion rate above 6% for GED-OPTIONS program. (Jan 2009)
• Performance-based funding for schools to meet industry needs. (Jan 2009)
• Too many of our campuses have buildings with leaking roofs. (Mar 2008)
• Tax deductions for tuition & qualified educational expenses. (Mar 2008)
• Voted NO on allowing Courts to decide on "God" in Pledge of Allegiance. (Jul 2006)
• Voted NO on $84 million in grants for Black and Hispanic colleges. (Mar 2006) 

On Energy and Oil: 

• Keystone pipeline creates jobs without environmental damage. (Feb 2014)
• BP oil spill: $350M plan to dredge sand for barrier islands. (Feb 2014)
• Cheap, affordable domestic energy is economically critical. (Feb 2014)
• Drilling moratorium was second disaster after BP spill. (Nov 2010)
• Develop any & all methods of producing energy. (Nov 2010)
• Cap-and-trade is a jobs bill for other countries. (Nov 2010)
• More renewables; more nuclear power, more drilling. (Feb 2009)
• Voted YES on criminalizing oil cartels like OPEC. (May 2007)
• Voted NO on removing oil & gas exploration subsidies. (Jan 2007)
• Voted NO on keeping moratorium on drilling for oil offshore. (Jun 2006)
• Voted YES on scheduling permitting for new oil refinieries. (Jun 2006)
• Voted YES on authorizing construction of new oil refineries. (Oct 2005)
• Rated 0% by the CAF, indicating opposition to energy independence. (Dec 2006)
• Stop harmful EPA regulation of greenhouse gas emissions. (Mar 2010) 

On the Environment:

• Too-big feds failed on BP oil spill just like on Katrina. (Nov 2010)
• Feds took weeks to build sand berms needed for BP spill. (Nov 2010)
• Faith-based groups moved faster than feds during Katrina. (Nov 2010)
• $300 million for hurricane protection & coastal restoration. (Mar 2008)
• Voted YES on increasing AMTRAK funding by adding $214M to $900M. (Jun 2006)
• Voted YES on barring website promoting Yucca Mountain nuclear waste dump. (May 2006)
• Voted YES on deauthorizing "critical habitat" for endangered species. (Sep 2005) 

On Families and Children:

• Entered into "covenant marriage" with his wife. (Jun 2014)
• Family values reduce poverty; war on poverty doesn't. (Nov 2010)
• Increase scrutiny & penalties for school child abuse. (Jan 2009) 

On Foreign Policy:

• America is exceptional & should remain the greatest country. (Nov 2010)
• Voted YES on deterring foreign arms transfers to China. (Jul 2005)
• Voted YES on reforming the UN by restricting US funding. (Jun 2005) 

On Free Trade:

 Voted NO on implementing CAFTA, Central America Free Trade. (Jul 2005)

Very little available on this.


On Government Reform: 

• Enacted comprehensive ethics reforms in state government. (Nov 2013)
• If it's worth doing, then block-grant it to the states. (Mar 2013)
• Federal government has become too expensive & too expansive. (Nov 2010)
• Make being a Congressman a part-time job. (Nov 2010)
• Full financial disclosure for both legislators & lobbyists. (Nov 2010)
• Line-item veto & single-item legislation. (Nov 2010)
• Fighting big government is conservative missionary work. (Nov 2010)
• Strength of America is not in government but in our citizens. (Feb 2009)
• Legislator salary increase should be smaller & post-election. (Jun 2008)
• Voted YES on requiring lobbyist disclosure of bundled donations. (May 2007)
• Voted NO on granting Washington DC an Electoral vote & vote in Congress. (Apr 2007)
• Voted YES on protecting whistleblowers from employer recrimination. (Mar 2007)
• Voted YES on requiring photo ID for voting in federal elections. (Sep 2006)
• Voted YES on restricting independent grassroots political committees. (Apr 2006)
• Voted YES on prohibiting lawsuits about obesity against food providers. (Oct 2005)
• Voted YES on limiting attorney's fees in class action lawsuits. (Feb 2005) 

On Healthcare:

• Ebola isn't the last epidemic; it's just a harbinger. (Sep 2014)
• Market-based alternatives to top-down ObamaCare. (Nov 2010)
• Healthcare is a right; but instrument is the marketplace. (Nov 2010)
• Euthanasia cheapens life just like abortion & infanticide. (Nov 2010)
• Universal access, but not government-run. (Feb 2009)
• Move away from ER to primary care; cover 100,000 uninsured. (Jan 2009)
• Voted NO on requiring negotiated Rx prices for Medicare part D. (Jan 2007)
• Voted YES on denying non-emergency treatment for lack of Medicare co-pay. (Feb 2006)
• Improve services for people with autism & their families. (Apr 2007)
• Establish a national childhood cancer database. (Mar 2007)
• Loosen "one-size-fits-all" approach to Medicaid. (Jan 2011) 

On Homeland Security:  

• Ill-advised to scale back missile defense. (Nov 2010)
• Don't give Miranda rights to terrorists. (Nov 2010)
• Make no apologies when we must use our military strength. (Nov 2010)
• Claim of "poverty causes terrorism" justifies globalism. (Nov 2010)
• Now is no time to cut funding for our troops. (Feb 2009)
• Voted YES on restricting no-bid defense contracts. (Mar 2007)
• Voted YES on allowing electronic surveillance without a warrant. (Sep 2006)
• Voted YES on continuing intelligence gathering without civil oversight. (Apr 2006)
• Voted YES on federalizing rules for driver licenses to hinder terrorists. (Feb 2005)
• Voted YES on continuing military recruitment on college campuses. (Feb 2005) 

On Immigration:

• We need a high walls and wide gate. (Feb 2014)
• We've got a backwards system: low walls and a narrow gate. (Feb 2014)
• A secure border means that border governors certify it. (Feb 2014)
• Mexico is effectively exporting its unemployment to us. (Nov 2010)
• Enforce existing laws & refocus on high-skill immigrants. (Nov 2010)
• Voted YES on building a fence along the Mexican border. (Sep 2006)
• Voted YES on preventing tipping off Mexicans about Minuteman Project. (Jun 2006)
• Rated 100% by USBC, indicating a sealed-border stance. (Dec 2006)
• Government services in English only. (Mar 2008)
• Declare English as the official language of the US. (Feb 2007) 

On Jobs:

• Not done as long as there are folks who can't find work. (Apr 2013)
• Revamp our workforce training programs. (Mar 2008)
• Voted NO on restricting employer interference in union organizing. (Mar 2007)
• Voted YES on increasing minimum wage to $7.25. (Jan 2007) 

On War and Peace: 

• No deal with Iran that lets them become a nuclear power. (Mar 2015)
• Prevent the proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction. (Nov 2004)
• Voted NO on redeploying US troops out of Iraq starting in 90 days. (May 2007)
• Voted YES on declaring Iraq part of War on Terror with no exit date. (Jun 2006) 

So there it is, then.


The RNC Debates start TONIGHT. An unpresidented field of 17 vying for The GOP Presidential Candidate Nod for 2016.  So many, in fact, that they have divided tonight's debate into two time slots. One at 5 PM and one at 9 PM.

Reserving tomorrow for commentary on the debates.

Monday, we will take a closer look at Bernie Sanders.

More anon...