In the summer of 2008, frustrated Louisiana taxpayers who were tired of our state government acting against our interests, held our own tea party. Of course the issue that caused the uproar in this state was the huge 124% legislative pay increases. It has been an incredible movement to witness and will hopefully lead to our own political revolution.
 
Thanks to the greed of legislators, the sleeping giant, the people of Louisiana, awoke. The long suffering voters were roused from their decades old slumber. The issue of the legislative pay raise struck a chord like no other issue in years.  As noted by political watchdog C.B. Forgotston, “The people of the state are more upset about this pay raise than anything I’ve ever witnessed in my lifetime of living in Louisiana.”
 
People in Louisiana are suffering from a poor economy, rising gas prices and a host of other financial worries. While Road Home settlements are still not completed, recovery projects have still not started and the coast remains untouched, it was quite premature for legislators to demand a huge raise.
 
The voter revolt of 2008 reminded the politicians of this state who is in charge, the people. In this grassroots campaign to stop the pay raises, we took back control of our government and set the course, not the politicians. If not for the popular uprising, these pay raises would have become law.
 
The heat was so intense that Governor Bobby Jindal revered course and vetoed the pay increases after committing to legislators that he would not intervene. It was an amazing spectacle to see Jindal retract his pledge and succumb to the will of the people. By following his own campaign pledge and listening to the majority of people, Jindal restored some of his lost credibility with the voters.
 
It is still disturbing that Governor Jindal did not veto the raises immediately or inform legislators that these raises would not stand. His behavior is reminiscent of how he handled the tax cut issue. Initially, Jindal opposed the income tax cuts that will eliminate the increases associated with the infamous Stelly Plan. After receiving pressure from the people of Louisiana, Jindal eventually signed the tax cut bill.
 
So, his initial impulses on the tax cut bill and the legislative pay raises were wrong and went against the will of the people of Louisiana. He only changed course after hearing loudly and clearly from the voters. It shows that Jindal is politically responsive and is a good politician, but it raises questions about his core principles.
 
It is clear that the Governor aspires to national political office and wants to avoid controversial stands which may harm his prospects. As evidence, in just five months, Jindal has allowed over one hundred bills to become law without his signature, more than the last four Governors combined. Fortunately, in this case, the Governor took a stand and made the right decision.
 
The defeat of the legislative pay raise is a victory for the long suffering citizens of Louisiana who have watched helplessly for many years as politicians have wrecked this state. Now, the dynamic has changed and the roles reversed. Congratulations to everyone who complained to their legislator, on talk radio or the Internet. This victory is a reminder that we can never relax and trust the politicians. We need to continually direct their activities and insist that they place the interests of the public over their political self interests.
 
 

Jeff Crouere is a native of New Orleans, LA and he is the host of a Louisiana based program, “Ringside Politics,” which airs at 7:30 p.m. Fri. and 10:00 p.m. Sun. on WLAE-TV 32, a PBS station, and 7 till 11 a.m. weekdays on WGSO 990 AM in New Orleans and the Northshore. For more information, visit his web site at www.ringsidepolitics.com. E-mail him at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .

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