You could have fooled me. I thought he meant real corruption.
Louisiana Govrenor-elect Jindal pledges to change Louisiana's reputation for corruption - The Boston Globe
My mind boggles at this. Jindal just ran on a campaign against "corruption" in Louisiana. And won. Now, after smearing his opponents with the same brush, he says that the corruption problem is really only about the "perception" of corruption in other states, and among businessmen. So there's no problem, really? And he just spent millions telling other states and businessmen that there IS a problem. Now what? Will he spend the same millions telling them "Never mind"?
We are our own worst enemy when it comes to the reputation of this state. (Some of you may remember me screeching about this at the "Rising Tide" conference two years back.) We have had no significant corruption cases at the level of state government since the end of the Edwards era, nearly 12 years ago. I am sure that Louisiana corruption is no greater now than in the average state in the US. And it is certainly no greater than the corruption and graft in the federal government since the invasion in Iraq. We'll never even find out what happened to the billions shipped to Iraq in cargo planes filled with shrink-wrapped bricks of hundred dollar bills. But we Louisianans constantly brag about our "colorful" politics, and the national media is glad to perpetuate the story. Think how hard this makes it to attract business, since a reputation for corruption (would someone please define that word for me?) is as bad as corruption itself. And businesses who may know better will still use it against us to get a better deal from the state.
How hard would it have been for someone to call Mr. Jindal on this issue during the campaign? Who among the press asked him "what exactly do you mean by calling your own state corrupt"? How damaging has it been for Louisiana to run a campaign on virtually non-existent corruption? After having spread libels about this state, will he have the courage to let the real facts be known.
And will we continue to chuckle over EWE stories with the national media? What about telling them we all still go to work in pirogues and keep pet alligators in the back yard?
Louisiana Govrenor-elect Jindal pledges to change Louisiana's reputation for corruption - The Boston Globe
And while he acknowledges that some of the concerns are more about perception than reality, he said they can still harm the state's ability to attract businesses and its requests for aid to recover from hurricanes Katrina and Rita.
My mind boggles at this. Jindal just ran on a campaign against "corruption" in Louisiana. And won. Now, after smearing his opponents with the same brush, he says that the corruption problem is really only about the "perception" of corruption in other states, and among businessmen. So there's no problem, really? And he just spent millions telling other states and businessmen that there IS a problem. Now what? Will he spend the same millions telling them "Never mind"?
We are our own worst enemy when it comes to the reputation of this state. (Some of you may remember me screeching about this at the "Rising Tide" conference two years back.) We have had no significant corruption cases at the level of state government since the end of the Edwards era, nearly 12 years ago. I am sure that Louisiana corruption is no greater now than in the average state in the US. And it is certainly no greater than the corruption and graft in the federal government since the invasion in Iraq. We'll never even find out what happened to the billions shipped to Iraq in cargo planes filled with shrink-wrapped bricks of hundred dollar bills. But we Louisianans constantly brag about our "colorful" politics, and the national media is glad to perpetuate the story. Think how hard this makes it to attract business, since a reputation for corruption (would someone please define that word for me?) is as bad as corruption itself. And businesses who may know better will still use it against us to get a better deal from the state.
How hard would it have been for someone to call Mr. Jindal on this issue during the campaign? Who among the press asked him "what exactly do you mean by calling your own state corrupt"? How damaging has it been for Louisiana to run a campaign on virtually non-existent corruption? After having spread libels about this state, will he have the courage to let the real facts be known.
And will we continue to chuckle over EWE stories with the national media? What about telling them we all still go to work in pirogues and keep pet alligators in the back yard?
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Thanks for putting into words what has been running through my mind from the time I heard it. In a 'normal' election, I would've have thought 'politics as usual' but I sure did hate seeing it all over the web and hearing it over and over on national media more or less justifying the 'history of corruption' label placed on Louisiana by outside politicians & the rest of the nation since Katrina and further ingraining the false perception in people's minds. All I have thought since then is now I understand what my grandmother meant when she said about 'cutting off your nose to spite your face'.
I just don't understand why no one in the media or any of the other candidates did not see how detrimental this 'false' campaign platform could be to Louisiana's image and at least put up a little fight.
Now, I just hope he can 'unring that bell'.
I am an amateur poster and it is possible that this will post twice because it just ask me for additional word verification...if so, sorry.
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