02 March 2014

Jindal's Rose Colored Glasses

Booby J's "news"letter is out today and it has some real whoppers. He crows about his brilliance at the Whitehouse when he "stood up to the President" and said the Prez had waved "the white flag of surrender" on the economy. He doesn't mention the criticism he got from Democratic Govs and even some Republican Govs for breaking with protocol and for misstating the idea of raising the minimum wage.

He went on Morning Joe and when Panelist Mike Barnicle asked Jindal to defend his own economic record: "The last time the Census Bureau checked the per capita income of Louisiana, you were 47th lowest in the United States, not all under your watch. What have you done, as governor, to bring in all these better paying jobs and boost your people's per capita income?"
Jindal responded, "Well, the great thing is, we're doing exactly what the president has not. Cut taxes, reform debt, make some investment in workforce training, make it easier for businesses to create jobs. And here's the record. In Louisiana, we now have more people working, highest incomes in our state's history. Larger population than ever before. And the president can't say all those things about the country. Our economy has grown 50 percent faster than the national GDP, even since the national recession."
He claims that Politiifact.com verified this. Politifact is fast and loose with facts and conclusions, but even they would not completely agree with his claim.

He went to West Monroe to award the 1st Governor's Award for Entrepreneurial Excellence to the Robertson family of Duck Dynasty fame. Being proud to support a racist group, he went on to say patriarch Phil Robertson and his wife, Miss Kay, earned barely more than $8,000 during the first year he began manufacturing duck calls in the early 1970s.

Well, the Federal Minimum Wage in 1972 was $1.60 -- Louisiana didn't and doesn't have one -- which paid $3,200 a year at 40 hours a week for 50 weeks. Earning $8,000 the first year in your own business was not bad back then, even for 2 people, one of whom was a woman.

Yes, Booby J is on his slow march to the Whitehouse.