Jindal: 'We'll Succeed'

Lafayette Advertiser
By Jeff Moore
September 2, 2010

Louisiana has faced devastating hurricanes and the worst oil spill in U.S. history, but the greatest challenge confronting the state today may be job-killing policies of the federal government, Gov. Bobby Jindal said Wednesday in Lafayette.

Jindal cited economic development accomplishments made under his administration during a Greater Lafayette Chamber of Commerce luncheon Wednesday.

But some of those jobs and capital investment are now in jeopardy, Jindal said, because of policies such as Cap and Trade, a deepwater drilling moratorium and the ever-increasing national debt.

"I don't believe we should become the first generation of Americans to leave fewer opportunities for our children than we inherited from our parents," Jindal said.

"That's the American dream — that if our children work hard, get a great education and play by the rules, they should do better than even we did. Yet we're at risk of becoming the first generation that leaves fewer opportunities for our kids."

Despite facing natural and man-made disasters, Louisiana has won economic projects totaling more than 35,000 jobs and $5 billion in capital investment since Jindal took office in January 2008, the governor said. ...

"We've made all this progress, but in some ways, it sometimes feels like we're battling our own federal government," Jindal said.

The latest challenge, Jindal said, comes from the deepwater drilling moratorium, which forbids drilling for oil and gas in depths greater than 5,000 feet in the Gulf of Mexico.

The six-month ban could put 9,000 people out of work and indirectly affect another 14,000 jobs, according to estimates by the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management.

"These are good-paying jobs," Jindal said. "Sending these jobs to Egypt and the Congo does nothing to build our economy. It does nothing to build our national security." ...

Still, Jindal remained confident economic development efforts in Louisiana would help the state overcome.

Louisiana has outperformed the national economy every month since January 2008, and the state has experienced three consecutive years of in-migration after losing population over the previous 20 years.

"Just like we did during the storms and just like during the oil spill, I have no doubt we'll succeed," Jindal said.

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