Jindal shows great promise

Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal’s well-written and well-delivered response to President Obama’s address brought out two important points: Cutting spending is necessary to reducing deficits and debt, and individual initiative is key to economic success. His call for a smaller government and lower taxes is the most effective possible solution to the economic mess; big government, taxes and regulations cripple the economy. His remarks on Katrina highlight the fact that big-government bureaucracy often hinders more than it helps. In fact, the federal response to Katrina was full of wasteful bureaucratic bungling. Big government discourages the private enterprise and private charity that are often far more effective with less money.

As for Jindal’s “stage presence,” just how is a state governor supposed to equal the president in the Capitol, with a crowd of cheering senators and congressmen? Some critics evidently care more about style than substance. Style may win elections, but substance is what really matters in the business of governing, and Jindal does have substance.

If the American people pay attention to his ideas and observe how he actually governs, without letting commentators do their thinking for them, they would see that Jindal could be a great president.

Rebecca Larsen

Spangle