Where were you during Jindal’s terms?

These are not the best of times for the Republican Party at the national or state level. Its candidates for president have put on an entertaining show, one that Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey would be proud of. The two candidates currently leading in the polls – billionaire Donald Trump and Texas U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz – are kicking the GOP establishment’s butt. It is very doubtful that either one of these extremists can be elected president. At least, I hope not. The establishment, when thinking of Trump and Cruz, is likely remembering the quote attributed to Laurel and Hardy: “Here’s another nice mess you’ve gotten me into.”

Of course, the Democrats don’t get a free pass here, either. Many in the party are enamored with U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, an avowed socialist with a farleft philosophy. He, too, would have a hard time getting elected at a time when moderation is needed. While former First Lady, U.S. senator, and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is obviously the most qualified of all the candidates, she is toting some baggage which is hampering her campaign. Where have all the good candidates gone?

Enter another New York billionaire in Michael Bloomberg, former mayor of the Big Apple, who is threatening to mount a third-party campaign and run as an independent. Talk about shaking up the presidential race should he decide to enter the political circus we have before us. It will be interesting to see how all of this plays out. The timing may be right for just such an endeavor.

But enough about the national scene. Here in the Pelican State, Republicans are still nursing a political hangover caused by the landslide victory of Democrat John Bel Edwards over David Vitter. Even before Edwards put his hand on the Bible to take the oath of office, Republicans were already nipping at his heels, calling him that dreaded “L” word.

They are touting the fact that the GOP still holds a majority in the Louisiana House and Senate. In other words, “Good luck, Edwards, we can stall and/or block anything you try to do to improve the dire situation the state is in after eight years of Republican Gov. Bobby Jindal.” The GOP in the House denied Edwards’ choice for Speaker, just to show they mean business. Some Republican legislators, columnists, bloggers, and websites are demanding honesty and transparency from the new governor. My question to them is: “Where were you for the past eight years?” We certainly could have used a little honesty and transparency from the Jindal administration and those GOP legislators who basically rubber-stamped Jindal’s every move. They have left the state’s finances, higher education and health care on life-support. Seems to me that our new governor is being honest indeed as he reveals the mess that was left behind by Jindal, which is worse than first thought.

When Democratic Gov. Kathleen Blanco left office in 2005, the state had a one billion dollar surplus. After eight of Jindal and Republican rule, we find out the state is facing at least a $1.9 billion budget shortfall for the nest fiscal year. Of immediate concern is a $750 million hole in this year’s budget. Yes, it happened on the GOP’s watch while Jindal used one-time revenues to patch the budget, cut higher education to the bone, shattered the health care system, ran around the country thinking he could be president, and doling out millions in raises as he walked out of the governor’s office heading to his new million dollar house. And, oh, let’s not forget all the taxpayer money he spent while campaigning for president. He will undoubtedly go down in history as one of – if not the worst – Louisiana governors, in my opinion.

But believe it or not, Jindal still thinks he did a good job as governor. After all, he took his orders from Grover Norquist and did not raise taxes. Please don’t mention all those increases in various state fees. They are not tax increases, according to Jindal and the GOP. And, of course, Jindal had nothing to do with all of those increased costs to attend a Louisiana college or university.

Here’s the deal. We all will have to make sacrifices to get fiscal sanity back into state government. And, yes, it may require some tax increases after all other options have been exhausted. Republicans will be quick to point a finger at Edwards. But remember that old saying, “When you point one finger, there are three fingers pointing back at you.”

Just for kicks, let’s take an optimistic tone. Let’s believe that Republican legislators will work with the new governor and put people above party to solve the mess left by Jindal. Perhaps, even in Louisiana, miracles can happen. And with Republicans in control of both houses, there will be an opportunity for Edwards to point his finger at them for not solving the state’s financial disaster. It will be interesting to see how all of this plays out, and we should get a pretty good idea soon because the governor plans to call a special session for Feb. 14. Ironically, that’s Valentine’s Day. Where’s the love?

Lou Gehrig Burnett, an award-winning journalist, has been involved with politics for 44 years and was a congressional aide in Washington, D.C., for 27 years. He also served as executive assistant to former Shreveport Mayor Bo Williams. Burnett is the publisher of the weekly “FaxNet Update” and can be reached at 861-0552 or louburnett@comcast.net.