The impressive Bobby Jindal

By Tom Quiner

I heard Bobby Jindal speak this morning at a small gathering of Catholic men. I loved him for simple reason: he’s a conviction candidate.

He believes in his conservative message, and I believe he’ll do something about it.

Sadly, there are far too many Republicans content with the status quo. Mr. Jindal referred to Republicans in Congress who were actually happy with recent Supreme Court decisions on Obamacare and so-called same-sex marriage because it takes the heat off of them to do something.

Not Jindal.

He knows that the Court’s decision on marriage has led to direct attacks on the First Amendment, and that the attacks will only accelerate. He says those who say that “America created religious liberty” have it backward; “religious liberty created America.”

I didn’t realize that Mr. Jindal is a convert to Catholicism. He is unabashedly pro life:

“Every life is sacred. And every life should be protected. I’ll fight every day to protect the sanctity of human life.”

Join me in signing his petition which stands up for the sanctity of human life.

Mr. Jindal has an impressive resume’ as Governor of Louisiana. Here are a few highlights:

• Since 2007, cut state government workers by 34%.

• Cut over 30,000 bureaucrats.

• Cut the total overall Louisiana budget by 26%.

• 8 consecutive credit upgrades for Louisiana, highest in recent state history.

• More than 91,000 new jobs and more than $62 billion in private capital investment. Louisiana now ranks higher in every national business-climate ranking than it ever did prior to January 2008.

• Implemented a school choice scholarship program that reduced the number of failing schools by 50%; high school graduation rates rose to an all-time high.

He emphasized this last bullet point in response to a question I asked. My question began with a statement that the Republicans will win the White House if they win the Catholic vote.

Mr. Jindal and the entire room agreed.

I mentioned that there are two types of Catholic voters, generally speaking: pro life Catholics and “social justice” Catholics.

Again, everyone nodded their head.

How can Bobby Jindal appeal to “social justice” Catholics who are animated by government programs designed to help the poor?

Mr. Jindal’s response was good. He shared a story of a real person helped by his conservative school choice public policy. Because of the School Choice Scholarship program, a woman was able to  send her daughter to a Catholic school.

Mr. Jindal visited the school and met the woman, who was a single mother. She acknowledged the problems she had had in her life and hoped her daughter would avoid the same problems. But the school was terrible. She was thrilled with the new, Catholic school her daughter was now able to attend.

She said her daughter brought home homework for the first time.

She said there was toilet paper in the bathroom.

She said daughter actually felt safe in school.

Most importantly, she had renewed hope for her daughter’s future.

That’s the type of story that will resonate with swing Catholic voters who value compassion in a political candidate.

This blog has not endorsed any candidate at this stage of the campaign. It leans toward Marco Rubio. After today, it will watch Bobby Jindal closely.

I am impressed.