As this statement makes explicit, meritocracy is often not even an afterthought of the republican party – and actually a fervent anti-meritocracy might be in operation seeing how Bush, Palin et al were welcomed, so maybe Jindal making a royal mess of Louisiana will only strengthen his case for 2012.

Severance taxes, mostly from oil and gas, made up just over 8 percent of state tax revenue in 2007, according to Census Bureau data, much less than Alaska’s 64 percent, but higher than Texas’ 6.9 percent. The total take, including royalties and leases from oil, gas and other resources, accounts for just under 17 percent of the Louisiana budget. But while the leading good-government group here, citing that addiction, warned last May against the Legislature’s plan for a $360 million income tax cut, Mr. Jindal called the tax break “terrific news” and happily signed it into law as legislators cheered. Admonitions on fiscal prudence went unheeded, as they have so often here, and the bill is now due. Earlier this year there was an $865 million surplus; now Louisiana has a $341 million shortfall in its current-year budget, and next year the projected deficit is $2 billion.

Mr. Jindal entered office this year with the happy duty of spending a $1 billion surplus — and he and the legislators promptly did so, appropriating millions of dollars for highways, ports and a medical research facility, and widely dispensing tax breaks, including one to parents of private school students.

Mr. Brandt, of the public affairs council, said cutting education would only increase migration from the state. Louisiana, he said. has “gotten by with these resources others don’t have.” “We’ve not made the decisions we need to,” he said, “to get us out of the high-poverty, low-education cycle.”

Well you’ve got a point. What if he became a Buddhist, followed Kabalah, Rastafarian or Atheist, Agnostic, Muslim, etc. etc. No way would he have achieved the type of success he had without becoming what he is. He is much more cunning than he appears.

Oh that’s right he would have stood out and been different. Probably would have needed a real backbone not like the kind he possess today. Well that’s how it is when you want to be rich and famous, just ask Ramesh Ponnuru.

That pretty much sums it up for me. I hope the 3rd and 4th gen. Desis don’t become like Piyush. He’s no Barack, that’s for sure.

http://www.ontheissues.org/House/Bobby_Jindal.htm

http://www.votesmart.org/issue_rating_category.php?can_id=35481

In the US here are the four race categories (directive 15) promulgated in 1978 by the OMB:

     " * American Indian/Alaska Native: this category includes indigenous north American groups, and despite genetic similarity, remains distinct from indigenous persons from central and south America because of certain land and treaty obligations;
      * Asian or Pacific Islander: this category originally covered persons with origins in countries East of the Indian subcontinent, but was adjusted after the Association of Indians in America lobbied the OMB to move their group out of the white race category;
      * Black: persons with origins in the black racial groups of Africa- this category purposely does not encompass continental Africa to distinguish North African regions and European settler populations; and
      * White: persons originating in Europe, the Middle East and North Africa"

http://kennethelamb.blogspot.com/2008/02/barak-obama-questions-about-ethnic.html

Luckily there are some people out there who take on jerks like Lamb:

The Little Lie and How It Grew http://www.commondreams.org/view/2008/10/16-1 http://www.kabobfest.com/2008/10/arabizing-obama.html http://voiceswithoutvotes.org/2008/10/12/is-obama-arab-should-we-care/ http://mediamatters.org/items/200809220015