This started as a comment on another article. The debate about financing of a party for delegates from the state already in trouble financially, was the primary focus. It got me thinking, I have not heard much about La. in the past months except for New Orleans. I thought to myself, "What about the rest of the state, what's going on there? Who the hell is running that train wreck?" So I did a little research... Here is my feelings and the results of what I found and why I believe La. could well be starting to become the model for Conservatism in the future, which is simply a return to the proven results rooted in Conservatism.

You know the real question is why do the people of New Orleans continue to suffer? At this point it appears to be self inflicted to some degree.

In America we have the freedom and right to relocate any time we desire a change. If you live in an area that is crime ridden, you can move away from it. this applies equally to those who live in an area that has been devastated by some natural disaster.

Look at the people in Kansas. A small town there was absolutely raise in the fashion of Genghis Khan (a Kerry replay) by a tornado. It has been more than a year since this happened. The town is well on its way to being rebuilt and with all new technology.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2008-05-01-greensburg_N.htm

These people have taken what the planet through at them and did so without blame. They have turned everything around. New Orleans still wallows in both filth and self pity. True, there are some areas that are rebuilding and trying to move forward, but for the most part the city is a bruise on the Americans way of life.

New Orleans is a symptom of a much larger problem in the United States. They represent the "give me" state mentality that Conservatism stands so adamantly against. In the weeks after the levies broke, levies ran by both the Corps of Engineers and the local city, county and state government mind you, things did not go smoothly, I realize this. but in the months, and then years that followed it has become apparent that a large portion of the city has little intention of doing what is necessary to come out of the situation stronger than they entered it.

"Somebody do for me", seems to permeate the mentality of locals. Where is the dominating American spirit of overcoming adversity, of rising to meet the challenges that lay before us, of doing for ones self?

What message is sent to the children of this country as they see a predominantly Black (of Chocolate to quote their mayor) City continue to seemly suffer for the sake of suffering. They have the ability to rise above this situation but it almost appears that they don't for some political gain.

Well, they have a new Governor now. Bobby Jindal is a driving, youthful, forward looking 36 year old Republican who is forcing the state to become fiscally responsible. In addition, he is encouraging the people to prepare for another Hurricane that could well strike again. Through ethics reform in a state that has been poorly ran for decades and reducing those taxes that have stood in the way of progress, he has energized the state and taken the lead in just about every aspect of how the state is now ran. Now he has turned his attention, having built a solid foundation for forward movement, to the people themselves. The state's workforce development program, long sense hailed as poorly ran and corrupt, is being revamped and rebuilt, from the ground up. Today, 95,000 jobs are available in Louisiana, 55% of those requiring nothing more than a high school diploma, 35% requiring an Associates Degree or two year certification of training in the desired field and 10% needing a four year degree or higher. these are core jobs, bread and butter employment for many of the state's poor and lower middle class. These are the jobs that can lift them out of the current situation. Why are they not clamoring to take them and start repairing their miserable lives? Primarily because the education system in La. has turned out crap education by not preparing these people for the workforce over the last 20 years.

Jindal could tout as we have seen hundreds of time on the left, some platitude about the children.... Remember the children... Well, he knows about the children but not at the detriment of the people who are responsible for the children, the parents. Oh, he's working on changing the education in the state too, but the major focus right now is getting the parents back to work.
Instead of increasing welfare payments  and child lunch programs, he has taken the long range view of preparing the people to not need them... The audacity of long range thinking.

Here is the future of Lousiana, Conservatism, The Republican Party and America itself.