CNBC’s Harwood Debates Bobby Jindal on Tax Cuts in Louisiana
RUSH TRANSCRIPT:
HARWOOD: "Governor Jindal, a question about fiscal policy, especially since you noted that this deal doesn't solve the long-term debt situation. When you came into office with a budget surplus in the state of Louisiana, now years later the state legislature faced a $1.6 billion budget gap and the Republican state treasurer called one of your approaches to that problem "Nonsense on a stick." Quoting him. Are you going to do for the federal budget what you did for the Louisiana budget?"
JINDAL: "Absolutely, John. What we did is cut state spending. We cut our budget 26%. ING to cato and other analysis. Look, the left always complains there's not enough money for government. We have 30,000 fewer state employees than the day I took office. Eight credit upgrades, we're a top-ten state for private sector job creation. We have a choice. Do you grow the government economy or the American economy? When I became governor, we had 25 years of outmigration, we were coming back from Katrina. Seven years in a row more people moving into the state than leaving the state. We have more people working than ever before earning a higher income than ever before. We've reduced the size of government, that's what we need to do in D.C. In D.C., the Republicans claim victory by slowing the growth rate, that's not enough. We are running off of the cliff. We'll be the next Greece. We can rearrange the chairs. Over $18 trillion of debt, no wonder our economy has been stagnant. We haven't had growth. If you're a young student, you've not seen a robust American economy."
HARWOOD: "But, governor jindal, as you know, many Republicans are opposed to the approach you've taken in Louisiana. They complain that you have tried so hard to avoid anything that could be called a tax increase so that you could rub for president saying you'd never raised taxes. David vitter, the Republican who's now running to succeed you has told voters "I won't be like jindal, I'm not using the governorship as a steppingstone to higher office."
JINDAL: "Not only did we not raise taxes, we did the largest income tax cut in the state's history and I'm proud of that. That's the leadership voters want in D.C. If you want a Republican that will grow government spending, if you want a president -- a candidate who will increase taxes I'm not your guy. If you want somebody that will do and say the things that can't be said, can't be done, I'm asking you to vote for me to join my cause, that's how dangerous these times are. These are dangerous times for America. I think we have a chance to rescue the idea of America but if we don't do it now, four years will be too late. So I'm proud we cut taxes and spending. 30,000 fewer state government bureaucrats than the day I took office. I absolutely will do that in D.C."
