Rep. Bobby Jindal announced he will vote to override the president's veto of SCHIP:
"If the reauthorization of SCHIP continues to be pushed back, we are robbing these children of the coverage they need.”
Rep. Jindal has been hailed as a "new generation" of leaders by conservatives, as this American Conservative Union news release from last year notes:
“As many increasingly question what conservatism means today — especially in the face of an exploding and encroaching federal government — these rock-solid conservatives held fast to ACU’s core values of fiscal discipline and limited government,” said ACU Chairman David Keene. “Unmoved by shifting poll numbers and the Potomac temptations to make headlines and put power over principle, these men and women deserve our respect, our admiration, and our votes.”
"Rock-solid conservatives."
Right.
Except when you're running for the Louisiana Governor's office, which Rep. Jindal is doing now.
Despite Mr. Keene's happy-talk at the time, Rep. Jindal has now been overcome by Potomac temptations. He was moved by shifting poll numbers. He put power over principle. SCHIP is a major example of the exploding and encroaching federal government that Keene cited, and Bobby Jindal is on the side of exploding and encroaching.
As previously noted, the conservative movement and the conservative media have little influence with the House Republican conference. This Jindal announcement is merely the latest example, and there are many more to come from "conservatives" as we head to November, 2008.
