In a final show of tin-eared narcissism, Gov. Bobby Jindal spent his last days in the state’s highest office on a grotesque farewell tour through the state he’s led nearly into ruin. Not content to turn a $1 billion budget surplus into a $1.6 billion deficit, undeterred by the hospital closures and threats to higher education his disastrous policies have yielded, Jindal is now attempting to reframe his failures in the public eye. His delusions of adequacy persist, despite having spent the bulk of his tenure in office sacrificing the wellbeing of Louisiana families on the altar of his vanity.

After seven years of unmitigated failure, a period in which Jindal’s reckless financial mismanagement utterly crippled the state government, our governor-in-absentia is preparing now to leave office— leaving behind an utter disaster for his successor to begin cleaning up.  When Governor-elect John Bel Edwards assumes office next month, he will be faced with the dire consequences of Jindal’s catastrophic failures. Before anything else can begin to be fixed, the new administration will immediately confront the hard work of digging out of a deep and complicated mess.

“The disaster that Governor Jindal is leaving behind: the wreck of the state’s budget and the staggering deficit he created, is the result of his failed policies and his arrogance,” said Stephen Handwerk, executive director of the Louisiana Democratic Party. “John Bel Edwards has already demonstrated that he is ready to take on this monumental task. No one works harder, cares more deeply or is more committed. Louisiana voters elected a leader who has demonstrated that he’s up to the task.”

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