The War Against Out-of-Control Government Spending
by Congressman Bobby Jindal - Louisiana Political News Service

This last state Legislature not only spent every dime of our surplus, they virtually ensured budget trouble in coming years.

My 25-point Agenda to Control Runaway State Spending and Reform Government is based on four pillars: First, to eliminate slush funds to increase transparency in government spending; second, to eliminate bureaucratic inefficiencies, which includes the creation of a government fraud hotline to allow citizens to report instances of fraud and waste in government; third, to demand responsible accounting for all government spending; and fourth, to make the state Legislature accountable to the citizens by opening up the legislative process to the light of day and allowing the public to view legislative proceedings.

We must demand real transparency and disclosure from our government - the public should be our eyes and ears so tax dollars are no longer spent in the dark. The legislative process should be viewable by any citizen - and we can do this by broadcasting legislative proceedings over the Internet. Legislators should publicly defend their spending requests. If our tax dollars are paying for it, then we should know exactly where it is going, who requested it, and for what reason.

Our elected officials should serve the people, not themselves. When an elected official breaks the law there should be real penalties. Tax-payers should not have to fund pensions for those elected officials convicted of a crime.

The war against out-of-control government spending is a fundamental part of taking our state back from the corruption and special interests that have held us at the bottom of the national 'good' lists for too long. This can change; this must change; this will change.