Gov. Bobby Jindal called out the GOP during the Republican National Committee’s Winter Meeting in Charlotte, N.C. last night.
Jindal essentially refuted President Obama’s inaugural speech and gave his vision of a new direction for the Republican Party.
“America is not the federal government...As government grows ever larger, it will become what America is all about,” said Jindal. “The genius of America is that our strength and power and growth come from the individual actions of our people. Free individuals taking risks, building businesses, inventing things from thin air, and passing immutable values from one generation to the next — that is the root of America's greatness.”
“Government spending still does not grow our economy. American weakness on the world stage still does not lead to peace. Higher taxes still do not create prosperity for all. And more government still does not grow jobs,” he added.
He noted that uniting behind a movement to cut the deficit and debt will not work. The party needs to focus on growing the private sector.
“We must focus on the empowerment of citizens making relevant and different decisions in their communities,” said Jindal. “This means re-thinking nearly every social program in Washington. Very few of them work in my view, and frankly, the one-size fits all crowd has had its chance.”
As for the GOP itself, Jindal said “ The Republican Party does not need to change our principles, but we might need to change just about everything else we do.”
To change the nation's prespective on the party and in election pole position, the Governor said:
The party must stop looking backward.
“We have to boldly show what the future can look like with the free market policies that we believe in.”
They must also compete for every single vote, stop insulting the intelligence of voters, and reject identity politics.
“We must reject the notion that demography is destiny, the pathetic and simplistic notion that skin pigmentation dictates voter behavior. We must treat all people as individuals rather than as members of special interest groups,” he clarified.
He pointed out to Republicans that they need to stop being the “stupid party.”
“It's time for a new Republican party that talks like adults.”
To Jindal, the GOP must quit being "big."
“We have to be the party that shows all Americans how they can thrive,” he said.
