Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal said if Republicans act on immigration reform in 2014, it should be because it’s good for America, not because of political motivations for mid-term elections.
“What I believe we need is a system of high walls and a broad gate,” the Republican governor said Sunday on CNN’s “State of the Union. “When people want to come here, work hard, get an education, play by the rules, that’s good for America … I think this is a problem we can address and our system now is completely backwards.”
There are many Republicans, Mr. Jindal said, who see how poorly President Obama is doing in job approval polls and say those on the right should do nothing and use his struggles as a 2014 platform.
But Mr. Jindal said Republicans were elected to fix problems, including working on immigration reform and replacing Obamacare.
“If Republicans act, I think we should do it because it’s the right thing to do for the country. Let’s not do it because some pollster says so,” he said.
Mr. Jindal also talked about restrictive marijuana laws in his state, which he said could be loosened for those without previous records who only have small amounts of the drug. He also said he supports legalization of medical marijuana as long as it’s “tightly regulated.”
When asked if he’s planning a run for president in 2016, Mr. Jindal declined to answer, saying that his focus is on electing GOP governors, keeping the House and retaking the Senate in 2014.
• Jacqueline Klimas can be reached at jklimas@washingtontimes.com.
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