Bobby Jindal says Republicans aren't in the strongest negotiating position but still should insist on some structural reforms.
WASHINGTON - In his first detailed comments on the fiscal-cliff negotiations, Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal says Republicans are being portrayed as fighting "to protect the rich and cut benefits" for seniors. "It may be possible to have worse political positioning than that, but I'm not sure how,'' Jindal wrote in a column in Thursday's Politico.
Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal, left, and President Barack Obama. Jindal says Republicans aren't in best negotiating position for fiscal cliff bargaining.
"Elections have consequences," Jindal wrote, "and the country is going to feel those consequences soon." Jindal, a Republican, said that with President Barack Obama winning re-election and "our hand of cards in the Senate weaker not stronger," it's inevitable that a final deal will "contain elements that are detrimental to our economy."
He is clearly alluding to the higher taxes on the wealthy that Obama has said must be part of any deficit reduction deal.
Jindal, considered a possible GOP presidential candidate in 2016, said that doesn't mean Republicans shouldn't fight for some victories in the current talks.
He mentions a few "structural reforms, anyone of which would be worth fighting for in this fiscal cliff diving exercise."
Among them: a balanced budget constitutional amendment, a cap on discretionary spending tied to a percent of the total amount of goods and services produced in the United States. He suggests the 18 percent figure proposed by some other Republicans, and says that when Congress wants to raise spending above that percentage a super majority vote should be required.
Jindal also calls for a supermajority requirement in Congress to increase federal taxes. And he proposes terms limits on members of Congress, along with a prohibition on former members lobbying for five years after they leave office.