Ideology Run Riot

Here is an example from Brad DeLong's website of how Republican ideologues have run wild with their "ideology over people" grandstanding:

Louisiana governor Jindal shows that he cares less than nothing about the unemployed of Louisiana.

Ryan Powers of Think Progress:

Think Progress: Jindal Rejects $90 Million In Recovery Funding That Would Have Benefited 25,000 Louisiana Residents: [T]he Economic Recovery and Reinvestment Act... funding to states that allowed for a $25 per week increase in benefits.... EUC program which gives 20 weeks of federally-funded unemployment benefits to individuals “who had already collected all regular state benefits”... widened the pool of people eligible to receive unemployment benefits.

Today, however, Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal announced his intention to oppose changing state law to allow his Lousiana citizens to qualify for the second two unemployment provisions... turned away nearly $100 million in federal aid for his state’s unemployed residents... on Febuary 13, EUC extension alone would have benefited 24,981 Louisiana residents. Jindal... claimi[s]... expanding unemployment benefits would result in tax increases for businesses.... But... by Jindal’s own estimate, the recovery package would have funded his state’s unemployment expansion for three years, at which point the state could — if it chose to do so — phase out the program...

Jindal believes that this grandstanding--at the expense of the interests of the people who elected him--will raise his chances of winning the Republican presidential nomination in 2012. I urge all Republicans to reflect that political loyalty ought to run both ways: a politician--like Jindal--who has no loyalty to his supporters who voted for him is not a politician whom any voter has any business supporting.