Profiles in Leadership: Governor Bobby Jindal

For most of the 20th century, Louisiana has been known for corrupt and/or inept politicians: the Longs, the Landrieus, Kathleen Blanco, Ray Nagin, etc. Since 2008, Governor Bobby Jindal, at the age of 39, has been showing phenominal leadership skills and is a rising political star.

Born to parents who emigrated from India, Jindal is a graduate of Brown University, Rhodes Scholar and turned down a spot at Harvard Medical School to pursue a career in Government. Elected to Congress in 2004, he gained a leadership position two years later. After becoming governor, Jindal has cut spending, improved Louisiana's credit rating, has weeded out corruption and has stood up to lead, unlike Blanco, in natural disasters and the current oil leak in the Gulf.

With the current vacuum in leadership from Washington in dealing with the oil disaster, Bobby Jindal has done everything in his abilities to prevent that oil from coming on shore, as well as trying to save jobs in his state that will be lost. Many are questioning why the government is standing in his way, especially with today's news of the Federal Government halting the building of sand berms to protect the shoreline and the Federal Government's appeal in overturning the moratorium on offshore drilling. Despite the lack of action from the Feds, Jindal is standing firm in defending his state from this mismanagement; a significant role-reversal from Hurricane Katrina.

Louisiana has come to know Bobby Jindal well, and with the crisis in the Gulf, so have (and will) Americans. Bobby Jindal's leadership in crisis management will have a major positive impact on his political future and I look forward to seeing how high he will rise.