Earmarks
In 2007, Jindal led the Louisiana delegation in Congressional earmark funding. According to Taxpayers for Common Sense, in 2007, Jindal's earmark funding was 14th among all Congressmen.[50] As Governor in 2008, Jindal used his line item veto to strike $16 million in earmarks from the state budget while allowing $30 million in legislator added spending.[51]
Intelligent design
Jindal supports the teaching of "intelligent design" in public schools.[52] Despite calls for a veto from groups as diverse as the the Roman Catholic Church, the ACLU, the National Review, and Jindal's own biology professors at Brown University, [53] Jindal signed the Louisiana Academic Freedom Act in 2008.
Crime and punishment
On June 25, 2008, Jindal signed the "Sex Offender Chemical Castration Bill", authorizing the chemical castration of those convicted of certain sex offenses.[54]
Jindal has also voted against giving the federal government jurisdiction to help local law enforcement with hate violence based on sexual orientation, gender identity, gender and disability.[55]
Opposition to 2009 stimulus money
Jindal has been an opponent to the 2009 Stimulus Plan. He has denied federal stimulus plan aimed at increasing unemployment insurance for his state of Louisiana. [56] Louisiana was set to receive about $3.8 billion. However he has been criticized for this, particularily because while he publicly rejected the idea of the stimulus, he only turned down $98 million, accepting over $3.7 billion of the planned $3.8 billion.[57] He called the plan "irresponsible", saying that "the way to lead is not to raise taxes and put more money and power in hands of Washington politicians." [58]
