Law Street’s top stories last week included a call to action when it comes to combatting the ISIS terror attacks, a look at the U.S. strategy to fight ISIS, and a homage to Bobby Jindal’s short and ineffectual presidential campaign. ICYMI, check out the best of the week from Law Street.

#1 By Reacting to Fear, We Let ISIS Win

Here we are, in the aftermath of a global tragedy, letting fear divide us. This statement could apply to any number of historical events in the history of the United States, going back as far as World War II and the internment of thousands of Japanese-American people.

It is not the mid-1900s, but yet again we find ourselves the victims of fear. Rather than fighting the source of our terror, we are fighting each other. Rather than helping the helpless, we are scapegoating them, judging them based on their appearance, their homeland, and their religion. For that reason, ISIS has already succeeded in a country it has yet to directly attack. Read the full story here.

#2 What is the U.S. Strategy to Fight ISIS?

In light of the recent tragedy in Paris, the fight against ISIS is likely to retake the spotlight. In a press conference on Monday, President Obama was forced to defend his current strategy for the Middle East, as his opponents argue that the United States needs to take a stronger approach to prevent future terrorist attacks on the western world. Read the full story here.

#3 The Top 7 Moments of Bobby Jindal’s (Brief) Campaign

Bobby Jindal announced on Tuesday that he is suspending his campaign for the Republican presidential nomination, leading many Americans to ask, “who?” The Louisiana governor had a tough time breaking into the crowded Republican field and on Tuesday remarked, “this is not my time.” He will be missed by about 0.4 percent of likely Republican voters. In remembrance of this fallen candidate, here are the top seven moments of Bobby Jindal’s campaign (10 moments are reserved for candidates who poll over 1 percent). Read the full story here.

Anneliese Mahoney

Anneliese Mahoney is Managing Editor at Law Street and a Connecticut transplant to Washington D.C. She has a Bachelor’s degree in International Affairs from the George Washington University, and a passion for law, politics, and social issues. Contact Anneliese at amahoney@LawStreetMedia.com.

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After a long battle, the Louisiana governor’s race has been decided. John Bel Edwards, a Democrat, defeated Republican David Vitter. The runoff election was held yesterday, and ended with Edwards winning 56 percent of the vote. It was a big surprise, given a consistent trend over the last few election cycles that have shown Democrats not faring well in state-wide or local elections. So what exactly happened in Louisiana?

The answer to that question isn’t simple, but there are certainly some clear things that the Vitter campaign did poorly, and some things the Edwards campaign did very well.

Let’s start with the current political environment in Louisiana, for example. Current Governor Bobby Jindal isn’t particularly well liked there–a recent poll found that he only had a roughly 20 percent approval rating overall, and even worse, 55 percent of Republicans in the state don’t approve of his job performance. So, painting Vitter as a successor to Jindal was a good move for the Edwards campaign–failing to distance himself from Jindal was something that Vitter did poorly.

The recent debate over the Syrian refugee crisis also didn’t play well for Vitter and and gave Edwards an advantage, as Edwards was able to attack Vitter on the fact that he had missed key hearings on the situation in Syria as a senator. While Vitter tried to spread fear about Syrian refugees in Louisiana, that tactic didn’t fare so well as the example he used of a Syrian refugee fleeing the state was quickly debunked.

Finally, there were the candidates themselves. Before running, Edwards was relatively unknown, but compared to scandal-plagued Vitter, that was a good thing. But what was known about Edwards played well in Louisiana–according to the New York Times he’s:

A Catholic social conservative from a family of rural law enforcement officers who graduated from West Point and served eight years of active duty in the Army.

In contrast, Vitter was still fighting to bury a prostitution scandal from 2007, when his name was included on a list of clients of the infamous “D.C. Madam.”

So, is the race in Louisiana a lesson for Democrats who are struggling to win statewide offices? Maybe–Edwards’ campaign certainly was a success. But whether or not it was a replicable success is difficult to ascertain. Many of the factors that helped Edwards be successful–Jindal’s notable unpopularity, the current Syrian refugee controversy, and the two candidates’ relative backgrounds–uniquely fit together to spell success for Edwards. So, while this is great news for the Democrats in Louisiana, statewide races are still going to be tough for the left to win.

Anneliese Mahoney

Anneliese Mahoney is Managing Editor at Law Street and a Connecticut transplant to Washington D.C. She has a Bachelor’s degree in International Affairs from the George Washington University, and a passion for law, politics, and social issues. Contact Anneliese at amahoney@LawStreetMedia.com.

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Bobby Jindal announced on Tuesday that he is suspending his campaign for the Republican presidential nomination, leading many Americans to ask, “who?” The Louisiana governor had a tough time breaking into the crowded Republican field and on Tuesday remarked, “this is not my time.” He will be missed by about 0.4 percent of likely Republican voters. In remembrance of this fallen candidate, here are the top seven moments of Bobby Jindal’s campaign (10 moments are reserved for candidates who poll over 1 percent).

1. His campaign announcement

Any great presidential campaign begins with a great announcement video. Bobby Jindal’s hidden cam announcement to his unenthusiastic family was a pretty good precursor for the American public’s reaction.

“Yaaaaaay…”

2. Calling for the End of the Supreme Court

Right at the beginning of his campaign, the Supreme Court ruled in favor of legalizing gay marriage, to the dismay of many social conservatives. Bobby Jindal boldly proposed the best solution for this political frustration: disbanding a branch of the federal government.

I don’t think RBG is going down without a fight.

3. Having a lower approval rating in his deeply red home state than Barack Obama

Many people commented that Jindal’s campaign was a long shot and pointed out that he didn’t have the support he needed to get the nomination. Unfortunately, not even his home state of Louisiana was behind him. His approval rating stood at 32 percent when he announced his candidacy, compared to 42 percent for President Obama.

And he’s governor of a state where Obama lost his reelection by 17 points. Rough.

4. Polling higher than Jeb Bush in Iowa (Briefly)

Despite the doubters and the critics, Jindal fought hard and campaigned even harder, especially in Iowa. This paid off, when he recently topped former front-runner Jeb Bush in an Iowa poll.

I’m not sure whether this was more exciting for Jindal or sad for Bush. Even more, in the most recent Iowa polls before he dropped out, Jindal stood ahead of Mike Huckabee, Chris Christie, and John Kasich.

5. Stating that he deserves a spot in the primetime debate.

In late October, Jindal was highly critical of the debate structure which only allowed the top 10 candidates in national polls to participate. It is unclear whether he would have preferred a debate with 15 people on the same stage, a debate with a rotating stage, or maybe a head-to-head tournament style debate.

Caesar Flickerman seems to like the last idea

6. Attacking Chris Christie for being a “big government Republican.”

Speaking of debates, one of his biggest moments came in the most recent JV debate where he staked out ground as a true conservative Governor, calling out Chris Christie. He has spent much of his campaign defining himself as an aggressive candidate, and this was no exception.

Come at me, bro.

7. Dropping out.

Unfortunately for Governor Jindal, the 2016 presidential race just wasn’t his to win. In a year with so many eccentric, anti-establishment Republicans, there was little chance that an unpopular, bland governor could get the nomination. Kudos to him for running anyway, and extra kudos for realizing that he should drop out.

Here’s to hoping more candidates follow suit…

Bonus:  Muslim no-go zones and Muslims colonizing Europe

Earlier this year, before he announced his campaign, Jindal discussed his theory about “no-go zones” in some European cities that were overrun by violent Muslims and even stated that Muslims were “colonizing” Europe.

He will be greatly missed.

Maurin Mwombela

Maurin Mwombela is a member of the University of Pennsylvania class of 2017 and was a Law Street Media Fellow for the Summer 2015. He now blogs for Law Street, focusing on politics. Contact Maurin at staff@LawStreetMedia.com.

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Last week’s horrific mass shooting that left nine dead at an Oregon community college exemplified escalating concerns over the state of gun safety in this nation. While for many it has sparked outcries for stricter gun control laws, others have responded to the deaths with a variety of excuses that aim to point the finger at the assailant rather than the flawed system.

Republican primary candidates in particular have gone on the defensive post-Oregon, with a number of comments that at many times come across as dismissive, arrogant, and/or utterly ridiculous. So we’ve decided to compile a list of the top five worst Republican responses to the Oregon shooting and present them to you below. We ask that you prepare yourselves now for some head scratching reactions to these nonsensical comments made by contenders vying for the POTUS position.

5. Marco Rubio: “Gun Control Would Not Have Prevented That Attack”

During a “Today Show” interview Florida Senator Marco Rubio responded to Matt Lauer’s questions about the shooting saying, “Many of the proposals that are out there on gun control would not have prevented that attack.” He then said, “We need to start examining why people are taking violent action not what they’re using to commit the violent act with.”

Clearly Rubio’s tactic is to put all the focus on mental illness rather than the concerning accessibility of these firearms. But saying stricter gun laws would have had zero effect on this tragedy is just presumptuous and idiotic.

4. Bobby Jindal: Blames Shooting on Single Mothers

In a bulleted sermon that debuted on his personal website, Louisiana governor and ghost-like candidate Bobby Jindal attempted to make himself relevant by discussing the “cultural rot” he believes contributed to the shooting. However, Jindal’s most offensive critique came in a long-winded rant that insinuated single mothers’ inability to parent young boys is to blame for mass shootings. Jindal said:

And who is it that generally commits these evil acts of mass murder that are becoming routine? It’s almost always young men who have either no father figure in their lives, or a broken relationship with their father. Is this just a coincidence? Of course not.

Now, let’s get really politically incorrect here and talk specifically about this horror in Oregon. This killer’s father is now lecturing us on the need for gun control and he says he has no idea how or where his son got the guns.

Of course he doesn’t know. You know why he doesn’t know? Because he is not, and has never been in his son’s life. He’s a complete failure as a father, he should be embarrassed to even show his face in public. He’s the problem here.

Sorry Jindal, but insinuating that one parent households are potential mass murder breeding camps isn’t going to win you any votes with the millions of single parents in the U.S.

3. Donald Trump: Armed Teachers Could Have Stopped the Oregon Shooting

We can always count on Donald Trump for his loquacious political theatrics, but him claiming that arming teachers is the solution to school shootings is just asinine. At a campaign event in Franklin, Tennessee, Trump criticized the fact that the school was a gun-free zone saying, “Let me tell you, if you had a couple teachers with guns in that room, you would have been a hell of a lot better off.”

2. Ben Carson: “I Would Not Just Stand There and Let Him Shoot Me”

Dr. Ben Carson did Trump one better when he claimed that he could have stopped the shooter, Chris Harper-Mercer, had he been in the Snyder Hall classroom that day. Carson said, “I would not just stand there and let him shoot me.”He continued telling Fox News, “I would say: ‘Hey, guys, everybody attack him! He may shoot me, but he can’t get us all.’”

Well at least you’ve got some pretty big kahunas, Carson.

1. Jeb Bush: “Stuff Happens”

Bush shrugged off the issue of gun control when he responded to the shooting saying, “stuff happens”, during a campaign event in Greenville, South Carolina. Bush’s full quote was, “Look, stuff happens. There’s always a crisis. And the impulse is always to do something, and it’s not necessarily the right thing to do.”

Point taken, but Jeb I’m pretty sure that the families of the victims wouldn’t appreciate you dismissing the death of their loved ones as “stuff happens.”

Alexis Evans

Alexis Evans is an Assistant Editor at Law Street and a Buckeye State native. She has a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism and a minor in Business from Ohio University. Contact Alexis at aevans@LawStreetMedia.com.

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This election season has been one of the most controversial and surprising in recent history, as many unqualified candidates with slim chances have entered the race. There’s billionaires, CEOs, brain surgeons, and former governors all battling for the nominations.  With 20 or so candidates currently in the race for the White House, there have been some bizarre and hilarious comments. From campaign ads to presidential announcements, these are the ten weirdest quotes from the presidential hopefuls so far.

10. In Bobby Jindal’s campaign ad, he tells his children that they are the first to know that he will be running for president and they are not allowed to tell their friends. He offers them a reward if they can refrain from telling their friends, saying: “Maybe if you behave you might get a chance to go back to Iowa.”

Obviously Iowa is more of a party place than I knew. IOWA! IOWA!

9. In an exclusive interview with CNN in Iowa, Hilary Clinton was asked about her response to people who don’t believe she is a trustworthy candidate. The Hillz responded: “People should and do trust me.”

But what she forgot is that people shouldn’t and don’t trust her.

 8. In his presidential announcement, Lincoln Chafee stated he was a farrier after college–which is a craftsman that puts shoes on horses. He then followed that statement by saying: “After college I worked on the horse race track for 7 years.”

Last time I checked, horse knowledge wasn’t a requirement to be president.

7. In a similar vein, during his presidential announcement, Rick Perry shared his childhood stories about his life growing up in rural Texas and his attendance at Texas A&M. He then talked about his studies in college, stating, “I got my degree in Animal Science from Texas A&M.”

America: Rick Perry is highly qualified and begging for your votes.

6.  Mr. Trump, one of the most surprising candidates of this year, finally entered the race on June 16 after weeks of speculation. While his campaign speech was poorly written, and he was likely unprepared, he stunned the American people with his absurd comments about Mexican immigrants. Following those comments, he stated that he was using his own money to run and he did not need lobbyist or PAC money saying, “I’m really rich.”

If only this were a legitimate requirement for being president, the Donald might have a chance.

5. In a campaign ad, Rick Perry stated a number of reasons why he is the best choice for president. His campaign ad strives to display Rick’s life as a public servant, showing pictures from when he served in the military and from when he was governor of Texas. He closed his campaign ad by saying, “we must do right and risk the consequences.”

Not even your custom rap-country theme song can get you out of this one, Rick.

4. In his presidential announcement, Lincoln Chafee said he had a bold, worldly idea, stating: “Let’s join the rest of the world and go metric.”

Lincoln, you have officially blown my mind…and not in a good way.

3. Once again, Mr. Perry has earned a spot on this list. His campaign ad focuses on all the positive things he has done for the people of Texas and America. However, in 2014 Rick Perry was indicted for abusing his power as governor as well as coercion of a public servant. Despite the indictment, he claims he is innocent and stated in a campaign ad, “We need a president who has done the right things.”

Does being indicted for abusing your power as governor count as “doing the right thing?”

2. One of the most recent candidates to enter the race was Chris Christie, who launched his bid for the White House two weeks ago. Christie centered his presidential announcement around his blunt and truthful personality. He stated that the current politicians in Washington are lying and stealing from the American people and this must be stopped. He stated:

“The horse is out of the barn and we gotta get it back in.”

But the real question, Mr. Christie, is who let the dogs out?

1.  Mr. Trump, of course, takes the number one spot. After his presidential announcement, he did his first interview with Bill O’Reilly. In the interview, Mr. O’Reilly asked Mr. Trump a series of questions known as the “lightning round” on the show. This round consisted of answering questions about how Mr. Trump would handle different situations as president. When asked how he would handle ISIL, he stated he would “hit them so hard your head would spin.” He then followed up that statement by saying, “There’s nobody bigger or better at the military than I am.”

Except for maybe the approximate three million people that actually serve in the military, Mr. Trump.

There you have it–those are the weirdest quotes in the presidential race so far. But with so many faces in the crowd, there are sure to be more.

Jennie Burger

Jennie Burger is a member of the University of Oklahoma Class of 2016 and a Law Street Media Fellow for the Summer of 2015. Contact Jennie at staff@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Say What? Top Ten Weirdest Quotes from the Presidential Hopefuls So Far appeared first on Law Street.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) just announced that they’re not playing nice with climate change-deniers anymore. FEMA has officially proclaimed that unless states create plans that consider how to combat climate change, they may not be eligible for disaster preparedness funds from the agency.

The new FEMA guidelines acknowledge the problems that have come or may develop from climate changes, including things like more intense storms, heat waves, drought, and flooding. Given that all of those are situations in which states often turn to FEMA for funding and assistance, the agency is asking that when making their disaster preparedness plans, states “assess vulnerability, identify a strategy to guide decisions and investments, and implement actions that will reduce risk, including impacts from a changing climate.”

It’s important to note that this change won’t affect how much aid FEMA will give to states affected by natural disasters such as earthquakes, storms, and hurricanes. That’s called disaster relief, and it’s not part of this change. Rather, if states don’t provide adequate hazard-mitigation plans that acknowledge climate change and its effects, it will withhold the funds for that disaster preparedness. These funds are used for things like training and purchasing equipment. Overall, FEMA gives out grants of this sort that total about $1 billion each year.

This creates a big political problem for some of America’s most visible and prominent Republican governors, many of whom have long either advocated that climate change is not a product of human activity, or that it’s simply not happening. Deniers who are now on the chopping block include Governors Rick Scott (Florida), Bobby Jindal (Louisiana), Chris Christie (New Jersey), Greg Abbott (Texas), and Pat McCrory (North Carolina).

Jindal and Christie have, at the very least, been floated in talks about possible 2016 Republican contenders. Ironically, Louisiana gets the most disaster preparedness money and New Jersey comes in at number three, so Jindal and Christie, as well as the other Republican governors who deny climate change, are faced with an interesting catch-22. They can either sign off on plans that comply with FEMA regulations and lose some political clout among the conservatives they may have to woo in a presidential primary, or refuse to acknowledge climate change and lose funding that their states probably need.

This policy shift comes amid many debates happening around the country over how states should individually handle climate change. There are allegations that in Florida, for example, there’s an “unofficial policy” to not use the words climate change, even when discussing the phenomenon and its effects.

No matter what, this is certainly a bold move on FEMA’s part, and shows that politics can’t always take the front seat when it comes to safety. FEMA is making a move that it thinks will help mitigate the results of climate change–if it ruffles a few political feathers in the meantime, so be it.

Anneliese Mahoney

Anneliese Mahoney is Managing Editor at Law Street and a Connecticut transplant to Washington D.C. She has a Bachelor’s degree in International Affairs from the George Washington University, and a passion for law, politics, and social issues. Contact Anneliese at amahoney@LawStreetMedia.com.

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