Bobby Jindal Calls Obama Admin ‘Science Deniers’

Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal paid a visit to Washington, D.C. this week to roll out his national energy policy blueprint.

At a breakfast for reporters Tuesday hosted by the Christian Science Monitor, the Republican governor attacked President Barack Obama for not fully taking advantage of the United States’ fossil fuel and energy resources.

“The reality is right now we’ve got an administration in the Obama administration that are science deniers when it comes to harnessing America’s energy resources and potential to create good-paying jobs for our economy and for our future,” Jindal said. “Right now we’ve got an administration whose policies are holding our economy hostage.”

The “science deniers” line of attack mirrors that of progressives against Republican lawmakers who don’t accept the broad scientific consensus that climate change is real and man-made.

When asked for examples, Jindal cited the administration’s resistance to approving the Keystone pipeline and recent rules to establish strict limits on pollution from coal-fired power plants.

“It’s not controversial to say human activity is contributing in some way to change,” he said. “In terms of how much it is and how serious it is, I say let the scientists decide that. Let’s not have politicians decide that.”

Jindal unveiled a 47-page blueprint called “Organizing Around Abundance: Making America An Energy Superpower” and advocating for greater use of U.S. oil, coal, nuclear power and renewable energy resources.

The governor suggested he may run for president in 2016.

“It is true. There’s no reason to be coy,” he said. “I am thinking, I am praying about whether I’ll run in 2016. I said I won’t make that decision until after November.”