Mary Landrieu is now a Republican

[Mr. Sparkle]

Landrieu: Under "Very Few, If Any" Circumstances Would I Support A Public Option
Brian Beutler | August 27, 2009, 9:00AM

Speaking before what was described as a friendly crowd at the Monroe Chamber of Commerce yesterday, Sen. Mary Landrieu said she was opposed to much of the Democrats' legislative agenda.

Asked under what circumstances she would support a public option, Landrieu responded, "ery few, if any. I'd prefer a private market-based approach to any health care reform that would extend coverage," according to the Monroe News Star.

"I'd like to cover everyone -- that would be the moral thing to do -- but it would be immoral to bankrupt the country while doing so," Landrieu said. The public option as currently conceived is expected to be a deficit reducer.

Landrieu also said she'd continue her long history of opposition to a cap and trade system to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. "I'm not supporting that approach, but I'm open to hear modifications," she said.

Landrieu has also balked at the idea that she and other Democrats should be expected to oppose filibusters as a procedural matter. "I'm going to keep an open mind, but I am not committing to any procedural straitjackets one way or another," she said in July.

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/08/landrieu-under-very-few-if-any-circumstances-would-i-support-a-public-option.php?ref=fpb

with Democrats like these, who needs republicans. Harry Reid is doing a hell of a job as Senate Majority Leader.

[WeDidIt]

1. I don't care if hse votes for it

All I care about is that she votes for cloture.

[madokie]

2. A dem in name only is what she always was

like my rep. danny boy Boren d-OK is

[onestepforward]

54. So true. n/t

[TheDebbieDee]

3. That's old news..........

I noticed for several years that she votes like a repuke!

[orleans]

56. i've seen that too. she is such an asshole! n/t

[stray cat]

4. Lets just replace her with a conservative republican

[WI_DEM]

6. may as well. ON the big issues that count she votes Republican most of the time anyway.

[Winterblues]

16. Or how about a real Democrat

Why is it always either or with some folks? I believe with the current mood of the country it is not unreasonable to think a real Democrat could be elected even from the deep south. Your threat doesn't really scare me if that was your intent? I have higher hopes than many here.

[Gold Metal Flake]

22. Fear is the typical republican tactic.

So fear of failure from a Blue Cross dog should not be surprising.

[swishyfeet]

43. Blue Cross dog

LOL. First time I heard that.

[Gold Metal Flake]

52. Serious cat avatar is serious.

I love Serious Cat!

[bvar22]

30. The South is ripe for the picking if The Democrats are interested.

LBJ said he had lost The South for a generation.
Well, THAT generation is OVER !

A Populist Democrat running on a platform of "Economic Justice for Working Americans" can get elected anywhere IF they have Party support (funding) and avoid the social wedge issues.

Of course, with The Democrats now controlling all 3 branches, they NEED to start providing some Economic Justice or it is all just a BIG Scam.


The Democratic Party is a BIG TENT, but there is NO ROOM for those
who advance the agenda of THE RICH (Corporate Owners) at the EXPENSE of LABOR and the POOR.

[BlueDemKev]

45. I LIVE in the South! True Liberals Don't Stand A Chance Here!

Look, I am philosophically with you, however I live in the South, and I assure you the seeds haven't shown any signs of germinating yet, much less is the fruit ripe for picking.

I live in rural Georgia, and folks I assure you the south is full of closed-minded fanatics! There is no way a Kennedy-type Democrat will be elected to a statewide office down here. I went and helped with Heath Shuler's campaign in 2006 in North Carolina's 11th district, which is located in the heart of the Appalachian mountains. No true progressive could be elected in that district. Shuler was the best candidate the Democrats could get there and we succeeded in ousting six-term Republican extremist Charles Taylor, and helped the Democrats regain the U.S. House.

There are 256 Democrats in the House. Take away the 52 Blue Dogs puts us at 204...THE MINORITY.

Yes, the Blue Dogs do need the liberal voters to get elected, but given the small minority we're in down here, they also need moderate and--yes--a few conservative voters if they are to stay in office. If we liberals withdraw our support from the Blue Dogs, they will be voted out of office and replaced with Republicans. While that may sound good, consider the result: REPUBLICANS WOULD RETGAIN CONTROL OF THE HOUSE AND JOHN BOEHNER WILL BE SPEAKER.

Unfortunately, more Americans still consider themselves "conservative" than "liberal." That will change at some point (hopefully), but for now we have to play with the cards we have.

[kentuck]

46. It depends on what you call a "liberal".

You don't have to be overtly anti-gun, anti-prayer in school, pro-gay rights, anti-war, or pro-tax to be a liberal. There are other issues that affect people's lives. It's who we let do the defining and the framing.

[bvar22]

57. A "Kennedy type Democrat"....you're correct.

But a Southern born "Populist" Democrat running on a simple "pocketbook" platform of "Economic Justice for Working Americans" (Chicken in every pot a la Huey Long) Democrat could win anywhere.


I also live in a very rural RED area of a Southern state.

[onenote]

49. you think a "real" Democrat could be elected in Louisiana?

Actually, unreasonable is a good word to describe the idea that a "real" Democrat could get elected in Louisiana. Obama lost Louisiana 59/40. Landrieu got 200,000 more votes than Obama in Louisiana. Four incumbent Democrats lost their House seats in November 2008 -- two were from Louisiana.

I have no problem with you setting your hopes as high as you want. But you ignore reality at your peril.

[BlueDemKev]

55. A sad, but true fact

Landrieu is the best we could possibly hope for from a state like Louisiana. And, since each state gets to have two Senators, we can't have a majority without some who aren't totally aligned with our liberal philosophy.

[troubledamerican]

65. A delusional Reid supporter

[rhett o rick]

60. Some how I believe you would like that. nt

[WI_DEM]

5. Nelson (FL) Lieberman, Conrad, Landreau...the dems in the senate are jumping the

ship. Dems will be responsible for the defeat of Health Care, not the GOP. I'm wondering if we will get 50 votes so that Biden can break a tie? Especially if others like Nelson of NE, and the Arkansas two and other moderate/conservative dems in the Senate go against the public option.

I think it's time that Obama says this is a bill that is a priority for him and the party and any dem who goes against it he will see doesn't get $ from the DNC for there re-elections and he will cancel projects in there states. He maybe needs to play hardball the way LBJ did.

[HughMoran]

23. Well, let's be clear - they were never EVER on the ship

You make it sound like they are jumping ship now, that's hardly the case.

[BlueDemKev]

34. We Need to be Pragmatic

Unfortunately, Obama waited too long to get involved in the health care debate. That being said, we need to focus on what to do at this point to pass a health care bill.

It looks like we may have to go with non-profit co-ops instead of the public option. While the P.O. would be better, government-contracted co-ops would still provide significant competition against the private insurance industry.

I have no doubt Senator Kennedy would agree that a compromise between the liberal and conservative wings of the Democratic Party is the best route to take at this point.

We simply cannot fail to get a health reform bill passed this year. If we do, 2010 will make 1994 look like a trip to the massage parlor, and everything we care about will be destroyed. And I'm certain Kennedy would agree with that, too.

[Laelth]

42. Welcome to DU.

I think there's very little chance that we will lose Congress in 2010. The political climate is really very different now than it was in 1994. In 1994, the Republican Party's approval ratings were not in the toilet. The ghost of Ronald Reagan was much more powerful then. Whereas Clinton followed Bush I, Obama follows one of the least popular politicians in American history, Bush II. Clinton was elected with less than 50% of the popular vote. Obama was elected with well over 50% of the popular vote. The religious right had not completely taken over the Republican Party then. Now, Republican politicians are generally insane, reflecting their rabid base.

I think Obama blew his first chance at health care reform by pushing for a weak plan. I think he should table the idea, for now, and push for single payer in 2011. The current system is unsustainable, and everyone knows it. Change will come. Let's not settle for a bailout of the insurance industry. Let's insist on the eradication of it.

I expect the Democratic Party will pick up 3 seats in the Senate and between 3-6 seats in the House UNLESS Congress passes a disastrous "insurance reform" bill. At this point, I would rather do nothing than to pass any of the bills under consideration in Congress.

:dem:

-Laelth

[BlueDemKev]

47. Failure to Pass Health Care Bill = 2010 Election Defeat

I'm sorry, I cannot agree. If the Democrats fail to pass a health care bill in spite of having huge majorities in both the House and Senate will send a terrible message to the American people that the party is incapable of governing. Plus, Obama's clout will be greatly diminished.

In 1994 the defeat of the health care bill was the main reason for our humiliation in the midterm elections. We have to show the American people that, despite our own internal disagreements, we can come together and govern effectively.

Why, could I ask, is it such a big deal if we do government-contracted co-ops instead of a government-controlled public option? The post office is technically "private", but it's totally under the supervision of the government. The Republicans are dead-set against doing co-ops, so there must be something good about them!

[Laelth]

48. We will have to agree to disagree, then.

I will not lend support to "just any bill," just so the President can say he got something passed. I am sick of Clintonian triangulation.

If the legislation is good, I will support it. What's being considered now is little more than a give-away to the health insurance cabal. It will not help America. People will deeply resent the individual mandate. That, alone, will drive millions of voters away from the Democratic Party.

At this point, it would be much better for us to do nothing.

:dem:

-Laelth

[Freddie Stubbs]

7. LA Democrats seem to like her

They have nominated her to state-wide office five times.

[redqueen]

10. Education is key, yes.

Obviously too many people still don't understand that these people aren't conservative, they're corporatists.

[Feron]

37. Not necessarily.

Typically it's a choice between Mary and a repuke who is even worse.

She's having another town hall today, but I can't attend. Instead I'm going to write a snail mail letter and send it off.

[Freddie Stubbs]

68. If she is so unpopular among Democrats, why doesn't another Democrat run against her?

:shrug:

[rhett o rick]

59. So you like her too, right Freddie. A Blue Dog Damn Democrat. nt

[Echo In Light]

8. "bankrupt the country" = pure bullshit

[blm]

9. she supported Bush's bankrupting of the country every step of the way....

.

[Barack_America]

13. *cough*IWR*cough*

Bullshit indeed.

[VOX]

11. "...I'd prefer a private market-based approach..." = Utter and complete corporate stooge. n/t

[truebrit71]

12. This is news? As a Democrat she has been bloody useless....

...

[Barack_America]

14. I shall refer to her in no other way. nt

[CrownPrinceBandar]

15. Maybe someone should post this in the Louisiana forum?........

It would be nice if some of her constituents would put a little pressure on this DINO, and let her know her corporatist agenda is not in-step with the ideals of Democrats

"I'd like to cover everyone -- that would be the moral thing to do -- but it would be immoral to bankrupt the country while doing so," My ass, Mary. How much have you gotten from healthcare lobbyists? The Huffington Post reports about 1.6 million dollars.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/06/15/landrieu-to-get-the-nelso_n_215678.html

[lonestarnot]

17. That thing has always been a pug.

[debbierlus]

18. She has ALWAYS been a DINO - it is status quo for her

Corporate sellout....

She needs to be primaried HARD.

[kentuck]

19. I guarantee that if the liberals withhold their vote from her...

she will not win on Republican, moderate Democrats, and Independent votes. She needs us as much as we need her. If she stabs us in the back, we have no reason to vote for her. Period. She has played liberals for suckers.

[Kaleva]

28. The end result is that she will be replaced by a Republican

[kentuck]

33. What's the difference?

She gives us a "60 vote" majority? Boy, that was overblown, wasn't it!

[Kaleva]

39. The most liberal Republican in the Senate.....

is still more conservative then the most conservative Dem in the Senate.

[kentuck]

41. That may be true...

But you know up front how they are going to vote. They will not stab you in the back. That is better than an unpredictable, unprincipled Blue Dog.

[cascadiance]

67. A Republican we can keep out of commitee chairmanships if still in the majority!

And then we can avoid situations like Baucus has us in now with the Finance Committee, which truly is an abomination!

I'd rather Baucus be a Republican, and then we could have someone like Wyden or Rockefeller be in charge of it instead and not play all the damn games that Baucus has been playing to keep any kind of meaningful reform from moving forward through that committee.

And as someone else said, if on the important issues she sides with Republicans all of the time, what real difference does it make there!

In some ways, if the Republicans were smart, they'd get someone that might be a little more socially conservative (though that might be a little scary) but a more grass roots type kind of like Huckabee that might vote for more populist stances on things like health care or immigration that would defy corporate handlers. I'd almost rather have a Republican like that in office to work with than a corporatist "bipartisan" Democrat like Landrieu. Social issues can be marginalized with a Democratic majority, but issues which affect all Americans in our economy that put us at odds with corporate interests are where we now need votes! Though a Republican like that might have to work more outside the Republican establishment, which is decidedly pro-corporatist in its stances and probably wouldn't support a candidate like this.

[Triana]

20. Why doesn't she just make it official - her 'morals' (such as they are) are Republican

GO lady.

JUST GO. Idiot.

[HughMoran]

21. As long as this DINO doesn't prevent a vote from occurring on the floor

Then she can remain a Dem. Any Dem that doesn't block a filibuster should be removed from the party post haste.

[Orsino]

24. She caucuses with them in her heart. n/t

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

25. When wasn't she? Her voting actions speak louder than the word Democrat.

[yodermon]

26. We Have a de Facto 3rd Party in Congress.

The leadership and the democratic party should excommunicate them after healthcare reform passes DESPITE them.

[rucky]

62. I think that would be a better political move than trying to find a primary challenger.

The incumbent Dem would have to run as a Republican or Independent, and the general election would be pretty interesting to watch.

[BlueDemKev]

27. Hold On, There

Guys,

I live in the south (rural Georgia), and let me tell you that Mary Landrieu is about the best we can get from Louisiana. She's pro-choice, pro-women's rights, and is very well-educated.

Looking at the Louisiana Republicans (i.e.--Woody Jenkins, Bobby Jindal, Bob Livingston, and David Vitter), I'll take Mary Landrieu any day.

Remember, there is still the reconciliation option in the Senate, plus we may end up having to do the non-profit co-ops route instead of the public option (in order to get 218 votes in the House). While I much prefer the public option, we may have to give a little in order to get enough "Blue Dogs" to support the plan. It sucks, but without the BD's, we would not have a majority.

We absolutely must get a health insurance reform bill passed this year. If we fail, we will be whitewashed in the 2010 elections and everything we care about(and that Senator Kennedy cared about) will be destroyed.

[kentuck]

29. From the state of Huey Long..

this is the best we can do? I doubt it.

[progressoid]

32. Problem is, that a whole lot of Dems were displaced after Katrina.

I'm afraid the Huey Long days are long gone.

[kentuck]

36. Maybe the Huey Long progressives don't like to vote for Republicans..

that call themselves Democrats? You can't expect people to vote for something they are not offered. I think it's a bunch of bullshit. It works well for the Republican Party. Even if it were true, it would not matter that much to the Democratic Party if we got rid of two or three of these back-stabbers. In fact, it might send a message?

[Feron]

40. Part of the problem is that. .

the state Democratic party is completely unorganized whereas the Republican party is highly organized.

If the Democrats will start organizing, then they can be a force to reckon with.

[Neecy]

38. I was going to point this out - thank you

Landrieu has always been pro-choice, which given the heavily Catholic population in southern LA and the wingnut population of northern LA is a pretty progressive stance. Yes, she's bad on many issues but as a woman I appreciate the fact that she's never abandoned her pro-choice stance for political expediency.

[cascadiance]

69. At this point though, I'd almost accept someone who's more conservative BUT anti-corporatist

Kind of like Huckabee was in the Republican primaries, though perhaps not as stridently religious right.

We can perhaps keep someone like that from passing crappy socially conservative legislation with a Democratic majority, but where we need votes are things like health care reform, public campaign financing, bankruptcy or CC reform, renegotiating free trade deals, etc. that the corporatists have been blocking us heavily with both Republicans and Blue Dogs for so long. These are the critical issues that need to get solved now before our country goes down the toilet. We need to focus on eradicating the corporatists from congress now to get that to happen, whether they are good on social issues or not.

Now later, it might be good to pass some constitutional ammendments to help protect a women's right to choose, and at that stage we should be concerned about those who carry views against this. But we'll never get to that point if we don't first get rid of the corporatist gravy train that is such a cancer now to having any form of democracy in our society now.

People like Mary Landrieu need to go!

[progressoid]

31. This is why I always cringe when someone says we have a majority.

When you subtract Landrieu, Lieberman, the Nelson twins, etc., their ain't much of a majority to work with.

[ensho]

35. watching Mary during Katrina, it seemed to me she knew something

we all didn't know. I've never trusted her.

[elocs]

44. There's only one way to deal with the truly DINOs and Blue Dogs...

you have to cut them off at the knees. No committee chairs, no important committees, send them to the time out corner. If you can cut money to their districts or home states, then do that. Ultimately you cannot play nice with them and they will use pragmatism against the Democratic Party, and not in a good way. Either be a Democrat or be a Republican, but enough of the pretense.

[Joanne98]

50. I hate her more than all the bluedogs put together.

She IS a Republican. I hope we have someone running against her in the primary.

[Amonester]

51. "but it would be immoral to bankrupt the country while doing so"

and her despicable DINO VOTE on the Iraq war SCAM was: YEA

and that vote was not immoral and has not bankrupt the country (yet)? how?

[joeybee12]

53. Now?

I thought she always was.

[Toucano]

58. She is worse than a Republican

She openly admits that she sees her role of a United States Senator as a protector and defender of corporations against the interest of citizens.

As far as I am concerned, she has violated her oath of office and should be impeached and imprisoned.

[troubledamerican]

66. Thank CHRIST we have Harry Reid in the Senate to fight strong

If Landrieu should be impeached (and I agree with you), then how much worse should the penalty be for the Democratic "leadership"?

[Stand and Fight]

61. Whoever runs against her is gettting a check for $200 from me. n/t

[Iris]

63. what else is new?

[glinda]

64. Exactly when are the Dems going to vet these Republican people who "run as Dems"?

[Individualist]

70. "The Democratic Leadership Council's agenda

is indistinguishable from the Republican Neoconservative agenda," - Dennis Kucinich