Word: landrieu
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Senator Mary L. Landrieu (D-La.) recently sparked an uproar over her brokering of $300 million dollars for Louisiana in exchange for her vote to bring the health-care bill to the floor of the Senate. As a resident of Louisiana, I’m not offended—instead, I would like to thank her. Landrieu is not apologetic for her request, and there is no reason she should be. In fact, in a more just world Louisiana would be compensated for much more than $300 million...
Despite these statements, GOP backlash against the senator has been fierce. Some Republicans have called Landrieu a political prostitute, even labeling her the Magnolia Madame—ironic because it was not Landrieu, but rather a Republican senator from Louisiana, who was recently involved in a not-so-figurative prostitution ring. Landrieu should not be considered a “prostitute” in any sense; judging by her actions, “martyr” would be a more correct word...
...funds that Landrieu has inserted in her provision arbitrary pork funds meant to serve as a sweetener for Louisiana. The Medicaid system as it now stands is supported by costs split between the state and federal government. However, the share that the federal government pays differs from state to state, which means that some states with stronger legislators are paying less. Until Landrieu took on such a prominent role in blocking the filibuster this past weekend, she has not had the clout to affect the unfair legislation which has put Louisiana at a disadvantage...
...That will be the gut check, particularly for four wavering centrists who voted with Reid on Saturday: independent Joe Lieberman of Connecticut, and Democrats Ben Nelson of Nebraska, Blanche Lincoln of Arkansas and Mary Landrieu of Louisiana. All have said they have serious objections to the bill in its current form, and particularly to the government-run health care plan that would be among the options available to the uninsured. "We have a health care system that has real troubles, but we have an economic system that is in real crisis," Lieberman said Sunday on NBC. "I don't want...
Lieberman is by no means the only Democrat who is not happy with the public option, though he may be the only one who comes from a relatively liberal state. Blanche Lincoln of Arkansas, Ben Nelson of Nebraska and Mary Landrieu of Louisiana, for example, all have strong reservations about a government-run alternative to private insurers. But Lieberman is the only one who has stated flat-out that he would join a GOP filibuster of the bill to prevent it from getting an up-or-down vote. And unlike his other moderate Democratic colleagues, he has claimed...