Great New Website: Cheating the Truth: Fact Checking David Vitter's Troubled Relationship With Honesty

For all those of you who are of the "anyone but Vitter," assortment for US Senator...well this website is for you.

It shows all the lies, half truths, and duplicitousness of our sinning Senator from Louisiana, David Vitter. Whether you are a Republican, Democrat, or Independent like me, I know you will have fun exploring this website. Be sure to check out the Vitter 'Cheat-O-Meter,' Vitter delusions, how family values have suddenly changed, and of course the 'serious sin.'

Enjoy!


Click here to check it out:

http://www.cheatingonthetruth.com/

Rep. Melancon Comments on Court Decision Finding Corps Liable for Katrina Damage in St. Bernard

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT:

Robin Winchell (202) 226-5220



Rep. Melancon Comments on Court Decision Finding Corps Liable for Katrina Damage in St. Bernard



WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Congressman Charlie Melancon (LA-03) made the following statement today on a federal judge’s decision that the Army Corps of Engineers was responsible for flooding in St. Bernard Parish after Hurricane Katrina. Yesterday, U.S. District Judge Stanwood Duval Jr. ruled that the Corps’ mismanagement of maintenance of the Mississippi River-Gulf Outlet (“MRGO”) was directly responsible for the devastating flood that severely damaged or destroyed as many as 100,000 homes and businesses in St. Bernard.



“The people of St. Bernard have worked steadfastly for over four years to recover what they lost in Katrina. Through pure grit and determination, they have rebuilt their homes and communities, and their strength of spirit is an inspiration to us all. I am hopeful the federal government will work for a quick resolution to this case, so these resilient citizens can close this horrible chapter and move on with their lives.”



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Boustany Urges Louisiana Senators to Vote Against Democrats' Massive Health Care Overhaul

For Immediate Release –
Contact: Rick Curtsinger – (202) 225-2031




Boustany Urges Louisiana Senators to Vote Against Democrats’ Massive Health Care Overhaul



Washington, D.C. – U.S. Representative Charles W. Boustany, Jr., R-Southwest Louisiana, a heart surgeon, today urged Senators to vote against a massive health care overhaul proposed by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV).



“Senators can stop this massive health care overhaul proposed by Sen. Reid by voting against the motion to proceed on this bad piece of legislation,” Boustany said. “The bill Sen. Reid put out will raise health care costs for families and businesses in Louisiana, raise taxes on millions and cut health care for our seniors by almost half a trillion dollars. That’s not commonsense reform, so why would anyone vote to proceed to debate? Instead, Senators Landrieu and Vitter should oppose this bill and work to achieve a bi-partisan, broadly supported bill to actually lower health care costs.”



Boustany’s comments come just days before the Senate is expected to vote on whether to proceed to debate on Sen. Reid’s health care overhaul measure. A few of the problems with the Reid bill include:



$28 billion in new taxes on employers that do not provide government approved health plans. These new taxes will ultimately be paid by American workers in the form of reduced wages and lost jobs;
nearly $500 billion in cuts to Medicare, which provides health care for seniors throughout Louisiana;
includes a government-run health care plan that would force many Americans from their current health insurance coverage.


Boustany advocates targeted health care reforms to bring down health care costs including the ability to purchase insurance across state lines, pooling together to increase purchasing power and utilizing the same tax breaks large businesses and labor unions currently receive, creating incentives for healthy decisions and responsible medical liability reforms.



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Fleming Votes Against Pelosi's "Doc Fix" Bill

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE



Contact: Amy Jones
Communications Director
P - 202.225.2777
C – 202.507.1003

Fleming Votes Against Pelosi’s “Doc Fix” Bill

Refuses To Support Measure to Add $300 Billion To Deficit



Washington, DC – Congressman John Fleming issued the following statement in regards to H.R. 3961, more commonly known as the “doc fix” bill. Congressman Fleming cast a bipartisan vote against the bill, along with 11 Democrats, however it did pass in the House of Representatives by a final vote of 243-183 and now moves on to the Senate for consideration, where a similar measure was recently voted down.



“As a physician, I am acutely aware of the anxiety doctors’ face every year as they anticipate reimbursement cuts scheduled to go into effect as a result of the deeply flawed sustainable growth rate formula (SGR). However, I could not support a bad bill to correct the Medicare fee schedule. H.R. 3961 creates more unpaid for deficit spending and will hurt both physicians and our economy. For too long, doctors have been exploited by politicians as they face a business-killing cut in reimbursements every year. I will not allow my fellow physicians to be used as political pawns by voting for the so called “doc-fix” bill. This legislation accomplishes nothing to permanently change the SGR formula. H.R. 3961 replaces one failed policy with another. Physicians and patients deserve better.”



Congressman John Fleming represents the 4th District of Louisiana and is a member of the House Armed Services and Natural Resources Committees.



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Senator Landrieu Hustles $100 Million For Louisiana From Senate Health Care Bill

Wow. I gotta applaud Senator Mary Landrieu for making the most of her vote and milking Senator Reid for every buck she could for her vote on the Senate Health Care bill, also known as "Patient Protection Affordable Health Care Act."

On page 432 of the bill, there is a section increasing federal Medicaid subsidies in, "certain states recovering from a major disaster." Another section goes on to specify which states would qualify for this funding specifically reads,"during the preceding 7 fiscal years" have been declared a "major disaster area."

Now, if you are able to deduce specifically who that means...it's the great state of Louisiana. There are 2 whole pages and $100 million dollars that will go to Louisiana, obviously Landrieu's price for her vote on this bill.



Now, as sort of a disclaimer...I have to say that I'm not necessarily a supporter of government controlled healthcare. However, I can admit that my son is a beneficiary of SCHIP, and have other family members who are veterans and seniors who've also benefitted from government health care.

Of course they all deserve it and yet, all those are good programs however in the future we will have to figure out how to fund it all.

Although I know the co-op plan never got any serious consideration, I believe it would've been a good baby step before jumping feet first into government-run health care. Like charter schools, I think it would've been a good laboratory wherein for health care that would've been funded by 501c3s and government funds. However, nobody elected me so what does it matter.

I do applaud Senator Landrieu for her negotiating prowess and always bending and breaking arms if need be to get money appropriated to Louisiana. She is and has done a great job for our great state. On the other hand, this may be political suicide, or just another calculated move in her political career.

What am I alluding to you may be asking yourself...let me explain.

Rumors have been swirling about in some circles that Senator Mary Landrieu may not finish out her term, but instead will become a lobbyist. It wouldn't surprise me if she has already had a conversation with a major lobbyist firm, ...say maybe Patton Boggs, where she could go to join her mentor and former senior Senator John Breaux.

Time will tell. I've only met and spoke with Senator Landrieu a few times and I know many who underestimate her. She is more saavy than many give her credit.

Now we will wait and see if $100 million dollars was enough for her vote when the vote takes place in the next month or two. Until then, tune into CSPAN.org starting this Saturday morning at 10 a.m. for all the hijinks and drama on the Senate floor and we'll see if the GOP filibusters til the cows come home.

We can only hope and pray that this legislation works, as we definitely know that insurance companies and the ultra rich have been working to make sure health care isn't a reality for many Americans. Although I don't think the government run plan is the answer, I can say with some comfort that the rich insurance companies and their stockholders have brought this upon themselves by pricing many Americans out of their health care coverage and in some cases their jobs.



Here is the link if you want to read the Senate Bill in its entirety, click here:
http://abcnews.go.com/images/Politics/patient-protection-affordable-care-act.pdf


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WILL BOGUS CHARGES GIVE BILL JEFFERSON A NEW TRIAL?

Thursday, November 19, 2009

New Orleans, Louisiana

WILL BOGUS CHARGES GIVE BILL JEFFERSON

A NEW TRIAL?

Former New Orleans Congressman Bill Jefferson got a thirteen year sentence and will soon be heading to jail. Ninety thousand dollars in his freezer? Has to be a “slam dunk” for the prosecutors, although Jefferson says he will appeal. Appeal? Didn’t they catch him red handed ? Tainted cash passed on by the F.B.I.? Well, not so fast. Ole ‘Dollar Bill just might have some legitimate issues on which to appeal whether the feds like it or not.

Everyone who followed the Jefferson investigation and trial were aghast over the cold cash in his freezer. Anyone betting would wager that this charge alone would bring Jefferson down. He was specifically charged with violating the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act by supposedly trying to bribe a Nigerian official. And even though Jefferson’s promised “honorable explanation” never came, guess what? The jury found him not guilty of this most electric change of taking marked FBI bills that ended up in his freezer.

So now convicted, Jefferson is fighting for time to pursue his appeal on the other eleven convictions. But are there any viable grounds for appeal? Actually, yes. His lawyers can cry “foul” on two counts.

One is that Jefferson was not allowed to confront his accuser. Some of the strongest evidence against him was supplied by a Northern Virginia businesswoman, Lori Morgan, who was a cooperating witness for the FBI. She was seen and audio recorded on tape handing off a brief case to Jefferson, supposedly with the “cold cash,” and the prosecutors played numerous taped conversations between the two at the trial. But where was Morgan at the trial? Wasn’t she to be the star witness against Jefferson? She was never called as a witness, and despite strong objections from Jefferson’s attorney, Robert Trout, the trial judge allowed her tapes to be played.

It would seem to be pretty basic constitutional law that anyone on trial should have the right to confront their accuser. Sixth Amendment to the Constitution and all that. Heck, you can peek into the Bible (Acts of the Apostles 25:16) that even the Romans let one face his accuser: “It is not the manner of the Romans to deliver any man up to die before the accused has met his accusers face-to-face, and has been given a chance to defend himself against the charges.” Apparently, the trial judge in Jefferson’s case, one T.S. Ellis III, doesn’t give much diffidence to either the Good Book or the Constitution.

You would expect that the FBI would have put Morgan on the stand to offer an “eye witness account” of Jefferson’s bribery attempts. So why wasn’t she proffered as the key witness? We now find out, after the trial, that the prosecutor’s star witness was having a sexual relationship with the key undercover FBI agent who drove Morgan to all the meetings where she secretly taped and delivered cash to Jefferson. So Moody’s FBI “handler” (double entendre intended) was tainting the major witness in the entire case. Whatever Jefferson’s guilt or innocence, his lawyer should have had the chance to cross examine Lori Morgan.

Then there were the three guilty verdicts by the jury involving “depriving citizens of honest services.” You know what that means…right? Go ahead. Define it for us.

One of the cardinal rules of a grade -school vocabulary test is this: the word that the student must define cannot be used in its definition. However, honest-services fraud –“a scheme or artifice to deprive another of the intangible right of honest services” – is a term that no one seems able to define without using “honest-services” in its definition. Which a priori implies that because it cannot be defined, it is unconstitutionally vague.

Remember now that “honest services fraud” does not apply only to public officials. The law as written has been interpreted by the federal courts to apply to any individual, and has become an open-ended invitation for federal prosecutors to bring charges against anyone that they consider dishonest.

Have you ever made a personal call while at work? Have you “surfed” the Internet while at your desk to find sports scores or to purchase something for private use? Members of congress often say that do not read all the laws on which he or she has voted, yet private individuals have been convicted for “honest services fraud” because they did not read every word in a legal document they had signed. The federal law of “honest services fraud” has become little more than a conviction awaiting someone to be charged.

Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia has some harsh words for any conviction involving so called “honest services,” and has said that “it is simply not fair to prosecute someone for a crime that has not been defined until the judicial decision that sends him to jail.” He has listed numerous examples to illustrate why this provision is just too broad. A state senator who voted for a bill only to appease a small minority essential to her reelection, a mayor who used the prestige of his office to obtain a table at a restaurant, a public employee who recommended a friend for a public contract, all, according to Scalia, would be in violation of this vague federal law.

The definition of “honest services fraud” would seem to be a lot like the definition given by the courts to pornography. Judges say that really can’t define it but they know it when they see it. Maybe that’s why the Supreme Court has agreed to hear three combined cases on recent convictions involving “honest services fraud.” And with the high court’s interest so peeked, this might signal some hope for Jefferson’s appeal.

Remember that Jefferson was not convicted of anything related to money in his freezer. His so called crime was bilking some foreign dictator out of big bucks. Kind of like Paul Newman did in the “Sting.” Who did you root for in that movie? Newman of course.

Here’s the bottom line. Forget all about Bill Jefferson. It’s you that just got convicted. Or perhaps your child. And when you look back at your trial, the main witness against you doesn’t show up, but the prosecutors only use her taped voice so you cannot cross examine or challenge what she says in any way. And while she is setting you up, she is having a sexual relationship with the key FBI agent that is trying to put you in jail. Sounds like something out of a Kafka novel.

Then you are charged with six counts of “honest services fraud” that even conservative pro prosecution Justice Scalia says is much too vague. Did you get a fair trial? Do you have grounds for an appeal? You be the judge.

I’m not here to defend the antics of Bill Jefferson. He obviously financially benefited himself and his family while on the public dole. Being a congressman is a full time job, and he should not have been pulling some international scam while being in public office.


But everyone, guilty or innocent, is entitled to be guaranteed that both sides play by the rules. The feds seem to be acting more like the keystone cops. Jefferson just might get a whole new trial, which raises the question of prosecutorial incompetence. Just how hard should it be to convict someone they pass money too and find it in his freezer?

*****

“This is a court of law, young man, not a court of justice.” ~Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr.

Peace and Justice

Jim Brown

Jim Brown’s weekly column appears in numerous newspapers and websites throughout the south. To read past columns going back to 2002, go to www.jimbrownla.com.

All I Can Say is, James Perry's New Ad is Definitely Ballsy

This is unlike anything I've ever seen. Don't know yet if this is bold or stupid, but I'll let you decide for yourself. We will see in the coming days and weeks if this ad was effective in grabbing the attention of New Orleans voters in a positive way, or if it turns them off as offensive. We will see if it exhibits the frustration of voters in New Orleans....or causes them to dismiss Perry and his ad as hijinks and a mistake due to his youth and first time running a campaign.

John Georges: A Mayor Who Will Put Children First

John Georges: A Mayor Who Will Put Children First

New Orleans - John Georges, the leading candidate for Mayor of New Orleans, pledges to push forward after-hours initiatives for our city's children when he takes office. Georges participated in the Afterschool Partnership Forum this morning, where he spoke about the need for more services to keep children safe and off city streets.

"I commend the Afterschool Partnership Of Greater New Orleans for striving to fill gaps between existing local youth systems while creating infrastructure to support our city's children," said Georges. "I have reviewed the '10 for 2010 Campaign' led by the Afterschool Partnership, which urges candidates to make our children a top priority, and I am impressed by what the group has developed."

Georges is a former member of the Louisiana Board of Regents, which is the state governing board over higher education. Georges also served as a member of the University of New Orleans Foundation, LSU Medical Foundation, and Tulane President's Council, and served on the board of his children's school where he chaired fundraising for the school's recovery efforts after Hurricane Katrina.

Media Contact: Liz Reyes
Liz@Georgesformayor.com
504-491-9691

For more information about the Afterschool Partnership of Greater New Orleans or the group's 10 for 2010 Campaign visit www.gnoafterschool.org

President Obama, The Wonderful Wizard of Jobs

Well folks, seems like President Obama's transparent website http://www.recovery.gov/ has run into a few problems. Seems ABC news and Louisiana's 1st district Congressman Steve Scalise have discovered that many of these jobs, and congressional districts don't exist.

"It's only fitting that the White House would claim to create jobs in districts that don't exist, since they funded the stimulus bill with money that doesn't exist," said Rep. Steve Scalise, R-Jefferson


According to the Obama Administration's recovery.gov website Louisiana now has 15 districts.

I think this is great news, since last time I checked Louisiana only had 7 congressional districts. Now that we have more congressional districts, I'm sure we'll be getting more money from the President's $787 billion dollar stimulus package. At this moment we've only been awarded $2.2 billion dollars and recieved around half a billion thus far.

According to recovery.gov up to this week over 640K jobs has been created across the US. Now proportionately, if we still had 7 congressional districts we'd likely only have 30-50,000 jobs created in Louisiana, but the great news is that with 15 congressional districts now, that number should double.

Ok folks, back to reality now, enough wizardry with the numbers. If you want a more accurate calculation of the actual number of jobs created by the stimulus please check out http://www.recovery.org/ which unlike http://www.recovery.gov/ , is a private company calculating the number of jobs created. Recovery.org puts the number around 175,000.

Although I will definitely point out that private industry is guilty of plenty of corruption and creative math of it's own(Enron) it would appear that the federal government is still incompetent. Private industry, when it is honestly run can and will be much more efficient than any government job creation.

This funny math on jobs and districts is just another example of why the federal government's sloth and incompetence at getting things done and keep the confidence of voters low in government's efficacy in fixing the ailing economy.

This is what we have to look forward to if we continue to depend on bailouts, government run only health care, and taxation for services by our beloved big brother. Sterner fines, regulations, term limits and less corruption overall in both government and the private industry is the direction that we need to go to remedy the ills in our economy.

If we want to create jobs, each of us must be more conservative, self sufficient, and responsible in our own finances and communities. Not only must we drill, but we must tap into all energy sources in order to create jobs and stimulate the economy. No party or individual has a monopoly on the answers, but all of us have to both work and sacrifice in order to get ourselves and collectively this nation out of this recession and create real jobs for Americans.


We are in a recession so of course Donations to Bayou Perspective are appreciated.

Rep. Melancon Introduces Bill Aiding Victims of Chinese Drywall

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT:

Robin Winchell (202) 226-5220



Rep. Melancon Introduces Bill Aiding Victims of Chinese Drywall
Drywall Victims Insurance Protection Act will Prevent Cancellation of Homeowners Insurance



WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Congressman Charlie Melancon (LA-03) introduced legislation today to aid Louisiana homeowners with defective Chinese drywall in their homes. The Drywall Victims Insurance Protection Act would prevent insurance companies from cancelling or failing to renew homeowners’ policies as the result of Chinese drywall in the home. The bill would also prevent insurers from changing rates or altering the type or amount of coverage based on problems stemming from Chinese drywall.



“Louisianians have worked hard to rebuild their homes and communities since Katrina,” said Rep. Melancon. “Sadly, many are now having their lives turned upside down all over again. Through no fault of their own, these families are learning that their homes – their biggest investment – may be unlivable and even hazardous to their health.



“I will continue working to find solutions to the defective Chinese drywall problem. The Drywall Victims Insurance Protection Act will give homeowners peace of mind that they won’t lose their insurance while they repair homes affected by Chinese drywall.”



The Drywall Victims Insurance Protection Act would also protect homeowners’ rights to sue their insurance companies if their coverage is dropped because of Chinese drywall problems. The bill defines Chinese drywall as drywall that either originated in or was imported from China from 2004 to 2007, or contains abnormal levels of strontium or sulfur.



Many homeowners have said that defective Chinese drywall in their homes emits sulfur, methane and other fumes that have damaged their homes and pose a serious health risk for residents. Reported health problems include nosebleeds, respiratory ailments, headaches, insomnia, and skin irritation.



Approximately 1,897 homeowners – 318 in Louisiana – have filed Chinese drywall complaints with the Consumer Product Safety Commission. But consumer advocates estimate that 4,000 to 7,000 homes have drywall manufactured in China, and the cost of property damage could reach $3 billion.



The problem could become especially serious in Louisiana, where thousands of new homes were rebuilt after Hurricane Katrina, many using drywall manufactured in China.



Recently, some insurers have begun cancelling policies for homeowners who report the problem and move to a temporary residence. Citing “vacancy” or “failure to maintain the home in insurable condition" as reasons for cancelling the policies, insurers say they cannot cover homes that are not occupied.



Insurance cancellations could pose a serious problem for homeowners because a lapse in coverage is often a violation of the mortgage contract, and could put the homes in foreclosure. Additionally, homeowners who file insurance claims for Chinese drywall and then lose their coverage could have difficulty obtaining new insurance policies because they are considered to have active problems with their homes.



Preliminary testing has confirmed that imported defective drywall from China contains higher levels of the hazardous chemicals strontium and sulfur. Later this month, the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) plan to release the results of a more comprehensive study of the risks of defective drywall from China. Until more tests are completed, homeowners do not have clear direction on what steps need to be taken to repair their homes.



The text of the Drywall Victims Insurance Protection Act is attached. Also attached are brief biographies of two 3rd Congressional District homeowners with defective Chinese drywall in their homes who joined Congressman Melancon today to tell their stories and discuss this new legislation.



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Unlucky New Orleans Congressman "Dollar Bill" Get's 13 Years on the 13th

As everyone expected, the cold hard money man got the inevitable Friday. Thirteen years for corruption and bribery, and worse than that it was on Friday the 13th. However, prosecutors wanted 27-33 years to send a stern message to other corrupt members of Congress. However we all know that because of Congressman Jefferson's high profile as a Congressman as well as his age, one could deduce this as why he is getting a slap on the wrist.

Jefferson's luck just isn't getting any better. Why is that you might ask. His good friend Bishop Morton came by to offer some counseling. Let's just hope nobody starts up the rumor mill again regarding HUD money being channeled to the good Bishop from his good friend Bill.

That's a counseling bill that's been long since paid. But just to be safe, it's a good thing the good Bishop moved to Atlanta after Katrina to distance himself from Jefferson and his freezer storing idiosyncracies. Like me, I hope you realize that there are no coincidences.

Now, even though Jefferson has been sentenced to 13 years, his luck may be changing. He is out on bail pending his appeal. Although the ex-Congressman was caught red-handed I gotta say from the times I met and talked to him he was a nice guy and no matter which way this goes I do feel kinda bad for Mr. Jefferson. However, we all pay for our sins in some way at the end of the day. All the best and God bless folks.

Child Porn Offenders No Longer Falling Through the Cracks

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 16th, 2009
CONTACT: Aaron Baer
225-389-4495


In Case You Missed It...
Child Porn Offenders No Longer Falling Through The Cracks


New Orleans Times-Picayune
By Robert Travis Scott
November 16, 2009

“A little more than a year ago Louisiana's Sex Offender Registry program was a mess, with thousands of individuals unregistered or failing to renew their addresses on the central database that tracks the whereabouts of people who have been convicted of sex crimes.

Thanks to a new program called Offender Watch, citizens now can access a single Internet site at LSP.org linking to registry information statewide. The program, which is coordinated by Louisiana State Police, the attorney general's office, the Department of Corrections and sheriffs' offices, has added about 2,500 names that were missing and has dramatically reduced the number of registrants who failed to make proper notifications.

‘It's one of the best things involving law enforcement and government that I've seen work for the public,’ said Hal Turner, executive director of the Louisiana Sheriffs Association. ‘We believe that this is a huge leap forward from where we were just a year and a half ago.’…

The state is required to maintain a comprehensive list of those offenders, but until recently the 65 different agencies in Louisiana dealing with the registry were not coordinating their efforts well enough to prevent large numbers of offenders from slipping through the database cracks.

Through legislation and support from Gov. Bobby Jindal, the new program got under way in August 2008 and began the process of cleaning up the state's central list. …”

Click Here To Read The Full Story In The New Orleans Times-Picayune

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Georges for Mayor Campaign Launches Website

Georges for Mayor Campaign Launches Website

New Orleans - The Georges for Mayor Campaign has launched its official website in an effort to increase communication with citizens of New Orleans.

"I want to hear from everyone in every neighborhood," said John Georges, leading candidate for Mayor of New Orleans. "I encourage citizens to let me know their concerns and their thoughts about issues in our city."

The website, www.georgesformayor.com, allows citizens the ability to communicate with John and his wife Dathel by submitting comments and signing up for email updates about the Georges for Mayor Campaign.

"Dathel and I also want to know about groups who'd like to hear from me in person. If groups would like to schedule meetings, there's information on www.georgesformayor.com about how to contact my campaign."

Georges believes that hearing from citizens is essential to moving our city forward. He made this point clear Nov. 4 during his announcement before a large diverse group at Li'l Dizzy's Cafe in the Historic Treme Neighborhood.

Media Contact:
Liz Reyes
Liz@georgesformayor.com
504-491-9691

HOW NOW LONE CAO?

HOW NOW LONE CAO?



By Jeff Crouere



November 13, 2009…I admire U.S. Congressman Joseph Cao (R-New Orleans) and have enjoyed interviewing him on my TV and radio shows. He is cordial, intelligent and an extremely hard worker. He has a great personal story of persistence and triumph in the face of tremendous obstacles.



As the first Vietnamese American in Congress, Cao is an historic figure on Capitol Hill. He is also a unique politician because he actually reads the bills before casting a vote. I am sure he is one of the only politicians in Congress to read the 1990 page healthcare bill before voting on the issue.



Despite his outstanding personal qualities, Cao made a horrible mistake in voting for a piece of legislation that, if enacted, will wreck our healthcare system and do terrible damage to our economy. Cao said that he was voting on behalf of his constituents who support the bill; however, he should have put the interests of his country first. This bill will harm his congressional district and the nation. It will add to our deficit, increase taxes and inevitably will lead to healthcare rationing. Bureaucrats will be placed in charge of decisions which should be made by patients and their doctors. The bill will force insurance companies out of business and make more people dependent on government.



What does the government do well? Is it a good operator of Amtrak, the post office or Medicare? Of course not, it has a horrible track record and every program that the government operates is mismanaged and runs a deficit. If the federal government manages our healthcare system, the poor results will be magnified because it will involve 16% of our entire economy.



By casting the lone Republican vote for this monstrosity, Cao has given President Obama and Speaker Pelosi the cover of a “bi-partisan” bill. In the process, Cao betrayed his party and the many Republican donors who supported his campaign. No longer will he be able to send fundraising appeals to Republican donors and activists touting his conservative credentials. Currently, he is being embraced by Rachel Maddow, Barack Obama and Nancy Pelosi, not exactly good credentials for a Republican.



By opposing his fellow Republicans Cao has become a favorite of President Obama, who lobbied the Congressman for many months. Even if Cao receives some token Democratic donations or even has the President campaign on his behalf, it will not sway the opinion of the vast majority of voters in his district, who will continue to vote on racial and political lines.



Cao already is facing several serious Democratic challengers in his 2010 re-election campaign. They will not withdraw because of his healthcare vote. In fact, there is also a chance that other Democrats may enter the race. After this vote, Cao might even have to worry about a Republican challenger in the GOP primary.



As a congressman for a Democratic dominated district, Cao had a chance to educate his constituents about the fallacy of liberal “solutions” such as this healthcare bill. Instead, he decided to “represent” them by supporting a flawed, expensive and harmful bill.



For decades, thousands of people in Cao’s district have been dependent on a variety of federal government assistance programs and the result is that the district is still one of the poorest in America . Government does not solve problems, it only makes them worse. For healthcare, a much better solution involves tort reform, more competition, portability of policies, and removing government interference, not inviting government to ruin the best healthcare system in the world. A congressman as intelligent as Joseph Cao should know that this healthcare bill will not work. It is sad that he was unable or unwilling to see this reality.







Jeff Crouere is the Host of “Ringside Politics,” which airs at 7:30 p.m. Fri. and 10:00 p.m. Sun. on WLAE-TV 32, a PBS station, and 7 till 11 a.m. weekdays on WGSO 990 AM in New Orleans and the Northshore. He is the Political Analyst for WGNO-TV ABC26 and a Columnist for selected publications. For more information, visit his web site at RingsidePolitics.com. E-mail him at jeff@ringsidepolitics.com.

For Vitter, Facebook and Twitter a Priority over Homeless Veterans

701 Government Street

Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70802

(225)336-4155

(225)336-0046 – fax

communications@lademo.org





For Immediate Release CONTACT: Kevin Franck

November 13, 2009 (225) 336-4155




For Vitter, Facebook and Twitter a Priority over Homeless Veterans

While AWOL from hearing on homelessness among vets, Vitter sends campaign Tweets, FB updates

(Baton Rouge) As he played hooky from a hearing on fighting homelessness among veterans on Tuesday, David Vitter found the time to send multiple messages to campaign supporters on the social networking sites Facebook and Twitter.



“David Vitter has received failing grades from some of our nation’s most respected veterans organizations and like a mischievous teenager with a bad report card, spending too much time on the internet won’t help,” said Louisiana Democratic Party spokesman Kevin Franck.



Vitter is the Ranking Member of the Senate Banking Committee’s Subcommittee on Housing, Transportation and Community Development which held a hearing on Tuesday on “ending veterans homelessness.” The subcommittee heard testimony from two veterans who have struggled with homelessness and other experts on the issue. Vitter was AWOL from the hearing



Though Vitter was AWOL from the hearing, which lasted from 10:00 a.m to noon EST, he updated his campaign Facebook page twice, at 11:00 a.m. and 11:27 a.m. EST. Vitter also updated his campaign Twitter account twice as the hearing was in progress, once at 10:59 a.m. and again at 11:33 a.m. EST.



“Louisiana’s veterans deserve the full support of all of their elected representatives and they deserve better than David Vitter,” Franck added.



###



Note on Twitter time stamps: If you are not logged into Twitter, the times displayed at www.twitter.com/davidvitter will be displayed in PST. When logged in, all times are displayed according to the time zone you have selected.



Paid for by the Louisiana Democratic Party, 701 Government Street, Baton Rouge, LA 70802. This communication is not authorized by any candidate or candidate’s committee.