Two days ago one of our readers sent in a video that we were rather shocked to see. Jeff Landry, the Republican nominee in the Louisiana 3rd Congressional district in this video is advocating for the repeal of two Amendments to the US Constitution – AND he is advocating replacing Social Security and Medicare with “Charity.”
Let’s take the first –
Landry in this video when asked which constitutional Amendments would he like to repeal or amend… his first answer right out of the shoot is – the 17th Amendment.For those who may not know – the 17th Amendment to the US Constitution provides for the direct election of US Senators.Landry is advocating to take away the rights of the voters throughout this country to determine who represents them in the US Senate!This is incredible.To not even hesitate that this is the largest issue that is facing us – Repeal the 17th Amendment.This would make it so that the state Legislator would choose who represents YOU in the US Senate.Why on EARTH would Landry want to take away YOUR right to vote?
He also advocates that he would like to raise Sales Tax on EVERYTHING to between 28% and 32%!Imagine this!As if groceries, prescriptions, cars – EVERYTHING were not expensive enough – Landry advocates that this would be better for our nation.
The second point he makes in this video clip is that he believes we should do away with Social Security and Medicare and that Charities would then pick up the slack.This is SO FAR out of the mainstream that I had to replay the video several times to insure I didn’t miss this.In Landry’s world he thinks that Doctors, pharmacists and churches will pay for healthcare for our seniors… that THEY will insure that Grandma doesn’t have to eat CAT FOOD.For a group that went RABID talking about death panels for Grandma… it seems this is even more extreme! Do they not remember what things were like for our senior citizens in this country prior to Social Security and Medicare?
So – as these are Landry’s top priorities if we send him to Congress… Combined with would be speaker John Boehner’s promise that there will be NO Compromises in this next congress…Just want are we doing if we send Jeff Landry to represent us?
I was sent information this past week and have been trying to figure out just where Jeff Landry stands on the issues.Now mind you, I am impressed with Mr. Sangisetty and if I lived in his district I would be voting for him… But with all the national attention going to just a hand full of races I have been trying to look at what is happening here in Louisiana.
So the Tea Party darling of Louisiana appears to be Jeff Landry – yet he is flip flopping more than Senator John Kerry’s “I was for it before I was against it” speech.
At the debate this week Landry was clearly caught in three lies which Team Sangisetty called him out on immediately after the debate.
From Team Sangisetty:
Lie #1
Last night Jeff Landry said he wanted to protect Social Security, but earlier in the year, he said he wanted to raise the retirement age to 70 years old and phase out Social Security and Medicare and let charitable organizations take the lead. (Source: WDSU August 15, 2010; Baton Rouge Tea Party Debate August 17, 2010; The Advocate August 18, 2010)
Lie #2
Last night Jeff Landry said he wanted to preserve Chabert Medical Center, but in 2007, when he was running for state senator, he said he wanted to eliminate charity hospitals such as Chabert Medical Center. (Source: The Daily Iberian October 3, 2007)
Lie #3
Last night Jeff Landry said he campaigned on holding BP accountable, but he never so much as mentioned BP in his primary debates and BP is nowhere to be found in any of his press releases. (Source: WDSU August 15, 2010; Baton Rouge Tea Party Debate, August 17, 2010; http://www.landryforlouisiana.com/news/)
So I wonder which it is… is Landry NOW telling the truth which means he lied to his tea bagging friends in order to beat moderate Hunt Downer… or is he lying now so that moderate voters don’t choose the only moderate left in the race?Which is it, Mr. Landry?
The “Louisiana Tea Party” is currently running ads attacking Hunt Downer’s conservative bona fides trying to saddle him with the “R.I.N.O.” label as well as trying to attach him to former Governor Blanco.
At the heart of the opposition is Downer's decision to skip an August forum that was sponsored by the Baton Rouge Tea Party. After the forum, the organization sent out a press release declaring, "The Tea Party of Louisiana will not sit quietly while a wolf in sheep's clothing like Downer runs around and 'pretends' to be a tea party activist."
So will the Tea Party ultimately be successful?Or will it just weaken Downer enough that it then prevents folks from supporting him in November when he faces Democrat Ravi Sangisetty – ultimately allowing Sangisetty to win?
Today Jeremy Alford writing for TheInd.com published a follow-up piece to his earlier article entitled “Vote for Me Dot Com” where he further investigates the solid team that 3rd Congressional District Democratic Nominee Ravi Sangisetty has assembled.
Alford writes:
Ravi Sangisetty, a Houma attorney, stands out from the rest of the pack because he’s the only Democrat, but his campaign has also expended the most resources in the developing 3rd Congressional District contest — about $260,000. A review of his expense reports on file with the Federal Elections Commission shows a structure that’s thus far unmatched in the race, with several workers and consultants on the rolls.
It should be noted that Ravi was able to spend that money because he has outraised his competitors dramatically over the past 6 months or so.He also seems to be running his campaign very smart and reaching out to real voters to bypass the political spin machines.If you want to know more about Ravi visit his website.
While I was in DC last week I was pleasantly surprised by the amount of attention that is being given to Ravi – and make no mistake the reason for this attention is solely because Ravi has worked very hard to earn it.Imagine what he could do as our congressman!
Yesterday saw the close of the qualifying period for a slew of races.These races include the replacement of Mitch Landrieu as our Lt. Governor and all of the Federal races – each congressional district as well as the Vitter Senate seat.(This column is about the Federal Races, the State races will follow.)
There has been so much action it is almost enough to make this political junkies head spin right off my neck, but let’s take a look at the more notable races.
USSenate
David Vitter has had his share of problems and now it seems as if he has more than his far share of challengers.First – let’s look at the Republican Primary – yes, - exciting – there will be one!
Two Republican Challengers will be facing off with the embattled senator and they are former Louisiana Supreme Court Justice Chet Traylor and little known Nick Accardo of Franklin.Traylor is definitely the surprise here in this race and could really give Vitter a run for his money.Lacking no far right bonafides, Traylor enters the race as a “country lawyer” with strong support from north Louisiana and in the business community.Traylor is arguably most famous for writing the opinion of Louisiana’s highest court that retained Louisiana’s Anti Sodomy Laws that are still on the books here in our state (albeit completely unenforceable after Lawrence v. Texas).For more on this check out what they are saying on TPM.
(Bringing this back up to the top, in case anyone missed it! - promoted by Matt B)
As summer sets in and Louisiana yet again finds itself in crisis, many folks are looking towards November to see what if anything recent primaries held throughout the country tell us of our political future.Charlie Melancon is challenging Senator David “Serious Sin” Vitter, Congressman Cao at least on paper seems to be toast and political newcomer Ravi Sangisetty could keep the LA3 in Democratic hands… or…
Nationally pundits can’t seem to stop themselves from pontificating the end of one party or the other using the party primaries in Pennsylvania, Arkansas and Kentucky as their crystal ball.Yet I think many of them are missing the point – what can be learned from these races and what, if anything, does it say for the November results.
Arlen Specter, long time Republican turned Democrat for what appears to be only due to self preservation went down to General turned Congressman Joe Sestak.The “party bosses” from the President through the Governor all supported Specter – yet Sestak won.In Kentucky’s Republican Senate primary Dr. Rand Paul won hands down against the “establishment” choice.And in Arkansas Democratic incumbent Senator Blanche Lincoln is facing a difficult fight with Lt. Governor Bill Halter because she couldn’t muster the support of at least 50% of the Democratic Primary voters to save her position.In all of these cases I think the lesson that can be learned is – “ignore your constituents to your own peril.”
Specter clearly had his own skin as his motivating factor and Sestak caught it on tape and used it against him.Lincoln is in a state where polls showed that well over 65% of the population and almost 90% of Democratic Voters supported Healthcare Reform – yet she fought against it tooth and nail.And in Kentucky “Tea Party” favorite Rand Paul pulls out a win against Party insiders largely due to a revolt against the establishment.Now, most of the country is learning more than they ever cared to about “libertarian views” a la debating the Civil Rights Act.
Points that must be made…In Kentucky with all the “air” being sucked up by the Republican Primary one missed the point that Democrats turned out 3 to 2 at the polls to send state Attorney General Jack Conway to November.So much for Democrats being demoralized and not interested, huh?
But what does this say for our chances here in Louisiana.We have to look at the races: (those races after the jump)
The only announced Democratic candidate in LA-03, Ravi Sangisetty, released his fundraising numbers:
Candidate
Money Raised
Money Spent
Debts
Cash on Hand
Ravi Sanisetty (D)
$250,000 +
~ $25,000
n/a
$225,000
A first time candidate raising $250,000 is mighty impressive, especially in this state, where far too many Democrats struggle to raise any money at all for their campaigns.
And if there are any Democrats still mulling whether to get in the race or not, I think Mr. Sanisetty's fundraising haul has made the decision for them, as any candidate would be hard-pressed to raise the money it would take to win a Democratic primary against him at this late date.
There are no fundraising #'s being reported as of yet by presumed Republican front-runner Nickie Monica, but I'd be surprised if he doesn't have a sizable warchest at this point, particularly since he's been fundraising since July. There are two other Republicans running - a New Iberian by the name of Kristian Magar, and Jeff Landry, who lost to State Senator Troy Hebert in 2007, reported that he raised over $96,000 in December, and lent his own campaign $20,000 to have approximately $115,000 in the bank. I'd love to see a GOP primary drain the survivor's bank accounts, but we'll see.
Now, on to the rumors ... I've been hearing folks whisper about the Department of Natural Resources Secretary Scott Angelle running for this seat since August. The only problem is that he doesn't know which party he wants to run in, as he was a Democrat back when he served as St. Martin's Parish President and I believe is still a registered Democrat, but as The Houma Today informed us back in August:
When asked this week if he had been approached by state or national Republican Party officials about making the switch, Angelle said no.
"I haven't been contacted by the Republicans or the Democrats or the Libertarians or Greenpeace or any kind of organized political group," he said, laughing. "No."
In a follow-up query by e-mail, he was also asked if he would even consider making the leap.
"Several longtime friends have suggested it over the years and again more recently," Angelle replied. "It is something that I would consider, like (former President) Ronald Reagan, (former Gov.) Mike Foster and (former U.S. Congressman) Billy Tauzin."
And for all those Democrats out there who think Mr. Angelle would be a great candidate to have, y'all should know that he spent his New Year's weekend down in Cameron Parish hosting a fundraiser for none other than Governor PBJ.
Working for a Republican Governor is one thing, but hosting a fundraiser for one? That ain't the mark of a Democrat, y'all.
