Looks like Louisiana is the smartest state in the union
Eliminating welfare would cause an exodus of the Welfare Class and make LA conservative for generations.
IMHO, the current strength of the Republican Party in LA is centered primarily on two things...first was the Blanco/Nagin ineptitude during Katrina, and more immediately the virtual moratorium on drilling.
The porcine Mary Landrieu is safe for a few more years (2014), but if the dynamic continues, I'd imagine she needs to start thinking about alternate career plans as well.