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What's happening with ObamaCare this week in the Senate is raw, rank politics at its worst. PASSING LAWS has been compared to making sausage. But in the case of the mammoth health care bill expected to pass the Senate on Christmas Eve, that's an insult to employees at the Jimmy Dean plant. It's also a slap at Americans who want Congress to take its time to make thoughtful changes that will affect one seventh of the U.S. economy. President Obama campaigned on "change we can believe in." Most voters believed him. Yet many polls show that only a minority of...

BATON ROUGE, LA (WAFB) - Nearly 400 protestors crowded the sidewalk outside Sen. Mary Landrieu's office in downtown Baton Rouge Tuesday afternoon. Landrieu's mind appears to be made up on the highly controversial healthcare overhaul, but some constituents in Baton Rouge say she needs to reconsider her position as the Senate gets closer to passing it. Their concerns range from government-funded abortions to constitutional rights violations and alleged cuts to Medicaid. Protestors held bold signs in hand. Some of them read, "Ho, ho Mary's gotta go" and "You are a sellout Landrieu." "When people tried to call Mary Landrieu, they...

Sen. Landrieu On Health Bill: "I Can't Be Bought"... BS...

Politics: Sen. Mary Landrieu was the new "Louisiana Purchase." Sen. Ben Nelson got the federal government to pick up his state's future Medicaid tab. Maybe we should just put Senate votes up on eBay. Nelson, the 60th vote in the middle-of-the-night Senate party line vote on health care reform, will go down in American political history as the inventor of the permanent earmark. His seemingly principled stand against including federal funding for

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: December 22, 2009 CONTACT: J.P. Duffy, (866) FRC-NEWS Senator Landrieu Closes Office: Constituents Turned Away at the Door, Callers Reach Only Busy Signals December 22, 2009 FRC's Tony Perkins Calls Closure the "Height of Arrogance" Baton Rouge, LA - This afternoon, Family Research Council President Tony Perkins attempted to deliver a letter to Senator Mary Landrieu's Baton Rouge office only to be told by a federal marshal that her offices were "closed for the holidays." Over 150 concerned citizens joined Perkins at a rally in front of Senator Landrieu's office to urge the Senator to oppose the...

Formally, it is known as H.R. 3590, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. But this week, it has acquired an unhelpful nickname: "Cash for Cloture." As Senate Democrats finally complete their health-care legislation, those combing through the bill have uncovered many backroom deals that were made to buy, er, secure the 60 votes needed to "invoke cloture" -- the legislative term for cutting off debate and holding a final vote. It will take years to see how well the measure reduces costs and expands insurance coverage. But already, the bill has been a bonanza for wordsmiths. First there was...

At least common thieves don't destroy an entire health care system and socialize the American economy when they commit their felonies. Too bad we can't say the same for our illustrious Democratic senators who sold out the nation. In exchange for criminally unconstitutional favors for their respective states, they voted to pass the Senate health care bill just 38 hours after it had been made available to the public for review. Everyone knows about Sen. Mary Landrieu's negotiating $300 million for her state in non-guaranteed Medicaid payouts. She was even cocky about her institutionalized larceny. Sen. Bernie Sanders finagled $10...

People keep asking "Isn't bribery illegal??", well, actually, it is. Sounds to me like half of Congress could end up in the slammer!! USC Title 18, Ch 11, Sec 201... (b) Whoever— (1) directly or indirectly, corruptly gives, offers or promises anything of value to any public official or person who has been selected to be a public official, or offers or promises any public official or any person who has been selected to be a public official to give anything of value to any other person or entity, with intent— (A) to influence any official act; or (B) to...

Politics: If the Democrats' stitched-together Frankenstein monster of health care reform gets the 60 votes to get through the Senate, it will have been done through an assortment of bribes and brass knuckles. (snip) Sen. Ben Nelson, a Nebraska Democrat, has also been critical of the buy-in and public option, but he has an additional issue about whatever comes out of the Senate not involving public funding of abortion in any way. Michael Goldfarb on the Weekly Standard blog quotes a Senate aide as saying the White House is now threatening to put Nebraska's Offutt Air Force Base on the...

Senator Mary Landrieu (D-La) rejected the notion that determining the Constitutionality of pending legislation was part of her job. The Senator’s shucking of this responsibility came in response to a questioner asking her where in the US Constitution is there the authority for congress to force people to buy health insurance. “My job is to get all I can for my constituents,” Landrieu argued. “Unlike most of my peers, I got $300 million in added benefits for my constituents in exchange for my vote in favor of the health care bill. I’m not going to let myself be bothered by...

The controversial New Orleans fundraiser for Majority Leader Harry Reid is being called off as the Senate is expected to remain in session over the weekend to deal with the healthcare bill, according to an official with his campaign. Reid had been scheduled to attend a Saturday brunch co-hosted by Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-La.) and Democratic consultant James Carville at the New Orleans home of investor David Voelker. But Republicans were mocking the majority leader ahead of his planned absence from the Capitol. "Republicans are prepared to provide a platform for the debate as long as it takes," FoxNews.com quoted...

You would think that not having to work through a second consecutive weekend would make everyone in the U.S. Senate happy. Not so fast. The Senate opened its 11th day of debate on healthcare reform to learn that lawmakers would not have to work this weekend. Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) told his colleagues that they were unneeded over the weekend while awaiting the Congressional Budget Office determination on the cost of the latest proposal.

Fresh off her national “Louisiana Purchase” outrage, Sen. Mary Landrieu has a full dance card back in New Orleans over the next few days. Her companions for the Crescent City one-night stands on the calendar are, shall we say, interesting. On Saturday, Landrieu is set to give the welcome speech at a rather out-of-the-mainstream event – this time, she’ll be addressing the New Orleans premiere of Inside Islam: What a Billion Muslims Really Think. So as we can see, Landrieu is largely supporting a propaganda film in making her appearance and speech at Saturday’s premiere. And her neighbors at the...

This Saturday, 5 December, Senator Mary Landrieu is scheduled to be the keynote speaker at an event co-sponsored by two groups that have been tied to Jihad by the Justice Department: the Muslim Students Association and the Islamic Circle of North America. The Muslim Students Association and ICNA were both listed as unindicted co-conspirators by the Justice Dept in the largest terrorism financing trial in US history...the Holy Land Foundation Trial, in which defendants were convicted on all counts and sentenced to 65 years in federal prison. During that trial, in documents uncovered by the FBI and stipulated to by...

Glenn Beck - he has one of the highest-rated shows on the top cable news network. He's had a number of bestselling books and he's called attention to some unsavory characters working in the Obama administration. Yet - he's somehow considered to be a risky business decision for the powers in charge at Fox News. On CNN's Nov. 29 "Reliable Sources," host Howard Kurtz pointed out Glenn Beck accusing Sen. Mary Landrieu, D-La., of "hooking" for the so-called $300 million "Louisiana Purchase" provision of the health care bill. "He's talking there about Louisiana Sen. Mary Landrieu, who did get a...

Landrieu bashed for ‘backroom’ vote dealingBy GERARD SHIELDS Advocate Washington bureau Published: Nov 24, 2009 - Page: 1A WASHINGTON — They’re calling it the Louisiana Purchase. State and national Republicans on Monday continued bashing U.S. Sen. Mary Landrieu, D-La., for voting to allow debate to begin on the Senate health-care bill while securing up to $300 million to insure the state’s poor. “Mary Landrieu had an opportunity to kill this legislation,” said Roger Villere, state Republican Party chairman. “This was the vote that mattered.” Landrieu’s “aye” Saturday was crucial to moving the Democrat’s health-care measure along in the U.S. Senate....

Glenn Beck and Rush Limbaugh make deeply offensive comments on a near daily basis on their respective radio programs. Mostly, I don't feel the need to draw attention to them. But yesterday both men crossed into completely unacceptable territory. Followers of the health care debate will know that Louisiana Senator Mary Landrieu is high on the list of moderate Democrats who may ultimately vote against the bill. On Saturday, she was the second last Senator to lend her vote to a motion to open debate on the bill. Part of her motivation to consent came form a concession she successfully...

In January, President Obama promised Americans his stimulus plan would “create or save” between 3 million and 4 million American jobs. Without $787 billion in Democratic spending, our 7.2 percent unemployment rate could hit 9 percent before the end of 2009. With it, the president promised, the unemployment rate would drop before year's end. We could track Obama's new jobs on Joe Biden's $10 million website (www.recovery.gov) and, the president added, “The jobs we create will be in businesses large and small across a wide range of industries.” These wouldn't be Bush-brand “McJobs,” Obama explained, “They'll be the kind of...

In light of yesterday’s display of political prostitution by U.S. Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-Storyville), which is being dubbed The Louisiana Purchase by some in the media, one wonders whether this isn’t the perfect time to launch a recall effort... ----------- Clip ----------- Is a recall difficult? No doubt. Louisiana law requires signatures of a third of the voters in last year’s election within 180 days of the petition’s filing, which means 632,192 signatures would be needed in six months. Over 908,000 people voted against Landrieu last year, so there is a market out there which can be tapped to achieve...

Mary Landrieu needs to be harassed for every day for the rest of her term about this. They ought to try to recall her if it's possible in Louisiana to do so. For the whole series of Zero-Themed artwork, go here: " Flickr Archive of Zero-Themed Artwork"

We can thank the Drudge Report for directing us to ABC News reporter Jonathan Karl’s brief but extremely important piece whose title “The $100 Million Health Care Vote?” calls to mind the truth that since antiquity, politicians have never had a single scruple against whoring themselves — for the right price, of course. That’s not to equate politicians with ordinary prostitutes; for as the greatest writers have told us throughout the ages, politicians make saints of them. After all, never in human history has a single honest practitioner of the “oldest profession” displayed the disgusting arrogance required to charge millions,...

You scratch my back, I’ll scratch yours. That’s the way it’s always worked in Washington, so the news that Mary Landrieu will hold a fundraiser in New Orleans for Senator Harry Reid comes as no surprise. Reid procured a substantial dose of cash to Landrieu’s Louisiana in exchange for her crucial “moderate” vote. Senator Mary Landrieu from Louisiana garnered a lot of attention before the healthcare vote last night as to whether she would or wouldn’t vote yes to send the monstrosity of a bill to the floor for debate. After rumors of a $100 million dollar bribe by Senator...

Dear Senator Mary Landrieu, In the words of Ricky Ricardo, you got some splainin’ to do. This state is clearly against this health care bill and you voted to move it forward despite the overwhelming wishes of your constituents. Avoiding your constituents can not continue to be your response. Reserving and filling the front four rows with people who are obviously for the health care bill at a town hall only serves as an indication that you are more interested in advancing this agenda than serving your constituents. Don’t hide from your constituents over this Thanksgiving break, don’t stay in...

The Obama Democratic Party demonstrated their desire to help the poor, unfortunate victims of Hurricane Katrina by giving them $100 million - provided that their U.S. Senator Mary Landrieu votes in favor of legislation they want enacted. How's that for hope and change. Makes the Visitors in the television series seem downright altruistic. These Obama Democrats are the same people who derided Bush and the Republicans as racist and callous to the problems of Louisianans. They ridiculed Bush's response. They clamored for more federal money because of Hurricane Katrina when Bush was in office. Now the only way the Katrina...

Here's a new maxim: Nothing good ever happens when the Congress is in session on a Saturday night. As you know, Senate Majority Leader, Harry Reid (D-Nev) cajoled, coerced, and co-opted Senators Mary Landrieu (D-La) and Blanche Lincoln (D-Ark) into adding the 59th and 60th necessary votes to prevent a GOP filibuster of Reid's health reform bill. Reid and Obama Administration officials relied on the time honored method (used by Republicans and Democrats) of getting recalcitrant Members to vote a certain way: Bribery which, in the real world, is a felony but in Washington it is called "hardball." In Sen....

WASHINGTON -- Now that health-care reform has reached the Senate floor without a single Republican vote, four Democrats are vying to become King of the Hill by demanding laundry lists of changes in exchange for their votes -- prompting liberals to vow not to be held hostage by a few foot-draggers. Majority Leader Harry Reid got the bill to the floor by a 60-39 vote, the narrowest possible margin. The close vote provided a vivid demonstration of each Democrat's ability to sink President Obama's top domestic priority -- or use his vote to try to extract concessions Sen. Ben Nelson...

Sometimes, not even a politician can be all things to all people. With Saturday night's vote to bring Harry Reid's health-care bill to the floor, "moderate" Senate Democrats like Ben Nelson (Neb.), Mary Landrieu (La.), and Blanche Lincoln (Ark.) had to choose between pleasing party leaders and their reputations for moderation. Moderation lost. Of course, some will say that this was merely a vote to proceed, not a vote on the merits of the bill. They were just "moving the debate forward," will try to improve the bill on the floor, and, as Seinfeld would say, yada, yada, yada. But...

The Obama Democratic Party demonstrated their desire to help the poor, unfortunate victims of Hurricane Katrina by giving them $100 million ...

Staffers on Capitol Hill were calling it the Louisiana Purchase. On the eve of Saturday's showdown in the Senate over health-care reform, Democratic leaders still hadn't secured the support of Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-La.), one of the 60 votes needed to keep the legislation alive. The wavering lawmaker was offered a sweetener: at least $100 million in extra federal money for her home state. And so it came to pass that Landrieu walked onto the Senate floor midafternoon Saturday to announce her aye vote -- and to trumpet the financial "fix" she had arranged for Louisiana. "I am not going...

Sen. Mary Landrieu holds off on taking health care stand, while pressing for aid for Louisiana WASHINGTON (Nov. 20) -- Sen. Mary Landrieu, D-La., remained mum Thursday on whether she will deliver a crucial vote Saturday night to enable the Senate to debate health-care reform when it returns from the Thanksgiving holiday. But Landrieu has already succeeded in adding a provision to the 2,074-page Senate version of the health care bill unveiled this week that would provide Louisiana between $100 million and $300 million in Medicaid funding in fiscal 2011. "Look," said [Louisiana secretary of health and hospitals] Alan Levine,...

Dems snare 60 votes to move ahead on health careBy ERICA WERNER, Associated Press Writer – 4 mins ago WASHINGTON – Democratic leaders secured the last two votes to move ahead on historic health care legislation, clearing the way for a Saturday night showdown on President Barack Obama's top domestic initiative. In long-awaited speeches, centrist Sens. Blanche Lincoln of Arkansas and Mary Landrieu of Louisiana said they would stand with their party and vote "yes" on the crucial test vote despite deep reservations with elements of the 2,074-page bill to remake the nation's health care system. "The truth is this...

What's $100 million of taxpayer money between a few U.S. Senators? After reports surfaced, originally from ABC News, and subsequently commented upon by prominent lefties, like U.S. News and World Report's Bonnie Erbe as my colleague Noel Sheppard pointed out, Sen. Mary Landrieu, D-La., took the Senate floor on Nov. 21 to announce she would vote in favor to proceed forward with the Senate Democratic leadership's health bill. But she also took time to respond to allegations that $100 million earmarked for the Louisiana was added to that legislation to sway her vote by referring to the likes of ABC...

An epic overhaul of the nation's healthcare system comes down to a single vote. POLITICO: Two Saturdays ago, Pelosi passed health reform on a squeaker of a House vote. Today, Reid can’t spare a single Democrat as the Senate decides whether to start debate. If not, President Barack Obama’s reform hopes suffer immeasurable harm. That said, things were looking good at daybreak, as Reid can be reasonably confident of 59 votes, with Sen. Ben Nelson (D-Neb.) a yes vote and Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-La.) leaning yes. The holdout: Sen. Blanche Lincoln (D-Ark.), who has been a fan of reform generally...

Healthcare Bill Gains In U.S. Senate Test By REUTERS November 21, 2009 WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A broad healthcare overhaul moved closer to clearing its first U.S. Senate hurdle on Saturday when one of two wavering Democrats said she would vote to begin debate on the landmark legislation. Senator Mary Landrieu ended days of uncertainty when she said she would support a procedural motion on Saturday to allow debate to begin on an overhaul the $2.5 trillion healthcare system -- the bill's first crucial test vote. The healthcare overhaul, President Barack Obama's top domestic priority, would expand coverage to millions of...

I just heard Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-La) speak live on the Senate floor, carried by Fox News. Fox reported last night that Obama & the White House cronies were trying to buy her off with $100 million for her State. Well, the price was right. She sold out; she's voting tonight to move the Senate Health Care Bill fwd. But, what do we expect from someone who's ancestors were friends of Huey "Kingfish" Long. The most corrupt politician in LA history. I just went to www.gradegov.com and gave her an "F" and sent a scathing e-mail along with it.

Yesterday afternoon I went to one of the statewide protests outside Mary Landrieu's offices. In Shreveport, under drizzling skies, about sixty people showed up in front of the Federal building where Landrieu's office is. Additionally, there were counter protesters, in support of Obamacare, also there; I'd say there were at most about 15 of them...A couple of folks from our side, the Kill the Bill side, went up to Landrieu's office to register an opinion. One lady, Janet, was told, "Well, you know Senator Landrieu is a huge supporter of small business!" and Janet replied, "Then I KNOW she's going...

November 20, 2009 Senate Health Bill's Progress Hinges on Two Southern Dems by AP Democratic leaders and the White House are pressing Sens. Landrieu of Louisiana and Lincoln of Arkansas to vote Saturday to move the reform bill to floor debate Sens. Mary Landrieu of Louisiana and Blanche Lincoln of Arkansas emerged several days ago as among the last public holdouts among 58 Democrats and two independents whose votes Majority Leader Harry Reid and the White House must have to overcome the Republicans' attempt to strangle the bill Saturday before serious debate can begin. Each has moved carefully with an...

It appears the fate of the Senate Health Care Bill is now in the hands of two Democrat senators - Blanche Lincoln of Arkansas, and Mary Landrieu of Louisiana. Sen. Ben Nelson of Nebraska has announced he will vote for cloture tomorrow, which would open the way for the bill to be taken up on the Senate Floor and receive an up or down vote. If Democrats can cobble together the 60 votes needed to invoke Cloture tomorrow, they will then only need 50 votes (plus VP Joe Biden) to gain final passage of the bill. Fifty votes would appear...

Sen. Mary Landrieu, D-La., will host a fundraiser for Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., in New Orleans next month, an event that comes on the heels of Reid's assistance getting Louisiana a windfall of Medicaid money in the health care reform bill.

What does it take to get a wavering senator to vote for health care reform? Here’s a case study. On page 432 of the Reid bill, there is a section increasing federal Medicaid subsidies for “certain states recovering from a major disaster.” The section spends two pages defining which “states” would qualify, saying, among other things, that it would be states that “during the preceding 7 fiscal years” have been declared a “major disaster area.” I am told the section applies to exactly one state: Louisiana, the home of moderate Democrat Mary Landrieu, who has been playing hard to get...

Senator Ben Nelson, Democrat of Nebraska, says he is not sure he is ready to help a Democratic health care proposal clear even the most preliminary hurdle: gaining the 60 votes his party’s leaders need to open debate on the measure later this week. Two of his fellow Democrats, Senators Mary L. Landrieu of Louisiana and Blanche Lincoln of Arkansas, are proving tough sells as well, raising the prospect that one or perhaps all three of them could scuttle the bill before the fight over it even begins on the Senate floor. “I think what is most important for me...

For more than a decade, the rent-to-own industry has watched as 20 separate pieces of federal legislation it supported failed in Congress. After years of frustration, it decided to assert itself more aggressively. Already a major political donor, the $6.3 billion-a-year industry paid lobbyists to "put a human face" on its case and looked for new ways to sow good will with key Democratic lawmakers, who were wary of an industry that rents equipment such as televisions, appliances, computers, furniture and refrigerators to people -- often low-income consumers -- with the option to buy them later. For instance, the Association...

WASHINGTON -- The day after President Barack Obama urged Congress to quit bickering and enact health-care reform, Republicans on Capitol Hill said his trillion-dollar plan would be enacted on the back of Medicare recipients and sound the death knell of Medicare Advantage. "That program will be killed off," Rep. John Fleming, R-Minden, one of three doctors in the Louisiana delegation, said on the House floor Thursday. Medicare Advantage is an option utilized by one in five Medicare beneficiaries. More than 145,000 Louisianians are enrolled in the program, which provides additional benefits, from glasses and hearing aids to preventive care services,...

Here is video of Democrat Mary Landrieu telling CNN's John King yesterday that she would "tend not" to support a "Public Option" is Health Care legislation. She said the focus should be on "bending the cost curve." She also said it would be "very difficult" to support legislation that used tax-payer money to fund abortion. This would seem to show that even among the Democrats, they are cracking in their support of what Obama is trying to do. . . . . (Watch Video)

Sen. Landrieu faces hostile crowd over health care reformScott Satchfield / Eyewitness News 05:45 PM CDT on Thursday, August 27, 2009 RESERVE, La. – The fierce health care debate continued in south Louisiana, as Sen. Mary Landrieu held a town hall meeting in Reserve. A major security presence was on hand, as another capacity crowd filled with raw emotion met Landrieu to speak out on both sides of the hot button issue. With a clearly divided crowd of constituents on hand, Landrieu, a Democrat, encouraged tolerance and respect. “You may be familiar with the [health insurance] you have, but you...

Sen. Mary Landrieu has left the building after about two hours with a boisterous crowd at the Louisiana National Guard outpost Reserve. Crowd estimates at Thursday's meeting range from 500 to 650 people. There were a few more than 400 chairs set up, and it was standing-room only around the periphery. Most of the questions were overwhelmingly in opposition to the general concept of "Obamacare," a pejorative label put on House Democratic plans for a health insurance overhaul. There were scores of other, less vocal attendees who sported stickers with messages like, "Health Care Now" and "We can't wait." Some...

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, "[v]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...

Sen. Mary Landrieu plans to host a town-hall meeting on healthcare reform later this month somewhere in the river parishes. Bring a helmet. That would be the advice of Democratic congressmen around the country who have been booed, heckled, shouted down and threatened while trying to explain and/or defend their positions on health insurance legislation, particularly the 1,017-page bill that will be on the House floor when lawmakers return from August recess. Republican operatives and conservative talk show hosts have been blamed for or credited with whipping up the masses, but they didn't wholly manufacture the genuine anger, fear and...

Ending months of suspense and breaking with political custom, U.S. Sen. Mary Landrieu, the de facto leader of the state's Democratic Party, announced Monday that she has joined her Republican colleague, U.S. Sen. David Vitter, in supporting the retention of Jim Letten as U.S. attorney for Louisiana's Eastern District.She also named Orleans Parish Civil District Court Judge Michael Bagneris as her choice to fill a federal judgeship and Genevieve "Genny" May for U.S. Marshal. With both Louisiana senators now in agreement, Letten, the GOP's choice for the job eight years ago, appears to be a lock to win Senate approval...

WASHINGTON — U.S. Sen. Mary Landrieu said Wednesday that she will try to rescind $190,000 she recently secured in the federal budget for a nonprofit New Orleans organization incorporated by her brother. Landrieu was responding to an article published Wednesday in The New York Times, which reported that the money went to the Lake Mary Community Center. Her brother, Martin, helped incorporate the organization to convert an abandoned synagogue in 2007. The project never came to fruition because the group couldn’t secure the necessary private funding. Landrieu had contacted her brother about the center but was unaware that, as a...