Rep. Cao steps up

Joseph Cao voted yea on healthcare reform!

This couldn't have been easy. He was the only Republican to break ranks. I'm glad he did.

Though I am pro-choice and proud, the Congressman is clearly passionate about his side of that endless debate and at the very least, I respect the consistency with which he couched his reservations about healthcare reform in terms of the language around abortion.

On the other hand, Congressman Charlie Melancon voted no. It's getting harder to figure out how he'd be an improvement over David Vitter.

How about Joseph Cao for Senate instead? 

Here is his full statement:

Tonight, Congressman Anh “Joseph” Cao (LA-2) voted in favor of the comprehensive health reform bill, H.R. 3962, the Affordable Health Care for America Act.

Of his vote, Cao said: “Tonight, I voted to keep taxpayer dollars from funding abortion and to deliver access to affordable health care to the people of Louisiana.

Cao said: “I read the versions of the House [health reform] bill. I listened to the countless stories of Orleans and Jefferson Parish citizens whose health care costs are exploding – if they are able to obtain health care at all. Louisianans needs real options for primary care, for mental health care, and for expanded health care for seniors and children.

The bill passed the House at a 220-215 vote.

Cao said: “Today, I obtained a commitment from President Obama that he and I will work together to address the critical health care issues of Louisiana including the FMAP crisis and community disaster loan forgiveness, as well as issues related to Charity and Methodist Hospitals. And, I call on my constituents to support me as I work with him on these issues.

Cao said: “I have always said that I would put aside partisan wrangling to do the business of the people. My vote tonight was based on my priority of doing what is best for my constituents.

H.R. 3962 included the Stupak-Pitts Amendment, which will keep in place current federal law on abortion funding and conscience protections for health care providers.

Cao said: “Before the Stupak-Pitts amendment was adopted as part of this health reform bill, the bill failed to explicitly include the longstanding policy prohibiting federal funding of elective abortion and plans which include elective abortion.”

According to a letter from the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops dated November 7, 2009, “The [Stupak-Pitts] Amendment will not affect coverage of abortion in nonsubsidized health plans, and will not bar anyone from purchasing a supplemental abortion policy with their own funds.”

Cao said: “Thank to the Stupak-Pitts Amendment, taxpayer dollars will not go to supporting elective abortions, and for thousands of my constituents, this was a top priority. By incorporating this amendment into the health reform bill, my colleagues and I made this bill better, and that is an achievement of which I will always be proud.”

Archbishop Gregory M. Aymond, the archbishop of New Orleans, said: “I am grateful to Congressman Cao for his courage and determination to defend life. I appreciate his work to prevent abortion from being included in health care reform and for protecting conscience rights of health care professionals. I – and, I am sure, many in New Orleans would join me – [I] appreciate Congressman Cao's commitment to the people of New Orleans."

Melancon for Senate? Door Reopened

Says Politico.

What's the hold up? He's obviously the best candidate to take on David Vitter.

It's interesting that the Politico picked up on the Arnie Fielkow buzz.

In Case You Didn't Notice

Yesterday, the House of Representatives passed the 2010 budget resolution.

Charlie Melancon did the right thing and voted for it even though I'm sure he was getting lots of pressure from his more conservative constituents.

Everybody else from Louisiana voted against it, including the increasingly indefensible Joe Cao.

He's constantly talking about how in the middle he is and how much consideration he's giving to these things but increasingly it seems like he's just blowing smoke. He also voted against the Republican alternative budget (known as the Rep. Ryan April Fool's Joke).

I'd like to know exactly what kind of budget Mr. Cao would prefer.

His nay vote against this budget really ticks me off.

What exactly does Mr. Cao stand for on any national issue of substance? So far, he voted for SCHIP. That's the only matter on which he's actually taken a stand against the embarrassing paramilitary shell of the Republican Party to do something productive for the people in his district.

What is SO objectionable about healthcare reform?

Mary Landrieu, Charlies Melancon, and Anh Cao are mulling over President Obama's budget proposal, which promises to make significant down payment on healthcare reform and sets up a program to control harmful pollution and spur the development of renewable resource technology.

I love this budget proposal. I think it is exactly what the country needs right now.

I need affordable health care options. So do tens of millions of my American neighbors. And our country needs to get off of foreign oil. Our industries and businesses are going to need to adjust to environmental realities.


This is a prudent and moderate proposal that will help this country emerge from this crisis with a stronger social safety net and a robust new green jobs sector.

This budget puts mechanisms in place to do these things. But our Representatives are still sticking their fingers up into the wind.

And guess what?

The people of this nation are in favor of it and this new President's agenda by huge margins.

But they really need to hear it from us. The conservative talk radio crowd makes phone calls and sends letters. We need to our voices to be heard over theirs.


Call 'em up in D.C.

Rep. Melancon: (202) 225-4031

Rep. Cao: (202) 225-6636

Sen. Landrieu: (202)224-5824

We Must Pass Obama's Budget

I supported Barack Obama not just because I thought he could win an election, but because I actually wanted to see his policies and programs put in place. He said what those policies were on the campaign trail and now he's trying to implement them as President. He's keeping his word.

The budget he proposes is extremely ambitious. It sets up the country to finally deliver on some really important things, namely alternative energy and comprehensive healthcare reform.

Green jobs and healthcare coverage that costs us less green.

We need these things, we want these things, we deserve these things. Short term and long term.

But it's not just up to him. This is democracy. It's also up to us.


Right now, right-wing naysayers (who can point to no viable alternative plan) are putting pressure on moderate Democrats to water down the budget bill by stripping it of its most important and prudent provisions.

And we're on the front lines here in Louisiana.

The President needs the support of Representative Charlie Melancon and Senator Mary Landrieu, but both of them are waffling.

We need to put pressure on our elected officials to support the Obama budget.

Republican activists are very good about writing letters and making phone calls. I think that sometimes we don't think that these things don't make a difference. In reality, they do.

It takes very little time to make a phone call.


Rep. Charlie Melancon:

Washington, DC Office 404 Cannon House Office Bldg Washington, DC 20515-1807 Phone: (202) 225-4031 Fax: (202) 226-3944
Houma 423 Lafayette St, Ste. 107 Houma, LA 70360 Phone: 985.876.3033 Fax: 985.872.4449	Gonzales 1201 S. Purpera Ave. Ste. 601 Gonzales, LA 70737 Phone: 225.621.8490 Fax: 225.621.8493
Chalmette 8201 W. Judge Perez Dr. Chalmette, LA 70043 Phone: 504.271.1707 Fax: 504.271.1756	New Iberia 124 East Main Street Suite 100 New Iberia, LA 70560 Phone: 337.367.8231 Fax: 337.369.7084

And since he claims to be a closeted Democrat, let's also add Rep. Cao to the list:

Washington Office 2113 Rayburn HOB Washington, DC 20515 Phone: (202) 225-6636 Fax: (202) 225-1988

.

New Orleans Office 4640 So. Carrollton Ave. Suite 120 New Orleans, LA 70119 Phone: (504) 483-2325 Fax: (504) 483-7944

Sen. Mary Landrieu:

	Washington, DC 328 Hart Senate Building United States Senate Washington, DC 20510 Voice: (202)224-5824 Fax:(202) 224-9735 Email Senator Landrieu
New Orleans Hale Boggs Federal Building 500 Poydras Street Room 1005 New Orleans, LA 70130 Voice: (504) 589-2427 Fax:(504) 589-4023		Baton Rouge Room 326, Federal Building 707 Florida Street Baton Rouge, LA 70801 Voice: (225) 389-0395 Fax:(225) 389-0660
Shreveport U.S. Courthouse 300 Fannin Street Room 2240 Shreveport, LA 71101 Voice: (318) 676-3085 Fax:(318) 676-3100		Lake Charles Hibernia Tower One Lakeshore Drive Suite 1260 Lake Charles, LA 70629 Voice: (337) 436-6650 Fax:(337) 439-3762

Just take a moment. Three phone calls a day until this budget is passed.

Moronic Republicans Attack Melancon For Being Useful Congressman

Future Senator Charlie Melancon recently commented on first-class dummy Rush Limbaugh and the second-class dummies on Capital Hill for whom El Rushbo acts as pied-piper. The T-P:

Rep. Charlie Melancon, D-Napoleonville, was saying last week that he can understand why some, including all House Republicans, opposed the giant stimulus package now awaiting President Barack Obama's signature. "What I don't understand are people like Rush Limbaugh saying he hopes this president won't succeed," Melancon said, just before casting the only Louisiana House vote for the nearly $790 billion package of new federal spending and tax cuts. "Because if President Obama fails on the economy, we all fail, and a lot of Americans will continue to suffer."

Rep. Melancon gets it. He sees how this recession threatens the basic well-being of working Americans, recognized how the stimulus bill would benefit Lousiana residents and businesses, and worked to maximize the bill's benefits for the state. Then he voted for it.

--

And then there's Roger Villere, Chairman of the Louisiana GOP. From the same T-P roundup:

Republicans are giving Rep. Charlie Melancon, D-Napoleonville, a hard time about traveling to Europe this weekend with other House members to meet with NATO allies. Louisiana Republican Party Chairman Roger Villere said instead of going on a junket, Melancon should have been in his district explaining why he voted for what Villere labeled a pork-laden stimulus bill. Melancon spokeswoman Robin Winchell said Melancon, who thinks the stimulus bill will help put many unemployed Louisiana residents back to work, believes it's critical to work with European allies to get more support for U.S. military operations in Afghanistan. And with the economic crisis affecting the entire world, Melancon wants to discuss the issue with NATO members in Europe, Winchell said. Melancon's wife, Aleida, will be accompanying Melancon, as will other spouses of House members, but she will be paying her own way, including all meals, Winchell said.

That Villere is trying to paint the stimulus and Melancon's yea vote as a political liability seems questionable given the bill's relative popularity and the emergency needs here in Louisiana, but at least it's somewhat explicable in the context of generic conservative talking points.

What I don't get is why they're also criticizing him for engaging in critical international diplomacy. Where I come from, asking NATO for more support in Afghanistan is a good thing for a Congressman to do. To me, that's supporting our troops.

An example of a foolish trip out of district would be when Steve Scalise went to Alaska to meet with a bunch of oil executives for a photo-op at the same time a Congressional delegation was touring the New Orleans area to examine recovery issues. Wouldn't it have been nice if he'd been around to advocate for the needs of his constituents instead of the impulses of his campaign donors?

Then again, the GOP's got BIG plans:

SCHIP in da House!

Today, the House of Representatives passed a $33 billion expansion for the State Children's Health Insurance Program, or SCHIP. In 2007, Bush vetoed this spending and Democrats came just short of overriding it.

Now, things have changed.

SCHIP should sail through the Senate and Obama will sign it the moment it's on his desk.

And millions of kids will have health insurance as a result. This is good.

More specifically, the SCHIP program helps get coverage for kids that aren't quite poor enough to qualify for Medicaid (presumably because their parents work) but too poor to buy private insurance. This could help 7 million kids around the country.

So how did the Louisiana Congressional Delegation vote?

1. Scalise: The sleaze votes against helping the children by voting no.

2. Cao: His vote on the Ledbetter Act was a major disappointment. But lo and behold, he bucked the caucus on this one and voted aye.

3. Melancon: The only Louisiana Democrat in the House votes as he should, aye.

4. Fleming: Freshman Republican votes against health coverage for children, no. Nice to meet you John Fleming.

5. Alexander: Alexander switched into the Republican Party in 2004. They can keep him. He voted no.

6. Cassidy: Bill Cassidy's victory over Don Cazayoux this past November was a minor tragedy for this state. Cassidy voted no, against providing health care coverage to needy kids.

7. Boustany: GOPer follows the reactionary herd, votes no on health insurance for children.


To recap:

Good: Cao, Melancon

Bad: Scalise, Fleming, Alexander, Cassidy, Boustany

Result: In one of the nation's least healthy and poorest states, the elected representatives from Louisiana voted 5-2 AGAINST providing health care to poor children. Luckily, it looks like thousands of kids from Louisiana will get health care in spite of the efforts of their out-of-touch representatives.

Senate Bill No. Whatever It Takes

Hopefully Senators Mary Landrieu and Barack Obama will be introducing Bill No. 0001 to the Senate floor as soon as that body is back in session. Essentially the bill articulates and provides funding for an immediate national service program that will provide a free college education or something like that to thousands of super awesome Americans to come down to the Gulf Coast and do three things: construct some impenetrable levees, restore some hurricane-blunting wetlands, and rebuild some affordable housing stock...

On the house side, even political opposites like Steve Scalise and Charlie Melancon agree that it's time to act.

Rep. Charlie Melancon, D-Napoleonville, agreed with Scalise and Landrieu that the flood threats posed by Gustav -- even though critical levees generally held firm -- will help persuade some in Congress to increase levee financing beyond what is already committed.

"The leadership of Congress -- especially Speaker Pelosi and Whip (James) Clyburn -- has shown tremendous compassion and commitment to our recovery from Hurricane Katrina and Rita, and I'm sure the support will only increase now that we've weathered Gustav," Melancon said.

Everybody wins!
Everybody can take credit!

You know, I have to agree with Oyster and Pistolette about Jindal's leadership. He was indeed competent and I appreciated his level of engagement with the details of the evacuation.

But what impressed me most was his constant reiteration of the national security risks posed by structurally unsound levees and depleted wetlands in SE Louisiana. He has called for immediate federal assistance and as a fast-rising leader within the GOP, he has some juice he can leverage to get this done.

We disagree about a lot of stuff related to our recovery process in Louisiana but everyone agrees that we can't survive without levees and wetlands. So everyone should get on board and do something about it - and I'm not just talking about emergency Gustav money. We need a long term solution, we have bipartisan consensus on levees and wetlands - so let's get it done.

Where do we start?