From The Huffington Post:
Sen. Mary Landrieu, a conservative Democratic from Louisiana, lashed out Tuesday at President Obama's deal with congressional Republicans that allows tax cuts for the wealthy to be extended for two years.
Extending the tax cuts for those making more than a million dollars a year is borderline immoral, Landrieu charged. "I'm going to argue forcefully for the nonsensicalness and the almost, you know, moral corruptness of that particular policy," said Landrieu, walking into a meeting with Vice President Joe Biden and Senate Democrats. "This is beyond politics. This is about justice and doing what's right."
....
"It's what I'm calling the Obama-McConnell plan. We're going to borrow $46 billion from the poor, from the middle class, from businesses of all sizes basically to give a tax cut to families in America today, that despite the recession, are making over a million dollars. I mean, this is unprecedented. Unprecedented. I want to repeat that," she said. Landrieu added, however, that she had yet to make a decision on the final package and was speaking strictly about the extension of tax cuts for the wealthy.
Now this is a Blue Dog Democrat that I can love. Gosh! I wish we'd see this Mary Landrieu more often.
"This is beyond politics. This is about justice and doing what's right."
Amen! But shouldn't politics be about justice and doing what's right? Sometimes?
However you vote in the end, Mary, you've made me proud.
Thanks to Diane for the link.
Yes --politics is about justice and doing what's right. Unless it's about corruption and graft....
ReplyDeleteI, too, like what she has said here.
Margaret, I've criticized Mary enough, so when she does or says something good and right, I owe her due respect.
ReplyDeleteUm, where has THIS Mary Landrieu been? O_o [Because most of the past 2 years, haven't we seen a ML who's been more ready (than Obama) to agree to Republican demands?]
ReplyDeleteYeah, JCF, we need to hear more from this Mary Landrieu. I hope against hope that she's had a change of heart, and this won't be a one-time thing.
ReplyDeleteExtending the tax cuts for those making more than a million dollars a year is borderline immoral, Landrieu charged.
ReplyDeleteBorderline immoral, indeed. In fact, in this economic climate, there is nothing borderline about it.
Cathy, Mary's come a long way with this statement. Credit due.
ReplyDeleteWell, I was more thinking in terms of Obama's failure rather than hers, actually. Extending tax cuts for the rich! I guess he's done some deal, or someone has.
ReplyDeleteMary voted for Bush's tax cuts for the rich, which is why I said she's come a way.
ReplyDeleteBy the way, I've met Mary several times, and I went to college with two of her uncles. I dated one of them briefly, but that didn't cut no ice in getting Mary to change her wrongheaded votes when I appealed to her.
Well if romancing someone's uncle don't make a difference, what will, eh.
ReplyDeletewv - kabompin - her uncle invited me to go kabompin with him, but I said no thanks, I'm a bit tired this evening, actually.
Right, Cathy. Besides it was a long time ago, before I started messing around with my Butler.
ReplyDeleteI feel SO freakin' conflicted.
ReplyDeleteI mean, yes, I agree w/ the (majority of) Dems: the tax cuts for the wealthy are OBSCENE!
On the other hand: I get Obama's thinking. He CAN'T let taxes go up on the middle-class on Jan 1. He just can't do it (and that WOULD happen, what w/ the Congressional #s only getting worse).
His thinking: GET THE ECONOMY GOING (i.e., creating jobs), and THEN we can Fight the Good Fight.
But then I think: dammit, the middle-class DIDN'T NEED these freaking tax cuts, back when Dubya handed 'em out! (But now they do. Like an addiction, when people are Just Barely Hanging On). And I can't BELIEVE Obama's counting on dealing WITH the Republicans, AGAINST the majority of Dems (and getting pissy at Dems while at it---finally, getting ANGRY at SOMETHING . . . and it's us!)
...but it ALL comes back to CREATING JOBS (y'know, like may FOR ME??? FYI, I've never qualified for unemployment, and I've been unemployed since April '07. Sigh.)
Conflicted. Dammit, conflicted...
["BoldProgressives" sent me an email today, telling me to contact my ReThuglican Congressman, telling him not to approve the deal. I was so pissed off, I told them, "If you ever ask me to collude w/ a ReThuglican against Our President again, I'm unsubbing!". Oy vey.]
JCF, perhaps the bill will be modified a bit more for the better because of the Democrats who are against the bill as written, but the Republicans will hold it hostage until the ransom is paid to the rich. Still, IMO, if paying the ransom is the only way, it has to be done.
ReplyDelete