Kerry Not Best Choice for Louisiana

Jason Waguespack

In early March, many prominent Louisiana Democrats threw their support behind John Kerry as he was wrapping up the Democratic nomination. He came to Louisiana last week, looking for support in his run for the presidency, and received a warm welcome from fellow Democrats, including Senator Mary Landrieu. Landrieu is said to be on Kerry’s list of potential running mates. Louisiana being the Democratic state that it is, many of its leaders are touting their support. However, Louisiana is a Democratic but not a liberal state, and Kerry stands out as a mismatch when you consider his positions compared to the positions of many Louisianans. I wonder why Louisiana’s Democratic leaders cannot see that as well.

After Senator Kerry all but clinched the nomination on March 2nd, Governor Kathleen Blanco announced her support for Kerry for president. Practically every prominent Democrat in the state followed suit, including Senators John Breaux and Mary Landrieu, Representatives Chris John and Bill Jefferson, Lieutenant Governor Mitch Landrieu, Attorney General Charles Foti, among others. As our state officials come together around their national candidate, I am having a hard time seeing Kerry as compatible with our state leaders’ positions. For one thing, Blanco, Breaux and Chris John are all pro-life, and Louisiana has a reputation for being one of the most pro-life states in the country. Kerry, on the other hand, is staunchly pro-abortion. When I read Senator Landrieu saying, "John Kerry understands Louisiana values," I must shake my head. With his aloof manner, his socially liberal positions, and his weaknesses on national defense, Kerry could not be a more ill fit for Louisiana.

Kerry has made much of his proposals to create jobs. Since our leaders have endorsed Senator Kerry as the best candidate who can create jobs, it is useful to evaluate where Senators Landrieu and Breaux stand, as well as Senator Kerry, on the issue of economic development. President Bush proposed economic stimulus plans in 2001, 2002, and 2003, all of which passed Congress. Breaux voted for the 2001 plan and against the 2003 plan (He was one of six senators not voting at the time the 2002 vote was taken). Senator Landrieu voted for the 2001 and 2002 plans but against the 2003 plan. As for Senator Kerry, he voted for the 2002 plan only. To keep this in perspective, the 2002 plan was the most scaled down of the three plans as a result of Democratic refusal to include tax cuts backed by the House of Representatives. On the other hand, the 2003 plan accelerates the tax cuts included in the 2001 plan. It speaks volumes that the minimal economic plan was all these three senators could agree to, while they all voted against the plan that gave American workers the most relief in the quickest time. However, thanks to the president’s persistence, more people are being allowed to keep more of their income. The stock market is back on the rise, and for seven straight months new jobs have been created.

Have our own elected officials done their part in promoting economic growth? Governor Blanco has recently reneged on her plan to immediately phase out taxes on manufacturing equipment and machinery, and the franchise tax on corporate debt. In addition, Blanco wanted to make permanent sales taxes on utilities. For his part, Senator Breaux has been the main author of a new prescription drug entitlement in Medicare. Neither of our senators has taken the initiative to trim the size of the federal government. On March 10th, Breaux and Landrieu voted for legislation to require a sixty vote majority to make the president’s tax cuts permanent if they are not offset by spending cuts. In an article in The Advocate, Blanco is described as saying that Kerry can help stem the job losses in the state. "I believe John Kerry represents the best hope for working people in Louisiana," Blanco said. Suddenly, Blanco’s backtracking of her tax cut pledge doesn’t seem so strange after all. In fact, this puts Blanco, Breaux and Landrieu’s endorsements in a clearer light. All three of them do not believe in substantial tax reduction, and neither does Kerry. All three of them do believe in bigger government, and so does Kerry. I believe Louisiana should reject the idea that a man who voted against bills to give its citizens tax relief is the better man to create jobs on their behalf.