Her own private Fainthearted Faction?
The Times-Picayune gives the run-down on Louisiana Dems and where they come down on Social Security phase-out …
Sen. Mary Landrieu, D-La., who represents a state Bush won by 15 percentage points and is often a swing vote in the Senate, said Tuesday she had not formulated a position on private investment accounts. A spokesman said Landrieu would oppose anything that calls for benefits cuts or that increases the deficit.
Landrieu’s legislative director, Jason Matthews, said she is unlikely to support letting workers divert a portion of their payroll taxes to accounts that they could invest on their own.
Matthews also said he has seen no sign that the White House is trying to build a bipartisan consensus.
“Where is the bipartisan solution? There are only six or seven (swing) votes, and we’re one of them,” Matthews said. “There hasn’t even been a preliminary ‘Hey, how do you do?’ with anyone from the White House.”
By contrast, the two other Democrats in Louisiana’s House delegation, Reps. William Jefferson of New Orleans and Charlie Melancon of Napoleonville, said they were firmly against the creation of private accounts. The lawmakers said that no matter how they are structured, the accounts offer too much of a risk to retirees, many of whom are dependent on Social Security for their sole means of support.
No ‘how do you do’?
Mary Landrieu, looking for love in all the <$NoAd$> wrong places?
