Letters to the Editor

Landrieu's an empty suit

A reference to an “empty suit” usually conjures up an image of a meticulously dressed gentleman, who, upon opening his mouth, reveals how vapid and disingenuous he really is. We all know one. Since we are comfortably ensconced in a gender-neutral age, the term can be appropriately applied to Sen. Mary Landrieu, the emptiest suit of all.

Ms. Mary hopes the voters will demonstrate the same short-term memory loss that has afflicted them for decades, and forget that she voted against the development of oil shale as part of domestic exploration while the nation is desperate for fuel.

And that she voted for the 2008 budget plan that would amount to the largest tax increase in American history and that would increase the average family’s tax burden by $2,000.

And that she voted against a bill that would make it impossible for illegal aliens to collect Social Security and then changed her vote when people started paying attention.

And that she voted against a bill barring taxpayer dollars from funding organizations that perform abortions.

On the ultra-oppressive death tax, Ms. Mary is indecisive. She is not sure how many times a person’s hard-earned money should be taxed and re-taxed. She voted against the death tax, then for it, then against it.

As for our cherished American principle of one person, one vote, Ms. Mary is a little more blasé than that: She voted against requiring photo identification to register to vote. She even opposed requiring photo identification before one can cast a ballot. You have to admire her policy of inclusion. She’ll accept your vote no matter who you say you are.

She does have a campaign strategy: Claim her throne as queen of largess and federal freebies, having earned the distinction “Porker of the Month” from the non-partisan group Citizens Against Government Waste. Yes, she does know how to bring home the bacon. But Ms. Mary doesn’t get it: The trough is almost empty. Every available dollar has been redistributed already. The trough feeders will never have enough, and the trough fillers are exhausted. Soon, there will be no one left to steal from.

All the backpedaling in the world doesn’t erase the record. Mary Landrieu doesn’t represent the interests of small businesses, entrepreneurs, or the average taxpayer. From the looks of it, she doesn’t represent Louisiana’s oil and gas interests, either. All the campaign rhetoric in the world doesn’t change the facts. She should be held accountable — on the record, in the ballot box.