Letter: Kennedy criticized for leap to GOP
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The column on Senate candidate John Kennedy’s party switch (“Kennedy’s party switch might work,” by Associated Press reporter Melinda Deslatte, July 14) left out some key issues.
Mr. Kennedy likes to trumpet fiscal responsibility, but he chose to join the Republican Party after it turned record budget surpluses into record budget deficits under the leadership of the Bush-Cheney administration and the GOP Congress.
This disastrous policy was undertaken knowingly as the retirement of the “baby-boomer” generation approaches, and the debt generated by the GOP, which includes at least $1 trillion for the occupation of Iraq, will combine with that demographic trend to pass on a large fiscal burden to our children and grandchildren.
Closer to home, one of Mr. Kennedy’s first acts before switching parties was to meet with White House political director Karl Rove. Rove’s disdain for the Constitution and rule of law are serious enough concerns, but his impact on Louisiana has been even more serious.
In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, Rove used his position of power in the White House not to accelerate aid to our suffering state, but to inflict political damage and accrue political benefits by smearing Democratic officials when he should have been helping relief efforts.
This is documented not only in a recent book, “Machiavelli’s Shadow” by Paul Alexander (Modern Times Press), but also by independent 6th District congressional candidate Ashley Casey, who has spoken publicly about hearing about Rove’s actions from her contacts in Washington during the immediate aftermath of Katrina. (congressional candidates forum, LSU, February 2008.)
When Mr. Kennedy met with Karl Rove, it was to further his political fortunes, not to confront him about letting down Louisiana. Louisiana needs a defender in the Senate, not a cynical operator who’s embraced the GOP’s corruption and criminality.
Deborah Langhoff
small-business owner
New Orleans
Mr. Kennedy likes to trumpet fiscal responsibility, but he chose to join the Republican Party after it turned record budget surpluses into record budget deficits under the leadership of the Bush-Cheney administration and the GOP Congress.
This disastrous policy was undertaken knowingly as the retirement of the “baby-boomer” generation approaches, and the debt generated by the GOP, which includes at least $1 trillion for the occupation of Iraq, will combine with that demographic trend to pass on a large fiscal burden to our children and grandchildren.
Closer to home, one of Mr. Kennedy’s first acts before switching parties was to meet with White House political director Karl Rove. Rove’s disdain for the Constitution and rule of law are serious enough concerns, but his impact on Louisiana has been even more serious.
In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, Rove used his position of power in the White House not to accelerate aid to our suffering state, but to inflict political damage and accrue political benefits by smearing Democratic officials when he should have been helping relief efforts.
This is documented not only in a recent book, “Machiavelli’s Shadow” by Paul Alexander (Modern Times Press), but also by independent 6th District congressional candidate Ashley Casey, who has spoken publicly about hearing about Rove’s actions from her contacts in Washington during the immediate aftermath of Katrina. (congressional candidates forum, LSU, February 2008.)
When Mr. Kennedy met with Karl Rove, it was to further his political fortunes, not to confront him about letting down Louisiana. Louisiana needs a defender in the Senate, not a cynical operator who’s embraced the GOP’s corruption and criminality.
Deborah Langhoff
small-business owner
New Orleans
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