Statement by Bill Cassidy reacting to the choice of Sarah Palin as the VP nominee:

“As a conservative reformer, I applaud the bold decision by Senator McCain to choose Governor Sarah Palin as his running mate.  Governor Palin has stood up to Congress and refused wasteful earmarks sent to her state, like the infamous “bridge to nowhere”.  She has challenged politicians, even within our party whose unethical behavior and coziness with special interests didn’t reflect the proper role of a public servant. Her resolve in fighting corruption and wasteful spending is desperately needed in Washington DC.”

Gas isn’t cheap, but it seems that talk in DC is still a buck-a-gallon. When real solutions are needed, Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid are looking to water down real solutions and give up just enough in “compromise” to be able to claim they are doing something, without effectively doing anything. 

The Wall Street Journal is reporting on a “bipartisan compromise”, but unfortunately:

 ”the plan is a Democratic giveaway. New production on offshore federal lands is left to state legislatures, and then in only four coastal states. The regulatory hurdles are huge. And the bill bars drilling within 50 miles of the coast — putting off limits some of the most productive areas. Alaska’s oil-rich Arctic National Wildlife Refuge is still a no-go.

The highlight is instead $84 billion in tax credits, subsidies and federal handouts for alternative fuels and renewables. The Gang of 10 intends to pay for all this in part by raising taxes on . . . oil companies! The Sierra Club couldn’t have penned it better. “

When politicians are challenged in a tough re-election, you can always count on rhetoric during the campaign that doesn’t match their record. So, when you hear an incumbent talk about “compromise” on energy, red flags should go up and you should check the record.

While Representative Don Cazayoux claims in his latest television ad that he has “taken on his own Party to get more offshore drilling”, his voting record says something entirely different.  In just a few months in Congress, Representative Cazayoux has voted consistently with his party leaders to block real energy solutions, including bills aimed at expanding domestic oil drilling:

• voted to block consideration of the American Energy Act, an “all of the above” energy bill (House Roll Call 524, 07/24/08)
• voted to block consideration of a bill that would allow energy exploration in ANWR and the Outer Continental Shelf (House Roll Call 391, 06/10/08)
• voted to block consideration of amendments that would permit oil exploration in the Outer Continental Shelf (House Roll Call 340, 05/21/08)
• voted to block consideration of amendments that would allow oil drilling in ANWR (House Roll Call 341, 05/21/2008 and House Roll Call 310, 05/14/08)

“It appears that Representative Don Cazayoux’s energy policy is empty rhetoric which does not match his consistent record of blocking efforts for a comprehensive approach to solving our nation’s energy problems,” said Bill Cassidy. “It is time to get serious about energy policy.”

 If Representative Cazayoux is serious about reducing the cost of gas, he needs to do more than send letters.  There are three things that should be done for his record to catch up to his rhetoric:

1. Sign the three discharge petitions to bring comprehensive energy plans to a vote:

   -No More Excuses Energy Act (HR3089)

   -American Energy Independence and Price Reduction Act (HR6107)
   -Deep Ocean Energy Resources Act of 2008 (HR6108),

2. Support bringing Congress back into an emergency session to vote on energy, and

3. Vote against any rule that limits amendments on the House Floor so that a substantive vote on drilling can take place.

Bill Cassidy will support comprehensive energy solutions that decrease our dependence on foreign oil, increase our domestic supply, diversify our sources of energy, and conserve the energy we produce.

Increasing our supply of oil and natural gas will lower prices at the pump. Bill Cassidy will work to accomplish this by:
-Lifting the bans on domestic offshore drilling and extracting oil from shale in the Western United States
-Opening the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) and other potential energy sources to drilling
-Supporting efforts to produce more natural gas and promote the use of natural gas for transportation
- Reducing the costly, complicated, and time-consuming maze of federal regulatory requirements affecting refineries.
-Increasing the capacity of existing refineries by reducing the costly federal regulations that affect them

Energy independence is essential to America’s long term financial stability and national security. Bill Cassidy will work to accomplish this with tax incentives for individuals and businesses that encourage these and other forms of Alternative Energy and Conservation:
-Promoting the development of alternatively fueled vehicles such as hydrogen cells
-Developing and expanding alternative technologies such as solar, wind, and clean coal
-Increasing fuel standards and promoting the use of hybrid and flex-fuel vehicles

Labor Day is weeks away, but the political attack season has begun.  The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee is nervous and they aren’t wasting any time.  The Advocate has reported on an attack ad by the DCCC that is being aired on the radio:

The ads, funded by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, say Cassidy stands with special interests, particularly drug companies.

“The special interests have their candidate. Don Cazayoux stands up for Louisiana,” the advertisement concludes.

Cassidy, a Baton Rouge doctor, said Friday the ads are hypocritical.

“If you look at the money Don has raised, $200,000 came from special interests in Washington, D.C.,” Cassidy said. “Ninety-nine point nine of the money I raised came out of Baton Rouge.”

(…)

Cassidy said he makes no apologies for going anywhere to advance research in Louisiana, to promote the LSU medical school, or to benefit the state’s patients. He said his only association with pharmaceutical companies for the last two years has been through research done at LSU, which has allowed patients’ access to medicine they otherwise would not have.

“If people criticize that, it gives you an idea of who those people are,” Cassidy said.

The Grassroots Know Better

A local blogger has taken a detailed look at the finance reports and breaks down where the money comes from:

if special interests have any candidate it’s Don Cazayoux.  As I wrote then, 73 percent of Cazayoux’s total contributions came from PACs.  Almost three out of every four dollars Don Cazayoux took in came from a special interest group.  How much PAC money for Bill Cassidy?  Zero.

But that’s not all.  Of Cazayoux’s itemized contributions (excluding PAC money) almost 40 percent came from outside Louisiana (with almost all of that coming from DC).  Cassidy on the other hand raised about 97 percent of his money inside Louisiana.

In total, Cazayoux raised $218,950 from special interests outside of Louisiana — 78 percent of his total.  Cassidy raised $4,500 outside of Louisiana — 2 percent of his total, and none of it came from anywhere near the Beltway.

So which candidate do you think belongs to the special interests?

When it comes to fixing Social Security, some politicians don’t have answers, some politicians can only tell you what they don’t want but can’t offer solutions.  Bill Cassidy has answers with positive solutions.  In an interview with The Advocate, the candidates discussed options:

Cazayoux, D-New Roads, said he has no concrete solution to the impending problem but feels the private account concept  is not the way to go.

Bill Cassidy offered ideas about a comprehensive solution:

Cassidy said he supports voluntary personal investment accounts as part of the solution, if it is fiscally sound.

“Institutional investors often get a better rate of return than individual investors,” he said.

(…)

Cassidy said he is against an increase in the payroll tax cap because it changes the nature of the program.

“It ceases to be an investment vehicle of sorts … and it becomes a tax program,” he said

State retiree’s are concerned about two provisions under current Social Security law - the Windfall Elimination Provision and Government Pension Offset — which reduces the amount they receive. Bill talked with The Advocate about what he has done in the State Senate and what he would do in Congress:

Cassidy was one of seven state senators to sponsor a resolution this year asking Congress to consider eliminating or reducing the provisions.

Most people affected by the provisions are in lower wage jobs and do not know that they planned their retirements around benefits they may not receive, Cassidy said.

“You don’t balance the budget on those that are most vulnerable,” Cassidy said. “You come up with a comprehensive solution that is fair to everyone.”