Though Republicans hold majorities in both houses, Democratic leaders are counting on caucus solidarity and pushback on GOP members from state employees, teachers and senior citizens to moderate if not thwart Gov. Bobby Jindal’s most far-reaching proposals on education, retirement and budgeting. Rep. John Bel Edwards, D-Amite, leader of the House Democratic Caucus, cites bills to increase the retirement age and state employee contributions to retirement accounts as ones that will generate unified Democratic opposition and some Republican crossover. Recognizing the governor will have the votes to get much of what he asks for, another strategy for Democrats is to remind voters who is responsible. “They (Republicans) are absolutely going to own it if it passes,” says Edwards.
—With the RESTORE Act—to direct 80% of BP oil spill fines to coastal states—stuck in Congress, the state’s delegation is looking to hitch the bill’s language to measures more likely to pass soon. This week, Congressman Steve Scalise succeeded in attaching the RESTORE wording to an energy bill nearing House passage. In the Senate, Sen. Mary Landrieu has filed an amendment to include RESTORE in the highway funding bill, as she works with Sen. David Vitter, who is one of a bipartisan quartet handling the bill. He will also be on its conference committee.
They said it: “Based on the history of how we have gotten the short end of the stick, the governor is taking the bull by the horns …” —State Rep. Patrick Connick on the governor’s plan not to use bridge tolls in the budget, in The Times-Picayune
(John Maginnis publishes LaPolitics Weekly, a newsletter on Louisiana politics, at LaPolitics.com.)
