Quiet Louisiana congressman now in Howard Dean's crosshairs

[candy331]

Don't know the leaning of this newspaper but so good to see that DFA is in full gear against Bush's planned dismantling of SS. I suppose Mr McCrery got his marching orders quickly.




It's not surprising that newly crowned Democratic National Committee chairman Howard Dean wasted no time in creating a devil for his loyal followers to attack, but who would have thought that Satan himself had taken the form of veteran Louisiana congressman Jim McCrery of Shreveport?

McCrery, a quiet and understated man in the midst of a gaggle of natural-born showboats, just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time when Dean found himself in need of an enemy to promote. When he first came to Congress 20 years ago, McCrery was fortunate enough to hold on to a seat on the highly coveted House Ways and Means Committee though which all tax laws, including Social Security and Medicare taxes, must flow. That Ways and Means seat was first occupied by the late Joe Waggoner of Shreveport during the '50s and '60s, and every congressman from Northwest Louisiana since has managed to keep it.

McCrery immediately began to make Social Security and Medicare his specialty, and after many years of toiling on the backbench became chairman of the subcommittee of Ways and Means that considers laws affecting Social Security and Medicare. As luck would have it, it is in McCrery's committee that President Bush's privatization of Social Security plan will begin its arduous trek through the congressional process.

For better or worse, Howard Dean has chosen the privatization issue as his very first bone of contention with the Bush administration. Dean has formed an advocacy group called "Democracy for America." And over Social Security privatization, Democracy for America has drawn the proverbial line in the sand. DFA has launched a campaign which will attempt to defeat the Bush proposal allowing American taxpayers to place some of their Social Security taxes into private investment accounts.

-more


www.livingstonparishnews.com

[w13rd0]

1. You don't know the leaning of that paper?

It's pretty clear from their wording. Although they slipped up in that last sentence you quoted and didn't use the White House's recommended line of "personal investment accounts" rather than "private investment accounts"...

[maxsolomon]

2. if they're GOP, they should be in howard's crosshairs.

as well as the DINOs.

[ProudToBeLiberal]

3. I can't find the full article... can you link it?

[ProudToBeLiberal]

4. nvm mind found it... heres the link

http://www.livingstonparishnews.com/full_edition/editorials_and_opinions/

[madfloridian]

5. Ha Ha...that is not Dean's group...that is poor journalism.

They seem to have the two groups, DFA and Campaign for America intertwined as one and they are not.

Dean has had appearances with them, but Campaign for America's Future is a separate group. LOL

http://www.ourfuture.org/

And yes, they are targeting that guy.

Who Does This Man
Work For?
McCrery picture is here in the pdf file.


Not you.
Over the last two elections,
Rep. James McCrery received
campaign donations of nearly
$200,000 from the securities and
commercial banking industries. Now
he’s chairman of the Social Security
Subcommittee in Congress, and
he’s pushing hard to privatize the
program. Guess who would benefit
the most if that happens?
That’s right: Wall Street, not Main
Street—to the tune of $279 billion.
Meanwhile, thousands of Shreveport
residents, and millions of Americans,
would find their Social Security
benefits slashed.
Call Rep. McCrery’s office and
remind him that because he’s your
congressman he really works for you.
If you’re told that he doesn’t have
time to talk with you, it’s probably
because he’s busy with the lobbyists.
To learn more about the
corruption of Congress, go to:
www.ourfuture.org.
Call Rep. McCrery’s office:
318.798.2254
PAID FOR BY THE CAMPAIGN FOR AMERICA’S FUTURE 202.955.5665

[sendero]

6. He's a key Republican committeeman..

... pushing Bush**'s SS agenda.

If he weren't in the crosshairs, I'd be dissapointed.