Sen. Mary Landrieu (La.) said she would “be supportive of many Democratic priorities” and is “absolutely committed to help the Democratic leadership and the president get health care reform that our people can depend on.” However, she flatly refused to rule out filibustering any bill, including health care and climate change legislation.
This sort of non-sense should absolutely not be tolerated by Democratic activists or elected Democratic officials. No one is talking about forcing Landrieu to vote for any of these measures, she's simply being asked to support her party and her newly-elected (and enormously popular) President in a procedural vote. She's being asked to do the absolute bare minimum to support a top priority of her party, her President and the American electorate. If she can't do that then there needs to be consequences.
Unfortunately Landrieu is just beginning a six year term so threats of a primary are meaningless. Some sort of punitive measures from Senate leadership is about all that can be mustered. The Mary Landrieu's of the world are perfectly comfortable snubbing their party because for years there have been no consequences for their actions. The time has come for that to change.
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