Democrat Takes Seat from 20-year Incumbent in Louisiana. Look Out Joe

Boy, is Joe Knollenberg in trouble. Last night it was reported that the Democrats took back a seat in Louisiana that has been Republican since 1974. Joe only won by about 5% in 2006. Change is in the air Joe, and Democrats are taking back the 9th Congressional District of Michigan.

Dems add to majority with Cazayoux win in La.

By J. Taylor Rushing

Posted: 05/03/08 11:17 PM [ET]

House Democrats continued to expand their majority Saturday night after Louisiana state Rep. Don Cazayoux emerged victorious in a special election for retired Rep. Richard Baker’s (R) district. The win comes two months after Democrats picked up their first seat of the year. In March, Democrat Bill Foster won the Illinois seat of former House Speaker Dennis Hastert (R). That seat, like the Louisiana contest, was in solidly Republican areas. President Bush carried the Illinois district with 55 percent and the Louisiana district with 59 percent in 2004. Cazayoux benefited from a strong fundraising advantage over Woody Jenkins — $810,000 to $490,000 — with much of the help coming from national Democrats. The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) spent $920,000 on the contest. The National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) only spent $440,000 on the race and Jenkins received less than $40,000 from GOP members.

Knollenberg Voted to Make Medicare MORE PROFITABLE For Insurance Companies

When Congress passed the Medicare prescription drug bill, they debated various provisions that would help make medication more affordable.

For example, they discussed allowing Seniors to import medicine from Canada where it is significantly less expensive. But, Knollenberg's current Chief of Staff, Trent Wisecup, was the lead lobbyist for the Pharmaceutical companies at the time and he led a campaign to keep Congress from allowing Seniors to import their medicines from Canada.

Joe Knollenberg voted to Stop Seniors from
Importing Less Expensive Medications.

Congress also discussed allowing Medicare to negotiate drug prices with pharmaceutical companies. Other government programs such as the Veteran's Administration and Medicaid negotiate drug prices. Such negotiations would have saved Seniors and taxpayers billions of dollars.

Joe Knollenberg Voted To
Prohibit Medicare From
Negotiating Lower Prices on Drugs.

As a result, the Medicare prescription drug program has become just another big profit machine for insurance companies. And insurance companies don't even try to hide the fact that Medicare can pay big profits.

An April 1, 2007 article in a magazine for insurance company executives starts out with the following paragraph:

Most Medicare Advantage and Part D sponsors share a common goal: make Medicare a more profitable line of business.

Yes. Insurance companies are now talking about how to maximize their profits from Medicare. This is obscene.

Joe Knollenberg is fighting to help insurance companies, not Seniors.

Local "Liberal Agitator" Disrupting Joe's "Bi-Partisan" Efforts

Liberal finds his voice in a conservative town

BY ANNETTE KINGSBURY STAFF WRITER
Bruce Fealk is a man on a mission.
A Democrat in a county dominated by Republicans, he acknowledges he wasn't politically active until a couple of years ago. Now, he's demonstrating, blogging, campaigning, setting up Web sites and, most recently, hosting a local-access cable television show that can also be viewed on the Web.

It's all aimed at getting more exposure for Democrats in Oakland County. Disappointed by mainstream media, Fealk has turned to the Internet, the explosively popular avenue for grassroots communication.