Why You Shouldn't Support Katie Bernhardt for Chair of the Louisiana Democratic Party: a thread

1. Her proposal to enact a bizarre GOP-lite agenda: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1UAvc0Emo2WhhqUrG86uJw3PpLoYojp9k/view

2. On p. 9 of Katie's GOP-lite agenda, Katie proposes having a Vice-Chair position "engag[e] with constituency groups." She includes "Religious Organizations" and "Nonpartisan (Parenting?) groups," while excluding Progressive groups.

3. On p. 22, Katie mischaracterizes Policy (e.g., breaking with the national platform on abortion rights) as a rebranding. Corporate Katie is so out of touch she doesn't comprehend that this isn't a business logo. It's Policy that affects the lives of the common folk.

4. Katie explicitly stated that she will not be an ally and voice for progressive groups, and neither will an LA Democratic Party under her leadership.

5. Remember how Katie excluded progressives from "Constituency Groups"? Well, Karen ..I mean Katie... intends to recruit candidates from her select Constituents: religious extremist and mom-groups. Progressive groups can say bye to LADP support for their candidates.

6. Katie is a wealthy and spoiled socialite. (Daddy gave her a job at his oil company after college). Her family subsidizes her political activity. She brags that she purchased two servants to do her work. She thinks being rich makes her better-suited for public office.

7. Wherein Katie dog whistles that there are no "working Louisianans" in New Orleans. [The DSCC vote count will be public, so we'll all see which of Cedric Richmond's spineless New Orleans swamp creatures sell us out].

8. When Katie uses words like "purity test" and "big tent," what she actually means is she's going to allow religious extremists and racists to control the LADP. Katie's "big tent" explicitly excludes the progressive groups that drove turnout and saved JBE from losing to Rispone.

9. Katie ignores the fact that the interests of small business owners often conflict with the interests unions. When that happens, which group do you think Katie, who brags about all the small businesses she owns, is going to support?

10. Katie ignores the fact that it is the very Progressive groups she excludes who lead the fight for teachers, Medicaid Expansion, the poor (notice how she only includes the "working poor," and not those who can't work), women, artists, musicians, and "culture."

11. Katie explicitly intends to cater to anti-abortion extremists, rather than supporting the policies that would address the root cause of these issues.

12. Wherein Katie implies, racistly, that the LADP "image" should not be associated with poor people without jobs, people who don't own businesses, and don't have a picture perfect young family. Basically, the LADP should look... just like... Katie Bernhardt.

13. Katie's political contributions to anti-abortion Democrat Foster Campbell and Republican (and current Trump appointee) Scott Angelle (against JBE).

14. The contributions of Katie's husband and his companies are relevant because her campaign is subsidized by them (who pays for the two servants who handle Katie's "day to day duties"?) Katie's husband, Ramon "RJ" Fonseca, owns companies Standard Law and Standard Title.

15. Standard Title, a company owned by Katie Bernhardt's husband, contributed $1,000 to a PAC that gave $30,000 to John Bel Edwards Republican challenger, Eddie Rispone.

16. Standard Law, a company owned by Katie Bernhardt's husband, contributed $1,000 to Republican Clay Higgins' PAC, which gave $5,000 to Donald Trump.

17. When Katie was given an opportunity to respond to these criticisms directly and more privately, she instead had minions posting and responding for her. Such leadership.

18. Katie claims to have led the women's March in New Orleans. Strangely, I have never seen Katie lead or organize anything grassroots here. I've heard the same from organizers in Lafayette. It's telling that abortion rights advocates are all opposing Katie's bid for Chair.

19. Katie has proposed giving herself more control over which candidates the LADP supports. Looking at her contributions to some and lack of contributions to others. What type of candidates do you expect will receive LADP support? https://twitter.com/Carogoudela/status/1300317462144200704?s=20

20. At a JPDEC town hall, @votelandry asked a question about providing support to pro-choice candidates. Katie responded that we need to support and elect more anti-abortion extremists. Starts at 1:07:12: https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=337890263920708&id=395183503879395

21. After Hurricane Laura’s landfall on 8/27, DSCC members voted on whether the election should be postponed. Katie voted to continue to hold the election on 8/29, two days after a hurricane devastated Lake Charles (note: Ted dropped out on 8/26).