Your Mistake Is Assuming Lieberman Has Principles
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The worst thing Al Gore ever did was make Joe Lieberman his running mate. Because not only did it probably not help Gore in Florida, but it elevated one of the US Senate’s least honest people to a larger national prominence. Three months ago Joe Lieberman clearly supported the Medicare buy-in he cites as a dealbreaker today.
Don’t hold your breath waiting for the mainstream press to report this. They’ve got way too much stock invested in phonies like Lieberman to actually get off their butts and do some reporting.
40 Responses to “Your Mistake Is Assuming Lieberman Has Principles”
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© 2000-2011 Oliver Willis
Lieberman is one of the reasons I was cynical in this “once the Democrats have 60 votes, everything will be great!” thing. Lieberman was part of that 60-vote count, which meant anything he felt like poo-pooing on was going to get stalled.
That fact that no Senate Democrat has even hinted that Lieberman may lose his seat over his immature posturing is more upsetting than anything Obama has done/hasn’t done.
The only hope is that Lieberman’s vanity will interfere with his political calculations for re-election. The guy is all cynic but may love calling attention to himself even more. Here’s hoping King Kong’s love for heights enables voters to shoot him down.
Lieberman should lose all his committee memberships over this, never mind his precious chairmanship. He’s worthless scum. Put his office in a sub-basement.
Not for nothing, but it’s the White House pushing Reid to make the deal with Lieberman. Not to mention, it was Obama who pushed Senate leaders to keep Traitor Joe in the fold and keep his committee chairmanship. Why SHOULDN’T Lieberman continue to play the ass when there are no repercussions to his actions?
Joe Lieberman gets sexual gratification by being accepted by Fox and Clear Channel. He needs his chairmanship taken away. Every day he keeps his chairmanship he gets more dickish
I think that Joe Lieberman has a personal vendetta against Obama, from the onset. Quite frankly I don’t believe that he plans to run again so I don’t believe he cares. He’s still angry that the Connecticut Democratic Party didn’t support him, and he had to run as an Independent. And now his created party “Connecticut for Lieberman” Party is running ads against him. He’s behaving like a child embroiled in the throws of a temper tantrum and can’t stop. “I WON’T, I WON’T, I WON’T AND YOU CAN’T MAKE ME. SO THERE! So he’ll either lose his next election or most probably, won’t run again. Perhaps he’ll lobby for the medical insurance lobby. It’s mind boggling how he supports universal health care for Israel and not for the United States. It’s disgusting how insignificant he feels about Americans and their access to health and medical care.
For Shame Joe Lieberman, FOR SHAME!
He will pay no price for this. And the Obama administration will thank him for his help.
Bank on it.
You may have a point although I may see it a bit differently than you. Joe Lieberman’s tactics may just backfire by ginning up progressives that we actually get up from behind the screens of our laptops, and fight for what we want. Too often it seems we progressives, myself included, treats the Democratic process as a spectator sport. Unlike the “righties” come out extremely vocally and march, regardless of how offensive their discourse. Like that famous scene in NETWORK, perhaps the nation will open the windows stretch our heads out and scream……WE’RE MAD AS HELL, AND WE’RE NOT GOING TO TAKE IT ANY MORE! Ya think?
Does he really support uni health care for Isreal?
Yes, we will yell. Same as we did for health care. And then when the din dies down, the will convince themselves it wasn’t as bad as all that and go back to placating their corporate masters.
I have no hope for any sort of short term reform. Of anything. Not with these corrupt assholes. The movements exist in the country, but the elites are just not going to listen. And the worst part is, they look at us, and then the teabaggers, and congratulate themselves for being the ‘sensible middle’ to these extreme lunatics that are clearly just opposite sides of the same coin to their mind’s eye.
There is a lot of anger on the left right now. But at this point I don’t think the anger is going to turn into action. It’ll manifest itself by disgusted dems staying home next voting day, and the end result will be a GOP congress swept to power by teabaggers having subpoena power over the black guy in the oval office. Even better, after his fuckups with the banks, gay rights, and health care, nobody is going to give a shit enough to defend him.
Of course, a lot can happen between then and now. But my money says Clinton was just a warmup.
Reports are coming in that Obama is telling Reid to cut a deal with Lieberman.
So the question for Oliver is this: just when are we Dems allowed to genuinely criticize Obama for sucking? Or would it be better if we took back all the mean things we said about Lieberman and accept him as the bestest Senator evar and good friend to BHO? Because it sure seems as if Obama is bowing to the whims of Lieberman, and Americans are going to die because of it.
This is so f’ing ridiculous now. We got ourselves a weak dud as president. And we’ve got a legion of bloggers telling us we don’t have the right to be angry about it.
Of course, I blame Reid too. But the fish rots from the head.
Yep, he does. He supported it for the United States when he was running with Gore for Vice President.
Do I understand correctly? Lieberman is a big jerk, so that means Obama is to blame?
The news coming out (if it’s accurate) is that Obama told Reid he had to
negotiate withfully accept what Lieberman wanted in the HC bill re: striking the public option, no expansion of Medicare, etc.So the causal chain is more like Obama is handing the reigns of health-care reform over to a vindictive douchebag named Lieberman, a man who has received half a million bucks from the insurance industry and who wants to bolster their profits even more with this bill. But in the end yes, Obama is to blame if this information is accurate.
To be honest, it looks to me as if we’re going to get a bill not unlike Bush’s hand-out to Big Pharma. Americans are going to be worse off thanks to Obama and Reid’s cowardice and Liberman’s vendetta against his own party. The only thing making me think Obama can win re-election is that there aren’t any realistic GOP candidates out there for 2012, which is cold comfort for all of us.
There’s no negotiating with Joe. He’s not interested in negotiating. What could anyone possibly offer to Joe that he would want? What, at this stage of his life and career, would be sweeter to him than making Obama and the progressive dems who almost took his job in 2006 kiss his wrinkly ass and tell him it smells like gardenias?
The only thing to do is pucker up as quick as possible and let him ride off into the sunset with his petty little victory.
I _hope_ what Obama is planning to do is get a bill that at least saves lives by extending coverage, then get back quickly on his bully pulpit and tell people “we got us a health care bill, but the GOP and Senator Lieberdogshit put party and sour grapes before country and blocked us from having a plan that is fiscally sustainable in the long term, so we gotta work on that.”
There is a wonderful book by noted Harlem Renaissance feminist writer Zora Neal Hurston entitled, MOSES MAN OF THE MOUNTAIN. In this wonderfully homespun rendition of the Exodus story, told in the colloquial dialect of the deep south Zora poignantly describes the conflict between Moses and the Israelites leaving Egypt to the Promised Land. Their back and forth criticism and lack of patience transcend the written work and could be applied to the dynamic between Obama and those who supported him during the election, and seem to be abandoning him in totality. Yes, the Health Care Reform Bill is major, important. Being a three time cancer survivor, having to pay over a thousand dollars a month for COBRA, while freelancing because NO health insurance carrier would insure me; with an unemployed husband, and a 15 year old son (who’s wonderful I might add) the necessity of this bill being passed has not escaped me. Nonetheless, I am not willing to throw the baby out with the bath water (as my late mother used to say). I have not given up on Obama and I recognized what he has done in the first year of office, with what he inherited as well as acknowledging how much more there is to do. President Obama’s first year of office he signed the HATE CRIMES BILL, making it a hate crime legislation to cover the GLBT community, the WALL STREET REFORM BILL, which passed without one Republican vote, THE CHILDREN’S HEALTH CARE BILL which extends the coverage of health care to thousands of more children; a Bill that Bush vetoed with that infamous “They always have the emergency room,” quote. The LINDA LEDBETTER WAGE BILL, making it easier to sue for wage discrimination. All the while dealing with a Pandora’s Box disaster in the Middle East, an economy ransacked by the Bush Administration, the highest number of death threats ever made against a president, former VP Cheney and his draconian daughter calling him a traitor to his country. And…an entire network, headed by Rupert Murdock who held meetings regarding ways to “Bring Obama down.” Not to mention the Birthers coming out from their dark dank corners to insist that he’s an “alien” or “other” trying to take “their” country. And, the Republicans! No matter what Obama proposes, they will say NO, even to the detriment of the country as a whole.
So, y’all sorry for the long winded soap box sentiment, but I have to say it to those who have jumped ship……”Et tu Brute?”
It’s entirely possible that we’ll get a bill that leaves people worse off than before. For example, one that requires people to carry crappy private insurance plans that funnel even more money to the health insurers but don’t solve any of the real problems re: people being denied the services they need, people going bankrupt because they were diagnosed with a fatal condition between jobs, etc. Again, what if we get something like Bush’s Big Pharma bill which was basically a hand-out to those companies, along with confusing the hell out of many seniors?
So no, Obama doesn’t deserve our blind trust any longer. He handed the keys for HCR over to Leiberman and Baucus, guys who are deep in the pockets of the insurance industry. He was either naive enough to think those guys were honest brokers or cynical enough to think we wouldn’t notice. And the rallying cry of “At least he’s not a Republican?” Nope. Not good enough. I voted for someone I thought was capable in his own right, not simply relative to the worst president we’ve ever had.
We do the president and ourselves no favors by biting our lips and quietly telling ourselves that at least Bush isn’t around any longer. I didn’t vote in epic landslide victories for the White House and Congress to now be told I should just shut-up and let handsome, smiling Barry sink us even deeper into a Vietnam-like situation in Afghanistan and to possibly screw over all Americans when it comes to basic needs like health care.
IMO Obama is more interested in getting his name on something big rather than actually passing something that would help people and allow American health care to catch up with the rest of the first world. And that’s pathetic.
I think one of the reasons people are disappointed in Obama is because when the time came for serious arm-twisting, that effort was brought to bear on Reid to get him to capitulate to Lieberman. It is consistently disappointing to see what Obama is willing to put himself on the line for.
We’ll see what happens during the reconciliation process, but it is a shame that when the white house decided to intervene, they chose to intervene on this, rather than anything else.
Perhaps…
Lieberman’s efforts to kill meaningful health care reform is simply providing cover for the MAINSTREAM DEMOCRATIC MAJORITY and not simply the ludicrously labeled “centrists” like Nelson and Lincoln.
Chris Bowers points out the obvious:
“If Democratic Senators wanted to punish Lieberman for his consistent transgressions against the party, they could. If Democrats wanted to use reconciliation, and just circumvent him altogether, they could do that, too. But they are not going to do either.”
The obvious question, hardly ever asked by liberals on this and other sites is this: Why not? Why wouldn’t the Democratic leadership punish Joe Lieberman? What logical reason could one come up with? He’s actively and often viciously fought against virtually every Democratic initiative since they became the majority. He is single-handedly promising to destroy any health care bill which accomplishes even minor liberal goals.
I’ve often read that the answer is simply a lack of will by leadership to confront Lieberman, out of fear of losing the 60 vote majority. Does this make any sense to anyone with even two active brain cells to rub together? When has Lieberman NOT done all he can to undermine Democratic Party policies? What 60th vote are these people referring to, anyway? This “defense” falls apart with a modicum of reasoned analysis.
Another classic “defense” is simply that Reid and the leadership in general are simply cowards. But this generalization lacks subtext. What exactly are they afraid of? Losing the 60th vote makes no sense, so what other factors could possibly have them so quaking with fear, that the only answer is to kiss Lord Joe’s ring? I simply can’t come up with anything which passes the smell test. Can you?
Now, we certainly have a good idea as to what motivates oily Joe. We know his state is home to numerous Insurance companies. We also know that this petty, vindictive cretin has a bone to pick with the liberals who helped defeat him in the 2006 primaries. We get it. Joe’s motives are as clear as day.
It’s the motives of Reid and the Democratic leadership, not to mention Obama, who hasn’t said a harsh word about Lieberman’s obstructionism to date, which is currently the mystery yet to be solved.
What is the obvious answer to this perplexing question? What does the lack of punishment directed Joe’s way accomplish? What HAS it accomplished so far? One needn’t invoke the theory of Occam’s Razor to see the answer. Joe’s obstruction has succeeded in watering-down the health care bill, and promises to water it down even further, perhaps to the point of rendering it impotent in solving the massive cost-containment problem, which has reached epidemic proportions in this country.
Therefore, we see a very simple equation forming: Joe obstructs with impunity and the health care bill suffers. How, then, can we look at the lack of punishment directed at Lieberman as anything other than serving as political cover for the mainstream democratic party, including the Senate leadership? What other reasonable answer is there? Anyone?
Let’s face it, we’re being played.
Did you read the Bill??? Jus’ askin’???
Have y’all read the Bill?? Thank you my good friend, and Senator Al Franken
Al Franken: Spars With GOP Leadership On Senate Floor, Accuses Thune Of Not Reading Health Bill (VIDEO)
Sorry y’all, link didn’t copy. Check it out on Huffpo, jut search title above.
But in the end yes, Obama is to blame if this information is accurate.
So you’d prefer for Mr. Obama to allow the Republican filibuster to win the day?
You do know who’s riding point for Mr. Obama’s carbon emissions legislation, don’t you?
Lieberman’s “principles” are what ever AIPAC, Big Pharma, and the Insurance Industry tell him they are.
It’s entirely possible that we’ll get a bill that leaves people worse off than before. For example, one that requires people to carry crappy private insurance plans that funnel even more money to the health insurers but don’t solve any of the real problems re: people being denied the services they need, people going bankrupt because they were diagnosed with a fatal condition between jobs, etc.
No, that’s not “entirely possible.” Not so far anyway. Imagining away things that are in the bill is just as silly as imagining things that aren’t in there.
Another classic “defense” is simply that Reid and the leadership in general are simply cowards. But this generalization lacks subtext. What exactly are they afraid of?
Well, one possibility is that they’ve been cowed by 20+ years of “liberal” being used as a dirty word along the lines of “commie pinko scum,” and the MSM allowing the right-wing to frame the debate. The Dems got spanked, first by Saint Ronnie, then by Newt the-serial-adulterer Gingrich, and have been wetting their pants ever since at the idea of being labeled “tax and spend” or “weak on crime.”
The second possibility is that you are entirely correct in your analysis.
I really don’t know which one bothers me more.
Funny, not too long ago King Soros directed all his minions to do anything possible to get rid of Lieberman, investing millions in a one-issue, no name (Lamont, Ned) and failing miserably. And now Joe Lieberman, a man whose devoted his life’s work to fighting for women’s rights, protecting the environment, equality for gays, etc., is supposed to have a short memory? Puh-leeze.
Speaking of short memories, what was Joe’s margin of victory over Lamont in the primary?
Sorosbots are curious.
He’s not supposed to have a short memory — he supposed to do what’s right for the American people. He’s not supposed to let human beings die because because his ego got bruised. Joe’s feelings got hurt? Fuck Joe.
I’d prefer a good bill as opposed to a “legacy” one that screws over Americans to satisfy Obama’s ego.
“Another classic ‘defense’ is simply that Reid and the leadership in general are simply cowards.”
These things aren’t mutually exclusive. To wit, a) Obama doesn’t give a rat’s ass about passing meaningful HCR, just something he can put his name on, b) Lieberman’s only goal in life right now is to say “F U” to the party’s base, and c) Harry Reid is a self-serving pussy.
There is no Democratic wing of the Democratic party any longer. So the only reason to vote for them is because they’re “not as bad” as the GOP. Well, except Senators Lieberman, Baucus, and Nelson.
Tbogg ftw:
http://tbogg.firedoglake.com/2009/12/14/the-fire-this-time/
Markos:
“My take is that it’s unconscionable to force people to buy a product from a private insurer that enjoys sanctioned monopoly status. It’d be like forcing everyone to attend baseball games, but instead of watching the Yankees, they were forced to watch the Kansas City Royals. Or Washington Nationals. It would effectively be a tax — and a huge one — paid directly to a private industry.”
http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/12/15/814776/-Remove-mandate,-or-kill-this-bill
This bill isn’t even a government handout to Big Insurance, it’s a handout directly from your paycheck.
Obama has a lot to answer for.
There is no Democratic wing of the Democratic party any longer. So the only reason to vote for them is because they’re “not as bad” as the GOP. Well, except Senators Lieberman, Baucus, and Nelson.
I’ve been saying this for a while, now. Democrats are essentially moderate Republicans, and the Republicans have just gone batshit crazy.
Well said, Connie. I’m with you. And Obama.
That’s mighty cynical, Jaim. I didn’t expect that from you.
I can see that. It’s like asking mashed potatoes to beat up a plate of Jello.
Tell Reid to tell Joe, play ball for a change, or say goodbye to your committee chair. You’re an “independent” (smirk), Joe, we as a party owe you nothing.
Connie, I mean this with absolutely no snark: Have you read it? Cover to cover?
I guess Howard Dean and Markos Moulitsas are cynics as well, because they think this bill should be killed for what it is: a hand-out to the insurance companies. And a massive hand-out at that that doesn’t guarantee sick people will have access to affordable coverage. Just like now — you can be covered but still be told you won’t get that life-saving operation.
Lieberman’s efforts to kill meaningful health care reform is simply providing cover for the MAINSTREAM DEMOCRATIC MAJORITY and not simply the ludicrously labeled “centrists” like Nelson and Lincoln.
The what,now?