Dear President Obama and Senator Reid,
This is what happens when you make a deal with a snake. Sooner or later you're very likely to get bitten.
"Senate Democrats appear willing to let Sen. Joe Lieberman, I-Connecticut, keep his powerful Homeland Security Committee chairmanship, even though he campaigned vigorously for Sen. John McCain's White House bid...Several lawmakers involved in the discussions over Lieberman's fate credited President-elect Barack Obama's desire to keep Lieberman in the Democratic caucus and let bygones be bygones as being a key reason Democratic leaders have agreed to support allowing Lieberman to keep his committee chair.
Lieberman met Thursday with Reid to discuss his future with the Democratic caucus. After the meeting, the Connecticut senator did not discuss what he and Reid talked about, but said, "The election is over, and I completely agree with President-elect Obama that we must now unite to get our economy going again and to keep the American people safe...Reid also repeatedly has said he values Lieberman's membership in the caucus because on most issues, Lieberman votes with Democrats."
"Senator Joseph Lieberman (I-Conn.) informed Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) in a face-to-face meeting on Sunday that he will vote against a health care bill that includes a public option or a provision that would expand Medicare, a Democratic Senate aide tells the Huffington Post..."Leadership was definitely a bit surprised with the lines being drawn in the sand the way they were," said the source."
I'm surprised that "leadership" is surprised. Lieberman has been against reform every step of the way, making up reasons as he goes along. Speaking of non-surprising surprises, Lieberman's partner in crime, Sen. Ben Nelson, was also on Face the Nation yesterday, saying of the proposed Medicare buy-in:
"I'm concerned that it's the forerunner of single payer, the ultimate single-payer plan, maybe even more directly than the public option."
According to The Hill, "Nelson's comments are somewhat surprising, considering he was one of the 10 Democrats tasked with putting together the compromise."
A look at Sen. Nelson's biography might have given a clue as to where he was likely come down on the subject of health insurance reform: "Following his time as a student, Nelson enjoyed a successful career in insurance law. He served as CEO of the Central National Insurance Group, as chief of staff and executive vice president of the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, and as director of the Nebraska Department of Insurance."That and the $1,258,299 in campaign contributions from the insurance industry.
From now on........Sen. Joe Lieberman, A-CT.
You guys agree??????
Never thought I would ever say this. Glad Gore-Lieberman didn't win in 2000. Insurance bribes or no, dickwad will not get re-elected in Liberal Connecticut in 2012. He had to go independent because he could not win the Democratic nomination.
Where is Lieberman from? Connecticut.
What do they have in abundance in Connecticut?
INSURANCE COMPANIES.
How does that asshole Lieberman look himself in the mirror these days, knowing he's sold his fellow Americans down the river?
Keep those emails going, people!
I need a drink too, even though I quit... This taxation without representation and/or taxation with the wrong representation thing is driving me absolutely bonkers. I would happily die if it would help destroy the income enjoyed by those who would extort us.
Somebody help me here. I don’t remember voting for Joe Lieberman for president. But I guess you don’t vote for a King, they just take the throne. Even the president bows down and kisses King Joe’s ring, or kisses something anyway.
I need a drink.
Ok I just sent another email to the White House. Time to kick ass and take names.
Or shall we say, it's time for a come to Jesus meeting? Or would that not be appropriate under the circumstances?
Well, I just wrote Senator Reid and told him to add my voice and my wife's to the growing throng of Democrats who want Senator Lieberman to PAY for his actions in the healthcare matter. To strip him of all committee chairs immediately, and BE DONE WITH HIM!
Or a huntin' trip with the pitbull in lipstick. Make sure Joe is dressed in his moose costume.
After crazy Joe came out over the last few days as against Medicare expansion, some of the Dems for doing that played a video of him. Guess what, a few months ago Joe was all for such a program in the reform bill.
If Reid doesn't strip him of his chairmanship, hes a damned eunuch and will probably not see another term. The voters in Nevada are already questioning him and his lack of leadership.
miemaw you are so right, everyone saw this coming, except democratic leaders who apparently are not fit to lead! lieberman should have been removed from any and all positions within the dem party where he could deal this much damage. what were they thinking? lieberman, right hand man to mccain and palin? mccain loses and reid sees nothing wrong with allowing this traitor to return to full status in the DEM party, when LIEberman is not even in our party? we will all pay for this, but like i used to tell my kids, logical consequences for a particular action. dems are accountable and 2010 will be unkind i imagine.
All I can say (in a nice way).... Joe, you are a freakin' LOSER!
Won't him and McCain go away already?
Dove, duck and goose opens again December 26-mid January.
My uncle alays said.... Now before you get IN the truck or IN the boat, I want you to all load them shotguns. That's 'cuz it's always them "unloaded" guns that kills somebody.
You is ALWAYS comin' up with good ideas.
AH,
Oh goodness. Are those my choices? A sociopath Republican or an Independent like Lieberman?
There are more choices than that, surely there are.
How about I just don't continue to reward bad behavior? Maybe just not contribute any more money to the Dems, and don't do any more volunteer work?
What I have done in the past, and will continue to do is find progressive candidates, running in races --- (could be anywhere in the country) and contribute time and money --- to help get them elected. It's not that hard. Donna Edwards, in Maryland, was one of my choices last year.
I'm not much of an enabler. Continuing to support the Democratic Party -- in it's present form -- is like giving booze to an alcoholic, or
drugs to a cocaine addict. All you do is reward their bad behavior, and insure that they never change.
I have my own formula, for change. May work. May not. All I can do is try.
I really don't like giving snakes a bad name in this mannere. They deserve an apology, Des.
Now theres Reid, this guy doesn't have the balls to do whats right and strip Assho Joes chair from him.
Carguy, exactly!
I think Joe needs a vacation, he's been under a lot of stress lately. Maybe a hunting trip with Cheney.
In the good ol' days......LBJ woulda sat down with Lieberman in the Oval Office......
LBJ: Joe, are ya fur me or again me????
Joe: Mr. President I..
LBJ: That there is a "yes or no" question. Ifn you're fur me, you can leave by the door. Ifn you're again me.....you and that scrawny yankee ass of yours will be leaving' by the winder. Watch out fur the thorns on them rose bushes. Nasty.
IMHO, after being ELECTED president, that's the way you BE president.
It's past time for the Democrats to shove Lieberman's scrawny little ass out the door.
What a sorry SOB he is.
Why doesn't he just openly join the TeaBaggers? He's got the same morals and ethics they do: None.
He campaigned for McCain and he opposes Democrats on the single most important issue facing this Congress. Why on earth Reid and the Democratic caucus would reward him with a committee chairmanship is just incomprehensible. If he wants to behave like a Republican, let him serve in a minority role on some committee.
We may very well lose on health care reform - thanks to Lieberman and Ben Nelson and perhaps a couple of others, people who apparently do not subscribe to the time tested principles of the Democratic Party. It is an insult to the rest of us Democrats to let Lieberman's lack of loyalty to go unpunished.
Miemaw,
Who you gonna call? I'm just asking. Do you want to be an independent like Joe Lieberman? Do you want to be a Republican like all the other sociopaths? There ain't much wiggle room. For whatever it's worth, I don't get it either. I suppose Joe might still be suffering from righteous indignation at the Democrats for his callous treatment. But if he is, that just exposes lack of character to let the need for revenge get the better of it. Hell, I even let my ex mistreat me to protect my daughter. Now that I think about it there have been a few of my co-workers that said they would support me in a run for the Presidency...Until now, I didn't think they were serious.
I guess we would be in agreement if I stated that we live in a sick, sick world.
I agree, Des. I'm also surprised --- that ANYBODY -- is surprised at the actions of Joe Lieberman.
As long as this man holds any Chairmanship position in the Democratic Party --- I cannot continue to support the Democratic Party -- either financially, or physically. I won't support -- their support -- of somebody working against the best interests of the American people to the extent that Senator Lieberman does.
It makes no sense.