Tell Dems to Get a Spine! Lieberman Must Go.
14 12 2009
In general, I try to tie stories here to the reality TV that is Alaska politics. And sometimes I talk about national issues. But seldom do I write about politicians from other states. Rod Blagojevich was an exception. And then there’s Joe Lieberman. Part of me secretly wishes that I lived in Connecticut because following his career in the last few years would definitely have been blog worthy. I used to want to like Joe Lieberman. Now I don’t.
The fact that he was McCain’s personal favorite pick for VP candidate before he settled on Palin, his #2 choice, leads me to believe that John McCain is the worst picker of running mates in the history of ever.
Today I have a homework assignment for those who share my feelings for the Senator from Connecticut. I cannot explain to you the depth of those feelings in polite company, and I’m sure there’s polite company out there somewhere. Suffice it to say that I’m not fond of the man.
Yesterday, the once-Democratic Senator, and former VP candidate on the Democratic ticket announced that he will join with Republicans in blocking a vote on any real health care reform. He proudly claims his place as the brick wall across the highway while Democrats try to get something done that will actually save lives. This isn’t just some erudite, dry, policy discussion. Tens of thousands of people are dying every single year because they do not have health care coverage and cannot get any, while Joe Lieberman blocks a vote.
I’d like you to read something.
We believe that every American, whatever their background or station in life, should have a chance to get a good education, to work at a good job with good wages, to raise and provide for a family, to live in safe surroundings, and to retire with dignity and security. We believe that quality and affordable health care is a basic right. We believe that each succeeding generation should have the opportunity, through hard work, service and sacrifice, to enjoy a brighter future than the last.
That sounds nice, doesn’t it? But who is this “we” that believes in these things? Who is this “we” that says “quality and affordable health care is a basic right?” The Democratic Party, that’s who. That paragraph comes from the official 2008 Democratic party platform which you can read HERE. It’s good stuff. It’s why I voted for Democrats in 2008.
The Republican party had eight years to fix health care, to reign in the insurance industry, to reform the system, to keep people from going bankrupt and losing their homes, to make sure that the insurance companies were treating people fairly, and to keep people from needlessly dying every single day. Eight years is a long time.
And now, after an overwhelming mandate from the American people who see the need to fix the system that is desperately broken, Joe Lieberman, the turncoat of the modern age looks at us, smiles, and with two fingers happily drops a monkey wrench in the works. And how does the Democratic Party chastise him for his reckless position that no only goes counter to the party platform, but that is causing the deaths of so many Americans of ALL political parties? By letting him keep his cushy chairmanship position.
By clicking HERE, you can sign a petition from Bold Progressives, and add your voice to those who are as outraged as you are. It’s time to show Senator Lieberman what he should have learned in Kindergarten (no, I can’t picture him in Kindergarten either) – that there are consequences for his actions.
So, click that petition and sign it. It only takes a minute, and it feels really good.
New poll results released today indicate:
- Democratic voters think Senate Democrats should take away Lieberman’s chairmanship by 81% to 10%. Independents also support it by 13 points. You are not alone!
- Democratic voters want Senate Democrats to use “reconciliation” by 73% to 13%. This requires just 51 votes to pass reform instead of 60, bypassing Lieberman. A procedural difference that means the difference between a good bill or not.
- Voters favor Howard Dean’s “We Can Do Both” proposal (a public option PLUS a Medicare buy-in for ages 55-64) by 57% to 32%. Among Independents, it’s 56% to 28% (2 to 1). Go Governor Dean!
- 84% of Democratic voters want progressive primary challengers to congressional Democrats who oppose a public option. This is the logical next step to real change. Those “other” DINOs went extinct 65 million years ago. Let’s do it again with the modern day ones.
December 14th, 2009 at 4:08 PM
Signed, I’m really sick of Joe Lieberman. Al Gore’s loss delivered us from Joe-the-liar-Lieberman as VP. Hindsight is of course 20/20 and apparently many of us did not know what a snake this RepInDem is in fact. Get RID of Joe Lieberman from public office. Ugh.
December 14th, 2009 at 4:13 PM
When Lieberrhea ran for VP he was the primary reason after Jeb bush why Gore lost. I can’t imagine Lieberman being on the ticket brought in even one additional vote to the Dem ticket.
December 14th, 2009 at 4:20 PM
No, justafarmer, I voted earlier (from KY) and it took. Got the email thanking me and asking for $$$. Moveon is asking me to phone Bunning and McChinless.
That is useless. The insurance Cos must surely be in Liebermans pocket.
December 14th, 2009 at 4:25 PM
YOur link took me to the Bold Progrssives sight just fine
I signed the petition but when i hit ’send ‘, it tells me
“Sorry, the URL you tried to load doesn’t exist. Check that it’s typed correctly.”
the URL in the window at the time i get that error message is
http://act.boldprogressives.org/cms/thanks/majorityvotee5_fine5_fine5_fin
anyone have any ideas what is not working here?
December 14th, 2009 at 4:36 PM
I love that cartoon.
The spineless Dims indeed yes.
Except now when I see it, it makes me want to sqwall like a baby.
December 14th, 2009 at 5:07 PM
This quote makes me think of both Lieberman and Palin:
“When they discover the center of the universe, a lot of people will be disappointed to discover they are not it.” Bernard Bailey
December 14th, 2009 at 5:15 PM
I feel that even with Joe Lieberman voting for the Democrats, the Democratic party itself has such a broad ideological base that they still would have trouble getting the health care reform bill to pass since a lot of it is very left-wing. If the Democratic party is having trouble just even convincing all the members of their party to vote as a group they as not concerned about independent. If they had more party discipline like the Republicans do right now then maybe they would have an easier time passing the health care reform bill.
December 14th, 2009 at 5:18 PM
thanks sunflower that’s a great quote
December 14th, 2009 at 5:38 PM
Disgusting little man. Reminds me of all that is wrong. Ick.
December 14th, 2009 at 5:51 PM
Sad that the majority in this country wants true reform and this one Senator from a relatively small state has the power to block it. I dislike him extremely and am livid with the whole process tonight. All of them are caving in to the Insurance Lobby and I am so discouraged.
I signed the petition, but am doubtful it will make any difference. I’m still going to fight the fight and keep those letters flying. Just sent one to Lieberman and it was not supportive at all. ACK!!!!
December 14th, 2009 at 5:58 PM
Signed ~ Hope it does some good!!! Lieberman is a putz….
December 14th, 2009 at 6:02 PM
Another good reason to have term limits in all government positions.
December 14th, 2009 at 6:13 PM
Oh….I’m pizzed at Rahm Emanuel too! I wish Harry Reid had been stronger and more forceful.
December 14th, 2009 at 6:24 PM
really…who the he*ll does he think he is?!!! I have been signing every petition out there to release him from power.
December 14th, 2009 at 6:29 PM
I signed it a few days ago, and have been signing every petition I can find telling the Congress not to blow it and kick Leiberslam out. I’ve also been sending letters and calling my Senators & Representatives letting them know how I feel. Oh, and, also too, the White House. Now IS the time to let our voices be heard. Let’s hope they’re listening. I’m not hopeful either.
December 14th, 2009 at 6:49 PM
Ran into the same html message others have. I hope my vote of nonconfidence was recorded.
December 14th, 2009 at 7:09 PM
Don’t blame Liberman, AKM, this is all on President Hopey / Changey if you ask me. Anyway, the notion of ‘reform’ the O-Team and the rest of the corporists have offered up is a farce of a joke of a sham of a fraud to start with.
Obama could have crammed through real reform legislation, if he wanted to. Instead, he stocked his economic team with Citigroup buccaneers, handed over the keys to the treasury to Wall Street, let the insurance lobby write healthcare ‘reform’, refused to shut down the torture prisons, failed to prosecute any of the criminals that just moved out of the White House and ratcheted up the war in Af-Pak. Did I forget anything? Oh yeah, he wouldn’t even sign the land-mine ban!
From the cheap seats, Dick Cheaney may have well as won in ‘08.
~ Signed
December 14th, 2009 at 7:24 PM
I loathe Joe Lieberman. I don’t know of any other politician (almost) for whom I have such a visceral disgust. I am almost more disgusted with those who do nothing about him. He needs a ruthless hard smackdown. We need Dems like Alan Grayson x a couple hundred. Why why why should liberal values and spines be incompatible?
December 14th, 2009 at 7:47 PM
This just makes me want to cry. This is not what I and many others worked so hard for over the past year.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/12/14/lieberman-medicare-senate-health-care_n_391997.html
It looks like Joe has won and will be imposing his will on the Senate and by extension on the American people. I am so disappointed in the leadership of our elected officials. Via the health care reform bill, we the citizens have learned where the loyalties of our elected officials lie…and that is in their own wallets.
December 14th, 2009 at 7:56 PM
I don’t know if anyone else had the same experience but I clicked through the link provided by AKM and got to the right page but when I filled in the info and pressed “go” (or whatever) I got an error, so I googled the petition and was able to complete my virtual signature.
Here’s the link I used: http://boldprogressives.org/majorityvote
December 14th, 2009 at 7:59 PM
Signed, sealed and delivered. Firedoglake also has this “revision” of the Grinch story — all about slimy Joe Lieberman. http://firedoglake.com/2009/12/11/late-night-how-the-joe-stole-health-care/
December 14th, 2009 at 8:05 PM
I am so angry! I can’t even think straight now that I saw the headline”JOE WON!” WTF? How do we find intelligent life in our government that can change this stupidity? How can the majority of Americans want health care reform but the stupid members of congress and senate do whatever they want depending on where the money comes from. How can we outlaw lobbying? This is F’d up!
Sorry, I am generally a pretty calm person who can listen to differing voices, but Lieberman has me more angry than even SP – and according to my husband, that is really some anger!
I must calm down – 10, 9, 100, 99, 98…..
December 14th, 2009 at 8:12 PM
I can’t stand Lieberman either. Is it possible that he’s agreed to play bad cop/ good cop? Is he the designated bad cop. So all our other representatives can wring their hands and say, “Gee, I’m so sorry, we wanted to vote for health reform but Joe Lieberman wouldn’t let us.”
Am I paranoid.?
Anyway, I’ve never trusted Rahm Emanuel. He’s a blue dog, and has fought back , and refused Democratic party campaign money for true Progressive candidates running against Blue Dog (conservative) Democrats .
I’m in favor of Gov. Howard Dean’s plan.
And I wrote a thank you note to Conyers thanking him for criticizing Pres. Obama on the horrible war surge in Afghanistan. Why is Obama making deals with Bush-ite Generals all the time? Whys is Obama even CONSIDERING supporting capital punishment?
We have our work cut out for us.
Love Mudflats,
Happy Holidays anyways
December 14th, 2009 at 8:17 PM
1smartcanerican: I am so with you! I am beyond upset tonight. I just spent the last hour sending letters to Cantwell, Murray, Reichert, Obama, Lieberman, Pelosi, Reid and even Rahm. Lol! I bet I’m on someone’s $h/tl/$t, but I don’t care. I am so damned mad. I am also generally calm and reasonable, but tonight I’m almost in tears. This is NOT what should be happening with a Democratic President, a Democratic majority in the Senate and the House and a mandate from the majority of American Citizens for major Health Care Reform. That headline “JOE WON” absolutely sent me over the top.
I hope everyone else is firing off letters of disapproval to anyone and everyone they can. If nothing else, it makes you feel better and it puts their feet to the fire.
I’m glad to know I’m in good company with you
.
December 14th, 2009 at 8:20 PM
I was a National Delegate in 2000 when we endorsed Gore and Lieberman.
I wish there was a way to rescind my vote for him.
He is an embarrassment , and I hope that Connecticut Democrats can find a strong candidate to run against him.
I don’t understand why they let him get away with this crap, makes you wonder what he has on some of the leaders, doesn’t it??
December 14th, 2009 at 8:28 PM
Yeah. I think Joe Lieberman is a viper in the midst and a traitor. He has no place in the Democratic caucus. Strip him and throw him out. Take away all of his charimanships.
Stop compromising on healthcare. Don’t give Republicans one damned thing. They’re not going to vote for it anyway? Why strip it? Leave it full blown what the American People want and vote on it.
And when it fails due to Republican obstructionism and Joe Lieberman, point point point and yell who’s fault it is. Make it very clear who doesn’t care about the American people. Make it clear who is in the pockets of Big Pharma and the lobbyists. Keep it up all through 2010.
Then when there is a real Democratic majority and Joe Lieberman is gone, vote on healthcare and pass it.
Joe Lieberman needs a good dose of discipline. Treat him like the child he is. You do not reward a tantrum. You do not let a child hold you hostage or extort whatever their spoiled little heart desires.
Yeah, get a backbone.
Or get a dog and take lessons on how to train it.
If Lieberman was a dog, he’d have been put down long ago for his behavior.
December 14th, 2009 at 8:33 PM
Karen Marie – thank you for the link; I also got booted out from this site but finally made it through with the link. Lieberman is a devious snake and should get the boot. Let’s hope there are some behind the scene machinations going on to nail his hide to the wall somewhere soon.
December 14th, 2009 at 8:40 PM
Seattlefan: this Whatcom cty fan has also been typing away. As soon as I heard that Libermann had “won” I shot off an email to whitehouse.gov and told them what I think. Its time to blast the top that isn’t standing up for the American people. OOOooh, I’m mad!!
December 14th, 2009 at 8:47 PM
Connecticut? I always thought Joe was the Senator from the great State of Israel
December 14th, 2009 at 8:49 PM
When I submitted the petition, it said the URL was no longer valid. Anyone have any ideas?
December 14th, 2009 at 10:19 PM
A few hours ago I checked HuffPo just to see what the headlines were, saw “LIEBERMAN WINS,” and ended up sitting there crying. It’s just so freakin frustrating!
December 14th, 2009 at 10:57 PM
I know a lot of us are retired, have health problems, work a job or have families to raise, but we need to take our problems to the streets. We have some very intelligent organizers right here in Mudflats, that can help us to organize and raise money to fight back at the teabaggers, birthers, Lieberman and the sorts. I am not naive enough to think that we have the resources that they do, but we have the intellect, the organizational skills, the leadership to get out in every state/city to bring about the awareness about what most of all America want. We are kind of fragmented and need to get together and take this fight to the street. We have a lot of advocate groups that will help us. If we have Mudstocks, we should get to meet each other, but at the same time,let’s have a strategy in how to get what the American people want. We are smarter than the palinbots, birthers, teabaggers, etc. Let’s prove it!! Just saying! They are getting all the media attention and we are just complaining! If we’re really all fired up and ready to go, let’s bring the attention to our real causes and make it happen! Just my rant!
December 14th, 2009 at 11:04 PM
I also had trouble determining if my name was counted, but I think that the ‘broken link’ message refers to the thank you page – I hope someone is checking and deleting identical signatures, because I probably tried four times before I realized that was probably what was happening. ….. oops…
December 15th, 2009 at 2:25 AM
Now, now let’s not pick on Joe lest we be called out as ‘anti-semitic’ or… Let’s just hope he makes Aliyah… soon!
December 15th, 2009 at 2:38 AM
A Lieberrhea political cartoon:
http://tinyurl.com/ycl3zde
December 15th, 2009 at 2:45 AM
Please forgive a bit more:
http://www.tnr.com/blog/the-stash/why-lieberman-has-always-grated-me
The New Republic, other than Marty Peretz eternal willingness to forgive anyone of anything as long as they’ll schill for Israel, has a number of other, and thoughtful, pieces on ‘Joe the Insurance Salesman’… worth checking them out!
God Jul
December 15th, 2009 at 4:54 AM
I posted this at the Forum, but I don’t think many people read there. So, here’s my thoughts:
I wonder if (a little bit) there was some jealousy. Remember, until Alan Grayson pointed out ‘Olympia Snowe wasn’t elected President’, all the slobbering and groveling that ensued for MONTHS over WWOSD? (What Would Olympia Snowe Do?) Haven’t heard more about Snowe much since. So LIEberman is now the new slobber globber in chief.
I have to wonder a tad if LIEberman may be dealing with a touch of dementia or somesorts. He’s clearly reversing himself, flipflopping all over the planet even on positions he previously pushed. He doesn’t want to give up his place on his Homeland Security Chairmanship, but doesn’t seem stable enough to be in that position. (Hey, Joe McCarthy wasn’t stable but look how much damage he did to the country before anyone could figure that out?)
I did sign petitions to get Lieberman and his wife dropped from their Chairman & Ambassador positions. Especially his wife needs to get dropped, she’s just a pharma shill lobbyist collecting donations on behalf of breast cancer research. While Lieberman simultaneously works to stop healthcare for those same breast cancer victims.
December 15th, 2009 at 9:42 AM
[...] for this and this and this [...]
December 15th, 2009 at 12:49 PM
Joe Lieberman has launched consistent, deeply partisan attacks on President-elect Barack Obama, questioning his patriotism and fitness to lead.
While Lieberman campaigned for John McCain and spoke on his behalf at the Republican National Convention, he spread some of the GOP’s nastiest smears.
Think Progress has provided thorough evidence of Lieberman’s partisan politics.
He should not be allowed to have subpoena power to investigate the Obama administration as chairman of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee.
In fact, he should not be allowed to remain chairman of this or any other committee.
Lieberman has proven he cannot be trusted to hold a high rank within the Democratic caucus.
That is why we launched Lieberman Must Go last summer, a campaign that caught Congress’ attention when we delivered a petition with over 43,000 signatures.
Now, we ask you to help us escalate the pressure by contacting members of the Senate Democratic Steering Committee and your state Senator.
Tell them to strip Lieberman of his chairmanship in the Democratic caucus.
We have included a sample script and phone numbers below for you to use, and we ask that you be polite when you explain why Lieberman Must Go.
3486 people have made a call.
Join them by using our script below.
Senator _________, my name is _________. I’m a registered Democrat and a [state] resident. I urge you to vote to strip Joe Lieberman of his committee chairmanship when the Democratic caucus meets to discuss his future.
A man who spent the entire election season demeaning Senator Obama’s patriotism and his qualifications for office cannot be trusted with oversight authority over the Obama administration.
Joe Lieberman is not a Democrat, and he should not enjoy the privileges of being a member of the majority party. Will you vote to strip Lieberman of his committee chairmanship?
http://liebermanmustgo.com/
December 15th, 2009 at 1:35 PM
excellent…… thanks MARTHA@89
December 15th, 2009 at 4:36 PM
Obama’s speaks today, but this is all I heard ….how about you?
Who can take a sunrise, sprinkle it with dew
Cover it with choc’late and a miracle or two
The Candy Man, oh the Candy Man can
The Candy Man can ’cause he mixes it with love and makes the world taste good
Who can take a rainbow, wrap it in a sigh
Soak it in the sun and make a groovy lemon pie
The Candy Man, the Candy Man can
The Candy Man can ’cause he mixes it with love and makes the world taste good
The Candy Man makes everything he bakes satisfying and delicious
Now you talk about your childhood wishes, you can even eat the dishes
Oh, who can take tomorrow, dip it in a dream
Separate the sorrow and collect up all the cream
The Candy Man, oh the Candy Man can
The Candy Man can ’cause he mixes it with love and makes the world taste good
The Candy Man makes everything he bakes satisfying and delicious
Talk about your childhood wishes, you can even eat the dishes
Yeah, yeah, yeah
Who can take tomorrow, dip it in a dream
Separate the sorrow and collect up all the cream
The Candy Man, the Candy Man can
The Candy Man can ’cause he mixes it with love and makes the world taste good
Yes, the Candy Man can ’cause he mixes it with love and makes the world taste good
a-Candy Man, a-Candy Man, a-Candy Man
Candy Man, a-Candy Man, a-Candy Man
Candy Man, a-Candy Man, a-Candy Man
Lyrics by Sammy Davis Jr.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Here’s what he actually said……………..still all I can hear is The Candy Man:
Prodded by President Barack Obama, Senate Democrats won tentative backing from one holdout and worked intensely to satisfy another Tuesday as they grappled with the last, lingering disputes blocking passage of health care legislation by Christmas.
Obama said his congressional allies were “on the precipice” of a historic accomplishment that has eluded presidents and lawmakers for generations, adding the emerging bill includes “all the criteria that I laid out” in a speech to a joint session of Congress earlier in the year.
“It is deficit-neutral. It bends the cost curve. It covers 30 million Americans who don’t have health insurance, and it has extraordinary insurance reforms in there to make sure that we’re preventing abuse,” he said.
In the privacy of a presidential meeting, liberals vented their frustration at having to abandon the last vestige of a government-run insurance option in the legislation, a slow-motion concession made over many months, most recently to moderates including Sen. Joseph Lieberman, I-Connecticut.
Two days after jolting the leadership by threatening to oppose the measure if it included an expansion of Medicare, Lieberman said with the agreed-upon changes, “I’m going to be in a position where I can say what I’ve wanted to say all along: that I’m ready to vote for health care reform.”
That left Sen. Ben Nelson, D-Neb., the only known potential holdout among the 60 senators who are members of the party’s caucus, a group that includes 58 Democrats, Lieberman, and Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt.
Nelson has already has won key concessions from Majority Leader Harry Reid, including an agreement to leave in place the insurance industry’s exemption from anti-trust laws. He also is seeking changes to increase restrictions on abortion coverage in a new insurance marketplace the bill would establish.
“I have spoken with the president and he knows they are not wrapped up today,” Nelson told reporters of the changes he wants.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/12/15/obama-senate-on-the-preci_n_393173.html
December 20th, 2009 at 1:36 AM
I wonder if there was some jealousy. Remember, until Alan Grayson pointed out ‘Olympia Snowe wasn’t elected President’,.