Ultimately, it's not so astonishing that a senator from a state with so many insurance companies is carrying water for them. Many of those voters three years ago were probably hoping he would do something like that.

This doesn't mean I don't hate him any less, it's just that his jumping from rationale to rationale can be explained by another reason: he doesn't want to do anything that would hurt insurance companies. It doesn't matter if people die, as long as his corporate masters are pleased with how he dances his elfin jig on the senate floor.

That doesn't mean we can't hold him accountable. We could always TP his house.

Also: prank phone calls. That'd teach him.

wow, can't believe Dean is calling for kill the bill..

What do you all think?

At a point in his career when some would be polishing their legacies, Lieberman is just settling scores. This is the consequence of the Lamont campaign in 2006 and all those Democrats who "turned on him," and is just another example of the adage, "if you try to kill the king, you'd better kill the king." The lesson here isn't that we shouldn't support the Lamonts of the future; it's that we have to make sure they win.

Has anyone considered the possibility he is mentally ill ?

wow, can't believe Dean is calling for kill the bill..

What do you all think?

I think Howard Dean is not currently holding elected office.

Oh, Connecticut, what have you wrought?

People do not have to let him get away with this. It has been pointed out in many places that the leadership and executive branches have many ways to punish this villain. It has been mentioned that his chairmanship can be removed. There are other things. Any bill he brings up should be put on hold by another senator. Any road or water or public utilities bill for the state of Connecticut should be either voted down or slowed down. Too bad for the people of Connecticut, but they elected him! Any pet projects need to be voted down. I will bet my eye teeth he has some sweet deal cooking for Israel that could be put on the back burner. If he wallks away with this a winner, we are all the losers!Move him to a basement office. Cut his staff and their salaries.

re: kill the bill: yes, it's time to put an end to Emmanuel's dog and pony show. I don't want to be part of the crowd that cheers this piece of shit for shoving his tactical compromises up our collective ass.

The Lieberwhinner has always been a petulant child. Until mommy Democrats put him in time-out, he'll continue to rant and rave and stomp his feet to get attention.

So put him in time-out, for chrissake!

this was originally said in reference to Jackie Mason, but jewish progressives should start a petition asking Joe to have his foreskin sewn back on.
Hey, is that covered under the public employee health plan?

Lieberman cares about what the insurance corporations pay him to care about: namely, protecting their profits against the best interests of the American people.

The so-called "reform" bill will permanently entrench the power and wealth of the insurance corporations and guarantee their profits, by requiring all Americans to buy insurance from for-profit corporations. It will do nothing whatever to provide the American people with the health care that they need, want and deserve.

Why should we expect anything different when US Senators are paid agents of the insurance companies?

Sadly, not only is there no recall option, there is apparently no sanity clause either.

-Z

Has anyone considered the possibility he is mentally ill ?

Insofar as I say so every day, yes.

And it's going to be really annoying to have his staff telling the whole sordid story on cable news several years from now.

There are lots of rich insurance industry voters in CT. Also, some very dumb Democrats. Combine that with the Republicans who voted against their under-supported GOP candidate and were directed by Hannity, et al to cast a vote for the ass that is Lieberman and you have the worst nightmare in the Senate, compliments of a confused CT. Imagine for a moment what Lamont would have meant for the Senate, and weep with the rest of us CT who actually HAD a proper clue.

There's also no way to punish him retroactively if he "just happens" to get a lucrative position with a think tank or insurance company when (?) he leaves office. You can wag your finger and say that he was doing the insurance company's bidding and knew he was going to get paid off in a few years, but the only response would be "Oh yeah? Prove it."

The 6-year term was put into place to allow a lawmaker some protection from short-term thinking. But there are serious downsides, as we can see.

And anything that impacted negatively on CT would affect Chris Dodd who is having trouble *now*. Take away Lieberman's dam and public works projects, and Dodd get punished, not him.

"Has anyone considered the possibility he is mentally ill ?"

Yes, I believe it's formally called "sociopath behavior".

I don't know if he's mentally ill..although he's clearly off kilter..and clearly he has double crossed us all..led Reid to believe he'd vote yes last week, and now comes in with this..something has gone awry.. he's certainly power and attention hungry and..I no longer care really..
Although I would love his position to be removed.

I just care what is the truth right now -- given what's left in the bill..and if it will do more harm than good, than I agree to Kill it off..

even if that's what Joe wanted..I don't care..I want to know ONLY will it do more harm than good at this point? I am very unclear what the harm is..folks are saying Obama lied on several points he made just about an hour ago...

Don't worry about him not having any friends... Lieberman will always have Harry Reid.

Politico displays all the integrity and honesty of Lieberman. If you support Politico, what's your beef with Lieberman?

Charles Pierce even brought it up again in his latest letter at Altercation.

Why support a snake in the grass?

There was a very humane procedure used in many US territories and even a few states, during the 19th century, that probably could be revived for Lieberman. I believe it was called tarring and feathering. I figure that since he's lost his last traces of humanity, and refuses to think about the suffering in his state, he could at least provide his constituents with a little entertainment.

Joe apparently sold his soul, so this doesn't trouble him anymore.

Z. Mulls Let the Connecticut voters go to Dodd if they want something from the federal government. Nothing should be permitted to pass successfully through Lieberman's hands. He should be politically emasculated.

Joe is repugnant! He is playing God, and he will be condemned to an eternal Hell for what he can't help himself from doing - preening over his earth-sized ego while his fellow Americans are dying! -Kevo

Until liberals are willing to hold those who enable Holy Joe accountable, they will continue to get crapped on. Yes, that means primary challenges for Reid and Obama.

I have my doubts that Lieberman is an American citizen. I demand he produce a birth certificate or face deportation.

Rework the Senate bill to include only language to rein in insurance co. abuses, like recission practices, "pre-existing conditions", absurd rate hikes, etc. Get LIE-berman and other "moderates" on board to pass the bill, then immediately introduce a public option and Medicare buy-in bill using budget reconciliation.

Be sure to give LIE-berman the finger as the bill is introduced.

This may seem a glib comparison, but I'm reminded of a recent episode of Heroes where Sylar beats a mechanic with a tyre iron to illustrate the power dynamic. Sociopaths do as they do, because they don't care, the rest of us unfortunately do care so are constrained.

He should quit and start focusing on the Liebermann/Palin 2012.

am I wrong to assume that most of the people who voted for him would not do so now?

wow, can't believe Dean is calling for kill the bill..

1. Howard Dean is smarter than Joe Lieberman.

2. Joe Lieberman has admitted, explicitly, that his barometer for the health care reform bill is whether liberals are happy with it: If liberals are happy, he's opposed.

3. Howard Dean is smarter than Joe Lieberman.

This sequence from The Dark Knight reminds me of Joe Lieberman...

Bruce Wayne: Criminals aren't complicated, Alfred. We just need to figure out what he's after. [Brings up the new batsuit in the cave, distracted, trying to think]

Alfred: With respect, Master Wayne, perhaps this is a man that you don't fully understand either. A long time ago, I was in Burma. My friends and I were working for the local government. They were trying to buy the loyalty of tribal leaders by bribing them with precious stones. But their caravans were being raided in a forest north of Rangoon by a bandit. So we went looking for the stones. But in six months, we never met anyone who had traded with him. One day I saw a child playing with a ruby the size of a tangerine. The bandit had been throwing the stones away.

Bruce Wayne: So why steal them?

Alfred: Well, because he thought it was good sport. Because some men aren't looking for anything logical, like money. They can't be bought, bullied, reasoned or negotiated with. Some men just want to watch the world burn.

candideinnc what makes you think Lieberman cares what happens to Connecticut? He knows he's not going to get reelected so he's putting all his eggs in becoming an insurance company consultant. The people of Connecticut support a public option. Lieberman's just as happy to be screwing the people of Connecticut as the rest of the country, maybe more. After all, we dared to actually contest his god-given right to be Senator.

NBR -- I have no doubt that Lieberman doesn't give a damn about Connecticut. He cares about POWER. That is what you have to take away from him. If he can't produce BS for any constituents, he loses his place in the sun. I want him where he belongs, in the furnce room or something.

Z.Mulls -- Actually, there is a way to to handle Lieberman's possible future career as an insurance industry lobbyist, too.

It's lucrative for an ex-Senator only because he has access and influence to peddle. (Otherwise everyone could do it.) But if Democratic Senators made it clear to Lieberman and especially to insurance execs that Joe has no friends in the Senate, his value drops. And Joe knows it. So why doesn't Reid do this? Gee, let me think....

Jeri

He takes special pride in showing off his religious observance- walking on Saturday and so on. He has completely forgotten what his religion is based on- summed up in the single world - justice.
Better he should eat pork chops in the Senate chamber and vote for the health bill. He would be a better Jew

Jeri--
We all act as though Reid doesn't punish Lieberman for some collegial senatorial "Hail Good Fellow" reason. There may be more to it than that. After all his years in the Senate cloakroom, I have no doubt that Lieberman has a lot of dirt on people. He strikes me as just the kind of sleaze that would blackmail his former colleagues.

I have a roster of blogs I check frequently and I am a great fan of this blog. Mostly, you inform me and keep me sane.

However, the Pious Fraud, Holier than G-d Joe Lieberman, has made me so angry I am sorry I voted for him on Gore/Lieberman. The idea of this tinhorn, terrorist dictator for life being in the Oval Office maddens and frightens me.

The Dems MUST kick Lieberman out of the Caucus and take away his chairmanships.

The least the Democratic Party can do is to take its own side in this fight. I despise Lieberman and I loathe the way he stabs the Senate and the country in the back over and over while enriching and elevating himself.

Government of The Lieberman, by the Lieberman, and for the Lieberman MUST perish from the earth. Now.

"Lieberman's just as happy to be screwing the people of Connecticut as the rest of the country, maybe more. After all, we dared to actually contest his god-given right to be Senator."

Aye

And if Dodd wants to improve his election chances he better stop being holy joes defender

candideinnc--
You may be right. My thoughts were it had something to do with Reid's $100,000 plus in insurance company contributions. But there is some motive other than "friendship", that's for sure.

jeri

Actually, I wish Gore/Lieberman ticket would have won..Gore would not have gotten us embroiled in Iraq, would have done so much for climate change and wow..so much would have been different..maybe we wouldn't be so panicked with the health care debacle as well..there might have been more reform..

And Lieberman as V.P. would have much less power than he has now as a bitter crusty arrogant ass with no-one in mind but himself.

I think the Senate should expel him. He is ethically challenged. A conflict of interests does not even scratch the surface with that schmuck. Where there is a smokey fire, there is a conflagration.

Joe the Lieberman has really pissed off even establishment dems.

He should be receiving some sternly worded letters in his Hartford mailbox.

There was another character from Connecticut who Joe resembles in a few ways. Both lived for a time in New Haven and both were highly honored by their neighbors in the early parts of their public careers. Eventually they both began to feel under-appreciated for their service. Bitterness drove them to seek allies on the other side.
This second Connecticut man was Benedict Arnold.
oldswede

I think there might be a constitutional way to recall federal officials. The Constitution says that a senator or a representative must reside in the state they represent, but leaves residency requirements to the states. A state could pass a law giving voters the option of revoking a federal representative's legal residency in their home state and thus their eligibility to hold office.

Israel gets something like $2 to $5 billion a year from the US. Since Joe Lieberman is so concerned about the cost of health care let's put forward the Joe Lieberman Health Financing Bill that reroutes all that money into health care and let Israel thank Joe for that.

Is there a way to recall Obama? Sorry, but I don't really see any difference between Lieberman's sellout behavior and Obama's. At least Lieberman has the guts to admit where he stands, whereas Obama tries to conceal his actions:

"Obama administration officials were not pleased when word leaked out earlier today that the White House was leaning on Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid to cut a deal with Joe Lieberman on a public option alternative--and they gave their counterparts on the other end of Pennsylvania Ave. an earful about it. But in the end, sources are unanimous: The White House wants Reid to hand Joe Lieberman the farm."

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/12/rahm-to-reid-give-lieberman-what-he-wants.php

I propose a "Send your Medical Bills to Liberman" campaign.

For as long as that turd is in office send all of your medical bills to him along with a note explaining that since he is against government insurance, he should be responsible for paying these bills himself.

This may seem a glib comparison, but I'm reminded of a recent episode of Heroes where Sylar beats a mechanic with a tyre iron to illustrate the power dynamic.

"The whole world is my hostage." -- Joe Lieberman to Congressional Democrats (originally Sylar to Matt Parkman).

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