Kick Lieberman off the bus
To state the obvious, Joe Lieberman has the Democratic Party in a bit of a bind.
Clinging to a 51/49 margin in the Senate — with Dick Cheney ready, willing and able to leave his secure location to break tie votes — Democratic control of the body hangs by a microscopically thin thread — a fact Lieberman has been using to his advantage while repeatedly and joyously rubbing the Democrats’ faces in it.
Notwithstanding his repeated promises to the people of Connecticut (who now widely hate his guts, by the way) during his reelection campaign to continue to caucus as a Democrat, he quickly changed his spots (do snakes have spots?) as soon as the election was over. Since then he has repeatedly hinted at a willingness to consider going over to the GOP if his demands aren’t met.
Extortion is an ugly thing, isn’t it?
But the thing about extortion is that it works only for as long as the victim allows it to continue: and it’s time for Senate Democrats to “just say no” to Joe.
Actually, it isn’t even clear that Lieberman formally jumping (or being pushed) to the Republicans would change anything structurally in the Senate. Under the Senate’s intricate rules the current organizing resolution, at least arguably, would remain in force keeping the Democrats in charge. Still, losing majority status would doubtlessly make life more difficult, and the GOP would likely hatch endless schemes to reclaim control.
But frankly, my dear Democratic Senators, I don’t give a damn. Not anymore.
It’s time to kick Joe Lieberman’s sorry butt off the Democratic bus, and let the consequences fall where they may. It’s bad enough that he’s been openly campaigning for John McCain. But his recent endorsement of Bill Kristol’s absurd slander comparing Barack Obama to Karl Marx is a deal breaker. If that doesn’t cross the line, well, then there just ain’t no line no more.
NAPITALIANO: Hey Sen. Lieberman, you know Barack Obama, is he a Marxist as Bill Kristol says might be the case in today’s New York Times? Is he an elitist like your colleague Hillary Clinton says he is?
LIEBERMAN: Well, you know, I must say that’s a good question. I know him now for a little more than three years since he came into the Senate and he’s obviously very smart and he’s a good guy. I will tell ya that during this campaign, I’ve learned some things about him, about the kind of environment from which he came ideologically. And I wouldn’t…I’d hesitate to say he’s a Marxist, but he’s got some positions that are far to the left of me and I think mainstream America.
Lieberman knows he has no future in the Senate. He’s banking on a top job in the McCain Administration; and he’ll be more than happy to use his position as an “Independent Democrat” to help torpedo the Democratic nominee.
Senate Democrats should show this miserable bastard the door, at least in terms of stripping him of his committee chairmanship (which he isn’t doing anything with anyway). If they’re lucky, the Republicans will tempt fate by trying to grab control, thereby tying the Senate up into knots. Nothing’s going to be accomplished legislatively before November anyway. Why not let the GOP take the fall?
Lieberman clearly intends to spend the next seven months as McCain’s puppet master, ever ready to jump in each time he has a senior moment (oldfartgate anyone?): so be it. But we shouldn’t let him carry the banner of a Democratic Senate committee chairman while he’s doing it.
Seriously, could anything be more obvious?
April 15th, 2008 at 11:53 am
If you do so, kick him through the fron window.
April 15th, 2008 at 11:38 pm
Lieberman is a sorry excuse for a human being. Like all traitors, he stinks up any room he enters. The people of Connecticutt got what they deserve. The decent people of this country did not. He is worse than a bad case of constipation. The spineless Dems surely should kick his butt out the door. Let him spin and scheme. He and the Repugs will simply entangle themselves in their own web of corruption and deceit. They have made it impossible to do much about any of the major issues that confront us today. Their maniacal support of Bush and Iraq are helping to destroy this country economically. Let them get the blame they so richly deserve. Lieberman is a bad joke in poor taste. Boo him off the stage.
April 16th, 2008 at 1:36 am
“i am the spirit that always denies”
slander?
“Communism” - just a hint and the pavlov reflexes work…
Ever read Karl Marx? And why do you think did the Brits vote for Karl Marx as the In Our Time’s Greatest Philosopher (27,93%)?
and no - i wouldn’t have voted for Marx and i think that Marx made some really big mistakes (but that’s about the conclusions, not necessarily the facts he described, but then - how could he have known better - in his times?)
but yes - i get alarmed about each and every “self-evidence”, self-evidences are too useful for some parts of a society believing in those “truths without proofs” - simply meaning that brains don’t do their jobs anymore, just react on some triggers - bad thing, really bad thing…
and “Karl Marx” is a trigger like that - despite the fact, that everyone should ponder and wonder about a man who was able to influence millions - should ask why and how he could do that (remember? You don’t have to agree when you listen to other’s thoughts!)…
just a quote: “capitalism itself will be displaced by communism, a classless society ” (for a moment, forget the “dictatorship of the proletariat”) - today there are many people wondering if capitalism is in the final stage - when profits are private, while losses are socialized - and there are many people believing that the The Wisdom of Crowds is smarter than the wisdom of a few (leaders) - especially bloggers have to think that way, i guess…
and so - if you look at history - can’t it be that Karl Marx is punished for the deeds of his followers - like Lenin and Stalin? Without wanting to offend religious feelings - isn’t that like punishing Jesus for the Spanish Inquisition?
just a step aside…
and…. couldn’t it be that it is something like a compliment - to compare Obama to the philosopher of our time who (maybe) had the biggest impact on our world?
Please, don’t be offended - but how will you change things when you don’t change thinkings? How will you be free when you don’t free your thoughts?
Doubt is the father of invention - Galileo Galilei
April 16th, 2008 at 7:37 am
Kick him off the bus, kick him to the curb, kick him down the road, kick him in the head and then POW Bang Zoom, to the moon!
April 16th, 2008 at 12:12 pm
Again: I’ve read Marx & I have to agree with you. Though he failed to take into account the avarice and greed of many people, at least he thought. And I find many of his thoughts salient today. And remember what conditions were like in factories and on farms when he wrote.
April 17th, 2008 at 1:38 am
Chuck
“chinese conditions”, yes - so maybe the next world changing thinker will be a Chinese (again)?
ok, let us learn Chinese - the next Jefferson may have (how to say that without being offending?) “slim” eyes
and let us not give up, let us start the Renaissance again if necessary - Democracy must survive…