Traitor Joe

[katkat]

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/politics/sns-200912171559tmsbpresstt--m-a20091217dec17,0,1390938.story

"Yet when that very same plan -- call it "Lieberman's Plan" -- was added to Senate health care legislation, the sanctimonious senator from Connecticut told Majority Leader Harry Reid he could not support it. Not only that, he would invoke the power of a one-man filibuster to prevent the legislation from even coming to a vote on the Senate floor. With all due respect to Sen. Mansfield, what could possibly motivate any politician to make such a public and diabolical flip-flop?

No doubt, part of it is just pure revenge. Ever since being rejected by Connecticut Democrats in the 2006 primary, and getting re-elected as an Independent, Lieberman's been all about payback. That's why he endorsed John McCain for president, campaigned nonstop for him, spoke to the Republican National Convention, and declared Barack Obama unqualified to be president. But that's still not enough. For such a petty man and such a big ego, what better way to get even than to derail the president's number one legislative priority, even if it means leaving 47 million Americans without health insurance?

Lieberman never cared about them, anyway. Joe only cares about Joe -- and the Connecticut-based insurance companies that have financed his political career. He's taken more than $1 million from the industry during his Senate career. In his 2006 re-election campaign, he ranked second in insurance industry contributions. With good reason The New York Times calls him the "Million Dollar Man" -- the best senator money could buy.

Whatever his motives, Lieberman has worn out his welcome among Senate Democrats. They should have thrown him out of the Senate Democratic Caucus last year. They didn't. So now's the time. Toss Lieberman out of the caucus. Strip him of his chairmanship of the Homeland Security Committee. Then tell Lieberman that all legislation bearing his name has been put on permanent hold, and all funds earmarked for Connecticut have been re-assigned to Mississippi. He and his constituents must know there's a price to pay for disloyalty."

[tomm2thumbs]

1. kick, just to see 'Traitor Joe' on the main page where it belongs

I do want to know if there will be ramifications or if everything is just 'business as usual' after this whole thing ends

I think the Senate has swapped more spit than Tiger Woods lately