"Nobody's Showing Up To Joe Lieberman's TEA Party"

[Clio the Leo]

Nobody's Showing Up To Joe Lieberman's TEA Party
Brian Beutler | May 7, 2010, 12:38PM

It's probably a safe bet that if House Republican Leader John Boehner backs away from a conservative, terrorism-related bill called "TEA," the legislation both goes too far, and isn't going anywhere.

Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-CT) captured big headlines, and interesting supporters, when he proposed the Terrorist Expatriation Act, which would amend current law to allow the State Department to revoke the citizenship of Americans they deem to be members of foreign terrorist organizations. Sen. Scott Brown (R-MA) joined his push. So did House Democrat Jason Altmire, who hails from a competitive district in Pennsylvania.

But that's about all she wrote.

Almost everybody else of consequence--including the conservative Boehner--has, at least, questioned the viability of the proposal, and, at most, blasted it as unconstitutional, and reminiscent of some of the uglier moments in U.S. history.

New York's Chuck Schumer was the first to come out against it. The third-ranking Democrat in the Senate "believes it would be found unconstitutional in this context and would also be ineffective." According to a statement his spokesman issued after it was inaccurately reported that Schumer would back Lieberman, Schumer believes "here are much better ways of obtaining information from terrorists."

"I have not heard anybody inside the administration that's been supportive of that idea," said White House Spokesman Robert Gibbs at his press conference yesterday.

And for perhaps the first time this Congress, the top Democrat and the top Republican in the House agreed: "TEA" is for neither party.

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2010/05/nobodys-showing-up-to-joe-liebermans-tea-party.php

[louis-t]

1. Why is Lieberman so useless?

[Clio the Leo]

2. He's not TOTALLY useless...

http://www.advocate.com/News/Daily_News/2010/03/03/Lieberman_Introduces_DADT_Repeal_Bill/

[RaleighNCDUer]

3. Since he doesn't specify, I assume he is refering to revoking citizenship

of native-born Americans - there has always been a process for denaturalizing naturalized citizens in the courts.

This would (were such a thing passed) make those persons stateless.

Of course, the REAL motive behind this is to be able to deny them their rights as citizens, so the government could imprison them for life without trial - even execute them if it wished, as there would be no foreign government who would be compelled to protect them due to citizenship.

Joe, you've finally done it. You've become a Nazi.

[Cha]

4. Brwawawawa freakin' jingoistic attentionwhore..and

that goes for his sidekick scott brown, too.

[gateley]

5. Ooh -- Lieberman gets dissed by Boehner, of all people. Does ANYBODY like

Joe any more, except Brown? Any why is he hanging w/him, anyway? If he wants to learn from the best, he's hitched his whatever the saying is to the wrong star.

[Jennicut]

6. McLame and Lindsey Graham. He actually has one of the lowest approval ratings of any sitting Senator

In the 30% approval range. Most people I talk to here in CT hate him...independents and Dems. Only Rethugs like him but he won in 2006 with a coalition of all 3 groups and he needs the independents at the very least in 2012. My guess is he may retire.

[gateley]

7. I hope he doesn't retire -- I hope he runs and gets creamed. Isn't that mean of me? nt

[Jennicut]

10. Oh, I hope so too. But looking at those numbers, it doesn't look good for him.

[CTLawGuy]

12. I wouldn't take the risk of him

actually winning.

[boppers]

8. Dear Connecticut:

Thank you for making us look less stupid.

Signed,

Arizona

[Ikonoklast]

9. "Lieberman, party of one...Lieberman, party of one..."

I hope he lives a long life, and dies in obscurity.

[Dr Morbius]

11. A short gift for Senator Lieberman

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XrDxlf9bMYU