Hell No! Joe Lieberman Has Got to Go!

[SuperTrouper]

EXCERPT:
Sen Joe Lieberman likes to take center stage whenever he can, it seems, and this time he is threatening to side with the Republicans, and filibuster the Senate's health care bill unless the Democrats drop expanded Medicare coverage and the public option from the proposed bill. Joe, I like your way of doing business so much, that I have a counter-threat: if you make good on your plans to filibuster a bill that would provide health care to millions of uninsured and underinsured Americans, I will not only donate to your opponent in the next election, but I will volunteer for your opponent's campaign, and call as many Connecticut voters as I can. (I'm already a proud member of the face book group: if Joe Lieberman filibusters health care, I will donate to his opponent, and dear reader, you can join it, too.)

Why am I so fed up with Joe Turncoat Lieberman? As an internal medicine doctor who has been taking care of uninsured patients in community health centers for more than a dozen years, it seems utterly unjust that one legislator could derail the chance for millions more Americans to obtain health care coverage, especially since Congress is so close to passing a bill that does include a public option.

So, Joe, I can't afford to buy expensive medications for all of my uninsured patients who really need them. But I can afford to contribute to your opponent and make calls to Connecticut voters from my cell phone during the next campaign. By putting yourself in the middle of the universal health care debate, you may end up denying full expansion of health care to millions of Americans. It's only right that we deny you your Senate seat in the next election.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/sarah-lovinger/hell-no----lieberman-has_b_393853.html

[MNDemNY]

1. Never happen, he's Rahm's guy!!!

[grassfed]

2. "center stage" and "insurance co ties" explanations invalid....

Mike Malloy read this article by Iran-Contra investigator Robert Parry last night. It explains why common explanations such as Lieberman's ego or his ties to insurance companies don't hold up:

snip:
If Lieberman succeeds in sinking Obama’s chief domestic priority – health care reform – or waters it down so much that it alienates Obama from his liberal base, Obama may find himself essentially the captive of the neocons, needing their blessing to maintain any political viability in Washington.

Lieberman has been careful not to connect his disruptive behavior on health-care reform to his support for Israel, but there can be little doubt that a chastened Obama, either defeated on health care or forced to sign a bill that liberals will view as a betrayal, will have much less political capital to expend in applying pressure on Israel.

A hobbled Obama won’t be able to push Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to halt expansion of West Bank settlements or to take other steps that might lead to a Palestinian state. Obama also could be pushed around himself if Israel – itself an undeclared nuclear power – decides to launch airstrikes against Iran’s nuclear facilities.

more http://bartblog.bartcop.com/2009/12/15/robert-parry-on-lieberdouche-protecting-israel/

[Clio the Leo]

3. And there's this little sidenote...

US Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass.), the longest-serving openly Gay member of the House of Representatives, believes that repeal of Don't Ask Don't Tell (DADT) and passage of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) are on track for 2010.

In remarks to the Washington Blade newspaper, Frank said that passage of the Domestic Partnership Benefits & Obligations Act - which would give same-sex domestic partners of federal employees the same benefits as married spouses - was likely to clear all legal hurdles this year, followed by ENDA and DADT repeal in 2010.

"So I say," Frank said, "the schedule is the federal domestic partner benefits anytime in the next few months, ENDA out of the House in December or in February with the Senate voting in the spring, 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' part of the military authorization, which means into the summer."

"That one I'm the most confident is going to become law because I think you have Senate support for it - enough to get to the 60," Frank said, referring to the number of Senate votes needed to overcome a filibuster.

Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.) is sponsor of the Senate version of the legislation

http://www.sgn.org/sgnnews37_46/page3.cfm

Odd little fellow that Lieberman.

[Cha]

4. Everyone in the country who wants a better health bill

should bombard LIEberman with letters.