Lodestar Lieberman
In moments of crisis, Gail Collins writes in the New York Times, “I generally recommend looking to see where Joe Lieberman is going. Then head the other way.”
Such wrong-way reliability, which has made Lieberman a lodestar for the anxious and confused, delivered two gems yesterday–on the Ft. Hood massacre and health care reform.
As investigators conclude that the shooting spree “was not part of a terrorist plot,” he announces that, as Senate Homeland Security chairman, he plans to launch a probe into the motives behind “the worst terrorist attack since 9/11.”
In a twofer on Fox News, the Independent Senator from Rupert Murdoch also renews his pledge to launch a filibuster against the public option in health care “put forward, I’m convinced, by people who really want the government to take over all of health insurance.”
That would never do for a statesman whose base includes the nation’s largest insurance companies, which contribute to his campaigns and employ his constituents.
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14 Responses to “Lodestar Lieberman”
Its natural that folks would be curious as to what the least partisan members of the Senate like Liebermann will do, especially when he may well be the swing vote. Snowe got a lot of attention when it was thought she would be.
Joe Lieberman is as out of touch on this issue as he was on Iraq. His partisanship centers around himself.
That seems to be true on the surface, but apparently not for a lack of trying – Officials: U.S. Aware of Hasan Efforts to Contact al Qaeda
On the First Issue, “the gunman was a terrorist”, I think there is plenty of evidence of that. An embracing of radical Islam by the gunman seems apparent.
On the Second Issue, “healthcare reform”, it would appear that not many people care what Joe thinks about this subject.
The lefties are at their typically low level. This is not hard for others to discern immediately:
Snowe: Acceptable Republican
Lieberman: Traitor Democrat
The more liberal wing of the Democrats us identical in their behavior to the more Conservative wing of the GOP. And they wonder why moderates don't care for either one of them much.
I've listened to Limbaugh as well as a number of far-lefty commenters. The lefties are obviously more extremist than Limbaugh is (Limbaugh is the object of hatred and delusional thinking and accusations by his many enemies — he's the Original Heterodox Heretic of liberal loathing). The lefties in fact are on a par with and sometimes worse than professionally provocative and controversial Ann Coulter. (When they are loud but not wacky, I like them, as well as when they rarely are insightful and valuable. Following Ed Schultz on health care “reform” and later on other issues is currently quite interesting.)
Leo, rather than erupt in foam about Club for Growth, the Obamaniacs and other hard-core lefties need to form their own beefier (apologies to vegans and animal-rights activists) “progressive” activist and lobbying groups. With the reality of people like George Soros, Al Gore, or John Edwards, they can afford to do it.
Me only hopes the good people of Connecticut care…
Very reasoned. Definitely glass house shots from the Dems on “litmus tests” and “purging”. Not that I care for our egocentric break-his-arm-patting-himself-on-the-back heretic from the fine state of Connecticut, but what makes the “I am shocked” crowd even worse is that ol' Joe is not a Democrat! They voted his two-timin' ass out of the primary and he took his ball and went home… only to the win the game as an Independent. If the Dems have had enough of our former-VP-nominee stabbing us in the rear, we should boot his ass from the caucus. But nooooooooooo. He's our sixtieth vote right?
I agree with the calling out the Joe Lieberman hand wringers on the left. (See my post above concerning the glass house, “I am shocked” Dems and their two-timin' pal Joe…) But let us not forget that Joe Lieberman has clearly proven himself over the years to be a rudderless and opportunistic pol of the worst kind. Am I delusional or was Joe not the Democratic Vice Presidential Nominee with Al Gore! Not exactly a moderate ticket. The liberal wing ideals of the party didn't bother him one bit when he had a personal shot at top power. Nor did he mind jumping ship to support the Republicans eight year later and campaign against the the Democratic nominee — all for same shot at power, but with very different stripes. Joe doesn't vote his conscience or his convictions… he plays for self promotion with whoever is in power. You don't have to be a leftie to observe that Lieberman's self serving about-faces scrape the bottom of the barrel.
“He's our sixtieth vote right?”
And imagine if he were to vote not only for “reform” legislation, but for a (suitably neutered) public option:
JOE LIEBERMAN, REJOINING THE FAMILY. JOE LIEBERMAN — HERO — PATRIOT!!!
“You don't have to be a leftie to observe that Lieberman's self serving about-faces scrape the bottom of the barrel.”
Well, the big issue here that is lurking behind Lieberman and every other example (more evident in the case of GOP RINOs and should-be-Dems, primarily in the Northeast) is that such people are adapting to a permenent establishment of themselves in office (able even to change with the various political trends or brief shifts of the political winds), because of the incumbency problem, which really is related to what is the ultimate problem, too much power and influence being centered in the federal government in DC.
Thats clearly an issue.. but so is Lieberman because of is seniority and power.