Nov 25 It's Gotta Be Good To Be Joe Lieberman

If you do not regularly follow politics you may not know Senator Joseph Lieberman.  He is now an independent (former Democrat) Senator from Connecticut, and was the VP Nominee under the man who created the Internet, Al Gore, in 2000.

In 2006, he was forced out of the Democrat Party for a number of unforgivable party sins that had been adding up over the years.  He was the Senator who broke with his party by pointing out that President Clinton was wrong in his moral character during the Lewinsky affair.    He was highly criticized until Democrats realized he was actually correct, and they needed him on the ticket if they were going to win in 2000.  They rest, as they say, is history.    

However, the unforgivable sin was his support of the war on terror.  It is usually pointed out in the press how Republicans are the ones with a small political tent and the required "litmus test" to join the party.  Here is a high-profile example of how the Democrat Party treats people that are not liberal enough.  They will use your vote and good reputation when they need it, and force you out when they feel they can do without you.  Blue Dog's pay attention here because this is not a conspiracy theory being thrown out at a town-hall meeting!!  It is fact.

Senator Lieberman, whom I do not agree with on a number of fiscal and social issues, has always had my respect for being true to his views and speaking his mind even if it is unpopular.  He's always been willing to call it like he sees it.  He has played the political game very astutely at the risk of his own political longevity, and he's played the game better that most......he is still here.

The Wall Street Journal Online has a great article:"Lieberman Digs In On Public Option".  The point of the article is that Senator Lieberman will kill the Health Care Reform Bill if it contains any form of a public option.  The Public Option is a must of liberals in the party.  Even changing the word (Public Option) to some other name (like Grandma's Apple Pie Option) but still having it really be a public option, Lieberman says, will still result in a dead bill.  In the Senate the Democrats need sixty votes to get a vote on a final bill.  They have to have Senator Joseph Lieberman.  The tables have turned on the Democrats, and It's Gotta Be Good To Be Joe Lieberman.

What it means politically is Senator Lieberman could get a "bridge to know where" if he wanted one.  It could be named after him, paved in gold, and connect Connecticut to Alaska providing Keynesian style jobs for years to come which he would likely be in favor of.  The leadership would give up anything to get that vote that includes the public option.  

Will Lieberman be able to be persuaded to vote "yes" if Connecticut can have everything under the sun?  His past history would indicate that this is not the case, but we will watch the month of December as this bill changes to see who blinks first: Liberals who pushed him out of the party and have a lot to lose, or Joe Lieberman.  Anyway you look at it: It's Gotta Be Good To Be Joe Lieberman.

PS:  I wonder what Minnesota is getting with the votes of our two inexperienced Senators.  Apparently just the satisfaction of knowing how liberal they are, and that they believe in a form of government that takes over a large percentage of the US Economy at the expense of deep cuts to our seniors.  Opinion provided fee and tax free!!!

Cross-posted at America's Small City Mayor.