The only way that the whole Lieberman fiasco can possibly be partially justified is if it results in the Democrats having an extra seat on every committee in the Senate. I say ‘partially’ because Lieberman could have sustained harsher punishment (like the loss of his Armed Services subcommittee chair) and still stayed in the caucus. One little piece of food for thought…if the Democrats run the table on the elections in Alaska (probable), Minnesota (iffy), and Georgia (doubtful), they will have 60 members in their caucus and they’ll be able to organize the Senate any old way they want. It will be that organizational vote that sets committee strengths that will be the real pay-off for accepting Lieberman back into the fold. As for filibusters, we still need to convince Ben Nelson, among others, to vote like a Democrat.
About The Author
BooMan
Martin Longman a contributing editor at the Washington Monthly. He is also the founder of Booman Tribune and Progress Pond. He has a degree in philosophy from Western Michigan University.
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No doubt that the numbers game is what the Democrats are thinking about. So why should they express their disdain for Lieberman when there might be higher goals in mind.
Joe sucks, no question about that. But why spite your….you know the saying. But many Democrats will feel nausea when they swallow on this one. If there is an upside, then tolerating Joe might be worth it.
I have yet to see any brilliant strategy out of the Democratic Congress.
Reid, even Pelosi, think numbers, not principles. Must be a political thing. Personally I am for principles and Joe should have been shunned, in the good old Quaker way. You play with the team you have, not the team you would like have.
So as things “changed” in this election, they remained the same.
Booman, you are completely missing the big picture here. Lieberman is a bête noir of progressives, and Beltway Democrats know that. This is about Senate Dems showing just how little they care about what we think or want. Even Kos understands this.
And it’s also worth reading what David Sirota has to say about this:
Senate Dems: “The Left Has Been Foiled”.
Why do you persist in the delusion that Congressional Dems are on our side? They see us as their enemy. They don’t represent us or the American people more generally; they represent the plutocracy that they belong to.
I hope you didn’t just realize that the United States Senate is the home of the plutocracy. The people’s house it ain’t. But it was never intended to be.
What was the point of the Seventeeth Amendment, then?
I didn’t realize you were so cynical.
Just wondering why President Bush is against helping GM, Ford and Chrysler? Did we get wage concessions from Bank of American, JPMorgan, and CitiGroup when we bailed them out.
I think GM should start closing its dealerships in Alabama and the home states of other Senators that oppose their “bridge Loan.” Like the one we gave to AIG.
Then why didn’t the postpone this for when the recounts were decided?
A good question. Apparently they may not be done soon enough.
Sorry for the stupid question, but how often are chairmanships decided? At the beginning of each legislative session?
each Congress…every two years.
The whole thing’s a crock of shit. This is the resistance to change happening, and it is taking the upper hand. If Obama out-geniuses all of the recidivist, ass-covering aristocrats in the American Establishment it will be the first time in a long time that such has happened. He is a very smart man, and I can only Hope (TM) that he has a strategy. But color me doubtful.
The Democrats in Congress are showing just how little interest they really have in the issues of Civil Rights and Liberties. There will be no consequences for the criminals in the Bush Administration, and the next generation of proto-fascist ideologues will learn the same lesson as the players in Iran-Contra: There are no consequences in the United States for abuse of power by the powerful, and the rule of law is a fairy tale used as window dressing for the cunning and as a locked gate to keep the interests of the majority strictly constrained. And ever shall it be. Tom Paine rolls in his grave.
Try old England ca. 1850. Marx took a look and made a life out of writing about what is going on here. Yes, “The whole thing’s a crock of shit.” Money talks, an old American saying.
with all the military show of force in the Gulf and Indian Ocean, what going on here with all the Somali pirates?.
This is the seventh cargo ship hijacked in the last twelve days— Makes 92 ships off the coast of Somalia for the year
BBC interview blames Bush for removing the Islamic Courts from power…said at least they kept peace and good order.
I am not even upset.
I was against Joe keeping the chair. But, we have a REALISTIC chance of 60, and if that takes kissing Joe’s butt, so be it. That, my friends, is politics. It is not the art of purity, but the art of the possible. And Joe is needed to get to 60.
So, here’s to Joe Lieberman. He now owes Obama, BIGTIME.
Owing is not something that moves Lieberman. Don’t forget, God put him where he is, not Obama. His only loyalty is to nonexistent objects. Which is pretty convenient, when you think about it.
Plus, the “60 vote” line is just nonsense — some kind of belief in magical numbers. What percentage of Senate votes are ever straight party line?
sistah sarah, queen of the 26%ers goes for the gold. Sarah Palin’s failure set to reap her $7m book deal
:
brings to mind warhols’ adage about 15 minutes of fame…combined with the old standard: strike while the iron’s hot…the lady is nothing, if not opportunistic.
h/t to mudflats, always a good read for all things pfalin.
npr is reporting that eric holder has been offered the position and has accepted…subject to senate approval, which obama’s aides have been privately courting:
change?
we shall soon see what change really means.
Well, it IS the Clintons’ third term!
not to mention how sloppy, leaky and disjointed the transition phase has become.
Move on …nothing new here…nothing to see.
Like all re-threads, material fatigue and blow outs do happen. Sooner, rather than later. And with this bunch, it’ll be sooner — the load is weighty.
Obama should have bought new.
Kansas Republican retaliate against members who donated to Barack Obama.
http://www.kansascity.com/news/local/story/895973.html