I have just written to Senator Lieberman's office to indicate that

[saltpoint]

I considered his public threat to support a filibuster of health care reform legislation to be "cowardly grandstanding."

In the emailed letter I recalled to Senator Lieberman the now-long-gone era when he left comfortable environs to join the fight in the American South for civil liberties for all citizens. That Joe Lieberman checked out of the hotel some decades ago, sad to say. The one remaining is a smarmy, self-important, attention-seeking obstructionist.

Subsequent to the Lieberman email I contacted Senator Reid's office. I reiterated the points made in the Lieberman email, including my characterization of Lieberman, and suggested to Senator Reid that he consider yanking a certain independent Senator from a Committee Chairmanship should that independent Senator make good on his filibuster support threat.

In a not-unrelated sentiment, I also suggested to Senator Reid that many folks out here in voterland volunteered for many Democrats up and down the ballot and donated significant, even record-breaking sums, to those blue candidates, with the added observation that as we fought for those Democrats, it was bloody right and high time those Democrats fought for us.

[Sebass1271]

1. Good!. They need to hear from us. They need to KNOW how

outraged we are at their cowardly behavior. Especially LIeberman and the other two dems who are obstructing the legislation

[saltpoint]

3. Lieberman failed to sympathize with Gore, with Gore's "loss" to Bush,

and in fact appeared to me to be nearly rooting for the other side.

Having failed to win outright a blue ticket to power, IMO Lieberman decided to be the contrarian, the Democrat who was actually with Bush, actually kind of Republican, certainly more conservative on key issues than the man he first defeated for the Senate seat, Lowell Weicker.

He must have looked at himself in the mirror before the SCOTUS selection of George W. Bush, and realized that his path to the history books could lie in the role of contrarian.

Appearances on FOX News shows!

His name quoted in various media correspondent to the number of issues he could lend support to Bush with.

That extremely televised smooch on Bush's face at the height of the Iraq lying.

And so forth.

Lieberman is a man of fluid loyalties. He has long abandoned his core principles and has become a sort of ego-monster, sucking up publicity by opposing Democratic initiatives, and opposing them even more vehemently when a great deal is at stake.

In essence, Lieberman's position is, "If the Democrats wouldn't nominate me in 2004, then I'm going to continue to take them down, promoting myself as 'sensible,' even if it means destroying the party and taking a lot of good people down with me."

[Sebass1271]

2. Good!. They need to hear from us. They need to KNOW how

outraged we are at their cowardly behavior. Especially LIeberman and the other two dems who are obstructing the legislation

[Ruby the Liberal]

4. You are arguing with a republican in Democratic clothing

but feel free to commence the head beating on the brick wall.

[saltpoint]

5. I exit unscathed from the Lieberman email.

No bruises, no cranial injuries.