Why doesn't Joe Lieberman become a republican already?

[dajoki]

Lieberman ready to back bill without Medicare expansion, public option
http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/12/15/health.care.lieberman/

Washington (CNN) -- Connecticut Sen. Joe Lieberman said Tuesday he is prepared to back a comprehensive health care reform bill if it excludes both a public health insurance option and a provision allowing 55- to 64-year-olds to buy into Medicare.

If the public option and Medicare buy-in are removed from the bill, "then I'm going to be in a position where I can say ... that I'm ready to vote for health care reform," Lieberman told reporters on Capitol Hill.

Lieberman, an independent who caucuses with the Democrats, has emerged as the majority party's main obstacle to its efforts to get a health care bill through the Senate before Christmas. He threatened over the weekend to join a GOP filibuster if the legislation contains either the public option or the Medicare expansion.

If Republicans remain united in their opposition to health care legislation, Senate Democrats will need the backing of all 60 members of their caucus to end debate in the chamber and move to a final vote.

Final passage of the bill would then require only a simple majority of 51 votes.

<<snip>>

Before the meeting, liberal Democrats Tom Harkin of Iowa and Jay Rockefeller of West Virginia indicated that the Medicare buy-in would likely be dropped. While they didn't like the idea of dropping it, they suggested they would support a health care bill anyway.

Democrats "may have to do what Mr. Lieberman wants," Harkin told CNN.

Lieberman supported letting older workers buy into Medicare in 2000, when he was the Democratic vice presidential candidate, and as recently as September in comments to a Connecticut newspaper. But he said both Monday and Tuesday that the idea is no longer necessary.

"I didn't change my mind on the Medicare buy-in," he insisted Tuesday. But circumstances, he argued, had changed greatly over the past nine years. Among other things, the country now has huge deficits -- as opposed to a budget surplus -- and Medicare is now on verge of bankruptcy, he said.

[Kingofalldems]

1. Because he is sneaky and dishonest like his supporters

[dajoki]

Sounds like a republican to me n/t

[MNDemNY]

2. Because THEY would not give him any commitee chairs.

Plain and simple. WE give him "homeland security"

[dajoki]

3. Well we should take it away n/t

[MNDemNY]

6. But, alas, we will not.

DLC rules!!!

[dajoki]

24. Yet he campaigned...

for McCain, go figure.

[jobycom]

4. He's got no power as a Republican.

As a Republican he's just a minority senator both sides can ignore. As an Independent who caucuses with the Dems, he's got some leverage, but only if he votes with us most of the time.

Right now he's just spoiled and trying for revenge more than anything else. He doesn't care if he loses power, he just wants to hurt the Dems.

[atreides1]

5. Because he would be of no use

As a straight Repuke Lieberman would be of no use to the party! He's better where he's at now, as a constant fly in the ointment for the Democrats.

[dajoki]

15. He has it covered from all sides n/t

[RaleighNCDUer]

7. "an independent who caucuses with the Democrats"

Does that phrase not mean what I think it means? To "caucus with the Democrats", isn't he supposed to join the Democratic bloc, and vote with Democrats on Democratic legislation?

If he is voting exclusively with the Republicans, working for Republican causes, campaigning for Republicans, HOW THE FUCK IS THAT "CAUCUSING WITH THE DEMOCRATS"?

[dajoki]

12. That is what I'm talking about n/t

[Taverner]

8. He loves revenge, and plans on milking it as long as possible

People like him are unhinged, and need to be taken away from sharp objects. Same with Rahm

[Lyric]

9. Because he wants to be able to play them just like he's playing us.

Joe Lieberman illustrates the American "moderates" quite well. He is unwilling to fully commit to a side and stays parked right in the middle of the two camps, demanding attention and kow-towing in exchange for his precious vote. Instead of getting anything done, we spend all of our energy moving OUR campground closer to HIS, in hopes that we can convince him to join us for good.

But he's NEVER going to do that. He gets money, attention, perks, and power from playing both sides. Until we stop giving him those things, he has no reason to stop.

[MisterP]

10. because then Reid would have no excuse to cave to his every whim nt

[Bobbie Jo]

11. Because he can do more damage caucusing with the Dems.

If I were a puke, this is exactly where I want him.

[dajoki]

13. AHHHH, a double agent n/t

[graywarrior]

14. Why? He's getting more attention as an "Indenpendent"

He's a whining, narcissistic, serial lying, motherfucking asshole piece of shit.

[dajoki]

19. That was...

close to my original title for this thread, so I'm glad you got that in there.:thumbsup:

[Buns_of_Fire]

20. Well, okay, so he has a few personality flaws...

...but other than being a whining, narcissistic, serial lying, motherfucking asshole piece of shit, I understand he's a really swell person!

I think he's right where both parties want him: The rebubbalickins get an "inside man" to screw up Democratic plans, and the Democrats get their (ha!) filibuster-proof majority. It's a win-win for almost everybody! (Except for the 300 million or so people who live outside the beltway, but the Big Thinkers in Washington know that there's always s little collateral damage to contend with.)

[graywarrior]

21. Who gives a rats ass about 300 million citizens?

Obviously, we do not matter. Insurance Companies matter.

[WeDidIt]

16. He's waiting until the GOP has the majority in the Senate n/t

[el_bryanto]

17. Actually I wonder why he doesn't just get out and go to FOXnews

He could make good money over there as a "liberal" brought on to scold his former colleagues.

Bryant

[Orsino]

18. Because that would require his telling the truth. n/t

[dajoki]

22. The repubs...

are good liars and would be able to make a cover story for him.

[Hubert H. Hubert]

23. I'm pretty sure he became a de facto Republican

the moment he gave a speech at the fucking REPUBLICAN National Convention.

This is why I despise the term 'Independent' - Sanders and Lieberman have about as much in common as rainbows and ass herpes.