I'd just like to express my congratulations to former democratic senator from Connecticut, Joseph Lieberman. Filing to run for reelection to the senate as an independent after his primary loss to democratic candidate, Ned Lamont, will do much to stop the slings and arrows of democrats, not just of his home state, but the nation as well.
As an independent, democrats will not care how far Lieberman sticks his head up president Bush's ass. So once more, "Congratulations, senator Lieberman!" (Ah, can you hear me in there?)
NOTE (Part II) After posting this, I was reminded how gentle I was on Joe Lieberman above while listening to Ralph Nader expound on Lieberman below:
Senator Lieberman would have lost even bigger last night if Lamont's people actually expanded their criticism of Senator Lieberman as big business’s favorite Democratic senator, not just George Bush's favorite Democratic senator.
The most aggressive, cruel and insensitive business lobby and the most powerful in Washington is the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, and they have enthusiastically endorsed Senator Joseph Lieberman, one of only two Democratic senators they've endorsed out of 46 Democratic senators. And they have given him the highest cumulative score in their ranking of any Democratic senator in the Northeast, and for good reason.
He has supported the U.S. Chamber of Commerce positions, not only on capital gains tax cuts, he supported NAFTA and WTO and CAFTA, which have depleted jobs here, high-paying jobs here in Connecticut. He has supported the Chamber's drive to weaken the rights of injured workers and consumers and defrauded investors from having their full day in court against the perpetrators of their misery.
He has supported the Exxon-Cheney energy bill, that notorious energy bill that was signed into law last year that subsidized big oil’s profiteering, weakened environmental standards in a variety of ways and made sure that there were no further advances in fuel efficiency for motor vehicles. And here in Connecticut, like everywhere else, they're paying $3.40 - $3.50 a gallon, and it's going up. So he hasn't done anything on that.
And then, finally, on the labor issue, he's not been outspoken on the minimum wage like Senator Kennedy. He has not pushed for labor law reform to give workers a chance to organize. He has not gone after OSHA because of its weak enforcement of the Occupational Safety and Health laws. 58,000 American workers die every year, according to OSHA, from worker-related diseases and trauma.
So, in many, many ways, including never challenging the military budget -- that's the Chamber of Commerce position, as well -- never really in 18 years advancing universal health insurance. That's a Chamber of Commerce provision.
So, you know, the question I ask Joe Lieberman is, is he going to repudiate publicly the Chamber of Commerce's endorsement and campaign support -- lots of money from businesses in his campaign -- and is he going to challenge the Chamber of Commerce's drive all over the United States in hundreds of campaigns, working overtime to undermine his own Democratic Party and its more progressive candidates? Well, calls to four Lieberman offices in Washington and Connecticut last week received no answer to the question: Joe Lieberman, are you going to reject the Chamber of Commerce's endorsement of you?
So, he goes around, including this morning, saying he's a progressive Democrat and a progressive independent Democrat. So I think the struggle is going to be between the progressive Democrats and the corporate Democrats, who for years have dominated the party and has had Joe Lieberman as one of their charter members.
Attribution: Democracy Now! , August 9, 2009
7 comments:
ahh, my friend, i doubt if he hears anyone right now...
this loss was a big one and i believe it is fortelling of the election to come...
now, we'll see what they 'scramble' to get passed before then...sigh
I'm only too glad to see Lieberman lose the demo primary, but his retaliation of running as an independent in the gen'l is of concern. I sure hope the repub challenger is as weak as predicted (that it's not another rove inspired lowering of expectations to lull us into complacency). Because otherwise, by dividing the dem vote, all ole'joe will have done is insure the repubs win another senate seat.
haha, "the Exxon-Cheney Energy Bill"!! Oh, I love Nader's clear thinking on so many subjects (but still have a hard time forgiving him for 2000, sigh). His critique of the USCofC is totally accurate. Another scam involves their supposed support of "small business" by mandating apprx 1/4 of all govt contracts be awarded to "small business". And how did the bush regime get around that little obstacle? By redefining "small" business so that even microsoft qualifies now! I think I got that info at Jurassic Pork's new blog.
http://www.welcome-to-pottersville.blogspot.com/
oh, and as far as Lieberman sticking his head up bush's ass, well, let's not forget where his lips have been, cuz if i'm not mistaken joe's lips did pucker in response to bush's scrofulitic contact. D.K.
Let Loserman run independent. Does seem somewhat hypocritical, after he called in the big Dem guns to endorse him. It shows exactly where his own loyalty lies; to himself. I hope Connecticut hands him his hat again in November -- the country needs to rid itself of these neo-royals. God bless old Ralph; "the struggle is going to be between the progressive Democrats and the corporate Democrats". He swatted that one out of the park, without the use of steroids to boot.
And DK, I know how you feel about 2000; but consider this. Had many of the black voters in Florida not been ROBBED of their votes, President Gore would be offering tax vacations for everyone making under $50K a year to cover their roofs with solar panels as we speak. Probably supervised by Secretary of the Interior Ralph Nader. The only problem in this alternate universe would be that Lieberboy would be VP. Much as he sux, I'm willing to bet Joe wouldn't be getting beered up and peppering his buddies with birdshot on the weekends.
It'd still be a better world.
mel, I like your alt universe! And seeing as how Joe is all about Joe, I'm thinking he would've been a better man under Gore cuz that's where his interests would've lain. I STILL feel in my guts Gore did offer Nader (in a my people will talk to your people kind of way) whatever position he wanted, but couldn't overcome ralph's principles. and I DO love ralph, he was one of my heroes back in the day. can't really fault a man for all seasons too much, I guess. now the thought of Joey all beered up, yckhhh, thanks for putting that picture in my head! D.K.
Sorry 'bout the mental image, DK...now that I think about it, it is pretty blood-curdling!
You're probably right about Nader and principles; Gore's stepped up to tell us an inconvenient truth, but Ralph's been telling us about uncomfortable truths unvarnished for almost half a century. That's what I call an American hero.
nice thread. I'm sure Gore won Florida despite Nader. Who can forget the image on election nite, 2000, with Gore in the lead and the network flashing to Bush watching the Fla returns with his wife, his mom and dad and him saying smugly as they asked of Gore's lead, "It ain't over yet." His cock-suredness cemented in my mind the fix was in.
But Gore really lost me that one with his VP selection and pandering to Floridan Cubans over Elian.
I have nothing to forgive of Nader. However, Gore has earned my forgiveness of his campaign that year by his tireless pursuit of TRYING desperately to shake us to awareness.
Well put, Dada...the Gore-Lieberman ticket was far from perfect, but history has shown only too well it would have been a much better choice than what the Republicans were offering (and forced through into office; hanging chad my big white ass).
I'm striving to remind everybody to do two things -- remember the past, and Don't Stop Thinking About Tomorrow! We'll get these bastids yet.
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