Lieberman slams Bush, Dean for positions on big business

[Rose Siding]

PALO ALTO -- Democratic presidential candidate Joe Lieberman launched a two-front assault Thursday on the subject of government accountability, accusing the Bush administration of allowing business interests to set public policy and Democratic rival Howard Dean of promoting "a vast new regime of government intervention and re-regulation."

In a speech to the Commonwealth Club, Lieberman attacked the former Vermont governor for pledging earlier this week to re-regulate business sectors such as utilities and media companies.

"He would increase the tax burden on the middle class, raise trade barriers and now invite new micromanagement of business," Lieberman said of Dean.

Lieberman, who casts himself as a centrist best positioned to challenge Bush on the issue of integrity, praised the free market for encouraging investment, innovation and competition. But he criticized the Bush administration for appointing corporate insiders to regulate industries in which they had worked and profited.

"You know the old saying about foxes guarding the hen house," Lieberman said. "But George Bush has the foxes guarding the foxes, leaving whole industries less accountable and less protected."

Lieberman later acknowledged that, as a senator, he had not objected to the confirmation of several of the officials he had singled out for criticism. more....................

http://www.thedesertsun.com/news/stories2003/election/20031121030410.shtml

[wryter2000]

1. Yeah, well

Lieberman can pay my power bill. Thanks, Enron.

[catzies]

2. Three words for the "distinguished gentleman" from CT...

Pot. Kettle. Black.

:)

[displacedvermoter]

3. GOP has been slamming government employees for years

so I find the comments of the GOP spokesperson pretty ironic!

[Kolesar]

4. Dean to re-regulate business sectors such as utilities &media companies?

That sounds like an excellent idea.

[BayCityProgressive]

5. When will Joe go away?

Didn't Clark say something similar? I for one hope Dean gets the nomination. We need more accountability for big corporations. Joe was a whorebag for Enron though so what do you expect?

[Code_Name_D]

6. Clark did say something simuler

But he always came up short of calling for regulations on the endistry. But this week, Clark openly came out against regulations, using the GOP talking points of "proteconisem" and "government interfearince has never worked." He even came out against new regs for mediea, which would be required to make inforcment of equal access to the media.

Talkng about something means nothing if you come against the means to act on your words.

[sangh0]

7. Dean has supported DE-regulation of energy

/

[Metrix]

8. Howard supports whatever position

is polling best this week.

[Rose Siding]

18. He holds the position supported by facts

HOWARD DEAN: "Of course I've changed my position. You'd have to be an idiot not to change your position based on facts."

http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/politics/july-dec03/iowa_11-20.html

[Khephra]

10. Yes...at one time

but his position has changed.

You never change your mind about anything, do you? He's stated that he was wrong (no less than on tv last night), and he's said that now that he has new info he's changed his mind on certain topics.

Do you expect someone to hold the same view their entire political life?

[sangh0]

17. I expect them to change. Just not on a wholesale basis

Maybe it's just me, but when I see a lack of commitment to a range of prior positions, I wonder about the possibility of a lack of commitment to current positions.

[Kolesar]

11. Whereas Joe Lie claimed he would "re-regulate" utilities

This is all very confusing.

[realFedUp]

9. What is his specialty? Insurance companies?

I can't remember what businesses Connecticut is home to and
what industry Joe frequently defends...is it insurance
companies?

[Kolesar]

12. Yes, Joe Lie and Connecticut are about insurance companies

My impression is that insurance is not a heavily regulated business (an aside).

[leesa]

13. OK, so he's criticizing Bush for lack of regulation and Dean for wanting

more regulation. Lieberman is nuts.

[Khephra]

14. Brilliant summation of the situation

:toast:

[metisnation]

15. Repub-lite

Does anyone take this guy seriously?

[Khephra]

16. Someone must

as he keeps on winning the primaries for the Senate and wins his elections. Half of CT must be in the insurance industry's pocket to allow that, I guess. :shrug:

[ibegurpard]

19. I WANT re-regulation of utilities and telecommunications.

Jesus H. Christ! Can anyone other the company CEOs honestly say that deregulation has been a good deal for them?