Lieberman: Is he conservative/Republican, or is he just pro-war?

[Writer]

I'm going to try something out here on DU. I'm going to post this, because from what I understand Lieberman's voting record is rather liberal with the exception of his unfortunate support of the Iraqi mess. To me it is no surprise that he is caucusing with the Dems.

Now don't get pissy with me - this is only what I've heard from talking heads. If you think it's wrong, just post some material on why you think it's wrong.

Thanks!

Writer.

[Caution]

1. He's generally liberal and nearly always votes with the Democrats

He's a hawk on Israel and pro-Iraq war. I'm not a big fan of Lieberman, but I think a lot of people haven't really looked at his actual voting record or his ratings from various liberal advocacy groups.

[Dogmudgeon]

11. Here, here!

I myself am ready to kick Joementum's ass across Connecticut over the war and over his "independent" candidacy, but he's got a good voting record for Democratic and Liberal causes.

And there's some sweetness to this electoral lemon -- a lot of Republicans in CT voted for him. Imagine their dismay when they find out how he votes on issues not connected to Iraq and Israel!

--p!

[William769]

15. Right on the money.

[MethuenProgressive]

2. He's pro-Joe, period.

[Name removed]

3. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[AntiWarPoster]

5. this makes no sense

levin and feingold support Israel too and both voted against the war.

[Lurking Dem]

7. Yet another dual agency accusation.

Did a memo go out today or something?

[Poll_Blind]

14. Are you calling him an anti-Semites? Because I can't see what ELSE...

...you'd be trying to insinuate with the "dual agency"/"dual loyalty" line. And I didn't read anything in the poster's message which stated that Joe did this because he was Jewish. Did you?

PB

[Lurking Dem]

21. He insinuated that

Joe put Israel's safety first.

I did not call him an antisemite. He used a classic antisemitic canard and it's about the 4th or 5th time it's been used today. Some people are just ignorant of its history.

[Behind the Aegis]

16. The very idea that a Jew can be pro-Israel and still place the US first...

...seems to be lost on many people. It just goes to show that some hate will never die.

[NJ Democrats]

20. So would I

as well as all the Dems in Congress and especially the Jewish members

[Thrill]

4. He use to be one of my favorite senators

I just don't understand his position on Iraq

[emulatorloo]

6. Liberal on social issues.

Hung up on video games.

[Nozebro]

8. J.L. is a corporate puppet & pro 1 of the M.E. countries. NOT a progressive

nt

[Eurobabe]

9. Pro-Israel

eom

[Behind the Aegis]

12. and?

[Eurobabe]

25. Nothing wrong with that, but I don't support some of

Israel's policies lately. Living in Europe gives you a little broader perspective that what you get in the US. (And don't flame me, because my Dad is Jewish and he agrees with me.) No one is saying that Israel doesn't have a right to exist, but then again no is saying that Palestine shouldn't exist either. It's just a mess over there, I sure hope with some brains at the helm in Congress, we can push for more peace in the M.E.

[Behind the Aegis]

26. a response...

"Nothing wrong with that, but I don't support some of Israel's policies lately."

If there is nothing wrong with it, then why imply that is Lieberman's primary position? Frankly, I agree. There are many things that the Israeli government is doing that is bad, just like the US, just like every other nation in the world.

"Living in Europe gives you a little broader perspective that what you get in the US."

That statement is debatable on many levels. However, it is also a little ethnocentric to think that an American poster is not aware of what is happening. Not all of us rely solely on MSM. And, many of us are intelligent enough to read many sources to find the truth, realizing that all forms of media have bias, because very few media outlets are free of bias, one way or the other.

"And don't flame me, because my Dad is Jewish and he agrees with me."

It doesn't matter what your father's religion is or isn't. It isn't a matter of disagreeing, it is how it is done and how often and to what extent.

"No one is saying that Israel doesn't have a right to exist, but then again no is saying that Palestine shouldn't exist either."

Sadly, you are wrong on both accounts. Some of those people who don't think Israel should exist post here. Some think Palestine should not come to exist, and they also post here. Furthermore, it extends beyond this forum, across party lines, across all spectra.

"It's just a mess over there, I sure hope with some brains at the helm in Congress, we can push for more peace in the M.E."

I agree. Brains aren't the only thing needed, though.

[DeepBlueC]

10. I think it is partly about defense jobs

Lieberman is pro-war but he also feels a responsibility to protect the many working class jobs in CT in the defense industry. It's a big employer in CT, but the numbers have been chipped away over the years and he is out there looking to protect local jobs. He got the planned closure of the Groton sub base cancelled or deferred, which was a huge relief locally because of course other industry has been disappearing even faster. I think that is a big part of it and also why Homeland Security looks like a fruitful place for him to be, as far as the citizens are concerned.

[Onlooker]

13. Check this link out

http://www.electoral-vote.com/evp2006/Info/senator-ratings.html

You'll see Joe is among the more conservative Democrats, but he's far from being the worst. I think if he was much more conservative, he'd be talking to the Republicans.

[sallyseven]

17. It is all about Israel.

[Behind the Aegis]

19. Is it now?

Any proof to back that up?

[NJ Democrats]

18. Mod to Liberal DEMOCRAT

but is Pro-Iraq. I think most DUers blow his disagrement with us and him being a 'Republican' as most say WAY out of proportaiton and he isn't against us that much

[Orangepeel]

22. he's very good on choice, environment, unions, African American civil rights

he's not awful on gay rights, comparatively. he voted against George Bush's tax breaks for the rich. He supported the Democrat's judicial filibusters.

But he's pro-war, whiney and talks WAY too much about "values" for my tastes.

_____________________________________________--
2006 In 2006 NARAL Pro-Choice America-Endorsements endorsed Senator Lieberman.
2006 In 2006 Humane USA PAC endorsed Senator Lieberman.
2006 In 2006 League of Conservation Voters-Endorsements endorsed Senator Lieberman.
2006 In 2006, The Genocide Intervention Network--Darfur Scores assigned Senator Lieberman a grade of A+ based on voting records, bill sponsorship and other activities related to ending the genocide in Darfur.
2006 Based on lifetime voting records on gun issues and the results of a questionnaire sent to all Congressional candidates in 2006, the National Rifle Association assigned Senator Lieberman a grade of F (with grades ranging from a high of A+ to a low of F).
2005 According to the National Journal - Composite Liberal Score's calculations, in 2005, Senator Lieberman voted more liberal on economic, defense and foreign policy issues than 66 percent of the Senators.
2004 Senator Lieberman supported the interests of the Parkinsons Action Network 100 percent in 2004.

http://www.vote-smart.org/issue_rating_category.php?can_id=S0141103

[Lurking Dem]

23. whiney

He is that!

I LOVE Jon Stewart's Droopy Dawg impression of him! It cracks me up!

[Pithy Cherub]

27. Holy Joe eviscerated any credibility on Civil Rights

by demeaning and wiping his dirty boots on the backs of Democrats who voted for Lamont. That is NOT a champion of civil rights but a republican tool bent on his own career and self aggrandizement. Many of those Democrats were African American. Those voting records mean little in light of the Great Sanctimonious One throwing it away to be elected. He's an embarrassment and should be ashamed he holds himself as a champion of Civil Rights, let alone Human Rights. He made that NOT true by his actions and no quoting of his past can erase his malfeasance against all people who believe in a representaitive government. Joe Lieberman is a LIAR on Civil Rights!

[Richard Steele]

28. Hear hear!

[Orangepeel]

29. nonsense. it wasn't a coup.

he didn't disenfranchise anyone. He didn't stop anyone from voting.

I would not have voted for Lieberman and I gave money to Lamont. But party loyalty does not, IMO, trump a decades long voting record.

[Pithy Cherub]

33. Joe disenfranchised every African American voter

who voted for Lamont in the legitimate primary. To defend Holy Joe BS after that means that is condoned and it is the antithesis of what making one's vote count. There is no more defending Joe as an upholder of Civil Rights because he did not accept the rules as defined by the legal process. Holy Joe is a usurper of the rights of every person of color who voted for Lamont. Nothing absolutely nothing you say can refute that fact. Joe Lieberman ran over Civil Rights when he disrespected the DEMOCRATIC votes cast and he did it for pure personal gain. Martin Luther King Jr., would have called him on it and I could do no less!

[Orangepeel]

34. well, everyone's entitled to his/her opinion..

Go ahead and believe (and believe that MLK, Jr. would believe) that mounting an independent campaign that followed all of Connecticut's legal procedures negates working for, voting for and marching for civil rights for years. For me, the latter far outweighs the former on any kind of morality scale.

[Pithy Cherub]

35. Since you support disenfrachisement

by a Democrat who was a sore loser, there's not much more to say. Either your principles or rationalize away morality by wrapping ones self in legalisms. I'd rather be morally in the right place and alone, thank you just like MLK.

[Orangepeel]

36. well, I guess I agree on something.

if you equate what happened in Connecticut last week with what happened in Florida in 2000 and/or Ohio in 2004 (that is, actual disenfranchisement), then, yeah. There's not much more to say.

[Pithy Cherub]

38. The scale of the offense doesn't mitigate disenfranchisment.

Joe is a usurper of Civil Rights.

[David__77]

24. He's pro-war, but loves posturing on "moral issues."

He likes to hobnob with fundies and rightist freaks. Makes him feel statesmanlike for some odd reason. His voting isn't bad on social issues, but he stinks, like a majority of Democrats on many economic questions.

[mtnsnake]

30. I think he's progressive, but selectively pro-war, manipulating, & self serving

I liked him at one time, but can't stand his sorry ass anymore. If he had any sense of loyalty he would've listened to the Democrats who voted him into power and the same Democrats who attempted to vote his disloyal hide out.

[IndianaGreen]

31. Judas Joe is an enabler of torture, war crimes, and crimes against humanity

He should be extradited to The Hague to face justice together with his neocon/Zionist pals like Bush, Cheney, Rice, Rumsfeld, Wolfowitz, Feith, and others.

[Zodiak]

32. I score senator votes on important issues

even though the scoring is a few months out of date, I came up with Leiberman voting with us about 30-40% of the time on big issues.

Here is a synopsis of my research and a list of issues.

He's has not been our worst senator, but he is hardly the liberal paragon who only has crossed the party on one issue, either. I consider him to be mostly Republican, but no as much so as Ben Nelson of Nebraska.

http://journals.democraticunderground.com/Zodiak%20Ironfist

Feinstein (California)......... 45 *
Cantwell (Washington).......... 43 *
Conrad (North Dakota).......... 43 *
Leiberman (Connecticut)........ 43 *
Carper (Deleware).............. 38 *
Baucus (Montana)............... 36 *
Johnson (South Dakota)......... 33 *
Lincoln (Arkansas)............. 29 *
Pryor (Arkansas)............... 26 *
Nelson (Florida)............... 24 *
Salazar (Colorado)............. 24 *
Landrieu (Louisianna).......... 19 *
Nelson (Nebraska).............. 5 * * = DLC

List of issues:

Condi confirmation (against; liar)
Gonzales confirmation (against; torturer)
Class action lawsuit reform (against; loss of right to court trial)
Bankruptcy bill (against; bad for middle class and poor)
Negroponte confirmation (against; death squads)
Cheney energy bill (against; oil comany profits)
CAFTA (against; bad for workers)
CAFTA (2nd vote; against; bad for workers)
Ohio vote certification (against; stolen election)
Firearm manufacturer immunity (against; big business protection)
Confirmation of radical judges (against; compromise filibuster away)
Tax Relief act of 2005 (against; tax cuts for rich)
Deficit reconciliation act (against; spending cuts for poor)
Alito cloture (against; by DUer's request at the time..normally I do not score cloture)
Alito nomination (against; asshole Bushbot)
Tax cut protection (against; favors the rich...do these people ever stop?)
Extend Patriot Act (against; anti-civil liberties)
Raise limit on public debt (against; bad for our future)
Flag burning Amendment (against; not necessary and against 1st Amendment)
US-Oman FTA (against; ANOTHER "free trade" agreement?)
Roberts Confirmation (against; those blue eyes aren't fooling anyone)

[AZBlue]

37. I think he's a Dem with his own opinion on each issue.

Which is redundant - aren't Dems supposed to be the ones who don't step in time and participate in group think? Aren't we open to all sorts of ideas and opinions? He has an opinion about the Iraq war that some on DU disagree with. Period.