What's the worst that could happen if Lieberman switches to Repub Party?

[kentuck]

Is there an upside and a downside? Of course, the downside is with judges. But, Joe did not need to be a Repub to vote for Republican judges before. Bush will still be the President for the next two years and will nominate any judges for the Court. Doesn't all laws originate in the House?

Is there an upside? The House of Representatives will set the agenda for the next two years. The Senate can debate it and deliberate upon it. This is not a good situation, no matter how you look at it. It's unfortunate that the Democrats in CT did not have the foresight to envision such a "situation".

[LynneSin]

1. Two words - Judiciary Committee

Nuff said, it's worth it!

[The Count]

2. Main downside: GOP gets to chair commiteees

[sallyseven]

11. It would be tied and the committees would be split

down the middle and cheney would break any ties. Joe is going to fade into the wood in as few months.

[CoffeeCat]

3. Lieberman--has huge power--and it sucks.

As sucky (for lack of a better word) as it is--LIEberman has so much power. It's really a disaster.

We have the Senate 51-49. All Joe has to do is side with the Republicans--on any issue--and that tips
the Senate 50-50, with Darth breaking any tie (I think I have that right. If not, please correct me).

I don't have to spell out how sucky (for lack of a better word) this situation is.

Joe sides with the neocons every time. On domestic spying. On torture. On radical, right-wing judges.
I'm sure he'll be waving his pom pons for Bolton.

It all comes down to Lieberman. Furthermore, he harbors major bitterness against the Dems. He's just
waiting for an issue to come down to his power--so he can stick it to the Dems.

This sucks (for lack of a better word) big time.

[kentuck]

5. However, he does realize that his power could only last for 2 years..

If the Senate goes over to the Democrats by a larger majority, and chances are it will, in the next election.

[KKKarl is an idiot]

4. If a vote ends

50-50 in the senate then we have a tie-breaking vote by "Voldermort". So the republicans have thought out there strategy well. They went with Liberman because of his far right views as a safe guard against some policies being put through that they do not like.

[kentuck]

6. You just know the Repubs are talking with Lieberman every day...

in attempts to get him to switch Parties. Then they won't have to clean out their desks. Unfortunately, no one knows what Joe will do.

[KKKarl is an idiot]

13. Joe is never going to switch parties

The reason is power. With the democratic party he retains seniortiy. You think for one moment a repub is going to give up his seniority to let a democrat in. What he will do is get his seniority with the democratic party & vote republican positions on things like NSA spying so he can get "Voldermort's" vote counted. This is the way he is going to repay the republicans for having supported in the CT race.

[sabbat hunter]

7. we need a republican to switch

we need a republican to switch parties or for the wyoming senator to retire and then have the democratic governor put in a democratic replacement. that way we dont have to worry about leiberman switching to the republican party and having the nameless one break the ties.

[longship]

8. CT Recall election?

Is that possible?

I'll bet that the connecticutts will go livid on Boltin' Joe if he switches parties. They elected him on his promise that he'd be a Democrat. If he switches, they'll be pissed as hell.

[cali]

9. Joe is from CT NOT NJ

and no you can't recall a Senator.

[longship]

14. That'll teach me to post before my first cup of coffee.

Thanks. Of course, I meant CT.

And they *will* be very, very pissed.

Fixed post.

[n2doc]

10. He also knows switching would be the end of his career

Once/if he goes full repuke the voters of Connecticut would no longer have the excuse that they were voting for an independent. And he would have another set of lies to deal with. People tend to vote such turncoats out.

[geek tragedy]

12. How about this:

Chair of the Environmental and Public Works Committee:

With Joementum as a Democrat: Barbara Boxer (Yay!)
With Joementum as a Repug: James Inhofre (Boooooooo!)

[onenote]

15. How often to Democrats vote as a unified bloc on legislation?

If Lieberman were to switch, which isn't going to happen despite the fact that some here seem to hope for that result, the Senate would be divided 50-50. For purposes of organizing the Senate, the repubs would hold the chairmanships, but membership on the committees, staffing, and resources would be equally divided. If a committee vote ended in a tie, either side could ask that the measure be taken up by the full senate.

The biggest threat would be with regard to judicial appointments, where Democrats have been able, on occasion, to vote unanimously. If we have a majority, we can block nominations. If its 50-50, the nominations can make it to the floor.

With respect to most legislation, however, and with respect to votes on the floor on nominations, the Democrats rarely vote as a unified bloc, and Lieberman is by no means the only Democrat to sometimes break ranks.

[kentuck]

17. Also, we must figure into the equation...

that many Republicans will want to put up a more moderate image before the next election. They will not vote lockstep either.

[JNelson6563]

16. He would lose his seniority

That self-serving jerk wouldn't risk that.