Lamont On Lieberman: He's Echoing GOP's Health Care Talking Points

[babylonsister]

Sam Stein
Lamont On Lieberman: He's Echoing GOP's Health Care Talking Points
First Posted: 08-27-09 04:09 PM | Updated: 08-27-09 05:22 PM


Nine months after the Democratic leadership voted to allow Sen. Joseph Lieberman (I-Conn.) to retain his chairmanship of a key committee and continue caucusing with the party, the Connecticut Independent continues to rankle progressives.

Democrats who expected the Senator to tussle with President Barack Obama on foreign policy matters have watched with a mix of irritation and horror as the two have butted heads on the year's key domestic item instead.

"He is playing right into the Republican talking points" on health care, said Ned Lamont, the Connecticut Democrat who defeated Lieberman in the 2006 Democratic Senate primary, but lost to him in the general election after Lieberman ran as an independent.

"I don't think Republicans have any interest in a good bill or a bad bill. I just don't think they want Obama to move the agenda forward on health care. And it just so happens that yet again Senator Lieberman is playing into all the Republican talking points and it can fundamentally jeopardize another generational opportunity to change how we deliver health care in our country."

Lieberman hasn't shied away from expressing concerns about the policy specifics of Obama's agenda. His opposition to a public option for insurance coverage, for instance, has been known for several months.

But the Senator took the criticism to a new level this past Sunday, when he urged the White House to consider passing three quarters of the reform package while saving the rest for better economic times. He also spoke out against the use of reconciliation, which would allow the passage of legislation with 50 votes.

more...

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/08/27/lamont-on-lieberman-hes-e_n_270675.html

[LostInAnomie]

1. The best thing we could do to get rid of Lieberman is push for a viable Repub candidate.

That's the only reason he beat Lamont in the general. The Repukes has some clown as a candidate that all the Repukes in the state voted with all the Dem turncoats to elect Lieberman.

[BlueDemKev]

9. I wish Lamont had won

The reason the Republicans put up such a weak candidate in 2006 was because they figured they had no chance of unseating Lieberman. However, when Lieberman lost the primary and then ran as an independent, Lieberman got all the Democratic voters who had supported him in the primary, plus a bunch of Republican voters who didn't want the liberal Lamont to get in.

It's too bad. Ned Lamont would have been a great senator. By hey, at least Lieberman isn't as horrible as Zell Miller was here in Georgia. Talk about stabbing lifelong friends in the back.

[gratuitous]

2. Is this what you wanted, Vermont?

Somehow, I don't think so. And as for not using reconciliation, why does Sen. Lieberman hate America so much that he isn't willing to submit to majority rule? We haven't always done the best job of governance in the United States, but why does he want to change the way we've always decided things? Apparently, he's joining the ranks of crazy Mike Enzi, who won't vote for anything that doesn't pass the Senate with 75 or 80 votes. Yeah, we all remember how "bipartisan" the Republicans were between 2000 and 2006. They wouldn't have dreamed of doing anything, like meddle in the Schiavo affair, with anything less than that!

It's time for Mr. Lieberman to go back to private life.

[babylonsister]

4. Or CT?

;)

[gratuitous]

10. Nertz, and I know better

At least, that sounds believable. Yeah, Connecticut! Is this what you wanted?

[orpupilofnature57]

3. Always has been a Sam Nunn Democrat ,who finally came out of the closet.

Nobody did better for Ronnie than Sam as a Demo.

[bvar22]

5. K&R for Lamont.

I'm STILL pissed that the Old Boys Club reinstated Lieberman with honors after his betrayal.

If it was up to me, Lieberman wouldn't have even gotten a space in the parking lot.

[HowHasItComeToThis]

6. I HATE TURNCOATS

[Greyhound]

7. Me too.

Elected by Republiks on a solid Repiblik record (except for abortion) and our "leadership" lets that asswipe get off with no penalty at all.
:banghead:

[rhett o rick]

8. The fact that Democrats in the good ole boys club supported Liarmann points to a very

serious problem in the Democratic Party.