Reply #16: Our agenda is more important than making nice to Lieberman [View All]

[clear eye]

There are two issues at play concerning Lieberman. First is whether he remains in the party caucus, and second, and more important, is if he retains his one committee and two subcommittee chair positions. He can be removed from chairing committees and still caucus with the Democrats. He currently chairs the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee. His leadership, especially compared with that of Rep. Waxman who chairs the equivalent committee in the House, has been less than stellar. While Waxman has urged a number of serious investigations into the performance of the Dept. of Homeland Security and the failures of regulation re: Wall St. with the hope of instituting important reforms*, Lieberman has not.

Our Democratic agenda, especially vis a vis regulation of the large financial institutions, the abuses of Blackwater, and more require a united Congress. Informative investigations in the Senate would have to be led by just that committee that oversees Governmental Affairs that Lieberman currently heads. Leaving Lieberman in that position makes it unlikely its important work would be carried out.

Furthermore, if Dems remove Lieberman from his chairs and he goes off in a huff and voluntarily leaves the Democratic caucus we won't have lost as much as it may appear. He has already publicly stated opposition to a filibuster-proof Democratic Senate. There is great likelihood that he would vote against cloture at just the times when Democrats want it most, like for passing Obama legislation for withdrawal from Iraq.

We need pro-active Democrats leading important committees and subcommittees to carry out Obama initiatives and move along the Democratic agenda. There are a number of senior Democratic Senators worthy of being rewarded with those positions.

*http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2008/10/house_oversight_committee_will.php and http://oversight.house.gov/investigations.asp?ID=234