Harry Reid is the worst leader ever! Lieberman doesn't support Baucus Bill
Harry Reid's leadership has been about as bad as it gets. He complained that we needed 60 votes to pass anything and now that we have it, he still is complaining. We're not fighting the Republicans who have no power, but the Conservadems who are blocking real reform.
Bill Frist never had 60 votes. Bill Frist never cared. Republicans ran the Senate as if they owned the place, even when enjoying razor-thin majorities.
Yet when Democrats took the chamber, the first thing Harry Reid did was complain that he couldn't do anything because he didn't have 60 votes.
Then voters delivered 59 votes. And Harry Reid whined that he still couldn't do anything. In fact, nothing would ever get accomplished unless they had 60, and to do that, they had to bring turncoat Joe Lieberman back into the fold, even though he had spent the previous year making common cause with John McCain and Sarah Palin, even speaking at the Republican National Convention in Minnesota. You see, we were told, Joe Lieberman is with us on everything except the war! So we need him for 60, and when we have 60, everyone will get ponies! And if Lieberman strays, why, Evan Bayh said Senate Democrats could punish him!
We're told that Lieberman needs to still be part of the action because he's with us on everything except the war. Now we have to include health care on his list of shit he's against us on. What next?
Kos continues:
And take special note of this sentence:
Senator Reid is focused on crafting a health care bill that will overcome a Republican filibuster.
Republican filibuster? Democrats have 60 votes. There is no Republican filibuster, just a Democratic one. The problem is Reid's inability to keep his caucus together. His office can't even be honest about Reid's leadership failures. Fucking liars.
I'll take a Chuck Schumer-run Senate with 57 Democrats (bye bye Reid, Lieberman, and Lincoln) than a Harry Reid-run one with 75 Democrats.
We need an up or down vote on health care. If Reid can't get his own party to vote for cloture, he should step down as leader. He's a joke.
And Holy Joe is definitely standing in the way of health care reform. Is he just a mean old man who just wants revenge because he was a warmonger that got booted out of the Democratic party by his own voters? Why take it out on America and oppose real reform? He had his chance when he bolted and supported Sarah Palin and McCain.
Harry Reid promised to keep Joe in line and on Cavuto he's actively working against him. Lieberman tells Cavuto that he's against reconciliation because it would kill bipartisanship. How much bipartisanship have you seen during this health care debate? And once again this bitter man is talking the Republican line of "we're doing too much, and we must slow down." If he can't even vote for a bill that appeases the Baucus Dogs, then what will he vote for?
If one Republican vote for the Baucus health insurance "reform" bill makes it bipartisan, how many Democratic "no" votes on cloture does it take to make a filibuster of the public option bipartisan?
Maybe Glenn Thrush knows. Or maybe not. After all, he granted anonymity for this important observation:
"If there really is such a groundswell of support for the public option, perhaps senator Schumer would like to show the caucus, especially the centrist Democrats, how he can come up with the 60 votes necessary to overcome the [Republican] filibuster that he damn well knows is coming," said a senior Democrat.
In a full Senate, a "Republican filibuster" requires 41 "no" votes on cloture to sustain. There are only 40 Republicans in the Senate.
UPDATE: Mike Stark found Joe before he entered a car and asked him if he would filibuster a health care bill that had the public option.
The first person I saw on the Hill tonight was Senator Joe Lieberman. He was exiting the House side of the Capitol and looking for his driver.
I tried to press him a little on his non-committal answer re: filibustering health care over the public option. Maybe I’m inclined toward optimism, but I’m thinking he’s hoping he doesn’t have to make that decision
.
It's been awhile (2 days?).
I've come to conclude that Lieberman enjoys rankling people on his side of the aisle but then usually comes around at the end.
Hope I'm right this time.
My caveat though is that Connecticut, like Delaware, is home to lots of insurance companies.....
GET THE VOTES FOR WHAT PEOPLE NEED...Reid, Conrad , and Baucus have yet to do their job..call them 1.800.828.0498
Harry Reid is a horrible leader. Lieberman ought to be alone in the wilderness, with all the might of the Democratic Party going behind his opponent in the next election. The rest of the Democrats will never fight to win because they are beholden to the same corporate interests as the Repugs.
If the Democrats were sincere about enacting progressive policies then they would do it. Instead we get this odious health care bill that they tout as though it were something to be proud of. It is a disgrace.
Why do we have to keep making nice to those who aren't nice to us?
Say what you mean. Mean what you say. But don't say it mean.
"Joe, if you want to keep your committee and continue shilling for AIPAC, then you WILL play ball with us on healthcare - capiche?"
that, and has a set of balls.
"Trust no one, Mr. Mulder." - Well-Manicured Man
Harry has the conservadems by the cajones. Now he just has to take them out of his mouth and get tough.
Rush Limbaugh is what a smart person thinks a stupid bigot sounds like.
With friends like Reid, Lieberman, Specter, and a score of other so-called Dems in the Senate, Obama might just as well kiss his second term good-bye now and save the rest of us the trouble of deciding where to put our money in 2014.
Seems to me he invokes no fear in any of these Senators, and if there's anything Americans dislike more in a President, it's weakness. It was proven in the past two elections. Americans will vote for a strong dumbass over a perceived, weak genius every time.
After lieberman's eight year long betrayal eclipsed with his endorsement of McCain, Obama could have easily smushed this prick like a bug after taking office and nobody would have said doodly squat -- except for those of us who would have said thankyou. President Obama, please! While there is probably nothing wrong with reaching across the aisle in normal times, these times aren't normal. To reach across THIS aisle, you'll have to reach much LOWER than we would want you to. Smash!!
__________
And, while this is neither the time nor the place: Go DODGERS! Kill Philly! Whoo!
a political bloodbath for the Democratic Party.
Had Obama come out hard for Strict New Regulations on Wall Street, Strong Climate Change Legislation, Single Payer Health Reform ("Medicare for All") with about a 30 page simple bill, repealing of the rotten FISA legislation, The Patriot Act, and end to our military involvement in Iraq and Afghanistan, helping Iraq NATIONALIZE their oil rather than do dirty deals with EXXON/MOBIL, emptying the prisons of all non-violent drug offenders, decriminalizing marijuana and ending the War on Drugs with an emphasis on rehab courts etc., he would have created a MAJOR SWING toward the Democratic Party AND he would have pulled in many who claim to be the "Libertarians" of the Republican Party!!
Instead, he's alienating the Progressive wing AND many other mainstream Democrats!
Add to all this that NOTHING has been done regarding torture and the war crimes of Bush/Cheney!
He's been "going along to get along" with the Republicans since the day he took the baton from Bush.
It's time for a Third Party in this country before it's too late....
It may already BE too late I'm afraid....
(Pssst...John...are you going to run against Harman???)
"The US has an army of 90,000 soldiers in Afghanistan and is spending $100bn a year, but has still been unable to defeat 20,000-25,000 Taliban who receive no pay at all." - Patrick Cockburn
..................for Spector, LIEberman, and all HIS stable of DINOS. I think Grayson with his petition to Reid to deny committee appointments to DINOS who vote against healthcare 'reform' is the way to go. Strip them!!!!
Baucus (R- AETNA) is a DINO. His bill is a travesty.
The Congress is full of DINOs, (R-Corporations take your pick).
But Lieberman (R-WAR INC) isn't even a DINO.
The whole message is so mixed up, what is the point?
---
HR 676, single payer is the only way.
statusquObama, change you can only pretend in
i think if harry is gone then chuck schumer would be leader. much better guy to kick senate butt.....
This bill should NOT pass. This bill was written by lobbyists and senators on the corporate payroll. We don't need 1,000 pages of fine print protecting health insurance companies.
Lieberman is a whining sack of shit. Reid is emasculated.
The fact is we (and Reid) have only 58 D's and 2 I's who happen to caucus with the D's.
Getting all 58 of the D's on the same page is like hearding cats. There shouldn't be lock-step in the party - that's the R's mistake.
"I know that there are people who do not love their fellow
man, and I hate people like that! " ~ Tom Lehrer (1928 - )
Bullshit! On this issue, there should be no wavering. Anyone who doesn't believe in health care as a right, can join the freakin' republicans, because they sure in hell aren't democrats!
Rush Limbaugh is what a smart person thinks a stupid bigot sounds like.
Sure, let them believe and vote however they want.
What we are talking about is cloture, not the vote. Cloture is just procedural games that the minority plays (because in this case, the majority lets them) to avoid losing when the majority votes for the bill.
Reid needs to kick some ass, and he's incapable.
Democrats, republicans, the vast majority of them work for someone other than us. They march in lock step to the corporate drumbeat.
..... I see the "death panels" in a new and positive light.
How in the hell was he ever the Dem choice for VP.
You would think that the law of averages would have him go with the party occasionally, anyway.
I'll take your Snowe and give you three Liebermans
"I'll take your Snowe and give you three Liebermans" - Rascalcat
Pass.
"The US has an army of 90,000 soldiers in Afghanistan and is spending $100bn a year, but has still been unable to defeat 20,000-25,000 Taliban who receive no pay at all." - Patrick Cockburn
Here's the difference...
Frist didn't need to worry about 60 votes for three reasons:
First, he'd just activate his fundamentalist right-wing wackos and Limbaugh listenera to raise holy hell.
Punctuated with "Justice Sundays" in mega churches.
Second, he could count on the unanimity of Republican support in the Senate
Third (and related to the first), he could generally count on getting a couple of Dems to fold and support him.
Reid obviously can't do any of the above. It ain't his fault either (which doesn't mean I'm much of a fan of his as majority leader).
He IS a mean old man, but his driving force is narcissism - he didn't accept his defeat as a Democrat because he felt the seat belonged not to the people of Conn. but to him. He supported John McCain because McCain stroked his ego, he supported the war because AIPAC lavishes him with money & praise. And now, once more, he has to make himself the center of attention. I think maybe Rahm should take him in a dark alley and explain just what he faces if he crosses the Dems - Obama let him keep his chairmanship in order to foster good feelings. Time for payback, Joe or welcome to the wilderness.
It was the Democrats who repudiated him in the primary and the Republicans who saved "his" seat in the general election. After all, didn't he get a phone call from Karl Rove on the very night of his primary loss? He's only caucusing with the Democrats now because they could give him a big committee chairmanship and were just suckers enough to do so. And let him keep his position despite all his subsequent behavior.
In order to be the worst leader ever, Reid would, at least have to BE a leader. He obviously isn't. I've had bosses like him. Loved the title and the position but not so good at doing the tough parts of the job.
seniority is king, that's why we get harry and pelosi, and every one else for that matter.
The caucus votes them into leadership positions.
Blame the whole caucus if pointing fingers is reasonable.
"I know that there are people who do not love their fellow
man, and I hate people like that! " ~ Tom Lehrer (1928 - )
Not shocked at all.
Perhaps if we wrapped the Health Insurance Reform Bill in a gift Bill for Israel, we'll be sure to get his vote.
What do you think? Another 3 or 4 billion for West Bank "settlements" should do the trick, no?
I tried to call Reid's offices, all of them, and no one answered, and all the voicemails were full.
If the guy can't keep his office in order, how can we expect him to keep the Senate Dems in line????
I can't email him because I'm not from his state, so I'm going to resort to faxing his offices.
needs to take a lie detector test every week for the rest of his term!
Way to go Connecticut. We are all stuck with this asshole for another three years.
Rush Limbaugh is what a smart person thinks a stupid bigot sounds like.
The only way for Lieberman to win an election in Connecticut will be to officially join the Republican Party.
He won't EVER have a prayer there as a Democrat again.
EVAH.
"The US has an army of 90,000 soldiers in Afghanistan and is spending $100bn a year, but has still been unable to defeat 20,000-25,000 Taliban who receive no pay at all." - Patrick Cockburn
The f***ing conservadems. No matter who's in the White House, it's always been the f***ing conservadems.
I remember during the 2004 campaign being bused to Nevada to help out the Kerry campaign there. While we were there. we ended up making calls on behalf of Reid (none of us knew anything about him at the time). We were assured that he was "one of the good ones." Blecchhh!
Doesn't that wimpy Reid remind you of Piglet from Winnie the Pooh? And Lieberman remind you of Eeyore?
Obama and the democrats win overwhelming unobstructed (technically)majorities in all branches of government, with health care as their signature issue.
Every House Committee and Senate Committe has long ago written a public option bill except for the Finance Committee, which is for some reason the most important one?
So who does Harry pick to lead this committee - Max Fuckus! The biggest a-hole bluedog republican POS in the Senate (along with Nelson and Lincoln) who he also put on this committee.
A real leader would never have put this guy in charge of the Finance committeee. Fuckus has a history of pulling shit like this. If he was going to be beholding to protacol, he should have told Fuckus, "you push through the public option, or you will be stripped of your chairmanship." Capesch?
This guy has done nothing but screw the party as chairman.
Rush Limbaugh is what a smart person thinks a stupid bigot sounds like.
Wasn't reid a republican a few years ago?
republicanism/conservatism is a mental illness!
I am really getting tired of the pathetic leadership that is the Democratic Party. Republicans just ram stuff down our throat whether we want it or not but at least they get the job done.
Democrats just want to be very one's friend and avoid any hurt feelngs so try to be all things to all people and as a result fail at everything.
Grow a godd#!@# pair! Act like leaders of this nation instead of a bunch of schoolkids because that is all I am seeing now from Reid and their ilk. Start making these people make real hard decisions that could effect their re-election. Make it so they have to explain why their family gets coverage but yours doesn't.
Its better to have a freaking filibuster at this point then the waterdowned mess of a bill that Reid are putting together to satisfy all parties, especially when we know that ZERO republicans are going to vote for the final bill unless it basically says "Insurance companies can do whatever they want!" That is the ONLY bill they will vote for so quit it. Quit kissing the ass of people that a) don't deserve it and b) will betray you anyway.
Act like a leader for once in your f-ing life. Is that to much to ask of Reid? I am thinking yes it is. Since Republicans essentially control Congress anyway, I hope to god Reid loses his re-election bid.
How much in campaign contributions he's accepted from big insurance, big pharma and healthcare?
Because it doesn't take much digging: Nearly $3,000,000.
Not nearly as much as he raked in from big finance, but nothing to sneeze at.
Is it any wonder he doesn't blink when dishing out a trillion dollars to "save" big banks and investment firms, while resisting anything that might save human beings?
Lieberman is the lowest of the low. Absolute scum.
Oh look...J. Lieberman (I-Israel)
"Anyone that makes less than $150K in this country, has no business voting Republican."
Reports of Harry Reid having a nutsack are grossly inaccurate.
"Anyone that makes less than $150K in this country, has no business voting Republican."
Sorry, Obama, but what we need is another Lyndon Johnson or a Bobby Kennedy. We need a mean SOB who knows how to twist arms and threaten people--and make good on his threats.
Hate to tell you this chummmm
p.
Reconciliation is actually written right into the Constitution.
holy joe is trying to help the pubicans so they if we don't get any kind of health reform blame reid.
The baucus bill is the worse kind of sham.
Diabolus est Deus Inversus
...if any Democrat acted like a real leader, more people would follow him or her in droves. No one has the balls to stand up & act like a man, to quote Don Correleone,... as far as I'm concerned, Reid is aiding & abetting both the Bush Admin war criminals & every corporation who is taking this country down.
be a result of Howard Dean's 50 state stragety? They were running in districts/states where only a main stream republican would look like a Dem, compared to the Birchers, fundamendalists, etc. etc. that crawl out to oppose them. Blame Reid all you want, but he can only work with the tools he's given (emphasis on tools). The party whips should be kicking ass, that's what they're there for.
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