Lieberman Pledges To Filibuster House Bill: The Public Option Is ‘Unnecessary’

[kpete]

Source: Think Progress

Lieberman Pledges To Filibuster House Bill: The Public Option Is ‘Unnecessary’ »

This morning on Fox News Sunday, host Chris Wallace asked Sen. Joseph Lieberman (I-CT) about the House’s historic passage of health care legislation last night. Lieberman said that as a “matter of conscience,” he will join a Republican filibuster if a public option — which has supposedly been put forward “by people who really want the government to take over all of health insurance” — is also included in the bill that goes before the Senate:

LIEBERMAN: A public option plan is unnecessary. It has been put forward, I’m convinced, by people who really want the government to take over all of health insurance. They’ve got a right to do that; I think that would be wrong.

But worse than that, we have a problem even greater than the health insurance problems, and that is a debt — $12 trillion today, projected to be $21 trillion in 10 years.

WALLACE: So at this point, I take it, you’re a “no” vote in the Senate?

LIEBERMAN: If the public option plan is in there, as a matter of conscience, I will not allow this bill to come to a final vote because I believe debt can break America and send us into a recession that’s worse than the one we’re fighting our way out of today. I don’t want to do that to our children and grandchildren.

Read more: http://thinkprogress.org/2009/11/08/lieberman-filibuster-public/

[LeftishBrit]

1. Funny how he doesn't seem to worry about debt when it comes to funding wars.

Typical right-wing attitude: it's OK for the public to pay for killing people, but not for curing people.

[lsewpershad]

28. I Wonder

What would take to for this guy to just disappear? Hope the senate dems will have the cojones to deal with Pr..k.

[saigon68]

89. Why is this Scum Bag in the Dem Caucus?

What value does he have there?

Oh wait he is captive to the Naivety of the "Present Occupant"

[earcandle]

43. It is becoming so NOT FUNNY anymore.

[wordpix]

81. +1 When BushCo was running up nat'l debt to $9 trillion, lieberman said not a word

I will be working hard to defeat Joe in CT next time around.

[Faygo Kid]

2. Firmly in the pocket of Connecticut's insurance companies. An unprincipled man.

Lieberman is a disgusting excuse for a human being. The Connecticut voters really blew it when they bought his snake oil. One of the worst senators in history.

[rabies1]

35. As a matter of conscience, he gets too much money in donations from insurance companies

from them to let them down - And besides, his wife could lose her job.

[JDPriestly]

68. We should divide the dollar amount of his filibuster by the

number of hours of the filibuster and keep a running total on the amount he is earning per hour for his filibuster.

[Schema Thing]

3. but this bill reduces the deficit

why do they let comments like that go unquestioned?

[AlecBGreen]

21. Joe is a republican in all but name

he (and they) dont let pesky facts get in the way, dontcha know?

[Frank Booth]

32. He's worse than a republican.

Due to some naive Democrats in the Senate and a naive President, he's managed to infiltrate the Democratic party. At least with the other Republicans, most Dems know where they stand.

[Big_Mike]

54. We need the public option, but it DOES increase the deficit

People are whistling in the wind if they actually think that "future savings in Medicare and Medicaid" will EVER actually occur. I look at that phrase just like "trickle down economics." Utter Bullshit!

I doubt the veracity of a politician of any stripe when "savings will occur in the out years" is heard. The only thing that will happen in the out years is we will be out of money and opportunity to correct baseline problems.

Why can't Congresspeople and Senators just 'fess up, take it on the chin, fix things for "ourselves and our posterity" and then get voted out of office? It's not like any former Congress Critter has ever gone bankrupt or anything.

We put them in office to make the difficult decisions, not to have a lifetime job.

[JDPriestly]

69. It will not increase the deficit nearly as much as things like

the excesses of the Department of Homeland Security in terms of spending on snooping on completely innocuous activities of completely innocent people, the wars in Iraq and elsewhere and spending by the federal and state governments to cover the cost of emergency care for the uninsured when they get catastrophic illnesses.

Having lived and raised children in European countries with universal healthcare, I can assure you that a good and universal health care insurance plan raises the overall health level in the country and improves the economy. Healthy people work better. My children benefited from the excellent and "free" healthcare that we could afford -- on a very low salary -- in Europe. "Free" access to healthcare is the gift of life.

By "free," I do not mean that we did not pay for it. We paid for it in our taxes. I mean "free" in that, before seeing the doctor, we did not have to worry about whether our visit would be covered, whether we could afford to go, whether, if something were wrong with us or our children, we would be bankrupt due to the medical bills or perhaps have to forgo medical care due to lack of money.

[Doremus]

72. It's the CBO that says it will reduce the deficit.

I assume the CBO didn't make it up. :shrug:

[Doremus]

71. I was thinking that yesterday, listening to one lie after another being spewed on the House floor.

It should be a crime to purposely lie in Congress.

Seriously. Spinning tales on Fux is one thing; telling blatant untruths on the floor of Congress is disrespectful to the office, to the founders and everything that America stands for. At the very least it should be called out and if it continues the offender should be censured. imo.

[tabatha]

4. Is he once again "Sore Loserman"?

[Cassandra]

5. LIEberman has a conscience?

Could have fooled me.

[BlueIdaho]

48. Not bloody likely. nt.

[Pirate Smile]

6. Is Liebeman why the WH wanted Snowe who also provides cover for 4 or 5 ConservaDems to

vote for it and then we don't need Lieberman then?

[PSPS]

7. It doesn't really matter.

1. There is no public option in the bill, only a "public option." It's a farce with "public option" taped to it.

2. He'll vote against it anyway.

[Sebass1271]

8. He is only worry about insurance competition in this bill?

what about mandating ppl to buy high premiums AND facing jail time if we are not enrolled in health care? he doesn't care about this portion of the bill? he only cares about the public option portion of it?


what an asshole!!

[villager]

9. What part of this bill is he imagining as an actual "public option?"

I assume he's not going to vote against the mandatory insurance parts, though -- his sponsors must love that...

[davsand]

10. Joe needs to be told to STFU and vote for it or his chair goes away.

His chairmanship needs to become an issue for him if he can't support a public option. Period.

Frankly, Joe ain't gonna get shit out of the GOP unless he's seen as useful, and he is NO use to them if the Dems develop a spine--so why NOT have that conversation? I have yet to understand why the Dems have bent over for him for so long. He is no Dem and he's a lousy Republican tool. Either way he's gonna screw us all.


Laura

[rurallib]

55. Pretending Lieberman is a dem reminds me of how the

Dems used to play to the Southern dems.
Harry, dump his fucking ass. Quit dicking around.
You want the Dems to rally around you, do a couple acts that might get you a mention in "Profiles in Courage".

[FarLeftFist]

11. Joe Lieberman (StatusQuo-CT)

Oh I'm sure the additional 3 million people it will cover will surely send our Nation into a financial collapse and lead to a Govt. takeover of health care. Riiiight....Maybe he should stop spending so much time at Fox studio's. He'll flip to republican in 2010 and probably re-run for the senate with an R next to his name. It's all about him keeping his job. Just like a republican, they don't strive for a better society, just a better self-interest.

[Jefferson23]

12. Disgraceful, Lieberman.

[still_one]

13. Here is what lieberman will do. If the bill looks like it will pass, he will support it

if it looks like it will fail, he will not support it

That snake, should be thrown off any committee he chairs

He does nothing to help the party or the country

He is an opportunist, only out to enrich his pockets

[and-justice-for-all]

14. LIEberman Is ‘Unnecessary’ nt

[Va Lefty]

15. Damn straight!! Kick him out of the conference and strip him of his Chairmanship

[BREMPRO]

53. +666

[wordpix]

82. +1000 One news report I heard was that most senators don't even like him

this after he's been in the Senate forever

[Hepburn]

17. +1

[sakabatou]

46. +3

[endless october]

16. unnecessary my ass.

let him filibuster his balls off.

[madamesilverspurs]

18. HE "won't allow"...?

Who died and made him Yahweh?!

---

[Bitwit1234]

19. He certainly looks the part

you know, like a weasel..

[truebrit71]

20. When will this fucker be stripped of his chairmanship?

If Harry Reid had any balls (I know..yeah right) he would explain to that fucker that he either backs the Dems 100% or he gets cast into the political wilderness...

Of course it is more likely that I will hook up with Salma Hayek and Cindy Crawford, but a guy has to dream right?

[texasleo]

23. If he's still chairman in January, there will be no reason to vote for any party in 2010.

[katkat]

31. how does stripping someone of his committee assignments and posts work?

Can Reid take them away NOW?

[optimator]

38. they are all good buddies

as George Carlin said, Its a Big Club and we aren't in it.

[liberal N proud]

22. What amazes me about all the opposition to health care reform is...

how people fail to see past their own circle. If they don't know anyone who doesn't have insurance there is not problem as far as they are concerned.

It's all part of me society we live in.

[proReality]

24. "...a matter of conscience..."? Lieberman has no conscience! n/t

[Cass]

25. "I will not allow this bill to come to a final vote..."

Who is he to dictate to everyone else like this? Who made him supreme being?

I wonder if this will prompt the dem leadership will take away his chairmanships already. What more does he have to do before they realize he is not ever going to play ball with them.

[David Zephyr]

50. That's the nugget here: "I will not allow this bill to come to a final vote."

He wont allow it.

What a vile piece of shit.

[Diane R]

57. Agreed. "I will not allow this bill to come to a final vote". An egomaniac.

[D23MIURG23]

26. Now is the time to give him the big ultimatum.

Join the filibuster and loose your chairmanship and your place in the democratic caucus.

[dipsydoodle]

27. He really is an aunt

Spelling error purely intentional.

[Odin2005]

29. STFU, Looserman!

[pansypoo53219]

30. fine.

make him do it. we shall see if lieberfuckenputz has been sold.

[JerseygirlCT]

33. Boy, his definition of conscience and mine are very different

There's a nice little opinion piece about Lieberman's MO in today's Courant: http://www.courant.com/news/opinion/hc-commentaryjepsen1108.artnov08,0,7159870.story

"When Sen. Joe Lieberman stuck it to the Democrats by supporting a Republican health care filibuster, it was but the latest in a career of contradictory and self-serving moves that place his personal political agenda over the needs of his constituents. "

There aren't words for how ill this man makes me feel.

[SandWalker1984]

34. Public option or corporate mandates?

I am going to make some predictions about what will happen to the House bill:

1) The Senate, being more corporate owned than the House, will remove the public option altogether or change it to triggers, ie absolutely useless or in name only and doomed to fail. The insurance corporations that own key Senators will NOT allow any meaningful competition for themselves.

Remember, Baucus is owned by the insurance corporations and Harry Reid put Baucus in that chairmanship knowing this. They will, however, leave in the mandates, penalties and fines. You will be required by law to buy expensive private insurance.

Why do I know it will be expensive? Because the insurance corporations wrote the House and Senate bills and there are no restrictions or caps on premiums they can charge.

Cheerleading for the pre-existing clause are extremely short sighted as the insurance corporations will make the premiums so unaffordable the people will be forced, due to economics, to drop their level of coverage or coverage altogether and pay the fine.


2) After the cheerleading dies down for passage of this "monumental" health care bill, the truth will start seeping out that it is in reality a huge corporate giveaway at our expense.

Most of us that are not in employer or government plans, we the small business owners, the self-employed, will be stuck selecting from either high deductible, low coverage plans or catastrophic insurance that won't start paying until $50,000 or more in medical expenses. Basically useless insurance.

The Orwellian mental health portion of the legislation is filled with mental health provisions intended to prop up psychiatry as well as the pharmaceutical industry with billions in future income.

The bill's proposed mandatory health insurance will mean mandatory vaccinations/immunizations. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) says that for anyone who refuses to keep up-to-date vaccinations, under the new health reform, you will not be able to obtain any health care you may need until immunizations are current.

This bill also has a provision that those doctors and hospitals who are not 'meaningful users' of the new reform system will also be faced with fines and penalties. Some doctors are already complaining that drug reps, who buy government data on prescriptions written by each physician, are complaining about physicians not using their drugs in treating clients, and not so subtly threatening to report them to the medical boards who control their medical licenses. Is this another means for the health care industry to exercise control over doctors and hospitals to increase their profits? Seems very likely.


3) As all of these issues and more come out as watchdog groups and people actually find out what's in the 1900+ page legislation, Americans will become angry as they discover what they actually are getting instead of real health care reform of, by and for the People instead of the corporations. Americans will take out that anger on the Democratic Party in 2010 and 2012. Techn0Girl and AngryOldDem are correct in their analysis.


4) Republicans will gain seats in both elections and probably take back the White House. Once back in control, the Republicans will take away most if the subsidies for people to purchase the mandated insurance. Remember, the Republicans less than 3 years ago cut the CHIPS program for health insurance for children. They will have no problems in cutting subsidies for adults.

Those in fantasy land on this board that think this bill will be improved over time are not taking into consideration recent political history, the power of the corporations, and the corruption in Congress. I predict the legislation passed now will be amended in time to make it even more favorable to the corporations and more detrimental and egregious to the American populous at large.



This is not about MY team or Your team. It's about what the corporations are attempting to do to our futures through mandates and manipulation.

Gulf War I was sold as restoring democracy in Kuwait.

NAFTA was sold as good for our country, it would create more high tech jobs as the manufacturing jobs left the country. It would stop illegal immigration too.

The Afghanistan war was sold as going after those that caused 9/11.

The Iraq War was sold as protecting us from "weapons of mass destruction."

Look at the good side of these wars -- we're spreading democracy in the middle east via bombs and one (rigged) voting machine at a time.

The Patriot Act was sold as protecting us from the "war on terror." Same for spying on Americans via the FISA-gutting bill of 2008.


Some here have better vision as to what is really happening. You should give them credit instead of attacking them for not being "team players." They understand the fight is really us, the American people, against them, the very rich and their corporations, not the grassroots left against the grassroots right.

[NeoConsSuck]

39. Great Post!!

I rec'ed this thread based on your insight, which unfortunately, is probably how everything is going to play out.

[Journeyman]

49. Well considered post. . .

I wish more people on this board understood the import of your concluding remark.

[aaronbav]

67. SandWalker1984 - You are so SPOT ON with your analysis - I

have been watching all the "celebration" over the House passage - a celebration I don't feel is justified, and am totally dismayed by. ALL the so called "progressive" caucus who VOWED to NOT pass a bill WITHOUT, AT THE VERY LEAST, a strong public option has essentially caved to RhamObama.

I agree with you 10000%.

TPTB will never let ANYTHING stand that would impair their profits, and we are about to hand millions of new victims over to these vampires.

You have so absolutely identified my fears about this shitpile legislation - you should make this it's own topic removed from the original post. People need to read and understand what you are saying before it is to late!

The ONLY thing we will be left with in the END is MANDATES to buy PRIVATE INSURANCE - this will end VERY BADLY FOR THE DEMOCRATS, especially once the Rethughs retake congress and the WH (and if this SHIT passes THEY WILL), and the subsidies are removed, the only thing left will be MANDATES to buy CRAPPY Private insurance at still grossly inflated prices or go to jail

This legislation scares me more than anything EVER has - and believe me I truly wanted REAL HEALTH CARE reform, as both my wife and I have pre-existing conditions - NOT this Bullshit that is coming to pass

I am terrified of what will happen, as I have no illusion that we will not be gouged to the fullest extent of the Mandated LAW by these whores.

[Name removed]

36. Deleted message

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

[katkat]

41. no funding for Israel

Sounds good to me, and so appropriate. What the hell are we sending them money for anyway. I am sick of us paying the bills for financially sound countries.

[DallasNE]

37. So Lieberman Will Filibuster

A bill that is not even before the Senate. Now how silly is that? Next he will filibuster a bill before the Canadian Parliment.

[bluedeminredstate]

40. He lies!!

The deception this man exudes is etched in every smarmy fold of his face. There is no "government takeover of healthcare" and he knows it. Why not let it come up for an up or down vote? Could it be that he knows the majority of the American people want a public option?
What a sanctimonious, unprincipled, self-serving gasbag of an opportunist. The only thing on his conscience is making sure his name stays in the headlines as being somehow vital to the passage or killing off of this bill.


:puke:

[earcandle]

42. How can we have uneducated and underinformed people like this receiving payroll from our coffers?

Somebody tell me why we continue to employ these asshats? 
Why?  Why: Why???? 

I am NOT IMPRESSED with the SO CALLED ARTISTOCRACY.  

Are we accepting that we are not a Democracy, but a laughing
stock instead? 

What can we do?  

[Liberty Belle]

44. Slate has posted his insurance contributions - looks like he's angling for more since

Connecticut's other Senator, Christoper Dodd, took piles of insurance money and voted for the bill.

[katkat]

45. criminey, he's only 67

I looked him up in wikipedia, because I was hoping he was 80 and might die soon (he looks 80, don't you think?) but he's only 67.

[ejpoeta]

47. when is he up for re election??? can y'all get him in the unemployment line??

[Bette Noir]

60. Three years.

[samsingh]

51. how much does lieb make from the insurance industry?

[BREMPRO]

52. Lieberman needs a scolding or a scandal to notch him down to size.

non-partisan CBO scored the PO as SAVING money- so he can't argue that it will hurt the deficit. total lying shill douche.

[indypaul]

56. A True Politician

Once he's bought he stays bought. The primary voters
of Connecticut were right. Kick his ass out of the
majority conference and strip him of any chairmanships
or choice committee assignments. If we have no party
discipline we have no party.

[Bette Noir]

58. Dear Mr. Lieberman,

You worry too much. You say the public option is unnecessary. If it's unnecessary, no one will buy it, and it will go away. If people buy it, it will be because it was necessary.

It's not up to you. Get out of the way, or history will run you over.

[orbitalman]

59. We Need to Removew this democratic TURD.

What is the difference between the TURDberman flower and a turd blossum?

[JanusAscending]

85. He's NOT A DEMOCRAT!

He is now LEGALLY an Independant! They should never have allowed him to caucus with the Dem party after he was re elected!! Mighty big price to pay now for one (maybe) vote!!

[AlinPA]

61. Lieberman is of no value to the Democratic caucus. It puzzles me why he even

stays in the caucus.

[Plucketeer]

62. I swear to god (anyone's god)

I'll back whatever challenger has a shot at unseating this arrogant bag of farts! Dem, Rethug, I don't care. I just want to send this self-serving traitor packing. In fact, I say we deport him to Israel. Let them host this useless clown!

[high density]

63. That's real "moderate" of him

I'm sure Snowe will join in. She must be getting annoyed that the headlines have now tilted to Lieberman.

[Mithreal]

64. Every time Lieberman betrays us, you can thank Dem leadership

and the President for supporting him.

[bread_and_roses]

74. My thought exactly. What goes around, comes around. However, is no matter this time.

There's no public option anyway in the Bill, just a farcical image of one. My guess is that the sickening old fraud has word the Rs won't actually filibuster, since their good buds the insurance cos are no doubt thrilled with the Bill. So they'll bluster and demagogue away, but in the end won't filibuster and will probably let Snowe vote for it. Joe can vote against, the Bill will pass on simple majority, no repercussions will be dealt to Holy Joe, the Rs get to keep inciting their mobs (they won't be happy till someone of their deluded followers takes the revolutionary rhetoric seriously and does something horrific), Obama gets to say he passed "historic" health care act, the insurance cos laugh all the way to the bank, and everyone's happy.

Except those of us who pay and die. But we don't count.

[geckosfeet]

65. What a fucking pos.

[atomicweeder]

66. Your Health Care Plan Just Got Taxed

If you have a Flexible Spending Account health care plan (and thousands of your private and government employees have them), you just got taxed.

Under current law, if your employer puts $10,000 into an FSA to provide health care insurance, it's tax free.

Under HR 3962, Section 532, only the first $2,500 is tax free. You'll now have to pay Federal, and possibly state and local taxes on the other $7,500.

You keep your doctor! You keep your plan! You pay an extra $2,000 in taxes!

[Arkana]

70. No longer funny, Holy Joe.

Shut up and get in line or get the FUCK out of the Senate!

[ramapo]

73. I hate that fucker

He is the scumiest sob I've ever seen.

[Kingofalldems]

75. Is this the guy who did NOT want to filibuster Bush Supreme Court

appointments?

[bookman]

76. Gee, I wonder ....

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ Why $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

[cravermi]

77. Lieberman is "unneccessary" and a POS!

[Wizard777]

78. I think we need to be done with lieberman. Strip him of his chair positions.

bankroll ANYONE against him in elections. I would rather see a republican in his seat than him. Anything is better than a turncoat. They can't be trusted by either side.

[Jennicut]

79. I am sorry he is from my state.

I voted for him once, in 2000. Or twice, for the Presidential election as well.
By 2006 I was disgusted and voted for Lamont.

[wordpix]

83. well just think: one more year and maybe we can get him outta here!

I for one will be working for his Dem opponent

[Jennicut]

88. Yup. I hope someone good runs.

I heard it could be Blumenthal.

[ThisThreadIsSatire]

80. Forget his 'seniority'...

... take away his government run health plan.

[Jester Messiah]

84. Reid needs to make it clear, This Means War.

Yank his chairmanships, start closing bases in Connecticut, cancel government contracts with Connecticut businesses like Electric Boat. Sorry Connfolk, but you voted for the sorry piece of shit. You reap what you sow.

[JanusAscending]

86. Why, so Virginia can get our contracts?

Trust me, we Ct. folk that are Democrats DID NOT VOTE for this piece of crap! The pukes and Independant Lieberman party did. We voted for Lamont! Keeping the contracts here in Ct. is the ONLY THING HE EVER DID FOR US, and we deserve to keep them!

[Jester Messiah]

90. Deserve? Recall Lieberman and then we'll talk about what you deserve.

Until then, the whole country is suffering from that jackass that you let slip by you into the Senate. How many are going to die because of his recalcitrance?

[JanusAscending]

91. We have no recall powers in Ct.

or believe me, we would have done it, so piss off with your nasty attitude. You can be put on ignore! We let him slip by the same way you Virginians let a Republican "slip by" and become Governor! or for that matter how about the whole US letting bush "slip by" and become pres. for 8 years??? Give me a break! He's a cross we all have to bear, so don't blame Ct. He's fooled a lot of people, including Al Gore!

[Jester Messiah]

92. Oh no, please, anything but that...!

If ignoring me will help you focus on Loserman, then by all means, click away. I think I'll manage, somehow.

[bamacrat]

87. Hey killing people is way more profitable and honorable than helping sick people.

Gaw didnt yall know that.

:sarcasm:

[lsewpershad]

93. When????

Are we going to rid ourselves of this PEST????

[classysassy]

94. Joe must go

the gentleman is a traitor.Reid should take away his chairmanship and ask him to leave the democrat caucus.How can Joe and his republican pals sleep nights,knowing millions of americans are in harms way.

[tabasco]

95. Kucinich will bring him coffee and donuts!

A matter of conscience and all.

[New Dawn]

96. They just want to force fascism on us.

They want to force us to buy a product/service from private companies (i.e. fascist economics).

[HughMoran]

97. He won't do it

He'd be tarred and feathered if he did - he wouldn't DARE to actually follow through with this.

[brentspeak]

98. But Joe's beloved Iraq War, of course, reduced the national debt...

and only helped the children and grandchildren of those who died fighting it.