So I hope to see ads slamming Lieberman and campaigns to call his office non-stop, right? It was done for every one else, yet this guy flew under the radar.

dear god, he is a piece of shit.

I'll give Lieberman a momentary benefit of the doubt and assume some part of him truly believes that the PO is bad policy. That said-- if it's true-- why take SO long to finally come out and definitely say you will do everything in your power to block it? If you so strongly believe this, why were you curled up in some corner refusing to show your hand while the entirety of Washington DC battled over every little facet of reform?

It just makes no sense at all. How can anybody that's being reasonable about the situation come to a conclusion other than he's just being incredibly cynical?

I can honestly say that I hate this man! I can't wait for the Dems to pick up another 2 or 3 seats in 2010 so that this mule can be kicked out of our Caucus. He's a useless, spineless, duplicitous piece of garbage and Jon Stewart pegged him just right. Go Caucus with the party of wingnuts and losers Joe! Since's he's already said he would not block the vote from getting to the floor, there isn't a damn thing filibustering with the Republicans will do. Without 60 Democrats to join that filibuster, it won't have the numbers. Just remember that getting 60 votes to get the bill to the floor with a public option is all that is required. Once it's sent to the floor, stripping it out would take 60 Dems which ain't gonna happen!

I can't wait to see the concession speeches of all these clowns in 2010 and 2012. I'm only sorry that Lieberman and Snowe won't face the wrath until 2012. I am looking forward to 2010 when Blanche Lincoln and Mary Landreau get their stupid asses kicked out of office. As for Lieberman saying that we're the one's blocking reform, what a complete liar! What is reform without a public option? A gift to the inurance industry who he really works for. Knowing that this has been part of the Dems platform forever, why doesn't the press ask this clown why he's caucusing with the Dems if he favors the policies of the LOSING PARTY? I swear I wish this ignorant bastard would just go away!

He is more extreme and paranoid than any GOP, Snowe might just outwit him and be the 60th vote. That would be a nice way to end Joe and dish him next year.
Let him join the tea-baggers

This is all bitterness because:

1. He didn't get a chance at the Presidency to focus foreign policy as if he were Cheney.

2. The Dems have been lukewarm to him ever since.

3. They almost tossed him out on his ass in CT.

4. Obama's gone against his wishes on Israel policy.

Toss the loser.

Harry, we told you this would happen when you let him keep his gavel.

And I'm SURE Lieberman was challenged on his incorrect assertions that the Public Option was somehow a new "entitlement" or would raise taxes, despite all information and CBO scores showing the opposite??

These corrupt sleazebags don't even really care anymore how shamefully obvious it is that they place corporate interests above those of their (suffering) constituents.

So what is happening on the ground in CT, where residents already have a STATE public option and apparently favor a federal Public Option by 60+ percent. Are they happy with this event? Are they active?

CT voters wanted Hypocrite Joe bad enough to nix both a Dem and a Repug candidate to give Party of Joe his throne.

Another thought: Make Hypo Joe filibuster the OLD way. In person, peeing in a cup and talking until he collapses. At his age, that might not take too long. Then, Senate can vote.

Let them filibuster. Make them talk until their voices grow hoarse and their beards grow long. Let it last months. Call their bluff!

He's committing political suicide for the Progressive Caucus will demand his ouster from his chairmanship and he will be forced to leave the caucus all together. Should make for an interesting senatorial race in Connecticut in 2012 but he probably figures he will be a lobbyist for the Defense Industry or a contributor to Fox News if he loses in 2012.

Ironically, Lieberman would be right if they water the Public Option down to meet his standards. As in, if they take all of the teeth out of it, and force it to play by the same rules as private insurance companies, it's a waste. It shouldn't be in the bill if it's going to be that conservative. The only reason to have it is if it gets to utilize its non-profit status and its size. It must have the ability to force pharm, hospital and doctor costs down. As a non-profit, it already has a big advantage in overhead -- Medicare costs less than 3%, while most private insurance companies run 30-47%. But if they handicap enough, they could force its overhead so high, it would wilt on the vine.

Having that happen would be worse than not having it in the bill at all, because it would give the anti-government folks ammunition for decades. They'd just point to the watered down public option as proof that government shouldn't be in the mix at all.

OTOH, a real public option would help tremendously. Single Payer, of course, would be the ultimate solution. The Dems should have started with that.

Joe Lieberman is 1000% correct. It is an 'entitlement' disguised under the banner of 'public option in Health care reform'. Once created 'PO' will become like 'Medicaid'. The PO premium payers will be subsidizing the uninsured. I was a diehard Clintonite Democrat supported Hillary in the Democratic Primary. I became independent after the 'Congressional Left' ditched Hillary. While I liked Obama's foreign policies, I don't like his leftist HC reform. His Presidency will get better after the 'Congressional Left' is thrown out of office in 2010. Newt Gingerich made Bill Clinton's presidency successfull. Similarly, I hope Republican congress in 2010 will make Obama's presidency successfull.

Good for Joe! I'm with the crazies on this one. The bills are a horrible deception: everyone will pay more, get less, and anyone with bad insurance now (or none) will still be fucked. KILL THE BILL!

Good job with those soft balls, Bob Schieffer.

no public option, no individual mandate.

According to OpenSecrets.org Joe Lieberman was the #1 recipient of campaign contributions from the pharmaceutical industry, #2 for donations from the insurance industry and #3 in the pharm/health products category during his most recent re-election campaign in 2006.

But, I'm sure his opposition of the PO is only because of his deeply held beliefs, not the industry's deep pockets. After all, there is no connection between campaign money and votes or else the media would connect point A to point B everyday, wouldn't they?

Every lead would start with something like, "Senator X, a top recipient of campaign money from industry Y, voted today to give massive subsidies to those very donors." But, we never hear that, so it can't be true!

3 of the top 10 contributors to Lieberman's campaign war chest are pharma or health insurance companies.

http://www.opensecrets.org/politicians/contrib.php?type=C&cid=n00000616&newMem=N&cycle=2010

He has to have the backing of these and other big-spending companies if he's going to have a shot at reelection in 2012. He doesn't have the fundraising base at the local level and he isn't going to have the Dem party machinery working for him this time around.

Thanks.

mp

this is so frustrating to watch. every time there is a step forward, something like this happens. Well, reconciliation is the next step. Oct 15th has passed.

Thus spake the most venal, dishonest, self-deluded man in America.

how is a government run insurance option another "entitlement"? and how is it that those who support a public option (majority of congress) the ones who are obstructing health care reform? LOGIC FAIL.

What does it even matter any more? The SUBSIDIES are going to be inadequate no matter what- people are going to be paying 20% of their incomes for it, which is more than they can afford, coverage will be mandated, and many are going to be fined or otherwise be "on the run" like common criminals. No matter what we are looking at crap bills that will probably end up costing us the Dem majority.

Even with the HELP bill we would be looking at inadequate subsidies. Obama really shot the Dems in the foot with his ceiling of $900 billion- we can NOT get adequate subsidies with it. It's going to screw over the middle class and there WILL be hell to pay for it.

I think we'll get a public option one way or another, I hope it's robust, but regardless we'll be back in 5 years going over reform again. Why? Because people will be irate that they are STILL going bankrupt paying for health insurance due to inadequate subsidies.

I feel like the entire Congress is filled with morons who are only coddling to the Insurance Industry. They aren't even thinking of there own neck!! If they were they'd realize inadequate subsidies and reform that doesn't start until 2013 are going to turn people off from voting for them (Dems) for quite sometime.

In the least, I wish they would open up Medicare for people 50 and older. It would help in so many areas- helping people retire which opens up jobs for younger generations, it would help the older unemployed get jobs since businesses wouldn't have to pay for their medical bills. It would help in so many areas- but nobody can even think of, let alone discuss ideas like this in Washington DC. What a freaking sad state of affairs we are in as a Nation.

How much death and misery can one man cause?

Lieberman is a Sanguinocrat.

Maybe Lieberman feels he can't win another election and he's trying to feather his nest for his after Senate life.

Looking for a safe place to land after you leave the Senate, Joe?

Mistake, thy name is Lieberman.

Joe Lieberman = Putz

Nothing more need be said.

Wait, make that = Lying Putz.

Much better.

Joe gotta go.

So now tell me again, why do the Dems let Lieberman caucus with them hear all their strategies and then spit in their faces?

I voted for the ticket that carried his name. Oy.