Did you know that in 1995, Joe Lieberman actually sought to abolish the filibuster?
In 1995, Sen. Lieberman co-sponsored legislation to stop abuse of the filibuster in the U.S. Senate. The bill, co-sponsored with Sen. Tom Harkin (D-IA), would have ended the filibuster as we know it, making it easier to pass legislation through the famously slow-to-act Senate. On the Senate floor, Lieberman declared, "The whole process of individual senators being able to hold up legislation...it's just unfair."
When it comes to abusing the filibuster, Joe said it best himself: "[The] filibuster has become not only in reality an obstacle to accomplishment here, but it is also a symbol of a lot that ails Washington today." Watch the video, then help remind Joe.
Today, Joe Lieberman is threatening to wage a one-man filibuster against health insurance reform - precisely the kind of procedural move he so passionately opposed fourteen years ago.Help remind Joe Lieberman that he opposes abusing the filibuster. As one blogger put it today, "We know he's his favorite person, so maybe he can convince himself."
(I am passing this on from SEIU - rallies in the cold all over WA state today!)
Someone on Air America mentioned Joe's flip flop
ways on filibuster. It might have been Thom Hartmann.
Posted by: Abbycat | December 12, 2009 at 05:20 PM
So over 80% of democrats want Lieberman “punished” for his health care filibuster. Isn't America about tradition? Can we punish for some of congress' jokes but not others? In the meantime – get people involved and stay vigilante, America: TicTacDo
Posted by: John | December 16, 2009 at 10:28 AM
Shaming Joe won't change a thing. What needs to happen is what Joe originally wanted: that is re-establish Democracy by abolishing the filibuster once and for all.
The filibuster perpetuates a broken system. Having a filibuster is like having a foot of slop in a car's steering system. We all have a death grip on the wheel, hoping our nation will go in the right direction.
Even though the road leans to the right (and the ditch), steering to the left still won't bring the vehicle back to the center of the road. Trying to bring about any reform is like having to repave the road dead flat instead of simply and accurately going for what is the needed corrective action.
I think it is high time that we consider taking the so called "nuclear option" once and for all as a matter of principle. If the Democrats do it out of principle and they later lose the majority, I'd have to say so what. If poor legislation is passed by the opposition, corrective action should follow quickly in the next cycle. It's time to trust ourselves to do what is right.
Paul
Seattle
Posted by: Paul | December 16, 2009 at 12:46 PM
Listening to Matthews, Schultz, Chuck Todd, et al at MSNBC lamenting Obama's slide to 47% today, it's hard not to be udlislisioned and come down on the Democrats. Most of the blame should be placed on Senate Democrats, however. I fear the Republicans may take back BOTH houses in the next election with all of this nay-saying, much of it coming now from Democrats. I don't even want to think about a possible McCain-Palin administration and where we would be right now if they had succeeded. I do think there has been too much time spent on healthcare to the point of burnout now. Americans are still MOST concerned about jobs and the economy and maybe this healthcare issue should have been pursued at another time. First things first! Obama wanted it NOW as he felt he had his most politcal capital during his first year but it seems now to be pulling him down instead. I feel the same way about gay marriage that the activists scream about wanting it RIGHT NOW! As a gay man, we've come a long way since Stonewall, and this is an issue for Obama's SECOND term if he ever gets one. There are ways gay couples can ensure they have many of the rights of marriage , however it will cost them more in lawyer fees than a cheap license at the courthouse. But it can be done.
Posted by: Chheang | March 11, 2012 at 12:55 AM
Gay rights and universal healthcare need to happen some time and putting them off will just make some other wedge issue rise up.
Posted by: Slugbug | March 11, 2012 at 10:35 PM