Jonathan Chait: Lieberman is just babbling nonsense here.

[ProSense]

It Was Lieberman All Along

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Of course, I can't prove this. But look at Lieberman's reason for why he now says he'll vote to sustain a GOP filibuster of health care reform:

"We're trying to do too much at once," Lieberman said. “To put this government-created insurance company on top of everything else is just asking for trouble for the taxpayers, for the premium payers and for the national debt. I don’t think we need it now."

Lieberman added that he’d vote against a public option plan “even with an opt-out because it still creates a whole new government entitlement program for which taxpayers will be on the line."

It literally makes no sense whatsoever. A public plan does not provide a new entitlement. It just doesn't. It's a different form of providing an entitlement. Nor is it more expensive. In fact, the stronger versions of the public plan would cost less money. Lieberman is just babbling nonsense here.

Another reason for his position, of course, is that Connecticut is home to some huge insurance companies, who don't want any new competition. But the other Connecticut Senator isn't threatening a filibuster. I think Lieberman is the one to watch. My guess is that ultimately he'll vote for reform, but he'll do so because the Democrats will scale back their plan and win over Olympia Snowe, making Lieberman's opposition academic. Lieberman won't join a futile filibuster, but if he has the chance to stick in the knife and kill health care reform, I think he'd probably jump at the chance.

Still, why the hell sense would it make for the Dems to kowtow to Snowe in order to counter Lieberman. The outcome is the same. It's time for drastic action. To quote Senator Harkin:

“There are 52 solid Democrats for the public option,” said Senator Tom Harkin, the Iowa Democrat who is chairman of the health committee. “Only about five Democrats oppose it. Should the 52 give in to the five? Or should the five go along with the vast majority of the Democratic caucus?”

link

Screw Bayh, Lieberman, Landrieu, Lincoln, Nelson, Snowe and the entire Republican Party.

[Jennicut]

1. Sadly, CT is home to many insurance companies...tons in Hartford.

But Dodd is not giving into them. Loserman is essentially a Rethug and anyone in my state who told themselves otherwise lied to themselves. My own ultra conservative parents voted for him.

[Atman]

2. There is a MUCH shorter answer...

Joe lives in West Hartford, CT. Hartford is one of the insurance capitals of the US. It's practically synonymous with insurance. Joe takes a lot of money from them. Why can't he just admit that he's looking out for his constituents? He may be a scumbag, but at least an honest answer would make him slightly less of one. BTW, Joe is no longer my senator, but when he was he NEVER addressed anything I wrote to him about. If I wrote with a concern about health care, he'd send me a twelve page report about generic government issues and how hard he was working. He was a horrible senator. My current senator (disclaimer: also a client), Joe Courtney, is awesome. Great guy, votes his conscience, down-to-earth.

.

[CTLawGuy]

4. He actually lives in New Haven

NT

[doc03]

3. You know I think they should just give

Lieberman an old fashioned style Army blanket party.

[The_Casual_Observer]

5. I guess it would take precious resources away from protecting Israel

from the rest of the middle east.

[tomm2thumbs]

6. Lieberman lies with the enemy - traitor to our party & homeland

Time to kick his a** out of office. Democrats don't need to be kicked twice to feel it. This will be his last time as Senator in office. He is done.