Traitor Joe, by Paul Begala

[jefferson_dem]

Traitor Joe
by Paul Begala

The ex-Democrat now says he’ll join the GOP in a health-care filibuster. Paul Begala on Lieberman’s latest and most shameless betrayal.

It's journalistic shorthand to note a politician's party identification and state after his or her name. For example: Jane Doe (D-NY). And so Connecticut Senator Joe Lieberman is identified as (I-CT). But the “I” does not stand for "Independent." It stands for "Insurance Industry."

Lieberman says he will join a Republican filibuster against President Obama's health-insurance reforms. You could see this coming from a mile away—actually from 15 years away.

In 1993 and 94, Lieberman consistently opposed President Clinton's reform bill—which did not have a public option. In case you're keeping score at home, Lieberman will filibuster the Obama plan, which has a public option, and he opposed the Clinton reform plan, which did not. Anything that protects consumers, it seems, is a bridge too far for Sen. Lieberman.

Lieberman sided with insurance companies against sick people, and with insurance companies against citizens who want to sue to protect their rights in court. As The New York Times reported, "Many of Mr. Lieberman's friends said he had no alternative but to take this position because it was the one favored by the insurance industry. The industry is important to Connecticut's economy and has generously donated to Mr. Lieberman's campaigns over the years."

<SNIP>

http://www.thedailybeast.com/blogs-and-stories/2009-10-27/traitor-joe/

[Barack_America]

1. Happy to K&R.

[Barack_America]

2. Happy to K&R.

ETA: Apparently VERY happy, lol.

[dave29]

3. SNAP

that was a nice ending line.

[Cha]

4. Traitor Joe has more than earned his

name..and I is for Insurance.

There's got to be some way to make him pay for his treason..I don't care what Senator Dodd says.

[Barack_America]

10. Judas Joe is catchier, IMO.

Though I can understand why people are hesitant to use it.

I have seen it used elsewhere though.

[demwing]

13. well, Traiter Joe has more recognition, I think

because it sounds like Trader Joe's, the upscale grocery store.

[Quantess]

30. But Trader Joes is a great store.

It isn't that "upscale", either. Their prices are very good, actually.

[jmowreader]

36. There's a very simple way to make him pay for his treason

Put Naval Submarine Base New London, Connecticut, and the US Coast Guard Academy on the next Base Realignment and Closure list. I am certain we can find enough extra land around Annapolis that we can build facilities near Annapolis to hold the Coast Guard middies, and there's no damn way we can't find somewhere else on the East Coast to handle the subs that are homeported at New London.

Okay, that's kind of a stretch...Oh, let me see...the military buys a lot of Connecticut-made products (Pratt & Whitney, Sikorsky) that could easily be made by companies that are NOT in Connecticut.

[PSzymeczek]

38. Wish we could come up with a designator

for Self Serving - Big Insurance.

[tularetom]

5. That's all true but I think there's even more to it than that

This is Losermnan's way of getting back at all the kids in high school who made his life one long never ending succession of wedgies.

I mean look at the guy. Doesn't he look like the kind of dork who got sat on a fountain once a week?

[BrklynLiberal]

7. The best was Jon Stewart's "Droopy" imitation of him...

[BrklynLiberal]

6. Kick his butt out of that Chairmanship..and then out of the Senate...

[geek tragedy]

8. Begala is part of Bill Clinton's old network.

Traitor Joe has walked out to the far end of a very thin branch.

[bvar22]

14. So is Joe Lieberman....

Former Chairman of the DLC.

[geek tragedy]

15. Which shows you how few friends Joe really has left.

The Democrats aren't shielding him because they like him right now. It's either cowardice or caution.

[David Zephyr]

9. Traitor Joe. Forever more in history.

He earned his name.

[WCGreen]

11. Take his fucking committee away from him....

Strip him of his seniority...

Ostracize the bastard...

Let him suck up to the GOP.

If they don't now, I am through with this whole process.

This guy can just operate as a free signet with no repercussions and it sets a very bad example to the children of this country.

Why bother playing by the rules. Machine Gun Joe does what he pleases, suffers no consequences for his behavior.

[vaberella]

12. Joe just fucked himself over. n/t

[Douglas Carpenter]

16. when even Paul Begala abandons Joe Lieberman... it shows that even

Joe Lieberman's much celebrated claim of being a mainstream-centrist Democrat now rings truly hollow.

[angee_is_mad]

17. He's the real Judas

not Bill Richardson.
Where is carville when you need him? Probably working on some more FAKE POLLS stating how the teabaggers, birther, deathers and other ringnuts are not racist.

[depakid]

18. "You could see this coming from a mile away—actually from 15 years away."

No kidding.

[Phoebe Loosinhouse]

19. No Liberman thread is complete without this GREAT video from today on Morning Joe

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=385x395714

Marvel at the hypocrisy! Amaze your friends with his duplicity!

[NewJeffCT]

23. Thanks for that link

good one. I've already sent him several emails asking him about this over the past few months.

[flpoljunkie]

20. Tell that to his good friend, Harry Reid.

[peace frog]

22. Harry is deaf to any criticism of his pal Traitor Joe

Doesn't seem to occur to these lackwits that they will be tarred with the same brush, and it will be remembered for a long time to come.

[Nothing Without Hope]

21. Strip him of committee chairmanship

If they don't, that's (additional) proof that the Democratic leadership is owned by the corporatists.

[ooglymoogly]

27. and also proof that, for the most part, the democratic congress is a sham

and it is all just a show to make there seem a difference. Both Droopy Joe and Bayh must lose lose their chairs and never given another or Reid must be defeated; Otherwise we can write of this congress for any real change and work hard to unseat the shitheads that are selling us down the river and trying to cover with a bunch of grandstanding, Orwellian flim flam.

[uponit7771]

24. You know, I am GLAD Joe Lieberman didn't get anywhere CLOSE to the oval office in 2001 now

[Bette Noir]

25. If anyone comes up with a TV commercial, to be shown in Connecticut

detailing Lieberman's connections to the insurance industry and his betrayal of his constituents, I'd be happy to donate money to get it on the air. Move On, anyone?

[ooglymoogly]

26. Droopy Joe....any similarity to the cartoon character

is purely intentional. No offense to the fab Droopy the cartoon character.

[GreenTea]

28. Disgusting selfish paid-off asshole is Lieberman, he thinks the money will make him live forever.

He will will be dying soon and he will die fucking over tens of millions of people...but what does this greedy selfish pig care, he has his money.

[xxqqqzme]

29. "...Sen. Lieberman is always there when we don't need him..."

Ain't that the truth.


Do you know anybody who didn't say 'WTF' when Gore picked him in 2000?

[winyanstaz]

31. Yes he will go down in history alright.....

As a traitor to his country and his people and to his party.

[polichick]

32. Just another Washington whore. nt

[AlbertCat]

33. "Many of Mr. Lieberman's friends said he had no alternative

Wait....Lieberman has friends?????

He does have an alternative. He could sell one of his houses (he has 3? 5?) and give the $$$ back so as to not be bought by the Ins Companies. He also coulda admitted defeat instead of creating his own one man party in the last election. He had plenty of alternatives.... all of them better for the country.

[beac]

35. Hadassah does PR for Glaxo Smith Kline. THAT'S why he has "no alternative."

A couple of WHORES are the Liebermans. :puke:

[Egnever]

40. sounds like its hard to get into office in his state unless you are bought by the Ins comps.

[undeterred]

34. Joe is not our kind.

[PSzymeczek]

39. Where's the big wet one from the State of the Union?

The anointing.

[Plucketeer]

37. Traitor Joe?

I agree it fits, but it's not sharp enough. Ass Hole Joe is closer to the truth! :grr: