refresh my memory -- didn't lieberman cut a deal back at the beginning of this congress?

[unblock]

didn't he cut a deal to keep his cherished chairmanships in exchange for the democratic caucus being able to count on his vote, i.e., to NOT do exactly what he just did?

seems to me liberman, who should be a pariah, instead has the best of both worlds.

what exactly did he give up in order to keep his chairmanships? ANYTHING??

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

1. IIrc, Joe has only called that committee together a couple of times.

[unblock]

4. he has several. one of them was an oversight committee that he never used against shrub.

but his plum chair is the homeland security one.

separately, though, the power derived from a committee chairmanship can vastly exceed the number of times the committee is actually called. much can be accomplished merely by threatening to convene a committee session. not that there's any evidence liberman ever did that against shrub....

[elleng]

2. Good question.

[Usrename]

3. Only one thing I can think of that could explain his arrogance.

AIPAC

[unblock]

5. are you f'n kidding me?

the deal he cut with senate leadership and obama regarding caucusing with the democrats and keeping his chairs, and his subsequent betrayals, was all orchestrated by israel??? what the hell do they care about our health insurance???

:wtf:

[Lerkfish]

6. political dealing is almost never with related items

the old "I'll do this on your bill if you'll help on my bill"

not saying that's what's going on here, but its not outside the realm of past experience.

[unblock]

7. true, but usually, even tin foil hat theories come with some semblance of a story.

[Usrename]

9. Ok, my theory sucks.

What is YOUR theory on how he has retained the chairmanship of the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs in light of his constant betrayals?

And let's try NOT to come up with any tin-foil-hattery in YOUR explanation.

I honestly don't imagine you can come up with any explanation that is more probable. I personally think that AIPAC will pick his replacement, too.

[unblock]

10. you don't think that maybe the insurance lobby has more to do with, you know, insurance?

[Usrename]

12. The question is on his chairmanship deal.

How can he double-cross the caucus like this without fear of retaliation?

Get it? Do you even understand what the question is?

Your responses make me think you don't have any comprehension of what is going on at all.

What does the insurance lobby have to do with his chairmanship deal? Do you really think the insurance lobby are the ones protecting his chairmanship?

[lonestarnot]

11. Couldn't be his little goofie look'n wifie and her insurance scamming could have anything to do with

anything I guess, now could it.

[Usrename]

13. Sure, he's crooked as a dog's hind leg,

but is his wife's theivery really the reason he commands such influence over the Senate?

[Gold Metal Flake]

8. J-Lie is the Democrats beard.

He is their excuse as to why they "can't get anything done". If Ried and Obama did not have a J-Lie, they would have to invent him.