Get to Know a Neoconservative

So at some point 2+ years ago I decided to go back and do doctoral work. Why? Who knows? Possibly it's part of that effete and elite left-wing-academic conspiracy David Horowitz slobbers on about when he's not sleeping upside down in his cave. Or maybe it's because I just wanted to be a bit more learned before I spoke and wrote about politics, history and international affairs. Who can ever tell with these things?

Yet, in what can only be called cosmic serendipity, I decided to write my dissertation on the intellectual takeover of the GOP and self-styled Democratic hawks by neoconservative thought. And who thought it would be of practical use, well, until Joe Lieberman got a primary challenge. You see, as part of my dissertation research, I recently completed a search through his voting record, statements and quotes over the past two decades.

So just in time for the primary coming up in Connecticut, between a real Democrat and a Bill Bennett--albeit one with a somewhat more effective fitness regimen--I feel it's time to start my almost two week series on Mr. Lieberman:

Get To Know a Neoconservative

Today let's talk veterans. Let me begin by reminding you that Joe Lieberman not only co-sponsored a resolution to allow the use of force in Iraq, has as recently as the last few weeks claimed things are looking so good in Baghdad it sounded like he was describing Epcot--which is true if you measure improvement in much the same way Mohamed Farah Aideed would have--and was the first Democrat to call for potentially expanding our war in the region to Iran. Big on sending other people's kids to fight wars of choice, Mr. Lieberman is.

So how does Joe treat those returning from battle? Let's say Joe loves the war, but not necessarily the warrior.

In 1997, Strom Thurmond offered a motion to kill an amendment offered by Paul Wellstone to require the Defense Secretary to transfer $400 million to the Secretary of Veteran's Affairs in fiscal 1998 for veteran's benefits [Senate Vote 168 - S 936]. Joe voted against former members of the armed services, parting ways with such New England Democratic colleagues as fellow Connecticut Senator Chris Dodd, Teddy Kennedy and John Kerry. He did, however, vote with the Republican leadership in the person of Trent Lott (interesting, where have I seen Trent Lott and Strom Thurmond mentioned in the same paragraph before...).

In 1998, Lieberman again thrust himself into the loving embrace of Lott, when he opposed an amendment offered by Senator Tom Harkin to transfer $329 million from defense accounts to the Veterans Affairs Department for health care programs [Senate Vote 175 - S 2057]. He again voted against his New England Democratic colleagues. Lieberman also opposed efforts to increase health-care spending for veterans by $13 billion over 5 years in 1996 [Senate Vote 116 - S Con Res 57], $1 billion in 1998 [Senate Vote 185 - S 2168], and opposed an increase of $650 million in veterans' medical care in 2001 [Senate Vote 263 - HR 2620].

Yet, all the while he has been one of only a handful of Democrats continually supporting missile defense programs that don't work with billions of dollars that could have gone to vets (or real homeland security or nuclear non-proliferation or...).

So ask yourself: Joe Lieberman, a good blue-state Democrat who actually supports our men and women in uniform and those who fought past wars, or Perlean neoconservative, more obsessed with the failed instruments of war like his pet-projectile-projects?