Only One Day Left to Tell Your Senators "Lieberman Must Go!"

Our Lieberman Must Go campaign is gaining Joe-mentum! Over 1,600 people have already made a call to their Democratic Senators, requesting they take away Lieberman's plum Homeland Security Committee chairmanship this Tuesday, when Dems will gather behind closed doors to determine Lieberman's fate.

The press is also taking notice. Our own Communications Director Leighton Woodhouse explained what Lieberman Must Go is all about to The Connecticut Post:

"This is not about retribution or vengeance...This is about the fact that Lieberman has been very clear that his world view and agenda are contrary to the vision that Obama has espoused." 

The reality is that Lieberman spent the recent election actively campaigning against Democrats, most notably Barack Obama.  But as Leighton suggested, stripping Lieberman of his committee chairmanships is not about exacting revenge.  Lieberman has careened to the right on both foreign and domestic policy issues.  He has stood with McCain on everything from the Iraq War to fear-mongering about Iran to offshore drilling, and he has represented everything the GOP stands for by speaking at the Republican National Convention.  Rewarding him with a powerful committee chairmanship would be, as Sen. Bernie Sanders has said, "a slap in the face of millions of Americans who worked tirelessly for Barack Obama and who want to see real change in our country."

Perhaps Think Progress' Satyam Khanna put it best, however, when he noted during Friday's Meet the Bloggers that Lieberman should no longer be chairman of the Homeland Security Committee or any other committee for the simple reason that he has been a terrible chairman from a progressive standpoint.  You can check out Think Progress' full report, but some of Lieberman's lowlights include the fact that he held no oversight hearings over the Bush administration in 2007; he completely bungled the Hurricane Katrina investigation; and to this day he refuses to hold war profiteers like Blackwater accountable.  

The only suitable means of addressing Lieberman's hawkishness and partisan politics is by stripping him of his Homeland Security chairmanship.  Merely removing his subcommittee chairmanships -- as some Dems have suggested -- would be insufficient, particularly when his Homeland Security gavel gives him subpoena power to investigate the Obama administration.  And to those who believe Dems should placate Lieberman to reach that coveted 60-seat, filibuster-proof Senate majority, I say Lieberman's neocon world-view and the fact that he has cozied up to the Republicans means there is no guarantee he will vote with Democrats on anything going forward.  That is why Lieberman Must Go.  Please call your Senators this Monday and tell them.

Comments

[Sketchartist]

"EN-ABLE"

1 a: to provide with the means or opportunity ... b: to make possible, practical, or easy......

2: to give legal power, capacity, or sanction to....."

(From http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/enable)


WHEN will the leading congressional Democrats learn this?

[scooperss]

Mayne you missed the point.
The election is over and we have no voice now.

[shadow322]

I sent money and worked hours for the Democrats in supporting the party of "Change." Now I see that it is only business as usual on the hill! Allowing LIEBERMAN to keep his major chairmanship in the Senate is a slap in the face to those who fought against being called terrorists, socialists, communists, far left, biggest threat to America, etc. Taking his minor chair is only an attempt to appease the base and is no penalty at all for having attacked everything we stand for! The LIEBERMAN DECISION IS A CONN JOB!

[amcg50]

Get over yourself people; It's Politics....Obama knows what he is doing; keeping Joe on a short leash!

[shadow322]

Get over yourself! Many of us worked hard for a real "Change" in Washington. The Lieberman issue only shows it's business as usual on the hill!

[johnsopinion]

What a joke!

"The reality is that Lieberman spent the recent election actively campaigning against Democrats, most notably Barack Obama."

But up until that time he was a sweet little puppy dog in the Democrats camp. Right?

"But as Leighton suggested, stripping Lieberman of his committee chairmanships is not about exacting revenge."

Right. It's not about "revenge."
Since everyone was so insulted when he was bad-mouthing everything the Democrats 'believed in'
DURING the election process (and did NOTHING before then to offend anyone-like running from party to party and running finally as an Independent, etc.), and they waited to see who was going to win the election, i.e., who would have the 'upper hand' when the dust settled, it's not revenge. Yeah. Right. Let's call it "restitution" or "exoneration" or "absolution" or just pick a label you're comfortable with. Just don't say 'revenge.'

Who woke the Democrats? Could it have been.....The Election?

[Manx]

If Lieberman is removed as chairman of the Homeland Security committee, he has indicated he will join the Republicans and vote, spitefully, against Democratic interests. Any Senator that puerile and unstable should never be in charge of such an important committee.

[scooperss]

Correct.

[luke150]

I am mostly with Obama on this. This is politics, you need numbers to get your agenda. If you don't want him gone out of revenge, then your reasons are really not that sensible (they are purely emotional). Lieberman's domestic view and agenda are totally in line with the predominant Democratic. The only difference is on foreign relations and not on everything there. So why not get his vote on the so important domestic issues? We will get out of Iraq with or without Lieberman.
And for the record, I can't stand him. He is very low in my moral scale. But I wouldn't mind using him to get the big changes we need. I don't mind using a rat to achieve something good. In 10 years nobody will care about Lieberman, but everyone will appreciate if we get a fair health care system or we start cleaning the environment.

[rokn81]

JOE LEIBERMAN MUST GO.IF HE DOESN'T GO,WE MIGHT AS WELL HAVE ELECTED HILLARY.
LEIBERMAN IS NOT OUR FRIEND,OR A DEMOCRAT.HIS STATEMENTS DURING THE CAMPAIGN WERE DISPICABLE...AN OLD POLITICS THAT MUST BE REJECTED.

[dgrayson]

I wrote a letter to Dick Durbin, Harry Reid, Barbara Boxer and Hilary Clinton. No one seems to care and I will never donate another cent to any Democrats if they give Lieberman a pass. I don't care how politically useful he might be, it is not right and it will alienate me forever. I will print out the vote and make sure that those who vote for him are held accountable. Obviously as a voter I have little if any pull to do anything but express my opinion and that does not account for diddly from what I read.

[Georgiadude]

I believe it is a secret ballot. Lieberman dictates the terms to Sen. Reid, as to what will be unacceptable. What makes this jerk so powerful?

[thebigbike]

Just called the offices of both our senators and told them to kick that traitor to the curb !!

[gisellestwocents]

ITA!! Every Dem Senator who backs Lieberman on this HSGA issue might as well say that their constituents should have voted for their Republican opponent because THAT IS WHAT LIEBERMAN STUMPED FOR DURING ELECTION CYCLE 2008.

That would really be a slap in the face to the voters and these Senators know that.

WE ARE NOT BUYING YOUR RATIONALIZATIONS SENATORS!!

[Sparty1]

I live in TX, but I was born and raised in MI. I called Sen. Stabenow (MI) to request that she vote against LIEberman retaining his chairmanship.