What happens if control of the Senate comes down to Lieberman? Even if Lieberman is not re-elected, what happens if some conservative Dems cross aisles on a crucial vote?
Is there any way to virtually guarantee two additional votes in the Senate for the Dems? (and one in the House?)
Yes, there is.
DC statehood!
DC currently has no voting representation in either the House or the Senate. That's almost 600,000 residents - more than Wyoming, and only slightly less than Vermont. They happen to be 60% black, but I wouldn't want to play the race card when speculating about why DC still has only limited suffrage... I'm sure if Salt Lake City had no Congressional representation, everyone would look the other way just like they do with DC...
In any case, DC is one of the most heavily Democratic parts of the country. DC's Representative and Senator would be a shoo-in for the Democrats, at least for the foreseeable future.
DC statehood was most recently voted on in 1993 -- the District had a Constitutional Convention in the 1980s, and petitioned to join the United States under the name "New Columbia". That vote was defeated 277-153.
In 2003, Senator Lieberman introduced a bill that would have given DC a voting Representative in the House (but not the Senate), along with an extra seat for Utah. Of course, this extra seat would have been a gimme for the Republicans, so the overall effect would not have been important, had this bill passed (it has not).
My position, and the only position congruent with basic democratic standards, is that Lieberman's bill is absurdly unacceptable. DC deserves votes in both the House and the Senate, and that has nothing to do with Utah, which already has votes in both.
Obviously, this is not an issue that will get the masses riled up - except in DC, and they don't count (yet). So, it's understandable that the Democratic leadership hasn't been talking about it. But, it's a clear political victory for the Democrats, and can ensure a larger majority.
(Of course, this assumes the Democrats win a majority, which they haven't, so everyone phonebank and GOTV and etc. I just want to bring more attention to this issue.)
Regardless of the results next week, supporting DC statehood is a no-brainer for every Dem, and ending taxation without representation is a no-brainer for every American.