Not only should all Democratic senators endorse Ned Lamont today, but if Lieberman continues to flout the will of his own party in his own state, they should publicly support
stripping him of all his senate committee assignments immediately. No more playing nice, waiting it out, or letting Lieberman walk all over the wishes of his constituents. The voters of Connecticut have spoken. The Democrats have spoken.
I have called the offices of both my Democratic senators as well as that of Senator Harry Reid to urge them to consider stripping Lieberman of his committee assignments. What I have noticed after making the calls is that most Democratic senators are supporting Ned Lamont, but none is saying anything about stripping Lieberman of his committee assignments. We have to get this meme out there ASAP.
Update: Why make this statement? Please follow me over the flip for an explanation of this strategy.
I want to explain that there's a difference between a tactic a
senator should take and a tactic a
constituent should take. A constituent should push his/her senator(s) as far as possible, in order to make a strong statement. A senator will consider this statement and then decide the best tactic to take in realpolitik. For example, Reid's office may listen to my message and decide that maybe he won't go as far as stripping Lieberman of all his committee assignments, but he'll definitely get on the ball and try to talk Lieberman into stepping down. That's what we're going for -- some positive action in the right direction.
To make it easier for you, I've provided contact info and sample scripts:
If you have one or two Democratic senators, please call him/her/them ASAP. You can call the U.S. Capitol toll-free at 1-888-355-3588, or you can find their direct contact info by going to http://[Senator's last name].senate.gov/. Phone numbers are usually located at the bottom of the page or on the "Contact" page.
If your Senator has endorsed Lamont:
I am a constituent of Senator [Senator's last name]'s and a loyal registered Democrat. I want to thank Senator [Senator's last name] for supporting the Democratic candidate that the voters of Connecticut nominated, Ned Lamont. I also want to add that since Lieberman has chosen to run as an Independent, that means he is no longer a Democrat, no longer loyal to our party, and should be stripped of all his committee assignments immediately. I urge Senator [Senator's last name] to support stripping Lieberman of all his committee assignments immediately. Thank you for your consideration.
If your Senator has not yet endorsed Lamont, or has endorsed Lieberman:
I am a constituent of Senator [Senator's last name]'s and a loyal registered Democrat. I urge Senator [Senator's last name] to support the Democratic candidate that the voters of Connecticut nominated, Ned Lamont. In addition, since Lieberman has chosen to run as an Independent, that means he is no longer a Democrat, no longer loyal to our party, and should be stripped of all his committee assignments immediately. I urge Senator [Senator's last name] to support stripping Lieberman of all his committee assignments immediately. Thank you for your consideration.
Also, please call Senator Harry Reid:
202-224-3542
toll-free for Nevadans: 1-866-736-7343
Sample script:
My name is [your name], and I live in the state of [your state]. My contact info is [address, phone number, and/or email address]. I am a loyal registered Democrat. I want to thank Senator Reid for supporting the Democratic candidate that the voters of Connecticut nominated, Ned Lamont. I also want to add that since Lieberman has chosen to run as an Independent, that means he is no longer a Democrat, no longer loyal to our party, and should be stripped of all his committee assignments immediately. I urge Senator Reid, in his position as Senator Democratic Leader, to strip Lieberman of all his committee assignments immediately. Thank you for your consideration.
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Please post your thoughts, suggestions, and conversations you've had with your senate offices. Thanks!