Woke up this morning to the "AK-Sen: Begich takes a "big" lead" diary by kos, and then read WineRev's "MN-Sen Recount: Update" thread, and of course, Jim Martin's "GA-Sen: The Fight Isn't Over Yet" thread, and they all got me thinking about 2006, when most people didn't expect the Dems to actually get a majority in the Senate. Wow, thought I, they might confound expectations once again, and get a filibuster-proof supermajority in the Senate.
Then I started browsing through Jed L's "Lieberman is not the change we need" diary. Or is it a story? A comment? Whatever..
More...
There's a lot of anger directed and Mr. Lieberman, and rightly so. He has actively campaigned to block Democrats from being elected since the day he lost the primary to Ned Lamont, which of course made Ned the Democrat.
But Lieberman could be a key instrument to reaching the filibuster-proof majority.
How hard would it be for Reid to extract a non-filibuster pledge from Lieberman? [h/t arthura]
Let's not forget what pieces of legislation have been implemented when Democratic presidents work with filibuster-proof supermajorities in the Senate. I mean, it just happened thirty years ago. See, Wikipedia says so:
The Ninety-fifth United States Congress ... met in Washington, DC from January 3, 1977 to January 3, 1979, during the first two years of the administration of U.S. President Jimmy Carter. ... Both chambers had a Democratic majority. As of 2008, this was the last time either party held a filibuster-proof (60 member) majority in the Senate.
And here's some of the legislation enacted during the 95th congress (again, according to Wikipedia) :
* 1977-08-03 — Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act, Pub.L. 95-87, 91 Stat. 445
* 1977-10-12 — Community Reinvestment Act, Pub.L. 95-128, title VIII, 91 Stat. 1147
* 1977-12-19 — Unlawful Corporate Payments Act of 1977, Pub.L. 95-213, including title I: Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, 91 Stat. 1494
* 1977-12-27 — Clean Water Act, Pub.L. 95-217, 91 Stat. 1566
* 1977-12-28 — International Emergency Economic Powers Act, Pub.L. 95-223, title II, 91 Stat. 1626
* 1978-02-25 — Department of Energy Organization Act, Pub.L. 95-238, 92 Stat. 47
* 1978-03-10 — Nuclear Non-Proliferation Act, Pub.L. 95-242, 92 Stat. 120
* 1978-10-10 — Susan B. Anthony dollar authorized
* 1978-10-13 — Civil Service Reform Act, Pub.L. 95-454, 92 Stat. 1111
* 1978-10-14 — Drug Abuse Prevention, Treatment, and Rehabilitation Act, Pub.L. 95-461, 92 Stat. 1268
* 1978-10-24 — Airline Deregulation Act, Pub.L. 95-504, 92 Stat. 1705
* 1978-10-25 — Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, Pub.L. 95-511, 92 Stat. 1783
* 1978-10-26 — Ethics in Government Act, Pub.L. 95-521, 92 Stat. 1824
* 1978-10-27 — Humphrey-Hawkins Full Employment Act, Pub.L. 95-253, 92 Stat. 1887
* 1978-10-31 — Pregnancy Discrimination Act, Pub.L. 95-555, 92 Stat. 2076
* 1978-11-01 — Contract Disputes Act, Pub.L. 95-563, 92 Stat. 2383
* 1978-11-06 — Bankruptcy Act of 1978, Pub.L. 95-598, 92 Stat. 2549
* 1978-11-09 — National Energy Conservation Policy Act, Pub.L. 95-619, 92 Stat. 3206
Not bad. Hey, we got the Susan B. Anthony dollar!
Anyway, according to ProgressivePunch.org, Lieberman is way more progressive than any Republican (yes, including Arlen Specter, Olympia Snowe, and Susan Collins).
Look, if Lieberman hates Democrats and wants to see them removed from office in favor of Republicans...um, so what? He's a progressive who loves the war in Iraq and all the other wars McCain and Bush et al want to implement. Fine! Sorry, Joe. You lost! Despite your best efforts, the Democrats won. Now let's get some work done.
Now, some want to see Senator Lieberman removed as chair of Homeland Security. But, as Jeremy Zilber points out:
I kind of like the idea of Lieberman watching his back for the rest of his term, knowing that if he crosses Obama or the Democrats on any major legislation, he'll likely lose his chairmanship. If he gets dumped now, the Democrats lose their leverage. If he's kept, he knows the offer is only good so long as he behaves like a good little Lieberman.
Bingo. Let Lieberman keep his chairmanship, but keep an eye on him. It's not giving him power in exchange for nothing. All of those who caucus with the Democrats (for example, 50-some Democrats) have the same obligations to support a Democratic agenda (i.e.: whatever they want to do, because they're human beings with opinions and special-interest money, etc.).
Joe's an asshole, but we all do better if he's OUR asshole. Hell, the Democrats let Max Baucus chair all kinds of committees, and he's hardly someone I'd consider a progressive.
UPDATE:
There was a request to see how often Lieberman voted for cloture with the Democrats. I've taken this data from this Washington Post website. I have only included instances wherein the Post listed GOP opinion at odds with Dem opinion. It looks like Joe has voted with the Dems on whether to invoke cloture 50 times when Republicans voted the other way, and 16 times with the Republicans against the Democrats. Of those 16, it looks like the majority are "War on Terror" bills.
Lieberman With Dems:
9/16/08 Vote 200: On the Cloture Motion: Motion to Invoke Cloture on S. 3001; National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2009
7/31/08 Vote 195: On Cloture on the Motion to Proceed: Motion to Invoke Cloture on the Motion to Proceed to Consider S. 3001; National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2009
7/30/08 Vote 192: On the Cloture Motion: Motion to Invoke Cloture on the Motion to Proceed to Consider S.3335; Jobs, Energy, Families, and Disaster Relief Act of 2008
7/30/08 Vote 191: On the Cloture Motion: Motion to Invoke Cloture on the Motion to Proceed to Consider S. 2035; Free Flow of Information Act of 2007
7/29/08 Vote 190: On the Cloture Motion: Upon Reconsideration Motion to Invoke Cloture on the Motion to Proceed to Consider H.R.6049; Renewable Energy and Job Creation Act of 2008
7/28/08 Vote 189: On the Cloture Motion: Motion to Invoke Cloture on the Motion to Proceed to Consider S.3297; Advancing America's Priorities Act
7/26/08 Vote 187: On the Cloture Motion: Motion to Invoke Cloture on the Motion to Proceed to the Consideration of S. 3186; Warm in Winter and Cool in Summer Act
7/25/08 Vote 184: On the Cloture Motion: Motion to Invoke Cloture on S. 3268; Stop Excessive Energy Speculation Act of 2008
7/09/08 Vote 169: On the Cloture Motion: Upon Reconsideration, Motion to Invoke Cloture on the Motion to Proceed to Consider H.R. 6331; Medicare Improvement for Patients and Providers Act of 2008
6/26/08 Vote 160: On Cloture on the Motion to Proceed: Motion to Invoke Cloture on the Motion to Proceed to Consider H.R. 6331; Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act of 2008
6/17/08 Vote 150: On the Motion: Motion to Invoke Cloture on the Motion to Proceed to H. R. 6049; Renewable Energy and Job Creation Act of 2008
6/12/08 Vote 149: On the Cloture Motion: Motion to Invoke Cloture on the Motion to Proceed to Consider S. 3101; Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act of 2008
6/10/08 Vote 147: On the Cloture Motion: Motion to Invoke Cloture on the Motion to Proceed to Consider H.R. 6049; Renewable Energy and Job Creation Act of 2008
6/10/08 Vote 146: On the Cloture Motion: Motion to Invoke Cloture on the Motion to Proceed to Consider S. 3044; Consumer-First Energy Act of 2008
6/06/08 Vote 145: On the Cloture Motion: Motion to Invoke Cloture on the Boxer Amdt. No. 4825; In the nature of a substitute.
5/13/08 Vote 126: On the Cloture Motion: Motion to Invoke Cloture on the Motion to Proceed to H.R. 980; Public Safety Employer-Employee Cooperation Act of 2007
5/06/08 Vote 115: On the Cloture Motion: Motion to Invoke Cloture on the Rockefeller Amdt. No. 4627 (Subst.) to H.R. 2881; In the nature of a substitute.
4/23/08 Vote 110: On the Cloture Motion: Motion to Invoke Cloture on the Motion to Proceed to Consider H.R. 2831; Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2007
2/06/08 Vote 8: On the Cloture Motion: Motion To Invoke Cloture On The Reid Amdt No. 3983; Of a perfecting nature.
1/28/08 Vote 4: On the Cloture Motion: Motion to Invoke Cloture on Amdt. No. 3918 to S. 2248; Relative to the extension of the Protect America Act of 2007. (Didn't vote)
12/18/07 Vote 436: On the Cloture Motion: Motion to Invoke Cloture on the Reid motion to Concur in the House Amdts. to the Senate Amdt. to H.R. 2764; Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations Act, 2008
12/13/07 Vote 425: On the Cloture Motion: Motion to Invoke Cloture on the Motion to Concur in the House Amendment to the Senate Amendment with an Amendment to H.R. 6; Renewable Fuels, Consumer Protection, and Energy Efficiency Act of 2007
12/7/07 Vote 416: On the Cloture Motion: Motion to Invoke Cloture on the Motion to Concur in the House Amdts. to the Senate Amdts. to H.R. 6; Renewable Fuels, Consumer Protection, and Energy Efficiency Act of 2007
12/6/07 Vote 414: On the Cloture Motion: Motion to Invoke Cloture on the Motion to Proceed to H.R. 3996; Temporary Tax Relief Act of 2007
11/16/07 Vote 412: On the Cloture Motion: Motion to Invoke Cloture on the Harkin Amdt. No. 3500 (Subst.) to H.R.2419; In the nature of a substitute.
11/1/07 Vote 402: On the Cloture Motion: Motion to Invoke Cloture on H.R.3963; Support for Injured Servicemembers Act
10/31/07 Vote 401: On the Cloture Motion: Motion to Invoke Cloture on the Motion to Proceed to Consider H.R.3963; Support for Injured Servicemembers Act
10/24/07 Vote 394: On the Cloture Motion: Motion to Invoke Cloture on the Motion to Proceed to Consider S. 2205; A bill to authorize the cancellation of removal and adjustment of status of certain alien students who are long-term United States residents and who entered the United States as children, and for other purposes.
9/27/07 Vote 352: On the Cloture Motion: Motion to Invoke Cloture on the Motion to Concur with House Amendments to the Senate Amendments to H.R.976; Support for Injured Servicemembers Act
9/27/07 Vote 350: On the Cloture Motion: Motion to Invoke Cloture on the Kennedy Amdt. No. 3035; To provide Federal assistance to States, local jurisdictions, and Indian tribes to prosecute hate crimes, and for other purposes.
9/18/07 Vote 339: On Cloture on the Motion to Proceed: Motion to Invoke Cloture on the Motion to Proceed to S. 1257; District of Columbia House Voting Rights Act of 2007
6/28/07 Vote 235: On the Cloture Motion: A bill to provide for comprehensive immigration reform and for other purposes.
6/26/07 Vote 228: On the Cloture Motion: Motion to Invoke Cloture on the Motion to Proceed to Consider S.1639; A bill to provide for comprehensive immigration reform and for other purposes.
6/26/07 Vote 227: On the Cloture Motion: Motion to Invoke Cloture on the Motion to Proceed to Consider H.R.800; Employee Free Choice Act of 2007
6/21/07 Vote 225: On the Cloture Motion: Motion to Invoke Cloture on H.R. 6; CLEAN Energy Act of 2007
6/21/07 Vote 224: On the Cloture Motion: Motion to Invoke Cloture on the Reid Amdt. No. 1502; In the nature of a substitute.
6/21/07 Vote 223: On the Cloture Motion: Motion to Invoke Cloture on the Baucus Amdt. No. 1704; To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide for energy advancement and investment, and for other purposes.
6/07/07 Vote 206: On the Cloture Motion: Upon Reconsideration, Motion to Invoke Cloture on the Kennedy Amdt. No. 1150, As Amended; In the nature of a substitute.
6/07/07 Vote 204: On the Cloture Motion: Motion to Invoke Cloture on S. 1348; Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act of 2007
6/07/07 Vote 203: On the Cloture Motion: Motion to Invoke Cloture on the Kennedy Amdt. No. 1150, As Amended; In the nature of a substitute.
5/15/07 Vote 166: H R 1495: Kerry Amdt. No. 1094; To require the consideration of certain factors relating to global climate change.
5/03/07 Vote 150: On the Cloture Motion: Motion to Invoke Cloture on the Dorgan Amdt. No. 990; To provide for the importation of prescription drugs.
4/18/07 Vote 132: On the Cloture Motion: Motion to Invoke Cloture on the Motion to Proceed to the Consideration of S. 3; Medicare Prescription Drug Price Negotiation Act of 2007
4/17/07 Vote 131: On the Cloture Motion: Upon Reconsideration, Motion to Invoke Cloture on S. 372; Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2007
4/16/07 Vote 130: On the Cloture Motion: Motion to Invoke Cloture on S. 372; Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2007
3/09/07 Vote 69: On the Cloture Motion: Motion to Invoke Cloture on Reid Amdt. No. 275, As Amended; In the nature of a substitute.
3/09/07 Vote 68: On the Cloture Motion: Motion to Invoke Cloture on Cornyn Amdt. No. 312, As Modified; To prohibit the recruitment of persons to participate in terrorism, to clarify that the revocation of an alien's visa or other documentation is not subject to judicial review, to strengthen the Federal Government's ability to detain dangerous criminal aliens, including murderers, rapists, and child molesters, until they can be removed from the United States, to prohibit the rewarding of suicide bombings and allow adequate punishments for terrorists murders, kidnappings, and sexual assaults, and for other purposes.
2/13/07 Vote 46: On the Motion: Motion to Invoke Cloture on H.J.Res. 20; Revised Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2007
1/24/07 Vote 23: On the Cloture Motion: Motion to Invoke Cloture on H.R.2; Fair Minimum Wage Act of 2007
1/17/07 Vote 16: On the Cloture Motion: Motion to Invoke Cloture on the Reid Amdt No. 3 To S.1; In the nature of a substitute.
Lieberman Against Dems:
7/09/08 Vote 167: On the Cloture Motion: Motion to Invoke Cloture on H.R. 6304; Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978
2/28/08 Vote 35: On the Cloture Motion: Motion to Invoke Cloture on the Motion to Proceed to H.R.3221; New Direction for Energy Independence, National Security, and Consumer Protection Act and the Renewable Energy and Energy Conservation Tax Act of 2007
2/12/08 Vote 19: On the Cloture Motion: Motion to Invoke Cloture Re. S. 2248; FISA Amendments Act of 2007
1/28/08 Vote 3: On the Cloture Motion: Motion to Invoke Cloture on Amdt. No. 3911 to S. 2248; In the nature of a substitute. (Didn't vote)
11/16/07 Vote 411: On the Cloture Motion: Motion to Invoke Cloture on the Motion to Proceed to Consider H.R.4156; Orderly and Responsible Iraq Redeployment Appropriations Act, 2008
11/16/07 Vote 410: On the Cloture Motion: Motion to Invoke Cloture on the Motion to Proceed to Consider S.2340; A bill making emergency supplemental appropriations for the Department of Defense for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2008, and for other purposes.
10/24/07 Vote 392: On the Cloture Motion: Motion to Invoke Cloture on the Nomination of Leslie Southwick, of Mississippi, to be U.S. Circuit Judge
9/19/07 Vote 340: On the Cloture Motion: Motion to Invoke Cloture on the Specter Amdt. No. 2022; To restore habeas corpus for those detained by the United States.
7/18/07 Vote 252: On the Motion: Motion to Invoke Cloture on the Levin Amdt. No. 2087; To provide for a reduction and transition of United States forces in Iraq.
7/11/07 Vote 241: On the Cloture Motion: Motion to Invoke Cloture on the Webb Amdt. No. 2012; To specify minimum periods between deployment of units and members of the Armed Forces for Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom.
6/11/07 Vote 207: On the Cloture Motion: Motion to Invoke Cloture on the Motion to Proceed to the Consideration of S.J.Res.14; A joint resolution expressing the sense of the Senate that Attorney General Alberto Gonzales no longer holds the confidence of the Senate and of the American people.
5/16/07 Vote 168: On the Cloture Motion: Motion to Invoke Cloture on the Warner Amdt. No. 1134; Relative to the President's strategy in Iraq.
5/16/07 Vote 167: On the Cloture Motion: Motion to Invoke Cloture on the Feingold Amdt. No. 1098; To provide for a transition of the Iraq mission.
2/17/07 Vote 51: On the Cloture Motion: Motion to Invoke Cloture on the Motion to Proceed to S.574; A bill to express the sense of Congress on Iraq.
2/05/07 Vote 44: On the Cloture Motion: Motion to Invoke Cloture on the Motion to Proceed to S. 470; A bill to express the sense of Congress on Iraq.
1/24/07 Vote 22: On the Cloture Motion: Motion to Invoke Cloture on the Gregg Amdt. No. 101; To provide Congress a second look at wasteful spending by establishing enhance rescission authority under fast-track procedures.
Lieberman Against Everybody:
2/26/08 Vote 33: On the Cloture Motion: Motion to Invoke Cloture on the Motion to Proceed to Consider S. 2633; A bill to provide for the safe redeployment of United States troops from Iraq.