The truth is sad, but all too inescapably real.
The truth is that nothing that Joe Lieberman has ever done really bothers the Democratic Party Establishment. Endorsing the Iraq War, and the full panoply of horribly radical, criminal Bush policies, or gleefully chastising on TV any Democrat who dares speak up to oppose Bush or the War, isn't disqualifying in the least to them because, unlike the Republican Party, they don't really care what their "base" thinks, or what the so-called "Left" wants.
Few things in this world are less likely than them ever taking even a mild stand -- such as stripping Lieberman of his Chair -- in order to defend some sort of political principle, or to remove ineptitude, or to announce that there are certain lines to the Right that can't be crossed. For in the minds of the Democratic Party Establishment, the "right" is and shall always be the safe center of American politics no matter who wins Elections, or by how much. They don't care about their base. They never have.
This reveals much about the Democratic Party. Unlike the GOP, their representatives are not only permitted, but actually encouraged, even required in many cases, to scorn the Base (The "Left"). There's even an adoring term for that ("Sister Soljauh") which is unanimously considered an admirable, affirming, and applause-worthy thing to do. By stark contrast, merely replacing someone in the position of a deeply influential Chairmanship who has strayed way too far to the Right and turned himself into a leading advocate for the most wretched policies is considered unwise and "too divisive".
The Democratic Party has a collective death-wish for "left-center" politics.
Rather than take advantage of a landslide election to simply realign its own committee positions and sharpen its message for bold change, it instead unnecessarily runs rightward (-?-) into the blackmailing arms of NeoConArtist Joe Lieberman.
This is not change I will ever believe in.
I am tired of a Democratic Party that has contempt for its own base, and continually grovels on its knees for affection from the wholly corrupt, crooked right-wing faction of American politics.
This was an easy decision. Harry Reid should have told Joe Lieberman that he can no longer even caucus with the Democrats, as well as stripping him completely of all Chairmanship opportunities.
Let it be clear:
- Lieberman is not even an elected Democrat to begin with anyway (he was elected under the totally fabricated "Lieberman For Connecticut" party, and elected only with GOP support). He has no valid claim or entitlement to even hold any Chairmanship positions whatsoever.
- Lieberman has an eight+ year track record of speaking out on television in opposition to Democratic Party proposals, ideology, and even admonishing and scolding various Democratic members to try to diminish them, in lockstep with Sean Hannity/Bill O'Reilly/Limbaugh/etc. Lieberman is nothing more than a (pro-choice) GOP mole carrying out the agenda of fracturing and undermining potential progressive actions and movements within the Democratic Party, and rendering it ineffective and messageless.
- Nothing was gained by promoting Lieberman to Chairman of the Homeland & Security Committee in place of a properly elected Democratic Senator and ally of the Party. Lieberman will just vote the way he always does on uncontroversal things like Minimum Wage anyway, and he will continue to vote with the NeoCons on things that are their perrogatives: War, protecting Halliburton, protecting Bush, Cheney, Rove, Surveilliance, etc. This won't change no matter what.
Why on earth, after winning this great landslide mandate for change, are we required now to tolerate the continued surrender to the criminal faction of the right-wing all over again? Lieberman cannot continue to represent any part of the face of the Democratic Party, or we have no Party.
It is clear that Harry Reid himself lacks the leadership skills to ever be trusted in the position of Senate Majority Leader again.
Harry Reid will not lead.
It is time to get serious and force Reid out.
The Democratic Party will never change, until "the Left" makes a whole lot more noise and forces them to.