I am sure that many on DailyKos are getting tired of hearing people talk about the Lieberman issue, but I tried calling my Senator this morning and was taken aback by what one of her staffers told me.
I was told that the vote on whether Lieberman kept his chairmanship was not an issue that impacted Washington State. He said the vote was about the Democratic Party and about Connecticut voters. If that is the case, what right did Maria Cantwell have to this issue that I did not? I told him that the chairmanship has an impact on all citizens, not just those from Connecticut.
What I see here is an obliviousness of those that are supposed to represent us. They do not feel they have to be accountable to us, the voters. Let alone the Democratic Wing of the Democratic Party. But this isn't even a Democratic issue, it is a democratic issue. Our representatives are not taking any consideration of their constituents. I understand that the public is oftentimes behind on issues of importance, and that senators have a level of indepedence. They have to be ahead of the curve on a great deal of issues, but this isn't one of them. What benefit do Democrats, or Americans in general, get in keeping Lieberman as chairman of the Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee?
I feel as if I have been betrayed by her, considering that I took many hours out of my life to walk around neighborhoods 20-30 miles from my own to help her defeat Mike McGavick. She has consistently disappointed me with her votes on so many issues. She has not taken a stand on issues that are important to this country's future.
I worry that if Barack Obama doesn't turn out the way we hope and tries to ram through center-right legislation that the Senate will let themselves be railroaded. I see another possible betrayal of the left by a Democratic President and nothing that will speak for the activists in the party. If Democrats can't even stand up to the turncoat that is Joe Lieberman, what chance do they have to stand up to a Democratic President if he is wrong on something?
I am not saying President-elect Obama will betray us, but we should not expect him to be correct on issues we find important even most of the time.
I am curious if anyone else has tried to find out the votes on the Lieberman issue and how they have been snubbed. Both my senators will not release that information, though Senator Patty Murray's office was much more understanding of my concerns.
*Update*
The letter I am trying to send to Sen. Cantwell, but the site is having technical difficulties:
Senator Cantwell (or whatever staffer reads this and decides it isn't worth the Senator's time),
I am wildly disappointed that the Junior Senator from Washington will in all probability not be releasing the information on how she voted in regards to Senator Lieberman keeping his chairmanship on the Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee. When I called the Washington DC office, the staffer told me that my concerns were unfounded because the vote had nothing to do with Washington State. I told him that he was wrong. Senator Lieberman holds a very influential position as a Chairman of a very powerful committee. The committee's duties are (as I sure you know):
(2) [The] committee shall have the duty of —
(A) receiving and examining reports of the Comptroller General of the United States and of submitting such recommendations to the Senate as it deems necessary or desirable in connection with the subject matter of such reports;
(B) studying the efficiency, economy, and effectiveness of all agencies and departments of the Government;
(C) evaluating the effects of laws enacted to reorganize the legislative and executive branches of the Government; and
(D) studying the intergovernmental relationships between the United States and the States and municipalities, and between the United States and international organizations of which the United States is a member.
It is appalling that someone would tell me that these duties have nothing to do with the state of Washington. Senator Lieberman's differences with the Democratic Party in regards to President Bush have been shameful. He has failed to hold them responsible for their most egregious actions, whereas his counterpart in the House of Representatives has been diligently working on getting to the bottom of so many questionable actions.
Connecticut is one of the most liberal states in the country and his actions on foreign policy and homeland security issues fly in their collective faces. Again, the staffer I spoke with told me that this was an issue for CT and the Democratic Party, if that is the case, give the CT Democratic Party (which Joe Lieberman is not a part of by the way) what they want. Punish him for flying in the face of their state and party. There was a reason that Lieberman lost his primary in 2006, Democratic voters in CT did not feel he represented their interests. If not for Republicans in CT, Senator Lieberman would not even be in the senate.
I understand that it would send a bad message to punish Senator Lieberman by kicking him out of the caucus; it sends a much scarier one to me when you seemingly reward him for his transgressions. Senator Lieberman is a sign that the Democratic senate will not stand up to a President Barack Obama if he begins ignoring the wishes of the people and does not give up the extra-Constitutional powers President Bush has given to himself.
The President-elect and both chambers of the Congress have a lot of work to do to correct a great many problems brought on by the presidency of George W. Bush, and at this time, my confidence that the Democrats will do the right thing is in Limbo.
The Congress has lower approval ratings than VP Dick Cheney for a reason...and I understand that much of it isn’t the Democrat’s fault. But I must reiterate the Democrats appear weak and ill-suited for the next stage in American history.
As a resident of Washington State, I believe that your loyalties should be with the voters of Washington and not your peers in the Senate. I know that you haven’t and probably won’t release your vote, but your silence (and the tone of your staffers) tells me that you probably supported his continuation as chairman. You should face the criticism that will be a result of your vote in favor of Senator Lieberman. Voters in Washington should be allowed to evaluate you based on your action, especially if Senator Lieberman continues to obstruct the actions of a Democratic Congress for the next two years.
Please do the right thing and show your constituents that you believe they deserve to know how you are representing them especially considering the non-essential nature of concealing this information.
I deleted my personal information
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