Lieberman on his willingness to derail health care reform: ‘I feel relevant.’
Lieberman on his willingness to derail health care reform: ‘I feel relevant.’
After he announced his willingness to filibuster health care reform that includes a public option, Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-CT) defended his position by arguing that if the public option paid lower reimbursement rates than private insurers, medical providers would shift costs to Americans with private coverage. He also called the proposed plan “a new entitlement program.” As ThinkProgress and others have pointed out, Lieberman either doesn’t understand the details of the public option proposed by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) or he is misrepresenting them. But in a conference call with Connecticut reporters yesterday, Lieberman claimed that it is the more than 60 percent of state residents that back a government-run insurance option that are confused:
What about the more than 60 percent of state residents that back a government-run insurance option, according to a Quinnipiac University poll last month?
Some of those respondents are confused about what such a plan entails, Lieberman said. And he added, “you can’t make a decision like this based on polling,” he said. Ultimately, he he said he has to do “what I think is right and hope in the end the people of Connecticut will respect me for that.”
Describing how his openness to derailing reform affected his role in the health care debate, Lieberman told the reporters, “I feel relevant.”
Topic Cloud
ArchivesBlog Roll
Obviously, Howdy Doody knows best yet again.
October 31st, 2009 at 1:37 pmDroopy Dog attacks again.
Link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Droopy_Dog
October 31st, 2009 at 1:38 pmHe’s just an old, pathetic attention whore.
I believe R Rhodes is correct: Lieberman will not run in 2012, he is going to move to Israel (which has universal single-payer healthcare for all citizens), and THERE he will be a hero.
He doesn’t care what Americans think. And this is his way of saying “Screw you” to Dems who didn’t support him in the last election.
Lieberman has sold his soul to the Devil, he’s willing to harm 360 million people just to be spiteful, and he’s laughing all the way to the bank. Thanks, voters of Conn., for putting this mentally disturbed man in office.
October 31st, 2009 at 1:43 pmGod forbid that Joe Loserman (I-Tel Aviv) should feel “irrelevant.”
I got an idea to remind Holy Joe of his relevance: I’d like to plant my mouldy old, two-inch heeled, pointy-toed, piss-soaked, shit-encrusted, size 10 Nakona barn boot in his nut-sack…
Even though I know it would be wrong.
October 31st, 2009 at 1:46 pm“Some of the respondents are confused . . “, and of course he isn’t since (unlike Bonehead) he’s read the entire bill . . . . or maybe he hasn’t . . . . or maybe he can’t read . . . . or maybe he’s simply to simple to understand anything but what lobbyists tell him.
October 31st, 2009 at 1:48 pmI obstruct therefor I am.
October 31st, 2009 at 1:48 pmHe makes me throw up in my mouth!
October 31st, 2009 at 1:49 pmSmokin’ Joe is post-relevant and well on his way to oblivion.
October 31st, 2009 at 1:51 pmThis comment has been voted down. Click to read.
Some of those respondents are confused about what such a plan entails, Lieberman said.
Genius, instead of creating an astroturf campaign to create a false impression of anti-reform just sockpuppet that some people are thinking wrongly and viola!! Joe is now backing what the majority want.
October 31st, 2009 at 1:55 pm“Yes, I am willing to see people go bankrupt and even die because for lack of health care reform because of my super large, engorged ego.” Words fail (that are used in polite society, anyway.)
October 31st, 2009 at 1:57 pmConstituent: I am for reform
Joe: Your confused. You are against it.
Constituent: No, I am for it. Did you read the legislation? I did.
Joe: No. I have people read it for me. You are confused. Trust me.
Constituent: I read it.
Joe: Look. I am Joe. You are confused about what you read and I will work to represent your anti-reform view.
October 31st, 2009 at 1:58 pmIt is an act of indescribable evil to declare yourself “relevent” when preventing the opportunity to provide for the well being of millions of people.
This guy is a monster and I hope for the complete worst for the bastard.
October 31st, 2009 at 2:00 pmShorter Joe: I am relevant because I form your views.
October 31st, 2009 at 2:01 pmOh, so this is all an ego trip.
October 31st, 2009 at 2:02 pmThank goodness for Joe corporations can now cut out the middleman lobbyist because Joe can sway peoples opinions just by saying the salus populi is confused.
October 31st, 2009 at 2:03 pm“I feel Relevant?” I’m sure Benedict Arnold felt relevant, too.
October 31st, 2009 at 2:04 pmGood thing Joe feels relevant ‘now’ because when the electorate of Connecticut get to the polls, Lieberman will finally realize just how relevant ‘they’ think he has been especially on health insurance reform since anyone with a brain knows private health insurers are ’skrewing’ Americans day in and day out, every minute of every day!
October 31st, 2009 at 2:08 pmLieberman on his willingness to derail health care reform: ‘I feel relevant.’
I feel relevant
October 31st, 2009 at 2:09 pmOh so relevant
I feel relevant and witty and gay (cough)
And I pity
Any pol who isn’t me today
I feel disarming
Oh so disarming
It’s alarming how disarming I feel
And so relevant
That I hardly can believe I’m real
See the relevant pol in that picture there?
Who can that sycophant poll be?
Such a droopy face
Such a droopy dress
Such a droopy smile
Such a droopy me!
I feel cunning
And entrancing
Feel like running
And running in ‘10
For I’m loved
By a petty woeful base
Lol BMM
October 31st, 2009 at 2:12 pmTo the trollops. Today is All Saints Day [All hallows day]. The day to celebrate all the saints that dont have a day of their own.
So go be a good little saint and dress up and eat that evil cursed candy.
October 31st, 2009 at 2:14 pmActually, Xisithrus, this is All Hallows Eve. The other is tomorrow.
October 31st, 2009 at 2:17 pm“I feel relevent!”
“Hey, Hey, over here! Look at me! Look at ME!! Quit ignoring me, everybody! LOOK AT ME, DAMNIT!!! Ok, for you, I’ll just take my toys and go home.”
Joe Lieberman
October 31st, 2009 at 2:18 pm(I-Israel)
Does this man know how reviled he is? Does he feel hate most Americans feel for him? To stand in the way of something that will help MILLIONS of people, and to outright LIE about its contents, to do all this for a few pieces of silver. He is a disgusting excuse for a human being.
October 31st, 2009 at 2:18 pmSo – does LIEberman have a mausoleum too?
Or the an ego the size of one?
History will not be kind to this sad, sad little man.
October 31st, 2009 at 2:22 pm*
The only thing he is relevant to is my ass.
October 31st, 2009 at 2:23 pmOh, that Joe Lieberman, to be so caring and so full of integrity that he’d be willing to buck popular opinion like that!
Wow, what a guy. Because most of his constituents don’t REALLY know what they want or need, you see. But Joe does, Joe’s smarter than they are and thank goodness Joe’s willing to go against the wishes of most of his constituents and do the “right” thing.
And if down the road they become enlightened and realize that what he did was “right”, well they may even respect him for that. But if they’re just too stupid to ever realize that, well, that’s okay too. Because Joe only ever does something because it was the “right” thing to do.
(snark/off)
October 31st, 2009 at 2:23 pmSo Joe is relevant. We all know, relevants never forget. And leave huge steaming piles of dung whenever they go on parade.
October 31st, 2009 at 2:24 pmI thought he only lost the Dems support AFTER he lost in the Dem Primary to Ned Lamont?
October 31st, 2009 at 2:30 pmI also remember who was one of the only Senators that supported Lieberman when he ran as an (I) was none other than Sen. Obama!
I also believe that Sen. Lieberman stabbed Sen. Obama in the back by campaigning AGAINST him with the Republicans and also gave an anti-Obama speech during the Repub Convention?
After Obama was elected President, I believe the Dems took Sen. Lieberman back into the Dem Caucus and gave him a Chairmanship at which point Sen. Lieberman said that he would be “Loyal” from now on.
Now he wants to stab Pres. Obama in the back again, and go against the will of the voters in Conn., AND he is saying that he will be CAMPAIGNING AGAIN for the Republicans in the up-coming elections!?!?
I said this back in 2000 and stand by it today; I don’t believe that Joe Lieberman(V.P.nominee) voted for the Gore/Lieberman ticket.
I seriously doubt his vote then and the man clearly can’t be trusted, EVER.
I don’t care for this “watered down” version of the HealthCare Bill, but the Democrats have gone along with the wishes of the Republicans at every turn, and the Republicans STILL say they will vote against it!
If they are going to vote against it whether it is a strong public option Bill or a weak watered down Republican Bill that favors the Insurance Industry over the folks, then why not push for something that helps the folks?
If it’s going to fail anyway, why not insure that it fails at the hands of the Republicans?
Republicans will take credit for it’s failure this Fall, but come election time next year they will blame Democrats for not passing a HealthCare Bill!
Bartcop is right, Democrats lose because they refuse to fight and they refuse to list the facts.
Hoodathunk says:
So Joe is relevant. We all know, relevants never forget. And leave huge steaming piles of dung whenever they go on parade.
October 31st, 2009 at 2:24 pm
**snort**
October 31st, 2009 at 2:31 pmUltimately, he he said he has to do “what my corporate sponsors think is right and hope in the end the people of Connecticut will forget it before the next election.”
Fixed it for ya, Joe. You betcha.
October 31st, 2009 at 2:42 pmTraitor Joe is the most repugnant Zionist in America.
October 31st, 2009 at 2:42 pmSwine flu is relevant, Joe. Relevance doesn’t make you beneficial.
October 31st, 2009 at 2:54 pmHow about carefully explaining to the people of Connecticut how your filibuster will help them when they are seriously ill? Give up your Govt. health care and then I might give you some respect, Jumpin’ Joe.
October 31st, 2009 at 3:01 pmbadmoonman,
October 31st, 2009 at 3:03 pmI love it!! I am singing.
Poor widdle Wiebeerman!
He isn’t satisfied with all that the party did for him and gave to him, this is how he repays them.
Ungrateful sonovab! tch.
He has an ego the size of a relevant.
October 31st, 2009 at 3:10 pmThis comment has been voted down. Click to read.
“I feel relevant.”
Kick him from the caucus and strip him of his chairmanship and then see how relevant he feels, the little sh*t.
October 31st, 2009 at 3:14 pmThe time for honoring yourself will soon be at an end.
October 31st, 2009 at 3:16 pmJoe needs to go!
October 31st, 2009 at 3:24 pmJoe needs to go!
Joe needs to go!
Some of those respondents are confused about what such a plan entails, Lieberman said.
He continued, “They don’t realize that a viable public option would cut into the profits of Hartford-based insurance companies, which would in turn cut into my campaign fundraising from those firms, and thus just might deprive “Connecticut for Lieberman” voters of their preferred Senator.”
Lieberman concluded, “those people who want the public option just aren’t thinking clearly about what’s best for Joe Lieberman.”
October 31st, 2009 at 3:24 pmPeter,
October 31st, 2009 at 3:25 pmI would like to “kick him in the caucus”
Oh sorry.
“Just what we need another money pit entitlement program.”
Yeah, ’cause noone should feel entitled to a healthy life, right (except every one else in the developed world).
Sheesh! Way to show the beauty of your soul.
October 31st, 2009 at 3:25 pmMr.Duke mumbles:
Just what we need another money pit entitlement program.
Yeah, just like the DOD.
October 31st, 2009 at 3:26 pmAnd this is a naked admission of what has driven this man’s every policy position since Democratic voters in Connecticut said they preferred Ned Lamont.
Lieberman knows he’s irrelevant if he votes with Democrats, and that the only way anyone will pay any attention to him is if he votes with Republicans.
For Joe, it’s a win-win. Republicans pretend to like him, so he feels like he has friends, and he sticks it to the voters of Connecticut who he feels betrayed him.
October 31st, 2009 at 3:28 pmDescribing how his openness to derailing reform affected his role in the health care debate, Lieberman told the reporters, “I feel relevant.”
Ergo, for all other issues he has been irrelevant. And that is the way he should be, period.
October 31st, 2009 at 3:30 pmJoe LIEberman. The villain gets to feel relevant. That’s what a villain gets for his efforts.
It’s not about the people for this selfish man.
October 31st, 2009 at 3:36 pmSurprise!! You’re not!
October 31st, 2009 at 3:45 pmWe must somehow someway get campaign finance reform before too many others catch the nasty a$$hole disease LIEbermann has succumbed to.
October 31st, 2009 at 3:45 pmThis comment has been voted down. Click to read.
“I feel relevant.”
Not really,Joe. Somebody just changed your Depends when you weren’t looking.
October 31st, 2009 at 3:50 pmkwsventures,
If this is not your company, listed below, then I have a feeling they would like for you to stop using their company name.
KWS Ventures
5247 Mare Creek Dr
Crestview, FL 32539-8887(Fort Walton Beach, FL Metro Area)
Phone: (850) 423-0606
Care to comment and tell the truth for a change?
October 31st, 2009 at 3:53 pmHe may believe he is relevant, but the majority of the people in the state of Connecticut think he nothing more than what you scrape off the bottom of your shoes. the rest of the country think of Lieberman as a minor irritant, like itching powder!
October 31st, 2009 at 4:00 pmSure KWS, being able to see a doctor is the same as wanting a candy bar. You and your ilk are determined to turn this into a third world country.
October 31st, 2009 at 4:06 pmHey kws–how’s that pest control business going?
Still got roaches in those trailers you rent?
October 31st, 2009 at 4:06 pmIn every other developed country in the world, people are entitled to get the heathcare they need. Yet, some in the most powerful nation, some in the nation with the largest economy, some in a nation known for its ideals of liberty and equality, feel that the only people who deserve the care that will save their lives are those with the wealth to afford it. These people look down at their fellow citizens who can’t afford care as idiotic children and losers. These people fear they would lose their status if care were provided to all. They fear that somehow the other 94% of the economy would be irrevocably changed if the 6% which is healthcare were exempted from free-market forces. They would withhold care to the poor in the name a liberty and freedom, but what they protect is merely wealth. Sadly, for many of them, they protect wealth they don’t even possess.
October 31st, 2009 at 4:10 pmDoes Connecticut have a mechanism for recalling elected officials, or is the House of Lords above all that?
October 31st, 2009 at 4:11 pmLieberman is an arrogant, self-deluded egotist and enemy of his constituents.
October 31st, 2009 at 4:30 pmYou think you are entitled to free speech KWS?
October 31st, 2009 at 4:33 pmYou think you are entitlef to vote KWS?
October 31st, 2009 at 4:35 pmWhy do people give money power KWS, is it entitled to rule?
October 31st, 2009 at 4:36 pmWho entitled a politician to represent their views and not yours?
October 31st, 2009 at 4:40 pm“I feel relevant.”
OH…you are so NOT relevant Droopy Dawg.
TRUST me!
You might THINK that you are…and maybe your money-grubbing-pockets are open wide to insurance and pharma.
but,
to AMERICAN CITIZENS, you are a creep…a crook…and a disgrace.
October 31st, 2009 at 4:49 pmOh, he’s relevant all right. The way any dirtbag loser becomes tragically relevant when he decides his particular psycho pathological issues are more important than the lives of others. You see, other professions, Police officer, airline pilot, health professional, teacher, etc. where disturbed people are capable of doing great harm, do their best to weed out the sickos before they’re ever allowed to take responsibility. Lieberman having shown his rancid character was embraced by a bunch of Connecticut repuke troglodytes, no doubt now laughing their asses off while more people die.
October 31st, 2009 at 5:20 pmJoe is finished and he will see the American people rule. Becarefull what you say it can come back to bait you in the butt. I still feel Joe’s accepttence in the GOP was sealed with the kiss he publicly gave President George W. Bush.
October 31st, 2009 at 5:58 pmOh. My. God. He actually told the truth.
October 31st, 2009 at 6:07 pmThe funny part is, LIEbenman is going to feel relevant all the way to hell.
October 31st, 2009 at 6:29 pm64 marlow says
Ya! must take much better care when picking representation – can be deadly otherwise.
October 31st, 2009 at 6:31 pmTraitorous turncoats who need obstructionist Republicants are the luckiest traitorous turncoats in the world…
October 31st, 2009 at 6:41 pmJoe is a legend in his own delusional mind. Remember he supported the old man who yells at the clouds for president last year. Giving him any relevance was a mistake by the democratic caucus.
October 31st, 2009 at 6:42 pmHey, Joe – I’ll bet Adolph Hitler was all proud of HIS relevance too.
Drop dead, you horrid, ugly old man.
October 31st, 2009 at 6:42 pmbadmoonman #19
I was away from my desk for a while only to come back and see the little ditty you wrote — I can’t get it out of my head –I called my friend and had to sing it to her on the phone!!
Now we are both laughing and she’s singing it too!
As much as I despise Traitor Joe, this song mocking him is better than all my curse words.
October 31st, 2009 at 6:52 pmkwsventures says:
This comment has been voted down. Click to read.
Peter C says:
“Just what we need another money pit entitlement program.”
Yeah, ’cause noone should feel entitled to a healthy life, right (except every one else in the developed world).
Sheesh! Way to show the beauty of your soul.
Entitled? What? Your are entitled to what exactly? The welfare/nanny state mentality. “I am entitled”. Embarrassing. What are you 5 years old and feel entitled to that candy bar at the grocery checkout counter? Entitled? A loser’s attitude. Grow up.
The loser’s attitude I see is yours with your selfish attitude on behalf of your puppetmasters who don’t give a shit about you. Americans are willing to pay more to ensure that more Americans are covered. Yet, since I doubt you are within the richest 1% Americans, the only thing I pity here is your willingness to slit your own throat in the class warfare that you yourself are perpetuating upon yourself at the behest of corporate America. Congratulations. How does it feel to be a pawn?
October 31st, 2009 at 7:33 pmXisithrus says:
Why do people give money power KWS, is it entitled to rule?
He and his ilk think they are free but little do they know that they are willing pawns who are more than happy to kill themselves at corporate America’s orders…
October 31st, 2009 at 7:34 pmFlip-flop: Lieberman promised ‘universal health care’ in 2006
http://rawstory.com/2009/10/lieberman-promised-universal-health/
October 31st, 2009 at 7:44 pmDo what the people want Joe. Do the right thing Joe. Or you’ll be sooorry…
October 31st, 2009 at 7:44 pm…maybe not now, maybe not tomorrow, but some day, and for the rest of your life. Your conscience will catch up to you, Joe, and you’ll be sorry.
October 31st, 2009 at 7:46 pmHas anyone ever investigated Joe Lie’s election? Who voted for him? If the election was honest, how is it that so many in CT disagree with his every vote? And how can the Democratic leadership stand still for this?
October 31st, 2009 at 8:04 pmAn evil man. He must get out of politics.
October 31st, 2009 at 9:18 pmThe problem with Reid’s plan is that nobody understands it. The only people that support it are the Obamabots – and even they cannot explain what is really in the 1900 pages. I consider Joe a good man for siding with the working person – unlike the libs who would rather hurt the working person to give to the lazy.. Thank you Joe..
October 31st, 2009 at 11:20 pm80. Tell yourself that you’re on the side of the working people…it’s what the health insurance companies want you to believe…Ironically you think you’re on their side, but you’re on Aetna’s side, you’re on the side of the Big HMOs…
October 31st, 2009 at 11:29 pmThe social quality of a constituency, will often dictate a district’s particualr accent, on sought-after legislation. For example, the overall religious makeup of Americans lists: Protestantism 50%; Roman Catholicism 25%; Judaism, Mormon, Jehovah’s Witness, Orthodox Church, Buddhism, Islam, Hinduism, (other),(other Chrisitan)10%; atheist or agnostic 15%.
Families’ attitudes toward health care may reflect families’ unique, social institutional orientation. Families have: religious or atheistic/agnostic orientation, social/cultural orientation, vocational/occupational orientation, and/or educational/professional orientation, or experience!
October 31st, 2009 at 11:57 pm81.)Enough with the Obama talking points. It is brainwashed people like you that are destroying this country. Obama trashes the Insurance companies because they will not play ball – and people like you believe every word he says.
Private insurance is what allows Hospitals to provide the best care in the world. Medicaid and Medicare underpay Hospitals – private insurance makes up for it. Joe is saying that this shift will become unbearable to working people – but libs like you don’t care about the working people. You would rather let gov’t run and ruin everything.
Basically – think for yourself. Put down the Obama manuscript..
November 1st, 2009 at 12:19 amJwillMORON
Did someone as ignorant and brainwashed as YOU really tell someone else they were brainwashed. You are STUPID. We all get that you dont even KNOW what you think until Rush tells you. My GOD you are stupid. Just STFU and let the adults talk.
November 1st, 2009 at 3:17 amHere is the text of an e-mail that I sent over my signature to Joe Lieberman (R-Tel Aviv) on 10/29/09:
“A rare case of a rat swimming out to a sinking ship.” That description of you, Senator Lieberman, was offered during the presidential election campaign of 2008, and I see only that you have taken great pains to maintain its applicability in the interim.
You are taking the part of the obstructionist Republican party to block the service that the American People are demanding while at the same time gleefully advocating that their tax dollars be appropriated as gifts to your pet foreign governments and the military misadventures that needlessly take American lives and squander American treasure to no good end.
Your disloyalty to your former party, your constituents and the American People has arrived at the point of intolerability as you glibly snicker about offering more and more support to Republicans whose entire philosophy of governance has revealed itself to be waging economic war against the United States.
It is simply good fortune that you stupidly embark upon these efforts as the party you throw in with is splintering due to its myriad psychoses.
I see a future for you as a thoroughly ignored, powerless backbench quisling, but at the same time I fervently hope that you are remembered in the history of this Republic as the idiot that defiled his own citizenship.
November 1st, 2009 at 3:56 amThe need for healthcare reform has nothing to do with polling. Responsible, conscientious, non-corrupt, ethical representatives recognize that medical bills bankrupt more Americans than anything else and we are the only industrialized nation whose government allows that to occur.
The only reason we allow that to occur is because millionaires are making the legislation via bribes of corrupt self-serving buttwipes like Lieberman.
November 1st, 2009 at 7:10 amI am ashamed that he is my Senator, and that I voted for him a couple of times, although not in 2006.
I wrote him a letter challenging him to be a man of principle, and not only give up his own single-payer public option medical plan–Medicare, but that he should go all the way and introduce a bill to abolish Medicare.
I received some boilerplate in response.
November 1st, 2009 at 10:17 amLook at the head on that thing!
November 1st, 2009 at 12:36 pmLieberman: “I feel relevant.”
Us: “You look like an a$$hole.”
Cheers,
November 1st, 2009 at 11:45 pmDon’t post here much but on Joe, knew he was trouble years ago when he tried to ban video games period. Thought the violent videogames must be for kids. That adults don’t play videogames. Why Obama thought he would be reliable I have no idea. But hopefully Barack won’t make that mistake again.
I am voting for one Republican this year. Our current Democratic Mayor is too Conservative for me. Managed to tear down historic buildings and trying to stuff some condo’s in it’s place. And has let our local roads into disrepair. :( Nevermind him trying to get street crews to icy hills first. Never had to get cleats before, but in my city I have to.
November 2nd, 2009 at 4:50 amLieberman doesn’t get it…this isn’t about him or his personal relevence. He talks like a spoiled Diva.
November 2nd, 2009 at 10:28 am