Lieberman Compromise Floated

Posted by javavoodoo on November 18, 2008 under Politics, news | Comments are off for this article

A defiant Joe Lieberman told the Democrats recently that if he didn’t get to keep his chairmanship of the Homeland Security Committee he was going to take his gavel and go caucus with the Republicans. With a 55-40 lead, and 3 senate races still officially undecided, the potential loss of a “Democratic” senator is something the leadership, and President-Elect Obama are loathe to endure.

But there’s a lot of anger on the left directed towards Lieberman, who has been viewed for a long time as the most Republican of Democrats. Lieberman’s pro-Bush agenda cost him his own party’s nomination for re-election in the Connecticut primary in 2006. Lieberman consequently won the general election as an independent, due mainly to support from Connecticut Republicans and Independents.

Lieberman, is under fire from Democrats for endorsing John McCain, and speaking at the Republican National Convention on behalf of Senator McCain’s campaign. Also Lieberman supported Republican Susan Collins of Maine in her re-election bid, and Norm Coleman in his campaign against Al Franken in Minnesota.

So to keep Joe the Senator from Connecticut, caucusing with the Democrats Ken Salazar, D-Colorado, and Christopher Dodd, D-Connecticut are floating a compromise punishment. Lieberman gets to keep his chairmanship of the Homeland Security Committee but has to give up his chairmanship of the Environment and Public Works Sub-Committee. (Source)

This may not be enough for some rank and file Democrats who are still steamed at Lieberman for his active role in support of McCain and the Republicans in the 2008 general election. Lieberman would get to keep his plum job as chairman of Homeland Security and in return give up a Sub-Committee job he could care less about.

And in return for letting Lieberman keep his precious Homeland Security gavel, the Democrats get what?