On Lieberman
Obama is right not to want to punish Joe Lieberman by removing the privileges of power.
However, it's not a question of punishment or privileges. It's a question of judgement and power. Why would Obama want someone with such spectacularly bad judgement to have ANY power at all?
So, let's not punish Lieberman. Let's just remove him from power to the degree that we can.
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Have to say I don't really relate to this or to Obama `not wanting to punish` Lieberman.
I'm committed to the principle of appropriate consequences for decisions/actions. I think Lieberman's have all been hugely neoconservative and that he's been over the top ever since 9/11. He should be reaping the consequences of that now: I think he'd be dangerous as Head of that Committee in an Obama administration. He'd use his power against Obama the moment he disagreed with him.
Basically my point is that his neocon views are what led to him opposing Obama so vociferously during the campaign and he needs to reap the consequences of that so that he doesn't get the chance continue the same approach during this Administration.
November 11, 2008 7:33 PM | Reply | Permalink
Agreed.
November 14, 2008 5:52 PM | Reply | Permalink
Very fair point, Unfortunately, poor judgment has never been the standard for selecting chairpersons of important committees. As we say in the union world whenever we get the chance, seniority shall prevail.
November 12, 2008 11:25 AM | Reply | Permalink
seniority shall prevail.
As an aside, the recent Robert Byrd news was interesting on that front. He has a sense of honor and duty, you have to give him that.
November 12, 2008 11:42 AM | Reply | Permalink
He is a vanishing breed, and I think the last guy in the Senate who was there before I was born. Kind of like getting to that point in life where not a single ballplayer is older than you. Where is Minnie Minoso when you need him?
November 12, 2008 11:57 AM | Reply | Permalink
There's a Peter Principle effect here - Lieberman has now reached the pinnacle where any further advancement is impossible, due to the unmitigated failure he has been as Chairman of the Homeland Security committee.
And the bozos making the decisions in the Democratic Caucus are behaving like incompetent managers, destined to leave this miserable turncoat where he is.
November 12, 2008 2:14 PM | Reply | Permalink