Lieberman to Fillibuster Healthcare Bill

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

Joe Lieberman: I'll block vote on Harry Reid's plan

Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.) said Tuesday that he’d back a GOP filibuster of Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid’s health care reform bill.

Lieberman, who caucuses with Democrats and is positioning himself as a fiscal hawk on the issue, said he opposes any health care bill that includes a government-run insurance program — even if it includes a provision allowing states to opt out of the program, as Reid has said the Senate bill will.

"We're trying to do too much at once," Lieberman said. “To put this government-created insurance company on top of everything else is just asking for trouble for the taxpayers, for the premium payers and for the national debt. I don’t think we need it now."

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Lieberman said that he’d vote against a public option plan “even with an opt-out because it still creates a whole new government entitlement program for which taxpayers will be on the line."

His comments confirmed that Reid is short of the 60 votes needed to advance the bill out of the Senate, even after Reid included the opt-out provision.

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Lieberman did say he's "strongly inclined" to vote to proceed to the debate, but that he’ll ultimately vote to block a floor vote on the bill if it isn’t changed first.

"I've told Sen. Reid that if the bill stays as it is now I will vote against cloture,” he said.

“I can’t see a way in which I could vote for cloture on any bill that contained a creation of a government-operated-run insurance company,” Lieberman added. “It’s just asking for trouble – in the end, the taxpayers are going to pay and probably all people who have health insurance are going to see their premiums go up because there’s going to be cost shifting as there has been for Medicare and Medicaid.”

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Lieberman said he “very much” wants to vote for health care reform but that he’s worried about stifling “the economic recovery we’re in” or adding to the federal debt.

“I feel this way about a national, government-created health insurance company – whether it’s a trigger or not,” he said. “My answer is – we’re – we have the opportunity to do some great reforms here. These exchanges that we’re talking about, I think, are going to drive competition and probably bring the cost of health insurance down or at least contain the cost increases for a lot of people. Let’s give that two or three years to see how it works to see how it works before we talk about creating another entitlement that will end up increasing the national debt and putting more of a burden on taxpayers.”

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1009/28788.html

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

Lieberman did say he's "strongly inclined" to vote to proceed to the debate, but that he’ll ultimately vote to block a floor vote on the bill if it isn’t changed first.

Translation: the PO will be dropped or replaced with co-op's (same thing...dropped). That's ok, too. The Reid/Baucus PO isn't all that ambitious anyway. The real value-add (for regular people) of this legislation is in its insurance reform measures.

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

I was watching Senator McCain earlier. He said pretty much the same thing you are saying. Reid will find a way to bring all 60 votes together for cloture, no matter what promises he has to make to each and every Senator. Business as usual. Hold on to your pocketbook.

[Joseph & Ana 0]

I was watching Senator McCain earlier. He said pretty much the same thing you are saying. Reid will find a way to bring all 60 votes together for cloture, no matter what promises he has to make to each and every Senator. Business as usual. Hold on to your pocketbook.

Nada - not going to happen when all is said and done. Just watch and see.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

Joe likes his chairmanship. I think we'll find out just how much he likes it - he is going to fall in line on this one.

[Joseph & Ana 0]

Joe likes his chairmanship. I think we'll find out just how much he likes it - he is going to fall in line on this one.

Don't bet on it. He pretty much gave up that chairmanship when he endorsed and campaigned for McCain. They have been trying to figure out the best way to oust him ever since. Reid even threatened him in so many words during the campaign. I don't think Joe has any delusions that he has any clout with the dem party who threw him out because he is a "moderate"

[HAL 9000 96]

Except with his electorate. We'll see what happens when the bill passes and voters realize their senator isn't interested in allowing his uninsured constituents an alternative to the private mess they're in (or lack...).

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

The state Joe represents is the insurance industry capital and Joe's taken tons of money from these guys. He owes them, I suppose. But even with that, I don't see him holding up health reform.

[The_Dude 1,142]

Joe likes his chairmanship. I think we'll find out just how much he likes it - he is going to fall in line on this one.

Don't bet on it. He pretty much gave up that chairmanship when he endorsed and campaigned for McCain. They have been trying to figure out the best way to oust him ever since. Reid even threatened him in so many words during the campaign. I don't think Joe has any delusions that he has any clout with the dem party who threw him out because he is a "moderate"

He hasn't been stripped of his chairmanship yet. That is certainly the prerogative of Senator Reid if he so chooses. Joe was not thrown out of the democratic caucus, just wishful thinking by moveon.org. Joe certainly does think he has clout within the democratic party. He thinks he is the 60th vote that they need to carry out legislation. I don't like the man, he really should drop the pretense and join his true political party.... the Likud party.

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

... he really should drop the pretense and join his true political party.... the Likud party.

Bingo.

[Pooky 3,784]

Joe likes his chairmanship. I think we'll find out just how much he likes it - he is going to fall in line on this one.

Don't bet on it. He pretty much gave up that chairmanship when he endorsed and campaigned for McCain. They have been trying to figure out the best way to oust him ever since. Reid even threatened him in so many words during the campaign. I don't think Joe has any delusions that he has any clout with the dem party who threw him out because he is a "moderate"

He hasn't been stripped of his chairmanship yet. That is certainly the prerogative of Senator Reid if he so chooses. Joe was not thrown out of the democratic caucus, just wishful thinking by moveon.org. Joe certainly does think he has clout within the democratic party. He thinks he is the 60th vote that they need to carry out legislation. I don't like the man, he really should drop the pretense and join his true political party.... the Likud party.

If I remember correctly, Joe wasn't thrown out of the Democrat party, his state party voted for a different candidate in the primary, so Joe Lieberman ran as an independent - and promptly trounced the official Democrat in the election.

I personally doubt he cares what Harry Reid thinks. He cares what his electorate thinks, as they have shown that they support him personally, and not any party. You may not like the man, but his constituents do. That gives Joe a lot more clout than any run-of-the-mill party candidate.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

He [Joe Liebermann] cares what his electorate thinks...

This holds true only if you confuse those who fund him with his electorate. The support for a public option competing with private insurers is quite robust in the state of Connecticut - 68% to 21% in favor. If Joe cared about what his electorate thinks, we wouldn't be having this discussion.

[Joseph & Ana 0]

... he really should drop the pretense and join his true political party.... the Likud party.

Bingo.

And the anti-semitics come out of the closet.

He [Joe Liebermann] cares what his electorate thinks...

This holds true only if you confuse those who fund him with his electorate. The support for a public option competing with private insurers is quite robust in the state of Connecticut - 68% to 21% in favor. If Joe cared about what his electorate thinks, we wouldn't be having this discussion.

Ahh you're just angry that the Socialist option isn't going to happen.

[kemkem 0]

Well there's always the reconciliation process! Threaten Joe with reconciliation which needs only 51 votes. Holy Joe can't filibuster that!

[The_Dude 1,142]

... he really should drop the pretense and join his true political party.... the Likud party.

Bingo.

And the anti-semitics come out of the closet.

He [Joe Liebermann] cares what his electorate thinks...

This holds true only if you confuse those who fund him with his electorate. The support for a public option competing with private insurers is quite robust in the state of Connecticut - 68% to 21% in favor. If Joe cared about what his electorate thinks, we wouldn't be having this discussion.

Ahh you're just angry that the Socialist option isn't going to happen.

Joe, you're ignorant, plain and simple. I'm no anti-semite, but I cannot support someone who is trying to steer U.S. foreign policy towards a war with Iran because he feels it's in the best interest of Israel. This is counterproductive to our own interests.