Washington (CNN) - Sen. Joe Lieberman said Sunday that America would be better off with no health care bill instead of one that includes a government-run public health insurance option.
Speaking on the CBS program "Face the Nation," Lieberman said he would use whatever power he has to prevent passage of a health care bill with a public option.
However, the independent from Connecticut who sits with the Democratic caucus reaffirmed he will support starting Senate debate on a bill that includes a public option. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nevada, says he will bring such a measure to the floor coming weeks.
Lieberman said that, if the bill still contains a public option when it comes time to close the debate, he would filibuster to prevent a final vote.
The Senate's Republican minority has promised a filibuster, and Lieberman would give the GOP enough votes to succeed in blocking the bill.
From CNN Politics
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lieberman don,t care he,s got his in the us and isreal payed for buy the american tax payer
He's going to help the Republicans filibuster. He opposes the public option (which he used to say he supported) and he's going to campaign for Republicans in 2010.
Will the Dems FINALLY turf this guy? He might caucus with the Democratic Party, but I'm wondering if any information that he's privy to in caucus makes it's way to the Republicans.
This guy is the biggest loser traitor I've seen in Years! Strip him of every seat he has on any committee...get out of the Democratic Caucus and join the other Right Wing Hate Mongers. This is sickening to see what he's saying
And why don't the voters in your state filibuster to keep you from ever being elected again...
10 million?
15 million?
30 million?
Pick a number. How many uninsured Americans are there? How many is too many?
Will Joe sit down with the millions of uninsured children (because their parents got laid off) and explain why they can't get a checkup or why Mommy and Daddy had to sell the car because little Johnny broke his leg and it was the only way they could pay for the cast?
I honestly don't understand how the GOP can just sit back and say, "Nope, no problem here. Nothing needs to change, everything is fine."
Time to send him back to his home State,Israel.
Joe Lieberman, you are wrong again! You are an obstructionist. You have done nothing in your significant time in the senate to champion health care reform. I suspect, like the other obstructionists on both sides of the aisle, that you are taking money from the health care industry. You should follow Palin's lead and resign.
It is a sad day when Lieberman puts his own personal agenda before the interests of millions of Americans. He should be ashamed!
He lost his mind
people like Lieberman make my head hurt
Judas is back well and live ho ho ho ho ho
Rush is right. Give insurance to those that need it though Medicare/Medicad. We don't need to mess everyone else's coverage up with Obummie care.
I've respected Sen. Lieberman over the years for his willingness to think for himself and not always give in to what the party leaders wanted. There have been a growing number of cases where I don't agree with him, though, and this is another of those. The current system is badly flawed and doing nothing is not a good option.
In the short term, I'd love to see the moderates from both parties (not that the GOP has many) get together and come up with something that solves the problems rather than placates extremist supporters on either side.
Longer term, I'd like to see the more reasonable and rational people in Congress (e.g. Snowe, Collins), the Blue Dog Democrats, and the few remaining reasonable Republicans that haven't been pushed out by the extreme right wing break from their parties and form a new moderate party that actually works for mainstream Americans rather than the bases of either current party.
Looks like the insurance companies' investment of about $1M to buy this weasel will pay off handsomely, thousands of times over. Until the American people understand that public financing of elections is the only way to go this corruption will continue. I don't see Lieberman or the GOP giving up the PUBLIC OPTION health care THEY get as members of Congress. Sometimes I wonder if these specimen are even human.
I am so glad one senator (Lieberman) has the guts to stand up for Americans. He is taking a risk for what he believes is right–too bad we do not have more like him–a man with principle over party.
I think the Governator should write him a little note...
As if anyone needed any more evidence that Liebermann is on the Big Insurance payroll. This is not a representative of the people. Liebermann represents the worst kind of hypocrisy in American politics. At least with people like Palin, you know they are self-serving egomaniacs; with ones like Cheney you know they are insanely devoted to making billions on war, suffering and environmental destruction; but Liebermann masquerades as a public servant. For shame.
Keep government OUT of our health care. How can anyone think the proposed bill is good. It is $$$$$$$$$$ and the Democrats that are writing it won't even use it nor will the man who calls himself our president.
you people are all idiots
No senator from CT better than Liebermann
From the desk of No Lieberman:
Dear Voters,
Thank you for electing me to office again, in spite of the fact that you SHOULD be able to see by now, that every move I have made has been for MY benefit alone, regardless of how it has impacted your lives.
Dear Democrats:
Thank You for extending so much courtesy and power to me in your (now obvious) vane attempt to keep me on your side. I'm sure that you will continue to provide me with the various perks I have come to enjoy, but clearly do not deserve.
Dear Republicans:
SEE, I told you I could pull this off!
Dear "Insurance" Industry, Please make all future deposits to my off shore account #237********
Yours (for a price),
NO!
I hear from Pelosi that if the Public Option doesn't pass, 500 million Americans will die quickly...
So much for Joe's campaign promises of 2006.
Just like an obstructionist rethuglicon to continue to do everything he can to insure the deaths of 122 of his fellow Americans everyday while his insurance company lobbyists keep shoveling him money to do it.
Where did you get your moral and ethical convictions there Joey baby, while you were a brownshirt-in-training for the GOP? It certainly wasn't from your professed religious traditions that's for sure...
Joe Lieberman is a piece of filth.
I agree 100%. Health care is not a right, it's a service which you pay for. Costs are high yes. Shoudl be fixing the causes of that, not regulating more. More regulation has never ever reduced the price of anything. Quite the opposite.
I have never beenso filled with hate and rage towards a person I have never met.
Lieberman is such a coward. he has no honor, no heart, no soul.
I agree with this statement: Will Joe B sit down with the millions of uninsured children (because their parents got laid off) and explain why they can't get a checkup or why Mommy and Daddy had to sell the car because little Johnny broke his leg and it was the only way they could pay for the cast? Joe Lieberman is a traitor who needs a second lobotomy and he will be okay.
I agree with Liberman. The timing is not good and the costs will be staggering. Other options should have being explored. I am really worry by the deficit and the irresponsibility of the political class.
How does a guy lose a Primary, but successfully run as an "Independent"? Lieberman is a joker whose antiquated ideas should be sent to pasture along with him! It's LUDICROUS to spend trillions on killing people under false pretenses, while complaining that Health Care Reform is too expensive. We're the only industrialized nation without Universal Health Care and it's about time our collective priorities changed.
what does he care..he has insurance! what a sleazebag he does have an ounce of compassion in him
I hear no critical analysis, no truly righteous justification for blasting a public option - it would put insurance companies out of business? Really? You don't think they'd pull out all the stops to stay in business? But talk about misplaced priorities!! Do we care about what's best for insurance companies or what's best for tens of millions of Americans??? Republicans + Droopy Dawg Lieberman are insisting on the former (with a specious afterthought of an argument about how somehow this would be bad for society as well, yeah, huh?), betraying that the Republican party is about big business, the rich and powerful, and not for the people. Democrats are far from perfect, but at least their priorities are better!
CNN keeps reporting that Democrats need 60 votes to pass the bill. WRONG WRONG WRONG. Lieberman does not give Republicans the ability to block the bill. It just denies Democrats a filibuster proof majority. Big difference. There is an alternate approach they can take to pass the bill needing only a simple majority, not a filibuster proof majority, called reconciliation. I don't know why CNN ignores this in 99% of the writing about this bill, but it's shoddy reporting. And by pre-emptively dismissing the chances of the bill, you erode public support and interest in it. Get it straight CNN.
Why CNN continues to give this worthless politician the headlines is beyond me. But, of course you will support any article that speaks out against Health Care Reform and our president with your continuous support of the republicans.
Move over, Fox, you have competition.
NO SENATOR from Connecticut is better than Lieberman! He is out of step with the people of Connecticut and the American people. Fortunately, his political days are numbered. Connecticut deserves better....and, fortuntely, they will demand it.
Just the thought of this idiot talking for hours on end in a filibuster is making my skin crawl.
Sen. Joe Liberman is to democrats what Sen. Olympia Snowe is to republicans. The difference is Sen. Snowe is still in the republican party while democrats tried to remove Sen. Liberman from his senate seat by a party primary opponent. The voters of the State of Connecticut decided that retaining Sen. Liberman is more important than party identification.
Democrats Wake up.....There's a SNAKE in the grass. Get rid of him.
Joe Leiberman is like a traiter and don't care about our country.We don't need him throw him out he's useless.
Let's see – he is from a state that is home to numerous insurance companies that provide thousands of jobs for thousands of his voters. Does that sound like the formula for supporting the public option?
Holy Joe needs to go!
Good old "Traitor Joe". Why doesn't he just join the Republican Party and be done with it?
Set the healthcare bill aside and then there's Joe Lieberman who has no credibility. He pandered to John McCain and when he lost he found himself standing alone and the Democrats felt sorry for him and took him back. I have no respect for this man and his demise will come shortly.
Joe, know this. We, the people, need this reform. You, the fool, don't need my money. No matter who runs against you next election cycle, and although I live in Seattle and can't vote, I will give money to your opponent. Say goodbye Joe!
Good thing he was not the VP candidate (even if they lost). What kind of conscience does he have if this is what he believes re health care?
The stupidity and ignorance of many of these comments prove that many are following oBLAHma in his lies and not caring about how this get paid. The liberal are a low life of people.
Flip Flop!! Flip Flop!!
One of the first times I have ever agreed with this guy.
Classic neo-con line Lieberman, "Our way or NO way", are you still trying to sell yourself as a moderate?
Conn wake up!!!!!! This man only represents HIMSELF not you. He is the exactly what every one HATES about politicians. Show him the door!!
Thank God for Joe. He must be a hard working American that didn't have everything handed to him like the rest of the Democrats
Lieberman is a scumbag traitor who needs to lose what ever power he ever had. Stumping for McCain and Airhead at the RNC, threatnening to filibuster the health care that millions of Americans need, he should be tarred feathered and run out on a rail.
He's doing this because he knows he can't be and never will be president. It's all power trip. Lieberman is drunk with power and thinks his status as a so'called "independent" givse him absolute power over both parties. Well, time for more independents to kick the old bastard out. If you lie with the wolves and the lions at some point they will kill you or eat you alive or both. His political career is at the end of its rope.
If there was ever a "paid for" politician, this is certainly the guy. He all for Joe and no one else. I cannot believe the people of Connecticut keep electing this guy.
Annoyed American, what a CROCK!
You know what my parents did when I needed a check-up in the years when almost no one had health insurance, and if they did, it was to cover hospitalization only? THEY PUT THEIR HANDS IN THEIR POCKETS AND PAID FOR ONE!
Maybe Johnny's parents could forego the 2 liter pepsi, the cigarettes, the lottery tickets, the beer, the doritos, and the cable TV and actually take care of their kids for a change!
why do so many people think that goverment is giving us health insurance for free. We will still pay only it will be more affordable than private. Also you don't have to buy into it.
Lets get people insured so our hospitals are not suffering the loss of revenues when uninsured are unable to pay the bill.
People are dying in this great country of ours because they can't afford to go to the doctor.
Are we really different than third world countries?
America is helping all these countries that are less fortunate than us but look around and see how bad things are here.
Charity starts at home.
You proponents of government run health care remind me of Wimpy from Popeye, who was always only too glad to, "Pay you Tuesday for a hamburger today." Once the government takes control of 16% of the total federal budget, there is no end to the possibilities of taking further control and managing other aspects of our life. Great job on the H1N1 vaccine, Barry. How's that workin' out for you?
Wow a man with principles and a brain. Goverment destroys everything it touches.
This is a bogus rebellion driven by political talk show entertainers like Limbaugh, Hannity, Beck, and O'Reilly. The country is moving towards the center and the GOP is moving further to the right.
Let me get this straight.
Without a "public option". the plan is simply to force all Americans to purchase health insurance or to be fined?
And some new government agency would be established at taxpayer expense to enforce this?
And the politicians have spent how many months working on this?
And not one of these politicians are will ing to give up their own gold-standard health insurance policies that are paid for by taxpayers?
Wouldn't the solution simply be to regulate the insurance industry itself?
If the government can regulate certain other industries, they should be able to regulate the insurance industry.
Best solution. Shelve health care reform until and unless the cost to the taxpayer is less with reform than more, as it seems to now be the case.
The argument that people are forced to purchase auto insurance doesn't hold up simply because no one is forced to drive. And if you don't drive, you don't have to purchase insurance.No one would dream of asking their employer to cover their auto insurance – why should employers cover health insurance? Why should the government, via the taxpayers, cover health insurance for government employees?
Let's rethink the entire insurance puzzle.
If he filbusters, Lieberman should be stripped of every leadership position he holds.
JOE LIEBERMAN IS A HORRIBLE, HORRIBLE MAN. How could anybody say that NO healthcare is better than a public option??? Republicans make me ill!
You don't hear Liberman talk abou the $1600 premiums for families. and how the insurance cartel owns good ol Joe.
May God have mercy on each one of us !
No Lieberman in Congress is better than a lying traitor to the American people – kick Lieberman out of the Caucus and take away his committee chairmanship. He cannot be trusted on any level on any issue. His Senate career is over!
Spoken like a true republican, no help or concern for those less fortunate.
You moneychangers, just keep counting the golden coins, your day of reckoning will be soon enough.
Psst, I do not think all your money will help when that day comes, seams i recall from the Holy Book of Fables, so as you do unto the least of those, you do unto Mei
Good luck explaining your rabid hatred of those who cannot help themselves, say the unemployed with no health insurance, or the dishwasher that makes 200 buck a week and cannot afford healthcare.
Try explaining then, that you thought it would destroy private insurance companies.
I bet that excuse, nor you will ever fly!
Larry S – I believe in taking care of the less fortunate people. It is important in a society (and also in the Bible). I give to charity and pay my taxes (which will be going up based upon my income – which is a result of my hard work and a functioning legal and economic system which is provided in part by our government). Does that make me a low life?
If the government is less efficient that the insurance companies, the insurance companies have nothing to worry about with a public option. If the government is more efficient than the insurance companies, should we be supporting inefficient industry by limiting competition?
He's a bum and hopefully connecticut will realize this in the next election. The truth is that this HC bill is useless WITHOUT a public option. Lieberman has sold out to the right and America will suffer as a result.
Shame on you, Joe Lieberman. I hope the people of Connecticut wake up and kick you out of office.
That's fine Joe. If you are worried about deficits, lets cut our support of Israel and not get involved with Iran. Sen Lieberman can care less about Americans. He supports outrageous wars for the benefit of Israel. Our soldiers blood, our national treasure is an inconsequence for this corrupt official.
This is of course coming from a pol who,
1) along with his wife, has received great financial benefit and is in their pocket
2) is going against the clear wishes of his constituents (recent polls), and
3) couldn't care less about everyday people.
OMG this guy was almost our VP, he turned out to be a real bozo.
Spoken like a man with great health insurance!
I wonder how much the insurance companies have contributed to his campaign.
The public option would enable fair competition if the private insurers became legally entitled to print money to cover their costs too. As it stands now, the public option becomes a cancer on the best healthcare system in the world.
Let him give up HIS government-run healthcare coverage and THEN he can have a valid opinion.
He talks like a republican, he votes like a republican, he supports the republicans then he must be a republican.......they don't care if the rest of American has Health Care or not.........Democrats get rid of him......
Tom B – your comment doesn't wash. Too reasonable. You know how that goes.
And as for Mr. Lieberman, just what the ham sandwich are you anyway?
Some kind of...something? How did you survive politically. Eeew!!
The poster boy for "making politician a 4 letter word".
I'll be kind..."vile".
The Dems do not need this snake, when Snowe came out and said she would not vote for it the only avenue to passage at that point became reconciliation.
Once they dropped Snowe, the hand writing was on the wall, a simple majority is all that will be needed.
NO SURPRISE FOR ONE OF THE BIGGEST REPUBLICAN RECIEVERS OF HEALTH INSURANCE LOBBYIST DOLLARS.
Joe Liebermann represents the state of Connecticut where most of America's Health Insurance companies are headquartered. In addition, Joe has been the receiver of millions of Health Insurance dollars, campaign funds, and special interest treats. So everyone knows where Joe's allegiances truly lie.
Traitor Joe strikes again.
The Republican'ts will do anything in their power to see to it that Americans are killed in the wars they dream up in support of the rich, and die in their own country in support of their fat cat contributors. And poor Traitor Joe doesn't even realize what a tool he is in the hands of America's enemies in the GOP.
The final results of all of this will be a bill that benefits the rich and continues the war against the middle class that the GOP has been waging since Reagan's disastrous presidency. This is the "Contract On America" in spades. And if Democrats let them get away with it – after they were elected to begin to undo the damage done by the Bush crime family – then they deserve to lose, however little the rest of us deserve the GOP.
Lieberman is a Traitor. He has no loyalties. First a republican, then a Democrat, now and independant. What a joke. He should not be given any power in the democratic leadership. Since the "Blue Dog" democrats are non-loyalist also, it doesn't make since to coddle Lieberman. Let him caucus with the Repubs. He seems to share most of their ideals anyway.
He is no help to any one .
Remember: Yo-yo Joe said he had a "higher calling" when he was ran out of the Connecticut Democrat Party for being such a war-hawk.
His "higher calling" involves keeping his interests in the Middle East protected by American blood and tax dollars. And health care program dollars just might bite into Yo-yo's plans.
Yep, Connecticut people would be doing this country a great service by voting Yo-you Joe out his next exection. His interests are far from being America's interests.
I'll tell you what's better than no health care bill.
NO LIEBERMAN!
It's important to explore health care reform because it forces guys like this to show their true colors. It's always good to shake the political bed linen and expose the scorpions hiding there.
I blame Mr. Obama for Joe's action. And I assume Obama is pressured by his chief of staff to 'untouch' this goon. Shame on democrats for the audacity of this moron to speak against democrats' big ticket item in such outrageous manner!! nuff said!
Poor Joe Lieberman still trying to remain relevant.
I was heartened to read the blogs about good old Joe. I had a lot to say but they said it all. This "man" Lieberman is really a jerk with no principles, a political disaster, a stooge of the insurance companies and of Goldman Sachs. He would sell this country out as fast as he could for his self interest, or for interests even outside those of this nation. Shame on you, Joe – it is time to be an American first and stand up for our ordinary citizens first. It is time for Joe to go – lets get him out of the Senate as fast as possible. The only good thing about Gore being cheated out of the 2000 election is that this jerk did not get to be Vice-President!!
"No health care bill better than a public option" – this is coming from a man with government run health care.
Hypocrit.
The SNAKE has finally taken off his SHEEP clothing.
Sounds like LIEberman is pushing Dems to take up the bill and pass through reconcilliation hoping this will hurt Dems in 2010. LIEberman is working with Mccain to defeat Obama and gain seats for the Republicans in 2010. I'm not fooled; McCain is still sore for losing and LIEberman got egg on his face when Obama won. LIEberman is plotting and that is why this man decided to caucus with democrats but the danger for LIEberman is in 2012 demos will actively campaign prevent his re-election or kick him out of the caucus.
I predict LIEberman will be irrelevant on the HCR bill and will bend over when he realize Obama is two steps ahead of him. And mcCain will remain his grumpy self.
Connecticut you hear that and those Dems and Obama. He pull the rug under you guys. A traitor is always a traitor. Obama why do you think leaving health care in the hands of the Dems in congress is a good idea. They will bring you down with them. You better wise up and start to do think as president. You are proven to be a weak leader.
The state of Conn. needs to step up and have a recall on Joe like they did in California.. The Senate does not need this type of bully. He is trying to destroy what the American people need and want.
Liberman fits in nice with the whinning republicains.Democrats won now get over it and get a life.And lets get some things done.
Opponents of helping fellow Americans with universal health care and the public option use the argument that Government run institutions are always inefficient and over priced and run up the deficit. But isn't it interesting how that logic never extends to the military for them. The US military is the largest socialist entity in the world. It's Government owned and controlled. It costs billions. All taxpayers pay for it and it feeds on inefficiency. And it can take away your individual rights. Those in the military do not have all the legal or civil rights of a private citizen
America has the most costly health system on earth while life expectancies are far higher in other countries with universal care. People who blame the government for the delays in the H1N1 vaccine need to remember that it is produced by the drug companies, not the President. Big business has failed the people one more time.
Whatever happened to "We the people" and Government of the PEOPLE!!" Republicans and some Dems too are the servants of the corporations that have bought and paid for them.
Joe Lieberman resign! We don't need you. I'm sure you have never had to make a decision like pay the mortgage or have chemo? Buy drugs or buy food. You are a rich person who has no idea what it is like to not have health insurance. How much has the insurance companies padded your pocket? This is our only change and you are going to make sure we don't get it. Thank you for being greedy and think more of the money you make then the millions of American who die because they don't have health insurance.
This guy couldn't be more wrong.
Sen. Joe Lieberman: Clueless in D.C.... He can't even make a choice on which party he belongs to!
I challenge Joe Lieberman to this: You and your family should spend a year poor. Just live off minimum wage and in a low income apartment for twelve months. No cheating, don't borrow any money from your elitist buddies or the many insurance lobbyist that line your pockets. I don't think you could do it... Wow, what a loser. So as soon as one of your loved ones gets sick, boy howdy will you be singing a different tune.
Get with the program folks. If the rich don't need it or use it, it is just a socialist luxury.
All hail our noble masters.
No health insurance reform – exactly what his masters ordered.
For the most part, the people commenting so far are a bunch of pissers and moaners. What is the problem we are trying to solve? Is it coverage? Is it affordability? I have no idea, and neither do the Democrats. They are throwing everything plus the kitchen sink at the "crisis". If the problem is coverage, let's find a way to help the poor purchase insurance, require everyone have coverage, and eliminate pre-existing conditions. If it is affordability, let's look at tort reform and (sorry folks but you have to look at) rationing. WHY BLOW THE WHOLE THING UP?
Do they really 'think' in Washington...you see a bunch of words about I want this, I don't want this...but none of them make clear to anyone why. What's stuffedi n the back pockets of these people? Personally, I support the co ops...but ....if must be affordable to everyone...and sustainable to the benifits offered today, yet cheaper. I think no one really knows what the heck they are doing besides comfusing themselves and everyone else along with them...scrap the whole Health Care deal and start over!!! This must be done right, lives depend on it.
To all you "chirsitans" that are against the public option, let us say for the sake of argument that 20% of the folks receiving some type of government "handout" is gaming the system and do smoke cigarettes, spend the day drinking beer in front of the flat screen..
You are obviously, willing to throw the other 80% of the innocents and the children of the 20% to the lions, which in this century would be insurance companies who favor profit over life) to die?
How is that "pro-life" or "christian"?
Please, explain. this heathen is confused with your "living by example".
Obama led the Democratic Party to forgive "Snake-Oil-Salesman" Joe Lieberman for his vicious attacks against Obama/Biden during 2008 elections. During Joe’s attacks against Obama, he supported Sarah Palins lies that Obama was a Muslim terrorist who backed Bill Ayers. All these attacks from Joe Lieberman should have made middle-class America wake up to the real SNAKE from Connecticut.
Ironically, Sarah Palin and the GOP would never forgive him if the shoes were on the other foot.
Senator Lieberman already has a spectacular "public option" health plan. We all are paying for it out of our taxes!
I am speechless. How much lower can he go, people are suffering due to high costs and no coverage, and he say's status quo is good.
Joe you have lost touch with common America, which planet do you live on?
Sincerely, your former fan.
I find it ironic for a man of Jewish descent with a lineage in which millions of people were killed simply for being Jewish, is now willing to allow thousands of people to die simply because they are poor.
Well then all Congress people give up your insurance and buy your own....why should I pay for yours???? You have the option of which one you want.....I would like to see a bill go through the Senate and the House, that once a Congress person leaves office, they DO NOT get any insurance, they have to BUY THEIR OWN!!!! Sounds FAIR to me....
My health care insurance premiums are going up 14% in 2010! That's after they have already doubled in the past 6 years. And Clueless Joe thinks that the status quo makes more sense than trying to fix the problems? Hey Joe (and all you Rebublicans who believe the way Mr. Lieberman does), if you are not part of the solution – you ARE the problem. Folks who are so worked up about the "public option" really have not checked out the facts for themselves, but are relying on lies from those on the right who simply do not want President Obama to succeed at anything. Period! Please folks, open your minds and learn how to investigate all of the facts for yourselves. There is no magic answer here, and it will take a long time and several tries to get it right. But doing nothing? That's just dumb.
Sen Joe........Some things are better left unsaid.....You should never have been embraced by the White House.....You would sell your birthright to get your way.....What did I miss? You are the worst......You are right down there with the Cheneys....Peace....
I personaly believe that it has come the time for senate leadership to sit mr liberman down an explain the facts of life to him . an that if he continues to followed the republican line against health care reform in this country that he would be endangering his leadship positions on the varoius commities that he now holds . What i personaly fail to understand is why dont the democratic leadership ram these haelth xcare bill thorught both the house an senate while they have the majority in both the house an the senate just as the republicans did so during the previous Bush Cheney years in which the republicans had the majority in both houses along with the white house. i say the democrats need to quit allowing the republicans in both house to be objtruuctions to passing the health care reform bill it is my understand that they dont have to really have but 51 vote to rams the health care bill in passage for the american people thank you
Non-loyalists? Since when did America dabble with the ideals of imperialism? To use a term drubbed by Nancy Pelosi, "Those are scary words."
Typical Lieberman...doing nothing is better than a public option. At least a public option increases choice and perhaps lower premiums. Will it make health care less expensive in the long run? The jury is out, but doing nothing will keep the insurance companies rich. It's no coincidence that Lieberman wants to keep the insurance companies rich, since he probably received millions of dollars in campaign donations from them.
It is time to send Joe the republican puppet back to Connecticut and leave him there. I think it is time for the Democrats to give him the boot. He should never have been allowed to hold his posts after what he did during the election. I have a solution to get the Health care all Americans need. Have President Obama tell these twits in congress as of January 1, you have no insurance and go get your own. If, "We the People" don't need a public option, I guess they don't either and we should not be paying for theirs.
It seems to me, as things currently stand, there truly is no incentive for doctors to actually cure their patients other than their own moral convictions. I believe most people would agree that it can often feel like people no longer operate within moral guidelines. But I do, however, also believe that there are just as many people out there that do use an ethical guideline in their lives. Given that, consider healthcare reform in this manner. Under our current status quo, physicians can be more encouraged NOT to cure their patients than to do so for financial gain. If you are cured, then you won’t be frequenting their waiting rooms every month looking for your relief in a bottle. Put the industry in the government’s control, which is (regardless of current sentiment) ultimately in the hands of the people…the voters, and what you can get is a system that will be accountable to people which will stimulate the desire to actually get the patient well. I think that we could find that we have a good free rider opportunity here. That is an opportunity to help deter a generation of addicts that are evolving from an unregulated prescription drug addiction empire that is growing at rapid rates in our criminal sector of society. Keep ‘em sick, they’ll have to keep coming back. I certainly do not believe this to be true of all physicians. I’ve certainly seen a great many that operate upon moral principals and are genuinely concerned about their patients. But to neglect that fact that there are those out there that are not treating prescription addiction as an income opportunity is simply naïve. Let’s just consider some of the good sides of this reform as well.
This guy is the most disgusting excuse for a politician to ever show up.
Lieberman is a TURNCOAT that blows in the wind and has no compassion for anyone but himself and money!
So who is he representing?
Lieberman has accepted $2,395,369 in donations from the health sector and $1,033,402 from the insurance industry.
Let us not make this about Harry Reid or Nancy Pelosi. This is about the millions of hard working Americans who no longer can afford or never had health insurance.
Traitor Joe is only looking out for himself.. He told the people of his state to "go to hell".
From a Research poll, taken in Connecticut last month:
"Do you favor or oppose creating a government-administered health insurance option that anyone can purchase to compete with private insurance plans?"
Favor 68%
Oppose 21%
So who is he representing?
Retire Traitor Joe and try to save the little respect you still have... When you vote with the Republicans to oppose the biggest bill in the last decade, you will no longer be able to hide in either party.
Republicans don't like traitors any more than the DEMS...
Lieberman's wife is a big Pharma/Insurance lobbyist. Old Joe isn't gonna let wifeypoo miss a $$ for the good of the middle class. Hopefully this will teach the Dems a lesson, so strip this P.O.S. from his chairmanship and I guarantee we the voter in Conn. will take care of him next election
Say it ain't so Joe! You DO have government run health care Joe, right? So, it's OK for you but not for the rest of us. Why is that Joe?
You do represent the state where the big insurance companies have their headquarters right? Why are most of them in your state only? How did that happen?
You are the Number 1 receiver of campaign dollars in the US Congress from the very same insurance companies located there right? Does that influence your position? "No" you say. Really?
Sounds as if we need to ask Rep, Grayson to "look into this matter" and see what he can tell us about it on National TV. Then, you can use the details of his investigation during your fillibuster time. I'm SURE he wouldn't mind.
Every single thing the Republicans do is just glaring with hypocrisy (Joe Libberman included). Lets summarize:
They claim to be the party of Jesus and faith. Yet jesus preached looking out for your fellow man the less fortunate. But what are they worried about in this health care debate? They're worried about the well-being of the insurance companies.
They claim to be the party of small government. That is of course until we're talking about gay and women's rights. That's apparently when it's time for government to step in and get involved, when citizens are making their most personal choices about who they want to marry and what they want to do with their bodies.
They claim to be the party who's "tough on terrorism". But lets keep in mind that the largest terrorist attack on American soil occurred under a Republican administration. Lets also not forget that their polices have lead to a major uptick in the amount of religious fanaticism around the world.
Keep up the good work you bunch of bible-thumping hypocrites!
wow all this gripping over a total of 2% that might join a public option(those who got hosed by the isurance gaints to begin with).Only shows though who Liberman is working for and it aint the dem or repub,but his own self interests,Dems ought to boot him though from the coucus if he is not going to play nice with them.
Hey Joe ...
YOUR A TRAITOR TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE
Go watch a football game with your Buddy George W. ... I'll buy the pretzels
Hey Joe ...
GO LICK THE SHOES OF SOME INSURANCE COMPANY LOBBYIST
Or sniff around some fire hydrants
TRAITOR DOG
Real Americans are going to remember your STINK
This guy (Liberman) is nothing more than a Republi-con pretending to be an Independent. He is as useless as the party he is supporting in the debate on Health Care. We need the Public Option. There is no other way that the insurance companies are going to lower rates. They have Lberman in their pockets just like all other Republi-cons.
I say...no public option...no re-election!
good ol joe. protecting all those huge insurance companies in his home state. he is against all things bad, unless they impact his state. he is so vapid.
If liberman goes to a fillbuster mode then the demratic leadership in both the house an the senateside of the captiol should then move for a reconcillation vote an ram health care thru the congress just as the republicans did during the BUSH & CHENEY YEARS They ram bils thru without any bipartisianship comming from the democratic sides of congress the people of conn need to kick liberman out of the senmate in the next election cycle as that he is in fact a republican dressing in a donkey costume thank you
Hey Joe...It's time to go. From the look of the posts here I think you will.
Doing nothing means allowing 40,000 Americans to die annually from lack of medical care. Doing nothing means that Americans will suffer from treatable and curable medical conditions.
Lieberman has been a Senator for decades, and "nothing" is the best suggestion he can come up with? What exactly has he been thinking about for all those years? Hasn't he at least read a magazine article with some good suggestions about how we can actually solve our problems?
This guy needs to retire, write his memoirs, collect his generous taxpayer funded pension, and let government health insurance take care of him. Actually, that's what we would ALL like to do.
It is definetly time for these insurance in this country to have some form of real an true compention within this industry they have had controll of way to long an that is the reasons behine these higher an hiogher insurance p[remiums that are stripping family an the public in general of an real purchasing power or say so over the insurance industry . i say that theyneed to reinstutite regulations an get rid of the derugualtions within every industry in this country an provide some real form of comsumer protcetions in this country once again thank you
It was the insurance companies that drove the prices up to begin with. I am a free market guy, ok. I don't want to see the insurance compies go away. But this is rediculas. You should not have to purchase insureance. The problem is not the price of insurance its the prince of the care.
I file a claim for 30K. Before my insurance pays a dime they negotiate with the doctors and hospitals and get that cut in half. Who pays for that 15K, where did it go? My procedure must have not have really cost that much. The hospitals and doctors are not losing money, so that money must have not really be owed. It was extra.
So the people without insurance or a company that does not have a deal like mine has to pay the full 30K after we just estabished that it didn't cost that much.
Some of these people don't pay it back because its more than they can't afford to, or they do a $50/month payment plan until the end of time. How can the hospital afford this. Simple. It does not cost that much. They are obviously over charging. If it really cost that much hospitals would not build multimillion dollar expansions and then spend more millions on art work, marble lobbies and water features. You don't see wal-mart (the most profitable company in the world) building marble lobbies, filling its head quarters with art work and adorning the stores with water features. Those things don't make money, they cost money.
This is like a retail story not caring that 1/2 the shoper walkout without paying. Its rediculous. The insureance companies have enabled this and the medical establishment has taken full advantage of it. But don't lay it totally on the insurance companies. If hospitals had to make it without insurance, the prices would drop. Instead of 30K you would get changed the 15K it really cost. They would have a millions in overhead. the price would drop again.
We need to get back to a real free market. where people acutally see and payfor there own medicine and buy insureance for the big stuff. You should not need insureance to see your family doctor.
Kudos to Joe Lieberman for standing up for what's right regardless of the political pressure put against him. It's nice to see one honest politician against the mix. If only we had more people with his courage we might actually change the country for the better rather than changing it for the worse.
Lieberman truly is the most honorable man in the U.S. Senate. Its too bad more Senators can't put the country first before their own political ambitions!
Then Lieberman should voluntarily remove himself for the "public option" he currently enjoys...
If indeed he does support the Republican filibuster, this jerk should be stripped of his committee chairs and his seniority. What a disaster he has turned out to be! The only good thing about the stolen election of 2000 is that this jerk did not get to be VP. Of course, the one we got was no better, LOL!
Joe is still getting a check from the Insurance Industry, why would he want change.
That's because Lieberman doesn't have to worry about paying for his health care. As long as the health insurance companies who contribute to his campaign are taken care of, he's doesn't care what happens to the American public. The hypocrisy of Lieberman and his buddies completely astound me. We shouldn't be surprised though, corporate America runs Washington and most of our elected officials.
WOW Joe...how much did the Conn. insurance compaines pay you to say this?
Right On Joe, you know who the true Americans are and we don't want a public option!
It is almost funny how stupid the American people can be. Almost. Everybody cries and cries that politics has become about the parties and not the people. Everybody cries and cries that the politicians are more concerned about towing party lines than doing what's right, and yet, here is a man in Joe Lieberman that has crossed party lines many times, and at crucial times, and what do we see? He is being called a traitor for voting against his party. He is being called a loser. So which is it morons? Do you want a guy to vote what he thinks is right, or a guy that does what the party tells him?
Maybe we can let the Post Office run the public option.
Excuse me Joe The Hypocrit – what is the health care in Israel? ANSWER – UNIVERSAL AND COMPULSORY. HMMMMMMM??
Typical of Joe Lieberman. He's got his and he could care less about you and yours. Joe cares a lot more about the racist state of Israel than about America. It's shameful that he still squats in the Senate.
Lieberrman is a traitor and disgrace to all Americans who want health care reform. If he believes that a public option – that might capture 2% of the uninsured by 2013 – would significantly increase the deficit and create government operated heatlh care, then he should be kicked out of the Democratic caucus. Traitor Joe has shown his true colors. I hope the voters in Conneticut have enough sense to vote him out of the U.S. Senate in 2012.
I guess so, LIEberman. You only spend money killing Middle Eastern people!
CONNECTICUTT DO SOMETHING AND GET RID OF THIS TRASH!!
Democrats will be doing disservice to this country if they continue to have Mr. Lieberman caccus with them. It just does not make any sense to continue dealing with such an hyprocrite. He just did not vote for Republicans but he campaigned for Republicans during the last election and he says he will campaign for them again comes 2010. Why any political party leadership in their right mind will want to continue caccusing with such a man? A man who believe " no health care is better the public option" a minute part of health care reform. This man has public healthcare like all other senators and representatives in congress. And he and some of those other hpocrites are pretending like they are not benefiting from public option. In their narrow world, public insurance is only good for them and their families but not the rest of America. Shame on you Mr. Lieberman and all of you hypocrites.
And how does Lieberman think this? He has great "government-run" public health insurance." My tax dollars pay for this guys healthcare.
The Dems need to grow a pair and if Lieberman fillibusters then strip him of any committees. Since he claims to be an "Independent" but his actions show he is a Republican (obviously a man who says one thing and does another) let him sit out the rest of his time in Congress with nothing to do.
Oh by the way, Joe Gadway you forgot to add the words "ON A SILVER PLATTER."
That said, I applaud you
Don't worry Joe, pretty soon you will be doing nothing yourself. Better concentrate your efforts on getting some more "contributions" from all of the insurance companies that reside in Connecticut. That well is going to go dry when you are jobless.
Honestly I dont know any person in my area that cant get health care. NONE. Either there are state programs o fed programs that cover basic health needs to those unfortunate enough not to afford health insurance. Just three years ago I had an accident with a circular saw and a thumb. The surgeries and related care amounted to about 20,000. Time I got all the breaks in the system and actually asked for, out of pocket was about 4300 (in easy installments). If I had just not paid a dime of it and went along like it wasnt my problem there would have been complications. Lack of responsibility says volumes, greed and laziness says the rest. The only health care that should be forced upon us is catastrophic care coverage. But if certain people need these services they could be deemed unworthy. I have a mentally disabled son and these plan they are making really keep me up considering he should ever get catastrophically ill. The government just has a bad track record at EVERYTHING and that with cold calculation.
Make Lieberman go sit for eight hours in an overcrowded emergency room full of uninsured AMERICAN CITIZENS. Make him lie on a gurney for THREE DAYS in a HALLWAY before a hospital bed becomes AVAILABLE. Make him wait THREE MONTHS for an appointment at a community clinic, or SIX MONTHS for a specialist. That's our current, totally broken for-profit healthcare system.
The ONLY people well-served by it are rich Republicans, doctors, Big Insurance and Big Pharma.
People, 45,000 people at last count, DIE each year because they don't have medical insurance, in this, the richest country in the world.
It's about time Congress grew a pair and DID something about it.
Senator Lieberman:
When will you begin to support the American people and not corporations and insurance companies?
When will you become a Democrat in more than name?
How I wish you were more like Ted Kennedy.
Curious. Conservatives vehemently oppose government health care while vehemently defending Medicare... which is government run health care. And let's not forget the congressional health care plans paid by our tax dollars too. What hypocrites!
Joe Lieberman is the face of the truly modern politician; that is one who speaks honestly about the issues, regardless of which party his views align with. Altough I believe in a publice option personally, I respect this man's honesty. Other politicians would be wise to follow his lead, as I see voters losing patience with partisan politics.
Hey, we found somebody worse than the average Republican lawmaker. I'm actually kind of impressed, Joe Lieberman. I hope you make the history books as THE shining example of the corrupt lobbyist-loving Congressman of the early 21st century.
If by 'America' he means his 'corporate insurance buddies who bought him with campaign dollars' then yes, they would be better off with nothing. If by 'America' he means 'anyone else' then no. They would be worse off with nothing.
Lieberman only cares about being in the spotlight – after contributing nothing, he sits back and sticks his nose up against everyone else's work.
He is a do-nothing, and if he sides with the GOP to filibuster health care reform, he can count himself out of a job next season – voters in his own state overwhelmingly approve of the public option!
The Democrats need to tell Mr. LIEberman that if sides with the Republicans on the Health Care issue that he can kiss his Leadership rolls and Chairmanship roles Good-by, and mean it! Mr. LIEberman has clearly turned Republican and there's no need to keep counting him as Democrat and admit that the Dems don't have a 60 vote majority, because when it counts, they don't. The Dems need to show Mr. LIEberman the door.
How does this guy sleep at night? And why is he still in office? What does this say about the CT electorate? What's going on in the Northeast? Wake up!
Way to misrepresent your constituents when the majority in CT support a public option, as Lieberman campaigned last election.
IF Lieberman or ANY politician puts corporate greed over the interests of Americans, they deserve to be stripped of their committees and voted out of office, replaced with a true representation.
Choose wisely...
He's a jerk and a traitor! Does anyone think that Lieberman would voluntarily give up his "government run healthcare plan"? He does have one as it is called medicare!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! He has pulled the wool over the Presidents eyes and he should be stripped of any perks that he has right now. Throw the bum out!
Thanks to good ol' Joe, a trace of honesty and common sense still resides in the democratic party.
We can have health insurance reform without the government running health care. Having worked for both the government and private industry there is no doubt in my mind where the best service at the lowest cost will be delivered. Good to see there is political will out there to create a constructive debate on how to best deliver reform.
Connecticut needs to answer for this dinosaur. This unabashed war monger had – and has – no problem with the obscene war spending that pushed this country to the brink of financial disaster, but now that Democrats actually want to use my tax dollars for something that would benefit the American people, he's worried about deficits? I finally have one (and only one) reason to be okay with the fact that Al Gore had the election stolen from him – this scumbag would have been one seat away from running the country.
At the rate you and Chris Dodd are going, the folks from CT who put you in office will vote both you bums out.
I hope the Congressional Democratic Caucus takes action and "kicks this guy out!" He is doing NOTHING to help whatsoever!! It is unfortunate, after his decision to support John McCain, that the Democrats EVER took him back into the fold!! He truly is not worthy of being ANY politicial official!!
Then I say let them fillibuster so the all can see who the really work -for the insurance industry.
The cost for the public option is far less then what is paid out now by folks with no Ins.check your bill the nest time you go and look at what they charged Be for Ins cost reduction.....seems the public option would do even better with tens of millions of folks forcing their hands.Once again the GOP shows that for the middle class we should work till we get sick then die fast for the ultra rich to make even more money on our blood and sweat...And yes I know the uberrich pay 40% of the taxes But lets look at what they pay Verse their income and compare it to a normal family of 4 making 70,000.
time for this egomaniac to lose his chairman's seat and leave the Senate.
It is difficult to make of what Senator Lieberman stands for. Politicains should learn to read history and do things when the right time comes. Playing political games on every issue just becomes boring.
Lieberman is a disgrace
He's a fence straddler, flip flops on any issue.
It is past time for the President to send a message to Harry Reid that Liebermann should be stripped of committee privileges. He got away with it after the election. He should not get away with this betrayal.
Really? tell that to my brother who just lost his job and his 3 kids, an ongoing medical problem and now has NO INSURANCE. He repeatedly gives up all hope of improving his career because he has no option but to accept any job that offers insurance rather than jobs that would actually help him move ahead.
Right now I have bronchitis and no medical coverage, and no full time work any where in sight. If I get worse I will have to shell out $200 in order to get $5 worth of generic antibiotics.
It is easy for rich people with pensions and top of the line insurance to theorize about options, they HAVE options. and the ignorant people following him, as usual vote against their own self interest because they are tricked by rhetoric from profit driven jerks like Lieberman
ak, then all of you who are blocking the bill [ public option] that will help the middle class, but will make all of you rich repubs and joe lieberman richer, need to be replaced by men and women who care about the american middle class., which you dont.
So Lieberman gives the Dems cover to reconcile the bill? Interesting.
About time an Independent had the power to put their foot down against the complicent left and right. Government administered health care is a bad idea. The reason we need health care reform is to set laws against the abuses which has been already identified not to execute an expensive consumer option because of our emotional weakness to poor health. Sometimes the plug should be pulled. Affordable health care is the goal. How can the government sustain this and what will the quality of care be if a Doctor can not pay his bills/debts? High Quality affordable EDUCATION!! is the real crisis this country is facing and it is getting worse.
I wonder what is the total that is spent on medical insurance under the current system by employers, workers, government and private individuals? And , I submit that with a not for profit insurance system this is the amount we could spend on healthcare without it costing us a penny more next year then it did last year.
Here it is, the war hawk concerned about the deficit. How about we cut the multibillion dollar aid that our country sends to Israel every year. Mr. Lieberman has devoted his career to diverting tax payers funds to Israel and proviking wars to defend it. Israel is a developed country with socialized health care and now he denies our people the same health care that is available to the Israelis. This guy makes me puke.
Hey Joe, I invite you to come out to California and share your views with my 29 year old friend who just got diagnosed with breast cancer and has no insurance.
I'd like to ask Joe how he likes his government run health care, for starters. Or, depending on his age, his Medicare. I don't know how old he is, and frankly don't care. What exactly do the people of CT see in this man? I know what the insurance companies of his state, which are abundant, see in him, however.
Joe isn't running for re-election. He is pandering to the insurance industry who has been funding his past camapign coffers so that in 20012 they'll hire him as a lobbyist. Can't anyone see this? Harry, throw Joe under the bus...strip him of his chairmanship and kick him out of the Dem caucus. Force him to become an irrelavant Republican.
honesty liberman is right
health care does need reform but not this extreme
I really don't want to see people like ilegals get heath care
also getting health care I don't belive is a right . why don't people just buy it themselves ? or earn it by working hard
I decided to check on his age after all. He was born in 1942, which makes him a Medicare recipient, and a hypocrite.
Lieberman, eh? Talk about the most UN-AMERICAN person in our senate.
Does he even know the pledge of allegiance?
Go away Lieberman – we are sick and tired of you!
"Doing nothing is better." Joe certainly sounds like a member of the Party of No.