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.
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.