Lieberman: I Wish People Would Come Out and Debate Me on the Public Option
By Heather Monday Nov 02, 2009 6:00am
Joe Lieberman claims that he 'wish[es] people would come out and debate me on the public option instead of questioning my motives' when asked about the money he's receiving from the insurance industry. That's news to Rachel Maddow Joe. If you're looking for someone to debate you about your motives, I hear she's still looking for a response from your office.
SCHIEFFER: I’m going to ask you this question because I want to give you a chance to respond to it. Some of your critics say that the reason that you are so dead set against the public option is because there are so many insurance companies headquartered in your home state in Connecticut and they’ve been some of your biggest supporters. What have they given you this year, $400,000? Something like that? Has that had anything to do with your position on the public option?
LIEBERMAN: No. I wish people would come out and debate me on the public option instead of questioning my motives. If they look at the record, I have never hesitated to get tough on insurance companies when I thought they were wrong. When I was attorney general of Connecticut, I filed an antitrust action against the Connecticut insurance companies.
A few years ago when there was a patient bill of rights in the Senate which the insurance companies opposed, I supported it. Right now, I’ve said that I will support the removal of the antitrust exemption that insurance companies have. That’s not the reason.
But I will say this. This recommendation of a public option, a government health insurance company, takes our government down a road that we’ve never gone down before.
In other words, we believe in a market economy. It’s what’s created the great American middle class. But it doesn’t have a conscience. When it behaves badly, we regulate it, companies. We sue them. I’ve been angry at oil companies. I never had the idea that the government should go into the oil business to make oil companies behave better. I think this would be a terrible mistake.
Rachel Maddow said this at the end of her interview with Glenn Greenwald the other day:
MADDOW: I also want to tell our viewers that we invited Senator Lieberman to come on the show tonight. His office did not even bother to respond to our requests.
But, Senator Lieberman, you should know you have an open invitation as you long have had to come on the show. I promise you will get a fair shake. Actually, at this point, I promise to not only buy you a shake. I will buy you a cookie if you come on the show.
We won't be seeing that happen any time soon. Lieberman won't get the kind of softball interview he received from Bob Schieffer if he comes on Maddow's show.
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He's a smarmy snake in the grass. A bought and paid for tool of Connecticut's big insurance companies. He's not looking for a debate with anyone. He's stalling to kill healthcare reform. Everyone knows it Holy Joe so why don't you just drop the lies and pretense already. You backstabbing son of a bitch.
Dear Heather,
I wanted to alert you and others of how the GOP has used Joe Lieberman’s Interview on Face the Nation from November 1, 2009 for their own cause and against the Obama administration/Democratic Party. Thus, playing right now at the RNC: Republican National Committee|GOP Website is Joe Lieberman’s Interview on Face the Nation with Bob Schieffer from Novemeber 1, 2009. There are two YouTube Videos there playing as the GOP hails Joe Lieberman once again! As this posting at the RNC confirms to me, the GOP like him only because Lieberman causes divide and tension within the Democratic party ranks, and the mischief caused within. Lieberman wrongly mistakes this "GOP support" as an "endorsement" which shows how naive and gullible he really is. Joe Lieberman has no loyalty to the Democratic Party whatsoever. Thus, I say KICK him out and let him go join the KKK Republican Confederates. These KKK Confederates like Joe so long as he is not one of them or on their team.
It would be great for Joe Lieberman to go the GOP and let the Repukes explain that one to their very Aryan like base. It would be the best medicine for Joe yet. Lieberman is not as "well-liked" in GOP circles as he so delusionally thinks.
Let ‘em go already----KICK HIS (Lieberman's) ASS OUT ALREADY!!!!
The Following is up regarding Traitor Joe Lieberman at: http://www.gop.com/
Headline:
Lieberman: Dems Advocate Public Option Because They Want Government-Run Health Care
Posted by: Matthew Moon
We’ve been arguing for a while that the Democrats' health care plan will lead to a government take-over of the health care industry.
1. Video Clip One
Sen. Joseph Lieberman (ID-CT) appeared on “Face The Nation” yesterday morning and confirmed that “public option” advocates are really interested in government control, not in expanding choice
2. Video Clip Two
He also explained how someone can oppose the status quo, but still oppose the Democrats' government-run health care experiment
You can blame the democrats for this BS coming for the lips of Joe the Blow heart..
In the Senate race where the democratic candidate Lamond,, was running in the general election for democratic senator of Connecticut ,, if the democrat leader had not behind the door supported Lieberman , than we would be calling Lamont the democrat senator from Connecticut.
ABd if spineless Reid had not kissed Joe's a.. ,,, while giving him a chair position on a committee , then Joe the Blow heart would not think he was do d... important..
We have no democrats anymore..
If they do not talk like a democrat , do not walk like a democrat and their policies and actions are not that of a democrat , they are republicans and should be voted out as quickly as possible...
When are we going to take action to rid our democratic party of all these frauds.. What does it take to convince us that these imitations are not real democrats and are destroying our values and our party...
He doesn't *know* anything about the public option! What's to debate?
Who, exactly, does he think that he's fooling?
"I've got mine, but I want yours."
I see it as "I've got mine, and you don't deserve ANY"
Rep. Grayson will make you lick your own ass.
If the answer to any question is no, what is there to discuss.
Rachel would probably be WAY too nice and WAY too polite. She would make Lie-berman look even more ridiculous.
That seems to be the new m.o. from conservative side, given a big boost in popularity by the Cheney family:
1- Shield yourself from debate.
2- Say, "No one wants to debate me! They are afraid of the truth!"
3- Hold the fact that you have not been in a debate as proof that the other side is scared of you because of your Awesome Truth.
4- Claim that the libhrul's fear of your Awesome Truth means it's right, and therefore you are right.
I think it is an old trick. As old a politics itself.
Still very despicable.
Unless , of course, there are people all over telling everybody they can that they want to debate LIEberman and that he won't do it.
actually I think its:
1a- Take the $$$$$$$
Every effing republican I talk to will do the same damn thing. It must be one of Rush's talking points. "#5- Re-write History".
LIEberman wants to debate this just like he "can do more for you and your families to get something done to make health care affordable, to get universal health insurance," as he said during a July, 2006, debate.
"This recommendation of a public option, a government health insurance company, takes our government down a road that we’ve never gone down before."
Universal health care is, unfortunately, a road we, in the United States, have never gone down before!
$400,000 and he starts talking about being mad at oil companies?
What was the incisive follow-up question, Bob ...?
followup?...there was none.
Wow that's some keen interviewing skill there, Bob.
Go play some golf with Bush ...
"This recommendation of a public option, a government health insurance company, takes our government down a road that we’ve never gone down before."
Except of course with highways, schools, police, fire departments, water supply, and the military (currently being heavily outsourced to private corporations).
We should immediately privatize the existing public health insurance that currently covers 100 million citizens with medicare, medicaid and the VHA.
don't forget that Lieberman's health insurance is a federally funded/private program mix, that allows him essentially a "public option".
He knows damn well what its all about as he's used it himself. Why the hell won't the press ever call these bastards out on their plain hypocrisy?
Why doesn't anyone call Lieberman and others on this? The government runs PLENTY of things, often very well. In particular, it runs LIEBERMAN's Senatorial, government provided health insurance pretty darn well.
Rep Weiner will not only take him on but wipe the floor with him.
The fact that Senator Lieberman is a walking talking 20lb Mr. Hanky in a 5lb bag is tragic but not really news. His crap is well known, well documented and omni-present.
No. The real issue is that he is still stinking up the Senate. Still marking his chairmanship and still caucusing with Democrats with a stench that might not wash off in time for the midterms.
This President REFUSES to hold ANYONE ACCOUNTABLE! Not Reid for his utter lack of leadership. Not Lieberman for his betrayal. Not BushCo for obvious war crimes!
When you refuse to hold anyone accountable for their immoral and criminal actions, you give permission for them.
Lieberman is an in-our-face example of what happens when no one holds his lying traitorous self accountable because he is afraid of no one and worse...has been rewarded for his betrayal!
And since Democrats hold the majority in all 3 branches of government, ONLY DEMOCRATS ARE TO BLAME for this hideous situation.
Who's this "we"? You got a mouse in your pocket, Joe?
I stopped "believing" in a market economy about the same time the Wall Streeters got bailed out by the government. For some reason, that just didn't seem very free market-y. At this point, I'm ready to give "socialism/communism/fascism" a go.
That from a man who's on the dole himself
Bob Dole or lizard?
Pineapple?
They usta call hand grenades pineapples.
How much of a debate can we have when his response to every point in contention is, "Kiss my ass!"
If Reid doesn't toss this guy overboard after all this is done then I say we go after Reid. LIEberman is an asshole on every level. Get rid of him already.
of centrist or worse Democrats who enable him and are essentially the same as him, such as Baucas, Nelson, Reid, Pelosi, the list goes on, anymore to add?
These people need to be wiped out of the party for their philandering, pandering and piddling of our future and our democracy for the sake of a buck in their pockets and a lucrative lobbying career.
If anyone bothered to actually listen to you Joey, then I suppose we’re to believe that you shape the opinion of the insurance companies and not the other way around. They give you all this money because they believe in what you say and what you stand for. [snickers] Yeah right. When pig elephants fly.
Thank you for your offer. Unfortunately Joe is to busy with your fellow representatives trying to give the appearance of protecting our citizens from organized crime. It's hard work so we regret Joe will not be able available to appear on your Show.
Sincerely Yours
Team Joe
"i ain't no limburger"
that Lieberman has not objected to:
1. Illegal invasion of Iraq
2. Secret torture prisons
3. PATRIOT Act
Thus the hypocricy.
Health insurance - Medicare/Medicaid.
I don't see him trying to abolish these, so I guess Lieberman is ok with government-run health insurance, but he's not ok with government-run health insurance. Makes sense.
.....his pasty, white, flacid, old-man, ass!
Joe is a ZERO and each day the wave grows larger who see him as a ZERO. Joe, like rush or palin, or any of the other TURTLES ON FENCEPOSTS the GOP tends to garner survive only by virtue of benig IN THE NEWS. The odds alone dictate that if you are ni front of a camera with ANY OPINION AT ALL you will gather followers.
Senator Lieberman said "I wish people would come out and debate me" rather than "I wish we would have a debate". Debate is a conversation, senator. It's not solely conducted on your own terms.
On U.S. Senator from Connecticut Joseph Lieberman, it's nearly 2010, two wars are raging, thousands more Americans have died needlessly since 9/11 (for which Bush-Cheney were criminally responsible), hundreds of thousands of Iraqis have died, millions have been displaced (but fewer than 450 Iraqi refugees allowed into the U.S.), and it goes on pretty much unabated, so what is there left to say?
Leiberman, thy hated face and thy flat old comfortably-seated ass art emblematic of everything that sucketh on earth. You bitch.
...American independent politician. He's a GOP water boy with his loyalties in Israel.
Senator AIPAC.
scam destroyed the "great American middle class" so what the hell is Lieberman talking about? Where was he during Enron, for example, when thousands of middle class employees lost their retirement savings? Where was Lieberman last autumn when Wall Street could no longer cover their Ponzi Scheme? Where was he when Madoff was busted? I think Lieberman is a two-faced weasel.
Mr. Lieberman,
During late 1960s, I was an Army medic stationed in South Korea not far from the DMZ. Soon after arriving, I discovered boredom to be the biggest enemy soldiers faced in the Korean boondocks (that and VD), and one way to defeat this fearless enemy was “bike tipping,” an age-old Army tradition of knocking over bicycles while riding shotgun in government vehicles. For the best effect, the bike needed to be stacked high with cardboard or thatch or firewood, and the bike owner needed to be walking along side. Such fun!
One evening I received a call from my Battalion Commander requesting an ambulance be sent to a location not far from the main gate. What I saw when I arrived was an obvious case of bike tipping. A young man, probably a poor hardworking farmer, was lying next to his over-burdened bike, semi-conscious, with blood bubbling from his ears. I figured that a side-view mirror had hit him when the tipper’s truck got a little too close.
I loaded him into the ambulance and took him to the nearest Army medical facility where the Division’s Artillery Surgeon instructed me to take the injured man to the civilian hospital located in Munsan, just south of Panmunjom.
When I arrived at the hospital, the two attending physicians instructed me to place the patient on a straw-mat at the end of the hallway. When I asked what was to be done for the man, one of the doctors said, “Nothing, the man is not able to pay for treatment,” and told me it would be best for me to return to my base camp. Making my way back down the hall to retrieve my stretcher I thought, “This would never happen back home in Indiana. How can they just let this guy die, alone and afraid, at the end of a darkened hall? Have they no head? no heart? no humanity?” I collected my things, said goodbye to the dying man, and drove back to my aid-station trying to understand how this poor farmer was allowed to die just because he couldn’t pay for treatment.
Today, the United States finds itself embroiled in another national health care debate trying to determine how medical treatment is to be allocated and how it's to be paid for. We, as a nation, can either
remainbecome one that cares first and foremost about the payment for medical treatment, like some 1960s TWC, or we can become a nation of even greater compassion by providing the necessary medical care to all its citizens so they too can lead happy and productive lives.if there weren't so many damn politicians involved in it. Screw Lieberman, he's done nothing good and will continue to do nothing good.
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