Serious question about Lieberman

It's all over but the shouting, but I don't understand why the Democrats want him in such a critical position.

What does he do for the Democrats? It just doesn't make sense to me.

Lieberman will sabotage any peace efforts in the Middle East by an Obama Administration for Lieberman represents the most extreme elements in Israel, the same elements that danced in the streets when Rabin was assassinated.

It is just the strangest thing.

It is just the strangest thing.

HoJoe needs to go.

Unless that was someone else I saw running around campaigning for McCain and bashing Obama, the man is nothing short of a traitor, plain and simple.

he votes with the neocons on important issues. If I know that the Democrats in the Senate know it too, so that isn't the answer.

:shrug:

Lieberman represents the most extreme elements in Israel, the same ones that danced in the streets when Rabin was assassinated.

Lieberman is to the right of ruling party Kadima, the party founded by Ariel Sharon, and his views are closely aligned with those of the racist Avigdor Lieberman (no relation).

:shrug:

Lieberman should be stripped of his chair over national security. Having Lieberman as chair is akin to having bin Laden as Secretary of Defense.

he loses his committee chairmanship?

The vast majority of Democratic voters across the ideological spectrum would like to see Lieberman follow Joe the Plumber into political irrelevance.

President-elect Obama's move through Congress. If Senate Democrats and Obama think that is more likely to happen with Lieberman in the Caucus, so be it. If they feel that he will hinder the passage of that agenda, then he should be given the old heave-ho.

He is in a position to do DAMAGE as chair of that Committee . .

just sayin'

That's why.

Decisions regarding the size and make-up of Senate Committees are impacted by the number of Senators caucusing with each party. While its not an exact science or a one-to-one ratio, the overall margin of Democrats v. repubs holding committee seats will be affected postively in the Democrats favor if Lieberman caucuses with the Democrats rather than the repubs.

Its all very "inside baseball" but that is the simple answer as to why Democrats want him caucusing with them rather than the repubs. My personal view is that Lieberman should lose his chairmanship of the HSC, but should be offered some lesser committee chair as a face saving gesture. If its not good enough for him, so be it. But I think if his bluff is called in a face saving way, he'll cave, since its not as if the repubs can offer him much.

I'm not sure that the benefit of the added weight of Lieberman outweighs the harm he will do, but at least there is pragmatism in there somewhere.

I'm thinking they can use his chairmanship and even the caucus as leverage to make him vote how they want him to vote and to support things he might not otherwise support.

I'm all for punishing him. I can't stand him but the more I think about it there might be advantage in holding things over his head. If he doesn't play ball.....dump him. Plus you get a better sense of what the opposition is up to by watching and listening to Joe.