# Good job, Senate Democrats. **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [November 18, 2008, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-job-senate-democrats/473306 "2008-11-18T17:12:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Shayna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shayna/32/17976_2.png) [@Shayna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shayna)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2008, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-job-senate-democrats/473306/81 "2008-11-18T22:43:57Z")
By all means, **RT** , hold onto your anger to your stomach’s content. I’m happier ulcer-free and trusting my new President to make the important decisions in a way they best serve this country. I’m guessing he knows a little bit more about this situation than I do. ---
**Author:** ![Merkwurdigliebe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/74df32/32.png) [@Merkwurdigliebe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merkwurdigliebe)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2008, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-job-senate-democrats/473306/82 "2008-11-18T22:48:52Z")
Yes it’s difficult to get used to a President you can implicitly trust. I guess I’ll have to trust Obama on this one then. But he better not be a weak President. There’s pragmatism and there’s weakness, and he better know the difference. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2008, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-job-senate-democrats/473306/83 "2008-11-18T22:58:16Z")
> [@Shayna](#): > > By all means, **RT** , hold onto your anger to your stomach’s content. I’m happier ulcer-free… WTF?? I’m not angry at Joe. I just want him where he can’t investigate the Obama Administration everytime he gets in the mood. > [@](#): > > and trusting my new President to make the important decisions in a way they best serve this country. I’m guessing he knows a little bit more about this situation than I do. I know a great deal about Joe Lieberman. I feel I’m qualified to judge. ---
**Author:** ![Shayna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shayna/32/17976_2.png) [@Shayna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shayna)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2008, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-job-senate-democrats/473306/84 "2008-11-18T23:02:39Z")
> [@Merkwurdigliebe](#): > > Yes it’s difficult to get used to a President you can implicitly trust. I guess I’ll have to trust Obama on this one then. But he better not be a weak President. There’s pragmatism and there’s weakness, and he better know the difference. I think he proved his mettle in that department in taking on the “Clinton Machine” and the “Republican Machine” over the past 18 months, and coming out the decisive victor. But I’m glad you and **Captain Carrot** are feeling better. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Merkwurdigliebe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/74df32/32.png) [@Merkwurdigliebe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merkwurdigliebe)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2008, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-job-senate-democrats/473306/85 "2008-11-18T23:34:41Z")
> [@Shayna](#): > > I think he proved his mettle in that department in taking on the “Clinton Machine” and the “Republican Machine” over the past 18 months, and coming out the decisive victor. > > But I’m glad you and **Captain Carrot** are feeling better. 🙂 The conclusion I’ve now drawn is that the situation isn’t as simple as it appears from first glance. Maybe I’m wrong, and Joementum really was going to go to the Republicans. Maybe he’d do it just to kick sand in the Democrat’s faces. It would be completely irrational of him and would be cutting off his nose to spite his face. But the inability of the Democrats to strip him of his gavel has to go further than just being embarrassed about seeming callous. That’s what I’m going to have to tell myself, because if the Democrats were worried about hurting his feelings then I have no use for them anymore. The whole thing that pisses me off is that Joe is walking around acting vindicated. That’s what pisses me off. He didn’t even apologize. He sat on one of the most powerful committees and actively campaigned for the other party and then decides to dictate terms on how it will shake out in the end. Where the fuck does he get off? Democrats don’t need his ass and he knows it. Regardless of what he would have done, I don’t like it one bit. I’m going to give money to his and Harry Reid’s primary challengers, and I will also give it to their Republican (Democratic in Lieberman’s case) opponents in their re-elections. That’s right. I’d rather have a real Democrat in Joe’s spot and one less Democrat than have him there. I’d rather have real leadership and one more Republican than Harry Reid. If that has us at 58 then so be it. These jokers have had TWO elections to respond to the public’s request for change and have yet to do shit. Just look at where our 2006 gains got us? Nowhere at all. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2008, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-job-senate-democrats/473306/86 "2008-11-18T23:47:40Z")
> [@Merkwurdigliebe](#): > > These jokers have had TWO elections to respond to the public’s request for change and have yet to do shit. Just look at where our 2006 gains got us? Nowhere at all. Was 2006 all about Lieberman? I thought there were other things going on. ---
**Author:** ![VoluntaryPlan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/9fc29f/32.png) [@VoluntaryPlan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VoluntaryPlan)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2008, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-job-senate-democrats/473306/87 "2008-11-18T23:53:31Z")
The way people seem to be acting is that they’d prefer no dealings with Lieberman rather than risky dealings. I mean, yeah, I don’t trust him. I think he’ll turn on the party if the first good opportunity arrives. The key is to not let that opportunity arrive. Lieberman knows the Republican party picked Palin over him, he wouldn’t be welcome there. But if the nation turns against Democrats, he’ll sway with the wind. Obama’s plan is the best option among some bad ones. You can either have your revenge and humiliate him, which would be fun, or keep him around in the case that the winds don’t change. Yeah, Lieberman is standing behind the Democrats with a knife behind his back. We still need him to cut the cake for us, though. ---
**Author:** ![Merkwurdigliebe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/74df32/32.png) [@Merkwurdigliebe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merkwurdigliebe)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2008, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-job-senate-democrats/473306/88 "2008-11-18T23:55:31Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > Was 2006 all about Lieberman? I thought there were other things going on. With 2006 I was referring to the fact that Democratic Leadership has done absolutely nothing with their majorities or oversight powers. ---
**Author:** ![Gangster\_Octopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a8b319/32.png) [@Gangster\_Octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gangster_Octopus)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2008, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-job-senate-democrats/473306/89 "2008-11-19T00:06:48Z")
> [@VoluntaryPlan](#): > > The way people seem to be acting is that they’d prefer no dealings with Lieberman rather than risky dealings. > > I mean, yeah, I don’t trust him. I think he’ll turn on the party if the first good opportunity arrives. The key is to not let that opportunity arrive. Lieberman knows the Republican party picked Palin over him, he wouldn’t be welcome there. But if the nation turns against Democrats, he’ll sway with the wind. > > Obama’s plan is the best option among some bad ones. You can either have your revenge and humiliate him, which would be fun, or keep him around in the case that the winds don’t change. Yeah, Lieberman is standing behind the Democrats with a knife behind his back. We still need him to cut the cake for us, though. Why do you think he will turn on the party? Seriously, this man has a very progressive voting record on many, many issues. Yes, he is more hawkish than you standard Dem, especially w.r.t. the Middle East and Israel, but this idea that he is Republican wolf in sheep’s clothing has little basis, IMO. ---
**Author:** ![eleanorigby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee7513/32.png) [@eleanorigby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eleanorigby)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2008, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-job-senate-democrats/473306/90 "2008-11-19T00:12:02Z")
Why do people think that Lieberman will vote for the Dems on issues? I don’t understand why people say, oh, we need him if there’s a chance to get to 60 (senators). Where has he proven that he’ll act as a responsible Democrat? I say let him hang. I do agree though, with Obama’s decision (I know that sounds contrary). This makes Obama look magnanimous. Too bad it also makes Joey smug and insufferable. I see him as nothing but a troublemaker for our pulling out of Iraq, for energy policies, for civil liberty issues. I do hope the people of the nutmeg state get RID of him in 4 years. ---
**Author:** ![darkgoddess](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a183cd/32.png) [@darkgoddess](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/darkgoddess)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2008, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-job-senate-democrats/473306/91 "2008-11-19T00:13:56Z")
Obama has to be more than two steps ahead of everyone else. He is the first Black man to be elected president that was more than hard work and luck. I hope he is as smart as everyone thinks he is. Biden was right he will be tested, this Lieberman this is just that, a test. Personally I think the Dems are a bunch of spineless pussies and Joe will F_ck the $h_t out of them. ---
**Author:** ![Gangster\_Octopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a8b319/32.png) [@Gangster\_Octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gangster_Octopus)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2008, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-job-senate-democrats/473306/92 "2008-11-19T00:16:09Z")
> [@eleanorigby](#): > > Why do people think that Lieberman will vote for the Dems on issues? Because he pretty much usually does. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2008, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-job-senate-democrats/473306/93 "2008-11-19T00:23:25Z")
> [@eleanorigby](#): > > Why do people think that Lieberman will vote for the Dems on issues? I don’t understand why people say, oh, we need him if there’s a chance to get to 60 (senators). Where has he proven that he’ll act as a responsible Democrat? I say let him hang. > > I do agree though, with Obama’s decision (I know that sounds contrary). This makes Obama look magnanimous. Too bad it also makes Joey smug and insufferable. I see him as nothing but a troublemaker for our pulling out of Iraq, for energy policies, for civil liberty issues. > > I do hope the people of the nutmeg state get RID of him in 4 years. You could try looking at his voting record. [OnTheIssues.org](http://OnTheIssues.org) is a good place to look. [Here is Joe](http://www.ontheissues.org/Senate/Joseph_Lieberman.htm#Welfare_+_Poverty). He is considered a Moderate Liberal Populist. Basically you’ll see he is what **Gangster Octopus** said he is. A Hawkish Democrat. ---
**Author:** ![Shayna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shayna/32/17976_2.png) [@Shayna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shayna)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2008, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-job-senate-democrats/473306/94 "2008-11-19T00:24:44Z")
[The Truth about Lieberman’s Voting Record](http://lieberdem.blogspot.com/2006/07/truth-about-liebermans-voting-record.html). ---
**Author:** ![Equipoise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/equipoise/32/151_2.png) [@Equipoise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Equipoise)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2008, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-job-senate-democrats/473306/95 "2008-11-19T00:35:52Z")
It was a goodwill gesture on the part of the Democrats. The Republicans have been so depressed and down since the election, so the Democrats wanted to cheer them up! Now Joe can go down to Georgia and campaign for Saxby Chambliss and not have to worry about anybody being pissed off at him. See, everybody’s happy! Well, ok, _almost_ everybody. ---
**Author:** ![Bosstone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2008, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-job-senate-democrats/473306/96 "2008-11-19T00:45:42Z")
> [@RTFirefly](#): > > I’m not angry at Joe. I just want him where he can’t investigate the Obama Administration everytime he gets in the mood. While I agree, as a rule, unprovoked investigations are a waste of time, part of my problem with the current administration is they’ve done everything in their power to stonewall investigations. We have no way of knowing whether they were a waste of time or not, because we could never get any useful information out. I want Obama’s administration to be investigatible; I want him to be held to standards just as much as I wanted Bush to be held to them. The difference, I think, is that Obama’s pushing for transparency. If he does well at that, then investigations that are clearly BS can be dealt with in a matter of days rather than weeks. “You want to see the books? Here. You happy? Now shove off.” It won’t be worth trying to stick him with something because he’ll have his bases covered. ---
**Author:** ![eleanorigby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee7513/32.png) [@eleanorigby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eleanorigby)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2008, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-job-senate-democrats/473306/97 "2008-11-19T00:59:14Z")
> [@Gangster\_Octopus](#): > > Because he pretty much usually does. Who has gotten stranger and more conservative in the past 4 years. I doubt he’ll just fall in line, no matter his record. I think he’s an A class asshole. I hope I’m wrong. I took a quick look at the links provided and to me, they just make the situation worse. So, he’s a more moderate Dem than we are led to believe (by Joe himself!) in his snide remarks and endless press coverage. So why then, the whole circus? If he’s a moderate Dem, then he’s a moderate Dem. Why the kabuki theater and the hardball on Obama? He’s one messed up dude. ---
**Author:** ![Shayna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shayna/32/17976_2.png) [@Shayna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shayna)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2008, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-job-senate-democrats/473306/98 "2008-11-19T01:02:56Z")
You’re probably not wrong – he is, in fact, an A class asshole. I still agree with Obama’s decision and his leadership in encouraging the Senate not to mete out revenge on him at this time. There may come a time, but President-elect Obama and the Senate don’t think this is it. ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Carrot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f0a364/32.png) [@Captain\_Carrot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Carrot)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2008, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-job-senate-democrats/473306/99 "2008-11-19T01:41:25Z")
> [@Shayna](#): > > [The Truth about Lieberman’s Voting Record](http://lieberdem.blogspot.com/2006/07/truth-about-liebermans-voting-record.html). That’s as of 2006. I think one or two things has happened in the last two years to cause us to take that with a grain of salt. ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2008, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-job-senate-democrats/473306/100 "2008-11-19T01:57:09Z")
> [@Merkwurdigliebe](#): > > I’d rather have a real Democrat in Joe’s spot and one less Democrat than have him there. Which is exactly the way his constuency in Connecticut looks at it. If they suspect he has become a Republican, whether de facto or de jure, they’ll deal with it by throwing him out. And yes, Obama is well aware of that. 😉 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-job-senate-democrats/473306.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-job-senate-democrats/473306.md?page=6)