# Is Joe Lieberman a Democrat? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [October 31, 2008, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-joe-lieberman-a-democrat/470442 "2008-10-31T15:56:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Carson\_O\_Genic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/cdc98d/32.png) [@Carson\_O\_Genic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carson_O_Genic)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2008, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-joe-lieberman-a-democrat/470442/41 "2008-10-31T21:19:44Z")
> [@Airman\_Doors\_USAF](#): > > Have we fallen so far in this country that someone asserting an opinion different than what he’s told to say by some other predictable automaton is worthy of contempt? > > Do we elect people who will do what they think is right or do we elect people that are so completely inflexible and uncompromising that we need not bother electing them? > > I suppose this should not come as surprise to me. Naturally robots that can’t do anything but pull the (D) or (R) lever can’t stand people that think for themselves because they are incapable of doing so. I think we elect people who will represent what WE want them to do, not what THEY want. If I recall correctly, Sen. Joe lost in the Dem. race and switched to Ind. to keep his seat. The fact that he was re-elected seems to indicate he represents someone. Personally, he’s fallen in my esteem but him being a moderate is OK, could use some more of them. ---
**Author:** ![TWDuke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e495f1/32.png) [@TWDuke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TWDuke)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2008, 7:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-joe-lieberman-a-democrat/470442/42 "2008-11-04T07:21:27Z")
> [@acsenray](#): > > My point was that Googling proved exactly nothing. But your evidence did not support that point. > [@](#): > > I think the fact that Lieberman continues to instruct the Senate to list him as “ID” rather than as “I” is far more definitive than this quote. Why? I think fixating on a letter or two following his name is missing the point. If this were a General Question posted in search of a factual answer, I’d post the dictionary definition of Democrat: > [@Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary](#): > > Democrat > Dem"o\*crat, n. A large light uncovered wagon with two or more seats. [U. S.] Oops. Let’s try that again: > [@American Heritage Dictionary](#): > > dem·o·crat (děm’ə-krāt’) > n. > 1. > (1). An advocate of democracy. > (2). One who believes in social equality or discounts distinctions in rank. > 2. **Democrat** A member of the Democratic Party. Then, if I could present evidence that Lieberman was registered as a member of the party, we’d have our factual answer. But it wouldn’t be very interesting. Nor would it be much of a debate. But the question was posted in Great Debates, wasn’t it? So maybe a simplistic, cut-and-dried answer wasn’t what was called for. Maybe it’s a question of political philosophy, whether his aligns more closely with the Democratic or Republican party, or somewhere in between, or an amalgam of the two, or something else. If only we had some statement of Lieberman’s political philosophy… oh, wait, here’s something: > [@Joe Lieberman](#): > > “I am genuinely an Independent. I agree more often than not with Democrats on domestic policy. I agree more often than not with Republicans on foreign and defense policy.” ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2008, 11:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-joe-lieberman-a-democrat/470442/43 "2008-11-04T11:53:47Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > I don’t see a downside to not inviting him to caucus. With or without Lieberman, after this election, the Democrats will be the clear majority, which gets them all of the procedural things like president pro tem, committee assignments, etc., and that’s all that the caucus decides. Lieberman is probably going to vote on bills and on clotures and the like the same way whether he caucuses with the Dems or not. I agree. That 60 vote thing is vastly overrated. How cloture votes go is going to depend on the issue involved and Lieberman in particular isn’t going to feel compelled to vote with the Dems whether or not he caucuses with them. If I was Reid, I’d tell Joementum to go suck eggs and join the elephant parade. ---
**Author:** ![BrightNShiny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@BrightNShiny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrightNShiny)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2008, 11:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-joe-lieberman-a-democrat/470442/44 "2008-11-04T11:59:33Z")
If the Dems want to make nicey-nice with Joe, I have no problem with that. But he should definitely be booted from his Homeland Security chairmanship, particularly after his refusal to investigate Katrina. ---
**Author:** ![IClaudius](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c37758/32.png) [@IClaudius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IClaudius)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2008, 12:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-joe-lieberman-a-democrat/470442/45 "2008-11-04T12:17:21Z")
I personally think Lieberman is a douche-bag. Even after being rejected by Democratic voters in the CT primary he ran as an independent and then traded his caucusing status to retain his personal power via committee privileges. I wouldn’t say he’s a DINO in all his views, such as labour-market policy, etc., but his heavily neo-conservative views on national security and foreign policy issues are basically anathema to the modern Democratic Party. A long time ago he found a political niche for himself by being a pet Democrat on Fox News, and with the GOP generally, where he would aggrandise himself and attack the party with grossly inflammatory rhetoric. It’s one thing to have deeply held views you’re passionate about, but Lieberman continually crossed the line on that score - going far beyond constructive criticism to outright demagogy. What is most galling is that Obama actually came and campaigned for him in his primary battle with Lamont, and Reid continually defends his retention of committee privileges, yet he still openly supports the McCain ticket and baits the party as having lost its way. I doubt CT will elect the bastard again and it will be good riddance. The party doesn’t need or want Democrats like him. Blue Dogs are one thing, and a big tent is desirable, but Lieberman is something else entirely. ---
**Author:** ![IClaudius](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c37758/32.png) [@IClaudius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IClaudius)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2008, 12:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-joe-lieberman-a-democrat/470442/46 "2008-11-04T12:26:56Z")
> [@foolsguinea](#): > > Considering how many Blue Dog Dems are more conservative than Republicans, the only issue is that last time he wasn’t the party’s nominee. I’d like to see a cite for that. According to some measures, such as vote view, the last two Senate and House configurations have had a perfect ordering, with the most conservative Democrat more liberal than the most liberal Republican. [http://www.voteview.com/hou109.htm](http://www.voteview.com/hou109.htm) [http://www.voteview.com/sen109.htm](http://www.voteview.com/sen109.htm) [http://www.voteview.com/hou110.htm](http://www.voteview.com/hou110.htm) [http://www.voteview.com/sen110.htm](http://www.voteview.com/sen110.htm) The new make-up is going to be even stark, with many moderate Republicans leaving or being beaten by Democrats - leaving the reactionary conservative rump behind. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2008, 1:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-joe-lieberman-a-democrat/470442/47 "2008-11-04T13:01:15Z")
> [@TWDuke](#): > > But your evidence did not support that point. Actually, it did. The assertion was that “if Lieberman were a Democrat, then there would have been a ‘(D)’ after his name.” The link was to a Google search of “Lieberman (I).” My point was that you could also do a search of “Lieberman (D)” and “Lieberman (ID)” and Lieberman _would_ have a “(D)” or an “(ID)” after his name. > [@](#): > > Why? Because that’s how party affiliation works in this country. It’s not based on an examination of a person’s political philosophy. If a person chooses to put “D” after his name, then he’s a Democrat. It’s unequivocal. If he chooses, as Lieberman does, to put “ID” after his name, then he’s an “Independent Democrat.” Period. ---
**Author:** ![jackdavinci](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackdavinci/32/3259_2.png) [@jackdavinci](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jackdavinci)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2008, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-joe-lieberman-a-democrat/470442/48 "2008-11-04T22:13:37Z")
Nah. Republicans and Democrats are _so yesterday_. He’s on the forefront of the new Maverick party, starring Joe Lieberman, John “Joe” McCain, Sarah “Josephina” Palin, Joe Sixpack, and Joe Plumber. The new party insignia will be a sixpack and plumbers wrench. ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2008, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-joe-lieberman-a-democrat/470442/49 "2008-11-04T23:07:20Z")
You can vote in the senate for whatever you want. But, when you actively campaign for repubs and speak at their convention you are no longer a dem. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-joe-lieberman-a-democrat/470442.md?page=2)