Lieberman's go-it-alone health care stance draws praise from GOP, criticism from Democrats

In blue collar Connecticut, where U.S. Sen. Joe Lieberman found the support he needed to secure reelection three years ago, Republicans are hailing the senator’s battle against the Democrats’ proposed health care overhaul.
Democrats, though, are increasingly disheartened – even disgusted – with their party’s former vice presidential standard-bearer.
“Joe Lieberman has broken every promise he made to get re-elected,” said Allen Marko, a former City Council candidate.
He said Lieberman lied about backing a Democrat for president, lied about the Iraq War and is now breaking another promise to pass health care reform.
“It's all about Joe and what will get him the spotlight. And when it isn't, it’s about protecting the health insurance and pharmaceutical industry, two of his biggest financial supporters,” Marko said.
But GOP activists said they strongly support the junior senator’s bid to block a public option for health care.
“Not only do I approve of Sen. Lieberman's intent to filibuster, I'd be his water carrier if I could,” said Mary Alford, this year’s unsuccessful Republican mayoral contender.
Republican city Councilor Ken Cockayne, who opposes the public option idea, said, “Joe has always been willing to stand up for what he believes even if it means standing alone.”
“Health care reform is necessary, but the plan being proposed is over reaching considerably and Joe knows this,” said Cockayne, an insurance seller. “If their motivation is truly to promote competition and to bring prices down, there are many other alternatives to be tried first.”
David Mills, a new GOP city councilor, said, “This is too big a topic and too expensive to have it forced through the process because some people want another government program.”
“There are so many inefficiencies in government run programs. What makes anyone think that this will be different?” Mills said.
Former Mayor William Stortz, a Republican, said, “One has to give Sen. Lieberman credit for having the courage of his convictions. He has access to more information than most of us, and obviously is not comfortable with what is being proposed.”
Stortz said he has many questions about the plan and is sure others do, too.
“I am happy that the senator is trying to get the legislation out in the open and also to have it more reflect what the people want,” Stortz said.
“We cry for more non-partisan behavior, yet when it happens as it is in this case, the individuals are castigated. As I see it, Sen. Lieberman is still playing by the rules of the Senate,” Stortz said.
Lieberman has said he backs health care reform, but opposes a public option that would include government-run health care for some Americans who choose it.
Democrats who back the public option, including Sen. Chris Dodd and U.S. Reps. John Larson and Chris Murphy, said it’s vital to the plan because it will hold insurance rates down.
Dodd said he hasn’t talked with Lieberman about the issue.
“Joe makes up his own mind,” Dodd said. “We disagree on this one.”
“Joe has said it’s a matter of conscience,” said Larson. “Everybody has to follow their own conscience.”
Dodd said no one has said Lieberman should be ousted from the Democratic caucus over the issue.
“This isn’t about where Joe stands or I stand,” said Dodd. “This is a very important issue.”
People are worried about whether they can hang on to their job or their home, or whether they’ll have health care when they get sick, said Dodd, not about political disputes.
“Most people in this state have little or no interest in that,” said Dodd.
Larson said it’s also important to look at the impact the legislation would have on so many people.
“I think a public option’s what makes the bill,” said Larson. “It provides the competition.”
Former city Councilor Craig Minor, a Democrat, said it is obvious that Lieberman’s “real concern is for insurance industry profits, not sick and dying Americans.”
“Decreased premiums means decreased profit for the insurance industry,” Minor said.
“Those leeches will always demand their quart of blood from the sick and dying,” Minor said. “Thanks for standing up for us, Joe!”
Alford said that free competition “will bring those premiums down a lot faster than anything else” that anyone can do.
“Washington should not be in the business of being in business,” she said. “They can't manage the job description they have and they want us to trust them with health decisions? Laughable.
So I say, go for it Sen. Lieberman. Fight that good fight.”

To see more comments about Lieberman’s stance, please continue reading:

Mary Alford

Not only do I approve of Sen. Lieberman's intent to filibuster, I'd be his water carrier if I could .
This whole "debate" is not about health care but about power and control over every aspect of our lives. Our so-called leaders are voting on something most of them haven't even read and something they didn't write.
Public "option" is nothing of the sort. In the fine print, as it were, are requirements for the purchase of insurance with resulting heavy financial penalties for failure to do so. Nowhere in our Constitution does it give the Federal Government the power to demand that any citizen buy anything. This is so far out of their purview it's ridiculous. Add to that the fact that every single thing they try to run they run into the ground and you have a recipe for disaster, at our expense.
Take a look at Oregon and Massachusetts. Disasters - both of them - and yet Washington wants us to believe that they have somehow managed, in all of their infinite wisdom and knowledge, to figure out how to do this on a national level. Can anyone say Canada? Americans are not going to Canada for medical care but countless Canadians are coming here to get the care they would have to wait too long for in their own country.
Just a thought. How about trying tort reform and opening state borders for insurance sales?
Competition in a free market society will bring those premiums down a lot faster than anything else. Washington should not be in the business of being in business. They can't manage the job description they have and they want us to trust them with health decisions? Laughable.
So I say, go for it Sen. Lieberman. Fight that good fight. I'm with ya.

David Mills

I do believe there needs to be reform in health care. However, I do not believe the public option is necessarey to get the cost of insurance down. The Democratic controlled Congress is trying to ram this health bill down our throats and they have not read the bill and are not representing their constituants desires. Most people do not want the public option.
This being said, I believe Senator Lieberman is following the interests of the people of the state and is telling the Congress where he stands. He is not looking for a "Sweetheart" deal from the leadership and is acting in our best interest.
I realize his position is controversial. However, this is too big a topic and too expensive to have it forced through the process because some people want another Government program. There are so many ineffeciencies in goivernment run programs. What makes anyone think that this will be different?

Craig Minor

If you analyze the closing comment in his Hartford Courant op-ed piece, it’s obvious that his real concern is for insurance industry profits, not sick and dying Americans. “A new public option will likely increase premiums for the 170 million Americans who already have private insurance…” Hmm…will “likely increase premiums”. Why is that? Shouldn’t more competition DECREASE the cost of premiums? Oh, of course…because decreased premiums means decreased profit for the insurance industry. Those leeches will ALWAYS demand their quart of blood from the sick and dying. Thanks for standing up for us, Joe!

William Stortz

One has to give Senator Lieberman for having the courage of his convictions. He has access to more information than most of us, and obviously is not comfortable with what is being proposed. I too have questions, as do many others I am sure, and I am happy that the Senator is trying to get the legislation out in the open and also to have it more reflect what the people want.
We cry for more non-partisan behavior, yet when it happens as it is in this case, the individual(s) are castigated. As I see it, Senator Lieberman is still playing by the rules of the Senate.
I say give the Senator credit, put it all on the table, LISTEN to the people and then vote. In our government, a democracy, the majority stills rules.
Keep at it Senator!

Ken Cockayne

Joe has always been willing to stand up for what he believes even if it means standing alone. I respect him a lot for the stances he takes even though I might not always agree with him.
As far as his stance on this issue, I believe he is correct. Health care reform is necessary, but the plan being proposed is over reaching considerably and Joe knows this. If their motivation is truly to promote competition and to bring prices down, there are many other alternatives to be tried first, like allowing purchases of health insurance across state borders. Lifting some of these regulations will promote more competition then a public option and would not cost the taxpayers millions of dollars. There are also others, mandates on insurance carriers are very costly and I believe some are unnecessary. Many of these mandates do not allow coverage’s to be tailored to the individual or the group.

Allen Marko

Joe Lieberman has broken every promise he made to get re-elected:
I will work to get a Democrat in the White House - supported McCain.
Nobody wants the war in Iraq to end more than I do - Tried to spread it to Iran.
Now he has broken another - I represent the best chance to pass health care reform.
It's all about Joe and what will get him the spotlight. And when it isn't, it’s about protecting the health insurance and pharmaceutical industry, two of his biggest financial supporters.

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