In mid October 2009 I sent a letter of criticism to Senator Lieberman concerning how he was responding to the bill on Health Care Reform which is included below. He responded to my letter on October 28, 2009.
I sent my letter of criticism of Joe to be published by the Stamford Advocate on their “Letters to the Editor” page, but they chose not to publish it. The people of Connecticut and the Advocate did not seem to be as angry at Joe as I was. Things seem to be different now, two months later.
This morning, Gail Collins of the New York Times quite eloquently said of Joe Lieberman, “He bounds around happily, doing the talk shows, confident that he’s the same independent-minded independent who believes in independence as always. Observers who have known him for a long time feel as though they’re living out a scene in a science-fiction movie when the guy who’s just been bitten by the vampire-moose comes home and sits down to dinner, unaware that he’s sprouting antlers.”
Joe Lieberman is all happy these days because he has succeeded in making the Health Care Reform Bill so weak that it looks like it is a gift to the Insurance Industry and not a gift to the American people.
Initially, Joe said that he will not let the Health Care Reform bill come to the Floor of the Senate if it had a public option for health care in it. To get Joe’s vote, the public option was removed.
The Senate thought that the Health Care Bill should include Medicare for people aged 55 to 64. The Senate thought Joe would go along with the idea because for many years Joe was passionate about getting the age of Medicare lowered. But Joe said “No” again. The attempt to lower the Medicare age was removed. Senate Democrats are so frustrated in getting Joe Lieberman’s vital 60th vote they are ready to “kill” the Bill. They think the Bill as it stands now only fattens up the Insurance Companies and does little or nothing for the millions of people who have been thrown out of the Insurance system by previous illnesses or because they cannot afford to pay for it.
It has been reported that Joe has taken millions of dollars from the Insurance Industry, and that his wife has lobbied for Insurance Companies. (Can someone fill me in on this?) Does Joe represent the people of Connecticut or the insurance industry?
On November 15, 2009 there was an Interfaith Prayer Vigil for Joe, praying that Joe would stand up for national health care reform including a strong public option. The large diverse coalition of religious leaders from across the state were respectful and included pastors, rabbis, priests, imams and many people of faith. Guess what? All that praying must have failed!
Joe Lieberman continues to walk around like the Emperior who has no clothes on as his staff continues to shout at him that the clothing he is wearing is ”beautiful and glorious.” And on top of his beautiful and glorious head his new sprouting moose antlers are growing bigger and bigger.
I have received your letter responding to my letter to you. Your letter reminds me of the fairy tale about the “emperor who has no clothes” who thinks he looks gorgeous as he parades himself nude to his constituency.
I believe one of your staff read my letter, not you; one of your staff wrote the response, not you; and that you will never be given some of the harshest letters from the people who object to your judgement and conclusions. There is a word “out there” in the public that once Joe Lieberman comes out with a decision like he “won’t support the public option” he will never change his mind. This idea comes from people who know and analyze you much better than I do. Pretty rigid!
The majority of the people of Connecticut support the public option. This is a fact! You cannot then say, as you do, that you listen to your constituents. The majority of the people of Connecticut will soon get the information that you listen to the Insurance Industries of America and that you get your marching orders from them.
So, go inside - put on some real clothing. Stop hiding behind your belief in God, the Sabbath, what the people want, etc. No one that I know believes it. Siding with the Insurance companies, getting their money, neglecting the needy people of Connecticut will only work toward your demise and legacy.
Margaret Robben
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