Lierberman: Doesn't Want Americans to Know?

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Joe Lieberman wants to keep his job. For past several years his job: working for residents of Connecticut in the US Senate. How’s he done? Many residents are angry enough at Mr. Lieberman, to want to fire him, angry enough to hire someone else. –If you don't live in Connecticut What does that have to do with you? Does it matter if Connecticut keeps him? Giant Yes.

First: many residents are angry about this country’s involvement in Iraq. Did Mr. Lieberman vote “FOR” starting a war in Iraq? Nope. What he did: far worse. Joe Lieberman voted: to give away his authority to declare war –to the Executive branch. The person occupying Oval Office: kissed him, at the end of “State of the Union” speech, by way of thanks for his support. Ah… The Kiss of Death. –But he was not alone. Nearly every other Senator voted away their responsibility: 98 Senators voted to let someone else do their job, only the Senators of Wisconsin and Louisiana did not. That means: legally and technically the US is NOT in a war with Iraq –we invaded Iraq, since the Articles of War were not enacted.

Second: Connecticut residents are angry about the “Patriot” Act. Only several weeks after US was viciously attacked by cowards on September 11, 2001, Congress was presented with a ‘package’ –supposedly to protect the country –delivered not in the morning, mid-day, afternoon or evening, but the night before the vote. It was some 1,500 pages long. It came with a side of: ‘if you are patriotic loyal American you will vote “FOR” the “Patriot” Act. How was this Administration able –to produce such a specific and long and detailed convoluted rape of Americans’ rights –so quickly? No one asked…the answers belong in another post. Number of Senators who read the Act that slashed Rights given to you in the Bill of Rights –before they voted on it? Zero.
Senator Joe Lieberman voted: “FOR” the Act of ‘Patriotism’ –so did 97 others. Only the Senators of Wisconsin, Feingold, and Louisiana, Landry, did not.

Okay, so Senator Joe Lieberman was no worse than the other 97 (out of 100) Senators who shirked their responsibility and voted “For” someone else to decide war and “FOR” striping us of our rights. So what’s the beef? Long time readers of this blog know: this blog is for, about you –this author does not use first person singular. I make an exception for Joseph Lieberman. What do his votes, his running with the pack, have to do with you –if those votes were no worse than what most Senators did?

Third: one day Joseph Lieberman picked up a phone and changed life for Americans. I fumed when it happened. I was outraged. MANY were outraged. There was not Thing One we could do to stop him —or the result. Short version, it goes like this: He called the head of Securities and Exchange Commission, SEC, and told the head, basically, ‘back off’ and if he didn’t, SEC would get its budget cut. Result? SEC backed off, Senate passed bill Joe Lieberman wrote: business was changed. What did those actions mean, what does it have to do with you? If I skip over all the details, even the highlights, it meant: Enron. What Enron did –hiding its losses –wiping out value for stockholders –destroying pensions of long-time and new employees, and how corporations function –now –is on Joseph Lieberman’s head.

Why did he pick up the phone –write the bill that changed how corporations account for stock options? –The obscene amount of money the oily boys get? Because large accounting firms asked him –and his pal Chris Dodd, to interfere in SEC laws, looking out for investors, stockholders and allowing loopholes. See: Connecticut is chock full of insurance companies, giant accounting firms, big shots –with money. The head of SEC did not stand up to Lieberman, because he said he was afraid they would cut his budget and he would loose good SEC lawyers he had left. Lieberman and Dodd got gifts when it was over –big cash gifts. They don't call it that in Washington though, they class it up with "donation" –so everybody looks like the decent folk. Dodd got $250,000 though he wasn't up for re-election. But: The amounts were chump change, compared to amount corporations get to keep, not taxed, because of it. Joe Lieberman Hopes: you don't know anything about what he did in the 1990s that affects Every person in the US. Big boys get stock options; stockholders have to pay for them; workers: get none, they get screwed.

Joe Lieberman: has the arrogance to claim he is a “good” Democrat. If residents of Connecticut don’t think so: he will re-register, if he looses, and run for the Senate as an “Independent.” THIS is the arrogance of Joe Lieberman and many many others in the US Senate. He believes he is Entitled to the job. He Doesn’t Get It.

Voters: need to choose someone who will represent ALL residents of the state. Then: we need to boot Chris Dodd and EVERY other person taking up space in the US Senate and House of Representatives who has represented corporations –and used/ignored everyone else to fund their lifestyle while being indifferent to non-wealthy middle class and working people.

I ask Connecticut voters: Do NOT vote for Joe Lieberman. Do NOT choose arrogance. It is OUR turn to have our say about being used –screwed –abused by people who OWE us, the voters, even if we are not wealthy.

Remedy: Choose someone else to represent you in the Senate.

Next piece of business: we fund elections with public money so our representatives don’t turn into whores. Then we go after salaries our reps are paid.

Please Vote NO on Joseph Lieberman. We can do better.

Interfered with SEC - abetted Enron - Pensions, jobs, stock value wiped out - documented by: PBS.org

He authored an "investigation" of SEC --for failing to protect investors. They "failed" when Lieberman threatened SEC if they didn't back off of Enron over indexing stock options. "Slate" wrote about the report and the hypocrisy: here