Who Will Rid Me of This Turbulent Priest?

This quote, ascribed to England’s Henry II, is said to have led to the murder of Thomas Becket, the Archbishop of Canterbury by knights loyal to Henry.

The quote comes to mind as I learned today that Connecticut Senator Joe Lieberman, an Independent who used to call the Democratic Party his home until they soundly threw him out on his ear in Connecticut’s 2006 primary, promises to campaign for Republicans against their Democratic opponents in the 2010 elections.

No, I don’t want some knight to whack Joe Lieberman for being his cantankerous self. I just simply don’t think Democrats need to pander to this man any longer, and that he should, by all rights, be stripped of his chairmanship of the Senate Homeland Security Committee.

What do Democrats owe this Quisling?

During the presidential election, Joe Lieberman found himself onstage with John McCain, Sarah Palin and Joe the Plumber (if not literally, figuratively) campaigning for the Democratic nominee’s opponent.

During the presidential election, Joe Lieberman addressed the Republican Convention, giving aid and comfort to the enemy.

And after the election, Joe Lieberman threatened to defect to the Republican Party if the Democrats stripped him of his above-mentioned committee chairmanship.

And now, Joe Lieberman threatens to join Republicans in filibustering the healthcare reform bill if it contains a public option – essentially killing it unless the Senate leadership decides to bypass the process and go through the reconciliation process.

Face it, Joe Lieberman has already carried out his threat. He has bolted the Democratic Caucus. The only thing that he hasn’t done is openly joined the Caucus of the Dark Side.

But it is obvious to all that Lieberman now looks like a duck, quacks like a duck and acts like a duck. Just because he still claims to be an eagle doesn’t change the argument. A duck is a duck and a Republican is a Republican.

And Joe Lieberman is a Republican.

Either that, or Joe Lieberman is bluffing, and holding a hand that would be an ace high straight flush but lacks the jack.

The Democratic leadership needs to call Lieberman’s bluff.

We literally have nothing to lose in doing so.

Will Tom Abraham Run As A Democrat in Nick Lampson's Place? People Want To Know!

There is a new posting on FortBendNow that is going to make the headlines in a big way. Nick Lampson is trying to convince Tom Abraham, a Republican on the Sugar Land city council, to run for his seat as a Democrat.

A "little bird" told me about this a couple of days ago.

I kept mum waiting for the story to break. And break it has, in a big way. I can’t even log on to FortBendNow at the moment because the traffic is immense.

Tom Abraham, it will be recalled, is currently on the “outs” with the neocon wingnuts who are trying to run (or shall I say “ruin”) the local Republican party. His position at their Lincoln-Reagan Dinner/fundraiser was given the kibosh, as was David Wallace’s. David seems not too keen on running for Nick’s office with his run-in with Bob Perry’s son. Leaving Republican joke-of-the-year, the Pink One, Shelley Schulla Gibbons.

So it’s looking likely, huh?

One wonders, however, whether Tom Abraham decides to run for congress as a Democrat, using Democratic Party resources, then, upon being elected by a bipartisan crowd, "re-Elephantizes" himself in the style of Nick's good buddy in the RPSEA thing, Ralph Hall (R (formerly D) - Rockwall).

Not beyond the realm of possibilities. Frankly, I don't see the Democratic base in CD 22 buying into this. We don't fall in line like our friends across the aisle.

Should Nick stay and fight it out, or use his momentum to go up against Cornyn? I've weighed it and without any other inputs, I came up with the same answer that Nick has. But without a clue as to who will be the Republican nominee - except that it's a sure thing that it will be the wrong person for the job - I think this gamble is premature.