MB Civic

Colleagues:

Joseph Lieberman’s deficits extend well beyond his support of the Iraq war.
You should be aware, for example, of the fact that back in 1995 Lieberman
became joint head, in partnership with Lynne Cheney, of the American Council
of Trustees and Alumni, whose purpose was to locate leftwingers and
insufficiently patriotic faculty and try to persuade university trustees and
alumni to exert pressure to get rid of these dissidents. It was a forerunner
of Campus Watch, equally insidious, and equally hostile to academic freedom
and free speech.

The Abyss: Lieberman and The Clintons

OPEN LETTER ONLINE
http://www.openletteronline.com/cgi-openletteronline/aget3.cgi?feat=23

July 28, 2006

The Abyss: Lieberman and The Clintons

Earlier this week, Bill Clinton threw his arm over Joe Lieberman’s
shoulder at a Democratic Party gathering in Waterbury, Connecticut.

According to a report in The Los Angeles Times (“Embattled Lieberman
asserts Himself as a ‘Real Democrat,” by Ellen Barry, July 25, 2006):

“In a 23 minute speech, the former president made the case that
Democrats should not abandon their leaders over the war issue. Lieberman’s
unyielding support for the war in Iraq has turned Connecticut’s Aug. 8
primary into a startlingly fierce contest, pitting a three term U.S. senator
and vice presidential nominee against a political neophyte, Ned Lamont, who
advocates setting a deadline to withdraw troops.”

Later in the same article, we learn how Bill and Hillary still work as a
political team to “split the difference”:

“[Bill] Clinton agreed to endorse Lieberman during the first week of
July, said Lieberman’s campaign manager, Sean Smith.

“That week, Lieberman announced that he would run as an independent if
Democrats didn’t select him in the Aug. 8 primary…

“The day after Lieberman made that announcement, Sen. Hillary Clinton
said that despite her 30 year friendship with Lieberman, she would support
Lamont if he won the primary.

Clinton and Lieberman both advanced as Democratic centrists, and both
served as chairmen of the Democratic Leadership Council, a non-profit
established by party moderates in 1985.”

The word “centrist” is a peculiar usage here, since the DLC is the
right-wing ruling faction of the Democratic Party– itself a corporate party
heavily responsible for the widening war.

Almost as a footnote, the LA Times article added:

“Clinton said he differed with Liberman on some matters– specifically
the war in Iraq.”

But what’s a little war between friends?

“Honorable people can disagree,” said Clinton.

Quite right. That’s why honorable people should think twice about
giving one cent or one vote to the parties of war and empire.

Sen. Barbara Boxer of California has also been lending campaign support
to Lieberman. Precisely during times of war and reaction, such
“progressives” show their true political instincts– first and foremost, to
preserve their own jobs in upper management.

As for Lamont’s campaign to reform such a regressive party, honorable
people can hope that Democrats with any spine and spirit will finally break
away from that party completely.

Breaking away from the Democratic Party is no guarantee of winning real
democracy in the United States. In politics there are never any guarantees.

Nothing ventured, nothing gained.

Peace and solidarity,

Scott Tucker, Editor of Open Letter Online