Lieberman: No reform is better than reform with a public option

By Michael J.W. Stickings

Lieberman on Face the Nation yesterday:

SCHIEFFER: But is what you're also saying is that nothing is better than a government health insurance, or a health insurance reform that includes a public option? Nothing is better than that.

LIEBERMAN: Well, the truth is that nothing is better than that because I think we ought to follow, if I may, the doctor’s oath in Congress as we deal with health care reform, do no harm.

As Think Progress notes, Lieberman's argument that a public option would do harm just doesn't hold up. As well:

In his discussion with Schieffer, Lieberman acted as though the public option was the only thing stopping him from supporting health care reform. But this ignores the fact that Lieberman opposed the Baucus bill last month, which did not contain a public option. Apparently, Lieberman truly just wants "nothing" when it comes to health care reform.

In other words, Lieberman is full of shit. How he should be seen to have any credibility left on this or pretty much any issue is beyond me.

Of course, it's because he's Republicans' favourite Democrat and because a Beltway media establishment that values right-leaning centrism has long basked in his glow, overlooking his me-first opportunism and putting him on a pedestal from which he has been able again and again to spew his nonsense.

**********

I'll leave it at that here, as I have written two long posts on Lieberman and health-care reform in recent days:

-- For Democrats, time to cut ties with Lieberman; and

-- Joe Lieberman feels "relevant" again. But does he have to act like a Republican obstructionist?

Check them out if you missed them.