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September 24, 2008

Conn. Dems ponder kicking Lieberman out of Party

That according to the newspaper of record in Connecticut.

While I have no difficulty empathizing with Conn. Dems anger at Lieberman for having addressed the GOP convention, which is what broke this particular Dem camel's back, I'm not sure that I agree with kicking him out of the party.

Seems to me that a person ought to be able to decide for themself whether to join and remain joined with a political party as well as when or if to leave that political party.

To their credit, the Republicans didn't kick Senator Jeffords out of the GOP even though he clearly had very serious fundamental disagreements with the party and particularly with the GOP leadership in Washington.

Jeffords left of his own accord and I personally think that Lieberman ought to be allowed to likewise choose for himself whether to remain a registered Dem or not.

What's interesting in comparing Jeffords and Lieberman is that whereas Jeffords had stark differences with the GOP on social policy, Lieberman's social views are actually pretty much inline with the Democratic Party as a whole. Certainly Lieberman is socially well to the left of Zell Miller, who addressed the 2004 GOP convention. It's primarily on foreign policy where Lieberman and the Dems part ways. But in so doing he is actually following in the footsteps of another very hawkish Democrat Senator - Scoop Jackson.

Neither Jackson nor Miller were kicked out of the Democratic Party. Here in Oregon, Kevin Mannix wasn't kicked out of the Democratic Party either. Each was allowed to decide for themself whether to stay or go.

What do you think?

Posted by Kevin at September 24, 2008 03:41 PM