Now its Procedural!

And John McCain doesn't like it one bit...

Via TPM

This Deal is Getting Worse All the Time...

Many liberals are worried that health care negotiations have begun to look like this:



It's a reasonable concern. As I said, progressives have very little leverage in this negotiation. It's not just Lieberman who could demand more concessions. It's really any conservative Democrat or moderate Republican willing to negotiate in return for a cloture vote. It sounds like they can have the votes by next week but we're definitely not out of the woods yet...

Via Reason with a hat tip to The Daily Dish

Joe Vs. the Left Ctd.

UPDATE:

Via Ezra Klein:

Here's Joe Lieberman offering support for Medicare Buy-in three f***ing months ago!?




Update Update: Jonathan Chiat at the New Republic says Lieberman doesn't want anything. There's no plan. He's just dumb...

Joe vs. the Left

AAAHHHHH!!! (/head explode)

Effectively killing the senate compromise of last week, Lieberman says he will filibuster any bill containing the public option OR the medicare buy-in for people age 55-64.

“You’ve got to take out the Medicare buy-in,” Mr. Lieberman said. “You’ve got to forget about the public option. You probably have to take out the Class Act, which was a whole new entitlement program that will, in future years, put us further into deficit.”
Class Act refers to a federal insurance program for long-term care, known as the Community Living Assistance Services and Supports Act.

I shouldn't be surprised, Atrios predicted this a week ago: "any "compromise" which will make liberals sort of happy will just be a shiny object which will be pulled away at the last second."
What does Lieberman want? Is he actually opposed to a public option or Medicare buy-in based on policy analysis? No. The very same Medicare Buy-in Lieberman promises to filibuster was part of the Gore/Lieberman platform in 2000. Are his constituents opposed to reform? No. Connecticut voters support the public option. Is he bargaining for something unrelated to reform, like the ability to retain his committee chairmanship. Maybe, but other bills will require 60 votes in the future. He would probably have retained that seat if reform passed.

I think it is what it looks like. He trying to destroy the most progressive health care reform in 50 years just because he can? This is the glove that fits. Lieberman is doing this because he can. Because he has the power and he can finally get back at those who tried to destroy his career 3 years ago.
This is essentially Lieberman's revenge against liberal and progressive Democrats who opposed him in the 2006 primary and forced him to run as an independent. In a broken Senate that requires 60 votes to even go to the bathroom, this is a war Lieberman looks like he can win.
The only question now is what other cards does Reid have to play?