Joe Lieberman: A Tale of Profits over Policy

Written by Marcus Branker

Source: Bloomberg

Introduction:

After the death of Senator Joe Lieberman on March 27, media from both sides of the aisle were eager to sing his praises. He was regarded as one of the last remaining bipartisan statesmen, who could bring together Republicans and Democrats in the face of today's political polarization. These laudations miss the reality that so-called independence and/or bipartisanship does not equate to any sort of moral good. Rather than glorify his unremarkable career, we should remember Lieberman for exactly what he was, an uninspiring, financially motivated war hawk lacking the conviction and backbone of his left and right-wing peers, whose most significant accomplishment came as the sidekick to the equally uninspiring Al Gore in 2000.

Although compromise is considered a main tenet of liberal democracy, Democrats and Independents like Lieberman who straddle the line on every issue in the name of “bipartisanship,” are rarely motivated by a strong commitment to said democracy. Rather, the pursuit of money and power puts them in the “center” on matters while simultaneously opposed to any sort of progress that would genuinely improve the lives of their constituents. 

Death to Medicare: A Cacophony of Corruption

Perhaps the most notable example of Lieberman’s role as a Congressional spoiler came in 2009 when he stood in staunch opposition to a healthcare bill that included a public option and allowed Americans as young as 55 to buy into Medicare. More than 50 Democratic votes were already secured in the Senate, however, Republicans threatened a filibuster to prevent passage of the bill. To bypass the filibuster by a vote of cloture, 60 votes from Democrats and Independents were needed. Lieberman, the 60th voter, decided to kill the bill, halting the progress toward affordable healthcare and purposefully obstructing the processes of democracy. According to Lieberman himself, “I can’t see a way in which I can vote for cloture on any bill that contained a creation of a government-operated and run insurance company.”

Unsurprisingly, Lieberman’s passionate defense of private healthcare did not come from any real devotion to “bipartisanship” or to his constituents, but rather to his allegiance to the corporations lining his pockets. During the 2006 election cycle, Lieberman raised an approximate total of $432,000 from healthcare-related PACs (political action committees), including donations from Aetna Insurance ($112,618), The Travelers Companies ($72,119), Purdue Pharma ($150,100), and Pfizer ($85,000). Many of these companies were based in his home state of Connecticut.

At the time, Lieberman’s wife Hadassah was also working as a health and pharmaceutical specialist for the major lobbying corporation APCO Associates. It should also be mentioned that despite denying affordable healthcare to his very own constituents, Lieberman was more than eager to lend his (and the country’s fiscal) support to nearly every war during his tenure in Congress. He was one of 10 Democrats to support the first war in Iraq and supported military action in Afghanistan, Libya, Syria, Iran, and Yemen. Unsurprisingly, his top campaign finance contributor during his time in Congress was the infamous defense conglomerate Raytheon, now known as RTX.

Concluding Thoughts:

There’s little use in lambasting Lieberman now, after his death. Lieberman was nothing more than a generic example of a much more pervasive problem within Congress and the Government as a whole. Politicians, not just the prominent figures running for President, but the lesser-known senators and representatives who cling to “bipartisanship” whilst standing against material progress must not be allowed to live and die without serious scrutiny from their constituents. As members of a democracy, we have to hold our elected officials accountable to a set of beliefs and values, not a commitment to a compromise and an allegiance to big business. 

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Marcus Branker is a student at Somerset College Preparatory Academy. He’s interested in politics and history. In his free time, he enjoys listening to music and playing basketball.