Connecticut Dems Won't Stay the Course

I've been watching the Leiberman-Lamont primary race in Connecticut which culminated last night in a victory for Lamont. Until now I was a casual observer simply interested in a race between a long time incumbent and a first time politician. However, since everyone's been asking both candidates what they think the outcome may foretell about the November mid-terms, I heard Leiberman say something I think sums it up.

Prior to the result yesterday Chris Matthews was interviewing Leiberman for Hardball on MSNBC. Chris asked how Leiberman thought his constituents felt about his continued support for the Iraq war. He responded that although he knows the majority of residents in Connecticut do not support his decision, he thinks it's his job to do what he thinks is best regardless of they want. He knows best and they elected him to make his own decisions.

I happen to believe they elected him to make decisions based on what they want. This attitude of politicians to flagrantly disregard the very people who elected them is the reason they need to update their resumes now so they'll be ready in January.

The ridiculous decisions made by this Congress, including suspending all current business to keep Terry Schiavo alive, are getting pretty hard to ignore. The Republicans probably wish they hadn't wasted that flag burning vote a couple of months ago. They need another diversionary issue. Maybe they'll pull the immigration debate out of committee just in time to show the Democrats are weak on national security.

That's another issue that if the politicians listened to their constituents instead of pandering to La Raza they would have a better chance at gaining a majority. As it stands, the only reason to put a bill which has already been voted on into committee is to resurrect it when you need it. They need it the second or third week of October. That's what I said back on June 12th in "Dems are Falling Into Trap" and I stand by it now.

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