Ethics

Watch Him Wiggle, See Him Jiggle

By Ed Brayton

Here's a great video of Joe Lieberman contradicting himself over and over on the issue of filibusters. Now Tom Harkin says he may introduce a bill to do away with filibusters or put strict limits on them. If the Democrats vote for that, it will make them just as hypocritical as the Republicans because the Democrats waxed eloquent throughout the Bush years about the importance of the filibuster. As usual, the two sides just exchange scripts depending on which party controls which branch of government.

In the 90s, it was the Democrats who wanted to get rid of the filibuster and the Republicans who railed about how evil that idea was. During the Bush administration they flipped positions. Now they're flipping positions again. And when a Republican takes control of the White House and Congress again, they'll flip yet again. It's not about principle, it's about political expediency.

Full post as published by Dispatches from the Culture Wars on December 16, 2009 (boomark / email).