Because that's who I am! 
Toward the tail-end of Joe Lieberman's concession speech on Tuesday evening, Lieberman makes this assertion, "I will keep fighting for the same progressive new ideas and for security. That's who I am." [BTW: the text is a summary not an exact transcript - you have to watch the entire speech]
The context is that he's running as an independent.
But as a Liberal there's something disconcerting and all too recognizable by this political rhetoric. He claims that he has been the voice and standard-bearer of progressive new ideas!
Now, as a Liberal, this may be none of my business but if I were a Progressive I would be insulted that a politician as antithetically unacceptable as Lieberman would claim to represent my politics and to have represented my politics for the past eighteen years.
The Lieberman campaign claimed that Lieberman voted with Democrats "90%" of the time and asserted that this is proof-positive that he was a tried-and-true voice of the Democratic party. Yet again, I must take exception to the veracity of such a convenient, manufactured, and self-serving litmus test.
To those of us working to clear up the obfuscation of what Liberal politics offers and stands for let's broaden the criteria.
The representation of a political point of view is far more than merely voting with one tribe or another. What many of us look for are political voices who help create innovative law, reject dubious law, and introduce legislation that represents a conviction to strengthen the country.
Furthermore, we believe politician's need to walk the walk. Fellows like Lieberman, all too typically, take advantage of Liberal and progressive constituencies for photo-ops, to confiscate their hard-earned political contributions, and to deflect their legitimate concerns. Liberals and Progressives have had their backs ventilated so often by the Joe Liebermans of the world that these grothesque scars are the public perception of our ideas.
We don't demand litmus tests of our candidates nor do we demand sainthood. All of government needs reconsideration every election cycle. Policies and programs can age poorly needing adjustment or termination. Every political generation needs to be heard. There is no political crime committed when society advocates programs to solve social problems. They all have a potential to fail. Liberal programs have failed in the past just as today's conservative programs and policies are failing.
If there is a subliminal litmus test of our political representatives it is honesty. And this is the test Liberman and politician's like him fail. Lieberman can make any claim he likes about who he is.
But, please, nobody is stupid enough to mistake him as a Progressive.
KEYWORDS: Lieberman, distortion, labels
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