Senator Lieberman, Shill for the Insurance Companies, Vows Filibuster Over Public Option in Healthcare Reform

Joe Lieberman, Senator from Connecticut, where many health insurance companies have their headquarters, favors the insurance companies more than the well being of Americans. He puts Americans' health and financial stability at risk in his quest to fight for the health insurance companies.

People first Senator Lieberman, that is a lesson you need to learn. Putting the profits of insurance companies before the health of Americans is a horrible mistake. The people of Connecticut are speaking out against your intended filibuster of the public option in healthcare reform.

Lieberman Threatens Filibuster over Public Option

Senator Lieberman has said "he'll vote to filibuster a bill that contains any form of the public option" according to Salon. Lieberman has alienated the country with his favoritism to the insurance companies and his lack of concerns for Americans trying to ensure they have equal access to healthcare and insurance.

Yale Students Oppose Joe Lieberman's Stand Against Public Option

The New Haven Register reports that 650 Yale students and 15 student groups at Yale have signed a petition to oppose Joe Lieberman's threat to filibuster healthcare reform if the public option is included. This petition was started by Yale Law school students.

The students at Yale reminded Lieberman "of his 2006 support for universal healthcare and a poll from the liberal website Daily Kos that says that 68 percent of likely Connecticut voters support a public option" according to the New Haven Register.

Candlelight Vigil at Lieberman's Condo

The Interfaith Fellowship for Universal Health Care held a candelight vigil outside of Senator Lieberman's condo according to the Huffington Post. Lieberman has refused to meet with this group, so they brought the discussion to his doorstep.

Participants in this vigil sang "This Little Light of Mine" and spoke out for healthcare reform. The Huffington Post reports that attendee Mark Sullivan stated "The United States is 40^th in life expectancy and 29^th in infant mortality, while Americans pay twice as much for health care." Mark Sullivan is a professor of public policy at the University of Connecticut.

In recent years, America has spent $125 billion per year on the Iraq war according to Newsweek. Thus the vitriol from Republicans claiming that America cannot afford healthcare reform or the public option is ludicrous. We have wasted billions of tax dollars on a war most Americans did not approve of. We need healthcare reform to ensure that Americans can obtain affordable healthcare even if they have pre-existing conditions. We need healthcare reform to ensure that all Americans have medical insurance.

And Senator Lieberman's endorsement of a filibuster of the public option is surely the death knell for any future alignment or participation in the Democratic party. Joe Lieberman does not seem to care about the people of Connecticut. He is off base and out of touch.

The White House has released a statement about the need for healthcare reform according to MSBNC "Tonight's historic vote brings us one step closer to ending insurance company abuses, reigning in spiraling health care costs, providing stability and security to those with health insurance, and extending quality health coverage to those who lack it."

Godspeed to the Senate to debating and passing healthcare reform. The time for change is now. President Obama is hard at work to change the abuse of Americans by health insurance companies.

Senator Lieberman is a negative force in a movement for healthcare reform. His promise of a filibuster endangers the quest to ensure that all Americans have the ability to receive the medical care they need when in crisis.

SOURCES:

http://www.nhregister.com

http://www.salon.com/politics/war_room/2009/11/21/lincoln_landrieu

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mary-ann-west/candlelight-vigil-for-hea_b_359385.html

http://www.msnbc.com