Correction

Update: And in an even bigger smack down of the Lefty blogs ... this is going to leave a mark!

Sens. Joe Biden of Delaware, Barbara Boxer of California and Ken Salazar of Colorado plan to campaign in Connecticut for Lieberman between now and the Aug. 8 primary. Their goal is to reassure the party faithful of the three-term senator's loyalty to Democratic causes, including women's issues, labor and the environment.

After seeing that Democrat Senator Ken Salazar is evidently poised to support Senator Joe Lieberman's re-election, even if he fails to secure the Democrat nomination, I happened upon this post at SirotaBlog:

Salazar Gives Middle Finger to Democratic Voters & Democracy
In an explosive story, the Rocky Mountain News reports that freshman Sen. Ken Salazar (D-CO) has become the first Democrat to publicly say he will ignore the will of Connecticut Democratic primary voters and support Sen. Joe Lieberman even if Lieberman loses the primary, leaves the Democratic Party and runs as an independent....

As I told the Rocky Mountain News reporter, This behavior really lays bare what’s going on: Democratic candidates are more than happy to use the democratic process to obtain elected office, but once they are in, many of them show an open disdain for that same democratic process.

I've grown extremely weary of seeing this ignoring the democratic process by Lieberman critics. Now here is the Seventeenth Amendment to the Constitution, which is the foundation of the democratic process, particularly in this regard - in pertinent part and with annotation:

Clause 1. The Senate of the United States shall be composed of two Senators from each State, elected by the people thereof, for six years; and each Senator shall have one vote.

A - The ratification of this Amendment was the outcome of increasing popular dissatisfaction with the operation of the originally established method of electing Senators. As the franchise became exercisable by greater numbers of people, the belief became widespread that Senators ought to be popularly elected in the same manner as Representatives.

The only effort I see from anyone which would ignore, or perhaps betray our democratic process, comes from individuals who are suggesting Senator Lieberman has no right to run for re-election because he fails to meet some Democrat standard.

If one is going to invoke a great principle in argument, it would be a good idea if they had some appreciation for what said principle actually means. At no time in our history has the Republic ever invested the preservation of our democratic principles in any political party.

History has shown that political parties can come and go. Fortunately, democracy never has. Nor will it suffer a bit from a Lieberman bid for office as an Independent.

Comments

[gahrie]

I have always been firmly convinced that the 17th Amendment should be repealed and the selection of the Senators should go back to the States. It would hopefully restore the Senate to its status as a deliberative body.

[The Ugly American]

There may be one honest person among them but its my guess guys like Salazar and Biden are doing this to support their own political ambitions. It will allow Biden to say he is a centrist in his soon to be failed presidential bid. And Salazar got elected as a moderate in CO. If he wants to get re-elected he needs something to point to to prove his centrist credentials and this is it.

[Gabriel Sutherland]

Dan: These are the same lefty bloggers that were trashing Ralph Nadar for trying to get on the ballot in the 2004 general election. Recall that the DNC and its' lawyers were filing suits to challenge the signatures collected by the Nader campaign in order to keep him off ballots in places like Ohio.

Q: If Lieberman runs as an independent, what's anti-democratic about that?
A: Nothing.

Political parties don't have fiat dominion over elections.

[Carol Herman]

The Good and The Bad.

For the Good. The donks have to spend money NOW to either shore up Lieberman, or make him VIABLE as an Independent. Money they spend? Good. They didn't need these expenses. And, now they have them. This isn't where you'd want to be IF you were discussing Congress, and Majority. In the same sentence.

For the Bad: Unfortunately, IF Lieberman is forced to run as an Independent, where he actually then WINS, you've got Dr. Frist running up to him and offering him to "keep his committee seats." Do you know that it means a GOPster is asked to "be nice" and then have one LESS seat for the GOP on the committee Dr. Frist gives away. Nope. I'm not impressed.

I am, however, impressed that the donks understand they're splitting; and they want to create a safe new zone. Where they take over a portion of the government by STEALTH. Under the noses of the GOP ... who should be lots more aware of how politics gets played in DC.

Well? What if Lamont wins? You say that's "impossible." Nothing under the sun is "impossible." Just highly unlikely. But still in military maneuvers it pays to have "what if" consquences all drawn up and ready to sail. If Lamont wins he comes in handicapped. Because there's no guarantees that in the senate a newcomer is treated in any other way OTHER THAN a newcomer. (Giving the GOP a leg up. As they march to their assigned committee chairs.)

Call me stupid, but a Lamont win is beneficial to the GOPsters. While "wooing" an independent Lieberman is not.

Nope. You can't fill in Dr. Frist's dance card. As long as he is in the majority chair, he can dance anyway he likes. Including drunk. Naked. And, up on the table. Just so that you're aware of consequences to all things that look mighty small, now.

[Dan]

Call me stupid, but a Lamont win is beneficial to the GOPsters. While "wooing" an independent Lieberman is not.

I'm not up on Ct politics, but isn't it even possible for a Republican to win in a three way race?

[The Ugly American]

Ok did I call that one or what?

It will allow Biden to say he is a centrist in his soon to be failed presidential bid.