Here is video of the exchange:

It is uncommon to not allow a Senator to finish his or her comments on the Senate floor. Senator Franken needs to learn to be a little more disciplined and diplomatic in his approach if he intends to chair debate in the Senate. Franken behaved childishly and if you look at his smirk in the video, he knew he was being a complete jerk.

Democrats are lowering debate in this country and are trying to push through a health care bill that no one wants. They are doing this even if it requires disregarding the will of the people and being unprofessional to fellow Senators.

I can’t wait for the 2010 elections. Democrats will then see the will of the people inflicted on them.

It seems that the Democrat’s trouncing in Virginia and New Jersey did nothing to scare them. They are still delusional and believe that they will not be voted out for passing (or even trying to pass) a bill that is largely unnecessary and that is soundly rejected by the majority of voters. Senator Joe Lieberman (D-CT) voted with the other 59 Democrats to move the bill to full debate. He had been one of three Democrats that had considered stalling the bill. The other two were Senator Mary Landrieu of Louisiana and Senator Blanche Lincoln of Arkansas. In this video, Senator Lieberman discusses his vote and his feelings on the health care reform issue:

It is not clear what was offered to Senator Lieberman to vote in the affirmative, but there is speculation that he was threatened with loss of his influential chairmanship of the Homeland Security Committee if he did not vote with the majority.

Senator Mary Landrieu was given about $300 million for her state in the bill to assure her vote. Republicans have rightly called these provisions in the bill, the “Louisiana Purchase.” It is not clear what was offered to Senator Lincoln, but she also folded and voted for the bill. She faces reelection next year in Arkansas and will have to pay for her vote sooner than her other colleagues.

The good news is that there are still Democrats that say they will not vote for the final bill in the House or Senate if it doesn’t specifically exclude abortion funding. There are also Democrats who say they will not vote for the final bill if it contains the public option of a government run health insurance. There are also more radical leftist Democrats who say they will not vote for it if it does not include abortion coverage and a public option. This discord amongst themselves gives Republicans and people with common sense hope that the socialist takeover of our health care system may yet go away like it did during Clinton’s term. Let’s hope so.

* One Republican did not vote. His name is Senator George V. Voinovich (R-OH).

One can only speculate about what power plays are taking place in private right now, but what is certain is that Reid told Lieberman about this change yesterday. I am sure that Lieberman has some leverage since he could switch parties and lessen the Democrat majority (one can only hope). We will see what happens in the next couple of days.

The Democrats are angry at Lieberman because he campaigned with McCain and because he rightfully disparaged President-elect Obama. During a campaign interview, Lieberman said, “having worked with [Obama] in the Senate…he just hasn’t done very much”. He was also quoted in the New York Times as saying that the election was “between one candidate, John McCain, who has always put the country first, worked across party lines to get things done, and one candidate who has not.” These sort of statements did not endear him with his party, with Reid or President-elect Obama.

Let’s all hope that Lieberman retains his chairmanship of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, and that he retains his integrity as a true American leader.

What is difficult to understand is why some potential voters put on their blinders and believe that an inexperienced radical who has only been in the Senate for a few years can do a good job with the economy. What has he proposed that is so relevant to the bottom line? He has proposed nothing meaningful and can deliver nothing special.

Potential voters seem to think that Senator McCain had something to do with the current financial malaise. It could not be further from the truth. Perform your own research and be informed. Do Internet searches on McCain and regulation of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. You will see that McCain sponsored bills to regulate these two entities before they became a problem.

Senator Obama hardly has any experience in government. He has no experience as an executive. He has not run a company. He has not been a governor or even a mayor. Senator Obama has not forged relationships with members of congress from both parties. Senator McCain, on the other hand, has over 25 years of experience. He has relationships with other members of congress and even has the support of Senator Lieberman, a former Connecticut Democrat turned Independent.

It is the economy, but please don’t be stupid. Think it through and decide based on who will actually affect your bottom line. This is not a time for blind faith–especially not in politicians.