The Lieberman saga is just one more prime piece of evidence for the meaninglessness of the contemporary Democratic Party.
Lieberman is a disgrace, but the party just burps and continues as it was.
It has no principles, no purpose other than seeking power.
It is difficult to see how any really progressive agenda of Obama's can succeed.
The Senate isn't so much a club, as you describe it, Mr. Thomasky, as it is the center of power in a big fat imperial power with extremely conservative attitudes.
Its collection of old, fat, crinkly, self-satisfied faces resembles for all the world something from Rome, about 100 AD.
The institution is not and never has been democratic in spirit. Its structure was planned that way.
It was appointed until 1913, and even its election now, staggered as it is, one-third every two years, keeps popular opinion from having much of an influence at any time.
Filibuster is of course anti-democratic in effect, requiring a super-majority of 60% to overcome.
This group of pompous old imperialists has tremendous power being required to approve every major appointment, judge, and treaty, as well as all normal legislation.
Its two-to-a-state structure creates some true absurdities, besides also being anti-democratic. A Senator in California could spend six years shaking hands and never shake all his "constituents" hands.
That makes immense amounts of money all the more important for campaigns. Thus all populous states have Senators whose main service is riveted towards special interests. They spend, literally, two-thirds of their time in office collecting contributions, a full four years out of six.
Newcomers are oddities in the Senate, incumbency being virtually characteristic. Inherited seats too are common.
It's a terrible, outdated institution entirely, but it will continue a very long time.
The full Senate
