The Congressional Directory is a book published by the staff of the United States Congress, every two years. The new version is being prepared for printing. Employees of the Congressional Directory recently asked Senator Joseph Lieberman how they should list him, Independent or Democrat? His answer, revealed by the Senator himself on “Meet the Press” on November 12, is “Independent Democrat.” Therefore, the Directory tally for the new Senate will be 49 Democrats, 49 Republicans, 1 Independent, and 1 Independent Democrat.
Lieberman reiterated his pledge to vote to organize the Senate with Democratic Party leadership.
What a bittersweet situation for the independent political movement! There will now be two independents in the U.S. Senate rather than one. However, the Democratic candidate in Conneticut (Mr. Lamont) had a better position on the war issue. Let us hope and pray that Senator Lieberman will see the writing on the wall about the futility, illegality, and immorality of the War in Iraq.
That is just the thing. He is a registered member of the Connecticut for Lieberman party and shouldn’t get to have a choice as to what he is listed as. If I’m elected as a Republican, do I get to choose that I can be listed as a member of the Stine is King party?
Lieberman is still a registered democrat.
The Congressional Directory has a long tradition of letting members list their partisan affiliation anything the member wishes, regardless of how the person was elected or regardless of how he or she is registered. Senator Robert La Follette Sr. chose to be listed as “Republican” in December 1924, even though he had run for president a month earlier as an Independent Progressive, and also as the nominee of the Socialist Party and the Farmer-Labor Party. Senator Wayne Morse asked to be listed as an independent in December 1952, even though he had been elected in 1950 as a Republican.
I wonder why Bernie Sanders didn’t ask for Independent Socialist (or Socialist Independent) and Ron Paul not request Libertarian Republican or perhaps Constitutional Republican?
Just as important as how they are listed is how they are able to caucus. If a Libertarian or Green is elected to the Senate, would they be forced to caucus with one of the major parties? If a lone member of a minor party can have his own caucus, by himself, are there positive implications for choosing which committees (s)he is on?
Can they list “Independent sellout” and “Democratic Party butt-kisser” as officiaL TITLES?
re: #5, I think that they would want to caucus with one of the major parties if only to get committee appointments. Those are doled out through the caucus system and would be presumably unavailable to someone who “caucused by himself”.
It was my understanding that Lieberman said in an e-mail that he wanted to be listed as a Democrat, not an Independent Democrat.