How do you Solve a Problem Like Joe Lieberman?

Title to this post to be imagined to the tune from Sound of Music (or maybe I'm the only straight man who would make that connection).

Senate Democrats are reportedly going to take a vote next week over the fate of Joe Lieberman. Options on table include 1) no punitive action, 2) kicking him out of the caucus, 3) stripping him of his primo spot as chaiman of the homeland security committee, which reportedly would prompt him to leave the caucus and become a Republican, 4) some other form of punishment less than #3 but more than #1.

I'm very torn on the Lieberman issue. I honestly didn't have much of a problem with him endorsing McCain because A) it didn't hurt Obama any and B) they're good friends in the real sense and not in the Joe Biden "I love John McCain, I'd take a bullet for that man, we're friends, but at the same time he's dangerously unbalanced and shouldn't be let anywhere near our nuclear arsenal" way. That said, he went from doing something acceptable to me to being put "on notice" in Stephen Colbert terms, when he started actively badmouthing Obama instead of just supporting McCain. He then shifted categories to "Dead to Me" when he actually followed in the footsteps of stark raving hateful lunatic Zell Miller in speaking at the opposite party's convention. For a while, I was adamant in my feeling that Lieberman needed to be at leas stripped of his committee chairmanships as punishment, regardless of whether this led him to bolt. With an Obama victory, however, I'm starting to feel a little more charitable and, at least, a little more practical.

If he's willing to come back to the caucus and be a good boy (i.e. not fillibuster along with Republicans, though with acknowledgment that on the actual votes he can vote his conscience) then I think he should be accepted back and be allowed to keep his top chairmanship post. I do think, however, that what he did can't go unanswered. Caucusing with a party means something and if you're going to stab that party in the back in a presidential election, you have to pay some consequence. I'm not sure what consequences are available, but there's got to be some blowback. That said, if he ever goes along with Republican attempts to fillibuster any sort of legislation that Democrats consider important, I think he should be summarily kicked to the curb.

On the plus side, from my perspective as a Democrat, i find it highly unlikely that Lieberman will be able to remain the Senator from CT after his current term. He benefitted last time from an active Republican effort to have Republicans vote for him instead of the Republican candidate. That, obviously, can't be counted on next time. I also have to think that in a state that went overwhelmingly for Obama, Lieberman's support of McCain will not play well next election.

In any event, I wish there was a "on notice" and "dead to me" widget to add to the side of this blog. I'd like to keep track of such things. Maybe I'll just figure out a way to make it happen.