To: Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, Majority Whip Dick Durbin

Any Senator who filibusters the public option does not deserve a chairmanship and should be removed from his or her post.

Sincerely,

Sen. Lieberman plans to join with Republicans to filibuster any health care bill that contains a public option. Alone, the Republicans don't have the votes for a filibuster. So by joining with them, Lieberman would be tipping the balance of power in order to sink health care reform.

We need to push the leaders of the Democratic caucus to take a tough stand against Lieberman. Last year, the New York Times quoted an anonymous "member of the Senate Democratic leadership" who said about Lieberman:

"We need every vote. He's with us on everything but the war."

But now Joe Lieberman has announced that he will support the filibuster of any for a health care bill that contains the public option. He justifies this position by saying that a government-run health insurance option will cost taxpayers and increase the National Debt even though the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) forecasts $100 billion in savings thanks to the public option. He further claims that his position is what is best for his constituents, even though polling in Connecticut shows that among likely voters 68 percent favor a public option, while only 21 percent oppose it.

Now is the time for Senate Democratic leadership -- Senators Reid, Schumer, and Durbin -- to stop making excuses for Joe Lieberman. Harry Reid has shown great leadership in writing a health care bill that includes the public option. But Joe Lieberman is not "with us" on everything but the war. Joe Lieberman's position is against Senate Democrats, against his constituents in Connecticut and against the will of the American public.

Actions must have consequences. Any senator who filibusters the public option does not deserve a chairmanship and should be removed from his or her post.