DISLOYALTY ON DISPLAY: Colorado's Sen. Salazar Gives Middle Finger to Democratic Voters & Democracy

Must read: The entire article below by David Sirota about Colorado's U.S. Senator Ken Salazar. Sirota responds angrily to Salazar's shocking statement that he'll support Sen. Joe Lieberman even if he loses his Connecticut Democratic primary race with Ned Lamont and runs as an "independent." Since when do Democratic Senators get away with refusing to honor the democratic process set up by their Party to allow registered Democrats to choose their nominees? In essence, is Salazar saying he isn't really a Democrat and that his loyalty is given to individuals of his choice rather than to his Party's candidates selected by its voting members? Shamefully, it seems clear that he is.

Sen. Lieberman announced the other day that he would be to run as an "independent" if he doesn't win his primary. However, it seems that even "centrist" Dems are starting to pull away from Lieberman in response. Reportedly, Sen. Hillary Clinton and DSCC honcho, Sen. Chuck Schumer, both indicated they would support the Dem winner in this race whether or not that person is Lieberman. As well they should. All Democratic elected officials should be required to support duly selected Democratic candidates, or at least be prohibited from supporting their non-Democratic competitors. What's telling is the kind of support Lieberman is getting. According to an article on Common Dreams, "Lieberman has already gotten endorsements from Sean Hannity and Ann Coulter and financial backing from major Republican lobbyists." Salazar joins a wacky and thoroughly right-wing bunch with his position on Joementum, doesn't he?

Give It Up - Give It Back
So where does that leave Sen. Salazar? I suggest that if he wants to support "independent" candidates, he should change his Party registration and become one. I also suggest he return all the money he has received from the Democratic Party of Colorado, the DNC, the DCCC and individual Democrats who contributed to his campaign because he professed loyalty to the Democratic Party and ran as a Democrat.

I know that many Democrats around the nation, including here in New Mexico, donated money to Salazar's campaign in 2004. Especially in Northern New Mexico, where Democratic candidates have little competition, many Democrats turned their attention to Salazar's senate race in Colorado and gave significant amounts of money and time to his victory. They thought they were supporting a Democrat, not someone who would work to elect a non-Democratic candidate in a key race that's become a referendum about the heart and soul of the Democratic Party. Even many progressives supported Salazar despite his conservative bent because they believed, at a minimum, he would support core Democratic positions and duly nominated Democratic candidates. I guess they were wrong.

I also suggest that if others in the Democratic Senator's club attempt to pull the same disloyal scam, they be confronted and penalized in the same way. I know for a fact that State Central Committee members and others who hold positions of power within the NM Dem Party are specifically prohibited from supporting candidates who don't run officially as Democratics. Should our Senators be held to a lower standard? I think not.

Call him and let him know how you feel about his defection:
Kenneth Salazar, U.S. Senator
Democratic Party of Colorado
202-224-5852

Contact New Mexico's Democratic Senator Jeff Bingaman and warn him there will be a heavy price to pay if he follows in Salazar's footsteps: https://bingaman.senate.gov/contact/.

I From David Sirota:
In an explosive story, the Rocky Mountain News reports that freshman Sen. Ken Salazar (D-CO) has become the first Democrat to publicly say he will ignore the will of Connecticut Democratic primary voters and support Sen. Joe Lieberman even if Lieberman loses the primary, leaves the Democratic Party and runs as an independent. Before this, only Sens. Chuck Schumer and Chris Dodd indicated they might do this - now we have a Democratic U.S. Senator officially on record saying he will use his power to thwart both the Democratic Party and the small “d” democratic process, undermining his party and giving a big middle finger to voters.

As I told the Rocky Mountain News reporter, this behavior really lays bare what’s going on: Democratic candidates are more than happy to use the democratic process to obtain elected office, but once they are in, many of them show an open disdain for that same democratic process. They are so focused on protecting their own, preserving the Senate club, and preventing the public from weilding power they are willing to sell out their party and the democratic principles this country was founded on. It is, in a word, disgusting.

Matt Stoller at MyDD has a very simple question in light of the Salazar announcement: what other Democratic U.S. Senators will support Lieberman if Lieberman loses the primary? The question is not what Senators will support Lieberman in his primary - incumbents tend to support incumbents. The question, again, is what other Democrats will support Lieberman if he loses the primary? Will, for instance, Barack Obama support Lieberman if he loses the primary? It was Obama, after all, who specifically timed his primary endorsement of Lieberman to try to crush Lamont’s entire candidacy. What about other Democrats? Which of them will join Salazar in giving the big middle finger to voters and to the Democratic Party?

It’s time we get an answer to that - so go ahead, contact your Democratic U.S. Senators and ask them what their position is.

COMMENTS: Go to Sirota's Working Assets site to comment on this entry.

POSTED BY DAVID SIROTA @ 6:59 PM | PERMALINK