Everyone's up in arms about the perfidy of Joe Lieberman, as well they should be.  It's a betrayal, it's a travesty, it's sickening.  The problem, in addition to everything everyone else has said so eloquently on this subject, is that it's symptomatic as well.  That is, Lieberman's sickening behavior is an obvious manifestation of a disease that afflicts all too many elected officials sooner or later -- incumbentitis -- the uncontrollable desire to remain in office above all things, coupled with a sense of divine self-justifying entitlement.  Look it up!  It's in the DSM! [the compendium of psychiatric and psychological diagnoses).  O.K., it isn't, but it sure ought to be.

I first became a father almost fifteen years ago, around 4:30 a.m., shortly after ducking out of the hospital during about 36 hours of labor (hers, not mine) to get a couple of slices of Ray's pizza (the really really real and original original Ray's) because I hadn't eaten during the entire preceding 36 hours and it seemed that no-one was going to be progressing for another several, only to return, the world's most delicious pizza in hand, to a scene of controlled mayhem as they prepared my future ex-wife for a cesarean because the little guy seemed to be in distress.  (I've got a classic rant about the relative merits of nurses and midwives [good] versus male obstetricians [bad] revealed during this experience, but that's for another day)...

I grew up in New Jersey. I'm an employment lawyer who represents employees and spends a lot of time cutting through the bogus reasons employers throw in my face for treating my clients like dirt. I've been involved in politics of one sort or another for most of my adult life. I like to think that all of these factors (especially the growing up in New Jersey) have given me a powerful capacity for detecting bulls--t. Last night I attended a small local fundraiser for Ned Lamont, a fundraiser that I helped organize both as a favor to a friend of my wife's and because I like what Lamont's doing to Joe Lieberman. Ned Lamont spoke at the event, and I am happy to report that throughout his five minute talk, and the few questions he was able to answer before he was whisked off to the next event, my b.s. detector wasn't triggered even once. To the contrary, my "realness" detector sounded several times.

O.K., now you're REALLY angry, now that you know that Lieberman is (a) supporting the completely loonie idea of war with Iran and (b) isn't even pretending to be a Democrat these days.  If you live in Massachusetts, you can do something about it, plus meet his challenger Ned Lamont, by coming to our little soiree in Jamaica Plain, Boston.  6:00 p.m. to 7:30. Info: jsw121 at earthlink dot net.

Angry that you live in Massachusetts, where all your representatives and senators are loyal Democrats, never attack the brand, and can be generally relied on to oppose Bush and support Democratic values?  Frustrated that you don't have a cause to give your time and money to? Here's your chance for redemption! On Tuesday, April 18, some friends and I are sponsoring a fundraiser for Ned Lamont, scourge of Joe Lieberman, future real US Senator from Connecticut, here in Boston, to be attended by the Nedmentum himself!  Come!  Bring your rage! Translate it into productive action! Satisfy your curiousity about whether Ned Lamont is the real thing! Use more exclamation points! 6:30 to 7:30.  For more info., e-mail jsw121 at earthlink dot net.  Grrrr.

For those of you-all within the sound of my voice here in Eastern Massachusetts who've been eager to join the Nedmentum, now's your chance to both (a) help take out faux Democrat Joe Lieberman and (b) actually meet the next (real)Democratic Senator for Connecticut (uh, yes, I'm referring to Ned Lamont).  After Ned Lamont attends a fundraiser in Brookline with the great and near great, he'll be joining us downwardly mobile types in Jamaica Plain (Boston) for a fundraiser as well. The particulars are: Tuesday, April 18 from 6:00 to 7:30.  Join us!  For more information and directions, e-mail me at jsw121 at earthlink dot net.

After a year and a half of lurking, and a couple of votes in polls, this is my first diary, so be gentle.  I was surprised that the recent momentous enactment of public financing of elections in Connecticut got relatively little notice here and elsewhere in blogtopia, and I wanted to comment a little on what I think those changes mean.  In establishing public financing for legislative races, what Connecticut has done, following in the footsteps of Maine, Arizona, and (sort of, but I'll talk about that later) Massachusetts, is take a step towards removing the role of campaign contributions in policy-making decisions by making candidates independent of the usual frantic chase after special interest money that they need in order to fund their campaigns.
There's more!