Lieberman ‘Fears’ 60 Democratic Votes in Senate

Sen. Joe Lieberman (ID-Conn.) said he fears that America will be hurt if Democrats achieve a 60-vote, filibuster-proof majority in the Senate as a result of today’s elections.

During an appearance on the Glenn Beck radio show, Lieberman said he somewhat agrees with Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah), who has said that in many ways America will not survive if Senate Democrats achieve a supermajority in the next Congress.

“Well, I hope it’s not like that, but I fear,” Lieberman said. “And I think for some of us there is a key.”

Lieberman, who switched his party affiliation to “Independent Democrat” after losing Connecticut’s Democratic primary to a liberal challenger in 2006, has campaigned vigorously for John McCain, and could be a possible candidate to switch to the Republican Party in the next Congress.

“[I]t was really put there, a 60-vote requirement as somebody said to me when I first came to the Senate, stop the passions of a moment among the people of America from sweeping across the congress, the House, to the Senate and to a like minded President and having us do things that will change America for a long time,” Lieberman said. “So the filibuster is one of the great protections we have.”

–Michael O’Brien