Senate IndeRepublicrat?

The number of third-party members of congress has dropped massively and the members of congress are holding tighter to their party ties. (Aldrich 195) If you have a member that strays, it loosens the strength that the major parties hold.

As of right now Joe Lieberman is listed in Senate records for the 110th Congress as an "Independent Democrat" and sits as a part of the democratic caucus. He still votes with the Democratic Party on most issues (http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/07/14/america/lieberman.php).

During the recent election, Lieberman separated himself from the party because of his support for John McCain and his criticism of Barack Obama. The Democratic party does not seem to be taking any massive steps towards getting rid of him, but there have been talks about the issue.

“Several senators said there was no talk of punishing Lieberman, but no one ruled out doing so after the election. One senator who attended the weekly leadership meeting, speaking on background, said, “The discussions were mostly about disappointment [with Lieberman] — not strategy.”(http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/conventions-over-lieberman-embarks-on-lonely-september-2008-09-09.html)

It seems as though the party is beginning to strongly alienate him and he himself has taken step backs with respect to his opinions.

““The Constitution guarantees freedom of speech, but he should remember he’s a member of this caucus,” warned Sen. Daniel Inouye (Hawaii), who sits on the Democratic Steering Committee, which makes recommendations on committee assignments” (http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/conventions-over-lieberman-embarks-on-lonely-september-2008-09-09.html)

The Democrats need to do all they can to keep Lieberman on their side but it is not looking good. The Senate is only two seats away from a mandate and Joe Lieberman is vital if they want to achieve their goals.

In the end it seems it is the party itself that decides what it means to be a part of the party-in-government. If the Senate Democrats decide to keep him and work towards avoiding the almighty filibuster, then he will be a part. If not, then not.