The only argument ever advanced for allowing Joe Lieberman to stay in the Democratic Party (and keep his precious committee chairmanship and Senate seniority) after his vigorous campaigning for and with John McCain in the last presidential election, was the assumed importance of having that 60th vote.

So now that we have seen exactly how much good 60 seats does to the perennially fractured Democrats, if Lieberman does indeed join the Republican filibuster of the healthcare reform bill, as threatened, what possible reason can there be for allowing him to stay in the Democratic party?

If Harry Reid has any balls at all, he should tell Lieberman flatly that if he filibusters the healthcare reform bill, he’ll be out on his ass.

If Barack Obama has any balls at all (and any commitment to healthcare reform), he should tell Harry Reid to tell Lieberman that.

(And if I have any sense at all, I won’t be holding my breath expecting either of these things to actually happen.)