The death of former Connecticut Senator Joe Lieberman marks the end of a line of influential Senate Democrats — Bill Bradley of New Jersey, Lloyd Bentsen of Texas, and John Breaux of Louisiana — who could often be counted to pursue needed bipartisan economic reforms.

Our friend Cesar Conda — former chief domestic policy adviser to Vice President Dick Cheney — points out Lieberman’s value to the pro-growth movement.

Lieberman once told the late columnist Bob Novak:

“To me, it makes common sense that if one of the things you’re trying to do is move capital into the economy, to hook up with innovative new ideas to create new industries and jobs, if you give people a lower tax rate to pay when their investments pay off and they sell those stocks, then you’re going to help the economy.”

http://edition.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0103/31/en.00.html

Find a Senate Democrat who will say that today.

Lieberman also strongly supported school choice, though he had to backtrack for the few months he was Al Gore’s VP running mate in 2000. In 2009, he threatened to filibuster Obamacare unless senators agreed to remove the provision for a public-option insurance plan. They did.

Senate Democrats are now a “donut caucus.” They have no middle.