Okay, kossacks. Time is running short before an Alito vote, which, let's face it, a vote on the floor is a slam dunk confirmation. Short of storming the Bastille, we must take action. Petitions galore have been delivered to the Senate. We have to personalize our dissent. By the time next week, Alito will be joining Scalia, Thomas, Roberts in block voting against the people and the constitution of the US.
Armando, please go to DC and say you are from Daily Kos and register OUR VOTE FOR A FILIBUSTER. Puhhlleeeze!
More after the flip -- Moveon outlined the process....
MoveOn (who lost me as a subscriber when the 6 or so unreachable movers and shakers there who decide everything came out as NOT being against the war in Iraq) continue to have great ideas, I admit.
They are making pleas for INDIVIDUALS to go to DC to personally deliver petitions to tell Senators to filibuster Alito. Wonder where they got that idea? heh heh heh.
And they have a nice little synopsis of how to go about it.
http://political.moveon.org/....
A personal petition delivery is easy to do. Here are some tips to make sure it's a success:
Consider writing your own letter to deliver along with the other materials. It can just be a paragraph or two expressing why you personally feel that Alito is the wrong choice to safeguard our rights.
When you arrive at your senator's office, just explain to the receptionist that you are a constituent and a volunteer with <strike>MoveOn</strike> [Daily Kos]. Tell them you would like to give the senator your letter and pass on the signatures, comments, and letters of other constituents, all strongly urging him or her to oppose Alito and do what it takes to keep him off the Supreme Court.
Then just hand off the materials--and you're done!
The talking points of why Alito as a Supreme is bad for this nation have been exhausted. We know what they are.
The only point I can make now is: If not filubustering results in a confirmation, then why would we not DEMAND a filibuster? Senator Durbin seems inclined to entertain it. I feel so effin helpless. The fate of many are at stake, and I sense that our senators are playing some sort of game. They can afford to. They literally don't have to worry about personal liberties; they can BUY anything a free person would ever dream to have! Does anyone think that Jenna Bush or Vanessa Kerry, for that matter have a single WORRY about Roe v Wade being overturned? We have to stop asking and start demanding!
The last straw for me was Bush's quippy little declaration that yesterday, the anniversary of Roe v Wade is now National Human Life Sanctity Day. Folks, he is mocking us all. He is jumping for joy. He is ecstatic. He is getting lots of mojo from the radical right. So what if he hasn't been able to <strickout>reform</strikeout> destroy social seurity? Bush boy has effectively ensured a radially conservative agenda to affect our lives, our children's lives, our grandchildren's lives. Alito is the trump card, folks.
Not to mention that Alito is Bush's Get Our of Jail Free Card! Imagine Richard Nixon's envy! Its an amazing coup. It's Christmas at the White House, when it should be Bastille Day! Ironic as all get out that we have this incredible series of articles by Susan on her interview with Daniel Ellsberg right now. So Ironic it's painful.
Oh, we might not have 41 votes to avoid cloture, you say? So what! I venture to gamble that we would GAIN votes to avoid cloture as the filibuster news catches on -- as our senators speak the concerns that the senate judiciary committee should have been honing in on, I should add.
Oh, we risk the nuclear option, you say? So what! Filibustering in the senate for anything would be moot if our constitution meets the fate for which it seems destined today. Moot! The Congress will be nothing more than a yes-man to the executive. We think it's bad now? Whoa.... give Bush his get out of jail free card, and the executive branch will reign supreme until god knows when! It won't matter in OUR lifetime, or our children's lifetime.
Bush does not have the political capital to have the luxury of appointing anyone to the Supreme Court. His approval ratings are at 36%, according to an ARG poll today. Or shall we frame it as: 64% disapproval.
I can't believe we have to ask our senators to do what any reasonable person would do: block this egregious nomination from seeing the light of day. I just can't believe it. But, as such as is reality, we have to do something outside of the box.
So I am asking, Armando, will you go to DC? A day trip.
FWIW, I would be on a plane for DC right now, after having collected individual petitions on this site (so as not to offend those who say an emissary doesn't represent ALL 70,000 of us! Whatever!). But honestly, I can't afford it. No way, no how. I live as far from DC as you can get and still be in the continental USA. On another note, the Beltway should be damn glad I am insolvent and far away! grrrrrr.