This alert comes from Rapid Response --
http://www.rapidresponsenetwork.org
(This is all a repeat of stuff that's been posted on DKos or elsewhere, but not compiled into one source.)
Sen. Harry Reid indicated on a nationwide conference call Tuesday that Senate conservatives may trigger their "nuclear option" Tuesday or Wednesday of next week.
It is incumbent upon all of us to write to as many news outlets as we can to let the American people know our thoughts on this issue.
Please also forward this special alert to as many progressive friends as you can. We can't just "speak up" -- we must roar!
Framing the Filibuster Debate
Consider using phrases like:
(For the conservative ploy...)
- power grab / partisan power grab
- abuse of power
- arrogance
- breaking the rules
- nuclear option
- crybaby option / temper tantrum
- extremism
- breathtaking hypocrisy
(For the progressive defense...)
- courage / courage to stand up and fight
- American tradition
- the Founding Fathers
- saving the Senate
- defending the will (or, the interests) of the people
- defending the rules / defending our laws
- will only block extremists bent on judicial activism
Examples (don't copy and paste these examples)...
- "If your child brought home an exam of 95%, would you pat him on the head and say congratulations, or would you tell him to cheat, to break the rules, until he got a 100%?" (Sen. Charles Schumer, D-NY)
- When the right-wing figured out just how radioactive their power grab was, they stopped using the phrase "nuclear option" and cynically tried calling it a "constitutional option". But, since it's all about conservatives getting their way all the time maybe we should all call it the "crybaby option."
- Why do conservatives want to break the rules and run roughshod over 200+ years of American tradition? What's more important -- the American people and our Founding Fathers or conservatives' arrogant abuse of power?
- Partisan conservatives in the Senate are showing a breathtaking display of hypocrisy given they either filibustered or simply blocked almost 70 Clinton nominees yet only 10 Bush nominees are being legitimately held back because of their extremism.
More info...
See this Daily Kos post by Armando for the real background (which no one in the Right-Wing Conglomerate Media is reporting):
http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2005/5/18/14194/2891
See this Media Matters piece for facts to fight the right-wing lies:
http://mediamatters.org/items/200505180004
Action
Write to as many news outlets as you can. Do it over more than one day if you have to, but please finish by the weekend. Links to national media are at the end of this message.
Include name, address, & phone. Don't write angry or partisan; this is an American issue, not a blue
state/red state issue. Shorter letters are better -- they get the point across quicker.
RESOURCE: Major TV News Addresses
http://tinyurl.com/8rgab
RESOURCE: Sunday talk show addresses
http://tinyurl.com/9h2yb
RESOURCE: The chattering class - TV political show addresses
http://tinyurl.com/a9jzg
RESOURCE: Contact Info - Major U.S. Dailies/Wire Services/Weeklies
http://tinyurl.com/99paj
RESOURCE: Media Contact List, key states
http://tinyurl.com/9q5vy
Media contacts for communities nationwide:
http://www.congress.org/congressorg/dbq/media/
(Special thanks to all those who had a hand in developing the frames, examples, contact lists and other material used in this alert!)