When SR595 was pending in the Georgia House of Representatives, my former boss, state Rep. Karla Drenner (D - Avondale Estates), and the gay rights activists developed a strategy for those legislators who were uncomfortable with casting a vote in favor of placing a gay marriage amendment on the ballot but also uncomfortable with voting against a gay marriage ban.
The strategy was "Vote NO or WALK".
In other words, vote no on SR595, but if you're uncomfortable with voting no, then abstain from the vote completely.
I think that's a good strategy to adopt towards the nuclear option vote that could come before the U.S. Senate as soon as next week.
Vote NO or Walk.
There are about 6 moderate Republican Senators who are going to be facing a lot of intense pressure from the Right Wing Noise Machine to vote for the nuclear option. Well, we need to counter that by providing those Senators with some words of support for showing some courage and guts if they indeed decide to
vote NO on the nuclear option. However, if the political pressure from their state is too much, then we also need to encourage them to "take a walk"; abstain from the vote completely.
Under Rule XII, section three of the U.S. Senate, "A Member, notwithstanding any other provisions of this rule, may decline to vote, in committee or on the floor, on any matter when he believes that his voting on such a matter would be a conflict of interest. "
That means that a Senator cannot be made to vote on any matter that they don't want to cast a vote on.
Please write or call the following moderate Senators and encourage them to vote NO or Walk on the nuclear option:
The Honorable Lincoln Chafee (R - Rhode Island)
141-A Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510
(202) 224-2921
The Honorable Susan Collins (R - Maine)
461 Dirksen Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510
(202) 224-2523
The Honorable Chuck Hagel (R - Nebraska)
248 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510
(202) 224-4224
The Honorable John McCain (R - Arizona)
241 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510
(202) 224-2235
The Honorable Olympia Snowe (R - Maine)
154 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510
(202) 224-5344
The Honorable Arlen Specter (R - Pennsylvania)
711 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510
(202) 224-4254
The Honorable John Warner (R - Virginia)
225 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510
(202) 224-2023