The Republicans are getting away with further erosion of our liberties by attaching the Real ID Act to a Must Pass bill.
This is a lie. No bill is a must pass bill. It might very well be a "Must Pass...Eventually" bill, but just because a bill is important does not mean that Congress has to pass it. If the Republicans were to attach a provision that declared the President King of America? Or required the roundup of all the Jews? Would this Must Pass bill still be so "Must Pass"? I hardly think so.
I would certainly hope not. Yet, this is their argument. They are powerless. They can do nothing. This is "Must Pass". Well, I say, "BULL$#!%." You can. It may be hard. It may take courage. It may cause some conflict. But that doesn't necessarily mean you shouldn't do it.
The Democrats have the ability in the Senate to say "no". If they are unified, they can prevent the Real ID act from being included. Filibuster any bill that contains this provision, PARTICULARLY if they are trying to pass such a liberty-infringing provision without even a debate on the issue. There is a point where a line in the sand must be drawn, where it is better to stall a Must Pass bill than to allow its provisions to become law. If the Senate Democrats can stand together, then they can force the Republicans to remove the provision. If they do so, they will force a confrontation that will be talked about on the news shows. They should be prepared for this. By making the Republicans the ones who want to have a National ID Card, they can use the debate to win America to their position and force the Republicans to remove the provision and pass the "Must Pass" part WITHOUT the "Must Not Pass" part.
So, do not believe for a minute this spin on our legislation. Stand up against a police state, and demand that Democrats stand up against this legislation and all future acts that seek to limit our liberties, particularly those without even a debate on the issues. There is a reason for this. By doing this bill in this way, the Republicans KNOW that this is a bad bill that would not be passed on its own. They know that a debate would inform the American people about what's going on. It is the LAST thing they want. The Democrats can FORCE a debate with a filibuster and throw a wrench in the Republican's power-hungry plans.
And if Democrats can't stand together in defense of liberty, then they are no longer a party with any sense of their own identity. Sometimes things are worth fighting for, if simply because the consequences of not fighting are far worse than those if you do make a stand.
Call Senator Boxer. Call Harry Reid. Let them know we expect them to defend our liberty from the Republican onslaught. That is their mission. That is what they are there for. They can either stand up and do their duty, to their party, to their country, and to themselves, or fail us all...yet again. It's their choice. Make sure they know it. If you stand up for the American people, then they will stand up for you. It's a matter of faith, and in this time of peril Democrats need to believe in something. And this is a good way to show it.
