HARRY REID should make clear: VOTE CONSCIENCE = VOTE "YES" OR FILIBUSTER [View All]

[Leopolds Ghost]

The reality is that most of the senior Dems in the senate (with the prominent exception of MIKULSKI?) are currently throwing in their lot
with Kerry. I am all for confirmation votes being votes of conscience. That is a time honored tradition in the senate and is the only ethical course of action.

But nevertheless, a serious filibuster attempt is being mounted. Under such circumstances,

ONE CANNOT IN GOOD CONSCIENCE VOTE "NO" ON ALITO AND "YES" TO CLOTURE.

Dems who do so are nothing but scabs and should be treated as such for the term beginning in 2006.

An organization incapable of punishing scabs is an organization that has no solidarity.

DEMS WHO DO NOT WANT TO BE TREATED AS SCABS AND PUNISHED ACCORDINGLY ON THIS IMPORTANT ISSUE, AS OLYMPIA SNOWE OR HER ILK SURELY WOULD ON THE REPUBLICAN SIDE, MUST VOTE "YES" TO CONFIRM ALITO OR ELSE VOTE "NO" TO CLOTURE.

Those are the only two options the Senate leadership should be tolerating. The alternative is to make themselves look like fools whose members -- Senators who have no problem risking a meaningless "no" vote on Alito himself -- are willing to vote "yes" to cloture simply to say "fuck you" to half the senior leadership.

A vote of conscience means "YES" to Alito and "YES" to cloture
for reasons of conscience (or representing a conservative state)
or else "NO" to both. Those are the only two acceptable options.

And the Democratic whip shouldn't be the only person taking names on who crossed the picket lines on this fillibuster.

Only actual Alito SUPPORTERS get to cross the picket line. Anyone else should be severely punished, at least in the short term 2006-2008, for being a scab. Their chance to win folks over in private (please don't filibuster, we need money for Louisiana, Bush'll win anyway, etc.) was last week.

Pass it on.