Kerry says he will vote against Alito

[sabra]

http://www.wpri.com/Global/story.asp?S=4394341&nav=F2DO

Kerry says he will vote against Alito

WASHINGTON Senator John Kerry says he will vote against Supreme Court nominee Judge Samuel Alito.

Kerry tells A-B-C's George Stephanopoulos this morning that he fears Alito would take the country (quote) "backwards."

...

Kerry says that Alito will shut down court access to the average person.

[channa18]

1. It appears ALL DEMS ARE on board.....except.....

Diane Feinstein (not sure).....

and Ben Nelson who IS voting for that neianderthal, anti-women ,anti-personal protection pos.

I will be really pissed if Feinstein votes for SCALITO.

[WildEyedLiberal]

2. I thought Feinstein already said no?

If all the Dems except Nelson vote no, they can sustain a filibuster.

[VegasWolf]

3. The thousand dollar question is "Do they have the balls to filibuster?"nt

[WildEyedLiberal]

16. If they do filibuster,

they're not going to publicly announce it until it actually happens. It negates the point of having an ace up your sleeve if you tell your opponent about it before you play it.

[VegasWolf]

22. No problem with an ace up one's sleeve, as long as one plays it. We

will soon know the answer.

[channa18]

4. And they better damn well better filibuster.

.

[babylonsister]

6. Feinstein is a 'no', last I heard. nt

[Bush_Eats_Beef]

7. If five Dems vote for Scalito...

...there will be no filibuster.

That's it. If five Dems get down on all fours for George W. Bush, Scalito's in and there'll be nothing left but the complaining.

Time to start e-mailing and phoning Feinstein, Nelson and anyone else who might join "The Scalito Five." Because it already seems to be "The Scalito Two."





:grr:

[John Q. Citizen]

23. Feinstein is a no vote for Alito, but who knows if she will help

sustain a filibuster.

Only Nelson of Nebraska has said he is voting for comformation.

[wordpix]

59. she said she'd vote no on Alito but not filibuster. WTF?

[Lexingtonian]

15. I'm not

with this constant invoking of a filibuster as a solid and material form of power. It's deliberately a marginal, weak, form. And it really only works if you have a crisis situation and a popular majority in the electorate in favor of the side with the minority of Senators.

I don't think we have those conditions. Plus, I'm of the opinion that Tony Kennedy is the real swing vote on the Court anyway.

The game, as I see it, isn't really about keeping Alito off the Court at this point. It's about making Republicans pay as high a price as possible, maybe one that more than negates all the (small) gain putting Alito in place of O'Connor gives them. Maybe it's getting all the moderate Republican Senators into a deal to reject the hardliners the Bush people will nominate when Stevens retires.

[Inuca]

19. Yes, she did

She just said that she does not think that a filibuster will take place. As far as I know, the only dem that said he will vote yes is Ben Nelson (an no, I don't think this means he is toast in Nebraska). But I don't think I heard anything from the other 6 democratic senators in the gang of 14. Also, voting "no" and voting for a filibuster are two different things, just a reminder...

[mom cat]

30. Her office has now been saying that all options are on the table!

Call the Capitol Switchboard tomorrow at: 1-888-818-6641.

And tonight fill out these petitions:
Anti Alito Petition list:

http://www.oneamericacommittee.com/opposealito

http://www.democrats.org/alito

https://secure.aclu.org/site/Advocacy?id=367&page=UserA

http://www.ppaction.org/campaign/roberts_roeCall/forwar

http://www.usalone.com/alito.php

http://www.moveonpac.org/stopalito

http://ga4.org/campaign/alito_petition

http://www.workingforchange.com/activism/action.cfm?ite
(then search for Alito petition…on list of petition actions)

http://www.naral.org/

http://www.emailtocongress.com/no_rightwing.htm

http://www.democracyinaction.org/dia/organizations/ccr/campaign.jsp?campaign_KEY=2104

http://ga3.org/campaign/opposealito

Thanks...

[OKthatsIT]

5. I like your choice of words...

just is what it is... Nelson is up for re-election next fall AND he voted for the Bankruptcy Bill.

Isn't he toast?

[kiteinthewind]

10. Don't forget the DINO, Leiberman

:puke:

[WildEyedLiberal]

17. Lieberman is a neocon regarding foreign policy,

but he is nevertheless pro-choice, and in danger of losing a primary bid this spring. Those two factors will likely influence him to vote no on Alito.

[Inuca]

20. Exactly

Why do people keep forgetting that there is no just black & whute but an infinite number of shades of gray, in politics like in everything else?

[kiteinthewind]

21. Damn, I hope you're right.

I don't trust that man.:mad:

[rodeodance]

13. Fienstein said no to the filly

[mom cat]

51. That has changed...Now her office is saying that all options are on the

table.

[Maddy McCall]

27. Where is Mary Landrieu?

I can't see her voting NO. I'd be pleasantly surprised if she did.

[0007]

28. Diane said she would vote against Alito

[wordpix]

58. and don't forget "no comment" Lieberman

[brentspeak]

8. Has Lincoln Chafee made up his mind yet?

Whether he wants to vote his conscience or vote his GOP bosses?

[rodeodance]

14. Chafee said no.

[IndianaGreen]

9. Alito is a lying sack of shit and a threat to our liberties

Any jurist that believes the President has absolute power to wage war without a Congressional declaration of war is a threat to our republic.

[PBass]

11. awesome

Kerry tells A-B-C's George Stephanopoulos this morning that he fears Alito would take the country (quote) "backwards."

Kerry says that Alito will shut down court access to the average person.

That's exactly the type of information that people need to know. I think there are a lot of people who asssume this fight is only about Roe v. Wade, and it actually goes deeper than that

[Ammonium]

12. Obama's voting no

Obama was on Air America Radio this afternoon and he plans on voting against Alito. He was mum on a filibuster but I think the dems are hiding that trump card until the very last minute.

Obama actually said he though Alito was more conservative than Scalia. He noted that Scalia will get on a libertarian slide on occasion and rule for individual rights/freedoms. He pointed out that Alito has consistently ruled for big business, the prosecution, and the executive branch and he thinks he's bullshit. Joy, someone has been paying attention!

[MellowOne]

18. nominated n/t

[NVMojo]

24. Thank YOU, John Kerry! XOXOXOXOXO!!!!

[Harper_is_Bush]

25. President Kerry.

:)

[glitch]

26. :)

:loveya:

[ckramer]

29. GO Kerry!

Just do it!

[Wordie]

31. Kerry says he won't vote for Alito

Kerry says he won't vote for Alito

January 22, 2006

WASHINGTON --Sen. John Kerry said Sunday he will vote against Supreme Court nominee Judge Samuel A. Alito Jr. because he fears Alito would take the country "backwards."

...A flash point during Alito's confirmation hearings was a 1985 memo he wrote saying that the "Constitution does not protect a right to an abortion" despite the Supreme Court's 1973 Row v. Wade decision.

"I think he will shut the door of court access to the average person in America ... ," Kerry said Sunday on ABC's "This Week with George Stephanopoulos." "I will vote against him because I think he will take the court backwards."

Most if not all of the Senate's 55 Republicans are expected to support him (Alito), which would give him enough votes for confirmation if the 44 Democrats and independent Sen. Jim Jeffords of Vermont don't attempt a filibuster.

http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2006/01/22/kerry_says_he_wont_vote_for_alito/

Contact Kerry to urge him to support a filibuster!
Washington D.C. office phone: [phone]
Website: http://kerry.senate.gov
Direct link to the Senator's email contact page: http://kerry.senate.gov/v3/contact/email.html
FAX: [phone]

Note: I'm posting this not as an endorsement for Kerry (I voted for him in 2004, but 2008 is still a long ways off. I like Kerry, but will wait until closer to the actual election to make a decision.), but as additional information about where the fight against Alito stands now.

[patrice]

32. Really? Yay!!! For The Real Deal!!!

We're going to have to send him our Love.

:grouphug:

[Wordie]

33. When you do that, would you also ask him to support a filibuster?

Please?

[patrice]

34. Yes.

It's our only option. They leave us no choice.

[Wordie]

35. Thanks! You might remind him...

That President Bush has recently attached a signing statement to the Anti-torture Act that was passed by Congress. His signing statement essentially undoes everything the Act did to stop this horrible practice. Through a signing statement, Bush more or less said, "I agree to this law, except when I don't."

Alito helped develop this use of presidential signing statements when he worked for the Reagan White House. He supports their use. The signing statements are a device by which a president can subvert the will of the legislature and increase presidential power by frightening dimensions. With Alito on the bench, there is a very strong chance that if the signing statements were ever to come before the Supreme Court, they would be declared constitutional! Alito, after all, believes them to be so.

This must not happen. Presidents should not have this power.

Senator Kerry! You MUST vote for a filibuster of this dangerous nominee!

[patrice]

37. I took notes. Will do.

Will pass it on.

[Wordie]

40. Oh dear. I hope I didn't sound like I was lecturing!

My apologies if I came across that way. I'm just so worried about Alito!

[patrice]

42. No you didn't. I like people who are committed.

I'm all excited about what's going on too. The People could take their responsibilities seriously and that's an important thing.

[mom cat]

38. Alito's imperial Presidency stance is scaring me more than any of

his other positions. He must be stopped!

[doublethink]

46. "The Unitary Executive Theory"

"So, when Alito assured the Senate Judiciary Committee that no one, not even the President, is “above the law,” that palliative answer had little meaning since under the “unitary” theory favored by Alito the President effectively is the law." -snip-

From an article by Robert Parry here ......
http://www.baltimorechronicle.com/2006/011306Parry.shtml

I just e-mailed Kerry to support a filibuster, thank's for this Sunday night update. K&R Peace. :)

[mom cat]

39. Here are some easy anti-Alito petition sites:

Fill and click:

Anti Alito Petition list:

http://www.oneamericacommittee.com/opposealito

http://www.democrats.org/alito

https://secure.aclu.org/site/Advocacy?id=367&page=UserA

http://www.ppaction.org/campaign/roberts_roeCall/forwar

http://www.usalone.com/alito.php

http://www.moveonpac.org/stopalito

http://ga4.org/campaign/alito_petition

http://www.workingforchange.com/activism/action.cfm?ite
(then search for Alito petition…on list of petition actions)

http://www.naral.org/

http://www.emailtocongress.com/no_rightwing.htm

http://www.democracyinaction.org/dia/organizations/ccr/campaign.jsp?campaign_KEY=2104

http://ga3.org/campaign/opposealito


For more action ideas, Go to this awsome post:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x209361

[Sarah Ibarruri]

36. Thank GOD! nt

[OKthatsIT]

49. HEY PEOPLE...why are you cheering? It should be a no-brainer

please.

[bliss_eternal]

41. Kicking--

and nominating!

:kick: :kick: :kick:

[raysr]

43. Yeah, but will he

FILLIBUSTER, because just "not voting for Alito" really doesn't mean shit, looks good to the base but no meat.

[Wordie]

44. Yep...I've been saying "A "No" is as good as a "Yes" on Alito" in emails

to Senators and it's really true. A filibuster is the ONLY way to stop the confirmation. The Democrats just don't have the votes, if it goes to a vote of the full Senate, so the only option is the filibuster.

The Judiciary Committee should vote on whether to send the confirmation to the full Senate on Tuesday. Frist has said he wants a vote of the full Senate by the end of the week. Not much time left. But the Dems stood up and fillibustered the Patriot Act. Let's do everything possible to encourage them to do so on the Alito confirmation, too.

And the more letters opposing Alito all the Senators recieve, the better positioned the Dems will be to resist the nuclear option. A huge flood of letters will make it less likely that the Republicans will vote for the nuclear option, as I see it. They won't want to be seen as extremists - the ones to lost the filibuster to support a nominee that so many in the country oppose. So don't forget to write and email and FAX the Republican Senators too!

[mom cat]

47. I think that they are going to go for it. The groundswell is too big for

them to fluff off.

[Nutmegger]

45. It's not over until it's over

I've been keeping on top of Dodd and LIEberman. This isn't over yet!

K & R!!!

[mom cat]

48. Great. I have it easy with Kenedy and Kerry. You have a harder job,

but arguably more important.
Sign the petitions too:

Anti Alito Petition list:

http://www.oneamericacommittee.com/opposealito

http://www.democrats.org/alito

https://secure.aclu.org/site/Advocacy?id=367&page=UserA

http://www.ppaction.org/campaign/roberts_roeCall/forwar

http://www.usalone.com/alito.php

http://www.moveonpac.org/stopalito

http://ga4.org/campaign/alito_petition

http://www.workingforchange.com/activism/action.cfm?ite
(then search for Alito petition…on list of petition actions)

http://www.naral.org/

http://www.emailtocongress.com/no_rightwing.htm

http://www.democracyinaction.org/dia/organizations/ccr/campaign.jsp?campaign_KEY=2104

http://ga3.org/campaign/opposealito

[Wordie]

50. Alito is meeting with moderate Dems to convince them.

One of them should ask him directly, "If you will not comment on constitutional issues, can we then refer to your record and statements to judge where you would stand on them?" How else can they know where he stands? (Perhaps the question could be worded better, but you get the idea.)

btw, Conrad (D-ND) is said to be wavering. Conrad voted for Roberts and is up for re-election in 2006. He's got a meeting scheduled with Alito for Tuesday. Here's how to contact him:
Washington D.C. phone: [phone]
Direct link to the Senator's email contact page: http://conrad.senate.gov/webform.html
FAX: [phone]

Does anyone know of any other meetings with Dems that Alito has scheduled? Those would be people to contact, imho.

[mom cat]

52. I just sent him an e-mail...will call tomorrow.

[Wordie]

54. Wow...you are really doing a lot on this, mom cat!

:applause:

[mom cat]

57. So are you, dear heart!

[Maddy McCall]

56. I hear that Landrieu is still teetering. Call or write her.

http://landrieu.senate.gov/contact/index.cfm

[Wordie]

61. Done. Here's my letter:

CRITICAL QUESTIONS TO ASK JUDGE ALITO!

Dear Senator Landrieu:

I read this editorial, from The State, in South Carolina, just this morning. ( http://www.thestate.com/mld/state/news/opinion/13690848.htm ). As I understand you will meet with Judge Alito this week, I thought you might want to consider asking him these questions. It is critical that these questions are answered by Judge Alito. If he is unable to answer them, how can you possibly vote for him, or allow him to be confirmed?

The article:
We need to know where Alito would steer court

Judge Samuel Alito’s assurances in the Senate Judiciary hearings that the president is bound by the Constitution and that he (Alito) will only be bound by “the law” skirts several issues of just what the Constitution requires and which rules of law he would apply.

Rather, he should have been asked to respond to the following questions:

1. Does he accept the new “unitary executive” doctrine that the president has almost full power in interpreting what the president can do and cannot do? Or should the Supreme Court, as it determined in Marbury v. Madison (l803), remain the final arbiter on such issues?

2. In what kind of national emergencies may the president override constitutional guarantees to the rights of individuals in the body of the Constitution (the writ of habeas corpus) or the Bill of Rights (no searches without probable cause)?

If these guarantees are to be suspended under conditions of less than total war, is the president required to report to someone outside the court what he has done?

3. Do signing statements issued by the president provide legal grounds for his refusal to enforce specific provisions in the law? How can this policy be distinguished from the line-item veto, which the Supreme Court has already declared an unconstitutional delegation of legislative power?

President Bush claims authority on all the above issues. Some of Judge Alito’s earlier statements and rulings suggest that he accepts similar constitutional doctrines. If so, his appointment could consolidate the turn of the United States in a new authoritarian direction. If so, we should know it now.

BETTY GLAD

Olin Jenkins Professor of Political Science

University of South Carolina

Columbia
******

With these critical questions outstanding, how can any senator vote for Alito, or allow him to be confirmed? Think of the Anti-torture Act, recently passed by Congress with huge non-partisan support. Bush attached a signing statement, essentially nullifying it's intent. Don't you worry that Judge Alito, if confirmed as a Supreme Court Justice, would decide that such clearly illegal acts are constitutional? After all, so many of his writings and speeches support signing statements and other tools to increase the power of the executive. Judge Alito must not be confirmed, and I also implore you to support a filibuster effort, as the only way to stop the confirmation.

Sincerely,

[wordpix]

60. I'll bet he's meeting with Lieberman, then. I'll look into it

[mikeybabe125]

53. thx Kerry we all assumed that...

If you would of done otherwise you would of been chastised.

DEMOCRATS. AND FEW DECENT REPUBLICANS, NOW IS THE TIME! GET ORGANIZED, TOGETHER AND FILIBUSTER!

[TheModernTerrorist]

55. when?

when is the vote scheduled for Scalito? also, is there any way for the 'pugs to move the vote to a different time? Just wondering, so I can be ready for the best/worst.