PFAW sees hope for a fillibuster...

[ClassWarrior]

Via email...

Dear (CW),

When asked yesterday if Democrats would "rule out a filibuster" of Samuel Alito's Supreme Court nomination, the Party's Senate leader, Harry Reid, shot back an emphatic "no."

Senator Reid's declaration followed a Judiciary Committee vote on Alito in which the eight Democratic members unanimously voted against confirmation. As they cast their votes, they made the strongest arguments against placing Alito on the Court that we've heard to date.

"The president is in the midst of a radical realignment of the powers of the government and its intrusiveness into the private lives of Americans," said the Committee's top Democrat, Patrick Leahy, adding "I believe this nomination is part of that plan." He suggested that Alito was picked partly because he "convinced those advising this president that he'll be a reliable vote against challenges to presidential power."

"If we are here to uphold and defend that Constitution," Illinois' Senator Durbin asked, "does it not include, most fundamentally, our right as Americans to be left alone when it comes to our communications, to our medical records, to our business records, to the most personal decisions a person and a family can make?"

Senator Feinstein, the Committee's only woman, spoke for millions of Americans when she said, "If one is pro-choice, in this day and age, in this structure, one can't vote for Judge Alito. It is simply that simple."

The Senate's third ranking Democrat, Debbie Stabenow, joined other Democratic Senate leaders in the same press conference in which Senator Reid held open the possibility of a filibuster. She spelled out in dramatic terms why Alito must not be confirmed. "Whether it's a family losing a dairy farm, workers losing their pensions, a mentally disabled young man who was the victim of a vicious sexual harassment in the workplace, a woman who was dealing with personal health issues and the right to choose and has a fundamental right of privacy to choose her reproductive decisions herself, an unarmed 15-year-old boy being shot dead in the back of his head by police or the strip-search of a 10-year-old girl, Judge Alito has been consistently outside the mainstream and has said no to the daily concerns of average Americans."

As the day went on, more and more Democrats announced their opposition to Alito, including California's Barbara Boxer, Connecticut's Christopher Dodd, Florida's Bill Nelson, and Illinois' Barack Obama.

Senator Feinstein concluded her explanation for voting against Alito by saying, "I, for one, really believe that there comes a time when you just have to stand up."

Alito's nomination is being debated on the Senate floor as we speak. Call your senators and Democratic leaders Reid and Leahy now. Tell them the time to stand up is now -- ask them to make a commitment to do everything possible to defeat Alito's nomination.

[phone]

Tell us how your calls go by visiting SaveTheCourt.org/CallReport.

--Your Allies at People For the American Way

NGU.

[ClassWarrior]

1. /

[drm604]

2. Also do this.

I got the same email. Very good news. Along with asking the Democrats to filibuster, we must ask the Republican Senators NOT TO NUKE IT, and give them reasons for not doing so. See my thread about this for ideas on what to say to them:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x2383579

Call, email and FAX!

Also, see converted_democrat's post about how the religious right minority makes themselves very loud and squeaky (the squeaky wheel gets the grease). We can use similar tactics. We MUST use similar tactics.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=132&topic_id=2376136

Call, email and FAX (DO ALL THREE) your Republican Senators. Call and FAX all of their DC and local offices. Do this even if you're sure that your Senator is a lost cause. They'll compare notes with others who may be swayed if they believe that the outpouring is nationwide. DO. IT. NOW. REPEATEDLY!

If you have a Democratic Senator then do the same, asking them to filibuster. Tell them they have nothing to lose; if they refuse to use it then it's already as good as nuked anyway. Tell them to use it and force the opposition to put up or shut up. Tell them that if the Repubs do nuke it they should then shut down the Senate!