Dems need to stop being scared of politically risky situations when princi

[jsamuel]

principles are on the line.

Yes a filibuster is a risky situation when most of the American people don't watch anything having to do with the confirmation, but you will let your principles down by not doing what you can to stop the GOP when they try to destroy our principles.

Don't jump off any cliffs, but don't be scared to take some risks... Without taking risks, we end up in Iraq...

[stepnw1f]

1. A Filibuster Would Force America to Watch

or at least pay more attention to this issue. It would also force the MSM to spin, which is good when they make mistakes.

[RufusEarl]

4. Filibuster

I agree it would force the MSM to pay attention, it would also take the attention off the Jack story and the NSA story. Besides we wouldn't win the filibuster, big (A) will still get on the SC and we would loose by not focusing on the Culture of Corruption. I don't like it Alito that is, but it's time for the Dem's to try and win something and I thinks our best chance is the Culture of Corruption angle.

[seeminer21]

5. agreed

wise words

[Salviati]

8. IMO the dems aren't going to win anything...

until they start trying to win everything. They really need to go full court press on these facist bastards, and until they do, they're just going to be marginalized and spun into irrelevence by the republicans and their lackies in the corporate media...

[stepnw1f]

9. Whatever

It's not about winning... it's about principals. Besides, I don't buy your "take the attention off the Jack story and the NSA story". That'll be there long after this confirmation. But... you know that.

[jsamuel]

10. agreed, It's like taking a field goal on 2nd Down because there are 10

yards left to the touchdown...

You will never win if you don't fight tooth and nail... You will probably miss the field goal too...

[stepnw1f]

11. I See These Posts and Say

Troll.

[Raksha]

12. I see trolls too, whenever I read one of these "choose your battles"

aka "keep your powder dry" posts. It seems these folks NEVER actually choose any battles and are always advising others to hold back, no matter what the provocation or how critical the issue. It may not be fair, but I've gotten to the point where I automatically think "freeper troll" whenever I see one of these caution posts. They are always keeping their powder dry for a battle that never comes.

[wiggs]

14. Agree. So.....

So what then should our opinions be of the legislators who are actually the ones keeping their powder dry and passing up opportunities to make a stand?

[RufusEarl]

15. Filibuster

Let me ask you, do you think we could get the fifty votes needed to win a filibuster? Are do you think the Dem's should just filibuster because it would make you feel better?

I'm no troll, I'm and independent. You think the NSA story will be around, no matter what? I read a CNN/Wop poll that said it was @ 50/50 with the public about Bu$h spying, that scares the hell out of me, to think that 50% of the people polled didn't mind being spied on.

Alito is going to be confirmed, I don't like it but it's going to happen. I think we need to put our attention towards Jack & NSA, we need to convince the voting public that these are serious times.

If Alito gets filibustered and the Dem's win it, I'll personally apologize to you for thinking it was a loosing battle, and I'll support a filibuster. I just don't think we can win this fight, has nothing to do with defeatism, it has to do with realism.

[mod mom]

2. I wish al the Dems would have Conyers and Dean's backbones.

[mattomjoe]

3. "stop being scared of politically risky situations"

unfortunately, that's exactly what the Dems have been for quite a while now -- scared. Notice that they didn't become outspoken on the Iraq War and its "intelligence" until it was pretty obvious that the growing public majority was already ahead of them on it. Everyone is looking to '06 as an opportunity to change things, but if they are so slow to put up a fight now (minority status be damned), why should we believe that they will collectively grow a spine the minute they have the numbers? :shrug:

[meganmonkey]

6. Exactly

and not only do we end up in Iraq, we end up STUCK there. And not only do we end up with Alito, we get him for 25 years or more!

Thanks for posting this.

And keep in mind, folks, that many of us only recently ventured into the world of 2-party politics and we have very little incentive to stay here at the rate the Dems are going. Aside from a few gems, there isn't much there. Lots of rhetoric, little action.

:shrug:

[firefox]

7. As a whole the American people do not see the big deal

The Dems could not educate the American people that the big deal with Alito is that he was nominated to support unlimited federal power and to grow the power of the presidency. The Constitution sought to limit federal power and now there is no limit and there is no real Constitution.

The biggest issue before the country is rolling back federal power to something resembling its Constitutional limits.

It is like Alexander Cockburn stated in his summary of 2005 when he ask "Who will fight for the Constitution?" It sure isn't Puppet WarCriminal or the other agents of the same power that put them in office.

[wiggs]

13. They aren't scared and they aren't stupid.

Most are quite smart, savvy, and not shy. Most have egos large enough to get them where they are in business and politics. They have resources, a media stage (if they wish), insider knowledge, lots of people giving them input, alliances with many powerful people corporate and otherwise, connections galore. They have all the tools they need to be a real opposition party, if they want to be.

It is time to wake up: A good number of dem leaders probably don't object to administration policies as much as we do. They don't mind letting the republicans grab oil in the name of empire and don't mind concentration of wealth into fewer hands (their hands included). Seems to me they play the role of opposition party but don't want to upset the apple cart too much. Many probably think they have a pretty good thing going. (I'll exempt a few congresspersons from this criticism, but not enough to matter)

Honestly, I haven't seen too much evidence to the contrary. It's the only scenario I can understand that explains mysterious dem passiveness and complicity.