Durbin on the Fillibuster: "EVERYTHING is on the table"

[shance]

For those posting to promote defeatist thinking regarding the lack of fillibuster, NOTHING could be further from the truth.

Democrats are now delaying the vote. That action in and of itself shows that they don't want to vote this nomination through because they know Alito is not qualified.

Senator Durbin stated we need 41 Democrats to fillibuster the Alito nomination. That being the number, we need to call all 45 plus Republican Senators who are leaning towards voting NO on confirming Alito.

This nomination does not benefit the Congressional leaders, or their own best interest being their position in Congress, because Alito has revealed through both his actions and his words that he plans to support actions that further eliminate the power of our Congressional leadership and empower the president and the Executive office.

Most importantly the nomination does not benefit the truth, as we have seen from the continually evasive answers coming from the nominee.

We need to mobilize together and keep the phone calls, faxes and letters/telegrams coming.

We are making a difference. That is why they are saying it we are not.

[cry baby]

1. ph. calls, faxes, letters...on their way!

rec'd

[babylonsister]

2. Here's some e-mail info/sources, and I know there's a

phone list out there! Let's get it on!

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=364&topic_id=130772

[shance]

9. Thanks Babylon!**

Appreciate the link.

:hug:

[BigBearJohn]

24. THAT's my sister!!!!!!!!

[babylonsister]

31. .

:* :hi:

[Poppyseedman]

3. Which Republican Senators

all 45 plus Republican Senators who are leaning towards voting NO on confirming Alito.

Are you talking about that are leaning No ?

[shance]

11. Hi PSM*** I think the more the merrier.

I think we need to let our Congressional leaders hear what we have to say, regardless of political party.

Who do you think we should call?

[radio4progressives]

23. Snow, Chaffee , Shays & Collins could be pursuaded ...

we need at least 41 Senators - to do the filibuster.

I think we can do it even if Nelson and Lieberman betrayed us, if we can get at least these Senators on board.

[tritsofme]

29. Shays is a congressman.

nt

[KharmaTrain]

37. Liebermann Isn't Going To Jump Ship

He's been both chiming in that he's very troubled by this nomination (Choice and privacy issues) and he's been trying to quietly patch things up with variosu Democratic groups. He know this vote means a possible challenge in the primaries...he's not looking for a fight.

Nelson's popularity is now around 70% and his seat isn't as endangered as it was a few months ago. Having Chuck Hagel give him cover in many ways is helping...the Nebraska GOOP party is torn in 5 different directions right now. Nelson could afford a no vote on Alito and still look strong in November...the same goes for Bill Nelson who is over 30 points ahead of Hot Legs Harris in that probably showdown in Florida.

The game here is to put the pressure on the moderate Repugnicans. It's shit or get off the pot time. If there are those like Specter or Chaffee or Collins or Snow or DeWine or Smith who claim to be "pro-choice" or moderate...they destroy their credibility and possibly their careers with a vote to confirm this slime merchant.

Don't bite into the corporate media's spin. The game is about to change...the clock is ticking on rushing this nomination through before the slime of Plame and Abramoff and Frist's financial problems and more problems in Iraq not only bog down the entire government, but starts to rip the Repugnican party apart.

I'm encouraged if these are Senator Durbins remarks (I don't see a link here)...i'm no so sure there's 45 Senators on the bubble on this one, but I do think there are a lot more than are publicly letting on right now.

[immoderate]

36. A case could be made to all Republicans.

Simply, a vote for Alito is a vote to reduce congressional power and oversight. It's an attack on the system of checks and balances. These are not partisan issues. At least, Republicans won't admit if they favor a dictatorship.

--IMM

[understandinglife]

4. K&R and, everyone, the "fat lady" hasn't even gotten to the opera house ..

... yet!

OK.

Just dial/fax/write/visit/gogogogogogogogogogo....and, guess what, NO ALITO.


Peace.

[shance]

12. Thanks UL*****

for this post, and for all you bring to DU.

:)

[adigal]

5. I just faxed Hannity's friend, Ben Nelson

Don't know what good it will do, but it will waste his paper. :-(

[adigal]

7. His fax is busy - I'll keep trying n/t

[Clara T]

6. kick for info

rec'd

[Proud2BaLiberalMom]

8. Here's my letter.....

This is the letter I sent my senator yesterday:
I hope he listens.

Dear Senator Bingaman,

I know you voted FOR Judge Roberts a few months ago.
However, IF you vote for Alito I WILL NO LONGER SUPPORT YOU! Plain and simple. HE MUST BE FILIBUSTERED!!! We are in a Constitutional crisis!
You know it, I know it, and more Americans are waking up to it everyday. I am asking you to do what is best for our country...DO NOT vote for Alito, PLEASE!!!

Respectfully,
M****
Albuquerque, NM

P.S. Check this website: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php
Democrats are paying careful attention to their Democratic leaders. Please keep this in mind when deciding on Alito.

[shance]

13. "You know it, I know it". How true!

Thanks Proudmom.

:yourock:

[EST]

10. If your member's phone in DC is busy from all

the calls that other patriots are making, don't hesitate to call their local office. I called Sen. Durbin's Springfield office and presented a plan that included filibuster, as forcefully, with details and as tactfully as I could. The local aide was enthusiastic and recorded the call with a promise that she would forward the message
.
I made it quite clear we would stand up for him and invited her (the aide) to log in to Democratic Underground and explained to her that we have over eighty thousand passionate progressives who are spoiling for a fight and absolutely heartsick at the inaction and mild mannered appeasement that passes for leadership, that the DLC was a proverbial millstone around our necks and that they are passing up a hell of a resource, here.

She had no idea we existed and promised to check us out.

Gonna call back in a couple days and check out their experience here. I highly recommend we beat on all our leadershit and point out this obvious oversight.

[FreedomAngel82]

15. Great call!

I'm glad to hear a positive call and I do hope she comes and checks things out. Maybe she can tell other aides she knows who work for other democrats.

[EST]

16. Thanks.

I'm not going to wait and hope she does. I will bring it to them, multiple attacks, plus I still have Obama to push on. He has not exactly been the ball 'o fire we all expected him to be and, no doubt, could use some encouragement.

[radio4progressives]

25. You're Kidding?? That's fantastic!

Thanks for this report! just remember the 41/51 formula. it's easy.

41 (or more) to vote for filibuster, and then 51 (or more) to defeat the "nuclear option".

[FreedomAngel82]

14. From what I'm reading here

it seems they are trying to deny the vote. Maybe they have some other things to get out. :shrug: Or something going on behind the scenes and they know they can get other people to support them.

[EST]

17. These guys have no idea they could bounce plans

and important questions off a huge number of their constituents within a couple of days, using I-net technology as a voter barometer, a support machine, a lot of things besides the humdrum lo-techy application they use it for, now.

Those guys just haven't a clue. They really NEED our help, plus we have to out sing the dreaded DLC and find a way to make them (DLC) redundant and irrelevant.

For those among us who enjoy the chase, a little investagating into DLC mambers' and their possible connections with current money scandals would be a neato find. It's almost as important a a goal of neutering them as in is bringing down the neocon neofascist meat grinder, since they are part of it.

[radio4progressives]

26. Totally Agree! Good for you for pointing it out!

That's how we can win back our party!

[EST]

30. It could serve to reinforce one leg of that "triangle."

Since we are light on media, without, barring something pretty unusual happening, anticipation of a rapid enhancement of the breadth of ethical progressive media outlets. A stronger, highly imaginative, internet presence might equalize the impact, allowing the further growth of Airamerica, Democracy Now! and other communication centers at their own pace, ensuring strength.

With the impending demise of the DLC, we will be rid of the elite, corporate sponsored, big time politicians and the taint of corruption, real or imagined, that such relationships exude, especially now, with the focus on that issue.
Of course, the big bucks depart as well. Absent feeding all those millions to billions of dollars straight into the maws of r/w and r/w fundie media giants - such an offensive fact of life - the corporatocracy should become a little less obese.

[Emit]

18. That's a really good point you make about the nomination not

being in the best interest as Congress persons. Whether they are Repubs or Dems, this unitary executive theory that Alito supports eliminates the power of all of the Congressional leadership, as you point out, and empowers the Executive.

I think that can be the crux of getting to the Repubs.

[Maraya1969]

19. Easy access to your senators for calling, email and faxes

http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senat...

[jillan]

20. Which Republican senators do you think that are leaning towards

voting against Alito:shrug:

I really think they are going to stick to party lines.

[shance]

21. I think its important to call all of our Congressional leaders

regardless of party lines.

If you have suggestions, please let us know!

[radio4progressives]

27. look up thread... for Republican possibilities... NT

[radio4progressives]

22. thanks for this report! an injection of hope gives us the incentive to

FIGHT BACK..

:bounce: :toast: :applause:

[f-bush]

28. Go for it Durban

[babylonsister]

32. a.m. kick! nt

[senseandsensibility]

33. Where/when did Durbin say this?

Sorry if I missed something.

[FogerRox]

34. K & R this thread-- dont let it drop-- send it to the TOP

[nicknameless]

39. That's my question too. And is there a link?

That needs to be sent out!

:hi:

[eyepaddle]

35. I just sent my email to Mark Dayton

I think I will send one to the tool Norm Coleman as well. I have no doubt that that empty suit bootlicker will fall in line with * on this issue, but I like to let him know there are many Minnesotans who disagree with him.

[greiner3]

38. I agree that aliedto needs to go;

What I can't figure out is if the repugs threw this loser at us knowing that we'd get rid of him and have the real candidate waiting in the wings knowing that whoever it is we can't filabuster two in a row or are the repugs so stupid (after how they've handled the country the last 5 years, they are very stupid or so smart that we can't see beyond the trees) that they don't have another one waiting. If either choice, what the hell was meiers doing as a candidate?